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- Pair the weapon with the Chrome Lined barrel, Superlight front rail, reflex optic, Quick magazine, and Padded stock.
- Our build is designed to enhance your range without hampering firepower.
The M4A1 is the first assault rifle that Ubisoft’s arena shooter gives you – but don’t be too quick to write it off. While it’s perfectly capable in terms of firepower and accuracy, the gun really comes to life with the right attachments – so putting in the effort absolutely pays off. After extensive time with the gun, here’s our best attachments designed to amplify the weapon’s strengths and mask some of its weaknesses.
Our best M4A1 build
The M4A1’s (also known as the M4) default loadout will let you clean up foes across tight corridors and medium-distance shootouts. However, it does struggle at longer distance, leaving you vulnerable in the more open spaces such as on the Times Square Map. These attachments target these weaknesses, creating a more well-rounded firearm.
Attachment type | Chosen attachment | Description | How to unlock |
---|---|---|---|
Barrel | Chrome Lined | +20% short range and long range, -5% movement speed, -15% ADS speed | Level 21 |
Front Rail | Superlight | +10% ADS speed, +2.5% movement speed, -10% recoil recovery | Level 4 |
Optic | Reflex Sight | +1 sight picture | Level 2 |
Magazine | Quick Mag | +5 magazine size, +15% reload speed | Level 11 |
Stock | Padded | +15% recoil recovery, +10% ADS stability, +5% ADS flinch control | Level 7 |
Secondary Weapon | M9 | A reliable sidearm | NA |
Device | Frag Grenade | A lethal grenade | NA |
To enhance its range, we opt for the Chrome Lined barrel attachment. This incurs a penalty in mobility and aim speed that we remedy with the Superlight front rail. It boosts those two metrics while dropping recoil recovery, making the weapon kick-back more of an issue.
We solve for this problem by opting for the Padded stock, which boosts recoil recovery, ADS stability, and flinch control. This gives us a well-rounded gun that has enhanced range against opponents. To wrap it up, opt for the Quick Mag for faster reloads and the reliable Reflex scope for a laser dot sight. The Fast Mag is a good alternative once you unlock it.
And if you’re comfortable with the regular iron sights, the Quick Draw rear grip might be worth your consideration as it’ll let you enter fights quickly. Damage at medium range is crucial in teamfights so using these attachments will certainly give you an edge.
While we picked the ACR 6.8 in our best loadouts, the M4A1 is still a good choice and is worth holding onto once you unlock other assault rifles like the AK-47. Thanks to its proficiency at medium range, you’ll be able to keep SMG and shotgun users from reaching you with a steady rate of fire.
You’ll still have to flank TAC-50 sniper and marksman rifle users to gain an advantage. With the right faction, you can also use abilities like the Phantoms’ Mag Barrier to protect your team from enemy fire. Instead, you could also rely on the Cleaners’ Incendiary Ammo passive to deal bonus damage over time.
Make sure to compensate for recoil with a Padded Stock or else you’ll impair the gun’s ability at longer range
While it’s tempting to grind away at unlocking new assault rifles, there’s a really compelling case to invest in new attachments for the M4A1, despite it being an ‘entry level’ offering.
XDefiant
- Platform(s): PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series S, Xbox Series X
- Genre(s): First-Person Shooter, Multiplayer, Shooter