Introduction: Understanding Apex Legends Weaponry
Apex Legends features a diverse arsenal of weapons, each with unique characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses. Mastering weapon selection, attachments, and recoil patterns is crucial for success in the Apex Games. This comprehensive cheat sheet covers everything from basic weapon categories to advanced techniques, helping you make informed decisions during intense battles.
Core Weapon Concepts
Ammunition Types
| Ammo Type | Color | Weapons | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light | Orange | R-99, R-301, Alternator, P2020, RE-45, G7 Scout, CAR | Fast firing, lower damage per shot |
| Heavy | Blue | Flatline, Hemlok, Prowler, 30-30 Repeater, Rampage, Wingman, CAR | Higher damage, more recoil, slows targets |
| Energy | Green | Havoc, Devotion, Triple Take, Volt, L-STAR, Nemesis | Unique mechanics, low bullet drop |
| Sniper | Purple | Longbow, Sentinel, Charge Rifle | High damage at range, limited ammo capacity |
| Shotgun | Red | EVA-8, Mozambique, Peacekeeper, Mastiff | Spread pattern, massive close-range damage |
| Special | Gold | Kraber, Bocek (w/ Arrows) | Rare, powerful, limited ammo |
Weapon Damage Statistics (Base DPS)
Assault Rifles
- R-301: 189 DPS
- Flatline: 190 DPS
- Havoc: 202 DPS
- Hemlok (Burst): 168 DPS
- Nemesis (Charged): 205 DPS
SMGs
- R-99: 198 DPS
- Volt: 180 DPS
- Prowler: 185 DPS
- Alternator: 160 DPS
- CAR: 202 DPS
LMGs
- Devotion (Spun-up): 255 DPS
- L-STAR: 180 DPS
- Rampage: 140 DPS (169 with Thermite)
Marksman/Sniper
- G7 Scout: 134 DPS
- 30-30 Repeater: 142 DPS
- Triple Take: 126 DPS
- Longbow: 86 DPS
- Sentinel: 70 DPS (88 Charged)
- Charge Rifle: 90 DPS
Shotguns
- EVA-8: 131 DPS
- Mastiff: 144 DPS
- Peacekeeper: 99 DPS
- Mozambique: 137 DPS
Pistols
- Wingman: 117 DPS
- RE-45: 156 DPS
- P2020: 116 DPS
Weapon Categories In-Depth
Assault Rifles
R-301 Carbine
- Damage: 14 body / 28 head
- Fire Rate: 810 RPM
- Magazine: 18/20/25/28
- Recoil Pattern: Slightly up and right
- Best For: Mid-range versatility, easy to control
- Attachments: Barrel, Extended Light Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Excellent all-purpose weapon, very manageable recoil
VK-47 Flatline
- Damage: 19 body / 38 head
- Fire Rate: 600 RPM
- Magazine: 20/25/28/30
- Recoil Pattern: Strong horizontal zigzag
- Best For: Close to mid-range power
- Attachments: Extended Heavy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Strafe while firing to mitigate horizontal recoil
HAVOC Rifle
- Damage: 18 body / 36 head
- Fire Rate: 672 RPM
- Magazine: 24/28/32/36
- Recoil Pattern: Initial vertical kick, then stabilizes
- Best For: Mid-range after spin-up
- Attachments: Turbocharger, Extended Energy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Pre-fire before peeking with Turbocharger
Hemlok Burst AR
- Damage: 20 body / 40 head per bullet
- Fire Rate: 3-round bursts
- Magazine: 18/24/27/30
- Recoil Pattern: Upward burst pattern
- Best For: Mid to long-range precision
- Attachments: Barrel, Extended Heavy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Use single-fire mode for long range
Nemesis Burst AR
- Damage: 17 body / 34 head
- Fire Rate: 4-round bursts, charges for faster bursts
- Magazine: 20/24/28/32
- Recoil Pattern: Vertical with slight rightward drift
- Best For: Mid-range, excels when charged
- Attachments: Extended Energy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Pre-charge before engagements when possible
Submachine Guns (SMGs)
R-99 SMG
- Damage: 11 body / 16 head
- Fire Rate: 1080 RPM
- Magazine: 20/22/24/27
- Recoil Pattern: Vertical with slight rightward drift
- Best For: Close-range melting
- Attachments: Barrel, Extended Light Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Aim for center mass due to high fire rate
Prowler Burst PDW
- Damage: 14 body / 21 head
- Fire Rate: 5-round bursts
- Magazine: 20/25/30/35
- Recoil Pattern: Burst has upward pattern
- Best For: Close to mid-range burst damage
- Attachments: Extended Heavy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Rhythm your bursts for maximum effectiveness
Volt SMG
- Damage: 15 body / 23 head
- Fire Rate: 720 RPM
- Magazine: 19/21/23/26
- Recoil Pattern: Very controllable vertical
- Best For: Versatile close to mid-range
- Attachments: Extended Energy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Excellent hip-fire accuracy makes it deadly in close quarters
Alternator SMG
- Damage: 16 body / 24 head
- Fire Rate: 600 RPM
- Magazine: 19/22/25/28
- Recoil Pattern: Slight side-to-side
- Best For: Close-range for beginners
- Attachments: Barrel, Extended Light Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Easy to control, excellent hip-fire accuracy
C.A.R. SMG
- Damage: 13 body / 23 head
- Fire Rate: 930 RPM
- Magazine: 19/21/24/27
- Recoil Pattern: Diagonal up-right
- Best For: Aggressive close-range
- Attachments: Barrel, Extended Light/Heavy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Can use either light or heavy ammo – versatile but challenging recoil
Light Machine Guns (LMGs)
M600 Spitfire
- Damage: 18 body / 36 head
- Fire Rate: 540 RPM
- Magazine: 35/40/45/55
- Recoil Pattern: Gradual climb
- Best For: Sustained fire and suppression
- Attachments: Extended Heavy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Pre-fire corners due to large magazine
Devotion LMG
- Damage: 16 body / 32 head
- Fire Rate: 300-900 RPM (accelerates)
- Magazine: 36/40/44/48
- Recoil Pattern: Complex vertical pattern
- Best For: Shredding multiple enemies after spin-up
- Attachments: Turbocharger, Extended Energy Mag, Barrel, Stock, Sights
- Tips: With Turbocharger, becomes one of the highest DPS weapons
L-STAR EMG
- Damage: 17 body / 34 head
- Fire Rate: 600 RPM
- Magazine: Heat-based, no reload
- Recoil Pattern: Strong vertical recoil
- Best For: Close to mid-range pressure
- Attachments: Barrel, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Feather the trigger to prevent overheating
Rampage LMG
- Damage: 28 body / 42 head (higher when charged)
- Fire Rate: 300 RPM (480 with Thermite)
- Magazine: 28/32/35/40
- Recoil Pattern: Moderate up-right
- Best For: Mid-range damage, breaking doors
- Attachments: Extended Heavy Mag, Barrel, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Charge with Thermite for faster fire rate
Marksman Weapons
G7 Scout
- Damage: 34 body / 60 head
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 10/15/18/20
- Recoil Pattern: Significant vertical kick
- Best For: Mid to long-range poke
- Attachments: Barrel, Extended Light Mag, Stock, Sights, Double-Tap
- Tips: Double-Tap hop-up gives burst fire capability
30-30 Repeater
- Damage: 42-57 body / 74-100 head (charged)
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 6/8/10/12
- Recoil Pattern: High vertical kick
- Best For: Mid to long-range with charged shots
- Attachments: Extended Heavy Mag, Sights, Shatter Caps
- Tips: Charging increases damage; Shatter Caps turns it into a shotgun
Triple Take
- Damage: 63 body (21×3) / 126 head (42×3)
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 18/21/24/27
- Recoil Pattern: Horizontal spread
- Best For: Versatile sniper/shotgun hybrid
- Attachments: Extended Energy Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Horizontal spread pattern makes it forgiving
Bocek Compound Bow
- Damage: 60-70 body / 105-123 head (charged)
- Fire Rate: Draw-based
- Magazine: 32 arrows max
- Recoil Pattern: None (projectile drop)
- Best For: Silent mid-range precision
- Attachments: Shatter Caps, Tempo, Sights
- Tips: Tempo hop-up increases fire rate with perfect timing
Sniper Rifles
Longbow DMR
- Damage: 55 body / 118 head
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 6/8/10/12
- Recoil Pattern: Significant vertical recoil
- Best For: Long-range damage
- Attachments: Barrel, Extended Sniper Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Fastest firing sniper for follow-up shots
Sentinel
- Damage: 70 body / 140 head (88/176 when charged)
- Fire Rate: Bolt-action
- Magazine: 4/5/6/7
- Recoil Pattern: Heavy vertical recoil
- Best For: Long-range burst damage
- Attachments: Extended Sniper Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Charge with Shield Cells for increased damage, especially against shields
Charge Rifle
- Damage: 45 (beam) + 45 (impact) body / 56 (beam) + 90 (impact) head
- Fire Rate: Single charge beam
- Magazine: 8/12/16/20 energy per shot
- Recoil Pattern: Beam trace, then impact
- Best For: Long-range harassment, no bullet drop
- Attachments: Extended Sniper Mag, Stock, Sights
- Tips: Initial beam reveals position, high ammo consumption
Kraber .50-Cal (Care Package Weapon)
- Damage: 145 body / 290 head
- Fire Rate: Bolt-action
- Magazine: 4 rounds (12 total)
- Recoil Pattern: Extreme kickback
- Best For: One-shot downs at any range
- Attachments: None (comes with 6-10x scope)
- Tips: Can down a player with red armor with a headshot
Shotguns
EVA-8 Auto
- Damage: 63 max (7×9 pellets)
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 8 rounds
- Recoil Pattern: Fixed star pattern
- Best For: Fast follow-up shots at close range
- Attachments: Shotgun Bolt, Sights
- Tips: Highest fire rate shotgun, aim for center mass
Mastiff Shotgun
- Damage: 88 max (11×8 pellets)
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 6 rounds
- Recoil Pattern: Horizontal line pattern
- Best For: Close range burst damage
- Attachments: Shotgun Bolt, Sights
- Tips: ADS tightens spread to horizontal pattern
Peacekeeper
- Damage: 99 max (9×11 pellets)
- Fire Rate: Pump action
- Magazine: 5 rounds
- Recoil Pattern: Star pattern
- Best For: High burst damage, peek shooting
- Attachments: Shotgun Bolt, Kinetic Feeder, Sights
- Tips: Choke tightens spread when ADS, Kinetic Feeder reloads while sliding
Mozambique Shotgun
- Damage: 45 max (15×3 pellets)
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 6 rounds
- Recoil Pattern: Triangle pattern
- Best For: Close range finishing
- Attachments: Shotgun Bolt, Hammerpoint Rounds, Sights
- Tips: Hammerpoint increases damage against unshielded targets
Pistols
Wingman
- Damage: 45 body / 97 head
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 6/7/8/9
- Recoil Pattern: Heavy vertical kick
- Best For: Precision damage at all ranges
- Attachments: Extended Heavy Mag, Sights
- Tips: High skill ceiling, devastating in skilled hands
RE-45 Auto
- Damage: 12 body / 18 head
- Fire Rate: 780 RPM
- Magazine: 16/19/22/25
- Recoil Pattern: Slight upward drift
- Best For: Close range secondary
- Attachments: Barrel, Extended Light Mag, Sights
- Tips: Fast movement while ADS, fast reload
P2020
- Damage: 18 body / 27 head
- Fire Rate: Semi-auto
- Magazine: 14/16/18/21
- Recoil Pattern: Minimal
- Best For: Early game or unshielded targets with Hammerpoint
- Attachments: Extended Light Mag, Hammerpoint Rounds, Sights
- Tips: Hammerpoint makes it viable in late game against downed players
Attachment Guide
Barrels
- Level 1 (White): 10% recoil reduction
- Level 2 (Blue): 20% recoil reduction
- Level 3 (Purple): 30% recoil reduction
- Level 4 (Gold): 35% recoil reduction + flash hider
Magazines
- Light/Heavy/Energy:
- Level 1 (White): +3 rounds, faster reload
- Level 2 (Blue): +5 rounds, faster reload
- Level 3 (Purple): +8 rounds, faster reload
- Level 4 (Gold): +8 rounds, auto-reload when holstered
- Sniper:
- Level 1 (White): +2 rounds, faster reload
- Level 2 (Blue): +3 rounds, faster reload
- Level 3 (Purple): +4 rounds, faster reload
- Level 4 (Gold): +4 rounds, auto-reload when holstered
Stocks
- Standard Stock:
- Level 1 (White): 15% faster ADS, 20% less sway
- Level 2 (Blue): 25% faster ADS, 40% less sway
- Level 3 (Purple): 35% faster ADS, 60% less sway
- Sniper Stock:
- Level 1 (White): 15% faster handling, 15% less sway
- Level 2 (Blue): 25% faster handling, 35% less sway
- Level 3 (Purple): 35% faster handling, 55% less sway
Shotgun Bolts
- Level 1 (White): 10% faster fire rate
- Level 2 (Blue): 15% faster fire rate
- Level 3 (Purple): 20% faster fire rate
Hop-Ups
- Turbocharger: Eliminates spin-up time for Havoc and Devotion
- Hammerpoint Rounds: Increased damage against unshielded targets (P2020, Mozambique, RE-45)
- Shatter Caps: Toggles between precision and shotgun mode (30-30, Bocek)
- Boosted Loader: Overloads magazine when reloading at the right time (Hemlok, Wingman)
- Kinetic Feeder: Auto-reloads while sliding (Peacekeeper, Triple Take)
- Tempo: Increases fire rate with proper timing (Sentinel, Bocek)
- Double Tap Trigger: Fires two shots with one trigger pull (G7 Scout, EVA-8)
Optics
- 1x HCOG “Classic”: Clear sight picture, minimal obstruction
- 1x Holo: Standard holographic sight
- 1-2x Variable Holo: Toggle between 1x and 2x
- 2x HCOG “Bruiser”: Medium zoom, clear sight picture
- 3x HCOG “Ranger”: Long-range precision
- 2-4x Variable AOG: Toggle between 2x and 4x
- 6x Sniper: Long-range sniper optic
- 4-8x Variable Sniper: Variable sniper optic
- 4-10x Digital Sniper Threat: Variable zoom with digital threat highlight
- 1x Digital Threat: Highlights enemies in red (SMGs, Pistols, Shotguns)
Advanced Weapons Techniques
Recoil Management
- Pull down gently to counter vertical recoil
- Learn weapon-specific patterns in the firing range
- Burst fire at longer ranges to reset recoil
- Utilize attachments to minimize recoil patterns
Weapon Switching
- Memorize switching times (typically 0.3-0.5 seconds)
- Switch instead of reloading in close combat
- Keep complementary weapons (e.g., R-301 + Peacekeeper)
- Develop muscle memory for quick swaps
Movement While Shooting
- Strafe while firing to make yourself harder to hit
- Crouch periodically during firefights to throw off aim
- Jump-shooting with shotguns can be effective
- ADS reduces movement speed (except Pistols and SMGs with minimal reduction)
Hip-Fire Effectiveness
Excellent Hip-Fire:
- Alternator, R-99, Prowler, Volt
- All Shotguns
- L-STAR
Decent Hip-Fire:
- R-301, Flatline
- RE-45, Wingman
Poor Hip-Fire:
- Marksman and Sniper weapons
- Havoc, Devotion (without spin-up)
Situational Weapon Selection
Early Game (Drop/First Fight)
Priority Pickups:
- Volt, CAR, R-99, Flatline
- EVA-8, Peacekeeper
- R-301, Alternator
- Any weapon with ammo availability
Mid-Game (Rotations)
Recommended Loadouts:
- R-301 + Shotgun (versatile)
- Flatline + SMG (aggressive)
- Marksman + SMG (positioning-based)
- Volt + Wingman (ammo-efficient)
End-Game (Final Circles)
Optimal Weapons:
- Fully-kitted automatic weapons (R-301, Flatline, Volt)
- Close-range specialists (Peacekeeper, Mastiff, R-99)
- Care package weapons if available
- Avoid sniper rifles unless in specific final zones
Weapon Meta Tiers (Current Season)
S-Tier (Strongest)
- R-301 Carbine
- CAR SMG
- Peacekeeper
- Volt SMG
- Nemesis Burst AR (when charged)
A-Tier (Strong)
- Flatline
- R-99
- Mastiff
- Wingman
- Devotion (with Turbocharger)
B-Tier (Balanced)
- 30-30 Repeater
- Hemlok
- G7 Scout
- Sentinel
- Havoc (with Turbocharger)
- Triple Take
C-Tier (Situational)
- Alternator
- EVA-8
- Longbow DMR
- L-STAR
- Prowler
- Charge Rifle
D-Tier (Challenging)
- Mozambique (without Hammerpoint)
- P2020 (without Hammerpoint)
- Rampage (without Thermite)
- Devotion (without Turbocharger)
Common Challenges and Solutions
Challenge: Running out of ammo mid-fight
- Solution: Carry 3-4 stacks for primary, 2-3 for secondary
- Solution: Use weapons with different ammo types
- Solution: Finish fights quickly with concentrated fire
Challenge: Inconsistent aim
- Solution: Lower sensitivity for better control
- Solution: Practice recoil patterns in firing range
- Solution: Use weapons with easier recoil patterns (R-301, Alternator)
Challenge: Losing close-range fights
- Solution: Hip-fire instead of ADS in very close quarters
- Solution: Add a dedicated close-range weapon (Shotgun/SMG)
- Solution: Practice movement while shooting
Challenge: Difficulty with long-range engagements
- Solution: Use 2x or 3x sights for better visibility
- Solution: Single-fire mode for assault rifles at distance
- Solution: Tap-fire to maintain accuracy
Best Practices
Ammo Management
- Light weapons: 180-240 rounds (3-4 stacks)
- Heavy weapons: 180-240 rounds (3-4 stacks)
- Energy weapons: 180-300 rounds (3-5 stacks)
- Shotgun: 16-32 shells (1-2 stacks)
- Sniper: 24-48 rounds (1-2 stacks)
Loadout Balance
- Pair complementary ranges (e.g., Shotgun + Marksman)
- Consider ammo economy (weapons sharing ammo type)
- Balance between sustained damage and burst damage
Attachment Prioritization
- Extended mags are usually highest priority
- Barrels for weapons with difficult recoil
- Optics based on personal preference and range
Firing Range Practice Routine
- Warm up with each weapon category
- Practice recoil control without attachments
- Simulate movement while shooting
- Practice quick switching between weapons
Resources for Further Learning
Official Resources
Community Resources
- r/ApexUniversity – Gameplay improvement
- Apex Firing Range Tool – DPS calculator
YouTube Channels for Weapon Mastery
- Dazs
- The Gaming Merchant
- Sultan D
- Coach Nihil
- Nokokopuffs
Tracking Tools
- Apex Tracker – Weapon stats tracking
- Apex Legends Status – Weapon meta analysis