All XDefiant Factions and the best ones to play

The best XDefiant factions hasn't changed much with the addition of the GSK. The new Rainbow Six team has a very specialised set of skills that limit their use - in the right defensive situation they can be strong but you're not likely to use them all the time. 

With things like the Phantom's shields, Libertad's healing and Echleon's enemy revealing intel suit, the GSK's very defense orientated barbwire and anti-grenade trophy system is just too situational to pull out for general play. Their ability to survive headshots is not really changing anything massively either.  

However, each Faction has a range of varied, passive traits, gadgets and Ultra abilities that means there's quite a lot to consider for each team. And, while there's a few that are always useful, the GSK join the ranks of options that can kill it in a very specific situation, but bring little generally.  

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Best XDefiant Factions:

The XDefiant Factions are quite varied in terms of the benefits they provide, with some performing better than others in specific situations and more broadly. That means pairing the right Faction for your playstyle with some of the best XDefiant weapons in your loadouts can really help with your performance during matches. Here’s how we rank the Factions from best to worst:

1. Echelon: Their stealthy spy abilities and wallhacks make them great for aggressive playstyles, especially thanks to their Low Profile passive. They’re not the simplest Faction to play but can be absolutely lethal in the right hands.
2. Phantoms: The Phantoms are a very solid defensive team and are very beginner friendly. 20 extra health from the Hardened passive is a noticeable buff, and their shield abilities make this Faction a great choice for objective play.
3. Libertad: Like the Phantoms, the Libertad Faction is another beginner-friendly team and has abilities focused on healing yourself and your allies. The more supportive approach won't appeal to everyone, but you can still play aggressively to great effect with all that healing.
4. Cleaners: The Cleaners are a decent Faction, but their unusual abilities mean there's a learning curve to overcome. Their Incendiary Rounds passive isn’t the best and their other abilities can be inconsistent or situational, but with practice, they can be very effective.
5. DedSec: DedSec's abilities are great for aggressive counterattacks but it can be hard to judge their impact and they can be reliant on what equipment and Factions enemy players pick. However, the Spiderbot ability and Fabrictor passive are excellent.
6. GSK: The Rainbow Six faction are the most situational option in the game currently. Their main tools - barbwire and a grenade neutralising ADS system - only really work when you're trying to hold a position. There's nothing here for aggressive play or pushing forward unless you get the stunning shield Ult. Need some defense heavy play? GSK might be a good call, but otherwise they can't do much. 

All XDefiant Factions explained

Each of the Factions in XDefiant offer a selection of characters to play as and unique abilities to choose, all themed around one of several Ubisoft games and franchises. The default four Factions are the Cleaners, Phantoms, Libertad, and Echelon, but new Factions will be added regularly that must be unlocked. Each of the base game Factions also has only one character unlocked by default, and you must complete challenges to unlock others.

When you start a match in XDefiant, you need to pick which character you’ll play as and which Faction ability you’ll use. Both can be changed mid-match, so you’re not locked into your choice. Characters do not alter gameplay and just affect your appearance and voice, but the abilities can be quite different, and can inform your playstyle in some instances. Regardless of which character and ability you choose, you’ll also benefit from a Faction passive ability, offering a nice boost with a noticeable effect, and can charge up a Faction Ultra ability, temporarily granting you a powerful weapon or gadget to use.

Here are all the Factions in XDefiant and everything you need to know about them:

XDefiant Cleaners

Themed around one of the enemy groups in The Division, the Cleaners are fire-loving New Yorkers looking to incinerate foes. Faction unlocked by default.

• Characters:
  • De Rosa: Available by default.
  • Kersey: Get 50 kills with the Firebomb ability.
  • Green: Get 50 kills with the Incendiary Drone ability.
• Ultra ability – The Purifier: Activate to pull out a powerful flamethrower for a short time and burn opponents.
• Activated ability 1 – Incinerator Drone: A drone that flies ahead in a straight line, dropping napalm below before exploding.
• Activated ability 2 – Firebomb: Smash a Molotov cocktail at your feet, burning the floor around you.
• Passive trait – Incendiary Rounds: Bullets apply a burning damage-over-time effect but weapon range is also reduced.

XDefiant Phantoms

With the benefits of futuristic technology, these elite soldiers from Ghost Recon Phantoms provide defensive power in battle. Faction unlocked by default.

• Characters:
  • Singa: Available by default.
  • Gorgon: Block 10,000 damage with Mag Barriers.
  • Rhino: Get 25 kills with the Blitz Shield.
• Ultra ability – Aegis: When activated, a bubble shield surrounds you and you pull out a scattergun that deals massive damage at extremely close range.
• Activated ability 1 – Mag Barrier: Deploy a barrier that blocks incoming enemy fire and explosives. Teammates can shoot through it.
• Activated ability 2 – Blitz Shield: Pull out a large shield that substantially reduces damage from the front. Guns can't be used while the shield is out, but you can bash enemies with it.
• Passive trait – Hardened: You have 20% more health.

XDefiant Libertad

The freedom fighters of Yara from Far Cry 6 provide healing and other health-related buffs to their teammates. Faction unlocked by default.

• Characters:
  • Iselda: Available by default.
  • Beto: Heal 5,000 health to allies with BioVida Boost.
  • Seleste: Heal 5,000 health to allies with El Remedio.
• Ultra ability – Medico Supremo: place a Medico backpack on the floor which grants those within its area massively increased health and healing.
• Activated ability 1 – BioVida Boost: Chugging this provides you and nearby allies with boosted health regeneration.
• Activated ability 2 – El Remedio: Chuck a gas canister that releases healing gas to fix up you and your allies. The canister releases gas until it expires after the time limit or is destroyed.
• Passive trait – Espiritu de Libertad: You and nearby allies are constantly healed.

XDefiant Echelon

Echelon agents from Splinter Cell normally aren't seen or heard, but in XDefiant they use wallhacks and stealth abilities to cause chaos. Faction unlocked by default.

• Characters:
  • Malee: Available by default.
  • Samir: Get 100 kills while using Digital Ghillie SuitGet 50 kills with the Firebomb ability.
  • Rafa: Get 50 Intel suit Spot Assists.
• Ultra ability – Sonar Goggles: Reveals all enemies, even through walls, and grants you Sam Fisher's deadly 5.7 Pistol for a short time.
• Activated ability 1 – Digital Ghillie Suit: Become nearly invisible. Fast movement and aiming reduce your invisibility.
• Activated ability 2 – Intel Suit: You periodically release a pulse that reveals nearby enemies.
• Passive trait – Low Profile: You do not appear on the opposing team's minimaps at all.

XDefiant DedSec

The expert hacker group from Watch Dogs brings disruptive technology to the arena that focuses on stunning enemies and destroying equipment. Unlocked either by paying 1,000 XCoins or by earning 700,000XP to complete a Major Challenge.

• Characters: Sebastian, Gia, and Jing (all unlocked when you unlock DedSec)
• Ultra ability – Lockout: Prevent enemies in the area from using their abilities and Ultras.
• Activated ability 1 – Hijack: Hack nearby enemy equipment and abilities to turn them to your team.
• Activated ability 2 – Spiderbot: Deploy a spider robot that will find the nearest enemy and stun them by jumping on their face.
• Passive trait – Fabricator: After you deploy a device, a new one starts printing (this effectively gives you infinite grenades with a cooldown between each one).

XDefiant GSK

The GSK from Rainbow Six are all about defense with barbwire to hold back enemies and a trophy system to neutraliser grenades. Great for holding down an area but not much use in any other situation. Unlocked either by paying 1,000 XCoins or by earning 700,000XP to complete a Major Challenge.

• Characters: 
  • Stark: Available by default.
  • Kaptan: Destroy 50 devices with ADS.
  • Krieger: Get 10 shock wire kills or trap assists. 
• Ultra ability – Flash Shield: A ballistic shield with built in stun light.
• Activated ability 1 – Shock Wire: Three charges of electrified barbwire you can drop to slow and damage enemies.
• Activated ability 2 – ADS: An active defense system that destroys any incoming throwables.
• Passive trait – Hard Hat: Helmet provides headshot protection.

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