Taking the world by storm, Apex Legends has quickly established itself as a bona fide hit. Surpassing 50 million players in less than a month is no small feat and with a rogue’s gallery of misfits for players to sink their teeth into, it’s no wonder why.
Similar to Overwatch, Apex’s selection of legends each has their own traits and personality to match. With six characters available from the start, including three unlockable extras, finding a main can be troublesome. Not to mention the fact that you won’t always have first pick.
Each legend has a Passive, Tactical and Ultimate ability which can be utilized to both yourself and your squad’s benefit. It’s worth considering teammates choices too. If no one has opted for a healer, taking on that mantle can reward the trio greatly and vice versa for other roles.
So, to help you get to grips with this colorful clan of characters, we’ve put together a guide outlining each combatant’s advantages on the battlefield, as well as some handy tips to help you stand a fighting chance. Regardless of your pick, avoid Mozambique’s at all costs – we can’t work miracles.
[Update: There's a new Legend in town. Players can start running and gunning with new character Octane as part of the Wild Frontier Battle Pass (950 Apex Coins) or as a standalone purchase (750 Apex Coins / 12,000 Legends Tokens). Check out Octane's introductory trailer below.]
Octane (new)
Passive: Swift Mend
Tactical: Stim
Ultimate: Launch Pad
After a grenade blast left Octane without any legs, this colorful character got some robot replacements and got to work.
As an adrenaline junkie, Octane's main advantage in the Apex Games is speed. His Swift Mend ability allows him fast healing, with health that gradually restores over time – meaning this isn't a character you'll need to hide in the shadows after a close brush with death.
Octane can also use unlimited Stim, to up his speed for short intervals – at the expense of his health – making him ideal for dashing in and out of conflict. He can also deploy a Jump Pad to 'catapult' himself or his teammates through the air for tricksy aerial shots or quick jumps out of danger.
Bloodhound
Passive: Tracker
Tactical: Eye of the Allfather
Ultimate: Beast of the Hunt
Starting off with the most hidden figure, we have the Norse God-worshipping Bloodhound. As the only tracker in the game, Bloodhound possesses a lot of unique moves. Tracker lets players see clues left behind by enemies to locate their whereabouts, with Eye of the Allfather adding the ability to see traps into the mix. Caution is advised for excessive use of the power though, due to your whereabouts being given away.
Beast of the Hunt grants increased speed while enhancing your senses. It’s easy to feel invincible when enabled but be warned you are still as susceptible to death as normal. Surprise attacks or a quick getaway make the most out of this perk. Being well-rounded and great on the offense, Bloodhound is ideal for newcomers and veterans alike.
Gibraltar
Passive: Gun Shield
Tactical: Dome of Protection
Ultimate: Defensive Bombardment
Polynesian personnel Mikao Gibraltar may be the biggest character in Apex, and with that holds the largest hitbox, however his defensive maneuvers make him a nuisance to take down. With his passive gifting him a Gun Shield when aiming down sights, it’s best to make scopes a priority. Trouble in combat? Whip out his Dome of Protection that shields yourself and teammates for 15 seconds.
You then have the destructive Defensive Bombardment that calls in an airstrike on any nearby marking thrown down. Gibraltar can be difficult to master, though once you learn how to exploit his key attributes, you’ll have opponents running for the hills.
Lifeline
Passive: Combat Medic
Tactical: D.O.C Heal Drone
Ultimate: Care Package
Whenever Lifeline aka Ajay Che is picked, a sigh of relief is exhaled due to her unbelievably useful healing abilities. On top of being able to recover lost damage thanks to her drone, the youngest Apex contender can call in a care package full of high-quality defensive armor.
Healing items work at a 25% faster rate for Lifeline, while reviving knocked down teammates is quickened too with a shield put up for good measure. The definitive support character, Lifeline should be at the back of the pact ready to revive the squad whenever called upon.
Pathfinder
Passive: Insider Knowledge
Tactical: Grappling Hook
Ultimate: Zipline Gun
Comparable to K-2SO in Rogue One, Pathfinder is a bundle of optimism as he trounces over enemies’ corpses spurting off one-liners maniacally. The forward scout is brilliant for getting out of tricky situations due to its grappling abilities. Although, don’t forget that its zipline is accessible to all - including enemies. When given enough practice, Pathfinder’s grapple can even pull opponents closer for some slick kills.
As a sniper, Pathfinder should be your go to because of the robot’s maneuverability and skill at outflanking foes. Accessing survey beacons scattered across King’s Canyon gives Pathfinder and co. knowledge of the next ring’s location, making preparation for the later battles more straightforward.
Wraith
Passive: Voices from the Void
Tactical: Into the Void
Ultimate: Dimensional Rift
Interdimensional Skirmisher Wraith is quick, strong on the attack and boasts the lowest hitbox. Her Dimensional Rift lets her teleport quickly out of danger by linking two spots together, though we’ve found more use running from attacks as she creates the portal.
The same can be said for her tactical Void move, which allows Wraith to reposition and recover. Debatably the most useful of her skills are the voices that make you aware of nearby danger. Evasion is no doubt what Wraith is all about. Lurk in the shadows and unleash hell on opponents when they’re least expecting it.
Bangalore
Passive: Double Time
Tactical: Smoke Launcher
Ultimate: Rolling Thunder
Brought up in a military background Anita Williams (or as her callsign states, Bangalore) takes no prisoners. She’s quick and superb for taking down enemies in close combat. When the odds seem stacked against her, Bangalore can fire off a smoke canister that engulfs nearby environments. This is useful for taking down unsuspecting adversaries or making a quick exit, of which is heightened by her passive Double Time that increases sprint speed.
For an explosive end, Bangalore can call in an artillery strike to decimate the land. It does carry quite a long charge time however, so use sparingly.
Caustic
Passive: Nox Vision
Tactical: Nox Gas Trap
Ultimate: Nox Gas Grenade
The oldest of the bunch but up there with the most dangerous, Caustic is not to be trifled with. Possessing an arsenal of gaseous weapons, the mad scientist (real name Alexander Nox) is perfect for setting up camp and waiting for challengers to stumble in on his traps.
His tactical Nox Gas Trap lets users place six canisters accordingly before releasing the poisonous gas when shot, where as Nox Gas Grenade blankets the surroundings. Any enemies caught up in the toxic will be visible thanks to Caustic’s Nox Vision, meaning this is the optimal time to take down those choking on the fumes.
Mirage
Passive: Encore!
Tactical: Psyche Out
Ultimate: Vanishing Acts
“You got bamboozled”, says master of deception Mirage. The youngest of four brothers, Elliot Witt or (as he’s better known) Mirage loves the limelight. More adept for solo play than a team player, his collection of decoys confuse opposition in their droves enabling either a quick getaway or crafty infiltration.
Psyche Out is the ability you’ll rely on most, while Vanishing Act should be used only in emergencies to quickly recuperate lost health. Mirage also drops a decoy when knocked down but this is more style over substance. Concentrate on deceiving combatants and kills will follow suit.
(Image credits: Respawn Entertainment)
