Redfall Guide – All Character Abilities, Upgrades and Our Recommendations

Each of the four playable characters in Arkane's co-op shooter has unique abilities and upgrades. Check them all out here.

Arkane Austin’s co-op looter shooter Redfall has received its fair share of backlash since launch, due to bugs and design choices. Regardless, some are having fun with it, discovering what each character has to offer with their Skills.

Redfall’s four playable characters are Layla Ellison, Devinder “Dev” Crousley, Remi de la Rosa and Jacob Boyer. You can only stick with one character throughout a playthrough with no switching. Which one is worth trying out, and why is it Devinder? What are some of the different upgrades for each ability, and what should you go for?

First, check out our guide on farming XP. The game is somewhat stingy with it, especially for those who stick to the main story, and the level cap is 40. If you want to indulge in some vampire slaying, it will help. Also worth noting is that Skill upgrades are tiered, with Tiers 1, 2 and 3 costing one, two and three Skill Points, respectively, for each Skill. You also must be levels 3, 5 and 12 to access each tier.

There are also Perks which further enhance certain play styles. Each character has four, which unlock from levels 2 to 5 and require one Skill Point. Without further ado, here are each character’s abilities.

Layla’s Skills and Ultimate

Layla is in an interesting position as a character, capable of tanking damage and accessing higher ground while summoning Jason, her vampire ex-boyfriend, to attack enemies. Her Skills are as follows:

Umbrella

Unlocks at level 2. It can remain active for 20 seconds, absorbing damage from projectiles from the front and exploding after some time, though Layla moves slower. Pressing the button again also launches the Umbrella forward at enemies and damages them. However, it can also block projectiles from allies, so be careful when shielding them. The cooldown is 40 seconds.

Lift

Unlocks at level 3. Create an elevator of psychic energy to either catapult Layla and her allies or enemies when upgraded. It’s ideal for accessing high ground and gaining a vantage point on enemies. It remains active for seven seconds and has a 25-second cooldown.

Summon Vampire Ex-Boyfriend

Layla’s Ultimate becomes available at level 5 and brings Jason, her ex-boyfriend-turned-vampire, to the fray. Jason will attack enemies and heal teammates, remaining active for 20 seconds. Layla must collect Psychic Residue, which drops from slain vampires, to build her Ultimate.

Along with her active Skills, there are various ways to upgrade each. Let’s look at each of them below.

Umbrella Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Overcast

Umbrella recharges faster. Invaluable for those who want to tank damage, especially given the length of the base cooldown.

Bullet Hail

Deal more blast damage based on the amount of projectile damage absorbed before the Umbrella explodes. Also recommended since it increases Layla’s destructive potential.

Rain Collector

Gain regular ammo based on the damage dealt to Umbrella. Ammo doesn’t become all that hard to obtain after the first hour, so ignore this.

Tier 2 Skills

Made in the Shade

Absorb more damage with Umbrella and increase its duration. Recommended to further feed into Layla’s tankiness.

Thunderclap

Increases the damage and range of Umbrella’s blast. More damage in exchange for tanking is good, so get it.

Downpour

Since Ultimates need Psychic Residue, and you need to kill vampires to get it, having another source is invaluable. Downpour will grant Psychic Residue based on the damage absorbed by the Umbrella, thus ensuring Jason is on standby for far less time. Synergizing with other Skills, allowing you to nuke enemies and potentially call in Jason to finish them off, is also nice.

Tier 3 Skills

Thunderhead

Increases the range and damage of Umbrella Blast even more. Furthermore, any enemies you hit will create explosions, allowing for even more screen-clearing chaos. Recommended.

Lift Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Hold the Lift

Extend the duration of the Lift, keeping it in the air longer before it comes back down. Get this if Lift doesn’t hang around enough for your tastes.

Psychic Lobby

After summoning a Lift, summon another one. It can help provide more avenues for lifting allies while launching more enemies when playing solo (though you’ll need Top Floor to capitalize on it). Not amazing, but still worth trying out.

Psychic Sharpening

Bullet damage increases after using Lift and applies to the entire team. It only applies in mid-air, so unless you’re especially adept at shooting enemies while flying through the air (which is notoriously difficult on the Xbox controller), you can skip this. PC players who want to bunny hop and rain death may like it.

Tier 2 Skills

One More Floor 

Increases the height that the Lift launches people. Good for surveying your surroundings, though not as useful when launching enemies compared to the base height.

Energized

Layla and her allies can reload weapons faster in mid-air after using this ability. If you don’t mind playing support, this works well. It also synergizes well with Psychic Sharpening, so that’s a plus.

Passenger Resonance

Generate shockwaves when you or an ally take the Lift, causing enemies to become staggered. It adds a nice crowd-control element to the Skill though not mandatory.

Tier 3 Skills

Top Floor

If you’re committed to launching enemies with Lift, get this, even though it unlocks much later. Not only do enemies become vulnerable, but the shockwaves from Passenger Resonance deal damage while having a larger radius and the damage from Psychic Sharpening is increased. If that weren’t enough, Layla conjures another Lift. It’s mandatory if you’re speccing into the Lift play style, so pick this up. If nothing else, it should make the previous Skills much smoother to use.

Vampire Ex-Boyfriend Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Time After Time 

Increase Jason’s duration. Get this.

Died in Your Arms

Jason will attack enemies more frequently. Both this and Time After Time are your go-to if you’re leaning heavily on him.

Out of Nowhere

Staggers enemies near Jason when he teleports. Not super mandatory, but it’s a nice crowd-control element to have.

Tier 2 Skills

No Mountain High Enough

Increases the range of Jason’s attacks. Again, a mandatory pick if you want the most DPS out of him.

Wrecking Ball 

You’ll also want to pick this up since it further increases the damage of Jason’s attacks.

I Will Survive

An invaluable ability if playing solo (which many likely will, due to the lack of matchmaking). While this ability is active, Jason revives Layla if she falls, giving her a second chance.

Tier 3 Skills

Go Your Own Way

Turns Jason into another party member, improving his damage, range and the number of attacks he can inflict. He also heals Layla and surrounding allies for a portion of the damage dealt by his attacks providing even more survivability to everyone.

Layla’s Perks

College Diet

When eating food, Layla will recover an additional amount of health. It’s decent, though not amazing.

Telekiwhatsis

Take less damage from effects like Death Mist and hazards like fire and electricity. Death Mist can be annoying, so get this.

Telekiwhosis

Extends Layla’s damage reduction from Death Mist and other hazards to her allies, though they must be close by. Not exactly worth it if you’re playing solo, so skip it.

Sensitive

Gain a bonus amount of Psychic Residue when picking up a Psychic Residue orb, which is extremely valuable for bringing Jason into the fight sooner.

Dev’s Skills and Ultimate

Devinder is probably the best character. He has great crowd control, strong damage, and excellent mobility. If you want the best of the best, then he’s worth trying out.

Arc Javelin

Unlocked at level 2, Dev throws a javelin that shocks enemies and chain lightning. The damage repeats after a one-second delay. The Skill lasts about seven seconds and has a cooldown of 25 seconds.

Translocate

Throws a device to which Dev can teleport. Unlocks at level 3. Activating throws it, and doing so again will teleport Dev. The device will remain up for 15 seconds and even leaves behind a portal for 12 seconds that you can teleport back to, making it an exceptional getaway tool. It also has a 30-second cooldown.

Blacklight

Dev’s Ultimate puts down a UV light which staggers human foes and freezes vampires, making them easy pickings from regular attacks. It remains active for 12 seconds, unlocks at level 5 and can combo with Arc Javelin quite well. As with all Ultimates, this requires collecting Psychic Residue to use.

Here are all the upgrades for Dev’s skills with our recommendations:

Arc Javelin Skills

Tier 1 Skills

High Voltage

Increases the range of electric pulse, making it more effective when dealing with multiple foes. Worth getting.

Shock Lance

When throwing Arc Javelin, it takes a moment before releasing electricity. Shock Lance bypasses that delay when hitting an enemy, so if you’re precise, it can cause serious damage in a hurry. Another worthwhile upgrade.

Shakedown 

Hitting enemies with the electric pulse has a chance to drop items. Not a bad upgrade if you’re hurting for valuables, but it can be skipped if the damage is more important.

Tier 2 Skills

Power Surge

Deal more damage with each electric pulse, causing it to scale well against stronger foes as the game progresses. The pulses also happen more often, further increasing damage output. More damage equals more dead enemies, so get it.

Just Physics

Enemies take significant damage when hit by the Arc Javelin, which goes well with Shock Lance and Power Surge. Once again, this is great for single-target damage, especially against bosses and when going toe to toe with enemies like the Rook.

Energize

Firearms and melee attacks deal more electric damage when within Arc Javelin’s range. It affects Dev and his allies, so you nail one enemy with the Arc Javelin and have it mop up any surrounding foes while sticking close and dealing more damage.

Tier 3 Skills

Lightning Storm 

Increases the range, damage and duration of Arc Javelin. Enemies affected by an electric pulse are damaged by another bolt which chains. Highly recommended.

Translocate Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Ambient Recharge

Reduces the cooldown on Translocate, allowing you to use it more often. You’ll want this since more translocating means more mobility, and being able to reposition at the first sign of danger is invaluable.

ION Exchange

Swap places with enemies near the beacon when you Translocate. Not a bad way to steal advantageous positions away from enemies, especially when sneaking around. Not mandatory, but still a decent option.

Reverse Entropy

Remove negative statuses and gain healing over time when translocating, which also applies to allies. Additional survivability is always good, especially with such low investment.

Tier 2 Skills

Efficient Battery

Terminals will stay around longer, which means you can place one down, battle any enemies for longer and teleport when the going gets rough. It’s recommended for those who rely on Translocate as an escape tool in combat or even if you’re playing solo.

Discordant Conjunction

Create a shockwave at the translocation point of entry and exit that staggers and damages enemies. While this is good for escaping danger, you can use it to enter the fray against enemies. If minor crowd control while jumping in and shotgunning fools sounds good, get it.

Wave Destabilization

Briefly deal more weapon damage when translocating, which applies to allies. It synergizes well with Discordant Conjunction, so if you’re getting up close and personal, it’s worth it.

Tier 3 Skills

Quantum Kerfuffle

Increases the duration of Translocate and recovers more health with Reverse Entropy. Create a decoy when used, which enemies will attack. In terms of survivability and crowd control, this Skill is simply great. You can place a beacon down somewhere, fight off enemies, and upon translocating away, attack from afar or recoup while they’re busy attacking the decoy.

Blacklight Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Lumen Intensity

Blacklight gains a larger radius, letting you petrify more enemies. Get it.

Photon Sharpening

Vampires petrified by Blacklight remain so for longer. Highly recommended for crowd control benefits and just letting you take some time before slaying them.

Light Therapy

Heals you and allies within Blacklight’s range. Though it’s only useful when your Ultimate is ready, it can still provide much-needed healing on demand while keeping enemies at bay.

Tier 2 Skills

Energy Redistribution

Blacklight has a longer duration. With how potent it is as an Ultimate, having it remain longer is much better.

UV Saturation

Affected enemies receive more damage, which is fantastic when going against bosses or The Rook. Since they take additional damage from any source, you can combo this with Arc Javelin and Just Physics for serious DPS.

Particle Adherence

Gain bonus firearm and melee damage when near Blacklight, which also applies to allies. Again, just another great bonus in addition to UV Saturation and Energy Redistribution since it means more damage.

Tier 3 Skills

Ultraviolent Light

Increases the radius and duration of Blacklight, but also makes it an AoE nuke for vampires, since it explodes and shatters any petrified vampires upon expiry. The explosion should be enough to take down or severely weaken human enemies, letting you put it down and either retreat or focus on other targets.

Dev’s Perks

Go Get ’em Dev

When noticed by an enemy, Dev deals more damage with melee attacks and firearms. Perfect for when you jump into the fray and want to score some quick kills.

Much About

Salvaging gear provides more support.

Night Hunter

When attacking with firearms and melee strikes, vampires become vulnerable sooner and remain so longer. Considering how important it is to weaken vampires before staking them, this Perk is also invaluable.

Color Commentary

Nearby allies can deal bonus damage to vampires. Again, useless for solo play but worth picking up for group play.

Remi’s Skills and Ultimate

If you want to focus purely on support while still dealing massive amounts of damage, Remi is the ticket. She has several avenues for healing and drawing aggro from enemies while contributing at close range. Here are her abilities:

Siren

Bribón, Remi’s companion, generates noise to attract and distract enemies while becoming more defensive to take additional damage. You can specify a location for Bribón to go. Siren’s effects last for 10 seconds, and has a cooldown of 35 seconds. It’s unlocked at level 2.

C4 Charge

Throw an explosive and remotely detonate or shoot it mid-air. Attachable on just about any surface, you can attach it to Bribón and send it to distract enemies before detonation. Available at level 3 and has a 20-second cooldown.

Mobilize

Remember Destiny 2’s Well of Radiance? Mobilize is similar, creating a zone where allies can heal and revive. Available at level 5 and lingers for 10 seconds after activation. Collect Psychic Residue to recharge it.

Siren Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Extra Annoying

Increases the duration of Siren, which is good for aggroing enemies for longer, which works well with…
Deadly Distraction During Siren’s effect, distracted enemies take additional damage. Since this applies to all damage sources, you can combo this with the C4 Charge for some heavy damage. Get it.

Self-Repair

During Siren, Bribón will heal, which makes for a good survival tool. You can send out Bribón when low on health to draw aggro away from teammates while benefitting from healing.

Tier 2 Skills

Wireless Recharge 

Reduces the cooldown on Siren. You’ll want to have Bribón out often, so this is good.

Electrostatic Feedback

Bribón causes electric damage to enemies that strike it while Siren is active. It pairs well with Deadly Distraction, so get it.

Reinforced Components

Despite Bribón’s defensive stance during Siren, it can still be worn down by excessive damage before the effect ends. This grants it more health, ensuring he tanks heavier hits and keeps Siren going. Not mandatory, but a good bonus to have overall.

Tier 3 Skills

Robot Rock

Shocks enemies close by and further increases Bribón’s survivability by allowing him to regain health. Worth picking up, especially if you passed on Reinforced Components.

C4 Charge Skills

Tier 1 Skills

OOMPH 

Increases the range of C4 Charge’s explosion. More range means a bigger boom. Get it.

Quick Assembly

Reduces the cooldown on C4 Charge. Less cooldown equals more frequent boom. Get this too.

Gel Pack

When damaged by C4 Charge, enemies briefly take more damage from all sources. If you don’t invest in Deadly Distraction, then this is a worthy substitute for increasing damage on enemies, though the former is preferable since it lasts for as long as Siren’s effect is active.

Tier 2 Skills

Directed Charge 

Increases the damage of the C4 Charge. Combined with the range of OOMPH, you’ll take down more enemies, so get it.

Flashbang

Staggers enemies damaged by the C4 Charge’s blast. Again, a decent crowd-control option, though it would’ve been better to have an actual flashbang effect.

BOOM

Jump If caught in the C4 Blast, Remi and her allies are launched up, like rocket jumping. Good for accessing high ground, though not mandatory.

Tier 3 Skills

Cluster Bomb

C4 Charge deals more damage and has a larger radius. When detonated, it also creates additional explosives, further increasing the number of explosions. Combined with increased range and damage, this could be the ultimate enemy clear for Remi.

Mobilize Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Command Voice 

Increase the area of effect for Mobilize. It’s a good quality of life addition, but not quite mandatory.

On Your Feet

The initial burst of healing from Mobilize regenerates more health. Get this for more survivability.

Resonance

A second Mobilize field, half the size of the regular version, is created around Bribón. If you need a portable healing station that also revives players, especially if speccing into healing Skills for Bribón.

Tier 2 Skills

Lingering Inspiration  Increases the duration of Mobilize. Again, worth it, since it means more survivability.
Perseverance When healed by the first pulse from Mobilize, you and the team briefly take less damage. It would’ve been better if active throughout the Skill’s effect. For now, it’s a decent quality-of-life feature.
Constant Inspiration When near Bribón, Remi and her allies receive healing over time, though it is a small amount. Recommended, once again, if you’re going the support route.

Tier 3 Skills

Beacon of Hope Improves the radius, duration and amount of healing from Mobilize while increasing the damage reduction from Perseverance. The radius of Bribón’s healing and Resonance area increases while Constant Inspiration heals more over time. If that weren’t enough, Mobilize deals damage over time to enemies, making it a decent offensive tool for Remi.

Remi’s Perks

Always Prepared

Allows for carrying more Medical Supplies.

I Can Make That 

Discounts Support Currency items, but only for Remi.

All Up In

Damage against human enemies at close range is increased. It’s recommended for those who want to get up close and personal.

Mi Familia 

Allies close to Remi deal more close-range damage to human enemies. Again, useless for co-op, but decent for party play.

Jacob’s Skills and Ultimate

Jacob is a stealth and sniper specialist, capable of tagging and seeing enemies through walls. He’s probably the best option for Xbox players on a controller since his Ultimate has auto-aim. Here are all his abilities:

Raven

Send out his psychic bird to tag enemies, making them visible through walls. Available at level 2 and has a 12-second cooldown.

Cloak

Become invisible for 10 seconds, with a cooldown of 20 seconds. Unlocked at level 2, Cloak is deactivated when attacking.

Heartstopper

Conjure a psychic sniper rifle at level 5 that lasts 10 seconds or when firing all five shots. When aiming down sights, it automatically targets enemies. Once again, collect enough Psychic Residue to use it.

Raven Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Bird’s Eye

Raven’s scan radius becomes larger, allowing it to pick up on more targets. For stealth and tagging purposes, this is essential.

Pervasive Memory

Further increases Raven’s scan radius while it flies. It may seem overkill, but tagged enemies remain marked longer, so it’s worth getting.

Early Bird

Reduces the cooldown on Raven. This is skippable unless you opt for DPS Raven since the 12-second cooldown is already pretty short.

Tier 2 Skills

Marked for Death

Enemies marked by Raven receive more damage from all sources. Whether you’re playing solo or with others, it’s pretty good, so get it.

Killer Corvus

Raven will damage enemies, which can chain, and also destroys vulnerable vampires. It also travels farther at a faster speed. This Skill pretty much goes against Jacob’s entire stealth play style. However, those keen on dealing damage with the Raven, get it.

Deadeye

Aiming down sights will briefly mark an enemy. Pretty standard Skill but still worthwhile. Opt for this if Killer Corvus doesn’t suit your style.

Tier 3 Skills

Unkindness

Creates additional ravens when the Raven hits an enemy. It also increases scan radius and duration so that targets remain marked. When aiming down sights, Jacob also marks targets at a faster rate.

Cloak Skills

Tier 1 Skills

Battery Efficiency

Increases the duration of Cloak. When Heartstopper isn’t up, Jacob’s self-healing is limited, so Cloak will be the best way to keep enemies off you.

Camouflage Field

While Cloak is active, you gain damage resistance. This effect persists for Jacob and any allies close by when Cloak ends. Ideal when you suddenly de-cloak in front of enemies and need to escape. If timed right with teammates, it can grant some damage resistance after firing the first shot, but the temporary effect doesn’t seem worth it.

Vicious Strike

Deal more damage to enemies when cloaked. Essential for both snipers and stealth assassins, especially when Hidden Strike becomes available.

Tier 2 Skills

Battery Recharge

Reduces the cooldown time on Cloak. Get this and go invisible much more often.

Air Supercavitation

Jacob can pass tripwires without setting them off while cloaked. When cloaked with Camouflage Fields, he and his allies also move faster. Ideal when you don’t want to fuss about tripwires, but is otherwise niche.

Hidden Strike

Attacks when cloaked no longer cause it to expire. However, each attack will reduce its overall duration. It’s still pretty good, so we recommend it.

Tier 3 Skills

Perfect Ghost

Jacob deals more damage when cloaked and can attack more before its duration runs out. Enemies that look at him also become marked. Cloak’s cooldown reduces while its duration and the amount of damage resistance it provides increases. Good bonuses all around, so get it.

Heartstopper

Tier 1 Skills

Extended Magazine

Grants more shots to Heartstopper while also increasing its duration. Given the damage that it causes, this is worthwhile.

Shock and Awe

Heartstopper kills will knock down enemies in range. Decent, but not mandatory, especially if targets are far apart.

Transfusion

Heals Jacob when killing enemies with Heartstopper. Pretty decent good and should help keep him alive if you can quickly aim down sights and slay enemies.

Tier 2 Skills

Flatline

Slaying an enemy causes Heartstopper to snap to another. It pairs well with Transfusion and makes the weapon that much better.

Heart Burst

Heartstopper kills will inflict damage over time to any enemies within range for a short time. Even if you’re using the weapon as a clearing tool, it might not be ideal if the enemies are far apart.

Adrenaline Rush

Jacob regains health while Heartstopper is active. Arguably better than Transfusion since you don’t need to kill enemies to heal.

Tier 3 Skills

And You’re to Blame – Jacob can now shoot marked enemies through walls with Heartstopper. Its duration and damage also increase while Jacob receives more healing, making this essential.

Jacob’s Perks

Deeper Pockets

Jacob can carry more lockpicks and rewire kits.

Melee Training

Deal increased melee damage. Good if you’re sneaking around and assassinating enemies from behind or while Cloaked. Otherwise, pretty useless in the middle of a firefight.

Sharpshooter

When fighting humans, Jacob deals additional headshot damage. Even more damage for a sniper-focused character? Yes, please.

Drill Instructor

Nearby allies gain more headshot damage to human enemies. It’s good in a group, and skippable when playing solo.

Redfall is available for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Check out our official review here.

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