Best guns in Apex Legends Season 23: Ultimate weapon tier list

❘ Updated: 2024-11-28T14:55:47

Dexerto

Choosing the right weapons in Apex Legends is crucial to racking up wins. To help, we’ve compiled a detailed tier list for the best weapons in Season 23 of the battle royale.

Apex Legends has a whole host of weapons with each receiving various nerfs and buffs as the season progresses.

Season 20 introduced major overhauls to nearly all game mechanics. This included the complete removal of the crafting rotation, integrating EVO shields directly with character progression throughout a match, and much more.

Similarly, Season 21 had various weapons receiving nerfs and buffs while also introducing Alter, a brand-new legend to the wide roster of Legends. Season 23 didn’t make major weapon changes, so our tier list is relatively intact.

So, here is our ultimate Apex Legends weapon tier list for the best guns to use in Season 23.

Apex Legends Ultimate weapons tier list

Tier	Weapons
S	Nemesis, G7 Scout, VK-47 Flatline, Bocek, Havoc, Peacekeeper, Wingman, Volt, Prowler Burst PDW, Hemlok
A	Eva-8 Auto, Kraber .50 CAL, Mastiff, Rampage, R-301 Carbine, C.A.R., R-99, M600 Spitfire, Alternator
B	30-30 Repeater, Sentinel, Longbow DMR, L-Star
C	Devotion, Charge Rifle, Triple Take, RE-45
D	Mozambique, P2020

Apex Legends weapon tiers explained

Our tier list follows a simple system that divides weapons based on their overall efficacy in combat:

S: The absolute best weapons in the game.
A: Excellent weapons that provide a substitute for other options.
B: There may be situations in which these weapons are effective.
C: Best to avoid unless you get the right hop-ups.

S-Tier Ultimate weapons in Apex Legends

Nemesis — Energy Assault Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 16
Head damage: 29
Legs damage: 12
Base mag size: 20
Reload: 2.7s

The launch of Season 16 brought with it a brand-new Assault Rifle: the Nemesis. In comparison to the rest of the weapons in Apex Legends, this gun truly stands out.

It needs some attachments to get going, but the Nemesis’ mag size, its high stopping power at 17 damage per shot, high fire rate, low recoil, and almost non-existent bullet drop make this thing a laser beam both literally and figuratively.

Once you get the hang of its 4-shot burst pattern and get into the rhythm of using this weapon properly, it hits incredibly hard. However, it does have a bit of a learning curve, and its burst fire makes it awkward to use in close range.

G7 Scout — Light Marksman Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 33
Head damage: 57
Legs damage: 25
Base mag size: 10
Reload: 2.16s/2.7s

The G7 Scout is an absolute workhorse. While it’s not the best weapon at close range in Apex Legends and gets outdone at extreme ranges by snipers, it’s an incredibly reliable mid-range weapon that rewards precision while leaving room for error.

With a scope and some range between you and your target, the Scout’s ability to spam shots will annoy other squads to no end. It’s also extremely ammo efficient and frees up some inventory space in comparison to a typical Assault Rifle or SMG.

The white magazine upgrade takes the Scout from 10 ammo to 15, meaning that you don’t need the best attachments to give this weapon some massive upgrades. The Scout is rarely a bad option.

VK-47 Flatline — Heavy Assault Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 18
Head damage: 32
Legs damage: 15
Base mag size: 20
Reload: 2.4s/3.1s

The Flatline is one of the best Assault Rifles in Apex Legends in terms of raw damage output. Despite having some pretty awful ironsights and more recoil than the R-301, its Light ammo counterpart, the Flatline is S-tier for a few reasons.

One of the key areas where the Flatline shines is its unchanging nature. Its recoil is solid, its damage is mid-range but good, and it boasts decent range for an assault rifle. Not only that, but it doesn’t need many attachments to thrive. The base Flatline is an exceptionally strong weapon, and it’s good at all points in the game.

Bocek — Care Package Compound Bow

Stats:

Body damage: 25-70 / 35-84 (Shatter Caps)
Head damage: 31-112 / 42-105 (Shatter Caps)
Legs damage: 20-63 / 28-84 (Shatter Caps)
Base mag size: N/A
Reload: N/A

The Bocek Bow came into Apex Legends as a monstrous weapon, one that broke the meta and was an absolute terror in mid-range engagements before getting nerfed. After being restricted to the care package, this bow has landed it a bit closer to its power level at release with some added versatility.

Shatter Caps and Deadeye’s Tempo don’t exist as floor pickups anymore. Instead, they just come stock standard with the Bocek. And, despite not being able to pick up arrows anymore, 60 arrows is more than enough to last through most games of Apex.

The near-silent and somewhat incognito nature of the Bocek combined with its base damage of 70 make it capable of outtrading other marksman weapons with ease.

Havoc — Care Package Energy Assault Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 19
Head damage: 33
Legs damage: 16
Base mag size: 36
Reload: 3.2s

The Havoc has had one hell of a comeback story. It’s gone from being busted in Apex’s early days to being near-unusable after a hefty set of nerfs. After a variety of buffs and nerfs, it became a pretty balanced weapon, and now it’s been moved to the care package.

As part of its care package buffs, it’s also been granted the return of the beam shot hop up, which deals devastating damage if you’re on target.

It’s also had a bump to the magazine size to 36 instead of 20, which is huge, and improved hip fire, pushing it all the way to S-Tier.

Peacekeeper — Shotgun

Stats:

Body damage: 11×9 / 14×9 (Disruptor)
Head damage: 14×9 / 18×9 (Disruptor)
Legs damage: 11×9 / 14×9 (Disruptor)
Base mag size: Five
Reload: 2.5s/3.5s

The Peacekeeper is an incredibly popular Shotgun choice, and for good reason. Its high damage, accuracy at range, and incredibly satisfying 2-hit kills in earlier stages of the game make it an incredibly attractive pickup.

Not only that, but the addition of Disruptor rounds on the weapon that came in Season 18 makes it even more likely to net you a two-shot kill on targets. That additional damage to shields really puts this weapon over the edge and into S-tier territory.

If you’re calm and collected in the most hectic of close-range fights and can maintain a steady hand, the Peacekeeper is the Shotgun for you.

Wingman — Sniper Pistol

Stats:

Body damage: 45
Head damage: 63-86
Legs damage: 41
Base mag size: Six
Reload: 2.1s / 1.4s (Boosted Loader)

The Wingman has always been around the top of the Apex Legends meta, but it can be tricky to get full power out of; it’s a pistol that rewards pinpoint accuracy for players. We’re assuming you’re picking up the hard-to-handle handgun if you can land your shots.

While the Wingman did receive some nerfs in Season 22, such as damage being reduced to 45 (Earlier 50), not being able to use magazines as attachments, and reduced hipfire accuracy, it continues to dominate the game as one of the strongest weapons.

Volt — Energy SMG

Stats:

Body damage: 15
Head damage: 19
Legs damage: 12
Base mag size: 19
Reload: 1.44s/2.03s

The Volt is the king of SMGs in Apex Legends. It’s got great insights and high DPS for early-game fights, and it does just as well with attachments. And, with the R-99 getting a small mag nerf, there’s more reason than ever to grab this weapon.

It’s really, really hard to go wrong with the Volt. As long as you’re within 50 meters of your opponent, it’s one of the best weapons you can have in your hands.

Prowler Burst PDW — Heavy SMG

Stats:

Body damage: 15
Head damage: 23
Legs damage: 12
Base mag size: 20
Reload: 2.0s/2.6s

With the highest magazine capacity in the game when paired with an Extended mag, the Prowler is a great gun with a very fast TTK.

Though the Prowler still shreds enemies if you can land a solid grouping of shots on a target, it suffers at longer ranges due to its high recoil and strange burst pattern. Though not impossible to control, it’s much more difficult than its contemporaries.

Hemlok — Heavy Assault Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 20
Head damage: 37
Legs damage: 15
Base mag size: 18
Reload: 2.0s/2.6s

The Hemlok has long been passed over by many players for its full-auto cousins like the R-301 and the Flatline. And, now that it’s out of the care package, it’s back to being a somewhat mediocre firearm.

The burst rifle boasts two modes, three-shot and single. Both can be fantastic, with the long-ranged single-shot option helping you conserve ammo as you poke away at your rivals, and the burst giving you the firepower you need up close. However, the hipfire and damage were both nerfed in Season 20, making it much harder to justify now.

While the Hemlok is still useful in the right hands, it’s still not worth picking up over standard assault rifles.

A-Tier Ultimate weapons in Apex Legends

Eva-8 Auto — Care Package Shotgun

Stats:

Body damage: 48 / 56 (Hammerpoints)
Head damage: 60 / 72 (Hammerpoints)
Legs damage: 48 / 56 (Hammerpoints)
Base mag size: Eight
Reload: 2.75s/3.0s

Part of the care package, the EVA-8 may not have its usefulness as a strong early-game pickup anymore but this souped-up version gives the EVA-8 an identity as a rapid-fire shotgun the game has arguably never had. Between its golden shotgun bolt giving it 2 rounds per proc instead of 1 and a base fire rate increase, the EVA is a great choice if you want something very close to you very dead.

However, this weapon has also received a damage reduction per pellet from 7 damage to 6 and has much less one or even two shot potential than before. There’s a shot you may still get outtraded by a player with a Peacekeeper and a steady hand, making it hard to justify putting this gun in the S-tier.

Kraber .50 CAL — Care Package Sniper

Stats:

Body damage: 140
Head damage: 280
Legs damage: 112
Base mag size: Four
Reload: 3.2s/4.3s

In the sniper category, the Kraber is the clear king. Even after several nerfs a few seasons ago, the Kraber is still a pretty good weapon.

Although its one-shot headshot potential has been reduced, the Kraber is still an unbelievably strong weapon. This bolt-action sniper does massive damage at pretty much any range. And, even if you miss the head, you’ll soften up opponents enough for a quick weapon swap or an assist from a teammate to easily confirm the kill.

If you’re lucky enough to come across it, someone on your squad should take it. Even if you aren’t the best sniper, playing against someone who’s good with the Kraber can be an absolute nightmare.

Mastiff — Shotgun

Stats:

Body damage: 88
Head damage: 112
Legs damage: 88
Base mag size: Five
Reload: 0.9s per shell/1.6s per shell

This shotty’s power lies in its tight, horizontal pellet spread. The requirement to ADS for decent accuracy takes some getting used to, but a good player with a Mastiff in hand is an absolute menace.

Having a consistent 2-shot kill that has above-average accuracy at range for a shotgun makes the Mastiff incredibly lethal. Even with a 5-shot capacity and a somewhat slow rate of fire, the Mastiff’s close-range prowess is unrivaled in Apex. If you land your shots.

This weapon is in A-tier because of how much more difficult it is to use than its counterparts. If you’ve got a feel for the Mastiff’s unique spread pattern, it’s great. If you don’t? You won’t be hitting much. The Mastiff is a very hot and cold weapon, but its upsides make it more than worth putting in A-tier.

Rampage — Heavy LMG

Stats:

Body damage: 26
Head damage: 39
Legs damage: 22
Base mag size: 28
Reload: 3.2s/4s

While its lack of prowess at close range keeps it from being a true S-tier weapon, everything else about the Rampage is good. Low recoil, massive mag size, high damage per shot, and it does well even with no attachments..

What’s more, its ability to rip through doors if you’ve got a Thermite grenade to charge it up with makes it easy to catch opponents off guard. Combined with its increased fire rate when charged, the Rampage is great for players who enjoy holding down the shoot button and putting rounds down range. This thing shreds.

If DMRs like the Scout and 30-30 don’t appeal to you as single-fire weapons, the Rampage is a great choice with its higher fire rate and general ease of use. It’s really hard to go wrong with this gun, but it has a bit less versatility than an Assault Rifle.

R-301 Carbine — Light Assault Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 13
Head damage: 23
Legs damage: 10
Base mag size: 18
Reload: 2.4s/3.2s

The R-301 has been an all-rounder since Apex Legends first dropped, and it’s remained that way ever since. While its capacity without a light magazine upgrade is pretty small at 18 rounds, its laser precision and high fire rate make it a rifle that’s hard to pass on. If you pick up the R-301, you know what you’re getting.

The R-301 isn’t particularly interesting or ground-breaking as a weapon, but its consistency and reliability make it a wonderful choice in any gunfight.

C.A.R. — Light/Heavy SMG

Stats:

Body damage: 12
Head damage: 15
Legs damage: 9
Base mag size: 19
Reload: 1.7s/2.13s

Designed to carry light or heavy ammo, and attachments from either gun line, the CAR SMG is the perfect secondary weapon to stuff in your pocket to avoid those pesky moments when you’re starved of ammo.

Though it’s had a fair few nerfs and lacks the ability to take a laser sight like its other SMG counterparts, it’s been able to stay in A tier due to being a reliable, consistent, all-around great firearm. That said, its nerfs haven’t gone unnoticed.

A somewhat underwhelming magazine size combined with recoil that, while consistent at ~50 meters or less, falls off at longer ranges. This weapon will never be a bad pickup, but it does have its weaknesses.

R-99 — Light SMG

Stats:

Body damage: 11
Head damage: 14
Legs damage: 9
Base mag size: 17
Reload: 1.8s/2.45s

The R-99 is better up close than ever before, but a bit worse at engagements beyond 30 or so meters. Running the R-99 with a Shotgun will confine you to close range, and has made this SMG a bit more niche than Assault Rifles like the Flatline or R-301.

The R-99 still shreds opponents like no other if they let you get close enough to land shots, but it’s outperformed by other options if you can’t close the gap.

M600 Spitfire — Light Machine Gun

Stats:

Body damage: 19
Head damage: 25
Legs damage: 15
Base mag size: 35
Reload: 3.4s/4.2s

The Spitfire is not as broken as it was in its heyday, but recent seasons have been kind to this LMG. Though it still has many of the pitfalls that come with LMGs like slow movement speed while ADSed, the barrel stabilizer returning combined with a few small buffs has put this weapon back into viability.

Unless you can get your hands on the L-Star, it’s the best LMG you can find. You’re not going to be taking out targets past, say, 100 meters with this weapon any time soon. Its strength at mid/short range combined with its magazine size makes it a viable main option for the first time in a while however.

Alternator — SMG

Stats:

Body damage: 16/ 19 (Disruptor)
Head damage: 20/ 24 (Disruptor)
Legs damage: 13/ 15 (Disruptor)
Base mag size: 19
Reload: 1.9s/2.23s

The Alternator has always struggled to shine behind its big brothers the R-99 and R-301 in the Light class, but it’s been surprisingly strong in the last few seasons for a few reasons.

Good hipfire, a slow-yet-consistent rate of fire, and some incredible ironsights make this weapon a strong early pickup. It doesn’t need attachments to be a strong weapon, but Disruptor rounds make this a devastating and very ammo-efficient secondary.

If you’re a new player and you’re looking for an easy-to-use SMG, it’s worth picking up to learn the game with. And, if you’re a seasoned veteran, it’s still a reliable and effective secondary.

B-Tier Ultimate weapons in Apex Legends

30-30 Repeater — Heavy Marksman Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 39-54
Head damage: 71-97/ 85-115 (Skullpiercer)
Legs damage: 33-45
Base mag size: 6
Reload: 0.33s per bullet

What the 30-30 does well, it does really well. Its range, damage, and accuracy are all top-class, and, unless you’re face-to-face with an enemy, it’s usually a great pick. If you can pair the Repeater with a shotgun, or something small and in a different ammo type like the R-99 or Volt SMG, you’ll be ready for almost any firefight.

However, Season 20 nerfs hit this weapon hard. The integrated Dual Shell hop-up has been removed, magazine size for the extended mags has been reduced across the board, Skullpiercer’s headshot multiplier was nerfed, and the gun’s base damage was slightly lowered.

It’s still worth picking up, but the 30-30 is now an outright worse choice than something like the Scout in most scenarios.

Sentinel — Sniper Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 70/88 (Charged)
Head damage: 140/176 (Charged)
Legs damage: 63/79 (Charged)
Base mag size: 4
Reload: 2.5s/3.6s

Bolt action snipers are incredibly satisfying and fun to use. The Sentinel is one of the most reliable snipers in the game which is perfect to use in long-range combat.

While the reload time might prove to be a hassle, charging up the weapon deals a considerable amount of damage while also slowing down your gameplay. All in all, the Sentinel is a pretty good weapon to use if you are an accurate shooter.

Longbow DMR — Sniper Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 60
Head damage: 124 / 143 (Skullpiercer)
Legs damage: 48
Base mag size: 6
Reload: 2.66s/3.66s

Despite receiving a few nerfs and buffs, the Longbow is an incredibly powerful and consistent Marksman rifle, one that’s worth picking up now more than ever. Barrel stabilizers are easy to find, Sniper ammo is more plentiful than ever, and Skullpiercer rewards players that take the time to go for headshots.

Even without a scope, the ironsights provide a clear view. And, with 55 damage a shot, it will easily put down most targets with a few solid hits. That said, an AR or SMG will usually outtrade this weapon even at mid-range, and it’s not as good at long ranges as the other Snipers.

L-Star — Energy LMG

Stats:

Body damage: 18
Head damage: 26
Legs damage: 14
Base mag size: N/A
Reload: 2.45s

The LMG category isn’t in the best spot right now. While the Rampage is still an incredibly strong choice, the Spitfire and Devotion aren’t stellar weapons. The L-Star has long been stuck in low tiers and, while it had a brief stint as one of the game’s best weapons when it was in the care package, it’s not nearly as good now.

This gun being in the care package solved the problem of having to hoard ammo and the gun not coming stock with ammo in a clip, but now that problem has once again reared its ugly head. The L-Star is a big commitment if you want to take full advantage of its ability to send a barrage of fire down range.

That said, the L-Star’s projectiles are so big that they’re kind of hard to miss unless you’re firing at longer ranges. It’s a weapon with a lot of upsides and downsides.

C-Tier Ultimate weapons in Apex Legends

Devotion — Energy LMG

Stats:

Body damage: 15
Head damage: 23
Legs damage: 13
Base mag size: 36
Reload: 2.8s/3.63s

While the Devotion has some redeeming qualities, it really needs attachments to be remotely useful, and now it’s back to floor loot, we can recommend it much less.

This energy LMG is probably the deadliest weapon in the game if you can get it firing on all cylinders. It boasts a monstrous 255 damage per second, but only if you can keep its recoil under control.

Barrel stabilitizers help here, and this weapon can be strong if you can find a Turbocharger. Unfortunately, the Turbocharger is a rare find, and the weapon’s lack of functionality without it makes it a difficult sell.

Charge Rifle — Sniper Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 75-110 (Based on distance)
Head damage: 150-220 (Based on distance)
Legs damage: 68-99 (Based on distance)
Base mag size: 4
Reload: 3.5s/4.6s

The Charge Rifle being a hold-and-release weapon already works against it. While the gun did receive a slight ADS recoil buff in the past, it’s still unusable at close range.

It works well in medium-long range however the fact that there are weapons that are easier to use and are easier to handle just makes the Charge Rifle a C-liser.

Triple Take — Energy Marksman Rifle

Stats:

Body damage: 63
Head damage: 111
Legs damage: 57
Base mag size: 6
Reload: 2.34s/3.06s

The Triple Take is a weapon with a lot of potential. It can do a lot of damage, it’s easier to use in close quarters than other DMRs, and can be very powerful in the right hands.

However, the Triple Take rarely lives up to its potential. With the G7, 30-30, and Longbow all filling the role with more ammo efficiency and versatility, this gun feels like it’s been left in the dust. Kinetic Feeder was removed in Season 15, but it’s not like the hop-up helped this weapon’s power level much, anyways. Sliding and accurate, long-range fire don’t mix very well.

The Triple Take is fine. It’s hard to get excited about coming across this weapon on the ground.

RE-45 — Light Machine Pistol

Stats:

Body damage: 14/ 16 (Hammerpoints)
Head damage: 18/ 24 (Hammerpoints)
Legs damage: 11/ 14 (Hammerpoints)
Base mag size: 25
Reload: 1.5s/1.95s

The RE-45 certainly has its uses. This weapon has never been the best choice in Apex Legends. Even when it was in the care package, some players would choose to leave it in the package. Now that it’s out, the RE-45 doesn’t have many use cases.

While it has high DPS, it’s also got a small base mag size at 16, and, is worse than a standard SMG in almost every way. There’s no situation where the RE-45 is outright better than any other weapon. It’s not horrible, but you won’t see anyone getting excited about picking up the RE-45.

D-Tier Ultimate weapons in Apex Legends

Mozambique — Shotgun

Stats:

Body damage: 45/ 60 (Hammerpoints)
Head damage: 57/ 75 (Hammerpoints)
Legs damage: 45/ 60 (Hammerpoints)
Base mag size: 6
Reload: 1.9s/2.4s

The Mozambique isn’t a great gun. While it has more range than other weapons in its class, the Mozambique’s low damage combined with the removal of Hammerpoint rounds in Season 15 has placed it right back in D-tier.

The Mozam’s best and worst traits are bundled into one with its long range. Three 15-damage pellets in a tight spread give this Shotgun deceptively long range but also make it surprisingly unwieldy at close range. Hipfiring with this thing is completely unreliable, but ADSing also feels off thanks to its slow projectile speed.

The Mozambique is a bit bizarre and difficult to use. It can work as a last result, but you might be better off throwing hands than picking up this Shotgun.

P2020 — Light Pistol

Stats:

Body damage: 18/ 27 (Hammerpoints)
Head damage: 27/ 41 (Hammerpoints)
Legs damage: 16/ 24 (Hammerpoints)
Base mag size: 14
Reload: 1.25s

The P2020 was already a D-tier weapon when Hammerpoint rounds were in the game, and it’s an even more sorry state now that they’re gone.

Even with Hammerpoint rounds and a laser sight, it’s really hard to justify holding on to this pistol. The highest praise that can be levied toward the P2020 is that it does, in fact, function. It’s, for sure, better than throwing bullets at your enemies. But not by much.

Joking aside, even with the P2020 being a subpar weapon, it can still dish enough damage to take down targets if you have a fast trigger finger. It’s certainly usable, but that’s the highest praise this weapon deserves.

Remember, this tier list is subjective and subject to change depending on future updates with weapon buffs and nerfs. You can check out how many players play Apex Legends in 2024 or you can take a look at how to get Exotic Shards which is the latest currency in the game.

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