Synaptic

C6 class remote operated droid: Optimized for speed and close-quarters combat

A rig made for CQC, Synaptic has a range of payload and trait options that support an aggressive, short-ranged playstyle.

Synaptic is also notable for the Propulsion trait, the only means of improving your Rig’s thruster recharge rate.

Payloads

Equalizer

Dual integrated machine guns with built-in suppressors for close-quarters combat.

An extremely lethal CQC, the Equalizer is a pair of suppressed SMGs that are accurate, powerful, and have plentiful ammo for a dual wielded weapon.

Equalizers shred other players up close. Just avoid using them at a distance in outdoor areas where long-ranged enemies can take you down.

The Equalizer is also surprisingly effective against scorestreaks, and not a bad choice to eliminate them, as long as you can get in close enough to attack safely.

Reaper

Switch to rapid melee combat mode.

Activating the Reaper payload transforms you into a four-legged melee mode and moves the camera into third person view. While in Reaper mode, you can sprint and leap at high speed, and your melee attacks are fast, allowing you to lunge at targets, and are instantly lethal.

In any interior area or outdoor area with plentiful cover that you can use to get close, Reaper is extremely deadly. It’s not uncommon to scythe through multiple targets even if they are aware you’re coming.

Just avoid wide-open spaces or distant targets, where your melee only offense might be a liability.

Rewind

Rewinds your position and replenishes health and ammunition.

An unusual defensive and utility ability, Rewind actually moves you backwards in time, based on where you were a few seconds in the past.

You can use Rewind to escape a dangerous situation, but you need to be very proactive with its use. If you wait until you are already taking damage, it’s probably too late. Instead, recognize when you’re in a bad situation and trigger Rewind immediately.

Rewind also carries some nifty utility: when activated, it fully restores your ammo supplies for equipped weapons. This also applies to launcher secondaries, which normally can’t be refilled by any other means.

Traits

Combat Burst

After each kill, gain a brief boost to movement speed.

A useful trait for aggressive CQC, Combat Burst speeds up your movement after a kill. In situations where you are engaging multiple enemies in close proximity, you can maintain a speed edge in every engagement.

Propulsion

Improved thrusters allow energy to recover faster and also damage enemy players below.

A very powerful trait if you use thrusters heavily, propulsion almost entirely eliminates the recharge delay after using up your boost meter, allowing you to jump and thrust repeatedly with little to no delay.

Propulsion also damages enemies immediately below your thrusters when used, with the damage depending on their proximity to you. If you feather the jump button over an enemy, you can even outright kill them with the exhaust from a single thruster charge!

If you don’t use your thrust jumps often, there are better options, but for aggressive airborne players, there are few better traits.

Rushdown

Execute a quick move in any direction by pressing the right analog button.

Rushdown allows you to execute a fast moving dash in any direction. You can use this move to duck behind cover during a firefight, help to evade long-range shots, or try to confuse an opponent’s aim in CQC.

Because Rushdown is an active trait, it only benefits you if you make constant use of it. If you do pick Rushdown (especially when you’re still experimenting and learning the Rigs), make a point of using it constantly, even in situations where it doesn’t necessarily make sense to do so.

You need to train your dodge to become instinctual, and the only way to do that is use it often enough that it becomes muscle memory and you react automatically to incoming enemies, available cover, or dangerous situations.