As Season 16 is ongoing, let’s take a look at the best weapons to use to secure the most kills and victories in Apex Legends.
Respawn does not randomly put new weapons into Apex Legends and lets the players figure it out. Instead, they observe many aspects such as weapons’ pick rate, effectiveness in casual, ranked, and tournament matches, and more. After looking at these factors, Respawn makes changes to the weapons at the beginning of every new Season.
Unlike previous seasons, Respawn made several changes to the weapons in Season 16. Respawn introduced a new Assault Rifle in the weapon pool called Nemesis. On the other hand, Respawn slightly nerfed the fan-favorite R-301 in Season 16.
Volt and Longbow have been put into the crafters, replacing CAR SMG and Spitfire. Rampage has been brought out of the Care Package and was replaced by Hemlok in a buffed state. Every Shotgun in the game except for Mozambique now uses a Tactical Stock for better handling.
As for the attachment changes, Respawn put the Anvil Receiver on the shelf. However, Hammerpoint is back again in the game, making P2020 and Mozambique somewhat powerful. Nonetheless, the Hammerpoint isn’t easy to come by. Check out the Season 16 Patch Notes to see every change made to weapons in detail.
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This Tier list was updated at the beginning of Season 16 Revelry based on usability and ongoing weapon meta. As soon as any weapon receives any change or the meta shifts, we’ll update the article accordingly.
Apex Legends Season 16 Weapon Tier List
To rate different tiers of weapons in Apex Legends, we first look at their raw damage output and ease of handling for players of all skill levels. Also, remember that weapons exclusive to the care packages will always be powerful compared to other weapons. Unsurprisingly, those will be rated as S-tier weapons on our list.
Furthermore, A-tier status is given to weapons that are viable for all stages of a game in Apex. And they are only bested by the care package weapons. Moving forward, B and C-tier weapons are just average when it comes to performance. And lastly, D-tier weapons are what Respawn calls “meme” weapons, as they are very ineffective in most cases and should only be used in dire situations.
Keep in mind that this list is only for the current meta. This list will change with time as new weapons are added to the game. Also, as with any other tier list, this one is exceptionally subjective.
| Tier | Weapons |
| S-Tier | Kraber, RE-45, Bocek Bow, Hemlok |
| A-Tier | Nemesis, Flatline, Mastiff, Peacekeeper, G7 Scout, Volt, Charge Rifle |
| B-Tier | R-301, Wingman, C.A.R, EVA-8, R99, Havoc, 30-30 Repeater, Sentinel, Prowler |
| C-Tier | Spitfire, Devotion, Longbow, L-Star, Alternator, Triple Take, Rampage |
| D-Tier | P2020, Mozambique |
S-Tier Weapons
Kraber .50-cal
Kraber received a slight nerf to its damage output in Season 13. However, it is still the most powerful Sniper in Apex. Therefore, it is only available via the care package drop. One headshot from Kraber will knock players out immediately unless they have a Red Shield and a Purple Helmet or above. And that also includes characters with fortification perks like Gibraltar. As a result, it is still an easy candidate for an S-tier weapon.
RE-45
Although many players may argue otherwise, RE-45 is an S-Tier weapon in our list. The reason is that it is now a Care Package weapon in Season 15. So, naturally, Respawn buffed the hell out of RE-45 and put it into the Supple Drop.
Respawn increased RE-45’s per bullet damage from 12 to 14. Additionally, the Disruptor Rounds increase damage against shields by 30%. As a result, this gun is unquestionably a must-have secondary this season.
Bocek Bow
Bocek Bow was introduced to the game in the Legacy update. It comes with two different hop-ups, one for close-quarter encounters and another for medium-to-long-range encounters. The accuracy, paired with these hop-ups and pure damage output, made this weapon an instant hit among Apex players of all skill buckets.
In the initial launch of Bocek Bow, it was a really powerful and annoying weapon. You can continuously shoot with it and deal massive damage. With Bocek Bow being a Care Package weapon, it surely is one hell of a weapon in Season 16.
Hemlok
Hemlok has been made a Care Package weapon in Season 16, replacing the Rampage LMG. Like always, Respawn has buffed the weapon before putting it in the Supply Drop. In addition, the Boosted Loader hop-up is pre-attached to the Hemlok. So, it can be a deadly weapon if used properly.
A-Tier Weapons
Nemesis
Nemesis AR is the 29th weapon in the game. It is currently the 6th weapon to use Energy ammo. It fires 4-burst bullets each time; however, you don’t have to release the trigger to keep on firing. So, it is basically a full auto weapon.
Nemesis is easily an A-tier weapon and can even be compared with the Hemlok, which is in the care package. Currently, it is considered an overpowered weapon. So, Respawn may nerf it in the future. However, as R-301 just got nerfed, Nemesis is a weapon of choice for most players.
Flatline
As all the LMGs got nerfed in Season 14, Flatline became most players’ number-one choice. That aside, Flatline is still a buffed-up version of the R-301 with extra recoil. If you can control its recoil, this is a viable alternative to the R-301.
Mastiff
In season 15, Mastiff is not a care package weapon anymore. As a result, it is currently in a slightly nerfed state compared to the Care Package Mastiff. However, that doesn’t mean Mastiff is a bad weapon.
Most people prefer Mastiff over Peacekeeper or EVA-8 because it is relatively easier to use as well as deals heavy damage to enemies.
Peacekeeper
As Mastiff got out of the Care Package, Peacekeeper might not be the first priority as the Secondary weapon in Season 15. Additionally, the Kinetic Feeder Hop-up has also been removed. However, Peacekeeper is still the best Shotgun for most Apex lovers. Nothing feels more satisfying than two pumping an enemy with this gun.
G7 Scout
G7 Scout came out of the Care Package in Season 14. However, Respawn made Double Tap Trigger an available attachment. Unsurprisingly, both of these small buffs have combined and made this weapon as good as it was back in season 2.
R-99
Veteran Apex Legends players were filled with joy as soon as they saw the season 7 battle pass trailer featuring R-99 skin. In Season 16 update, R-99 received a slight buff to its per-bullet damage. However, due to its insanely high fire-rate, the damage is a lot higher than it seems.
On the other hand, SMGs are really powerful in Season 16 due to ARs’ hipfire accuracy being nerfed. So, R-99 is definitely an A-tier weapon in Season 16.
Charge Rifle
Since Season 3, Charge Rifle has had its fair share of nerfs. However, in the Season 16 update, Respawn didn’t make any changes to it. However, it is still a very powerful sniper that deals pretty huge damage if utilized properly. That being said, this weapon is regularly used in ranked mode to gatekeep other players from entering the zone.
B-Tier Weapons
R-301
The R-301 was demoted to the lower tier of weapons for the first time ever in season 16. With the release of Nemesis, Respawn opted to weaken R-301 to make room for the newer, more powerful weapon. The rank of R-301 on the tier list was also impacted by the decrease in hip-fire accuracy.
However, by no means is R-301 a bad weapon. It is still a beamer and a weapon of choice for most players. Yet, with Nemesis and Flatline in the game, and Hemlok in Care Package, R-301 will have to rest in B-tier this season.
Wingman
Starting from Season 14, Wingman uses Sniper ammo. One of the major reasons why people used Wingman was that it needed much less ammo reserve than other heavy hitters. As you can only carry 24 Sniper ammo in one slot, the Wingman does not provide much value like before.
However, because of its Skullpiercer attachment, it is still a very good weapon in Season 16. So, we placed Wingman as a high B-tier weapon.
C.A.R SMG
Unlike all the other weapons in the game, this SMG can take both light and heavy ammo types. As a result, this weapon is extremely flexible at all stages of a game. Following its release, it quickly cemented itself in the new weapon meta replacing the R-99.
EVA-8
The EVA-8 received significant buffs in the season 14 patch notes. Despite being a decent Shotgun, EVA-8 is currently a B-Tier weapon because of Mastiff. Nonetheless, if you can’t find a Mastiff or a Peacekeeper, you should definitely pick up EVA-8 instead of a Mozambique in Season 16.
Volt SMG
Respawn has put Volt into the Replicator in Season 16. Volt has always been a very popular weapon because it is easy to use and does a lot of damage. Because the AR hip-fire accuracy has been reduced, many people may return to using the Volt, which is an excellent weapon for both close and medium range.
Although Volt received a slight nerf to its long-range fighting capacity in Season 15, it is still a beast in medium to close-range fights. So, Volt is still a high B-tier weapon this Season.
Havoc
In the Season 13 update, the Havoc received a noticeable upgrade with the initial recoil. As such, in the new Season 13 meta, Havoc sits in the middle of the pack. However, it can be really effective with the turbocharger hop-up if you can find one. And it slowly became a fan favorite due to its fast firing rate with hop-up installed.
30-30 Repeater
Respawn added 30-30 Repeater to the Marksman category of weapon. This lever-action weapon can take a hop-up called “Shatter Caps”. In terms of effectiveness, it is somewhere between the Wingman and the G7 Scout.
Furthermore, this weapon also has a secondary fire mode that can be charged to deal additional damage. With an equipped Skullpiercer, the 30-30 Repeater is an absolute beast in medium to long-range fights in Season 15, especially in the Broken Moon map.
Sentinel
Respawn didn’t make any massive changes to this bolt-action sniper rifle in season 16 of Apex Legends. However, it is still a decent option when paired with a shield cell, as it has an alternate firing mode. In the current meta, this weapon is just average.
Prowler
Prowler was demoted from the care package status and turned back into a ground weapon with only burst firing mode in season 10. And it is left completely unchanged in season 15, meaning this weapon is now just average.
C-Tier Weapons
Spitfire
Respawn removed the Barrel Stabilizer attachment from Spitfire to increase the recoil of this weapon in Season 13. However, this gun is a heavy hitter even without the Barrel Stabilizers. In Season 16, Respawn made no changes to Spitfire.
Spitfire now uses Light ammo instead of Heavy. As a result, we can see a lot of Spitfire in play because Light ammo is easier to find.
Devotion
In season 14, the Devotion is still one of the most powerful LMGs in the game with the turbocharger hop-ups installed. But the noticeable nerf in season 13, and new competition from the L-Star, Rampage, and Spitfire have slightly tainted its legendary status among the Apex player base in Season 16.
Longbow
The Longbow just got back into the Crafters with the Season 16 update. Currently, this gun is in a decent place as a sniper rifle. With the Skullpiercer attachment, you can deal significant damage and upgrade your armor in a matter of seconds.
L-Star
L-Star was already underwhelming in Season 12, and Respawn has decided to add insult to injury by nerfing the L-Star more in Season 13. With the added reload time and decreased headshot damage multiplier, the LMG now belongs in the C-tier category.
After two consecutive nerfs, Respawn finally gave this weapon a well-deserved buff in Season 15. L-Star now has a lower recoil at the start of the pattern, and the animation has been changed to make it work better. So, it has been promoted from a C-tier weapon to a B-tier weapon.
Alternator
The Alternator once again made a return to the regular loot pool. As a result, this weapon lost the Disruptor Rounds hop-up, meaning it has become a placeholder for the R99 and the R-301. In the current meta in season 16, this weapon still packs a punch at the early stages of a game.
Triple Take
Triple Take has been nerfed slightly back in the Season 12 update. To make this weapon fall in line with other weapons in its class, Respawn eliminated the range it retained from its days as a sniper.
Although it got a decent buff in Season 16, because of the Repeater and G7-Scout’s availability, it is going to stay in the C-tier list for the time being.
Rampage
Rampage can deal massive damage with decent tracking despite its slow firing rate. However, this LMG becomes a nightmare to deal with if a Thermite Grenade is installed, as it increases the firing rate. Following massive player feedback, Respawn decided to nerf it to make this weapon fall in line with other LMGs in Season 13. As a result, it is not the same LMG anymore.
D-Tier Weapons
P2020
As the Hammerpoint Rounds are still here, P2020 is still in the limelight. Similar to the RE45, the absence of the hop-up will make this weapon unusable in late-game scenarios. Although if you can manage to find one for your P2020, it can deal massive damage to enemies without shields.
Mozambique
Apex Legends players already know where Mozambique would fit on any tier list. In 2019, when the game was first released, it quickly became a meme as it was incredibly weak and ineffective. Sometimes, it is better to hit your opponent with your bare hand than shoot with this junk.
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