Apex Legends weapons guide: How to win close quarter combats with Shotguns

Respawn Entertainment recently added the Peacekeeper Shotgun to the floor loot in Apex Legends Season 9, and players have been enjoying this weapon in-game. The competition is twice as high, as several new players have joined the game after a new Legend was introduced.

But seriously, shotguns are cool if you know how to use them 😅😅 and sadly I don't know how to use them 😂😂#envtuber #vtuber #apexlegends pic.twitter.com/NV0H5bp6qP

— Demon Girl Vtuber (@DemonGirlVtuber) May 22, 2021

In light of this recent influx of players, a close-quarter combat guide for Shotguns is highly recommended for beginners. Shotguns dominate the meta in Apex Legends at point-blank range. Mastering all of the guns in the Shotgun class will help players win fights right after a hot-drop.

When we find EVA-8 shotguns, we APE 🦧 (w/ @JustGeeOG)#Apex #ApexLegends #ApexClips pic.twitter.com/Ka2pWrcFOs

— iiTzChaBoi (@iiTzChaBoi) May 21, 2021

Currently, there are only four Shotguns players can choose from in Apex Legends. However, once a player masters the slide-jump mechanic and applies that to Shotgun playstyle, they can use any of the four weapons on command.

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Apex Legends Season 9 Shotgun guide: Close-quarter combat, slide-jump movement and crosshair placement tips for beginners

The four Shotguns that players can use in Apex Legends Season 9 are:

• Mastiff
• EVA-8 Auto
• Mozambique
• Peacekeeper

Out of these four, Mozambique and the Peacekeeper are the most popular amongst pro players. Both are deadly at close-range, but they require a higher skill ceiling.

Apex Legends Season 9 Mastiff (Image via Respawn)

Before Season 9, players preferred using the Mastiff and Eva-8 Auto, as these weapons were quite effective and had a two-shot capacity to knock out opponents. However, with the recent balance changes in the weapons meta, players are much more keen in learning how to properly use the Mozambique and the Peacekeeper.

To master close-quarter combat players must first master their movement. This includes jumping, crouching, sliding and combining all three in a unique manner. Gunplay Dynamics in Apex Legends encourages players to get creative with these movement mechanics.

Apex Legends Season 9 Eva-8-Auto (Image via Respawn)

For instance, players can effectively use the slide-jump technique to get closer to the opponent, and fire their Shotgun at point-blank range. This maximizes the chances of knocking down the opponent as the bullet spread on the Shotgun is reduced to a minimum.

Similarly, if a player chooses to camp a corner, or hold a certain angle, then they can take down opponents at close-range easily with Shotguns. Hiding inside rooms, or right beside entry points, is an effective strategy while using Shotguns in Apex Legends.

Apex Legends Season 9 Mozambique (Image via Respawn)

Players can easily knock down unaware opponents with shotguns by camping corners. By the time the opponent fires the first reactionary bullet, players can reposition and get closer to maximize the weapon's efficiency.

Besides mastering the movement aspect, players need to focus on their aiming with Shotguns in Apex Legends Season 9. The crosshairs for Shotguns are uniquely designed according to the bullet spread of each weapon.

Mastering crosshair placement is relatively easier for shotguns than Rifles, Snipers or SMGs in Apex Legends. Players should practice rotating their mouse and combining movement variations while maintaining the crosshair placement on a single target. They should try to complete some of the pro routines in Aim Labs to improve their crosshair placement.

Apex Legends Season 9 introduced the Peackeeper Shotgun in the floor loot (Image via Respawn)

Players have immense creative freedom when it comes to using Shotguns in Apex Legends. Improving, however, requires hours of practice in the firing range. Players can use all sorts of attachments to figure out what works best for them.

Traditionally, players use the Shotgun Bolt as an attachment to improve the weapon's efficiency. Similarly, a 1x HCOG classic or a 1x Holo works perfectly fine as well.

Apex Legends Shotgun efficiency at 3 meters (Image via TheGamingMerchant, YouTube)

According to a study by popular YouTuber TheGamingMerchant, all four Shotguns are most effective at 3 meters. He also demonstrates how the Peacekeeper Shotgun is leagues ahead of others with high damage stats at close range. However, the weapon has a slow fire-rate which is why players need to peek in and out of cover while using the Peacekeeper.

At the same time, the Mastiff and the Eva-8 Auto have a high-fire rate with low dps. These are good for beginners to master timing, crosshair placement and movement in Apex Legends Season 9.