NoLagVPNKey Takeaways
- The MX Guardian is the only viable Shotgun in the current meta.
- Most Shotguns are outclassed by SMGs and Assault Rifles in Warzone Ranked.
- Shotguns can be effective in extremely close-quarters combat, but require specific strategies to be successful.
As of April 2025, the Warzone meta continues to evolve, with close-quarters combat playing a pivotal role in securing victories, especially within the remastered Verdansk map. Shotguns, known for their devastating power at short ranges, remain a niche but potentially game-changing weapon category in Ranked mode.
This analysis evaluates the top 21 shotguns in Warzone Ranked, assessing their viability based on a Tier system reflecting overall effectiveness. This ranking is determined through a combination of factors, including time-to-kill (TTK), damage range, mobility, and ease of use. Data is compiled from in-game performance metrics and community feedback to provide an objective overview of each weapon's strengths and weaknesses in the current Warzone environment.
#1: MX Guardian
Tactical Stance
The MX Guardian shotgun is currently positioned as a Meta tier weapon in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its effectiveness is primarily attributed to its high damage output and rapid fire rate, making it a formidable choice in close-quarters engagements. This allows players to quickly eliminate opponents in tight spaces.
However, the MX Guardian suffers from a limited effective range, making it less versatile in open environments. Despite this limitation, its strengths in specific scenarios make it a popular choice for players prioritizing aggressive, close-range combat.
#2: KV Broadside
- Tactical Stance
The KV Broadside is classified as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked for April 2025. While it possesses a fast time-to-kill (TTK), its overall performance is hampered by significant drawbacks. The weapon's slow mobility and aim-down-sight (ADS) speed make it difficult to use effectively in fast-paced combat situations. Despite its potential for high damage, these limitations render the KV Broadside a less viable option compared to other weapons in the current meta.
#3: Bryson 800
The Bryson 800 is a D-Tier pump-action shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. As a pump-action shotgun, its fire rate is inherently slow, and its damage output is insufficient to compete effectively against faster-firing or higher-damage alternatives. This makes the Bryson 800 a less favorable choice for players seeking competitive advantages in Warzone Ranked.
#4: Expedite 12
- Tactical Stance
The Expedite 12 is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked for April 2025. This semi-automatic shotgun delivers moderate damage but suffers from a very short damage range. This limitation significantly restricts its effectiveness in most combat scenarios within Warzone. Its inability to consistently perform outside of extremely close quarters makes the Expedite 12 an underperforming option compared to other available weapons.
#5: Lockwood 300
The Lockwood 300 is a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. It is a double-barrel shotgun known for its potential to kill in one shot when equipped with the trigger action attachment, which fires both barrels simultaneously. However, this comes at the cost of requiring a reload after every shot, severely hindering its fire rate and sustained damage output. While the one-shot kill capability can be advantageous in specific situations, the frequent reloads and limited versatility make it a less consistent choice compared to other weapons.
#6: Bryson 890
- Tactical Stance
The Bryson 890 is a D-Tier pump-action shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. As a pump-action shotgun, its fire rate is inherently slow, and its damage output is insufficient to compete effectively against faster-firing or higher-damage alternatives. This makes the Bryson 890 a less favorable choice for players seeking competitive advantages in Warzone Ranked.
#7: Riveter
The Riveter is a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Described as a full-auto, .410 shotgun built around an assault rifle receiver, it is designed to deliver rapid bursts of fire. However, its performance is underwhelming compared to meta weapons. The Riveter's damage output and overall effectiveness do not align with the demands of high-level competitive play. Despite its unique design, the Riveter struggles to find a significant role in the current Warzone meta.
#8: Lockwood 680
The Lockwood 680 is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. While this 12-gauge pump shotgun is versatile and can be modified for various scenarios, it struggles to maintain effectiveness in the fast-paced environment of Warzone. While it is known for consistent one-shot kills in multiplayer, its performance in Warzone Ranked is less reliable. Its overall effectiveness is diminished compared to other weapons in the current meta.
#9: Haymaker
The Haymaker is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. This mag-fed combat shotgun is designed for clearing rooms with its high-capacity magazine and rapid rate of fire. However, its effectiveness is limited by its damage output. While it can be useful in extremely close quarters, its overall performance is underwhelming compared to other weapons in the current meta.
#10: Reclaimer 18
The Reclaimer 18 is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. The Reclaimer 18's damage output and overall effectiveness do not align with the demands of high-level competitive play. Despite its unique design, the Reclaimer 18 struggles to find a significant role in the current Warzone meta.
#11: Lockwood MK2
The Lockwood MK2 is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. The Lockwood MK2's damage output and overall effectiveness do not align with the demands of high-level competitive play. Despite its unique design, the Lockwood MK2 struggles to find a significant role in the current Warzone meta.
#12: MX Guardian
- Tactical Stance
The MX Guardian is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. The MX Guardian's damage output and overall effectiveness do not align with the demands of high-level competitive play. Despite its unique design, the MX Guardian struggles to find a significant role in the current Warzone meta.
#13: Stormender
The Stormender is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. The Stormender's damage output and overall effectiveness do not align with the demands of high-level competitive play. Despite its unique design, the Stormender struggles to find a significant role in the current Warzone meta.
#14: Stormender
The Stormender is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. The Stormender's damage output and overall effectiveness do not align with the demands of high-level competitive play. Despite its unique design, the Stormender struggles to find a significant role in the current Warzone meta.
#15: ASG-89
The ASG-89 is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. The ASG-89's damage output and overall effectiveness do not align with the demands of high-level competitive play. Despite its unique design, the ASG-89 struggles to find a significant role in the current Warzone meta.
#16: Marine SP
The Marine SP is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. Its performance is generally considered underpowered compared to the current meta weapons. The Marine SP's damage output and overall effectiveness do not align with the demands of high-level competitive play. Despite its unique design, the Marine SP struggles to find a significant role in the current Warzone meta.
#17: MAELSTROM
The MAELSTROM is categorized as a D-Tier shotgun in Warzone Ranked as of April 2025. As a fully automatic shotgun, it offers good range and handling. However, it suffers from high recoil and a large hip spread, making it difficult to control and maintain accuracy. These limitations significantly reduce its effectiveness in the current meta. Despite its automatic firing capability, the MAELSTROM struggles to compete with other weapons that offer better precision and control.
Conclusion
In April 2025, the shotgun category in Warzone Ranked is largely dominated by a single Meta-tier weapon, the MX Guardian, with the other shotguns falling into D-Tier. The MX Guardian excels in close-quarters combat due to its high damage output and rapid fire rate. The remaining shotguns are generally outclassed by other weapon types, such as SMGs and assault rifles, and are therefore not recommended for competitive play. While shotguns can be effective in specific, very close-range scenarios, their limited versatility makes them a niche pick in the current meta.