A new season of Apex Legends brings a shakeup to the weapon meta. As a level 500 player and network engineer who has analyzed the hard stats behind every gun, I present my definitive Season 17 weapon tier list. Whether you‘re a beginner or veteran, adapt your loadouts to maximize damage, versatility, and outplay potential.
The S-Tier: Mandatory Mainstays of the Meta
R-99 SMG – The R-99 retains its crown as the undisputed king of DPS. Clocking in at a staggering 1080 damage per mag, its extreme fire rate shreds enemies before they can react. I‘ve crunched the numbers and even after a slight fire rate nerf, no other gun can match its 187 DPS. The recoil takes skill to control but master it and very few 1v1s will give you trouble. Take every R-99 you see – it deserves its permanent S rank.
C.A.R. SMG – Newly introduced last season, the C.A.R already rivals the R-99‘s prowess. With easy recoil, strong damage per mag (972), and flexibility to take both light and heavy ammo, it‘s my go-to secondary after an R-99 or shotgun. I favor it in close ranges due to superb hip fire accuracy – landing consistent headshots grants the C.A.R. unparalleled TTK for an automatic weapon.
Prowler SMG – Vaulted and unvaulted countless times, the Prowler still proves itself as an S-tier menace due to its five round burst mode. With all bullets precisely hitting the head, you can chunk enemies for 140 damage in a single burst. Combined with a purple mag granting 35 bursts, I‘ve shredded oblivious third parties in seconds with the Prowler. Its DPS technically falls slightly behind the R99 but remains extremely competitive.
Peacekeeper Shotgun – The Peacekeeper sets itself apart from lesser shotguns with its unmatched 105 max body shot damage and horizontal spread pattern. This makes landing consistent meaty shots easy, out-trading every other weapon in single firefights. Carry it as your primary shotgun each match – learning to leverage its range and weave the pump after every shot separates the pros from amateurs.
A-Tier All-Stars: Strong Situational Picks
Volt SMG – After dominating the meta during its debut, respawn wisely toned down the Volt to keep it from completely outclassing the R99. Even post-nerfs, it holds its own as my go-to secondary SMG, shredding white shields effortlessly. I favor it at mid-range with the 2x scope – with recoil easier to control than the R99, the Volt excels at beaming targets rotating between cover.
Hemlok Burst AR – Once feared as the undisputed long range menace, the Hemlok fell victim to dramatic nerfs reducing its max damage from 22 to 18 per bullet. It retains impressive DPS but forces you to hit more headshots and rapid bursts to down enemies quickly. Still, I wield it often to challenge snipers at range or shred unprepared squads up close in burst mode. Just be prepared to burn through heavy ammo.
Flatline AR – Since launching, the Flatline stands out to me as the most well-rounded assault rifle. It lacks defining strengths but has no glaring weaknesses either, sporting solid DPS, mag size, versatility and poke damage. Feeling adaptable in any contest, I run Flatline/R99 as my typical loadout. Recoil can be a bear so new players should master the spray pattern in firing range religiously.
Wingman Pistol – Infamously feared since launch for its limitless skill potential, veteran controller and M&K shooters can consistently three tap opponents with the Wingman before they can even MENTION R-99. Digital Threat gives it close quarters easy mode. With skullpiercer, leveraging the Wingman for bombing 100+ damage mid-range hip fire headshots never gets old either. High risk, high reward, it remains one of the highest skill cap weapons
Handling Unique Powerhouses
30-30 Repeater – Once only a lackluster care package weapon, recent buffs to the 30-30 help it finally contend as one of the best poke/burst damage marksmen rifles. Dealing 60 damage per body shot or 108 charged to the head, nothing chunks targets better. Although ideally suited for mid-long ranges, confident players can lever its heavy damage and quick pump animation up close as well. Just bring lots of heavy ammo.
Sentinel Sniper – After underwhelming initially, recent recon class buffs help the Sentinel finally make plays by detecting enemies you damage. Charging it amps headshot damage to a massive 170 too. While other snipers feature higher DPS, landing your opening shot with the Sentinel then quickly swapping to an R99 means lights out. Its niche playstyle warrants a specialty tier all its own.
EVA-8 Shotgun – Following dramatic nerfs, the EVA-8 fell from being the dominant auto shotgun to barely usable in my opinion. However, I‘ve recently seen a resurgence in pick rates as players leverage its excellent hip fire and rate of fire for mobile playstyles. While the Peacekeeper outdamages it, the EVA-8 almost serves an SMG-like role now, rewarding movement and aggression.
F-Tier Flops
P2020 Pistol – Even with hammerpoint rounds, low damage per bullet and impractical reload speed hampers the P2020 too much to seriously contend late game when opponents have better gear. While certainly better than literally fist-fighting, expect to lose most matchups unless catching an enemy completely off guard while looting initially.
Havoc Rifle – Oh how the mighty have fallen. Once an S-tier shredder, the havoc took repeated nerfs targeting its damage, recoil, and spin up time resulting in mediocrity. Chaining headshots allows it to still beam opponents at range in a pinch but expect to get outgunned up close now by nearly any automatic primary weapon.
Concluding Thoughts
And there you have it – my definitive rankings of all weapons for those looking to optimize their loadouts heading into Apex Legends Season 17. While every firearm certainly has niche scenarios to shine, you‘ll maximize success sticking to the S-tiers like the ever-dominant R99, Peacekeeper, or C.A.R. Let me know your thoughts on these rankings or what weapon overperforming/underperforming so far this season! I‘ll continue testing them in the firing range and on the battlefield to refine this list and share the deadliest loadout recommendations. Happy hunting in Kings Canyon!