Everything there is to know about the Apex Legends Mastiff shotgun

Is the Apex Legends Mastiff shotgun any good in Season 18? Respawn Entertainment's battle royale contains a huge range of weaponry and thanks to weapon buffs and nerfs, this particular shotgun is ideal if you're looking for some close-range firepower before the next season gets underway.

Armed with a semi-automatic firing mechanism, the Mastiff fires eight shotgun pellets in a horizontal line which gradually gets smaller during a continued period of fire. And, during Season 18, it remains a strong choice in casual and ranked Apex Legends matches.

Before we take a closer look at the Mastiff, take a look at our guides showcasing weapon mastery and our Apex Legends tier list revealing the best Legends to use.

Apex Legends Mastiff information

Here is the basic information that you need to know about the Mastiff shotgun:

• Weapon Type: Shotgun
• Firing Modes: Single
• Ammo Type: Shotgun Shells
• Magazine Size: 5
• Range: Close
• Tac Reload Time: 1.55s per bullet
• Full Reload Time: 2.25s
• Rate of Fire: 66 RPM
• DPS: 97

Apex Legends Mastiff weapon stats

Just below you'll find the damage stats for the Mastiff Shotgun. Do note these are just the basic damage stats and do not reflect stats for Fortified Legends (Caustic, Gibraltar) where damage stats are typically reduced by 15%.

Target

Damage

Shots To Kill: 100HP

150HP

175HP

200HP

225HP

Target	Damage	Shots To Kill: 100HP	150HP	175HP	200HP	225HP
Head	112	1	2	2	2	3
Level 1 Helmet	104	1	2	2	2	3
Level 2 Helmet	96	2	2	2	3	3
Level 3/4 Helmet	96	2	2	2	3	3
Body	88	2	2	2	3	3
Leg	88	2	2	2	3	3

Apex Legends Mastiff attachment list

The Mastiff has a range of different attachments available, including five different sights and a Dual Shell Hop Up.

Sights

• 1x Holo (Common)
• 1x HCOG Classic (Common)
• 1x-2x Variable Holo (Rare)
• 2x HCOG Bruiser (Rare)
• 1x Digital Threat (Legendary)

Others

• Shotgun Bolt
• Dual Shell Hop-Up (Epic)

click to enlarge

Apex Legends Mastiff skins

At the time of writing, there are a total of 73 weapon skins available for the Mastiff Shotgun. This includes 15 Legendary, 8 Epic, 34 Rare, and 16 Common. The price of the skins ranges from 30 Crafting Metals (Common) to 1,200 Crafting Metals (Legendary).

• Earn currency: Learn how to get Crafting Metals.

Apex Legends Mastiff review

If you get your hands on the Mastiff over the course of Season 17, you’ll want to play aggressively. Its high damage means you’re unlikely to need any more than two close-range shots to put down a fully armoured enemy. In fact, it hits so hard that there’s no leg damage reduction. That means you can really hit an opponent anywhere and have a reasonable chance of killing them.

However, there are two downsides to the Mastiff. The sheer size of the gun means that the reload animation can actually affect your ability to see what’s going on ahead of you. Also, the reload speed can be painfully slow, so make sure to think carefully about how you're going to use this weapon.

There you have it, that's all there is to know about the Mastiff shotgun in Apex Legends. For more, take a look at our Apex Legends weapon tier list showcasing the very best guns to use for the rest of Season 17.

Updated by Jon Nicholson.