Our RIVALS tier list ranks 33 Standard and Prime weapons for the last stretch before Season 4, which the official Roblox event listing schedules for Saturday, November 14 at 02:00 UTC. The tiers below are our own and use four stated criteria, not win rates, because Nosniy Games publishes none. Season 4 weapons and balance changes have not been announced yet, so this list reflects the live game after Update 24 and will be revised when the Season 4 patch notes appear.
Table of Contents
Quick answer: best RIVALS weapons right now
- S tier (ours): Assault Rifle, Exogun and Daggers.
- A tier: Wildcat, Sniper, Energy Rifle, Burst Rifle, Spray, Grenade Launcher, Katana and Knife.
- Newest balance pass: Update 24 (Oct 16) buffed the Grenade Launcher, Revolver, Shorty, Spear and Warpstone; Update 23 (Sep 18) buffed the Wildcat; Update 22 (Sep 4) buffed the Minigun, Permafrost, Maul and nearly every utility item.
- Season 4: no weapon list yet. Checked Nov 13, 10:27 UTC: the game page still names Update 24.
A melee skin from the RIVALS shop. Season 4 weapons are not announced yet. Image: Nosniy Games / Roblox
How we ranked the weapons
We have not played RIVALS, so nothing here is a match result. Each placement comes from what the developers’ patch notes and the community Roblox Rivals Wiki document about a weapon, judged on four points:
- Reliability: does it work at most ranges and on most maps without a special setup?
- Counter-proof: is it stopped by the Katana’s deflect or the Riot Shield, or does it bypass both?
- Ease of use: how much aim, recoil control or timing does it demand?
- Patch direction: was it buffed or nerfed in Updates 22 to 24?
A low tier is not “bad”. It means the documented trade-offs are bigger than the weapon’s strengths for most duels. Contraband weapons (the Season Pass ones, such as Distortion, Permafrost and Grappler) are not ranked. The wiki counts 55 weapons in total, including five gamemode-exclusive ones and a test weapon.
RIVALS weapon tier list (our ranking)
| Tier | Primary | Secondary | Melee |
|---|---|---|---|
| S | Assault Rifle | Exogun, Daggers | – |
| A | Wildcat, Sniper, Energy Rifle, Burst Rifle, Grenade Launcher | Spray | Katana, Knife |
| B | Shotgun, Crossbow, Minigun, RPG, Gunblade | Handgun, Revolver, Shorty, Energy Pistols, Slingshot | Spear, Scythe, Chainsaw, Riot Shield, Trowel |
| C | Bow, Flamethrower, Paintball Gun | Flare Gun | Fists, Maul, Battle Axe |
S tier: Assault Rifle, Exogun and Daggers
Assault Rifle. It is free, and the wiki describes it as well-rounded at any range, as long as you keep your crosshair on the target. Its listed stats are 12 damage near the target, falling to 3 at range, a 0.10 s fire interval and 20 rounds in the magazine. Nothing about it needs a special map or a counter-pick, and Update 22 to 24 left it untouched.
Exogun. The wiki says splash damage means you do not need perfect aim, and that it cannot be deflected by the Katana or absorbed by the Riot Shield. It also notes the second-fastest reload of any weapon and says the Exogun is widely regarded as one of the best secondaries for beginners and experts alike.
Daggers. The wiki lists them at 30 keys, with 20 damage per dagger, a two-dagger burst, 10% extra movement speed and a double jump. Per the wiki they bypass the Katana, and the mobility fits almost any loadout.
A tier: weapons that are strong with the right habits
- Wildcat: the SMG added in Update 22 (35 keys). It is the first weapon with realistic recoil, so you pull down while firing, and its two taped magazines reload in 0.78 s, then 1.56 s. The developers called its launch performance below expectations and buffed it in Update 23: damage 9 to 10, ammo 24 to 30, reserve 96 to 120, and damage falloff starting at 40 studs instead of 30. Fast, but it asks for recoil control.
- Sniper: still a one-shot threat with a headshot, according to the wiki. It became semi-automatic in Update 22 (the developers called it a consistency change), so each shot needs its own click.
- Energy Rifle: automatic energy beams that bounce off walls, with infinite ammo per the wiki.
- Burst Rifle: the notes say it was too easy to hit all three shots, so Update 22 raised its burst cooldown from 0.07 s to 0.08 s. We keep it in A because the three-shot burst remains its identity, but it is the one A-tier weapon with a nerf on record.
- Grenade Launcher: Update 24 raised damage from 40 to 45, projectile speed from 90 to 100 studs per second, hitbox from 0.75 to 0.85 studs and cut reload from 3.2 s to 2.5 s. The developers said the changes should make it more consistent.
- Spray: a lightweight burst weapon that, according to the wiki, bypasses both the Riot Shield and the Katana’s deflect.
- Katana: its Deflect ability sends most bullets back at opponents, but the wiki lists attacks it cannot deflect, which is why the Exogun, Daggers and Spray rank above it.
- Knife: known for its one-shot ability, per the wiki. It rewards flanking and a finisher mindset.
Official RIVALS game page art: a red avatar fires a ray gun at a machine. Image: Nosniy Games / Roblox
B tier: solid, but narrower
These weapons all have a clear job and a clear weakness. The Shotgun and Shorty (10 pellets each) are strongest up close. Update 24 buffed the Shorty to 8 damage per pellet, up from 7.5, and the Revolver’s quick-shot spread fell from 10 to 7 degrees. The Minigun, which has a long spin-up and a speed penalty, got a Dynamic Spread cut in Update 22 (0.25 to 0.18 degrees per stud per second) because the earlier change was “too harsh”. The Crossbow also went semi-automatic in Update 22 but keeps edges such as accurate hip-fire and bypassing the Katana. In the melee slot, the Spear got the biggest Update 24 buff: equip cooldown 1.25 s to 0.6 s, throw damage 25 to 30 and critical throw damage 50 to 60. The developers’ note said it had been outshined by other melees, which is why it sits in B and not lower.
C tier: situational picks
The Bow needs 1.80 s to reach a full charge and has a 0.85 s equip, the Flamethrower’s fire only reaches a short cone, and the Paintball Gun has a slower fire rate. The Flare Gun is described by the wiki as a smaller-area alternative to the Molotov. The Fists are the free default melee. The Maul and Battle Axe both trade speed for damage (the Battle Axe makes you 10% slower), and the Maul’s Update 22 buff raised its reach from 6 to 8, though AllThingsHow still judged it not enough to make the weapon a competitive pick. Treat C as “learn a specific trick first”, not “avoid”.
What changed in the last three updates
| Update | Date | Weapon changes (per the patch notes) |
|---|---|---|
| 22 | Sep 4 | New Wildcat. Buffs: Minigun, Permafrost, Maul, Freeze Ray, Subspace Tripmine, Flashbang, Grenade, Molotov, Smoke Grenade, Jump Pad, Grappler, Warpstone. Nerfs: Burst Rifle, Distortion (ammo 77 to 45). Crossbow and Sniper went semi-automatic. |
| 23 | Sep 18 | Wildcat buff (damage, ammo, falloff). Ranked ELO changes from Update 22 reverted. |
| 24 | Oct 16 | Buffs: Grenade Launcher, Revolver, Shorty, Spear, Warpstone (hitbox 4 to 0.25 studs). Halloween content. |
For utility, Update 22 cut the equip cooldown to 0.5 s on the Flashbang, Grenade, Molotov, Smoke Grenade, Jump Pad, Grappler, Warpstone, Freeze Ray and Subspace Tripmine, from 0.85 to 0.9 s before. The Freeze Ray also got a 4 s freeze and 2.5 s slow. Because every throwable improved together, we do not tier them separately: pick utility for the job (blind, burn, escape or block), not for rank. The Smoke Grenade now blinds you completely, so graphics settings no longer change how much you see.
One of the Ranked changes matters for Season 4: in the Update 23 notes, Nosniy Games said the Update 22 ELO changes were reverted because the middle of a season was the wrong time, and to expect them back next season when everyone starts from a fresh slate. Some tier-list articles still describe the Update 22 ELO rework as live.
What to expect from RIVALS Season 4
The official Roblox listing reads only “SEASON 4 IS COMING. 11/13/26” (checked Nov 13, 10:27 UTC), and the game page still names Update 24. Our RIVALS Season 4 release time guide has the start time in every time zone and the season history. Earlier seasons each added Season Pass weapons, but that is a pattern, not a promise. When the Season 4 notes go live we will check them against this ranking and update the post.
For free items in the meantime, see our RIVALS codes page, the RIVALSWEEN guide for the last event, and Roblox events this week. Other Roblox ranking lists: Blox Fruits tier list and Violence District tier list.
FAQ
What is the best weapon in RIVALS?
In our ranking, the Assault Rifle, Exogun and Daggers share the top tier because they work at most ranges and the Exogun and Daggers get past the Katana’s deflect. This is our judgment from patch notes and wiki descriptions, not a win-rate statistic.
What is the best weapon for beginners?
The free Assault Rifle, Handgun and Fists are the defaults. Among unlockables, the wiki describes the Exogun as widely used by beginners and experts alike.
Will Season 4 change the tier list?
Possibly. Nosniy Games has not published Season 4 weapons or balance changes, so this list covers the live game after Update 24 and will be updated once the patch notes are out.
Sources: Roblox Rivals Wiki: Updates (transcribed patch notes for Updates 22 to 24, read Nov 13) and Weapons plus the individual weapon pages (community-written); RIVALS game page and Season 4 event listing on Roblox (checked Nov 13, 10:27 UTC); AllThingsHow, Update 22 changes ranked and balance changes (Sep 5-7).
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