Apex Legends, a fast-paced battle royale from Respawn Entertainment, combines fluid movement, tactical team play, and unique character abilities. To succeed, players need to master gunplay, positioning, and teamwork. Whether you’re a newcomer or a seasoned player, this guide will provide essential tips and strategies to improve your skills, navigate the battlefield, and secure victories.
1. Mastering Movement and Positioning
Movement is a critical aspect of Apex Legends, setting it apart from other battle royales. Learning how to move fluidly and position yourself advantageously can give you a competitive edge.
Slide Jumping for Speed
One of the most effective ways to move quickly in Apex Legends is by slide jumping. While sprinting, slide downhill or on flat terrain and jump just as your slide begins to slow down. This technique maintains your momentum and helps you cover more ground quickly.
Using Ziplines and Grapples
In Apex Legends, ziplines and certain legends’ abilities (like Pathfinder’s grapple) allow you to traverse terrain swiftly. Mastering these movement options not only helps with rotation but also offers creative ways to engage or disengage from combat.
2. Understanding Legends and Their Abilities
Apex Legends features a roster of unique characters, each with distinct abilities. Understanding these abilities and how they complement your team is crucial to success.
Legend Roles: Offensive, Defensive, and Support
Legends are categorized into different roles: offensive (e.g., Wraith, Octane), defensive (e.g., Gibraltar, Caustic), and support (e.g., Lifeline, Loba). Offensive legends excel at dealing damage and flanking enemies, while defensive legends can hold positions and protect teammates. Support legends provide healing, supplies, or team mobility. Choose legends that fit your playstyle and team composition.
Ultimate Ability Timing
Each legend has an ultimate ability that can turn the tide of battle. Learning when and how to use these ultimates is key. For example, Wraith’s portal is great for repositioning the team, while Gibraltar’s defensive bombardment is ideal for disrupting enemy pushes or forcing them out of cover.
3. Looting and Managing Inventory
Looting efficiently is an essential skill in Apex Legends. Your ability to find and manage resources quickly will keep you better equipped for combat.
Prioritizing Weapons and Attachments
At the start of the match, prioritize finding a weapon and a shield. Weapons with attachments are significantly more effective, so always be on the lookout for better attachments like barrels, optics, and magazines. Additionally, pick weapons that complement your playstyle, whether you prefer long-range sniping or close-quarters combat.
Ammo and Healing Management
Don’t clutter your inventory with too much ammo. A good rule is to carry about 120 rounds for primary weapons and 60 rounds for secondary weapons. Additionally, always keep enough healing items, such as shield cells, medkits, and syringes, to survive extended fights.
4. Weapon Choices and Mastery
Apex Legends features a wide array of weapons, from sniper rifles to SMGs. Understanding which weapons suit you best and learning their strengths and weaknesses is crucial.
Best Early Game Weapons
In the early game, you might not always find the ideal weapon, so learning to use what’s available is important. SMGs like the R-99 or shotguns like the EVA-8 are excellent for close-range combat. For mid-range engagements, assault rifles like the R-301 are versatile and reliable.
Late Game Weapon Priorities
As the match progresses, try to acquire more powerful weapons with solid attachments. For late-game engagements, consider picking up long-range weapons like the Kraber or Triple Take for high-damage shots, or stick with a close-to-mid-range combo like the Volt SMG and Flatline AR.
5. Communicating with Your Team
Apex Legends emphasizes team-based gameplay, and communication is a key element in achieving victory.
Using the Ping System
Apex Legends’ ping system allows for non-verbal communication. Use it to mark enemies, highlight loot, or indicate where you want to go. Even if you’re not using voice chat, the ping system helps coordinate strategies with your teammates.
Calling Out Enemy Locations
When in combat, always communicate the position of enemies, especially if they are flanking or repositioning. Clear, concise callouts like “enemy on the roof” or “pushing left” can make a huge difference in the outcome of fights.
6. Mastering Combat and Gunplay
Gunplay in Apex Legends is fast and dynamic. Mastering aiming, recoil control, and weapon swaps is essential for winning firefights.
Aiming and Recoil Control
Each weapon in Apex has its unique recoil pattern. Spend time in the Firing Range to practice controlling recoil, especially for automatic weapons like the R-99 or Spitfire. Aiming for the head or upper torso can quickly down enemies, but consistent body shots are often safer when controlling recoil.
Armor Swapping
During intense fights, armor swapping can be a lifesaver. After eliminating an enemy, immediately check their death box for fresh armor. This can quickly get you back into the fight without wasting valuable healing time.
7. Map Awareness and Rotations
Understanding the map and making smart rotations are vital for positioning and survival in Apex Legends. The shrinking ring forces players into tighter spaces, so planning your movements is key.
Learning Key Locations
Each map has high-tier loot zones and choke points. Learning these areas and the most efficient routes will help you secure better loot while avoiding unnecessary confrontations. For example, high-tier loot areas like Capitol City (World’s Edge) often attract multiple teams, so expect early engagements.
Rotating with the Ring
Always keep an eye on the ring’s movement and plan your rotations accordingly. Getting caught outside the ring can be disastrous, especially in the late game when the damage from the ring increases significantly. Use jump towers, Wraith portals, or ziplines to rotate quickly and avoid the ring’s damage.
8. Managing Healing and Shields
Surviving in Apex Legends often comes down to managing your health and shields during firefights. Knowing when to heal and which items to use can determine the outcome of battles.
Choosing the Right Healing Items
In Apex Legends, there are different types of healing items, including syringes, medkits, shield cells, and shield batteries. Shield batteries are the fastest way to restore your shields in high-pressure situations, while medkits and phoenix kits restore both health and shields. Always prioritize shield restoration, as shields are your first line of defense.
Healing in Combat
Knowing when to heal during a fight is critical. Take cover and quickly pop a shield cell if you’re down a bar or two, or use a full battery if you’ve lost all shields. If your health is low, make sure you’re fully behind cover before using a medkit or syringes to avoid being caught mid-heal.
9. Understanding the Endgame
As you approach the final rings, positioning and coordination with your team become increasingly important. The endgame is often where matches are won or lost.
Holding High Ground
In the final stages of the match, controlling the high ground gives you a significant advantage. High ground offers better sightlines and makes it more difficult for enemies to shoot you without exposing themselves.
Saving Abilities for the Final Fights
Save your ultimate and tactical abilities for the final engagements. Gibraltar’s Dome Shield, Bangalore’s smoke, or Caustic’s gas can be game-changers when dealing with multiple teams in a small area. Timing your abilities correctly can swing the fight in your favor.
10. Playing Ranked Mode
Ranked mode in Apex Legends offers a more competitive experience, where every decision can affect your rank. Playing smart, staying alive, and securing kills are all important for ranking up.
Balancing Aggression and Survival
In ranked play, knowing when to engage and when to retreat is crucial. You gain points for kills, but surviving longer and finishing in the top three will boost your rank even more. Strike a balance between getting eliminations and ensuring your team’s survival.
Team Coordination in Ranked
Ranked mode often requires tighter coordination with your teammates. Focus on reviving downed teammates and sharing resources like ammo or healing items. Stick together as a unit, and don’t overextend yourself, especially in the final circles where positioning is everything.
Conclusion
Apex Legends is a game that rewards skillful movement, precise gunplay, and tactical team coordination. By mastering these tips—ranging from character abilities to map knowledge—you can improve your overall performance and increase your chances of victory. Remember that practice and teamwork are key to becoming a top-tier player in Apex Legends.
