The Best Apex Legends Weapon Loadout for Ranked
Apex Legends Ranked mode is the closest gameplay experience you can get to tournament-style play, and now you know which Legend combo makes up the dream team, it’s time to finesse your weapon loadout too with the updated Season 5 gun meta.
Apex boasts a ton of fantastic weapons to choose from the pool, from SMGs to shotguns to snipers, but which Apex Legends Ranked weapons (and combo of the two) are going to get you the win? Especially in Ranked, where becoming an Apex Predator is the ultimate end-goal, these weapons could take your gameplay to the next level.
We need to look no further than the latest competitive matches to find the answers. All stats taken from this accurately show the latest Apex Legends weapons meta in highest level competitive gaming, which trickles down to Ranked. The Apex Global Series Online Tournament was fought out amongst the biggest and baddest clans in gaming in 2020, and the stand-out fact is that not many of the loadouts changed during these events.
Click to enlargeWHICH WEAPONS ARE THE MOST POPULAR IN COMPETITIVE APEX LEGENDS?
By far, the most-used weapons in Competitive Apex are the R-99, Wingman, Mastiff, Flatline, Longbow and the gold supply-drop only guns. Many of these top-used guns are close range, reflecting on the late-game where, in competitive and Ranked, there are still several teams in the last few minuscule circles, meaning long-range engagements over the whole match are few and far between.
It's worth mentioning that all of the above guns mentioned appear in either Tier S or Tier A of GGRecon's weapons tier list for Apex Legends, meaning their power and usability is quite honestly undeniable.
There are some subtle changes to the loadouts seen between Season 4 and Season 5, such as the Skullpiercer hop-up being re-added, urging more players to pick up the devastating attachment to slot onto their Wingman or Longbow for added headshot damage. Certain guns were given slight buffs and nerfs too, which affects overall pick up rates.
WHY ARE THESE THE BEST APEX LEGENDS RANKED WEAPONS?
To answer this question, we need to dig deep into the stats and details of the guns (and ammo variants) themselves to determine the best Apex Legends Ranked weapons.
There is an urban myth that different ammo types in Apex Legends do different types of damage. It is believed by some Apex players that light ammo shreds shields easier, whereas heavy ammo slows enemies down. It may definitely feel that way in-game, but there are no confirmed reports that these different ammo properties are real.
What we do know for sure are the damage stats for each of the Apex Legends weapons for Ranked, and why these statistics may uncover that specific gun’s popularity.
Click to enlargeAPEX LEGENDS RANKED WEAPONS STATS
R-99 – The R-99 has the fire rate of all SMGs in the game. The R-99 has an impressive 27 capacity magazine with a Purple rarity extended clip. It’s fast and furious – a finisher weapon to carry for those quick and easy eliminations. Hip-firing with the R-99 is what most pro players quickly turn towards in the heat of battle as the time to ADS can be slow. Check out our guide to getting the best out of the R-99, and we'd recommend this is always in your loadout of Apex Legends Ranked weapons.
Wingman – Heavy ammo is rumoured to have slowing abilities on enemies when a successful hit is made, but regardless of the truth on that, the headshot damage cannot be ignored at a whopping maximum 94 maximum damage with a Skullpiercer hop-up. Accuracy and control are key to making the Wingman come to life.
Mastiff – The Mastiff was once a legendary item in the game, only available from loot drops until Season 5 brought it to the standard weapon pool. Although damage obviously had to be decreased due to the rarity change, a high of 128 headshot damage is still not to be sniffed at. The iron sights stay true to form, being one of the nicest to use in the game, making ADS-ing a gorgeous experience with this Apex Legends Ranked weapon.
Longbow DMR - When the Skullpiercer attachment was vaulted, the Longbow fell out of favour with both casual and pro players. But now the hop-up is back, the Longbow is back in the hands of several Apex fans. Beastly 138 headshot damage, a fast fire rate for a sniper, and a large mag to combine to make this a top choice for a weapon for Apex Legends ranked.
Flatline - The Flatline became very powerful when the Anvil Reciever hop-up allowed massive damage to come from single-fire, but even though that has since been removed, the Flatline still finds itself being picked up in matches. The damage is still high, control is good, and a 30 cap ammo mag is also pretty decent.
What combos should you use?
The best way to play Apex Legends is always coupling a medium-to-long-range weapon with a close-range. Our best bet for Ranked gameplay is an R-99 or Mastiff, paired with a Flatline or Longbow, and swap out the Wingman for any.
Ranked mode encourages you to become the best of the best, so why not emulate the best Apex Legends players in the world and swap to one of these loadouts today? Load up the lobby and start the elimination party and let us know if any of these Apex Legends tips change your gameplay for the better!
Images via Respawn Entertainment
