Apex Legends’ Patch 3.1 turned the Peacekeeper into a death sentence to anyone caught in its crosshairs. But the weapon should receive nerfs in the near future, according to a Respawn Entertainment associate producer.
Apex pro Brandon “Ace” Winn shared his discontent with the weapon’s current state on Twitter earlier today, calling the buff “miserable.” Respawn associate producer Josh Medina replied to the tweet, saying that the weapon will be nerfed sometime soon.
Patch 3.1 increased the projectile width on shotgun pellets. The change made the Peacekeeper far deadlier in close-range fights, allowing it to down players in one shot even beyond point-blank range.
The changes also benefitted the Peacekeeper in close-to-mid range combat. The extra width makes pellets far more likely to connect over longer distances. The effect synergizes with the Precision Choke attachment, which tightens the weapon’s spread. The combination allows players to chip at an enemy’s armor even at a long range.
The increase in pellet width accidentally overinflated the Peacekeeper’s strengths in close range. Its spread, shaped similarly to a star, is already favorable to aiming at center mass to maximize damage. The new width increases how many pellets connect per shot and raises the likeliness of getting critical hits.
The update also mitigated the Peacekeeper’s mid-to-long range weaknesses, especially when combined with the Precision Choke. A player compared the Triple Take sniper and the Peacekeeper at mid-range, and when aiming at waist level, the shotgun could prove more effective.
An official release date for the Peacekeeper nerf hasn’t been revealed yet.
