Rivals Shotgun Tier List & Guide
The Rivals Shotgun: 20 Keys, ~80 point-blank damage, best close-range loadout, and maps where it dominates.
Rivals Shotgun Tier List & Guide
The Shotgun is the premier close-quarters primary in Rivals: 20 Keys and about 80 point-blank damage. One competent blast ends most fights inside a room. This guide ranks the Shotgun against other rush options and shows where it wins.
Why the Shotgun Is B Tier But Situationally S
On a tight map the Shotgun is the best primary in the game — ~80 point-blank damage means you delete anyone who rounds a corner. We rank it B overall only because it is dead at range, where the Sniper and Energy Rifle rule.
Think of the Shotgun as a map-dependent S Tier. On Onyx, Bridge, and Docks it carries.
Shotgun vs Other Rush Primaries
The Flamethrower (400 Keys) also owns close quarters but as area denial rather than a single blast. The Spray is a budget projectile rush option. The Shotgun wins the pure duel because its burst is unmatched up close.
If your goal is to win corners, the Shotgun is cheaper and stronger than any other close primary.
Building a Shotgun Loadout
Pair the Shotgun with a Revolver for mid-range poke, a Knife for backstab finishes, and a Flamethrower or Permafrost utility for zone control. This rush kit is covered in the best loadouts guide.
Your plan is simple: close distance, blast, repeat. The rivals movement guide slide tech helps you close fast.
Maps for the Shotgun
Best: Onyx (corners), Bridge (narrow), Docks (vertical ambush), Station (tight rotate points). Worst: Construction (open lanes), Crossroads (long sightlines).
Swap off the Shotgun on open maps or you will get picked before you ever get close.
Shotgun Aim Tips
Do not peek at range. Hold corners, pre-fire common entries, and use slides to close the gap. The rivals aim guide covers the crosshair placement that makes point-blank trades instant.
Because the Shotgun rewards aggression, pair it with the double-jump Fists only if you want pure mobility over a defensive melee.
Fake Shotgun Warning
You may see lists with a 'Chainsaw' or 'Battle Axe' melee used as a shotgun substitute. Neither exists. The only shotgun in Rivals is the Shotgun (20 Keys, ~80 point-blank). Trust verified weapons only.
Our weapon tiers never include fabricated guns.
A Warning About Fake Weapon Tier Lists
Before you trust any Rivals tier list, check the gun names. Several popular "tier lists" rank weapons that do not exist in the game. Rivals has 53 weapons plus 5 gamemode-exclusive weapons, and that is the entire arsenal.
These weapons are fabricated and are NOT in Rivals: Heavy Sniper, Pulse AR, Freeze Ray, Chainsaw, Battle Axe, cyber armor. If a list ranks a "Heavy Sniper", a "Pulse AR", a "Freeze Ray", a "Chainsaw", a "Battle Axe", or "cyber armor", treat the whole list as unreliable. Every weapon on this wiki is verified to ship in Rivals.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much damage does the Rivals Shotgun do?
The Shotgun deals about 80 damage point-blank and costs 20 Keys, making it the strongest close-quarters primary in Rivals.
Is the Shotgun good on open maps?
No. The Shotgun is weak at range, so it struggles on Construction and Crossroads. It dominates tight maps like Onyx, Bridge, and Docks.
What melee pairs with the Shotgun?
The Knife for backstab finishes, since the Shotgun playstyle is about closing distance and trading up close.
Is there a Chainsaw in Rivals?
No. The Chainsaw is a fake weapon some tier lists invent. The only shotgun-class gun is the Shotgun.
More Rivals Wiki Pages
Related Guides
Assault Rifle Guide (Rivals)
The free Rivals Assault Rifle: 12 body / 15 crit, 20 mag, why it is the best starter and how to use it at every rank.
Best Loadout Tier List in Rivals
Full 4-slot Rivals loadouts ranked S–D for 1v1, 2v2, and 5v5, built only from verified weapons.
Best Melee Weapons in Rivals (Ranked)
Rivals melee weapons ranked: Knife, Katana, Gunblade, Daggers, Scythe, and Fists — verified costs, backstab, and hitscan deflection.
Best Primary Weapons in Rivals (Tier List + Stats)
Ranked primary weapons in Rivals: Assault Rifle, Sniper, Shotgun, Burst Rifle, Minigun, Bow, RPG, and more, with verified costs and roles.