Apex Legends S30 Weapon Tier List: What to Pick Up

Season 30 “Marked” changed the answer to “what should I pick up?” more than any recent update. Two shifts drive the whole list: a new energy ammunition system, and direct nerfs to the guns that used to one-clip people up close. Read those two before the tiers — they explain every placement.

The two shifts that matter

Energy weapons now carry their own regenerating ammo. Havoc, Nemesis, Volt, Devotion, RE-45 and Triple Take no longer pull ammo from the ground. Instead each regenerates one magazine over 18 seconds, and the Volt and RE-45 only hold two magazines of reserve. That frees inventory space, but it punishes long fights and third parties: run dry and you wait. It is why energy guns sit in A, not S — they dominate a single engage and then go quiet.

The close-range kings were cut. The Alternator lost damage and magazine size, the R-99 dropped from 13 to 12 damage, and the RE-45 from 17 to 16. None of them are dead, but they are less forgiving when you misjudge a fight. Meanwhile the Flatline avoided every nerf, which is why it is the safest floor weapon in the game right now.

The tiers, and why

S+ — care-package only (Kraber, L-STAR, 30-30 Repeater). Raw power that ends fights, but you cannot plan a loot route around them. The 30-30 earned its spot by moving into Care Package status with 51 body damage, faster charging, and Shatter Caps that hip-fire for up to 56.

S — the reliable floor (Flatline, Prowler, C.A.R. SMG, Peacekeeper, Wingman, Triple Take). These are the guns you can build a loadout around. The Flatline is the pick: excellent damage, strong hip fire, no ammo downtime. The Prowler and C.A.R. rose precisely because their close-range rivals were nerfed. The Wingman and Peacekeeper remain deadly in skilled hands.

A — strong, with a catch (Hemlok, Nemesis, Havoc, Volt, R-301, Mastiff, Sentinel). The Hemlok is still a top mid-range rifle after a one-point damage trim. The Nemesis, Havoc and Volt melt close, but their limited stockpiles make them risky in sustained fights. The R-301 is the easiest gun in the game to control; the Mastiff and Sentinel trade consistency for burst.

B — usable, now outclassed up close (Alternator, R-99, RE-45, Devotion, Spitfire, EVA-8, Mozambique, P2020, Longbow, Bocek 2.0, G7 Scout). The Alternator, R-99 and RE-45 still kill, just less forgiving after the nerfs. The Devotion spikes with a Turbocharger (500 points to unlock). The G7 Scout fell hard — it lost Double Tap, sniper optics, damage, fire rate and magazine, and dropped to floor loot.

C — situational (Rampage, Charge Rifle). The Rampage leans on Thermite Grenades and loses to faster guns up close; the Charge Rifle is long-range only and awkward to handle.

How to actually pair them

Because energy guns stall in long fights, the safe ranked loadout is a reliable floor primary (Flatline/R-301/Hemlok) plus a close-range secondary that does not depend on regenerating ammo — a Prowler, C.A.R. or Wingman. Save energy guns for matches where you expect short, spaced engagements. The full 29-gun power-score table behind these tiers lives at gamers.wiki (Season 30 weapon tier list); treat it as a current baseline, not a permanent verdict — a later balance patch moves the order.

For who to bring into those fights, see the Apex Legends S30 legend tier list, and for the broader Bronze-to-Predator climb the Apex achievements overview is a lighter starting point.