Yes, the Sword Bayonet is worth buying for Infantry players who use the Rifle, but it is not a strong purchase if you only want a standalone melee weapon.
The Sword Bayonet is a niche upgrade, not a universal best-in-slot weapon. For 250 Francs, its real value comes from attaching it to the Rifle, where it gives Infantry players a much stronger close-range answer than the Rifle normally has.
If you are judging it as a plain blade, though, the answer changes fast. Its standalone version is serviceable, but it does not beat the Sabre as a general melee pick, and it is not built for clearing packed groups.
Sword Bayonet buying verdict
| Buy it if | Skip it if |
|---|---|
| You play Infantry with the Rifle. | You only want a standalone melee weapon. |
| You want stronger close-range damage on a Rifle build. | You mainly need crowd control against groups. |
| You are comfortable managing a slower Rifle reload. | You dislike technical hitboxes and charge timing. |
| You focus on PvE single-target threats. | You are buying it mainly for PvP attached use. |
Skip it if you want a melee weapon first and a Rifle attachment second. As a standalone weapon, it deals only 30 damage per hit, and its shorter practical role makes it feel more like a backup blade than a main horde-control tool.
Sword Bayonet stats and Rifle attachment details
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Item name | Sword Bayonet |
| Obtainment | Shop |
| Cost | 250 Francs |
| Class access | Infantry |
| Standalone damage | 30 |
| Standalone penetration | 3 |
| Attached Rifle damage | 60-65, depending on current reported numbers |
| Attached penetration | 1 |
| Headshots multiplier | 1.65x |
| Attached reload effect | Slows Rifle reload to about 15.6 seconds |
| Attach key | Press B |
| Attached attack key | Press X |
The Sword Bayonet is bought from the Shop for 250 Francs and is available to the Infantry class. Older command-only access is outdated; the current useful buying question is whether it earns that Franc cost in your active loadout.
Standalone, it works like a blade with 30 damage and 3 penetration. Attached to the Rifle, its damage is much higher, but current player numbers are split between 60 and 65 damage per hit, so treat it as a high-damage bayonet rather than locking your decision to one exact value. Its attached penetration drops to 1, which is the main reason it struggles as a crowd-control tool.
Best uses for Sword Bayonet
The Sword Bayonet is best when you are using the Rifle and need close-range flexibility without giving up your ranged accuracy. It turns a Rifle Infantry setup into something less helpless when enemies push into melee distance.
Its strongest moments come against single targets and higher-HP enemies. The attached bayonet can hit harder than the standard Musket bayonet, and charge-style attacks are especially dangerous when you get a clean opening, with reported charge damage bonuses reaching 500%.
That makes it useful into threats like Cuirassier Zombies, Sapper Zombies, and Viral Runners. Against Viral Runners in particular, the attached Rifle bayonet can one-shot on any body part, which gives Rifle users a practical panic option when a fast enemy closes the gap.
Detach the Sword Bayonet before reloading when you can, because the Rifle reload is slower while the bayonet is attached.
Sword Bayonet drawbacks and mistakes to avoid
| Strength | Tradeoff |
|---|---|
| Strong attached single-target damage | Only 1 penetration when attached |
| Gives Rifle users a close-range option | Slows Rifle reload from about 14s to 15.6s |
| Good into higher-HP zombies | Weak if enemies arrive in groups |
| Can punish charge openings | Charge hitbox can feel awkward |
| Usable as a standalone blade | Not as attractive as the Sabre for pure melee |
| Works well for Rifle Infantry PvE | Limited by Cuirassier regiments and current attached PvP issues |
The biggest tradeoff is the Rifle reload slowdown. In a full team, that extra delay is often manageable because teammates can cover you, but in solo play or messy objective holds, the slower reload can leave you exposed if you fired too early or charged into a bad angle.
Players also overrate the standalone blade. It deals 30 damage, but as a pure melee pick it is generally worse than the Sabre, partly because the Sabre is the cleaner general-purpose option. The Sword Bayonet also has some awkwardness around charge hitboxes, with the effective hit feeling closer to the muzzle than the blade in some situations.
There are loadout and mode limits too. It cannot be attached to the Rifle while using Cuirassier regiments, and attached Sword Bayonet functionality in PVP mode has been reported as not working “for now,” so do not buy it mainly for attached PvP play until that changes in-game.
Sword Bayonet compared with alternatives
| Option | Best for | Weakness | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standalone Sword Bayonet | Backup blade use | Worse value than Sabre as pure melee | Only decent by itself |
| Attached Sword Bayonet | Rifle Infantry single-target damage | Slower reload and low attached penetration | Best reason to buy the item |
| Sabre | General melee reliability | Does not give Rifle attachment utility | Better if you want melee first |
| Musket bayonet | Standard bayonet play | Lower bayonet damage than attached Sword Bayonet | Reliable, but less explosive |
| Crowd-control melee options | Holding groups and chokepoints | Less focused on Rifle burst damage | Better for horde clearing |
The choice is really between Rifle flexibility and melee consistency. If you want your Rifle build to survive sudden close-range pressure, the attached Sword Bayonet has a real job. If you want a weapon that handles messy groups without setup, look elsewhere.
Final recommendation by player type
Buy the Sword Bayonet if you play Infantry, use the Rifle, and mostly care about PvE single-target damage. For 250 Francs, it is a solid upgrade because it fixes one of the Rifle’s biggest problems: being uncomfortable when enemies get close.
Wait or skip if you do not own or use the Rifle, want a pure melee upgrade, need horde clearing, or are focused on PvP. In those cases, the Sword Bayonet’s best feature either does not apply or comes with enough tradeoffs that your Francs are better saved for a cleaner fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Sword Bayonet worth buying without the Rifle?
Usually, no. Without the Rifle, the Sword Bayonet is only a 30-damage blade and is generally less appealing than the Sabre for pure melee use.
How much does the Sword Bayonet cost?
The Sword Bayonet costs 250 Francs from the Shop.
Which class can use the Sword Bayonet?
The Sword Bayonet is available to the Infantry class.
Does the Sword Bayonet slow Rifle reload?
Yes. When attached to the Rifle, it slows the reload from about 14 seconds to around 15.6 seconds.
Is Sword Bayonet good for crowd control?
No. The attached version has only 1 penetration, so it is much better for single-target hits than cutting through groups.
More questions⤵
Can Sword Bayonet be used in PvP when attached?
Attached Sword Bayonet use in PVP mode has been reported as not working “for now,” so avoid buying it mainly for attached PvP until the in-game behavior changes.
Video help
