Best guns in Apex Legends Season 21: Every weapon ranked

❘ Updated: 2024-05-08T19:03:38

Respawn Entertainment

Apex Legends features plenty of guns for players to use, some of which provide better damage and versatility than others. Here’s a full breakdown of the best weapons in Apex Legends Season 21 to help you loot effectively.

Apex Legends Season 21 is underway, introducing new Legend Alter and some balance changes to boot. These include changes to weapons, some of which have made their way up the tier list as the best in the game.

So, here’s a ranked list of all the weapons in Apex Legends Season 21, including a countdown of the best guns in the game.

Every weapon in Apex Legends Season 21 ranked
- D Tier
- C Tier
- B Tier
- A Tier
- S Tier
Best Sniper Rifle in Apex Legends Season 21
Best Pistol in Apex Legends Season 21
Best SMG in Apex Legends Season 21
Best Marksman Rifle in Apex Legends Season 21
Best LMG in Apex Legends Season 21
Best Assault Rifle in Apex Legends Season 21
Best Shotgun in Apex Legends Season 21

Every weapon in Apex Legends Season 21 ranked

There are tons of different weapons to choose from in Apex Legends, so here is a tier list ranking all the weapons for Season 21:

D Tier

Mozambique

The Mozambique is not a good weapon. It’s difficult to get any kind of meaningful damage out of it, and it ends up being a panic pickup in hot drops more often than not. It’ll do in situations where you don’t have another choice, but that’s pretty much where it ends.

P2020

The P2020 is one of the weakest weapons in the game alongside the Mozambique, although it is a little more reliable when it comes to damage. Pistols in general just aren’t having a good time this season, so it’s best to give this one a skip unless it’s your only option.

C Tier

Spitfire

The Spitfire is a risky weapon. It has a massive clip and great damage, but its slow speed in ADS and reload speed makes it questionable as a main weapon. It has seen better days, and it could use some work before it outperforms most other close to mid-range weapons you can find.

Charge Rifle

The Charge Rifle saw a slight buff in Season 21, but it’s still not in the place it could be with the massive rework it got. It has potential, and if you want to pick it as an early-game sniper choice it’s definitely worth it.

Sentinel

The Sentinel’s problem is how strong it is with shield cells. Making a weapon rely quite heavily on something that takes up most of the space in your pack means it also hinders the versatility of what your main weapon can be. It’s a strong Sniper, but it’s difficult to justify using it over any other – especially considering how strong Marksman weapons are.

Re-45

The RE-45 is a mini R99, let’s just get that out of the way. Outside of the obvious choices, it’s the best you can hope for in a hot drop, and it doesn’t disappoint too much with its damage and fire rate. It’s definitely not a full-game weapon, making it replaceable pretty much as soon as you find an SMG.

B Tier

Devotion

The Devotion has entered the care package this season, which basically takes away all of its weaknesses when it’s on the ground. The Devotion’s issue a lot of the time is how difficult it is to handle without attachments, so even with its solid damage output it’s still a bit weak overall.

Havoc

The Havoc is a strange weapon. It’s strong in the early game but becomes somewhat risky to use in late-game without a Turbocharger. Its damage output is solid, and it’s easy to handle, so it remains a balanced pickup in Season 21.

Mastiff

The Mastiff is a great pickup in the early game, especially because of its unmatched ability to take players down at close range in two shots. It’s insane recoil and slow fire rate make it a risky choice for later-game fights, and the Peacekeeper remains a better replacement when you can find one.

Alternator

The Alternator is by no means a bad gun. It has solid damage, and even though it has a slower fire rate than most other SMGs, it can be an amazing find when you make a hot drop. It’s never really been a weapon you can hold onto for most of the game, so it’s best to drop it when you come across a C.A.R.

Longbow DMR

The Longbow has been out of the meta for some time now, but with the buffs it got in Season 21, it’ll be interesting to see how it performs. It’s a solid sniper pick – especially considering Kings Canyon is back in the mix of maps – but it’s not necessarily the strongest and is a little replaceable.

Triple Take

The Triple Take has seen so many changes in Apex Legends, and it seems its still struggling to find its place in the meta just yet. It’s a great early pickup, but it’s a risky Marksman to hold onto. If you can find it in an early care package, it’s totally worth it.

L-Star

The L-Star is a bit of a hit-and-miss weapon, but it is one of the strongest LMGs in the game right now. Its large bullets and quick fire rate mean that you can hit shots with it fairly easily, but it’s not something that’s a must-have as a main weapon or late into the game.

A Tier

Nemesis

The Nemesis’ laser-beam accuracy and high damage keep it among the top AR’s to pick up, but its only downfall is that it can be a bit difficult to handle without the right attachments. It’s one of the best weapons to have in the late game, but its early-game weaknesses land it just shy of an S-Tier rating.

Prowler

The Prowler’s burst-fire damage can be hard to get used to, but once you do, it’s one of the strongest SMG’s in the game. It’s got high damage and a quick fire rate that beams enemies down before they can register what you’re carrying, and it remains strong into the late-game.

R99

The R99 is possibly the most classic weapon in Apex Legends, and that’s thanks to its reliable damage and impossibly fast fire rate. The nerfs to its recoil it received over seasons have dropped it as a top-tier weapon, but it remains strong as an early and late-game pickup.

G7 Scout

The G7 Scout is one of the best mid-range pickups in the game and has stayed its place as a solid choice for players who want a bit of a ranged loadout. It’s relatively quick fire rate means it can outplay a lot of Sniper Rifles at the right range, but its lack of close-range versatility drops it from being S-Tier.

30-30 Repeater

The 30-30 Repeater meta has been going for a few seasons now, but it has dropped slightly shy of S-Tier with the latest nerf. That doesn’t stop it from being an easy-to-handle choice for all stages of the game, though, and it’s still a must-pickup for anyone who loves using it.

Bocek

The Bocek was a scary weapon when it first entered the game a few seasons ago, and it’s still going strong as a solid choice for mid-range combat. Its ammo limit can be a bit of a problem in the late game, but it’s still one of the best choices among the Marksman weapons.

EVA-8

This automatic shotgun has been at the bottom and top of the meta in its history, but right now, it’s a very strong Shotgun pick – especially since it’s a care package weapon. Its quick fire rate and solid damage output make it a must-use, even though its damage reduction nerf puts it just shy of S-Tier.

Wingman

The Wingman is back on the floor from Season 21, and it has seen a few changes. It’s still a great pickup for players who have great accuracy, but it can be a bit risky to keep going into the last three squads, especially considering the decreased hip-fire accuracy.

Rampage

The Rampage could rival a Marksman like the G7 Scout if it had a better fire rate, but it’s not something you necessarily want to hold onto for the long run. It’s a nice one to pick up for high-damage mid-range, but you’ll be caught out easily if you’ve got it equipped and someone sneaks up behind you. Nonetheless, its power can’t be ignored and its a great pick from early to late-game.

S Tier

C.A.R SMG

The C.A.R SMG has been one of the best weapons in Apex Legends for some time now because it’s easy to handle and uses two different types of ammo. At this point, it’s kind of turning into a better R99, and is a must-use when you find it on the floor.

VK-47 Flatline

The VK-47 Flatline’s consistent strength in close to mid-range fights is what makes it one of the best Assault Rifles in Apex Legends. It doesn’t need a slew of attachments to pump out loads of damage, and its recoil remains stable when you get the hang of it.

R-301 Carbine

While the R-301 Carbine is something of a light-ammo rival to the Flatline, it also remains a fantastic choice for close and mid-range combat. In a pinch, the iron sights might be the best in the game, and it doesn’t need a ton of attachments to be one of the most easy to handle weapons.

Kraber

The Kraber remains King among Snipers in Apex Legends, even though you can’t knock people with one shot anymore. It still does an immense amount of damage that is excellent for starting and ending a fight quickly, and you should run to any care package carrying it when you spot it.

Volt

The Volt is a heavy contender for the best SMG in the game. It’s got great damage output, its recoil is smooth, and its iron sights make it a must-pick for both early and late game. There’s not much to say against the Volt, so it’s a solid S-Tier choice.

Hemlok

The nerfs the Hemlok received in previous seasons haven’t stopped it from being an excellent choice for close to mid-range combat, and its alternate fire means that it can be a comfortable choice for anyone in the game. Its recoil is quite smooth compared to other weapons in its category, and it’s overall a must-pick for players who want a long-range pick that can still pack a punch at close-range.

Peacekeeper

While the Mastiff has rivaled the Peacekeeper in the past, there’s no denying the strength of this classic Shotgun. Paired with a C.A.R. or R99, the Peacekeeper manages to tear down armor quickly enough so you can get burst damage in and knock your enemies with incredible speed.

Best Sniper Rifle in Apex Legends Season 21

The best Sniper in Season 21 of Apex Legends right now is the Kraber.

The only real drawback of the Kraber is that you can only find it in a care package, but it’s so worth the pickup when you get the chance. It’s incredibly hard-hitting damage makes it a must have when you take on a fight, and it lets you control large portions of the map when you take high ground.

Best Pistol in Apex Legends Season 21

The best Pistol in Apex Legends Season 21 is the Wingman, despite Pistols not being in a great place this season.

The Wingman remains at the top of the list of Pistols, because its damage and easy handling make it a top-tier pick for both early-game and certain late-game scenarios.

Best SMG in Apex Legends Season 21

The best SMG in Apex Legends Season 21 is the C.A.R, and yes, it’s mostly got to do with its ammo versatility.

The C.A.R is such a reliable and solid choice in Apex Legends, especially because it doesn’t solely rely on Heavy or Light ammo when you’re using it. It has a great fire rate, damage that rivals most other SMGs, and it’s incredibly easy to handle even without attachments.

Best Marksman Rifle in Apex Legends Season 21

The G7 Scout is your best choice for a Marksman pickup in Apex Legends Season 21, not considering the Bocek in the care package.

The G7 Scout’s unrivaled ease of use and fire rate make it an excellent Marksman choice, even into the late game. It’s a reliable choice against players who choose Sniper Rifles, and it’ll keep you going late into the game.

Best LMG in Apex Legends Season 21

LMG’s aren’t the strongest selection in Season 21 of Apex Legends right now, but the Devotion is by far the best pick.

Especially if you can find one fully kitted out in a care package, this thing will pack a punch that lasers through squads before they can empty their own clip. It’s a bit of a difficult choice from the floor, but an increase in magazine size and damage makes it lethal.

Best Assault Rifle in Apex Legends Season 21

Assault Rifles contain some of the best weapons in the whole game, but the Flatline takes the cake for Apex Legends Season 21.

It’s ease of use and versatility from early to late game make this weapon an absolute beast in the Assault Rifle category. The Nemesis is an extremely close second, losing out only because of its reliance on attachments.

Best Shotgun in Apex Legends Season 21

The best Shotgun in Apex Legends Season 21 is the Peacekeeper, keeping its reputation as an incredible pickup during all stages of the game.

The Peacekeeper is one of the best choices for aggressive players who like to get in and get the job done quickly, and it pairs well with pretty much every other gun in the game.

There you have it, all the weapons in Apex Legends ranked for Season 21! For more content, make sure to check out our other guides below.