Apex Legends tips to get you ready for battle

Some Apex Legend tips will help you get ahead in one of the biggest online Battle Royal games. Since its initial launch Apex Legends has seen massive changes, so whether you're returning after some time away or just looking for some pointers on new elements, we've got something here that can help you. 

Currently, in season 9, there are 17 Playable Legends to take into battle, 3 maps to fight across, and a range of different modes to play. That gives you a variety of ways to enjoy Apex Legends and however you choose to battle, and whether you’re a long-time player or a complete newbie, here are 10 Apex Legends tips to help you play effectively and efficiently.

1.  Communication is key, so ping! 

As this is a team-based Battle Royal, communication is key. Respawn has developed a pinging system in Apex that allows players to communicate without mics - all you need to do is hit R1 (PlayStation), RB (Xbox), or click the mouse wheel on PC for a instant ping, or hold the button down for more options. You can ping items for teammates, enemies, location suggestions, strategy plans, and even let teammates know when an area has been looted. Comms are fundamental in good teamwork, so use pings at all times to keep your team in the loop. 

2.  Colors differentiate item quality, and you generally want the best 

Most loot and cosmetic items are color-coded to show how good they are. Different colors mean different rarities and generally the rarer, the better. Apex Legends puts all its gear into these categories: 

• White – Common
• Blue – Rare
• Purple – Epic
• Gold – Legendary
• Red – Heirloom

As a rule, you always want the rarest version of anything you find. So if you find a better version of something you already have, swap it out. 

3. Colors on enemy hit numbers also tell you how dangerous they are

When you hit an enemy, the damage numbers that pop off tell you quite a lot about what you’re engaging. 

• Red numbers - your opponent has no armor 
• White numbers - level one armor
• Blue numbers - level two armor
• Purple numbers - level three armor 
• Yellow numbers - a headshot

Understanding these numbers effectively shows you how much of a threat an enemy is. If the numbers are red, indicating there’s no armor, then it’s a good idea to go after them. Purple numbers showing legendary armor means you might want to hang back. 

4. Dealing damage improves your shield

Evo Shields, or Evos to keep things short, protect you from damage. They can also evolve into stronger shields from your damage output - by damaging your opponents your shield counts down points until the next shield upgrade. However, this does not recharge your shield. 

You land with a white shield which gives you an additional 50hp on top of your base 100hp. Shield can also be found in following tiers: 

• Common (White) – 50hp (100 damage to upgrade)
• Rare (Blue) – 75hp (300 damage to upgrade)
• Epic (Purple) – 100hp (750 damage to upgrade)
• Legendary (Gold) – 100hp (not Evo)
• Heirloom (Red) – 125hp (max Evo)

Shields can go all the way up to red Evo but this is the only shield not available as ground loot. You must put the damage in to get this shield. Gold shields do not evolve, but they do have their own added benefit; gold shields use fewer healing items to fully recover you, allowing you to save space in your inventory. 

You can identify an enemy's shield type when you damage them. A small number the same color as the shield should appear on the screen indicating the damage done. Once the shield is broken, the damage number should appear red. This is the best time for an all-out assault.   

Helmets are also an important armor items that reduce headshot damage depending on the following rarities: 

• Common (White) – 20% headshot damage reduction
• Rare (Blue) – 40% headshot damage reduction
• Epic (Purple) – 50% headshot damage reduction
• Legendary (Gold) – 50% damage reduction & reduces tactical and ultimate recharge by 20% 

5.  Adding attachments to your gun makes it better 

Guns are the most effective with attachments and hop-ups added on, which you can find in loot as you play. The higher the quality of your attachments, the better your gun, giving you an advantage over your opponents. Depending on your weapon type, you may need:

• Barrel Mod – Reduced recoil 
• Shotgun Bolt – Slightly increased fire rate 
• Standard Stock – Slightly increased handling and reduced aim drift
• Sniper Stock – Slightly increased handling 
• Extended Mag – Increased ammo capacity 
• Optics – Improved aiming down sight

Hop-ups, on the other hand, make your weapon more dangerous by buffing a weapon characteristic - adding more damage to headshots for example, or changing the fire rate. There is usually an extra slot next to your gun attachments indicating if your weapon can carry a hop-up. For example, the Turbocharger hop-up reduces spin-up time and can be equipped on any weapon with a firing delay, like the Devotion or Havoc.

6.  You can find more loot if you know where to look 

Apex Legends loot is scattered all throughout the map at random. Knowing where to look can help you find more, and as a result, increases your chances of finding better stuff. Places to check for loot include named locations on the map, loot vaults, cargo bots, and supply ships you can land on that carry high-tier loot. There are also hot drop locations marked on the map - these locations have high-tier loot and usually have many teams landing there. Care packages can also drop at random locations on the map and supply high-tier loot and exclusive, fully equipped weapons that cannot be found on the ground.

Loba and Lifeline are also two Legends that are ideal for those of you who like your loot. Loba’s tactical ability Eye for Quality helps her see epic and legendary loot through walls and supply bins and her ultimate, Black-Market Boutique, allows her to shop for loot in the area by placing a device that will teleport nearby loot in for the team to choose from - two items per player, and unlimited ammo. It also releases a pulse that enemies can see, so be ready to fight. 

Lifeline's ultimate ability allows her to call in a care package that provides the team with health items, upgraded shields, and hop-ups. She can also access the hidden compartment on extended supply bins.

7.  Heals always help 

Make sure you're equipped with a range of healing items, known as heals in Apex. Syringes and Shield Cells are quick smaller heals that only heal 25hp but can be useful in a sticky situation. Med Kits and Shield Batteries will heal you to full health but take longer to apply. And lastly, Phoenix Kits patch up both health and shields but take the longest to apply.

Picking heals up at the start of a game is almost as important as getting a good weapon and can help prepare you for later on down the line. Med Kits and Shield Batteries are also available to craft in Replicators if you have the resources to make them, and is another good way to stock up. Lastly, Lifeline is the best Legend for a quick heal - her tactical allows her to use a health drone to heal her and her teammates.

8.  Use Respawn Beacons to keep your team in the game 

Now, just because you or a teammate gets killed doesn't mean you're out of the picture for the rest of the match. A knocked teammate (meaning they're downed but not dead) can always be revived, and a completely dead teammate can also be brought back from a Respawn Beacon if you can find one. However, there is a time limit on how long a dead player will be available for respawning. If there are no Respawn Beacons nearby, picking up a Mobile Respawn Beacon can be very useful. They allow you to respawn a fallen teammate anywhere. They can be found on the ground within the general loot pool and your inventory has a specific slot reserved for them.  

 9. Heat shields let you survive outside the Ring 

The Ring is the name of the shrinking circle in Apex Legends that forces players together - get caught outside and you'll take heat damage. Heat Shields can be useful in this situation as they create an area of protection that gives you an opportunity to heal up before running to the next Ring. With each round the Ring gets smaller and the heat of the Ring gets stronger, making Heat Shields a must during the first couple of rings. However, in the later rounds the Ring gets more powerful so Heat Shields do not last as long but can be used for tactical purposes if you're clever. 

10.  Crafting can give you an edge! 

There are Replicators and Crafting Materials scattered throughout the map, with Replicators descending at random points throughout the match. Opening a supply bin gives you 5 Material points, and collecting 20 Material points allows you to craft either a Med Kit or a Shield Battery in the Replicator. There is a daily and weekly rotation of items, and most importantly, items in the rotation will not be available as ground loot, making the Replicator a handy tool when you need a specific item.  

11. Staying mobile helps you win so use all the different ways to move around the map

Mobility is a huge part of Apex Legends. Its smooth running and jump slides make it a fast-paced FPS, especially if you holster your weapon, which allows you to move faster. In addition, throughout the map, there are ziplines, jump towers, phase runners, geysers, and even Tridents (vehicles) to help you move around the map effectively. You can also pick a few Legends that excel in movement, particularly Octane, Pathfinder, and Valkyrie. Octane uses stims to run fast and has a jump pad that can be used for quick leaps. Pathfinder uses his grapple hook to swing around and has a zipline as his ultimate ability. This can be used tactically to get the high ground on opponents. Lastly, Valkyrie can fly, and her incredible ultimate ability Redeploy, allows her to take to the skies. This can be used for a tactical retreat, getting the high ground, or even escaping the ring. Becoming familiar with the different maps can give you a tactical advantage by helping you get the best positioning, plan your route, and evade the Ring.  

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