Launch Meta - Top Kits & Weapons
With Battlefield 6 launching October 10, players are eager to know which classes (kits) and weapons will dominate the early meta. The game’s new open weapon system lets any class use any weapon, so choosing the most effective guns is critical.
This guide breaks down meta predictions for both kits and weapons using the latest information from October 2025, including the best weapon in each category and an overall top pick.
Info:
The open weapon system means you’ll often choose your class for its gadget/ability and pair it with the best weapon available for the situation.
Class Meta Overview
Even though you can mix and match weapons with any class, each kit still has unique gadgets and perks that impact its effectiveness. Early impressions indicate all four classes are viable, but some have clear strengths in the open-weapon environment.
Assault
Role: Frontline Attacker
A frontline attacker equipped with breaching tools like grenade launchers and an Adrenaline Injector. Assault was very popular during the beta due to powerful close-range options and explosive gadget combos.
Launch Changes
- Given more team-oriented gadgets (e.g., Spawn Beacon)
- Great for aggressive objective play
- Best when armed with strong assault rifle or carbine
Best For
- Spearheading attacks
- Objective captures
- Aggressive close-to-mid range combat
Engineer
Role: Vehicle Destruction & Repair Expert
Engineers carry launchers and the repair tool, making them indispensable on vehicle-heavy maps. Their class perk reduces explosive damage taken.
Strengths
- Critical on vehicle-heavy maps
- Essential for team when armor is in play
- Explosive damage resistance
Weaknesses
- Less dominant in infantry-only fights
- Relies on having top-tier gun choice
Support (Medic)
Role: Combat Medic
The Support class plays the classic medic role—fast revives, health and ammo supplies. In Battlefield 6’s open weapon system, many players expect Support to be a powerhouse.
Why It’s Strong
- No one revives or drags wounded teammates faster
- Can wield top-tier gun while keeping squads alive
- Extremely valuable for team sustainability
- Good Support players can carry games
Meta Status: Standout general-purpose pick
Recon
Role: Intel & Long-Range Specialist
Recon gets tools like motion sensor and UAV drone for spotting enemies. Proved very strong when used aggressively in the beta.
Playstyles
- Aggressive: SMG/AR with motion sensors for objective play
- Traditional: Sniper rifle at range with auto-spotting perk
- Intel Support: UAV drone for team information advantage
Best For
- Sharp aim players
- Information gathering
- Smart positioning over brute force
Success:
Support stands out as a general-purpose pick—you get combat medic capabilities with any top-tier weapon. Expect this to be one of the most popular classes at launch.
Best Weapons by Category
Thanks to players with early access and final release guides, we have a good idea of the best weapons in each category at launch. Battlefield 6 features 45 weapons across 8 categories (not including gadgets).
Below is a breakdown of the strongest guns per category, focusing on meta picks—the most effective or versatile weapons.
Assault Rifles
Assault rifles are the backbone of Battlefield 6’s weapon meta, offering versatility across all ranges with the right attachments.
NVO-228E
Tier: S-Tier (Meta-Defining)
A 7.62mm assault rifle that many are calling the best gun in the game overall. It boasts high per-shot damage with a moderate fire rate, allowing for reliable 3-shot kills up close and excellent lethality at mid-range.
Damage
33 per shot
Fire Rate
~654 RPM
Magazine
30 rounds
Recoil
Manageable
Why It’s Meta
- Packs a punch but still easy to control
- Deadly in almost any scenario
- Reliable at multiple ranges
- Remains an S-Tier, meta-defining AR
Tip:
The NVO-228E is widely considered the best overall weapon in Battlefield 6. Its combination of high damage, moderate fire rate, and manageable recoil makes it deadly in almost any scenario.
AK4D
Tier: S-Tier
A high-damage battle rifle in the AR category, essentially a modernized AK. The AK4D hits as hard as the NVO but with a slower rate of fire and smaller magazine.
Damage
33 per shot
Fire Rate
~514 RPM
Magazine
20 rounds
Recoil
Very Controllable
Best For
- Skilled players who value precision
- Longer-range engagements
- Players who prefer hitting power over spray-and-pray
Trade-offs
- Less forgiving in close quarters due to slow fire rate
- Smaller magazine requires good accuracy
Honorable Mentions
- L85A3: Superb stability and accuracy for long-range firefights
- SOR-556 MK2: Excellent for longer-range engagements
- M433: Excels in close-range burst damage
Carbines
Carbines offer a balance between assault rifles and SMGs, providing mobility with respectable range performance.
AK-205
Tier: S-Tier
Considered the strongest carbine, offering a balance of accuracy and handling. It fires the smaller 5.45×39mm round with laser-like precision and low recoil.
Stats
- Damage: 20 per shot
- Fire Rate: ~720 RPM
- Recoil: Very low
- Accuracy: Exceptional
Why It’s Top Tier
- Deadly at mid to long ranges
- Combination of high control and stability
- Outperforms other carbines in consistency at range
- Dependable, competitive all-rounder
M4A1
Tier: A-Tier
A fan-favorite carbine that was an “utter terror” in the beta at close range. The M4A1 has a blisteringly high fire rate, making it shred enemies in close quarters.
Stats
- Fire Rate: ~900 RPM
- Range: Close to mid
- Recoil: High
- Accuracy: Lower at long range
Best For
- Aggressive players
- Maximum DPS up close
- Close to mid-range fights
- Players who don’t need long-range capability
Submachine Guns
SMGs dominate close-quarters combat with high fire rates and excellent mobility, perfect for aggressive objective play.
PW7A2
Tier: S-Tier
One of the top SMGs in BF6, the PW7A2 provides incredible versatility. It fires at 947 RPM and has very low recoil, meaning it stays on target even when spraying.
Why It’s Versatile
- Effective not just point-blank but even out to mid-range
- Unusual for an SMG to have this range
- Sheer rate of fire and accuracy compensate for damage
- Consistency and flexibility across situations
KV9
Tier: S-Tier
If you want pure close-range destruction, the KV9 is the SMG for you. It boasts the fastest fire rate of any SMG at 1080 RPM, essentially melting targets in a heartbeat.
Best For
- Tight quarters combat
- Raw time-to-kill dominance
- Classic “bullet hose” playstyle
Trade-offs
- Need to reload often
- Not effective beyond short range
- High recoil makes it less controllable
Light Machine Guns
LMGs excel at sustained fire and area denial, perfect for holding objectives and suppressing enemy advances.
L110
Tier: S-Tier
The most dependable all-purpose LMG choice. It’s a squad automatic weapon chambered in 5.56 that offers a good balance of fire rate, damage, and handling.
Strengths
- Controllable recoil for sustained bursts
- Large belt magazine
- Great for suppressing enemies and holding objectives
- Performs well in nearly every scenario
- Excellent for defending or pushing with covering fire
DRS-IAR
Tier: S-Tier
The DRS IAR (Infantry Automatic Rifle) blurs the line between an LMG and an assault rifle. It sacrifices a bit of magazine capacity for better mobility and accuracy.
Why It’s Different
- Versatile LMG for offensive roles
- Strong recoil control and precision
- LMG-style sustained fire with rifle-like handling
- Can play aggressively with your squad
Best For
- Players who want LMG firepower without being stationary
Designated Marksman Rifles
DMRs reward accuracy and precision, offering devastating power for players who can consistently land shots.
SVK-8.6
Tier: S-Tier
The consensus top DMR in Battlefield 6. This semi-automatic marksman rifle hits extremely hard—about 66 damage per shot—meaning it can down an enemy with just two hits to the body.
Damage
66 per shot
Kill Potential
2-shot kill
Magazine
10 rounds
Fire Rate
Low (semi-auto)
Why It’s Dominant
- Raw stopping power unmatched in DMR category
- Drops targets faster than any other DMR
- Skilled marksman weapon
Comparison: Other DMRs (M39 EMR, SVDM) do ~40 damage and require 3+ shots—solid A-tier choices but a step below SVK’s power
Sniper Rifles
Sniper rifles reward precision and patience, capable of one-shot kills at extreme ranges when used correctly.
M2010 ESR
Tier: S-Tier
The M2010 Enhanced Sniper Rifle is one of the two top dogs in the sniper category. Firing a .300 Win Mag round, it delivers 100 damage on a hit—capable of one-shot kills to the torso at typical ranges.
Why It’s Top Tier
- Precision stat maxes out at 100
- Extremely high bullet velocity (nearly hitscan-like)
- Most forgiving sniper rifle
- Combination of damage and accuracy
Stats
- Damage: 100 (one-shot kill)
- Magazine: 5 rounds
- Velocity: Very high
- Accuracy: Maximum (100)
PSR
Tier: S-Tier
The other S-Tier sniper, designed for extreme long range. It also hits for ~100 damage and has even longer effective range than the M2010.
Best For
- Extreme long-range engagements
- Patient Recon players
- 100+ meter engagements
- Maximum-range sniping
When to Choose
- M2010: Mid-long range with faster aiming
- PSR: Absolute maximum-range engagements
Stats
- Damage: ~100
- Magazine: 7 rounds
- Range: Extreme
Shotguns
Shotguns dominate close-quarters combat, capable of one-shot kills at point-blank range but with severe drop-off at distance.
M87A1
Tier: S-Tier (Legendary)
Without question, the best shotgun in Battlefield 6. During the beta it achieved almost mythical status, racking up 337 million kills due to its ability to one-shot enemies out to surprising ranges.
Stats
- Damage: 134 per shot
- Type: Pump-action
- Magazine: 8 shells
- Fire Rate: Slow
Why It’s Legendary
- Devastating at close quarters
- Consistent one-hit kill potential in tight spaces
- Even with nerfs, remains extremely strong
- Quick work of enemies within 10–15 meters
M1014
Tier: A-Tier
For those who prefer semi-auto, the M1014 is a strong alternative. It doesn’t hit quite as hard but can fire multiple shots in rapid succession.
Stats
- Damage: ~115 per shot
- Type: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 7 shells
- Fire Rate: Fast (for shotgun)
Advantages
- More forgiving if you miss
- Better for multiple enemies quickly
- Faster follow-up shots
- Edge in sustained fights
Sidearms
Sidearms serve as reliable backup weapons when your primary runs dry, with the best ones prioritizing fire rate and magazine capacity.
P18 & ES 5.7
Tier: S-Tier (Both)
Two pistols emerge at the top of the sidearm category, both prioritizing volume of fire and magazine capacity.
P18
- Caliber: 9mm
- Magazine: 17 rounds
- Fire Rate: ~400 RPM
- Handling: Good
- Well-rounded and reliable
ES 5.7
- Magazine: 20 rounds
- Fire Rate: ~450 RPM (very high)
- Accuracy: Great
- Capacity advantage
Why They’re Top Tier
- Volume of fire saves lives in close-range fights
- Large magazines forgive misses
- Can spit out lots of rounds quickly
- More reliable than heavy-hitting revolvers in practical use
Best Overall Weapon
NVO-228E: The Meta King
Which weapon is the absolute best in Battlefield 6 right now? Considering versatility and power, the community consensus points to the NVO-228E assault rifle as the top overall gun at launch.
Multiple sources have noted that the NVO-228E “could easily be the best weapon in Battlefield 6” thanks to its combination of high damage, decent rate of fire, and manageable recoil.
Very Few Weaknesses
- Effective at various ranges
- Lethal in only a few shots
- Relatively easy to control
- Meta-defining choice for almost any kit or playstyle
Versus Specialists
- M87A1 shotgun: Annihilates in close quarters but usefulness drops off beyond short distances
- AK-205 carbine: Extremely accurate and versatile for mid-range duels
- KV9 SMG: Wins any point-blank spray battle
- These are role-specific stars; NVO-228E is consistent across most scenarios
Success:
Prepare to see a lot of NVO-228E assault rifles on the battlefield. This rifle, paired with a strong kit (Support or Assault), is expected to define the early meta.
Meta Prediction
Expected Loadouts
- NVO-228E paired with Support for healing/revives
- NVO-228E paired with Assault for aggressive objective play
- High popularity across all skill levels
Team Balance
- Battlefield is about combined arms and team play
- Balanced squad using mix of weapon types always has edge
- Sniper, LMG, SMG/shotgun all have roles
- But for single best general-purpose gun: NVO-228E is the safe bet
Info:
A balanced squad using the other top-tier weapons (mix of sniper, LMG, SMG/shotgun where appropriate) will always have an edge. But if you’re looking for the single best general-purpose gun to give your team an advantage on day one, the NVO-228E is a very safe bet.