Apex Legends weapon tier list – the best season 16 guns

If you’re not sure what you should be looting in Apex Legends’ Season 15, we’re here to help. Of course, there’s some personal preference involved, but this Apex Legends weapons tier list should help you seperate the best from the rest and focus what you want to be looting when you jump into your next game.

In Season 15, the latest Apex Legends patch notes skimped on the legend-based changes, but did include some interesting tweaks to some of the battle royale’s weapons. If you want to know how that’s affected the rankings when it comes to this shooter, which is one of the best competitive FPS game available right now, all you have to do is keep reading. You can also check out our newly updated Apex Legends Season 15 tier list right here.

Apex Legends Weapon Tier list

S-tier

Alright, let’s talk a little bit about the best weapons in Apex Legends right now. With Apex Legends’ Eclipse update changing the weapon meta with a hop-up shake up, some of these aren’t going to be quite as good as they would be normally – however, that doesn’t mean everything’s changing. Keep reading to find out more.

R-99 – submachine gun (Up)

The only thing deadlier than a shotgun at close range in Apex Legends is an SMG – namely, this SMG. It’s lacking in long-range viability, but it can shred through a full 20-round magazine in over a second. One accurate spray from this weapon can prove deadly – but you’re in a pickle if you miss.

You shouldn’t pass on picking this weapon up, though. It’s often something you’ll stumble across in the early game – and having one of these at the start of a game is very far from a bad thing. Just keep an eye on your ammo count, it does get through it very quickly.

Kraber – sniper rifle

We know it goes without saying at this point, but the Kraber is the best weapon in the game – and that’s why it’s once-again a Care Package weapon, as far as we can tell anyway. We’re pretty sure this sniper is never leaving the Care Package rotation and that’s probably fine.

A body shot from the Kraber still does 145 damage and a headshot deals a horrendous 435. Respawn Entertainment hasn’t changed anything with this weapon in recent updates; so, no legend will be able to withstand a couple of consecutive shots from this. The only downside to this weapon is the limited ammunition you get – however, we feel like we’d need to introduce Kraber Tier if it had more than what you get.

R-301 – assault rifle

Aiming to climb the Apex Legends ranks in Season 15? Well, the R-301 is the ‘standard issue’, ready to go assault rifle that you should always keep an eye out for in-game. It’s a fantastic all-rounder that’s capable in both close-range and long-distance firefights – and it offers multiple firing modes.

With an Extended Light Mag and a decent Barrel Stabilizer, you’ll find yourself reaching the final circle more than once with this assault rifle at your side. Nothing has changed for Season 15, either, but we feel like a nerf is brewing.

C.A.R. SMG – submachine gun

This Season 11 SMG hits more like a truck than a car – even though Respawn Entertainment have removed the ability to add barrel attachments to this weapon in Season 14 and this change persists in Season 15. It might be a bit harder to land your shots, but those shots will still hit hard – a respectable 13 for a body shot and a fire rate that has a DPS higher than the R-99.

In addition to all this, the CAR SMG can swap between using Light Ammo and Heavy Ammo. This is going to help a lot if a firefight goes on for a lot longer than you thought it would and it should ensure you never run out of rounds.

EVA-8 Auto – shotgun

The EVA-8 was buffed in Season 14, and remains strong in Season 15. Bumping this shotgun up to the top tier and keeping it there was a no-brainer and it’s going to be one of the best close-range option for you in Apex Legends – at least right now.

This time around, the EVA-8 is going to have an increased fire rate – that’s now boosted even more by Shotgun Bolt attachments – and an increased pellet damage. You can even equip Stock attachments with it now, if you needed more of a reason to pick this weapon up.

A Tier

It’s time to talk about some of the… better weapons in the game, the ones that you should be looking at, but maybe not what you should be taking into the endgame with you. The R-99 has jumped up a tier, as you already know, but the Charge Rifle is here. And, the G7 Scout has returned to its’ rightful place now it’s ground loot again.

VK-47 Flatline – assault rifle

In Season 15, the Flatline remains a great choice for players looking to burn through some Heavy Ammo with a reliable assault rifle. Each round does decent enough damage and firing this weapon from the hip is surprisingly efficient in closer-range gunfights. If you want more accuracy at a distance, you can always switch to a single-fire firing mode.

One of the main issues with this weapon is the iron sights. They’re awful, really, so picking up some optics is a must if you want to make the most of this assault rifle – even a 1x Holo would do.

Wingman – pistol

It might have swapped over to Sniper Ammo, but the Wingman is still as deadly as ever – and it’s thankfully still floor loot in Season 15. You can also stack more Sniper Ammo in your inventory, which only further improves this weapon’s viability in-game.

The Wingman is our favourite pistol, because of the sheer damage it does with every round. Each hit from a Wingman deals 45 damage, which doubles to 90 for a headshot. The Wingman is the only pistol that doesn’t decrease its headshot multiplier at longer range, so you can comfortably use it at medium distances and even deal decent damage at long range.

Peacekeeper – shotgun

The Peacekeeper hasn’t changed much at all in Season 15, which is fine by us. However, it has had its’ projectile growth reduced slightly. However, we don’t think this is going to affect things too much. It’s a hard-hitting shotgun, slower than the EVA-8 but more viable at a distance. So, why wouldn’t you want to use it?

We know it’s hard to see past the alluring EVA-8 when talking about shotguns, but if you’re planning to land all your shots… You could do worse than this one. We recommend giving it a go at the very least.

Charge Rifle – sniper rifle

We know it’s been out of love in the past, but this unique weapon is on the up and we’re confident it should be considered as one of the better weapons in Apex Legends right now. A nerf is on the horizon, but at the moment this strange sniper rifle is perfect for beaming enemies at a distance and burning through Evo Shields like nobody’s business.

It’s also a fantastic option for players who need to charge their own Evo Shield, and without any bullet drop (because it doesn’t fire bullets), you can do this at any range without much concern. The only issue is that it burns through your Sniper Ammo a little faster than other weapons – so, you need to be careful you’re not running out of it during a firefight.

G7 Scout – Marksman Rifle

The G7 Scout is staying as ground loot in Season 15 and we’re thrilled. Despite the fact that double-tap hop-ups are going to be harder to find, they do offer improved recoil now – so, you’re going to want to try this gun out.

Respawn Entertainment has nerfed this weapon, with a lower damage and headshot multiplier. However, it’s still a beast at long range and the fact it uses Light Ammo means you shouldn’t run out when you’re picking at enemies from a distance.

B-Tier

This is where the bulk of Apex Legends’ weapons will sit – and for good reason. They’re all decent enough, but they’re not the best and they’re not the worst. There’s been a bit of chopping and changing in Season 15, though, so it’s worth taking a look.

M600 Spitfire – light machine gun (Down)

We know this is still good, but it’s got a bit of a kick and that’s causing it to suffer. However, the swap to Light Ammo and Light Ammo Magazines in Season 14, do make it a force to be reckoned with. It’s still a great weapon thanks to its’ solid damage output and fire rate – you just need to be careful.

It’s a great option when it comes to supressing enemies and dealing a lot of damage fast. You just might find yourself missing shots if your enemies are somewhat distant.

RE-45 – Pistol (Up)

This pistol is nifty in a pinch, but not something you should use in any capacity beyond scrambling for a gun at the start of the game. It’s small magazine size means you’ll be reloading constantly and it doesn’t deal enough damage to justify the constant danger of being caught short without enough Light Ammo in your clip to kill anyone.

Interestingly, it has had a damage buff in Season 15. However, it’s in the crate this time around so we can’t warrant moving it any higher than this tier right now. It’s a good weapon, but you won’t find yourself using it too much.

Hemlock Burst – assault rifle

What is there to say about the Hemlock, really..? It’s a solid assault rifle that is unique in it’s burst-fire offering, but it’s far from perfect. It hits hard, thanks to the fact it uses Heavy Ammo, but if you’re missing a burst or two in your gunfight, you’re going to struggle.

This weapon is probably best used in the mid-game at middling ranges. It doesn’t excel at close range, or at a distance, but it’s not bad. You can toggle it to single-fire, though, which is a plus.

Longbow DMR – sniper rifle

The Longbow DMR is far from a bad weapon, but it’s one that will suit lower-skill players – in our opinion. It doesn’t deal as much damage as the Sentinel, but you can fire it faster. This earns it a place above the aforementioned bolt-action – you’re more likely to land your hits with this weapon and that’s all that matters, right?

In Season 15, it has been removed from the Gold Weapon rotation. But, still, if you get one of these, you’ll be able to dish out a lot of damage at a distance – especially if you make use of Vantage’s Spotter’s Lens passive, which adds a bullet drop marker to long-range scopes.

30-30 Repeater – marksman rifle

This is another great marksman rifle that you should keep an eye on if you’re looking for a long-range weapon in Apex Legends Season 15. Dual Loader has been worked into the base weapon and you can now equip the Skullpiercer Rifling hop-up with this gun. It’s also in the gold weapon rotation for this season, which isn’t a bad thing.

However, you’re going to need to make sure you land those shots to make the most of this weapon. It takes a while to reload this weapon, even though you can individually chamber bullets. If you run out of ammo in the middle of a firefight, you’re going to struggle.

Prowler Burst PDW – Submachine gun

The Prowler is a hard-hitting, unique SMG that offers burst-fire and an outrageous hipfire accuracy – something Season 14’s Laser Sight attachments have only improved upon. However, there’s something about this gun that’s missing and that’s why it’s only here on the list – even if it’s in the gold weapon rotation this time around.

You can make this weapon fully automatic if you want, which is a plus, but then recoil becomes an issue and you’ll find yourself burning through Heavy Ammo quite quickly. So, something to keep in mind.

Volt – Submachine gun

The Volt is still ground loot in Season 15 – which is great – but Respawn Entertainment has nerfed its’ projectile speed and gravity – which is not so great. That’s why it’s staying where it is, for now. But, this could change.

It’s a fine SMG that will get you out of a pinch, but it isn’t the best one and now it’s even weaker than it was before. It does offer a little less recoil than others in its class, though. This can be handy if you’re using this at middling ranges; however, as an SMG, it’s best-used in close-quarters.

Alternator – Submachine gun

We know it’s weird to think about, but the Alternator isn’t the worst gun out there. It deals more damage per shot than the R-99, but it suffers from a slower fire rate and small magazine sizes. However, it’s hard to compare this to any of the weapons above because it’s much more a starting weapon than other SMGs.

So, if you stumble into one when you drop, you could do a lot worse. It’s just worth noting that you’re going to burn through your magazine very quickly and you might struggle to take out shielded enemies charging at you.

Triple Take – Marksman rifle

Not a lot has changed for the Triple Take in Season 15, which isn’t a bad thing, but it’s still a little middling as weapons go. Respawn Entertainment has buffed it’s rate of fire and  Choke charge time, but it  still doesn’t deal as much damage as it used to, but it’s a solid option for mid-to-long range firefights.

One thing that is good about this sniper rifle is that you can toggle its’ firing mode to stop it reducing projectile spread when scoping in. This is going to help you land more shots at a distance – they’re just going to be a lot weaker than other marksman rifles.

Mastiff – Shotgun

How the mighty have fallen. The Mastiff was an S-Tier weapon for so many months and now it’s barely clinging onto its spot here. To make matters worse, Season 15 is changing this weapon even more – for some reason.

Going forward, it will have reduced projectile growth, a slower base fire rate, and no Dual Loader. Hasn’t the Mastiff suffered enough? It’s one of the worst shotguns in the game, but it will get you out of trouble in a pinch. That’s all we can say.

Rampage – Light Machine Gun

The Rampage LMG is hard-hitting, but very slow. So, you need a bit of coordination if you want to use this weapon – that’s why it’s so far down on the list. If you can afford to hit your enemies from a distance, then you should consider using the Rampage. If you’re worried about being closed down, then you should skip it.

In Season 14, Respawn Entertainment did increased the weapon’s damage a little and it comes pre-equipped with one Thermite Grenade – something that hasn’t changed in Season 15. So, there are some upsides to this weapon – just… Be warned, it’s slow. Very, very slow.

C-Tier

These weapons are ones you should only pick if you have no other choice. They do have some merits, but they’re not the best out there and you should aim to swap them out when you can.

L-Star – light machine gun (Down)

This weapon is a bit of a menace, but it has been nerfed quite a bit since inception and thus finds itself in the lower tiers of this list. Despite offering a decent damage output with better projectile collision size than other weapons in its’ class, it’s still just aggressively mid.

An L-Star can get you out of a jam, but we don’t recommend using this weapon throughout a whole game. There are just better guns out there, basically.

Bocek Bow -marksman rifle

This is a unique weapon, as you might expect, that we think deserves a bit more respect. But, not that much… It’s fun to use but nowhere near as effective as an actual gun.

Interestingly, in Season 15, it looks like the Bocek Bow is still going to be a Care Package weapon – so, we’re probably not going to see a lot of it. However, it has had a damage and speed increase for good measure. We want to love this weapon, and we do in a way, but it’s just not that effective.

Sentinel – sniper rifle

We know we give the Sentinel a bad rap, but it’s not so bad. It hits very hard and can be great at dealing damage at a distance, but it has horrible bullet drop and an incredibly slow rate of fire. This means you need to make sure you’re landing your shots – and that you’re safe from being closed in on.

In Season 15, not a lot has changed. However, the previous season’s bonuses of Deadeye’s Tempo have been worked into the base Sentinel, though – which is something. This will improve the fire rate marginally with consecutive shots – however, this isn’t enough of an improvement to move this weapon up a tier.

Havoc – assault rifle

Where do we start with the Havoc, eh? It’s alright in a tight spot, but honestly just not great. It’s small firing delay can be the difference between life and death in the Apex Games and for all its’ merits, there are just better assault rifles out there.

It is somewhat better than the next weapon on our list, though, and it doesn’t have the worst recoil pattern in the world. You just need to make sure you have the Turbocharger hop-up to make using this gun worthwhile, and they’re not as easy to find as they should be. Oh, and they’re also going to reduce damage by 1. So… Yeah, there’s that.

Devotion – light machine gun

This is one weapon that we’re not sure on either. It’s great in the right hands, but worthless in the wrong ones. It does fire fast, which means you can deal a lot of damage quite quickly if you land your hits, but you do churn through Energy Ammo like its going out of fashion.

In Season 15, it’s in the gold weapon rotation, which might mean you see a few more of them around in-game. However, as previously discussed, the Turbocharger hop-up is weaker than before and it’s not doing this light machine gun any favours.

D-tier

These weapons aren’t that great and let’s just leave it as that, shall we? We’re sorry, once again, for disrespecting the Mozambique like this.

Mozambique – shotgun

While it still resides in the lowly D-Tier, the Mozambique has come a long way from the absolute bottom of the pile, mostly due to the fact it now hold six rounds in the chamber.

In Season 15, it’s been removed from the gold weapon rotation. So, we’re not going to see some hilarious ‘Gold-Bique’ plays popping up. However, we’re still sad to say that this gun is just… Not great.  It’s better than it was, but without Hammerpoint Rounds in Season 15, we can’t see it moving.

P2020 – pistol

The P2020 is a pretty useless pistol if we’re completely honest. It had a little damage buff in Season 9, but it’s not enough to make it worth picking up and little else has happened as we enter Season 15.

There’s not a lot else to say about this gun other than it’s somewhat better than using your fists, but the worst weapon in Apex Legends right now. Let’s just hope things change in the future, eh?

That does it for our round-up of every Apex Legends weapon – congratulations if you made it all the way to the end. As we mentioned earlier, we’ll update this tier list with every change and patch that occurs in the game to keep you in the loop with how each weapon is performing and whether they’re worth picking up.