Apex Legends Best Weapons Tier List Rankings
In this tier list, we rank the best weapons in Apex Legends across four tiers.
Remember that player comfort and playstyle should always come first, but there are always weapons that will rise to the top due to meta conditions and balance changes.
We’ll start off with our rankings and below, you’ll find commentary on each weapon as well as our methodology.
If you found this tier list useful, don’t forget to also check out our list of the best Apex Legends characters.
| Tier | Apex Legends Weapon Tier List |
|---|---|
| S | C.A.R SMG, R-99 SMG, Peacekeeper, VK-47 Flatline, Nemesis Burst |
| A | R-30t, 30-30 Repeater, Wingman, Mastiff, Hemlok, Spitfire, Volt SMG, Rampage LMK |
| B | Sentinel, EVA-8, Alternator, Triple-Take, G7-Scout |
| C | Havoc, Longbow DMR, Devotion, Charge Rifle |
| D | RE-45, Mozambique, P2020 |
Check out our visual infographic version of the tier list below as well:
Weapon Commentary
S-tier Weapons
C.A R
The C.A R deals excellent damage in short and medium range encounters. If you’re able to learn the recoil pattern, you can take down enemies in no time. The versatility of being able to switch between heavy and light ammo cannot be understated. If you have the chance, pick this weapon up as it performs nearly as well as the R-99.
R-99
The R-99 is still a solid choice for SMGs and can put out great damage in close and mid-range fights, even with the Season 17 slight nerf. The recoil is very easy to get used to and is improved with the laser sight attachments. For close quarters combat, the R-99 is the undisputed king.
Peacekeeper
The Peacekeeper is a brilliant shotgun that can put out big damage in close quarters fights. While it is slower than the EVA-8, it still can be used effectively to peek a corner and down an enemy. With accuracy and a bit of luck, this weapon is difficult to go up against.
Flatline
The Flatline is a great assault rifle that deals good damage at most ranges. The R-301 can be easier to handle but the Flatline still packs a punch. We would recommend you get some good optics on this gun, as the iron sights can be frustrating to use. Even with recent nerfs the gun remains solidly in A-tier.
Nemesis Burst AR
The Nemesis Burst AR is one of the most effective assault rifles in Apex Legends. When charged up, the damage output of the Nemesis is unrivaled and can down opponents in no time at range. To get the full potential from this weapon, avoid hip fire as it is difficult to control. Even though this weapon has moved to the crafter, it is still worth crafting due to its great DPS.
A-tier Weapons
R-301
The R-301 is a great choice for assault rifles. The handling of the recoil is one of the easiest in the game, while providing great damage at all ranges. Even with iron sights, the R-301 shines from the first ring through to the final ring.
30-30
The 30-30 Repeater is a great marksman rifle which shines in medium to long range battles. This weapon will punish enemies who aren’t in cover and give your team opportunities to push. Equipped with a Skullpiercer, this weapon deals serious damage.
Wingman
The Wingman is the best pistol to choose for most encounters. The gun is satisfying to use, and most importantly, it can deal huge damage with the Skullpiercer attachment. It is effective in short and mid-range encounters but falls off a little at longer ranges. With accuracy at close range, the Wingman is very strong.
Mastiff
The Mastiff can deal huge damage at close ranges. The recoil may take some getting used to, but once you’re familiar with it, this weapon can quickly take down enemies. There are few guns which deal as much rapid damage as the Mastiff.
Hemlok
The Hemlok has returned to the floor this season. As a burst or single fire weapon, this gun excels at medium range fights but can also deal significant damage at close range on burst fire. Though there are better burst fire weapons, this gun is still powerful.
Spitfire
The Spitfire has received changes buffing the recoil and making hip fire easier. The long magazines compensate for the lack of range on this gun. These changes make this gun viable in short to medium range encounters, as the large magazine size combined with better recoil make this gun easy to use and difficult to fight against.
Volt
The Volt is a good SMG that has little recoil for the damage it does. While it’s not as strong as other SMGs, it holds its own in short range encounters when you need it. The Volt is best used in short to mid-range as the damage tends to drop off at longer distances.
Rampage
The Rampage is an LMG that can be amped up with a thermite grenade. This gun is effective at dealing consistent damage at medium range but there are better choices for close range fights. The rampage is most effective at punishing enemy teams peeking and out in the open.
B-tier Weapons
Sentinel
The Sentinel is a great sniper when engaging in long range fights. The iron sights are good, but the reload times mean you must hit your shots. The changes to shield cells, now only requiring one shield cell to supercharge the Sentinel improve the potential usefulness of this weapon.
EVA-8
The EVA-8 receiving the Double Tap Trigger has turned a good weapon into a great one. You can take down enemies in no time in close to mid-range encounters. The lack of range however does mean the damage falls off at distance.
Alternator
The Alternator is a good SMG, at close ranges is where it’s most effective. This gun can perform well if you are able to keep the fights at close range. For SMGs there are better picks, but it can still perform well in the early game.
Triple Take
The Triple Take is a nice marksman weapon that can shoot in a spread or choke pattern. The spread can be useful at medium range engagements, but you’ll struggle doing great damage due to the time it takes to focus your shots. The spread damage is also quite poor when compared to other choices.
G7-Scout
The G7-Scout is a good marksman weapon, it is good for poking fights to keep the pressure on the enemy. This weapon excels at medium range but there are better choices for short and long range. With the removal of the Double Tap hop-up, this weapon has seen better days.
C-tier Weapons
Havoc
The Havoc can be a great gun, but without the Turbocharger attachment it struggles. Having the build-up delay can cause you to lose an easily winnable fight. The Turbocharger does make this a weapon worth picking up, but without it the Havoc is poor.
Longbow DMR
The Longbow DMR can be a great weapon at medium-long range but is poor at close ranges. As a sniper, this weapon deals good damage and offers a higher rate of fire than other snipers. At range this can be a good choice for picking off enemies out in the open.
Devotion
The Devotion follows a similar story to the Havoc, where the delay to begin firing can cause you to lose a fight. Again, with a Turbocharger, this gun is great and does do high burst damage. But this requires an attachment you’re not guaranteed to loot, so generally it won’t perform to its full potential. Weapons such as the Nemesis Burst AR are able to do better burst damage without the requirements of multiple attachments.
Charge Rifle
The Charge Rifle has seen changes in season 18, removing the hitscan. With this gun now being a hold and release weapon, it is much less effective at short to medium range. This gun can do well in some medium to long range situations, however there are better choices.
D-tier Weapons
RE-45
The RE-45 unfortunately has poor damage compared to most other weapons. While this weapon can be effective in early game, it has poor DPS and range. At close quarters it is decently effective but most other light ammo weapons are significantly better.
Mozambique
The Mozambique is an okay shotgun, dealing less than average damage. Without the Hammerpoint Rounds, this weapon is a poor choice. At close range it can be okay to escape some situations but there are better guns out there.
P2020
The P2020 deals little damage and has poor range, even with attachments the gun does not significantly improve. This weapon is generally unremarkable and is overshadowed by practically every weapon in the game.
Ranking Methodology
S-tier
These weapons are easy to control and provide great damage against enemies in nearly all situations. You’ll want to grab these guns if you see them.
A-tier
A-tier weapons are fairly easy to control, while giving good damage in most situations. They are a great choice of weapon and should be taken when you spot them.
B-tier
B-tier weapons are okay to control and give reasonable damage in a few areas. There are better guns out there, but these weapons can perform well.
C-tier
C-tier weapons can be poor to control and provide reasonable damage in niche circumstances. Outside of this, they aren’t a good choice – only pick these guns up if you have no other choices.
D-tier
D-tier weapons are usually a poor choice and should only be picked up if you have no other choices to loot. These weapons have bad handling, low damage, and are generally weak across all ranges.
Thanks for checking out our list of the best characters in Apex Legends. Be sure to also check out all our other Mobalytics tier lists.
