Top Tips to Improve Your Kill/Death Ratio in FPS Games

If you’re struggling with your kill/death ratio in an online shooter, you probably think it’s purely your skills that are lacking. While that may be a factor, it’s probably not just a case of getting out-played — you’re probably getting out-thought too. Improving your K/D ratio isn’t just about improving mechanically. 

We’ve compiled some tips to get that KD/R trending in a positive direction. Whether you’re aiming for greater heights in your favourite shooter or want to brag about your new and improved KD/R to your friends, Thumb Soldiers has you covered.

#1 First things first: know your maps to improve your kill/death ratio

The best players know every inch of the maps they dominate, and you’ll need to accrue that knowledge too. For team-based shooters like Call of Duty, The Finals or Marvel Rivals, devote time to assessing and analysing each map. If you notice someone you’re playing with seems skilled, shadow them: make a note of where they stand when trading damage, which spots they avoid, and which lanes they favour. 

For battle royale games or multiplayer FPS games that take place on larger maps, positioning is key. As a general rule of thumb, standing in the open at any time is an invitation to get killed immediately. In the case of BRs, knowing where to land — and where not to land, if you’re still finding your feet — is crucial.. 

Top tips to improve your kill/death ratio: 

• If available, use an offline mode to get familiar with the map in a low-stakes setting

• Take note of where more experienced players go — or don’t go 

• Regardless, of the map, standing still means death, so keep it moving, even if that’s just strafing side-to-side

#2 Learn kit differences to improve your game sense

Hero shooters like Apex Legends and Marvel Rivals have distinct character classes, and knowing what they can and can’t do is as important as your shooting proficiency. If you know what kit a player has available to them, you can plan accordingly. 

Whether that’s backing off from a high-damage class or using your own ability to exploit a specific weakness, it’s not enough to know your character’s own strengths and weaknesses — you should do your best to know your opponent’s, too. 

Even non-hero shooters like COD or Battlefield have differences in loadout. Knowing what’s possible and not possible can be the difference between kill and death in many cases.

Top tips to improve your kill/death ratio: 

• Play with multiple different classes / loadouts (not just your favourite) to get first-hand experience of their capabilities

• Most games have strong visual and audio design cues to alert / warn players of abilities being used, so keep an eye and an ear out for them

#3 Exercise before you hunker down (yeah, really)

When discussing how to improve kill/death ratio in FPS games, it’s rare to see one of the most game-changing options brought up: exercise. It might not be immediately obvious that physical exertion can affect your in-game performance, but it’s held true for the team at Thumb Soldiers — and there’s data to prove that’s not just a fluke. 

There are multiple studies, but we’ll pinpoint this one. Key takeaways: 

• Exercise improves FPS accuracy, and reduces time to achieve task

• Physical exercise improves first-person video game performance  

The main finding was that ‘moderate aerobic exercise (65-75% theoretical HR max)’ for around 20 minutes improved performance. While it can’t hurt to meet that threshold, in our experience, any amount of exercise is good for performance. 

#4 Think before you act (or spray) 

You’re minding your own business and suddenly you hear footsteps. Your opponent’s rounded the corner — it’s time to act. Some people seize the moment and become John Wick… some people empty the clip into thin air in a fit of panic (we’ve all been there, at least once). 

Quite often it’s acting on instinct that gets you killed. Yes, reaction times are important — especially in games with lower TTK like COD or Valorant — but good players take a moment before they act. 

Top tips to improve your kill/death ratio: 

• As discussed above, exercise before you grip the pad can calm the nerves, and give you more time to think

• Spend time actively not reacting when confronted. Even if you lose a few gunfights through indecision, building up that muscle memory will be invaluable 

#5 Level up your thumbsticks 

A lot of the things we’ve listed today are steady changes that could and should up your kill/death ratio over time. The last one we’re going to recommend is one that could change it overnight. 

How often has it felt like your thumbsticks are working against you in heat-of-the-battle moments? Whether it’s poorly-registered inputs or thumbs slipping off the sticks entirely, standard thumbsticks on most controllers — like Playstation, Xbox or Switch — just aren’t up to scratch if you want to take FPS games seriously. 

Here’s our recommendations for performance-enhancing thumbsticks that are custom-built to help you improve your game: 

Top kill/death ratio improving thumbstick attachments: 

• Step Up Thumbsticks: your ultimate competitive edge with this dual tier pro thumbstick, providing a lower level for lightning-fast reactions and the upper level for pinpoint precision

• Rock n Roller Thumbsticks: fantastic for shooters that are movement-based (Apex, Titanfall), providing more precise inputs and directional control 

• Studs Thumbsticks: vastly improved grip and accuracy make these thumbsticks excellent for twitch shooters like COD or Counter Strike

#6 Don’t be so hard on yourself

We’ve left this one for the end, because it’s arguably the most important. We can all get locked into negative cycles when we aren’t performing to the level we want to / expect to, whatever the game may be. Wanting to get better at anything is a noble, worthwhile pursuit — but don’t let it become obsessive. 

If your performance is affecting how you view yourself, it may be time to take a step back. Here’s the cool part: sometimes a reset is what you really needed to level up. You might come back a bit rusty, but you’ll also come back with a reignited vigour for the game you love — the game that is, ultimately, supposed to bring you joy. 

And anyway, in our experience, the more fun you’re having, the more likely it is that your kill/death ratio will rocket up.

Improving your kill/death ratio: now you know how 

So, we’ve established that there’s multiple ways to improve that kill/death ratio. From the obvious: putting hours into practice, improving game knowledge. To the lesser known: exercising before you play, finding the right thumbstick. We hope our tips have demonstrated that there’s a bunch of ways to get to the top. 

If you like the idea of performance-enhancing thumbsticks, browse the range.