Best RIVALS weapons: AWP, Burst Rifle, and Minigun dominate S+ tier. AWP one-shots everything. Burst Rifle melts at mid-range. Katana deflects bullets (yes, really). The free LAUNCH code knife is A-tier.
I've used every weapon across 400+ hours. Some I ran for weeks before realizing they were holding me back. Others I ignored because they looked boring, then finally tried them and wondered why I waited so long.
Grab free keys from codes to get more weapons. I've saved probably 50 bucks in Robux from codes alone.
Quick Tier Overview
| Tier | Weapons | Why |
|---|---|---|
| S+ | AWP, Burst Rifle, Minigun | Dominant in their roles, game-winning |
| S | Shotgun, Sniper, AK-47, Katana | Excellent all-around, high skill ceiling |
| A | M4A1, Energy Rifle, Scythe, Revolver | Solid picks, reliable performance |
| B | Assault Rifle, SMG, Bow, Handgun | Decent options, situational |
| C | Flamethrower, Grenade Launcher, Uzi | Niche uses, outclassed |
| D | Paintball Gun, Trowel, Slingshot | Meme weapons, avoid in ranked |
Primary Weapons
S+ Tier Primaries
| Weapon | Damage | Fire Rate | Why It's S+ |
|---|---|---|---|
| AWP | 100 (one-shot) | Slow | One-shot kills, no counterplay if you hit |
| Burst Rifle | High | 3-burst | Insane burst damage, melts at mid-range |
| Minigun | Medium | Fast | Suppression god, area denial |
AWP is the most broken weapon in RIVALS if you can aim. One-shot body shots. One-shot headshots. Miss and you're dead, but hit and they're dead first. I picked this up around hour 200 after getting destroyed by AWPers for months. Took maybe 30 hours to get consistent with it, but now it's my main on long-range maps.
Burst Rifle chunks health so fast it feels unfair. Three-round burst that can delete someone before they react. I clutched a 1v3 on Warehouse with this thing last week. The burst damage is just unmatched at mid-range.
Minigun is pure chaos. Spray down hallways, hold angles, suppress entire teams. The spin-up time is the only weakness. I run this on defense and just lock down choke points. Nobody wants to push into a Minigun.
S Tier Primaries
| Weapon | Damage | Fire Rate | Why It's S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shotgun | High | Slow | One-shots up close, punishes rushers |
| Sniper | High | Slow | Headshot one-shots, more forgiving than AWP |
| AK-47 | High | Medium | Best all-around rifle, manageable recoil |
Shotgun dominates close quarters. If someone pushes you, they die. Simple as that. The slow fire rate means you need to hit your shots, but the damage is worth it. I've one-shot so many people who thought they could rush me.
AK-47 is the most reliable primary. Good damage, decent fire rate, learnable recoil pattern. I ran this exclusively for my first 100 hours and still pull it out in ranked when I need consistency. The recoil pulls up and to the right, but once you learn it, you can full-spray at medium range.
A Tier Primaries
| Weapon | Damage | Fire Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| M4A1 | Medium | Fast | Aggressive playstyle, spray and pray |
| Energy Rifle | High | Medium | Unique projectile, good at range |
| Bow | High | Slow | Silent, one-shot headshots |
M4A1 is for players who like to push. Faster fire rate than AK but less damage per shot. Good for aggressive flanking.
Bow is underrated. Silent shots, one-shot headshots, and nobody expects it. Great for sneaky plays.
B Tier Primaries
| Weapon | Notes |
|---|---|
| Assault Rifle | Generic, outclassed by AK |
| SMG | Fast but weak, loses to rifles |
| Exogun | Interesting but inconsistent |
These work but there's always a better option.
C-D Tier Primaries
| Weapon | Why It's Low |
|---|---|
| Flamethrower | Short range, slow kill time |
| Grenade Launcher | Inconsistent, easy to dodge |
| Paintball Gun | Literally a meme weapon |
| Slingshot | Why would you use this |
Don't bring these to ranked unless you're trolling.
Secondary Weapons
S Tier Secondaries
| Weapon | Why |
|---|---|
| Revolver | High damage, quick swap kills |
| Handgun | Reliable backup, fast draw |
Revolver hits like a truck. When your primary runs dry, swap to revolver and finish the kill. Two-shot potential.
A Tier Secondaries
| Weapon | Why |
|---|---|
| Uzi | Spray backup, good for panic |
| Flare Gun | Utility + damage |
B-C Tier Secondaries
Most other secondaries are situational. Your secondary should complement your primary, not replace it.
Melee Weapons
S Tier Melee
| Weapon | Ability | Why It's S |
|---|---|---|
| Katana | Deflects bullets | Literally blocks shots, insane |
| Scythe | Dash forward | Gap closer, aggressive plays |
Katana can deflect bullets. Read that again. You can block incoming fire with a sword. I didn't believe it until someone blocked my entire AK spray and then killed me. Felt like I was playing a different game. This is broken in the right hands.
Scythe lets you dash forward and close distance instantly. Great for finishing low-health enemies or escaping bad situations. The dash has saved me from so many AWP shots.
A Tier Melee
| Weapon | Notes |
|---|---|
| Knife | Fast, reliable |
| Fists | Always available |
Standard melee options. Nothing special but they work.
B-D Tier Melee
Most other melee weapons are cosmetic differences. Stick with Katana or Scythe.
Utility Weapons
S Tier Utility
| Utility | Why |
|---|---|
| Smoke Grenade | Vision denial, clutch plays |
| Subspace Tripmine | Area control, free kills |
Smoke Grenade wins rounds. Block sightlines, cover plants, escape bad situations. Essential utility.
Subspace Tripmine is set-and-forget damage. Place it, forget it, get a kill notification later.
A Tier Utility
| Utility | Why |
|---|---|
| Molotov | Area denial, flush enemies |
| Medkit | Sustain, clutch heals |
B Tier Utility
| Utility | Notes |
|---|---|
| Spray | Cosmetic flex |
| Trowel | Building, niche |
Best Loadouts
Aggressive Rusher
- Primary: Shotgun or M4A1
- Secondary: Revolver
- Melee: Scythe
- Utility: Smoke Grenade
Push hard, get in their face, use scythe to close gaps.
Sniper/AWPer
- Primary: AWP or Sniper
- Secondary: Handgun
- Melee: Katana
- Utility: Smoke Grenade
Hold angles, one-tap heads, use katana if they push you.
All-Rounder
- Primary: AK-47 or Burst Rifle
- Secondary: Revolver
- Melee: Knife
- Utility: Molotov
Flexible loadout that works in any situation.
Support/Suppression
- Primary: Minigun
- Secondary: Handgun
- Melee: Katana
- Utility: Smoke Grenade
Lock down areas, suppress pushes, support your team.
Weapon Get Priority
If you're new and have limited keys, get weapons in this order:
- AK-47 - Best starter primary
- Revolver - Best secondary
- Katana - Game-changing melee
- Smoke Grenade - Essential utility
- Burst Rifle - Upgrade from AK
- AWP - If you can aim
- Scythe - Strong melee option
Don't waste keys on meme weapons until you have the essentials.
Common Mistakes
These are all things I did wrong and paid for.
Using the wrong weapon for the map. I brought a Shotgun to a long-range map once. Went 3-15. Never again. AWP in tight corridors is equally awkward. Match your weapon to the map.
Ignoring melee. I didn't touch Katana for my first 150 hours. Thought melee was useless in a shooter. Then I learned about the deflect. Game changer.
No utility. Smoke grenades win rounds. I used to think they were a waste of a slot. Then I watched a Diamond player smoke off an angle and clutch a 1v3. Now I always carry smokes.
Chasing kills with bad weapons. If your gun sucks for the situation, don't take the fight. Reposition. I used to force fights with the wrong weapon and wonder why I kept dying.
Not learning recoil patterns. AK and Burst Rifle have learnable patterns. I spent an hour in a private server just spraying walls. Boring but necessary. Now I can full-spray and actually hit shots.
Related RIVALS Guides
- RIVALS Codes - Free keys and wraps
- RIVALS Beginner Guide - Settings, tips, and strategies
- RIVALS Maps Guide - Callouts and strategies for every map
- RIVALS Ranked Guide - How to climb from Bronze to Diamond
- RIVALS Movement Guide - Slide canceling and advanced techniques
- Blind Shot Codes - Another FPS game
- Knife Arena Codes - Melee combat game
