Weapons define survival in any battle royale, especially Apex Legends. After all, the Respawn battle royale offers a plethora of weapon and gear options for players. These include various weapon types across multiple bullet categories and accessories organized by hierarchy. Sadly, time is never on the player's side. Remember, spending a good minute choosing the ideal weapons is more than enough time for an enemy squad to swoop in and get easy kills.
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How exactly can players reliably get the weapons they need if they don't have the time to choose? Thing is, players shouldn't choose a weapon depending on its name or type. Rather, players should choose their weapons for the match depending on their specific needs.
10 Get To Know The Classics
Gamers who play it safe will avoid early-game confrontations in hot zones by dropping in nondescript areas on the map. Thing is, ordinary zones almost always have normal drops. Don't skip these common weapons, though, as some become dependable in emergencies.
If players have no choice but to get a pistol, the Wingman (Heavy, Pistol) and the Mozambique (Shotgun) packs higher damage compared to the P2020 (Light, Pistol) and the RE-45 Auto (Light, Pistol).
Alternative, reliable early-game picks go to the Alternator (Light, SMG) for its easy recoil and high magazine DPS. Those who want the punch of a shotgun in an assault rifle wouldn't go wrong with the single-shot 30-30 Repeater (Heavy, AR) and the weaker G7 Scout (Light, AR).
9 Weapon Choice Dictates Playstyle
Players in a weapon-abundant area can get a gun to suit their playstyle. However, in most situations where players just grab-and-go gear, it's the weapon that dictates an ideal playstyle. When choosing a weapon, players need to pick one that suits their combat approach or they risk not capitalizing their firearm's full potential.
For instance, Snipers or even an AR with a far-ranged Optic suit players who want to do battle from a distance. On the opposite end, Shotguns and SMGs suit players who want to get up close and personal.
Likewise, the scary spread potential of LMGs works best when chasing opponents. Lastly, a Pistol won't last in long firefights but they're great for eliminating knocked down foes.
8 Ammo Availability Takes Preference
Gamers who play Apex Legends long enough will likely have weapon preferences, and sadly, it's not all the time that they encounter these favorite weapons on the get-go. And while Supply Pods might not carry the best gear, one thing is for certain: ammo is almost always everywhere.
If there aren't any "good weapons" available, players should choose the one that has the most available ammunition at the moment. Having one "so-so" weapon with plenty of ammo is still better than having that good weapon with a few rounds and no reload on sight.
7 Take Note Of Effective Range
Remember, firefights can happen from anywhere, and having a short-ranged Shotgun and a low-damage Pistol against faraway opponents won't do much good. In turn, players who can't choose which weapons to carry at the moment might want to choose their Primary and Secondary firearms based on effective range.
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Players in a hurry won't go wrong with a long-range and mid-range weapon pairing. These usually come in the form of heavy-hitters like the AR and the LMG paired with the more fast-and-loose SMGs. They're almost always effective in mid-to-long-range incursions, except against Snipers (unless they have the right Optics, anyway).
Granted, players need to be wary that these weapons aren't especially effective in melee. A Shotgun still beats an SMG in terms of close-range impact.
6 Can't Go Wrong With Auto
While a lot of fire-modes exist in Apex Legends, players can't deny the sheer efficiency of the Auto firing mode. While holding the trigger, firing in Auto will continuously release bullets for as long as ammo exists in a magazine. Trigger-happy players or gamers who want a dependable weapon in emergencies will have guaranteed shots with the Auto fire-mode. This easily makes SMGs, LMGs, and most ARs as reliable weapons of choice.
Likewise, players need to be wary of alternate fire-modes. Remember, Single firing mode will only shoot one bullet per trigger pull. Likewise, Burst firing mode will release a string of bullets every trigger pull. These alternate fire-modes fit players who need to be more precise with their shots, such as with Snipers or Shotguns.
5 The Overabundance Of Light Rounds
Here's some sage advice: it's safe to assume that Light Rounds will always be in a Supply Pod or just lying around in any given area. In that regard, players should have a "go-to" Light weapon if their other preferences aren't available.
Thankfully, Light weapons have vastly different scopes and areas of expertise. Never get the P2020 if possible, as even the RE-45 Auto is a more reliable pistol. Players who want an upgrade with single shots might appreciate the G7 Scout.
In terms of heavier weapons, the R-99 (Light, SMG) has the highest firing rate in the game, making it more reliable than the Alternator. Of course, when it comes to the big boys, the R-301 (Light, AR) easily has the best recoil and handling despite its middling damage output.
4 Attachments Can Make A Difference
Places with a ton of guns (e.g., an Explosive Hold) often force players to stay inside them for extended periods. If in a hurry, players may want to choose their weapons according to two major Attachment types: Optics and Mags.
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It's recommended that players get a 1x-2x Variable Holo for basic zooming. Those who want to transform their other weapons into miniature snipers would want to get the 2x HCOG or the 3x HCOG. It goes without saying that Snipers need higher-ranged Optics as soon as possible. Meanwhile, Extended Magazines are always a welcome attachment to increase magazine size.
For more advanced players, Barrel Stabilizers decrease recoil and sounds. Likewise, Stocks decrease the time for ADS, deployment, and holstering. Lastly, Hop-Ups add unique advantages to weapons, such as damage increase and handling boosters.
3 Practice The Sniper ASAP
Players of any FPS know that the most irritating opponents either hold a Shotgun or a Sniper. At least players can go toe-to-toe against a Shotgun player, but only a Sniper can eliminate a pesky Sniper. In turn, if possible, players should practice their Snipers as often as possible.
At first glance, a Sniper is best suited for eliminating foes from a distance. However, Snipers have unseen advantages as well. For instance, teams without a Recon Legend can at least use a Sniper to see from afar. Likewise, fast-acting Snipers like the Triple Take or the Charge Rifle can act like a Shotgun and kill foes in close-to-mid range via hipfire when used properly.
2 Get Grenades As Soon As Possible
If players see a Grenade lying around, they might want to take it ASAP. Grenades make a great addition to combat, be it for initiation, force enemies into a position, or secure damage-over-time (DOT). Even Bangalore's Smoke Launcher makes for a mean smoke grenade.
For starters, Frag Grenades are the straightforward grenades in most FPS. Meanwhile, Thermite Grenades form a 10-meter long wall of flames that DOT people in them, perfect against knocked down enemies or for securing areas. Lastly, the Arc Star is a sticky grenade with a higher throw range but a smaller radius. They can cause blurred vision and temporary slow, and damages shields for triple damage.
1 Supply Drops Still Pose Disadvantages
Players at the endgame know that anyone using a Supply Drop weapon has a huge advantage in the match. After all, a headshot with the Kraber .50-Cal (Sniper) guarantees a knockdown, the Peacekeeper (Shotgun) has a tight spread, and the Prowler Burst (SMG) has high DPS.
However, players need to be wary of the disadvantages that come with these Supply Drop Weapons. For instance, they have limited ammo that can only be found in the weapons themselves. Likewise, these weapons almost always have harsh recoil and long reload times (particularly the Kraber).
Alternatively, players can trade their secondary weapon with the Supply Drop Weapon to ensure that other enemies won't get them. Who knows – these Supply Drop Weapons can show their true power in emergencies.