Is the Peacekeeper still overpowered following latest Apex Legends nerfs?

Respawn Entertainment released an update on December 5 nerfing the Peacekeeper in Apex Legends, so now the question remains whether the controversial shotgun is still overpowered or not.

The Peacekeeper has been the focus of most Apex Legends players’ complaints over the past few months due to it being too overpowered and difficult to deal with.

Respawn addressed that with a server patch on December 5 that implemented across-the-board nerfs to the shotgun, along with a single change to both the EVA-8 and Precision Choke Hop-Up.

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Peacekeeper nerfed in Dec 5 Apex Legends update

Decreased bolt (pellet) hit size

This makes it more difficult to hit “full chunks of damage” while still ensuring that shots continue to feel consistent.

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Increased shot spread

Decreased the range at which the Peacekeeper can still be used for maximum damage. Players are now be forced to get closer to their enemies in order to inflict 100+ points of damage with single shots.

Increased spread on final Precision Choke level

While this was a nerf to the Precision Choke, it still affects the Peacekeeper because it’s one of two weapons that the Hop-Up can be used with. The range at which a fully charged-up shot does full damage has been decreased.

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Did these Peacekeeper nerfs work?

When this update went live, players weren’t so quick to praise the developers just yet, wary of the previous Peacekeeper tuning update they released on November 22 that didn’t really do much in terms of limiting the weapon.

However, early indications are that this patch actually did have a major impact on the viability of the weapon, as it now appears to no longer be so overpowered as it was before.

Prominent Apex YouTuber ‘The Gaming Merchant’ did some analysis with the shotgun in Firing Range following the update and discovered that this series of nerfs have been more impactful than the previous ones.

“In my testing, I can definitely say this is a big nerf, this isn’t like the previous nerf,” he said. “This one is very sizable and the Peacekeeper is more in line of what it was before and its long-range potential has been reduced as well. I was kind of using this as a makeshift sniper rifle at times, so it’s not going to be as effective.”

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That said, The Gaming Merchant wasn’t ready to knock the Peacekeeper off its perch as one of the stronger weapons, saying that it was still very viable at close range with some long-range potential.

“I did feel like it’s still pretty good at getting long-range shots,” he revealed. “If you get close enough, you’re still going to do damage with the Peacekeeper.”

What else do these changes mean for other weapons?

The YouTuber went on to also discuss how these changes will have implications for other weapons as well, including the R-99 and Mozambique, the only shotgun that did not get nerfed int his update.

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“Mozambique with Hammerpoint Rounds is actually kind of brought up a tier,” he explained. “I do think this change will mean everyone is just going to go back to the R-99, which, to me, is better than a low-skill ceiling on the Peacekeeper.”

Only time will tell whether the majority of the player-base agrees with The Gaming Merchant’s assessments about these Peackeeper nerfs and their lasting effects, but for now, it appears that the changes are being received positively.

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