The Cleaners are one of the most beginner-friendly and powerful factions in XDefiant, especially for players who want to play aggressively and deal massive damage. Originating from The Division, the Cleaners specialize in area denial, burn effects, and direct lethality. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about the Cleaners, including their abilities, use cases, hidden mechanics, and tips for dominating modes like Hot Shot.

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Overview: Why Play Cleaners?

The Cleaners are XDefiant’s primary damage-dealing faction, capable of shutting down even the tanky Phantoms and out-sustaining Libertad’s healing with raw firepower. From their devastating passive ability to their ultra-lethal drone and flamethrower, Cleaners are built for aggressive, momentum-based control.

They’re especially good at:

• Area denial
• Objective disruption
• Holding lanes
• Countering defensive setups like Phantom barriers

If you’re new to the game and want immediate impact, the Cleaners are a solid pick.

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Passive Ability: Incendiary Rounds

This is the Cleaners’ greatest hidden strength. Incendiary Rounds add burn damage to every bullet you land.

• Each hit applies an additional 2 damage over time, stacking with each bullet.
• Hit four bullets? That’s 8 extra damage after your shot.
• Works on all weapons in the faction—even underwhelming ones like the MDR or Mark 20, turning them into competitive picks.

This means Cleaners can make mid-tier guns feel powerful, and in the right hands, even sniper rifles become one-shot machines when burn damage is applied after body shots. It’s subtle, but powerful.

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Tactical Ability: Firebomb

Firebomb is one of the strongest crowd-control abilities in XDefiant.

• You throw a molotov-style device that explodes on impact and ignites a large area.
• Anyone caught in the blast dies almost instantly.
• The fire lasts 5 seconds and deals continual burn damage to anyone who steps through it.

Best Use Cases:

• Flushing enemies off objectives (Domination, Occupy)
• Disrupting Phantom shield setups (Aegis)
• Denying doors and chokepoints

Important Tip: The Firebomb’s damage is sometimes inconsistent around walls. It works best in open spaces or areas where enemies are exposed. If you throw it near cover, the fire may not “wrap” through solid walls.

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Tactical Ability: Incinerator Drone

The Incinerator Drone is a flying lane-denial device.

• Launches a drone in a straight line up to 5–8 seconds long
• Leaves a trail of fire that damages enemies over time
• A direct hit with the drone kills instantly

This is ideal for:

• Blocking a push or rotation
• Clearing hallways
• Pushing enemies out of cover

You can deploy it preemptively if you know where the enemy will push from. Great on maps with tight corridors or in Zone Control when enemies are funneled toward a fixed point.

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Ultimate Ability: Purifier

The Purifier is a flamethrower ultimate that activates on trigger.

• 12-second duration regardless of use time
• Damage is near-instant on contact
• Very short range
• Fire penetrates through multiple enemies

This tool is fantastic for wiping squads, especially if enemies are grouped. However, its limited range makes positioning critical.

Key Tips:

• You can cancel it by swapping weapons before firing
• Don’t waste it on long sightlines—use it for indoor control or tight corners
• It’s especially powerful in Hot Shot, where controlling the map quickly is essential

Some players may wish it had more range and slightly less damage. As it stands, it’s very effective up close but leaves you vulnerable if you’re caught at mid-range.

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Playstyle: How to Use Cleaners Effectively

Cleaners thrive in high-pressure, fast-paced combat. They’re not designed for stealth or long-range engagements. Here’s how to get the most out of them:

• Domination & Occupy: Use Firebomb and Incinerator Drone to block key control points.
• Zone Control: Pre-fire with the drone to cover zones before enemies arrive.
• Escort: Use Purifier to melt through defenders or punish teams grouping near the payload.
• Hot Shot: Possibly the best game mode for Cleaners. If you get the Hot Shot buff, you can snowball hard with extra speed and more control of the map.

Pair your aggressive toolkit with SMGs or ARs—guns that let you stay mobile and up close. Also remember: you don’t need to secure the kill for your burn to finish it. If an enemy is weak, disengage and let the fire do the rest.

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Advanced Notes & Quirks

• Firebombs don’t always burn through walls. Test where you can and can’t use it effectively.
• The flamethrower only starts its cooldown when you fire it. You can cancel it beforehand if no one’s around—so don’t waste it.
• Drone hitboxes are tight—aim directly at players for a guaranteed kill.

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Why Cleaners Are Ideal for Beginners

• Easy-to-use damage abilities
• Effective even without precise aim (burn damage helps finish low-health enemies)
• Great for controlling objectives and pushing with momentum
• Helps you learn how to zone, area-deny, and win fights without relying solely on aim

Cleaners let you focus on smart ability use and aggressive positioning, rewarding proactive players. If you’re just starting out, this faction will give you fast success and fun moments while you learn the game’s deeper mechanics.

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If you’re looking for a beginner-friendly, high-impact faction in XDefiant, the Cleaners are a perfect choice. Mastering their toolkit gives you everything you need to pressure objectives, shut down flanks, and rack up kills through both raw firepower and tactical control. Stick with them, learn the maps, and watch your influence on the match grow round by round.