Apex Legends Season 9: Legacy is filled with loads of new things to do, but you already know that the Arenas is the most exciting mode. We’ve already written up some detailed tips and strategies for the Arenas mode, in addition to map breakdowns, but this time we’re focusing on the weapons.
Looting is mostly gone in the Arenas, with you instead buying your weapons from a buy round at the beginning of a match. You need to quickly select which weapons you want to work with, and some of them will be more expensive than what you can afford, at least at first.
In this guide we’re going break down the best weapon choices in Arenas, and we’ll factor in their cost, their overall usefulness, and where they sit in the rankings alongside weapons of a similar type.
The game has already helpfully separated the weapons by the kinds of range you can expect them to be useful at, and we’ll rank the weapons in the categories provided by the game. Just read through our rankings below for everything you need to know about your weapons choices in Apex Legends’ Arenas.
Pistols, Shotguns, SMGs And Costs
- RE-45 - 250
- Alternator - 400
- Peacekeeper - 500
- Volt - 500
- Wingman - 500
- R-99 - 550
- Mastiff - 500
- EVA-8 - 250
This list does exclude the P2020 and Mozambique: both weapons are significantly less useful now that the Hammerpoint Rounds hop-up has been removed, and the fact that they’re both free means players can make their owns minds up regarding whether those weapons are worthwhile.
But the RE-45 being at the top will be a controversial choice, but hear me out. While the RE-45 has a high amount of recoil, it does fire fast, and can deal a lot of damage even at range, making it more versatile than the similarly priced EVA-8. The Alternator is above the R-99 thanks to a lower price, and it is much more stable, making it useful at medium range, unlike the R-99. Peacekeeper now feels like the best shotgun, and therefore takes the next spot, followed by the Volt, which is again, a very stable and capable weapon, but a bit more expensive than the likes of the Alternator.
Wingman is a weapon that is much better on PC than console, but it can be a very risky weapon to choose. I’ve already explained my logic on the R-99 and EVA-9, which leads only the Mastiff, a once-mighty shotgun that has been significantly nerfed in the last few seasons, leaving the Peacekeeper to be a much better overall choice.
Overall the RE-45 should only really be used as a cheap and cheerful automatic weapon, but it performs excellently as that. Feel free to upgrade it to a Volt later, while the Peacekeeper is the best shotgun, without a doubt. If you feel confident about your aim and recoil control, the Wingman and R-99 are solid choices.
Assault Rifles, LMGs And Costs
- Hemlok - 500
- L-Star - 400
- Flatline - 550
- R-301 - 600
- Havoc - 350
- Spitfire - 550
- Devotion - 450
Another potentially controversial ranking, so let’s break it down. First off is the Hemlok, which may have had some minor hipfire nerfs, but it’s still incredibly strong and stable, unlike the UK’s government. The L-Star is the opposite of stable, but it has had multiple buffs, making it better in a pinch, and still outputs a huge amount of damage in a firefight. The Flatline follows up as a solid close-to-medium range gun with great damage output.
The R-301 is next, and as the high price indicates, it is known for being one of the best guns in the game. It’s stable at range and does great damage, making it a powerful choice. The Havoc is cheap, though can be awkward to use without a Turbocharger hop-up. The Spitfire is next, and is expensive, but the ranged stability has been drastically lowered - still, it’s very reliable at close range. Devotion is last, and is more expensive than the Havoc, but at least you can pump out a few shots quickly if an enemy takes you by surprise. Still, unless you have the materials to spend on a Turbocharger, this weapon can be very awkward in a lot of situations.
To summarise, the best weapon here has to be the Hemlok, but the L-Star can be surprisingly effective in the right hands. The R-301 is a bit too expensive, especially for early rounds, but is still worth it in longer games. Avoid the Havoc and Devotion unless you have the materials for the Turbocharger.
Marksman & Snipers And Costs
- Bocek Bow - 600
- G7-Scout - 350
- Charge Rifle - 700
- 30-30 Repeater - 350
- Longbow - 400
- Sentinel - 400
The Bocek Bow is really powerful, okay? Seriously, I wasn’t sure of it at first, but each fully-charged shot can give you 70 damage from a body shot, and if you spend the materials to get the Deadeye’s Tempo hop-up, then you’ll be in a great position. It is, however, very expensive - you won’t even be able to buy it at all in the first round - which is why the G7-Scout is my first-round choice every time. Marksman and Sniper weapons always start with a basic 1x scope, and this is enough to make the G7-Scout surprisingly vicious in a variety of situations. Next up is the Charge Rifle, and this is truly vicious at long range. With zero bullet drop you’re pretty much guaranteed to get some damages on your foes, and when there are limited heal items available, that is a big deal.
Onto the 30-30 Repeater, which is very capable at medium range - or indeed the maximum range of the Arenas maps - but it has a slow fire rate, and not even the Shatter Caps hop-up can save it from being a less useful weapon than many others. The Longbow can be very good if you hit headshots, but if enemies sneak up on you, it’ll be less useful. Finally, the Sentinel might be an excellent weapon with the Deadeye’s Tempo hop-up, but unless you have the materials to spend on it, you’re better off focusing on something else.
Ultimately the Bocek Bow is excellent - potentially even OP - and so is well worth using in later rounds. The G7-Scout is cheap and cheerful for your first few rounds, and an upgraded version can take you into the final rounds easily. The Snipers are less useful at close range, so you should be cautious when using any of them.