Weapons Of Choice

Over the weekend, it’s common to see the pros rocking weapons such as the Longbow DMR, the Wingman, the R-99 SMG, the Alternator, the Peacekeeper shotgun and the R-301 AR, and nothing else from the list.

There’s a reason behind this trend: They’re the most efficient weapons in the current meta. Let us look into these most used weapons in further depth.

R-99 vs. Alternator

One of the most heated debates in the Apex Legends community revolved between these two submachine guns, the R-99 and the Alternator SMG.

Since the introduction of the Disruptor Round hop-up, the Alternator has been very useful in certain situations, although some, including yours truly, stand by the R-99, touting it as the best SMG in the game.

The community needed a clear answer, and after some scouring, we finally have some insight.

If you didn’t watch the video, here’s a TLDW: The Alternator with the Disruptor Rounds absolutely shred shields, but returns to normal damage once the enemy is unshielded. However, the R-99, with its insane rate of fire, absolutely kills everything, provided you land your shots.

Here’s the chart from the video:

If you have noticed, the R-99 has lower time-to-kill (TTK) than the Alternator with the hop-up.

However, put into consideration that the R-99 takes 17 bullets to kill an enemy and Alternator only needs 11, so with a Level 3 extended mag, the R-99 is capable of taking down 1.76 enemies and then you have to reload, but with the Alternator, you can kill 2.36 enemies without reloading.

Do understand that this is theoretical and in the real world, enemies would have already ducked for cover once the first shot connects, so in my opinion, a lower TTK benefits you better, therefore the R-99 is still the champion.

Long(bow) Range Domination

The Longbow DMR proves to be the ultimate long-range weapon, capable of dealing moderate-high damage while being out of reach. It outclasses the Triple Take in many ways, being more useful with its Skullpiercer Round hop-up.

In Ranked mode, having at least one Longbow DMR is essential to survive, as you can poke and down players before rushing in for the squad wipe. Players in Diamond rank will consistently break 25+ shield at a time during rotations and almost every team has a Longbow.

In good hands, the Longbow will still hit like a truck loaded with wet sand, even at medium range distances.

Other Options

The R-301 provides a flexible and solid platform, performing well at close and long ranges, depending on your attachments. A full purple R-301 with a Ranger HCOG can out damage a Longbow DMR at medium range.

The Peacekeeper shotgun is a solid close-range weapon that breaks shields like it’s made out of China glass and has a decent range when paired with a Precision Choke. Hence the popularity.

The Wingman is a common pickup thanks to its heavy damage potential and simple attachments, only requiring a Heavy Extended Mag and by extension, a Skullpiercer, to make the most out of the hand cannon.

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