Character abilities are what make Redfall so unique. While other service-based shooters sometimes have characters with some perks, they're rarely game-changing. Often, they're purely cosmetic. In this game, though, the survivors fundamentally change their gameplay based on their abilities.
A great ability in Redfall is something that players should build around. As they level up, they should put points into it and get even more benefits from the skill. Bad skills can be made decent but too regularly find themselves useful in only a select few scenarios as opposed to the entire game.
12 Layla: Umbrella
- Summon a psychic umbrella to block enemy and friendly projectiles. Press (button) while active to release a psychic blast that damages nearby enemies.
The abilities at the bottom of this list are ones that often act as liabilities. Umbrella is the most egregious defender as it blocks friendly projectiles from hitting their mark. Even without teammates to mess up, the area is so small that enemies on the sides will get free shots in as Layla channels this. Get a respec and invest in Layla's ultimate ability instead.
11 Remi: Siren
- Command Bribon to distract nearby enemies, making himself a target and absorbing damage.
Even after hitting the max level and dumping all points into Siren, Bribon is an awful tank, usually dying a few short seconds after distracting opponents. Worse still, the most tags Remi for combat, giving away her position. As a third drawback, the taunt is far from perfect. Some enemies will attack the robot but others will shoot directly at Remi and her team.
10 Layla: Lift
- Summon a psychic lift that launches Layla into the air.
Positioning isn't the most important part of the game but it's nice to find some high ground. The biggest issue with lift is how slowly it lobs the character into the air. This makes the player a sitting duck against ranged combatants, giving them some free shots against her while she's suspended.
9 Dev: Translocate
- Toss out a translocation beacon you can teleport to by pressing (button) a second time. Allies can use the translocate terminal Dev leaves behind to follow him.
Translocate is a direct upgrade to Lift as it is both instantaneous and allows teammates to easily follow. Smart players can use this to either escape or get into an advantageous position, but most gamers would probably rather have a more lethal ability than a single-use mobility action.
8 Remi: C4 Charge
- Toss an explosive device that sticks to targets and surfaces. Once armed, press (button) to detonate.
Remi's C4 Charge is about as close as the game gets to having grenades, which is decently handy. The way the gameplay works, it's difficult to get more than one enemy caught in the blast unless it's to start off a battle. Still, on lower difficulty modes, it can be a strong lead.
7 Dev: Arc Javelin
- Throw a javelin into enemies or surfaces to create a lightning hazard that will zap nearby enemies.
take the C4 charge, make it activate instantly, and replace the damage with a stun to wind up at Arc Javelin. Stuns are powerful and because the ability activates right away, it's strong in some of the game's chapter missions that require skirmishing up close.
6 Remi: Mobilize
- Create a rallying point where you and your allies are healed over time.
This area-of-effect healing skill gets stronger when playing with teammates. Most gamers will prefer to take out enemies from range and will therefore have more health and medicine to recover from scrapes. Teams that would rather charge straight in will get some good use out of Mobilize.
5 Dev: Blacklight
- Use Devinder's heavily-modified camera rig to create a powerful burst of UV light that petrifies vampires and staggers human enemies.
Blacklight is the strongest ability there is against groups of the game's strongest enemies. It does take a few seconds to cast and is centered on Dev, often meaning he takes a beating to place it down. But the result is hard to beat as it will freeze vampires and stun everyone else.
4 Jacob: Raven
- Command your raven to fly forward and mark enemies. Holding (button) will make the raven scan for enemies near Jacob while remaining on his arm.
As the game hours go by, players will learn that marking enemies is a big deal. Even when solo, knowing where all enemies are is key to winning tough fights. Jacob's Raven will mark everything nearby or mark everything in an area, giving players superior knowledge over their foes that will translate to easy kills.
3 Jacob: Heartstopper
- Summons a ghostly rifle. Use the sights to lock onto enemies, then fire to deal heavy damage.
Heartstopper gives Jacob a sniper rifle that, when aimed, automatically targets heads. In a few seconds, Jacob can take out any enemy in sight that he wants to. The gun has limited ammunition, but even at its initial stage and without upgrades, it will kill a good chunk of enemies.
2 Layla: Vampire Ex-Boyfriend
- Call in a favor from your ex-boyfriend, Jason, who happens to be a vampire.
Jason deals instant death to most enemies as he teleports from one to the other for a few seconds. this ultimate ability gets the nod over Heartstopper because Layla can continue to operate independently, taking out enemies while Jason does the same.
1 Jacob: Cloak
- Activate Jacob's stolen Bellwether Cloak to hide from enemies. Attacking will deactivate cloak and allow enemies to see Jacob again.
Jacob has three of the top four abilities in the game which is why he's on the top of the character rankings list. Raven and Heartstopper are great, but Cloak is incredibly useful in many situations. Jacob can cloak and get to a great sniping point without altering his foes. Or, if the battle starts to go south, he can cloak and run away, making him even better when the game's difficulty is maxed out.
Redfall is available now for PC and Xbox Series X/S.