Confused about which weapons to run in Apex Legends? Here’s my tier list of the best weapons to run in Season 21.
As of Season 21, Respawn has released a total of 29 weapons in Apex Legends. As it is a competitive battle royale, Respawn makes endless changes to these weapons to keep the meta fresh and balanced almost every season. And because of these changes, the weapon choices for players change.
Apart from the direct weapon buffs and nerfs, other factors such as legends, maps, and attachments also have impacts on the weapon. I know it’s a hassle to keep up with the meta. But don’t worry! I will make your life a little bit easier.
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Here’s my complete weapon tier list for Season 21 based on the current competitive meta. I will also explain why I put each weapon in a specific tier, so you know what’s actually up rather than blindly trusting the tier list.
Note: We updated the weapon tier list after the Season 21 Double Take event.
| Tier | Weapons |
|---|---|
| S-Tier |     |
| A-Tier |      |
| B-Tier |       |
| C-Tier |       |
| D-Tier |      |
| E-Tier |    |
S-Tier Weapons
Kraber
As long as Respawn doesn’t nerf Kraber to the ground, it will always remain an S-tier weapon in Apex Legends. The sniper is so powerful that Respawn had to significantly lower its drop rate chance compared to other supply drop weapons in the game.
Hemlok
It is easy to deal good damage to enemies that are far away with snipers and marksman weapons. However, it is quite hard to kill them. Moreover, they are pretty much useless in close-to-medium-range fights. But Hemlok doesn’t have those weaknesses. With some practice, you can annihilate enemies with the Hemlok from long distances.
Volt
As Havoc received a nerf in the Season 21 Double Take update, Volt is now the new secondary weapon of choice for most players. Its high damage output, easy controllability, and mobility definitely puts it in the S-tier right now.
Nemesis
If you are not comfortable using the Hemlok, the Nemesis should be your alternative go-to primary weapon in Season 21. Being a fully-automatic AR, many of you prefer to use it rather than Hemlok.
A-Tier Weapons
Devotion
As Devotion is a care package weapon right now, you don’t need to look for attachments. It is literally an upgraded Havoc with a minor cost to your movement. However, that’s not even a factor right now, as you don’t need ADS to use it. Just run into a team and press the left mouse button, and the mighty Devotion will do the rest of the work for you.
Havoc
Players figured out that Havoc was a broken weapon to use in Season 21. However, Respawn finally caught up with that and gave it a noticeable magazine nerf. However, Havoc is still a great weapon to use. You just need to find the right magazine.
Flatline
Flatline is the uncrowned king of Season 21. It is a great weapon, and there’s no reason why you shouldn’t use it. Especially if you dislike using burst weapons or Havoc without a Turbocharger, you should definitely run Flatline, as I used to do the same before switching to Hemlok as my primary gun.
EVA-8
EVA-8 is right now the best shotgun in the game. Although it has a low per-bullet damage output compared to Peacekeeper and Mastiff, the fire rate compensates for the lack of damage. Moreover, it is a fully automatic shotgun, so it is very user-friendly.
G7 Scout
Thanks to the G7 Scout buff in the Double Take update, the Marksman weapon is now an insane gun to use for long-range fights. However, it is only effective in battles that are medium- to long-range. So, we are unable to place it in the S-tier.
B-Tier Weapons
Bocek
I had a hard time deciding where to place Bocek on this tier list. The weapon has a high damage potential in all ranges. But it also lacks consistency and is very situational. Both pros and cons for Bocek are balanced. So, I decided to put Bocek in the B-tier.
Spitfire
Spitfire is a practical weapon that many people don’t like to use, mainly because it is really heavy and slows you down. As Apex’s gameplay becomes faster and players get better, LMGs are becoming less popular. On the other hand, Spitfire is extremely effective against players that have just spawned. So, if you spot one right away, you should grab it.
Sentinel
As a sniper, Sentinel is a beast. Moreover, if you’re playing Rampart, having Sentinel almost feels like Kraber. All you have to do is make sure you carry enough shield cells to keep the Sentinel juiced all the time.
Peacekeeper
The shotgun meta is slowly fading away. However, the Peacekeeper is still a great shotgun for close-range fights. The Peacekeeper’s only flaw is that it can feel extremely inconsistent at times. But if you’re a demon with it, there’s no reason not to use it.
Wingman
Wingman just came out of the care package in Season 21. Unfortunately, the pistol no longer equips an extended sniper magazine. Nonetheless, it is still more versatile than any shotgun in the game. As a result, many people still prefer to use it still.
R-301
The R-301 is not the same beast we used to know. Even if you dump full magazines into enemies, they will still survive, and you’ll have to use your secondary to full-kill them. The R-301 still holds a special sentiment for many of us. So, only out of respect, I’ll keep the R-301 in the B-tier.
C-Tier Weapons
R-99
Everyone will agree that R-99 is just a garbage weapon in Season 21. No matter how satisfying the spray is, you’ll only do a decent amount of damage at best. It is just not enough to kill an enemy with R-99 anymore, even with a purple mag equipped.
30-30 Repeater
Hemlok’s entry in the medium- to long-range fighting meta has made 30-30 less appealing than it was in prior seasons. Moreover, the Skullpiercer is no longer available in the game. However, it is still an okay gun to use if you prefer playing passively. But, I wouldn’t personally recommend using it.
Alternator
The Alternator is a pretty decent weapon right off the drop. Moreover, if you can find a Disruptor Round, it becomes a beast in close-range fights. But this weapon also has two significant drawbacks. First of all, in long-range combat, the SMG feels almost worthless. And secondly, unlike Havoc, the Alternator is pretty much useless without the Disruptor Round.
Mastiff
Mastiff is somewhat on par with the Peacekeeper. However, a Mastiff without a shotgun bolt is really hard to use. That’s the only reason why I didn’t place Mastiff side-by-side with the PK.
Prowler
Prowler has slowly come out of the meta. However, it is still a great weapon in Season 21. It’s just that you won’t find anybody using it too often, just because there are other better options for close-range fights.
Longbow
Despite some great improvements for Longbow, I would still recommend not using it. To me, it still feels the same, even with the improvements. Moreover, with Skullpiercer removed, I don’t feel like it provides anything valuable. The only reason I would pick Longbow is as an attachment holder for my Sentinel. Otherwise, I’ll throw it in a ditch.
D-Tier Weapons
C.A.R
Using any other SMG other than Volt does not make any sense in season 21. Moreover, C.A.R.’s insane recoil doesn’t make up for its lack of damage output and magazine size. So, I don’t think anyone should use it.
L-Star
L-Star in season 21 is only good for holding the attachments for your other energy weapons. Other than that, it isn’t a good weapon to run in the mid-to-late game.
Rampage
Rampage is only good when equipped with a thermite grenade; without that, the gun isn’t that good. However, it has high damage potential. So, if you find it right after spawning, consider picking it up.
Triple Take
Even with the boosted loader hop-up upgrade, Triple Take is straight-up trash. If you really want to pick something up for long-range fights, use the 30-30 Repeater, G7 Scout, or Sentinel instead.
Charge Rifle
I personally pick up Charge Rifle sometimes just to have fun. And honestly, it’s not a bad weapon. However, hitting enemies with a Charge Rifle is hard because of the charge-up time. It is a high-risk, low-reward gun that everyone should avoid in Season 21.
E-Tier Weapons
RE-45
Many of you may not agree with me putting RE-45 as an E-tier weapon. However, putting it higher than this would also be an injustice to other weapons. RE-45 is nothing without the Hammerpoint. Even without the Hammerpoint, the weapon falls significantly short compared to other weapons in terms of damage and recoil. Not to mention, you literally can’t use this weapon outside the radius of 5–10 meters.
Mozambique
Mozambique was at least a B-tier weapon in Season 20. However, as Respawn removed the Digital Threat from the game, Mozambique has been demoted to an E-tier weapon once again.
P2020
P2020 falls into the same category as Mozambique. They are both meme weapons, and there’s no reason why you should use them unless you have no gun in your hands. Even then, punching out enemies might be a good option.
Final Words
I put together this weapon tier list based on the ongoing meta. Apex Legends has an incredible array of powerful weapons. Therefore, you are not required to use specific weapons exclusively and ignore the others just because I placed them in the S or A-tier. You might be skilled with or enjoy utilizing certain weapons. Therefore, do not limit yourself to using only a few weapons. Experiment with various weapon kinds and practice with them. Because, you may not always find the best weapons. Good luck, Legends!
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