You’ve probably already seen that Respawn is switching things up in Apex Legends Season 16. If not, maybe read about that stuff first. Done? Great. Now, you might have some immediate takeaways if you’re a Mirage main (yay) or a hardcore Seer grinder (boo), but the changes hit different for pro players.
Professional esports players – like those who took part in the ALGS Playoffs this weekend and will crack on with Split 2 as it kicks off next weekend – not only have to think about their favourite Legends, or those with the best abilities. They also have to form the best synergies with their teammates, react to the meta, and even counterpick what their opponents are playing. The latter option is what gave Furia such success last year, and the meta leaving them behind is likely a big part of why they didn’t qualify for the Split 1 Playoffs.
TSM coach ‘Raven’ may have unique inspirations for his team compositions, but he also told me about the importance of staying ahead of the meta, and knowing how to react to future meta shifts so you’re always one step ahead. That’s what TSM was trying with the failed Catalyst experiment, for instance. Despite having a fraction of the Apex knowledge that Raven boasts, I’ve got a good idea of the meta shifts that will occur with the Season 16 patch.
There are two distinct playstyles in competitive Apex: playing ‘zone’ or playing ‘edge’. The definitions of those are simple: zone teams want to rotate as early as possible, scanning beacon information to find out where it will pull, and fortify a good spot as early as possible to prepare for the endgame. Edge teams are the opposite, they walk in with the zone, looting and killing as they go. Some teams even stay inside the zone for as long as possible, healing off any damage to make sure they’re properly kitted out for the final fights of the match.
At the moment, zone teams are favouring the likes of Crypto and Wattson: the former to scan beacons, and the latter to fortify their position with her fences and repel enemy pushes with her Interception Pylon. They also use Valkyrie to quickly reposition and get that spot in the zone.
I don’t see zone team compositions changing too much in Season 16: they still need Valkyrie for the rotates, and Wattson has got stronger with the ability to scan beacons. However, Crypto may decline in popularity due to the shift in information he provides – will teams want scans of opponents? His Drone makes that information quick and easy to access, but I could see a few Lobas taking his place to giveteams plenty of loot despite their early rotation. Newcastle/Wattson could continue to grow as a strong core for zone teams, and Caustic could also see some more use here, but Wattson just seems stronger until Gas Daddy gets a buff.
Edge teams now have a lot more options, and most teams will add a Wraith to their roster. She and Pathfinder are now much better rotators, especially when combined with Valkyrie. With Seer and Horizon both receiving nerfs, the latter is comfortably replaced with Wraith, but where will edge teams look if they still want a scanner? Bloodhound’s scans have also been nerfed, so their pick rate will likely fall too.
This is a spicy call, but here’s where I could see an old friend rejoin the fray. Gibraltar is a defensive Legend, but his Support buffs could work well with edge playstyles. For teams that play right on the edge of zone, the extra meds he finds in Extended Supply Bins will be invaluable, and his new ability to craft fallen allies’ Respawn Banners could allow teams to safely reset in zone, even after one or two teammates have fallen. It’s a lot of Crafting Materials, but alleviates the risk of going back into the fight to grab the Banners in-person.
The Gold Shotgun Bolt and increased projectile size for shotgun pellets is also a secret Gibby buff. Shotguns are perfect for bubble fights around his Dome of Protection, and the decreased hipfire accuracy of Assault Rifles will help alleviate the effectiveness of opponents’ return fire, too. Think about it, TSM’s Jordan ‘Reps’ Wolfe returns to Gibby, playing shotgun bubble fights on mouse and keyboard against controller players attempting to loose magazines of SMGs at him in return. The aim assist factor might be too high for Gibraltar to be completely effective again, but I’d like to see some teams try it.
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If you’re set on countering this meta, Mad Maggie seems strong. The number of Wattsons and Bangalores in play means Fuse won’t see much play, but if teams wanted to go really off-meta, Element 6’s success with RevTane may be an option, and I suspect one or two Lifelines and Ramparts could appear. Horizon won’t be completely dead, either, so don’t write her off despite the nerfs.
Apex Legends Season 16 will be the great leveller – the Legends seem more balanced than ever before, and I think we’ll see multiple, sizeable meta shifts before the Split 2 Playoffs return to London. We can usually rely on APAC teams to find some innovative synergies, and the level of coaching at the top teams in NA and EMEA will only improve the quality there, too. Those of you desperate to see a lobby full of Mirages at the next LAN, however, I’ve got bad news. He’s still not good.