With Respawn dishing out news for Apex Legends' new character Wattson at this year's E3, in anticipation of the season two launch, there will likely be an influx of noobs that have no idea how to begin. Apex Legends somewhat threatened Fortnite as a battle royale alternative, by resolving some innate issues the genre is often imbued with. With a smaller arena, fewer players, and the removal of the construction mechanics, its gameplay has a significantly faster pace. This also makes it difficult to adjust, upon entering the game, without getting mowed down and wondering how Katniss ever survived The Hunger Games. So, here's some tips to avoid an hour of two-minute games during that brutal initiation.
10 10. Pick Lifeline Or Gibraltar
Each legend available for character selection has two unique abilities, most of which involve crucial strategies. It may be best for you to choose either Lifeline or Gibraltar, who are support characters. The former can restore health, which is good in a panic—which you will definitely do, at first.
Additionally, this makes sure you don't really have to worry about picking up syringes to heal yourself. She can also summon new loot with a drop pod. Gibraltar, meanwhile, can toss a dome shield that blocks all incoming and outgoing fire. He also throws a grenade that marks an area for carpet bombing from above.
9 9. Drop To The Same Spot
Every game begins with falling from the sky, onto an unfamiliar island. Until the map feels like more of a home than your bedroom, make sure everyone drops in the same area. Goes without saying, always stick together. Ping multiple locations—that aren't directly beneath you—until the team replies "ok", and then launch. Pro Streamers will agree to the best places.
But, they might also disengage, and try to drop somewhere else; just follow them, unless it's a hot spot for loot. This is any area marked by blue rings on your map, or the supply ship that floats across the island. This is not for beginners, and it often kills off experienced players too. Regardless of the upcoming ranking system, it's usually a bad idea, because it requires a thorough knowledge of what you need.
8 8. Take Only What You Need To Survive
There are a decent number of guns and equipment, and instinct often has players picking up everything in sight, since there's no concept of what may actually be helpful. This is a bad idea, since the inventory fills up quickly. It'll take time to figure out what's best for you, but there are essential basics. Firstly, grab any helmet, and armor. The latter looks like a chest plate. Without these, incoming fire goes straight to the health bar. Armor can be restored with Shield Batteries and Shield Cells, which are little blue tubes. Starting out, get any gun that's lying next to blue-green ammo, since it's "heavy", and will deal more damage per shot. Your secondary should be a shotgun, which sits with red ammo, since it's effective up close and requires less aim.
7 7. Stick With Your Team
When looting, it's easy to lose track of your teammates and get left behind. Even if you have to leave something behind that you want or need, stick with them instead. No high-level armor will save you from a 3-v-1 fight at this stage. Additionally, be sure that the team doesn't loot for so long that the ring crushes everyone into oblivion. Even if you’re full of syringes, it's tough to see through the orange haze. It also gives other teams the opportunity to get ahead, secure a choke point, and then wait to ambush incoming teams who spent too long deciding which gun they'd like to be killed with.
6 6. Rescue Isn't Always The Best Plan
In a pinch, it's easy to hope the rest of the team will resolve every confrontation with an enemy. That's not going to happen. So often, when players see a downed teammate, they will rush to their aid rather than continuing to push back against the advancing opponents. It is only an effective way to get shot.
Even though Lifeline automatically puts up a dome shield when she's reviving a teammate, the enemy will smell blood and move in for the kill. If you absolutely cannot win, know when to run, hide, and come back for your teammates' banners to respawn them at a green respawn station later on.
5 5. Using Grenades
Grenades are an effective tool, but only if used correctly. Still, they are far more distinguishable than weapons at first. It helps that there are only three. Arc Stars, which resemble ninja stars, take a couple of seconds to detonate, but break shields on impact. Thermite Grenades cause a streak of fire, and hand grenades simply blow up. Do not resort to grenades in a firefight. They are used for positional advantage—to ambush an enemy, or to retreat. Thermite Grenades can cover lines of sight, allowing the revival of a teammate. Spamming the enemy with Arc Stars is a good way to make them scramble, with damaged shields.
4 4. Don't Hog Equipment
Do not hog all of the equipment and weapons in an area, and certainly not after the drop. It may be great to have two weapons to swap between during a firefight, but it's easy to be overwhelmed if your teammates don't have a bullet to their name. At appropriate moments, bring up the menu to view the inventory. From here, you can ping anything that you need, or drop things that your teammates might need. Keep an eye on the lower left side of the screen to see what armor and health status they have. No one needs a dozen med-kits and syringes to themselves. Chances are, skilled players will make better use of it anyways, to help carry you. Always try to work together; after all, you are a squad.
3 3. Using Respawn Beacons
A legend never truly dies. That is, after getting turned into a little box of loot for the enemy, it also contains a banner that teammates can use to revive each other at "respawn beacons". So, don't just rage quit the game, since you aren't making any money from it like Rooster Teeth.
Also, a teammate isn't necessarily ignoring you if they run away. Do not spam the button that alerts them to your banner. You'll distract them! They may just be retreating to heal, and recover you later. If they're skilled, it would actually be advantageous to watch and learn their habits.
2 2. Speak Up
Communication is absolutely vital. Get used to the ping system, as quickly as possible. If you even think you see an enemy, ping it. Nothing draws the team’s attention faster, and you can always cancel a ping by clicking on it again. If you’re mistaken, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Marking an enemy, especially when knocked down and bleeding, can be the difference between survival and a complete squad elimination. Hold down the ping button to bring up a wheel, which allows players to send a number of various messages. When teammates ping something, you can ping it to acknowledge, or even call dibs on weapons and equipment.
1 1. Jump Around
Movement is key in Apex Legends. The Pathfinder legend's abilities completely revolve around this, wielding both a personal zipline and an ultimate one that the whole team can use. Now, holding jump allows you to scale walls, or hang on the edge, if you release at the proper moment. It can also be useful to give a little hop during a shootout, since most players strafe left and right while they fire, and probably won't expect it. Slide down any inclines to travel faster, which can really help for a quick escape. There are also scattered ziplines that go straight up to a floating balloon; instead of Pennywise, you'll get an opportunity to shoot through the air, covering ground quickly at the cost of vulnerability.