Top 10 weapon loadouts in Apex Legends

Apex Legends, the battle royale game, is an online multiplayer first-person shooter. Naturally, there are a variety of weapons at your disposal to mix and match and find the arsenal that suits your playstyle. Furthermore, the character-driven gameplay influences choices as well. With so many Legends to pick from, each having unique abilities to offer.

New players can find it a slightly uphill battle to understand which weapons to pick up while competing in the Apex Games. Moreover, existing players can also sometimes find themselves wondering which weapons to go with, as each weapon combination has its strengths and weaknesses, depending on their main Legend.

While balance changes keep arriving, some combinations continue to deliver in Apex Legends. Here are some of the best weapon load-outs in Apex Legends based on the current meta, as well as combinations that have persisted since the start of the game.

Flatline and Peacekeeper

Flatline is a menace in Apex Legends, and its damage-per-bullet far outweighs the comparatively slow fire rate of the weapon. The assault rifle weapon eats up heavy ammo and deals tremendous damage if you manage to sneak in a couple of headshots during a fight. Flatline deals 18 damage on the body per shot, with up to 29 damage if the opponent is only wearing a level-one helmet. This also makes the Flatline an excellent choice during early encounters, and putting a 2x HCOG 'Bruiser' sight on the weapon makes it an endgame choice, as Flatline is one of the strongest weapon for mid-range encounters.

With the mag expandable up to 30, the weapon is more than capable of ensuring you knock down the opponent without having to reload. However, if you do fluff your shots, that’s where Peacekeeper comes in. The Peacekeeper shotgun has gone through various changes since the start of the game, having received a number of different hop-up attachments and many nerfs to limit its capabilities.

In recent times, the Peacekeeper has emerged as the primary weapon of choice for many players, especially the likes of Gibraltar and Mad Maggie, who receive the upgrade choice of an auto-reload for shotgun upon knocking an opponent. The Peacekeeper deals about 90 damage if you hit a clean shot, making it the best shotgun in Apex Legends to finish off an opponent.

This loadout is best suited for players who like to fight up and close with their opponents, making it a good choice for players who pick Octane, Bloodhound, Pathfinder, and Wraith. These legends rely on aggressive behavior and provide abilities to ambush with close-range weapons, and then quickly evade if the situation becomes too messy.

R-301 and G-7 Scout

While the Flatline is a great choice to deal a ton of damage, it does require you to make your shots count and also relies on your opponent to fluff their shots a bit, if they are running a weapon with a better fire-rate.

That’s why the R-301 is the alternative, sometimes even primary, choice for Apex Legends players. The light-ammo assault rifle has a higher fire-rate but lower damage-per-bullet than the Flatline, and its recoil is also slightly easier to control if the weapon is adequately kitted with a barrel stabilizer.

Pairing up the R-301 with a G-7 Scout creates a more balanced choice of weapons. R-301 is reliable in close-range and mid-range fights, while G-7 Scout is a marksman weapon that can provide some form of long-range coverage if you can locate a 3x HCOG ‘Ranger’ scope.

Given that both weapons require light ammo, this also creates more room for additional supplies in your backpack for grenades and health items. This loadout is recommended for the likes of Pathfinder, Valkyrie, Revenant, and Octane, who can quickly find higher ground and relocate to a safe distance, and use the G-7 Scout.

Peacekeeper/Wingman and R-99

This is the classic Apex Legends weapon loadout choice for many streamers and pro players in the game. The list would have kicked off with it, had it not been for the many nerfs that the R-99 has gone through. R-99 has the best fire rate in the entire game, as the weapon can eat up a full magazine in seconds. Given its fast rate of fire, it also has a difficult recoil to keep in check. This combination is best suited for players who are great with movement, know how to evade the opponent’s shots, and are efficient when they get the opportunity to deal damage to an opponent.

There is only slight room for error in this combination, but once mastered, it can be a deadly combination to encounter in Apex Legends. Hitting the shots with R-99 is key, and Peacekeeper exists in this combination to wrap up a kill after emptying the R-99 clip. You can also use the Wingman instead of the Peacekeeper. The Wingman is the deadliest pistol in the game, and scary to come across. However, the Wingman requires more precision than the Peacekeeper.

Given that this is a loadout solely for close encounters, it is best to avoid it when playing with Legends whose abilities favour a safer approach and create scope for mid-range battles.

Havoc and R-301

Havoc is an energy weapon in Apex Legends which fires after a noticeable delay. Even then, once this weapon gets going, it is difficult for any Legend to escape. The Havoc can cause a lot of trouble if you remove the fire delay with the Turbocharger attachment.

However, running into the Turbocharger in each game you play is not possible. That’s why R-301 can be paired up with the Havoc, so that there is always a reliable automatic weapon in your loadout for sudden encounters. This combination may be a hit or miss, depending on what you find while you're running around the arena.

L-Star and Mastiff

Both weapons in this combination are often overlooked, given that there are better options available. While the Volt SMG is also a good choice, L-Star is unique in the sense that it does not have a fixed ammo magazine, but an overheat timer on it. This means you still have to deal with a delay if you overheat the weapon, but if used smartly, a player can emerge victorious in a fight without thinking of reloading.

In cases where you have no choice but to fire the L-Star until it overheats, the Mastiff can be a good option to switch to. The Mastiff is recommended for some players since it is slightly faster than the Peacekeeper, and the combination can help you tilt the balance in your favor when everything comes down to whose trigger finger is faster.

Sentinel and Flatline

The Sentinel is a sniper rifle, but for this loadout, the idea is to use it as a mid-range weapon with a 2x or 3x scope on it. The Sentinel is particularly deadly once a Shield Cell is used to amp up the weapon, making it capable of breaking the Shields of an opponent in one hit. That's useful when you get the drop on a foe or can see them approaching. After a successful hit, the Flatline can used to clean up the kill. Given that the Flatline is a tough weapon on its own, this loadout is still fairly balanced, despite having a sniper rifle.

Rampart is an excellent Legend choice for this combo, as her tactical ability can set up protection as well as boost damage dealt by the Sentinel. You can also run this weapon loadout with Legends who are capable of finding a vantage point.

Alternator and RE-45

This weapon loadout is dependent on two rare attachments: Alternator SMG can be equipped with Disruptor Rounds to deal more damage to shields, while the RE-45 pistol can be equipped with Hammerpoint Rounds to deal more damage once the shield is broken. Using the Alternator first breaking down the shields, then quickly switching to the RE-45, can wrap up an elimination pretty quickly.

This is a weapon loadout that can work with any Legend, but it is best to not rely on this from the start, since finding both of the attachments can be difficult in one match.

Spitfire and R-301

Existing players can choose to overlook the Spitfire, but it is a fantastic choice for new players. Spitfire’s massive magazine size gives a lot of room for error when players are trying to figure out the game and improve their aim. With a maximum of 55 bullets per round and an easy recoil to control, the Spitfire can be a new player’s best friend.

As for existing players, the Spitfire SMG can also be a good choice if you play with Gibraltar and Caustic, given that they receive relatively less damage than other Legends because their hitboxes are bigger. This adds a bit of protection, which is required since the Spitfire does have a slow rate of fire.

After Spitfire, the R-301 can also be a good companion for newcomers. As mentioned earlier, its rate of fire is better, and its recoil is still much easier to master than other automatic weapons in the game.

Prowler and R-99

There was a time when the Prowler could be turned into an automatic weapon with the Selectfire Receiver attachment. Regardless, Prowler still packs a punch in its burst-fire mode. The rate of fire is extremely quicker than what you get in Hemlok, and its 5-round burst can quickly deal a lot of damage. The R-99 is pretty quick as well, and it provides the benefits of being an automatic weapon which are required in some encounters when you a slight room for error with your shots.

Hemlok and G-7 Scout

Finally, the Hemlok and G-7 Scout combination. This is a personal favourite, and quite an uncommon pairing in Apex Legends. Neither of these are automatic weapons, so this loadout is particularly well-suited for those who prefer precision over spraying and praying.

The Hemlok is a 3-round burst-fire weapon, effective in both close-range and mid-range fights. The G-7 Scout pairing creates an advantage for all forms of range-encounters. However, this combination requires players to be more effective in the initial stages of an encounter. To avoid being completely reliant on the Hemlok for close fights, it is recommended to use 2x scopes on both weapons but you can also put the 3x scope on the G-7 Scout.

Having used this loadout for Octane, the loadout options are particularly useful when paired with Octane’s ability to use a jump pad, gain some distance, and find a better angle to shoot the opponents who may come after you, and your team. Apart from Octane, the loadout can also work with Pathfinder, Valkyrie, Rampart, Caustic, Gibraltar, and Newcastle.

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