How to use the Mastiff in Apex Legends: Tips, damage stats & DPS

The Mastiff is capable of downing enemies in just a few shots, so we’ve got a few tips that could help you cement your Victory on the battlefield.

There are plenty of different weapons that you can use in Apex Legends, but only a few will pretty much guarantee you victory. One of these is the Mastiff.

This powerful shotgun has always been a viable option for those looking to melt their enemies in close-quarter firefights. While the EVA-8 has received a decent buff, the Mastiff is still the game’s best option for those that enjoy the shotgun playstyle.

Apex Legends Mastiff damage stats

The Mastiff is extremely deadly in close-quarter fights.

Shotguns are obviously powerful weapons and the Mastiff ranks just behind the Peacekeeper when it comes to dealing damage. Though, you are more likely to find a Mastiff.

At close range, while ADS-ing, the Mastiff will rip through players in the early game – whether they use armor or not. Things do become a little bit difficult when enemies have better armor. The full damage breakdown for the Mastiff can be found below.

	Damage
Head	16 (1.25x) per pellet 128 (16×8) total
Body	13 per pellet 104 (13×8) total
Body DPS	13-104

Mastiff Shotgun Bolt attachments

The Mastiff may lack the speedy fire rate of the EVA-8, but it makes up for that with its high accuracy. Whenever you ADS, the Mastiff’s bullet spread drastically decreases, which enables you to opt for a more precise approach.

However, this deadly shotgun does have an incredibly slow RPM (60), so you’ll want to utilize the Epic (purple) Shotgun Bolt. While the speed increase may seem low, it greatly enhances the Mastiff’s overall DPS, making it a must for any player looking to snag more kills.

Below you can see the fire rate increase offered from each Shotgun Bolt.

Common: +10%
Rare: +15%
Epic: +20%

Mastiff optic attachments

The Mastiff is a lot more effective when aimed down sights.

1x Holo
1x HCOG “Classic”
2x HCOG “Bruiser”
1x-2x Variable Holo
1x Digital Threat

Always aim down the sights and for the head

Now, when you have a shotgun in any FPS game, the temptation is to go wild and just fire from the hip while at close range. However, the Mastiff is a little different thanks to its spray pattern.

Whether you want to use something like the 1x Holo or get lucky and find a 1x Digital Threat, aiming down the sights of the Mastiff is a better choice than just firing from the hip. When aiming down the sights, your shots will reduce in spray, increase in accuracy, and deal more damage as a result – especially to the body.

This might be difficult to do – fighting at close range in Apex does get quite hectic after all, but you’re going to have more success by using the sights than not using them.

The Mastiff has become a must-use weapon in Apex Legends season five.

Find a trusty sidekick

Now, while the Mastiff is powerful, it won’t get the job done all by itself. You will need to pick up a weapon that can hold its own against enemies as well.

It would be able to rustle up a combination of the Mastiff and something like the R99 or R301, but if you don’t find them, a weapon like the Hemlok will suffice. These rifles can soften up an enemy and allow you to first them off with the shotgun sidekick.

Of course, some players will swear off weapons that they’ve no interest in using – and shotguns have fallen foul of this in the past because they can be a bit unpredictable.

However, it is definitely worth giving the Mastiff another look if you haven’t already as it is a weapon that you can get comfortable with pretty quickly, especially if you’re an up-close and personal type player.

So there you have it, five tips to help you master the Mastiff. If you found this guide helpful, then be sure to follow @TitanfallBlog for all the latest Apex Legends news.