Apex Legends’ Volt SMG may play similarly to the R-99, but it does have its own unique strengths and weaknesses. To help increase your kill count with the Volt, we’ve compiled a detailed guide on how you can best use it to claim a win.
As of February 2021, following the Season 8 update, the Volt received a nerf to its bullet damage. Fortunately, this hasn’t stopped the Volt from being a solid pick in the SMG category. Unlike most energy weapons, the Volt has no initial wind up, allowing players to fire off rounds incredibly quickly.
In fact, the damage stats and overall play style are very similar to the R-99, so you’ll want to consider adding this powerful SMG to your arsenal. To help you utilize the Volt to its full potential, you’ll need to get to grips with its hyper-aggressive playstyle.
For more Apex Legends Season 8 tips and tricks check out our guides below:
30-30 Repeater guide | All legend buffs and nerfs | All weapon buffs and nerfs | Fuse guide | What is in the Season 8 battle pass? | Season 8 Patch notes | How to open explosive holds | Spitfire guide | R99 guide | Mastiff guide | When is Apex for Switch out?
Apex Legends Volt damage stats
The Volt offers some great close-quarters damage.Having a decent understanding of this SMGs damage profile will not only help you secure more kills, it will also give you the knowledge needed to counter it. After all, simply picking up the nearest Volt won’t guarantee you a win. Instead, seek out those close-quarters skirmishes where you can put the gun’s high-damage to use.
Each bullet deals 15 damage per body shot and 23 per headshot. Things get even better when you consider just how fast the Volt can churn out bullets (720 RPM), allowing players to effectively down a target in just a few seconds. Combine this with the Volt’s fast reload animation, quick ADS speed, and accurate hipfire, and you have an SMG that can chew through even the tankiest of foes. The full damage breakdown for the Volt can be found below.
| Damage | |
| Head | 23 (1.5x) |
| Body | 15 |
| Legs | 12 (0.8x) |
| Body DPS | 180 |
Volt Mag attachments
This punchy SMG can chew through hundreds of Energy rounds, provided you have the necessary ammo reserves. As a result, you’ll want to prioritize upgrading the Volt’s Mag to avoid getting caught short in the middle of a firefight.
Below you can see the number of rounds each mag rarity will give you.
- Stock: 19
- White Mag: 21
- Blue Mag: 23
- Purple: 26
Volt optic attachments
The 1x Digital Threat is your best optic option.Here are the scopes that can be equipped to the Volt:
- 1x Holo
- 1x HCOG “Classic”
- 2x HCOG “Bruiser”
- 1x-2x Variable Holo
- 1x Digital Threat
Conserve your energy ammo
You’ll need a lot of Energy ammo if you wish to use the Volt.If you’ve used the Volt before, then you’ll know just how greedy this SMG can be. In fact, you’ll need stockpile a lot of energy ammo if you wish to make the most of its high damage output. This SMG’s fast fire rate and small magazine (19 rounds) can make it rather unwieldy, especially when you consider how scarce energy ammo can be when compared to its light counterpart.
As a result, you’ll only want to use the Volt in close-quarter combat scenarios. Not only will this allow you to easily shred through your foe’s armor, it will also help you conserve energy ammo for when you need it the most.
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Master the Volt’s recoil pattern
The Volt’s recoil pattern is incredibly easy to manage when you put in the practice.While the Volt may offer blisteringly fast kill times, its vertical recoil can make landing those lethal bodyshots a little tricky, particularly when shooting targets at mid to long-range distances.
When holding down the trigger, the Volt will snake its way up the screen and veer slightly to the left. The Barrel Stabilizer and Standard Stock do help to alleviate this issue, but the chances of you being able kit the Volt out with every legendary attachment is pretty low.
As a result, you’ll need to master this recoil pattern. To do this, slowly drag down on your mouse/analog stick. If done correctly, you should see that the vast majority of your bullets land directly in the center of your target. Once you’ve got the hang of doing this and mastered the Volt’s vertical recoil, you’ll be able to quickly take down multiple foes in close-quarters firefights without breaking a sweat.
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Carry a long-range weapon
Having a sniper or assault rifle could save your life in long-range firefights.Just like the R-99, the Volt is absolutely useless at hitting targets at range. Long-range firefights are pretty common in both Kings Canyon and World’s Edge, so you’ll need to have a secondary weapon you can rely on to help get the job done. Consider pairing the Volt with either a sniper or assault rifle.
It’s a simple tip but you’d be surprised by the number of people that try to use the Volt during distant engagements. The Volt has 1.5× headshot multiplier at 37.5+ meters, so you definitely don’t want to get caught taking potshots. Lastly, be sure to avoid picking up any other energy weapons as this will help to conserve the little ammo you have.
So, there you have it, everything you need to know about the Volt. If you follow these Volt tips & tricks, you’ll be able to secure more SMG kills in no time. Make sure you follow @TitanfallBlog for all the latest Apex Legends news and updates.
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