Splitgate has been out technically for more than a month, so players have had time to really make use of the game’s current weapons. A meta has surely developed within the time. The game is also well into its infancy stage once again, given the huge resurgence of players and its inclusion on home consoles.
This Halo-inspired arena shooter has many weapons that basically act like some of the iconic weapons from the Microsoft franchise. Many of the names and how they play should be no stranger to people familiar with Halo. Here are all the current 11 weapons in Splitgate ranked from best to worst:
1. Sniper
Many will argue that the sniper is not a top-tier weapon because it is dependent on skill. Yes, that argument is very valid, but the reason why this weapon is at the top of the food chain is because it has little drawbacks for being a precision weapon.
Snipers in many other shooter titles have this scope swaying mechanic where when you aim down the sight, the reticle moves slightly around implying that the wielder is not being fully still. That mechanic is usually in place to prevent snipers from being too unrealistically precise and overpowered. This is usually offset with some kind of bipod attachment for better weapon stability. In the case of Splitgate’s Sniper Rifle, though, this has zero scope sway, plus it can be accurately fired without ADS. Especially when you’re not using ADS on this weapon, the hitboxes are very forgivable.
In the Shotty Snipers game mode, if you can’t pull off a headshot or a guaranteed CQC kill with a shotgun, it’s ideal to hip fire someone with the sniper then swap to the shotgun to finish a foe off.
2. Battle Rifle
One of the standard issue guns of the game is also one of the best. The classic from the Halo series, and basically a carbon copy of it in Splitgate can deal lethal damage if played optimally. If you’re good with landing headshots, you can turn the Battle Rifle into a two-bursting death machine.
In the Team Swat game mode, this gun will almost always trump the Carbine. The three-round burst is more forgivable if you miss headshots. Its fire rate is also on par with the said Carbine. Basically, having this weapon on hand is never a bad choice.
3. Carbine
The Carbine is a solid weapon in Splitgate. It’s the Halo DMR, so it’s a semi-automatic rifle with good potential range. It has just as much potential as the aforementioned Battle Rifle, but it’s a lot less forgiving if you miss a shot or more.
This weapon is a headshot beast. It’s also never a bad option to have this on hand. Splitgate’s weapon recoil system and reticle accuracy are very lenient. Though this weapon is not the ideal weapon of choice in Team Swat, it is slightly more precise than the Battle Rifle, allowing for further headshot kills.
4. SMG
The SMG in this game is a CQC monster. There is no reason why an SMG should have 50 bullets in the chamber, have a rapid fire rate, and be a hitscan weapon. It’s nuts! This weapon is the poster child of what a spray-and-pray weapon is. If used optimally, the SMG can take out three people before reloading and still have some bullets left in the mag. Of course, its downside is that it’ll get beat by someone using something with more range.
5. Shotgun
The one-hitter quitter of the game. Splitgate’s Shotgun is really powerful and has an uncharacteristically longer range than typical shotguns. It has a smaller spread reticle, turning this into a beast in the right hands. The only downside with this weapon is that there are only three bullets in the magazine. It can’t wipe out an entire squad with one mag.
6. Assault Rifle
Another standard issue gun in the game. It’s a solid piece of hardware. It gets the job done. Surprisingly, this weapon can be utilized to be somewhat of a precision weapon. The Assault Rifle has a decent scope on it, allowing for more precise ADS in combat. It’s never a bad choice to have this weapon on hand. It’s versatile at close and semi-long range.
7. Rocket Launcher
Non-hitscan weapons in a game like Splitgate do require a bit more work to really do some damage. The Rocket Launcher in this game works exactly like it does in Halo games. It has a large blast radius and can inflict self-damage if fired too close. It has a bit of a niche use though; always fire at the feet or in a held/contested objective in a game like Domination or King of the Hill.
8. Pistol
The Pistol isn’t seen too often in the game, but when it is, it can be either a monster or a peashooter. Depending on range, it can deal 16 to 22 damage per headshot and 13 to 17 per body shot. This sidearm also has a very high fire rate despite its semi-auto firing mechanic. It also has manageable recoil, but no ADS.
9. BFB
The BFB— or the Big F—ing Bat— is the Splitgate version of Halo’s Gravity Hammer. It’s fun and is an instant kill if used on an enemy. The major downside with this weapon is that it’s only ideal to be used in sneak attacks like springing out from a corner or using proper portal placement. Charging in head-first into the fray with this weapon will only turn you into an easy target, dropping this insta kill weapon. It’s not a bad weapon per se, it’s just a bit too niche to perform consistently.
10. Plasma Rifle
The Plasma Rifle is a loose rendition of what the Plasma Gun is from Halo, but also from Quake games. It’s an energy-based weapon that can deal some serious damage, but it doesn’t perform consistently. The Plasma Rifle is a projectile-based weapon, so it has some travel time. It also has a very erratic spread pattern, so landing consistent headshots and even body shots is out of the picture. It’s ideal to only use this as a CQC weapon.
11. Railgun
The Railgun— Splitgate’s version of the Spartan Laser— is actually not the most ideal weapon to have at hand. Splitgate is a much faster-paced game than something like Halo. Kill times are slightly lower than they are in Halo games, so using a weapon with a charge mechanic is not the most ideal.
It’s satisfying to land a hit from this weapon on enemies, but missing your shot is an ensured death. Unless you’re playing the Instagib mode which removes the charge speed of the Railgun, this weapon should mostly be avoided.
Hopefully more weapons are added later to this game. There are a solid amount right now, but there can always be more. Make sure to check our Splitgate content on Attack of the Fanboy like patch notes and news updates. Splitgate is out now for free on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. There is a planned next-gen update for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X owners later down the line, though there is no release date for that yet.
