The Best Factions In XDefiant | Ranking Every Faction

In XDefiant you have to select one of the game's five Factions to play as before starting a match. Each Faction has their own unique Ultra, their own unique Passive Trait, and two separate Abilities (but you only get to pick one of the Abilities to use each match).

In this article we're going to give you a complete overview of the Factions in XDefiant by addressing the following topics:

1. Factions Overview
2. Complete Ranking of all Factions
3. The Best Faction For Each Mode

Before we begin however, there is one point of misunderstanding that we need to address. Within Factions there are different characters to play as, but these are purely cosmetic. Every character within each Faction uses the same set of Abilities.

Right, let's start with providing a basic overview of the Factions in XDefiant, before addressing the question of which Faction is the best.

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XDefiant Factions: Overview

Before we dive into the abilities and power-rating of each Faction, we'll begin by providing an overview of them all. The five Factions each come from a different Ubisoft franchise, and they each represent a certain playstyle-archetype. Here are the Factions, where they come from, and what each one plays like:

And, as you can see below, the aesthetic of each Faction is loyal to the franchise from whence it came:

It's a damn shame that we don't have any named-characters, like Sam Fischer for the Echelon, but at least this gives the writers of XDefiant more creative freedom.

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XDefiant Best Factions: Complete Ranking

Right, now let's get to the juicy topic you've been waiting for, the best Faction in XDefiant. You can find the current power ranking of each Faction for XDefiant below, from best to worst.

1. Libertad (Far Cry / Healers)

"What, Healers, the most powerful?!" We can hear some of you splutter. But yes, Libertad are absolute the best Faction in XDefiant right now. In fact, they're broken, and this is why all the best players in the world who are currently streaming the game and going for kill records are playing as Libertad.

Why are the Libertad so powerful? Because the devs (in a well-intentioned effort to get more people to actually play healers) have made their abilities absurdly strong compared to other Factions. Two abilities in particular, the Espiritu de Libertad and BioVida Boost, are insane.

With those abilities, a higher-skilled player can escape and reset after almost every engagement to get on super high streaks. If you've ever gone against a cracked-out Black Ops 4 player that can keep repositioning/stimming, you'll know what it's like to face the Libertad: painful.

2. Echelon (Splinter Cell / Recon)

As a long-time lover of the Splinter Cell franchise I'm thrilled to say these guys are great in XDefiant. It won't be the case that you ever see a full team of Echelon players, but in Ranked at least, you should expect at least one per team (probably the roaming SMG player).

Echelon's strength lies in their self-sufficiency and ability to find gaps. For this reason, you should allow your best shooter to go rogue as an Echelon, while the others focus on the OBJ.

Echelon have the passive ability to stay off radar, while their Ultra is fantastic for hitting a long-flank and pinching the enemy:

We can see Echelon being popular, but we highly recommend teams to try and limit the amount of Echelon players they bring. Just having one dude in the back to be annoying is all you need to slow down an enemy push.

3. Cleaners (The Division / Damage Dealers)

Finally, we get to the Damage Dealers. Most players will instinctively see extra damage and assume it means this is the best Faction in XDefiant, but that simply isn't the case at intermediate and higher-level play.

The Cleaners are super fun, and it can help to use their Firebombs for area-denial, but their kit simply lacks any play-making ability when compared to the higher ranked Factions

And as cool as these abilities sound, the devs were very cautious when designing the Cleaners, so none of them are individually that strong:

Still, you know what it's like, many folks are simply going to want to have that Passive Trait to use with the best weapons in XDefiant. Who doesn't love extra damage?

4. Phantoms (Ghost Recon / Tanks)

Phantoms might one day be much higher on this list, because although they might not be natural slayers, their usefulness in objective-focused play is obvious. However, the abilities they currently have feel underpowered for this role.

While the passive and the ultimate are both solid, neither of the Phantoms' abilities are very strong, and they can be very easily countered.

All of that said, we can still easily imagine a competitive meta that would see one player on each team using a Phantom with an SMG and taking the role of Entry Sub.

They will need to buff Phantoms, but we hope they don't lean too hard on improving the Blitz Shield ability, as riot shields are quite unsatisfying to play against in shooter games.

5. DeadSec (Watch Dogs / Controllers)

And way down at the bottom we've got DeadSec, the shitters of XDefiant. Okay, that's mean, they aren't terrible. In fact, if they receive a solid buff or a minor rework, we could see them having an important role to play. But they aren't very important right now.

The Lockout Ultra just feels so lame compared to other Ultras, and it will rarely win you a gunfight. The Fabricator passive is quite cool, but grenades are well-balanced in XDefiant, so this isn't as powerful as it first seems. And the two main abilities? These are some of the worst abilities in the whole game.

You don't want to be driving around a little Spiderbot just to maybe get a stun, when you could be playing as Libertad or Echelon (the best Factions in XDefiant).

The Best Faction For Each Mode

Choosing the right faction to play in a specific game mode is crucial in XDefiant. Each faction has unique abilities and kits that can have a significant impact on the outcome of the match. Understanding the strengths and weaknesses of each faction is essential to maximize your team's potential and secure the win.

In this way, players should consider selecting different factions for each mode in XDefiant, depending on the objectives and gameplay mechanics of the game mode. By doing so, players can gain a strategic advantage, adapt to the situation, and become a valuable asset to their team.

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Domination Mode

In Domination, teams compete against each other to capture and control three fixed points scattered throughout the map. Since the primary goal is to hold these areas, it's crucial to have Factions that excel in defense and area denial, such as The Cleaners from The Division and The Phantoms from Ghost Recon.

The Cleaners' Incinerator drone can lay down a strip of fire, which can be used to cut off enemy routes, zone out the entire enemy team, or split them up. On the other hand, if you want to make a grand entrance, you can use their Firebomb ability to throw a Molotov cocktail on the ground, which will blanket the surrounding area in fire. This ability can instantly clear a zone of enemy presence, but you'll have to get in close enough to set it off, which might not be easy.

However, it'll leave your opponents vulnerable, allowing your teammates to gain control of the area. If all else fails, The Cleaners' Ultra ability, the Purifier, arms you with a potent flamethrower that can take out anyone in your path.

Once you've taken control of a zone, the next task is to maintain it. This is where The Phantoms' Mag Barrier comes in handy. You can place one or two of these barriers down to block enemy bullets while you and your allies fire back through the one-way barrier, ensuring that you maintain control of the area.

Occupy Mode

Occupy mode is a bit different from Domination in that there is only one zone to capture, but it constantly changes locations, requiring you to be quick and adaptable. The Echelon faction, from Splinter Cell, is perfect for this game mode. Their digital ghillie suit makes them almost invisible, allowing them to sneak up on enemies and help their team take control of the zone.

When you need support moving from zone to zone, the Libertad faction from Far Cry 6 is the way to go. They provide area-of-effect healing over time with their passive trait and can activate their BioVida Boost ability to increase overall health and health regeneration for nearby allies. This additional 20 health can be a game-changer in a firefight. In addition, the Medical Supremo Ultra ability can double health and dramatically increase healing for a limited time, providing a massive advantage in critical moments.

HotShot Mode

In HotShot mode, killing an opponent results in them dropping a bounty that you can pick up to secure a point for your team. You can also deny the enemy team points by grabbing your allies' bounties. The player who holds the most bounties becomes the Hotshot, gaining enhanced movement and reload speed. However, the HotShot is also marked for everyone to see and track at all times.

In this mode, speed and offense are crucial, so the Echelon faction's digital ghillie suit is perfect for snatching up bounties. Their Intel Suit is also useful, especially for the HotShot themselves, as it can detect nearby enemies.

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If you want to gain an edge over your opponents, Echelon's Ultra ability, Sonar Goggles, will reveal all enemies through walls and arm players with Sam Fisher's 5.7 pistol, which deals extra damage. Winning firefights is crucial, so having extra health can be a game-changer. The Phantom faction's passive ability, Hardened, provides an extra 20 base health, while Libertad's BioVida Boost can give extra health and regeneration. The health regeneration is particularly useful in extended gunfights or when you barely survive a trade.

Escort Mode

In Escort mode, one team has the task of escorting a package on a predetermined route while the other team attempts to stop them. The attackers can move the package by being near it, with more teammates nearby leading to faster movement. Defenders can stop the package by keeping attackers away or contesting the zone, and they can even reverse the package if they control it entirely.

To excel in this mode, The Phantoms’ Blitz Shield is a potent activated ability that provides nearly 100% frontal cover from gunfire, allowing players to move to the package more easily and stay on it longer. The Phantom’s Ultra, the AEGIS, is perfect for those clutch moments when players need to move the package just a few more inches to hit the next checkpoint or finish line. The AEGIS creates a bulletproof shield around the player, big enough for teammates to fit in, making it hard for the enemy team to stop them.

The defending team's objective is to stop the attackers, and they have a variety of tools to achieve this goal. The Echelon’s digital ghillie suit is excellent for surprising the attacking team from unpredictable angles, while The Cleaners’ Incinerator Drone and Firebomb can force them off the package. If all else fails, using the attackers’ tactics against them can be effective – players can pull out a Blitz Shield and push the enemy team off the objective while they are distracted by their teammates.

Zone Control Mode

Zone Control is a mode with five static zones laid out in a linear map. The attacking team needs to stand in these zones to progress their capture meter. The progress made by the attacking team in capturing the zone is permanent, and the defending team cannot reduce the capture meter.

The Phantoms' Mag Barrier is particularly useful here since capturing zones takes much longer than in other modes. If you're stuck in one place due to enemy sniper fire, you can use the Phantoms' Blitz Shield to get on the objective. Libertad's El Remedio ability is perfect for static zones, as it throws out a healing cloud that remains in the location it was thrown, even after you die. This ability can help your team reach and hold the objective, whether you're alive or not.

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These are just a few tactics that can be used in XDefiant's five modes, but there is a wide variety of factions and loadouts available for players to experiment with and discover their own winning style. Additionally, DedSec, the fifth faction, will join the game at a later date, allowing players to use battlefield hacks and other innovative strategies.