Every weapon in Rivals leaves a gap somewhere, whether that is a slow reload, weak long-range damage, or poor mobility. The strongest builds fill that exact gap with a secondary, melee, and utility instead of stacking four items that all want the same fight. Below are complete four-slot loadouts for all 15 primaries, along with the reasons each pairing holds up in a match.
Quick answer: Pair a high-damage primary with a reload-free backup (Energy Pistols), a movement or high-ground melee (Scythe), and a utility that covers your weakness. For a safe all-round build, run Assault Rifle, Revolver, Fists, Grenade.
Every weapon loadout in Rivals
Each row lists the primary weapon and the three slots built around it, plus what the combination is designed to do. Use the table as a reference, then read the mechanics below to understand why certain items repeat across multiple builds.
| Primary | Secondary | Melee | Utility | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bow | Daggers | Fists | Grenade | Triple double-jump mobility |
| Crossbow | Energy Pistols | Scythe | Trip Mine | High-ground sniping, unlimited backup ammo |
| Energy Rifle | Energy Pistols | Scythe | Trip Mine | Never-reload damage at all ranges |
| Distortion | Uzi | Scythe | War Horn | Close the gap, faster backup fire |
| Gunblade | Energy Pistols | Battle Axe | War Horn | Dash-slash melee combos |
| Permafrost | Shorty | Knife | Grenade | Freeze then finish up close |
| Grenade Launcher | Energy Pistols | Knife | War Horn | Trick shots, speed to offset slow walk |
| RPG | Exogun | Fists | Grenade | Stacked splash, high jumps |
| Minigun | Energy Pistols | Scythe | Trip Mine | Turret positioning, high ammo |
| Shotgun | Energy Pistols | Fists | War Horn | Rush in, cancel reloads |
| Paintball Gun | Energy Pistols | Scythe | Grenade | Hitscan backup for projectile drop |
| Flamethrower | Flare Gun | Fists | War Horn | Stacked fire tick damage |
| Burst Rifle | Uzi | Fists | Grenade | Automatic backup, reload canceling |
| Assault Rifle | Revolver | Fists | Grenade | Semi-auto long-range backup |
| Sniper | Energy Pistols | Fists | Trip Mine | High ground, close-range cover |
Reload canceling and never-reload backups
Two ideas carry most of these builds. The first is reload canceling with Fists. On weapons with long reload animations, the ammo count refills before the animation finishes. As soon as the number updates, swap to Fists to skip the rest of the animation and get back to firing sooner. This is why Fists appear on the Shotgun, Sniper, Burst Rifle, and Assault Rifle builds.
The second idea is a reload-free backup. Energy Pistols have unlimited ammo and never reload, so they cover the exact moment a slow primary is empty. That makes them the default secondary for the Crossbow, Minigun, Sniper, and Grenade Launcher, where a missed window would otherwise leave you defenseless. The Energy Rifle takes this to the extreme by pairing an unlimited-ammo primary with Energy Pistols for a build that essentially never stops shooting.
Movement and high-ground tools
Mobility decides where you can fight. The Bow build stacks items that each grant a double jump, letting you chain multiple air jumps to reach rooftops and rotate across the map that most players cannot follow. It runs Daggers, Fists, and Grenade specifically for that stacking.
For weapons that want a vantage point, the Scythe dash and Trip Mine launch both push you onto high ground. That combination shows up on the Crossbow, Energy Rifle, Minigun, and Sniper builds, all of which perform best while looking down a lane. The War Horn does the opposite job. It boosts movement speed to close distance quickly, which is why it anchors the Distortion, Gunblade, Grenade Launcher, Shotgun, and Flamethrower builds.
Close-range pressure builds
Distortion is an automatic shotgun with a slower feel, so its build closes distance with War Horn and covers the rate-of-fire gap with the fast-firing Uzi, while the Scythe helps reposition into the fight it wants.
Permafrost turns a freeze into a kill. Chill an enemy in place, then finish with the Shorty’s spread and a backstab Knife hit before they thaw. The Gunblade build combos its dash slash straight into a quick Battle Axe melee, with Energy Pistols to poke anyone who backs off. The Flamethrower doubles down on burn by stacking the Flare Gun, so fire tick damage lands from both sources at once, backed by Fists and War Horn for speed.
The Shotgun build is the cleanest reload-cancel example. Fire, watch the ammo count refill, then swap to Fists to cut the reload short and re-engage, all while War Horn keeps you on top of the enemy.
Explosive and area builds
The RPG stacks splash from two sources by pairing with the Exogun, which is strong for mobile and console players who benefit from area damage over precise tracking. Fists and Grenade round it out with mobility and extra cover pressure.
The Grenade Launcher walks slowly, so War Horn fixes its movement while the Knife opens up backstab trick shots. Energy Pistols give it a reliable direct answer when the arc is not landing.
The Minigun works best as a stationary turret. Use the Scythe and Trip Mine to reach a strong vantage point, then hold the angle with its large ammo pool while Energy Pistols cover the reload.
Long-range and precision builds
The Crossbow rewards holding high ground and picking off targets, so the Scythe and Trip Mine get you there and the Energy Pistols keep you covered during its long reloads. The Sniper follows the same logic. Use the Trip Mine to launch onto a vantage point, keep Energy Pistols ready for anyone who rushes in, and cancel the bolt reload with Fists.
The Paintball Gun fires slow-traveling projectiles, so it leans on Energy Pistols for accurate hitscan backup when a moving target is hard to lead. Scythe and Grenade add repositioning and cover pressure.
Automatic rifle builds
The Assault Rifle is the most forgiving primary, and its build keeps things flexible. The Revolver is a high-damage semi-automatic backup for the ranges where sustained fire falls off, with Fists for reload canceling and Grenade for cover pressure. All four are practical defaults that each solve a different problem.
The Burst Rifle fires in fixed bursts, so it wants a fully automatic backup for chaotic close fights. The Uzi fills that role, Fists handle the reload cancel, and Grenade forces enemies out of cover.
The Energy Rifle rounds out this group as the pure never-reload option. Its consistent damage at every range, combined with unlimited ammo and an Energy Pistols backup, means you rarely stop applying pressure, while the Scythe and Trip Mine let you fight from favorable ground.
Treat these builds as tuned starting points rather than fixed rules. If a specific slot does not match how you play, swap it for something that patches your own weakness, since an accurate Assault Rifle setup will always outperform a flashier loadout that depends on timing you have not practiced. The consistent threads to keep are simple. Cancel long reloads with Fists, carry a backup that fights where your primary is weak, and pick a movement tool that gets you to the range you actually want.
