Apex Legends Season 18 Weapon Pool
Apex Legends Season 18 began on Tuesday, August 8, 2023. Another season without a new weapon, but there were a ton of weapon changes since Season 17:
- SMGs got nerfed all around – ADS strafe speed reduced and headshot multiplier reduced
- Dirsuptor rounds are back (spoiler alert, you need to pick it up if you find it)
- Charge Rifle is different, but still kind of the same
- The most dominant weapon is now craftable
Most care package weapons – Bocek, Prowler (with select-fire auto set to automatic instead of bursts), L-Star, and Kraber. Each of these is incredible, and you will likely grab one unless you have a fully kitted weapon from this list.
Check out the best floor loot for Season 18 of Apex Legends!
Best Long-Range Weapon in Season 18 – 30-30 Repeater
Since the change in Charge Rifle mechanics, I imagine more fights will be initiated in what I’m calling the “medium long-range”. This means you don’t necessarily need to run a sniper rifle in Season 18.
The 30-30 is a marksman weapon with a decent fire rate, surprisingly high damage (100+ for headshots once you find a Skullpiercer), and doesn’t require much ammo in your backpack. It’s a versatile weapon that can punch through shields quickly before switching to your secondary weapon to finish the enemy.
Also, you may have missed that a May patch increased the fully charged 30-30 projectile size. This means more consistent damage if you have the time to charge.
Best Assault Rifle in Season 18 – Nemesis
The Nemesis got hit with a slight nerf last season, but it’s still the best assault rifle in the game. Season 18 makes this a craftable weapon, so I advise running with a Volt or Havoc until you come across a crafter.
Its damage potential is insane, takes all kinds of attachments, and is viable at many fighting distances. You’ll want to prioritize finding a good barrel stabilizer for this weapon to account for the burst recoil.
If you aren’t a fan of crafting weapons or aren’t a fan of burst weapons, I’ve got you covered in the honorable mentions below.
Best Shotgun in Season 18 – Peacekeeper
Since Season 16’s shotgun buffs, we’ve seen the Peacekeeper get a ton of playtime in pro scenes, and for good reason. In Season 18, Respawn thought it’d be fun to make a powerful weapon even stronger.
The PK can run disruptor rounds for the first time in Apex history. This essentially means you’ll strip any armor at close to mid-range when your bullets make direct contact. It’s an unforgiving weapon so make sure to weave shots in between taking cover, since the time between shots is fairly high.
Best SMG in Season 18 – Alternator
I’m putting a huge caveat here: you must run these with disruptor rounds. Otherwise, you are better off with a CAR of R-99. With disruptos, this will be one of the meta weapons for close-range battles.
Many entry fraggers will run this SMG with a PK for ultimate lethality, but its effectiveness drops off after medium range. The Alternator has the most straightforward recoil in Apex, and the increased damage to shielded enemies will give you an immediate advantage in fights!
Honorable Mentions for Top Weapons in Apex Legends Season 18
Season 18 is really balanced when it comes to weapons. Try out some of these other strong contenders to rack up kills:
- Spitfire: This classic LMG has been buffed back to its season 9 days and can equip a barrel stabilizer again. Excellent for mid-range engagements.
- R-301: It’s still the most approachable assault rifle in the game, with a manageable recoil pattern and good versatility.
- Hemlok: If burst rifles are more your speed and you don’t want to craft a weapon, definitely pick up the hemmy in Season 18. It has great bullet speed, and you can quickly remove unexpecting enemies with bursts.
It’s not all about the weapons you choose! We’ve got you covered with a ton of tips to improve your overall game sense in Apex Legends.
What weapons are you picking up in Season 18? Join the conversation in the comments section!
FAQ
The best guns this season are the 30-30 Repeater, Nemesis AR, Peacekeeper, and the Alternator. Depending on your playstyle, carry at least one of these weapons to maximize your chances of winning more fights.
While it largely comes down to preference, the Nemesis AR is considered one of the strongest weapons in Apex Legends in Season 18. It has high damage potential and is versatile at many different ranges.
In Apex, you want weapons in your loadout that serve different purposes. In most cases, you should have one effective weapon at close range and another geared toward the mid to long-range battles. A great loadout for Apex Season 18 is the Spitfire and the Peacekeeper.
As of Season 18, the best AR in Apex is the Nemesis AR is the best assault rifle. It has a high fire rate and manageable recoil pattern, which results in excellent damage output.
