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 | R-99 SMg, Nemesis Burst, C.A.R. SMG, Hemlok |
A | VK-47 Flatline, 30-30 Repeater, R-301, Peacekeeper, Mastiff, Volt SMG |
B | Sentinel, Triple-Take, EVA-8, Rampage LMG, Alternator, G7-Scout, Spitfire |
C | Havoc, Devotion, L-STAR, Longbow DMR, 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
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.
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.
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.
Hemlok
The Hemlok is one of the best burst fire weapons in the game. As a burst fire weapon, this gun excels at medium range fights but can also deal significant damage at close range. The single fire can also be effective at wearing down peeking enemies. The damage output makes this gun a fantastic choice.
A-tier Weapons
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 do make it slightly more difficult to use. The damage output of the Flatline is nevertheless very good at most ranges.
30-30 Repeater
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.
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. Being in the crafter makes this a little less accessible but is well worth crafting as it is a strong assault rifle.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Spitfire
The Spitfire can be a viable LMG. The long magazines compensate for the lack of range on this gun. This gun can perform well 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. However, there are often better choices.
C-tier Weapons
Havoc
The Havoc is a great gun, but performs best with a Turbocharger. The buff to the Havoc, removing the 1 damage penalty from using the Turbocharger is a welcome change. The Turbocharger does make this a weapon worth picking up, where it performs its best. However, even without the hop-up, the Havoc can be strong situationally.
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.
L-STAR
The L-STAR has returned to the floor in Season 19, though receiving a few nerfs. The L-STAR can be a good choice for overpowering an enemy at close range, but the gun is overshadowed by multiple other LMGs. Having to control overheating and the lack of range make this gun usable in few niche situations.
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.
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.