How to farm Weapon XP in Apex Legends

There are five methods.

Bangalore pointing her gun at an enemy while surrounded by fire in Apex Legends.
Image via Respawn Entertainment

One thing Apex Legends lacked compared to other battle royale titles like Warzone 2 was a Weapon Mastery system that allowed players to earn special rewards for each weapon the more they used them. Respawn changed that on May 9 by implementing its own take on the system.

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Each weapon starts off at Level One and can be mastered by reaching Level 100. To do that, you’ll need to earn Weapon XP. This can be done in a number of ways, which I’ll dive into later. Every 20 levels, you’ll also need to complete a trial tied to that weapon in order to progress further. If you do the math, that means there are five trials per weapon needed to completely master it.

It takes 1,000,000 Weapon XP to master one weapon and 29,000,000 to master all 29 of them. It sounds like a lot of work, and that’s because it is. Farming Weapon XP hasn’t been too difficult in my experience, though. All you need to do is use a weapon well.

How to farm weapon XP for Weapon Mastery in Apex Legends

Here’s a breakdown of all the ways you can farm Weapon XP, ranked from easiest to hardest.

Holding a weapon

The easiest way to earn Weapon XP is simply by holding a weapon while you play. You earn a small amount for every second it’s in your hands. Stowing it away won’t have the same effect.

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If you want to farm a lot of Weapon XP for a specific weapon quicker, I’d suggest keeping that weapon out at all times. It will make you run slower but it’s worth it for the faster progress.

Bangalore running from enemies in an Apex Legends match.
You’ll need to use a weapon to farm Weapon XP for it. Image via Respawn Entertainment

Dealing damage with a weapon

Dealing damage with a weapon is also an easy way to earn lots of Weapon XP. If you deal damage while jumping, sliding, or ziplining, you’ll earn even more. I started jumping and sliding around like a madman to take full advantage of this, and it worked wonders, so I can’t recommend it enough.

Getting kills with a weapon

Naturally, if holding a weapon and dealing a damage with a weapon earns a lot of Weapon XP, it only makes sense that getting a kill with a weapon adds to the total. It’s not as important as the other methods since it only adds a little bonus if the last bullet came from that weapon, but it all counts.

Getting headshots with a weapon

If you’re a skilled player who racks up a lot of headshots, you’ll earn even more Weapon XP for your efforts. Headshotting someone with a weapon is an easy way to earn more. I’d recommend sitting back with a sniper rifle and popping shots from a distance like there’s no tomorrow.

Related: The best guns in Apex Legends, ranked

Placing highly with a weapon

Last but not least, the higher you place in a lobby while using a weapon, the more Weapon XP you’ll receive at the end. If you do all the above and place highly, you’ll earn the maximum amount of XP and progress your level faster.

Author
Image of Alex Tsiaoussidis
Alex Tsiaoussidis
Staff Writer for Dot Esports. I am a passionate gamer with years of experience covering all things gaming, esports, and streaming. I have extra love for Dota 2, Pokémon, and Apex Legends.