Apex Legends randomly dropped onto consoles and PCs on February 4, 2019, and it has certainly caught the gaming world by storm. We’ve whipped up a handful of tips to help ensure your survival, from things like forming the best squad, to using nonverbal communication and more. Read on to learn a thing or two!
What Apex Legends tips have you picked up in the days since its explosive launch? No doubt some interesting strategies will surface as players get used to the nuances of the mechanics and exploit some of its systems. Is voice communication a vital tool for successful teams, or is the above-mentioned ping system really robust enough to consistently take teams to a win? Can squads win without the likes of Lifeline? Patches and updates to the game from Respawn Entertainment will also change things up, which may require strategy shifts. Each character also warrants their own set of tactics, something touched on in the gallery above.
What do you think? Did we miss something obvious? Have any player strategies surprised you in the brief amount of time that Apex Legends has been out? What never fails to earn you a kill or two? Be sure to share your tips below!
Apex Legends Launch Tips
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Medic Required
Save us, Lifeline!
Support classes aren’t usually particularly popular, but they are a necessity for squads that hope to win. Apex Legends lists two players as support characters: Lifeline and Pathfinder. But really, Lifeline is a true support character, featuring a tactical ability which deploys a healing droid and an ultimate ability that calls in a drop pod full of defensive gear. You can only happen upon so many health packs and shield recharges out in the field, but nearly continuous access to a healing drone is guaranteed to increase your chances of success. Since character selection is random each match, if you’re the last person to choose and your team doesn’t yet have Lifeline selected, it’s in your best interest to give your squad a literal lifeline. You’ll be thankful you did.
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Stick Together
Squad Up
The team that stays together, wins together. Apex Legends places a heavy emphasis on teams. Characters will even say things to each other if the team is too spread out. You don’t have to stay on top of one another, and indeed in the case of an unexpected ambush it is better to not be too close to each other as the threat of a squad wipe becomes very real. But if your squad mates are too far away when you’re in desperate need of some healing, then you’ll feel especially vulnerable.
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Choose the Right Drop Point
"This Place Looks Promising..."
As with most battle royale games, there is something of a pre-game in Apex Legends. Squads launch out of VTOL craft and jetpack down to wherever they would like to start the fight. While it is tempting to glide on over to one of the many large buildings featured in Kings Canyon, it’s also tempting for other squads to land there. Don’t forget that you start every match essentially unarmed, so if another player reaches the large shiny building ahead of your squad, you may be in for an early death.
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Communicate
Communication...Rules the Nation
Team-based games obviously require teamwork. Communication is vital for any amount of teamwork. For those of you without a mic or playing in an area/at a time that limits your verbal communications options, don’t forget the ping system. Apex Legends features a simple, yet robust system triggered by pressing or holding R1. See some body armor or a flatline rifle early in the match? Just point at the item and tap R1 to point it out to your teammates. The same goes for enemies, respawn points, and more. Squads have won using only the ping system, and with practice, you can too.
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Know When to Back Out
Live to Fight Another Minute
This is perhaps one of the hardest things to do in a game like Apex Legends. If your squad is ambushed, and one or more of your teammates is taken out, your initial reaction may be to rush to their aid. But sometimes, and especially if you’re not sure where exactly the enemy is firing from, it may be best to creep back a ways. Wait until the heat dies down, then go to your fallen ally. Assuming they have only been knocked down, it’s easy to revive them. At the very least, you can secure their revival. You’ll need to stay wary, though, as the enemy may assume you’re using this exact tactic, and they may be using your ally’s death marker as bait.
