PUBG ยท Full Breakdown

Every PUBG Balance Suggestion

Make sure players who land on weaker weapons and equipment still have a fair fight against players who found the best-in-slot loot.

Proposed changes 66
Buffs 20
Nerfs 46
Weapons covered 64

Suggestions written against the September 12th, 2026 landscape, during patch 43.1, walking the arsenal from bottom to top using a community-accepted tier list (PUBG Weapon Tier List โ€” Updated 2026, by C Dome).

Below is every weapon grouped by tier, with a one-line summary of what each proposal is trying to do. Follow any name for the full structured breakdown: the move or ability affected, the proposed adjustment, the issue it targets, and the stated reasoning.

Low Tier

Low Tier โ€” One Buff Per Weapon

For every weapon between B tier and the bottom of the list, apply one buff to help it compete with better-rolled loot.

  • Machete / Sickle Buffs 1 change

    A clean neck hit should kill outright, even through armor, whether it's swung or thrown.

  • Deagle Buffs 1 change

    Its limited range and fire speed mean it needs more body damage to compete without relying on headshots.

  • P1911 Buffs 1 change

    Shares the Deagle's limited range and fire rate, so it needs more damage to keep up with stronger guns.

  • R1985 Buffs 1 change

    Its slow reload makes close-quarters use risky, so it leans further into being an effective ranged weapon.

  • O12 Buffs 1 change

    The only gun using 12-gauge slug ammo burns through what it finds too quickly, so each case yields more.

  • K2 Buffs 1 change

    Without a grip or stock attachment point it's harder to keep stable, so landing shots should pay off more.

  • Winchester 1894 Buffs 1 change

    Lacking attachment points and bullet velocity makes it hard to land shots at range, so its bullets fly faster.

  • Vector Buffs 1 change

    Its high rate of fire can't keep up consistent pressure past 50 meters, so its bullets travel faster.

  • Micro Uzi Buffs 1 change

    Needing 5-7 consecutive shots to down an armored opponent is too much, so damage goes up.

  • Tommy Gun Buffs 1 change

    Struggles to land shots at longer ranges, so its bullets travel faster.

  • SCAR-L Buffs 1 change

    Already strong across the board, it mainly struggles with damage falloff and armor at long range.

  • S12K Buffs 1 change

    Built primarily for CQB as a secondary weapon, it should have a bit more reach.

  • Skorpion Buffs 1 change

    Suffers from the same low-damage problem as the Micro Uzi.

  • P18C Buffs 1 change

    Strong on paper with low recoil and spread, but damage falloff holds it back at range.

  • G36C Buffs 1 change

    Its rate of fire and recoil feel underwhelming next to faster, lower-recoil rivals.

  • Crowbar Buffs 1 change

    Dense steel impacting an opponent should do consistent damage, armor or not โ€” the same logic as the Machete/Sickle.

  • AKM Buffs 1 change

    Good accuracy and damage are undercut by a fire rate that loses out at close range.

  • Crossbow Buffs 1 change

    Its slow reload makes close quarters risky, so its projectile speed moves closer in line with other snipers.

  • Stun Gun Mixed 2 changes

    Its long stun against a single target all but guarantees a kill, so duration comes down โ€” paired with more ammo to carry.

High Tier

High Tier โ€” One Nerf Per Weapon

For every weapon between A and S tier, apply one nerf to one aspect of it so it's not completely dominant on the battlefield.

  • EMT Gear Mixed 2 changes

    Makes a player too hard to finish off from behind cover or at range, so its heal/revive speed comes down, with a faster bandage to compensate.

  • Foldable Shield Nerfs 1 change

    A deployed shield is a big edge against anyone caught without cover, and enables camping, so its durability comes down.

  • Lynx Nerfs 1 change

    No damage falloff makes it a threat at any distance in line of sight, so its bullet velocity comes down.

  • Mortar Nerfs 1 change

    Strong indirect fire against players safely behind cover leaves them little room to respond, so its rate of fire slows.

  • S1897 Nerfs 1 change

    Extremely effective at close and mid range, so missed shots get a little more costly.

  • UMP45 Nerfs 1 change

    Manageable recoil and strong close-to-medium damage make it too easy to use well, so damage comes down slightly.

  • Sticky Bomb Nerfs 1 change

    Placed where escape options are limited, it leaves little room to survive, so its blast radius shrinks.

  • SLR Nerfs 1 change

    High damage at range combined with fast follow-up shots makes it too forgiving, so recoil goes up slightly.

  • Dragunov Nerfs 1 change

    High damage plus faster follow-ups than bolt-actions puts it too close to the strongest sniper rifles.

  • QBZ Nerfs 1 change

    Easy to control with consistent medium-range performance, so damage comes down slightly to let other ARs compete.

  • Molotov Cocktail Nerfs 1 change

    Can deny an area and force players out of cover for too long, so the flames burn out sooner.

  • MK14 Nerfs 1 change

    Extremely high damage becomes especially powerful in full-auto, so sustained full-auto fire gets harder to control.

  • MK47 Mutant Nerfs 1 change

    Its burst-fire damage compensates too well for the versatility of its firing modes.

  • M16A4 Nerfs 1 change

    Burst fire lets skilled players produce high damage very quickly, so the burst slows down slightly.

  • ACE32 Nerfs 1 change

    Strong damage with manageable medium-range recoil is a combination that's a little too easy to use.

  • M416 Nerfs 1 change

    Highly versatile with manageable recoil and strong performance at every range โ€” a little too good across the board.

  • DBS Nerfs 1 change

    Rapid, powerful shotgun blasts in succession make close-range fights too forgiving for the user.

  • C4 Nerfs 1 change

    Can be thrown from too safe a distance to damage players and vehicles, so placing it now takes more risk.

  • S686 Nerfs 1 change

    Two shots can eliminate an opponent with almost no chance to respond, so damage comes down slightly.

  • Vehicle Repair Kit Nerfs 1 change

    Lets a damaged vehicle recover and keep going too easily mid-match.

  • MP9 Nerfs 1 change

    A very high rate of fire can burst down a target before they have time to react.

  • JS9 SMG Nerfs 1 change

    Easy to control with strong sustained fire, it competes too well with assault rifles outside close range.

  • Pickaxe Nerfs 1 change

    Its craters give unlimited, durability-free cover on both sides of the user, unlike the Foldable Shield.

  • P90 Nerfs 1 change

    A large magazine and very high rate of fire let it sustain fire for far too long without reloading.

  • MG3 (990 RPM) Nerfs 1 change

    Its fastest firing setting eliminates targets almost too quickly for a light machine gun.

  • M79 Nerfs 1 change

    Obstructs enemy vision almost instantly and creates too many blind spots at once.

  • VSS Nerfs 1 change

    Suppressed fire that's hard to trace combined with a high rate of fire adds up to too much killing power.

  • Blue Zone Grenade Nerfs 1 change

    Forces players out of an area while dealing damage, giving it too much control over enclosed spaces.

  • Smoke Grenade Nerfs 1 change

    Obscures an area for long enough to revive, reposition, or cross open ground almost risk-free.

  • Sawed-off Shotgun Nerfs 1 change

    Substantial close-range damage from a handgun slot makes it too reliable as an emergency weapon.

  • PanzerFaust Nerfs 1 change

    Can heavily damage players around the impact point even without a direct hit.

  • Pan Nerfs 1 change

    Its entire surface blocks bullets whether it's equipped or not, giving it too much free protection.

  • MP5K Nerfs 1 change

    A fast firing rate and manageable recoil let it put out high close-range damage too consistently.

  • Frag Grenade Nerfs 1 change

    Can damage multiple grouped-up players around corners or limited cover.

  • Stun Grenade Nerfs 1 change

    A successful stun removes an opponent's ability to fight for too long, handing the thrower a major advantage.

  • M249 Nerfs 1 change

    A large magazine and high rate of fire let it sustain dominant fire without reloading often enough.

  • Mini14 Nerfs 1 change

    High bullet velocity, low recoil, and a fast firing rate make it too forgiving at medium and long range.

  • MK12 Nerfs 1 change

    Strong DMR damage with a manageable firing pattern is a combination that's a bit too easy to lean on.

  • M24 Nerfs 1 change

    Substantial long-range damage plus a faster follow-up than other bolt-actions puts it too close to the top snipers.

  • Kar98k Nerfs 1 change

    Strong damage, wide availability, and the ability to punish exposed players quickly add up to too much.

  • AWM Nerfs 1 change

    Extremely high damage leaves almost no chance for a player to respond once hit.

  • Groza Nerfs 1 change

    High damage and a fast firing rate make it extremely effective at close and medium range.

  • Beryl M762 Nerfs 1 change

    High damage and a fast rate of fire are held back mainly by recoil, so that's the lever that moves.

  • AUG Nerfs 1 change

    Strong damage, firing speed, and manageable recoil make it effective at almost every range.

  • Famas Nerfs 1 change

    A very high rate of fire lets it put out extreme damage in a very short window.

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