Respawn chose to shake up the Apex Legends weapon balance very violently for the new season. Many of the guns that dominated Kings Canyon for months are less serviceable on World’s Edge. The meta will settle over time, but for now it’s safe to say that survival in this inhospitable new arena requires players to get used to some new hardware. Below is our Apex Legends Season 3 weapons tier list. You will notice it is divided into tiers ranging from SS down to B. This is to show that the discrepancy in power between the tiers isn’t massive. When used correctly, all weapons can win games; some are just slightly better at it this season.
The best weapons for Apex Legends Season 3
The most reliable guns this time around are those that can hit hard at long range and don’t take many parts to function. Naturally, that puts the Wingman at the top of the list for the third season in a row. Despite the many nerfs it has endured, the Wingman is still a burst damage monster, and burst is king in Apex Legends. The sniper-pistol has a higher baseline headshot multiplier in Season 3, which means it can be deadly without depending on a hop-up.
Alongside the Wingman comes the G7 Scout. The Scout was always a top-tier weapon, but its low per-shot damage kept it in the back seat to the Longbow. With a damage buff and the new Double Tap Trigger hop-up, the Scout makes the Longbow obsolete in Season 3. It has higher DPS, higher 2-shot potential, better accuracy, and even handles and reloads faster. The Scout also uses light ammo, which is easier to find.
The Charge Rifle rounds out the pantheon of the best Apex Legends Season 3 weapons. As players predicted, the Charge Rifle works kind of like a Selectfire-Havoc. Like the Havoc, it has no projectile drop at the cost of some damage drop-off over range. The Charge Rifle has a massive advantage over the Havoc and any other weapon in Apex Legends, however. Its tracking beam deals light damage, which slows un-Fortified legends. This, paired with the hitscan projectile, effectively makes it a sniper that can accurately hit at any range without leading. This is massive on a map that’s all about sniper battles. To top it off, the Charge Rifle is very ammo-efficient.
Other top-tier contenders
Despite relative and direct nerfs, the Longbow and Triple Take are still very powerful in Season 3. Flexible mid-to-long-range weapons like the R-301 and Flatline are also great options, especially with the new Anvil Receiver hop-up. The R-301 seems to have lost some of its identity, but it is still one of the most dependable guns in Apex Legends.
Dedicated short-range guns are not in vogue on World’s Edge, but some of them can still get the job done. The Prowler in particular is just as good as it was in Season 2. It has high DPS, accurate burst fire, and a massive magazine, and it offers great mobility. And when the ring shrinks and battles start getting really close and personal, nothing beats the Peacekeeper. When using either weapon, make sure to pair it with a competent long-range counterpart.
Slightly below the middle of the rankings come the tier-A weapons, which consist of many previous mainstays like the R-99 and the Havoc. While all of these weapons are strong in their own right, they are just not your best option in Season 3. They are either sub-optimal for long-range combat or depend too heavily on parts and ammo.
The rest
At the bottom of the list are those unfortunate Apex Legends Season 3 weapons that are not only unsuited for long-range battles but suffer from other flaws as well. The P2020 and Mozambique can technically be devastating, but only under very specific conditions. They are only usable up close, with the Hammerpoint Rounds hop-up equipped, and against players who have already lost their shields.
With the removal of the Disruptor Rounds hop-up, the Alternator has been demoted to its old role as a parts carrier. For its part, the RE-45 Autopistol is now effectively the worst weapon in Apex Legends. With low DPS, low damage per mag, and extremely limited range, it has no redeeming features.
Keep this Apex Legends Season 3 weapons tier list in mind as you play to maximize your odds of victory. Stay tuned to Daily Esports for more Apex Legends news and content!
