Image: PC Invasion

Best Rival-9 build in MW3 : Attachments, loadout, and perks

Another high-damage SMG enters the fray.

Anthony Yates

Published: Nov 15, 2023 06:32 am

The Rival-9 is a devastating SMG in MW3, boasting a decent rate of fire and serious stopping power. This gun does have a bit of kick, but it can be negated with the right attachments.

Best Rival-9 Attachments in MW3

The Rival-9 is a deadly close-quarters weapon, but it does have noticeable recoil, and the rate of fire quickly empties the default magazine. Our attachment choices aim to make this SMG more controllable and bump up the magazine size.

Muzzle: Shadowstrike Suppressor S
Underbarrel: XTEN Phantom-5 Handstop
Barrel: Rival-C Clearshot Barrel
Optic: MK. 3 Reflector
Magazine: 50 Round Drum

Shadowstrike Suppressor S

The Shadowstrike Suppressor variants in MW3 are fantastic, as they keep you off the radar without incurring any stat penalties. This Muzzle is a solid choice as we can use the Rival-9 to get close and flank our opponents.

XTEN Phantom-5 Handstop

Our Underbarrel choice gives us improved Vertical Recoil and Gun Kick Control. We also gain significant buffs to Sprint to Fire speed and ADS Speed. The downside is we lose Hipfire control. In my testing, this feels like a worthy trade-off, but you may struggle if you panic fire.

Rival-C Clearshot Barrel

The Rival-C Clearshot Barrel improves our Bullet Velocity and offers a much-needed improvement to Damage Range. We also gain bonuses to Recoil Control. We pile on more penalties to Hipfire control, tying our Rival-9 build into an ADS-centric playstyle.

MK. 3 Reflector

There’s a strong case to be made for running the Rival-9 without an Optic, as the prebuilt sights are decent. That said, I do find it hard to stay on target with the Iron Sights and the MK. 3 Reflector is a superb close/mid-range Optic.

50-Round Drum

Finally, the 50-Round Drum is the largest magazine available and lets us engage multiple opponents without getting stung by a reload. Our Reload speed is pretty slow with the Drum, but if all of your opponents are dead, it doesn’t matter!

Best secondary, tactical, lethal, and field equipment for the Rival-9 build

Best Rival-9 build in MW3 beta: Attachments, loadout, and perks — Image: PC Invasion

Secondary: Renetti
Tactical: Stun/Flash Grenade x2
Field Upgrade: Munitions Box

The Renetti packs a real punch and serves as a superb secondary weapon. If you can’t finish opponents off with your primary, you should be able to deal with a killing blow with the Renetti.

I use the Engineer Vest with SMGs, so I don’t fall victim to mines and Claymores. This choice gives us double Tactical Grenades, and both Stuns and Flashes are decent. I find Flashes a little more consistent, although your opponent can just look away from the blast to negate the effect in MW3.

Best gloves, boots, gear, and vests for the Rival-9 build

Gloves: Quick-Grip Gloves
Boots: Covert Sneakers
Gear: Ghost T/V Camo
Gear: Bone Conduction Headset
Vest: Engineer Vest

Much like our Striker SMG build, we want perks that let us excel in close-range engagements. Quick-Grip Gloves are great as they give us faster Swap Speed. The Rival-9 chews through ammo, so this will come up more than you think.

I love the Covert Sneakers/Bone Conduction Headset combo, as I can move almost silently around the map and hear opponents doing the same thing. There’s a case for using the Lightweight Boots for faster movement speed, but I think Covert Sneakers are the right call.

The Engineer Vest highlights pesky explosives, and our Ghost T/V Camo keeps us off the map. If you play the spawns, you can get a lot of work done without your opponents even knowing you’re there.