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Best XDefiant weapons and how to unlock them

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We reckon these are the best weapons in XDefiant for your loadouts

XDefiant weapon loadout
(Image credit: Ubisoft)
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Equipping the best XDefiant weapons in your loadouts will give you an advantage on the battlefield with rapid kills that give your opponents minimal time to counter. Obviously, your own personal preference and playstyle are important to consider here - there's no point running around with the 'the best' gun if you don't like using it or can't figure it out. With that said, reliable weaponry always helps, so this guide highlights some of the better guns that we recommend. Try a range of them and figure out what works with your favorite XDefiant factions too. 

These are the best weapons in XDefiant that we've used so far, what we prefer, and how you can unlock every weapon in the game.

Best XDefiant weapons

Best XDefiant weapons

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Here are the best XDefiant weapons that, so far, we feel are strong choices for a loadout:

  • M4A1: The starting Assault Rifle has high accuracy and damage is easy to use, making it an incredibly effective option.  
  • MP5A2: The starting SMG is also a great close-range option right at the start. Again with good TTK and accuracy even at range. 
  • P90: The P90's has a massive magazine and a high fire rate making it a powerful spray and pray weapon.
  • MK 20 SSR: A powerful marksman rifle that can kill incredibly quickly with upper body and headshots, offset by a small magazine.
  • M44: This bolt action sniper is quick and lethal in the right hands, capable of easily delivering one-shot kills at great range.

How to unlock all XDefiant weapons

XDefiant LVOA-C assault rifle season 1 battle pass

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

To get additional weapons in XDefiant, you need to complete specific challenges that award them or unlock them in a free Battle Pass. I've listed all the challenges below, but you can check them in-game under the 'Challenges' section of the 'Profile' tab on the main menu.

XDefiant weapon challenges for unlocks

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

Most of the challenges are pretty simple, just requiring you to use weapons in their intended role, but some will take longer to complete than others. Once you've completed a challenge, that's it – the specified weapon is yours and you can freely equip it in your loadouts and use it in matches. Although any weapons that were previously only available in a Battle Pass only become unlockable via a Major Challenge in the following season, so youwon't miss out on them forever – just be aware that you can progress one Major Challenge at a time! 

Here are all the challenges you need to complete and the weapons they unlock in XDefiant:

  • Assault
    • M16A4: Get 20 Assault Rifle Headshot Kills.
    • AK-47: Deal 4,000 damage with Assault Rifles.
    • MDR: Complete the relevant MDR Major Challenge.
    • LVOA-C: Reach level 20 on the Season 1 Battle Pass. This is a free reward, so you don't need to buy the Premium version.
    • ACR 6.8: Get 10 Longshot Kills with Assault Rifles (kills from more than 30m away). 
  • SMG
    • Vector .45 ACP: Deal 10,000 Damage with SMGs.
    • P90: Get 10 Hipfire Kills with SMGs.
    • MP7: Get 20 Point-Blank Kills with SMGs (kills from less than 5m away). 
  • Shotgun
    • Double Barrel: Get 10 Hipfire Kills with Shotguns.
    • AA-12: Get 15 Point-Blank Kills with Shotguns (kills from less than 5m away).
  • LMG
    • RPK-74: Deal 10,000 damage with LMGs.
    • M60: Deal 5,000 damage to enemy Equipment with LMGs.
  • Marksman
    • SVD: Get 15 Longshot Kills with Marksman Rifles (kills from more than 30m away).
    • Sniper
    • TAC-50: Get 10 One-Shot Kills with Sniper Rifles.
    • L115: Reach level 50 on the Season 1 Battle Pass. This is a free reward, so you don't need to buy the Premium version.
  • Sidearms
    • 686 Magnum: Get 5 Quick-Swap Kills (kill an enemy shortly after switching to your secondary weapon).
    • M1911: Get 4 secondary weapon Point-Blank Kills (kills from less than 5m away).
    • D50: Deal 1,000 damage with secondary weapons.
    • 93R: Sprint for a total of 240 seconds while holding a secondary weapon.
    • Sawed-Off Shotgun: Reach level 80 on the Season 1 Battle Pass. This is a free reward, so you don't need to buy the Premium version.

The best assault rifle in XDefiant

The best assault rifle in XDefiant

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

The best XDefiant assault rifle really is the starter M4A1. It does a great job right out of the gate with no attachments thanks to some decent damage and control, and almost minimal recoil. The AK is arguably better, but only once you've got a few attachments on it to rein in its rattly recoil. So it takes some time to get to a good place. The ACR 6.8 is also good, especially for longer-range gunfights as it feels less potent up close. 

The best SMG in XDefiant

The best SMG in XDefiant

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

If you don't mind ticking off the 20 point-blank kills with an SMG challenge need to unlock it, then the MP7 is worth unlocking - its mobility, fire rate and damage are superb. The P90's high fire rate and large mag size make it a good options too but, chances are, once you've used it to unlock the MP7 you probably won't look back. 

The best shotgun in XDefiant

The best shotgun in XDefiant

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

There's no real competition here with the mag fed, full auto AA-12 literally shredding everything you point it at. The only downside is using the pump action M870 or Double Barrel option to unlock it with 15 point-blank kills using shotguns. The M870 is slow and almost needs to be inserted into an enemy to guarantee a one-shot kill, while the Double Barrel is double barreled, so you need to be sure you land the shot and not mind spending most of your time reloading. 

The best LMG in XDefiant

The best LMG in XDefiant

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

As with a lot of options here the starter MS49 will probably hit all your hardcore LMG needs in XDefiant - namely endless firing at the expense of a long reload. The M60 is probably too similar overall to really work the challenges to unlock it. However, if you're after something that feels more like a bigger, heavier, slower assault rifle then the RPK-74 is a good option. 

The best marksman in XDefiant

The best marksman in XDefiant

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

The MK 20 SSR will probably be the only Marksman rifle you'll want, with high enough damage to guarantee two shot kills at the very most. It's basically good to go from the start, so any tweaking you do with attachments is just a bonus. The SVD is slower but arguably just as good, although you will actively need attachments to get the best from that one.  

The best sniper in XDefiant

The best sniper in XDefiant

(Image credit: Ubisoft)

There's very little between the M44 and TAC-50 sniper rifles in XDefiant so I'd say go with what feels best. I feel like the M44 is slightly faster at the expense of damage, while the TAC-50 swaps the speed for a touch more stopping power. But I also feel like I'm imagining it. 

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Will Sawyer
Will Sawyer
Guides Editor, GamesRadar+

Will Sawyer is a Guides Editor at GamesRadar+ with over five years of experience in writing online guides, news, and features, and has a BA (Hons) in Journalism. Starting as a freelancer, Will contributed to startmenu and Game Rant before joining the GamesRadar+ team in August 2021. Since then, he has written hundreds of guides about a huge range of games, with shooters and action games being his areas of expertise. Outside of writing about games, Will hops between multiplayer shooters with friends, such as Darktide and Helldivers 2, and delves into whatever has been on his backlog for far too long. He also tries to get through his never-ending Warhammer pile of shame of grey Tyranids, Aeldari, and Chaos Space Marines.

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