Apex Weapon Tier List – The best and worst guns in Season 16

Apex Legends Season 16 is here, and there have been some big changes. A whole new class system, Team Death Match and more await. But which weapon should you use when dropping in? Here is our Apex Weapon Tier List, get ready to practice your aim and start climbing! If you've not played for a while, check out the Season 16 patch notes.

The Kraber only appears in care packages, and is one of the most sought after weapons in Apex. It was nerfed a while back, meaning it was not a guaranteed headshot kill if the target has a strong helmet. However, it is still a very strong weapon. The Apex Sniper Kraber has never not been top of the Apex Weapon Tier List and although a rare find, grab it when you can.

The Kraber is very powerful but only in the right hands. It has a slow fire rate and a small number of rounds. Every shot counts.

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The RE-45 is the best close range weapon in the game. It has an impressive fire rate, strong damage and is equipped with Disruptor Rounds. This should be a 100% pickup when you find it in a care package. Especially for controller players, this is almost a guaranteed kill in any 1v1 situation.

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What is crazy about the Hemlock is that it's damage stats in the Care Package are only equal to how this weapon used to be on the floor. The high damage stats, strong fire rate and boosted loader make this weapon a really strong choice - absolutely worth taking from the Care Package.

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The CAR SMG has risen to cult level popularity in Apex Legends. A must pick weapon for almost all players. It will be slightly less popular this season due to the Shotgun and R99 buffs. Despite this, and a small 1 round reduction in it's magazine, we think the CAR SMG is the best floor loot weapon in the game. We have done a more detailed breakdown of the CAR SMG so be sure to check it out.

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Read more about Season 16:

This beloved heavy weapon has an incredible fire rate. It has been a very popular weapon across the games lifespan. Along with other Assault Rifles the Flatline took a considerable hipfire nerf in Season 16, but the damage that this weapon can do is just unbelievable. The Flatline does have some of the more challenging recoil in the game, but once you learn the pattern the Flatline is a top tier weapon.

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The G7 Scout is one of the stronger weapons in the game. Bordering on S-Tier in our Apex Weapon Tier List, the Scout is a high skill high reward weapon. Single fire weapons are harder to aim, especially when shooting at a moving target. However, if you can land shots with this weapon, the damage can stack up in no time at all. Just be aware that the Scout has very weak hipfire, so always pair it with a strong close quarters secondary.

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The Bocek Bow is a hard weapon to use. The method of holding back the arrow then releasing can feel unnatural to Apex players. It does some really strong damage, but it has limited arrows. We have the Bow in the A Tier of our Apex Weapon tier list simply because of how hard it can be to use for most players.

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The Wingman has a very high skill ceiling but can be deadly in the right hands. Find an extended mag and you're good to go in almost any situation. This is the ideal weapon to find off drop. If you find the rare Skull piercer hopup, you can laugh all the way to the champion screen!

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Legends looking for a shotgun should grab the Peacekeeper. This is a powerful weapon that does insane damage. Aim down the sights to reduce the shotgun's pellet spread, making each shot incredibly damaging. The Peacekeeper is almost a requirement for players that enjoy getting in opponents' personal space.

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(The Peacekeeper damage stats assume that you hit all pellets)

A favourite of controller players, the Prowler can deal huge damage in no time at all. It's burst fire is very strong but it only effective at close range, even after the nerf back in mid-2021. One drawback is there is no single-fire mode and each burst is 5 bullets, meaning if you're not landing your shots, you will run out of ammo very quickly.

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The R-99 is a close-range weapon that thrives with an extended magazine. This is a weapon for players that enjoy running right into the action thanks to a fast fire rate. The R99 lacked that bit of oomph after the CAR and the Volt joined the Apex games. However, it has received two buffs in recent patches - which should help it to compete with rival weapons at close range.

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The M600 Spitfire used to sit at the very top of the Apex Weapon Tier List. In its prime this weapon was unstoppable. Now, Respawn have got a grip of the Spitfire after several waves of nerfs. It sits in a healthy B Tier. The Spitfire has poor hipfire, and a slow fire rate but at midrange the ginormous clip sizes mean you can deal some insane damage.

The Volt SMG is a reliable close range weapon. However, this season it has found itself in the crafter, which will make it slightly less worthwhile. With the CAR SMG and the R99 both being stronger weapons there seems little reason to craft the Volt SMG.

First up in the B-Tier of our Apex Weapon Tier List is the R-301 Carbine. As well as the general AR hipfire nerf, the R301 also took a small damage nerf as well. This has further emphasised the fact that the Carbine really shines when you have the right attachments. You need to be on the lookout for a mid-range scope and extended magazine if you pick up the R310. Regardless of the reduced damage, with very little recoil, you can easily mow down enemies from a safe distance. However, the R301 is ammo-hungry. Plus, you will need to his the majority of your shots to take enemy players down in 1 magazine.

The Rampage is strong weapon, and when charged with a Thermite is A-Tier. The slow fire rate can hold the Rampage back at times, but it's large magazine size and solid damage numbers mean that this weapon is strong at midrange even when uncharged.

The EVA-8 has been on a journey in Apex. For multiple seasons, it was a rarely used shotgun. Then, a small buff saw it ascend to one of the most popular weapons in the game. Of course, Respawn responded and subsequently nerfed the EVA-8 heavily.

It has received some subtle improvements since, and is now back in the B-Tier. The EVA is best when hipfired, it's fast fire rate can be more forgiving than other shotguns and you can move quicker as a result of not ADSing this weapon.

This is a weapon perfect for aggressive players who want to deal massive damage. It reloads pretty fast and can really help players rush in and take down opponents. But the Mastiff does have some drawbacks, including a pretty annoying reload animation that may disrupt your vision. That can be tough when you're right in the middle of the action.

The Charge Rifle is explosive, even able to destroy red shields with its beam of energy. The Charge Rifle is ammo hungry but powerful. The hit-scan nature of the weapon makes it reasonably easy to use. One member of your squad can easily farm the whole team's evo-shield's up from Grey to Purple.

The Havoc is, well, sorta nuts. It's hard to control and aim. But with high-tier attachments, the Havoc has the right firing rate to cause some chaos. If you can manage the recoil and find a Turbocharger, the Havoc is seriously deadly. With a Turbocharger the Havoc is A-Tier.

The Alternator cannot really compete with weapons like the R301, CAR and Flatline but in the early game the Alternator is a very suitable weapon. Once you make it into the midgame, it's damage and fire rate stats will leave you exposed, so think about switching it out ASAP.

The bolt-loaded Sentinel requires a player with good aim. If that sounds like you, this weapon is just as good as the Longbow. It's a strong weapon that can eliminate teams from afar in the right hands. Charging your sentinel with a shield cell makes the weapon very powerful, but this is only limited shots.

With the fastest fire rate in the game, the Devotion has potential. It needs a lot of altercations to be amazing (the Turbocharger and gold magazine are good picks) but it's truly incredible with these adjustments. With a Turbocharger (that are very rare) the Devotion is A-Tier easily and one of the best guns in the game.

This consistent Apex sniper has a high fire rate and does good damage. It may not be as powerful as other weapons but it does hefty damage no matter where you hit an enemy. The Skull piercer can give this weapon a noticeable damage boost.

This rifle has been a bit underwhelming. It can't really compete with the Scout, and it can be out damaged by AR weapons. The Skull Piercer was a great change to the weapon, and can help make it more worthwhile to pick up. However, it is hard to recommend it above other choices.

The Mozambique has improved over the seasons. It has a decent fire rate, and is certainly much more competitive than it used to be. However, it only really excels with the Hammerpoint attachment that is now gold rarity. This means you are very unlikely to find it.

The Triple Take feels very underwhelming in Season 16. The Scout and the 30-30 feel much better to use if you want a Marksman weapon. Then, when competing with any of the Assault Rifles it just doesn't feel able to out damage them. Plus, it uses a lot of ammunition.

The L-Star had a period as arguably the best weapon in the game, but has steadily been nerfed over time. It is a hard weapon to control, has fairly low ammunition capacity and just isn't competitive with other weapons of it's class.

At the start of the match, the P2020 can be a weapon you quickly pick up and start shooting with. But the P2020 is just not useful enough to bring with you after that moment. You will lose almost every gun fight, leaving you vulnerable. When it comes to our Apex Weapon Tier List, the P2020 is the bottom of the barrel.