Apex Legends players want clever hop-up to buff Mastiff power
A number of Apex Legends players want to see a new hop-up for the Mastiff shotgun added that could make the weapon a bit more versatile.
Each new season of Apex Legends brings changes to the balance and performance of different weapon classes, with a handful of guns receiving new hop-ups and buffs to set them apart.
In Season 12, Respawn introduced the Peacekeeper’s Kinetic Feeder hop-up, which gave the shotgun a faster and more dynamic feel compared to the Mastiff or EVA-8. However, the Peacekeeper versus Mastiff debate is one that players are still split on, even after 12 full seasons of competitive play.
Now, with Season 13 launching on May 10, some players have proposed a compelling new hop-up idea that could power up the Mastiff in an interesting way.
Respawn EntertainmentThe suggestion comes by way of the Apex Legends subreddit where one user suggested the Mastiff could benefit from a hop-up to change its traditional horizontal shot to a vertical one.
This hypothetical hop-up “would probably increase spread at close range, but allow for very tight medium-long range shots,” according to the post.
It’s certainly an interesting idea, which could conceivably end up giving the Mastiff the edge in its rivalry with the Peacekeeper.
Generally, players who would like to deal more damage at the risk of more reliance on precision aiming gravitate towards the Peacekeeper, while those looking for more overall consistency opt for the Mastiff.
Adding a toggle option between the Mastiff’s traditional horizontal shots and a new vertical spread could be very beneficial. The toggled option could even function similarly to the Peacekeeper’s automatic choke.
However, if a hop-up like this ever made its way into Apex Legends, devs would have to make sure any additional range wouldn’t end up being too over the top for the traditionally close-range weapon.
While there’s still a bit of time for Respawn to surprise players with new additions to Apex Legends before Season 13 launches, players will just just have to wait and see as Season 13’s launch date gets closer and closer.