The latest Apex Legends balance updates bring exciting changes to the game, focusing on key adjustments to Legends, weapons, and gameplay mechanics.
Notable changes include those that Wattson has undoubtedly described as enhancements: such as 'Perimeter Security' enhanced, Vantage's Echo Relocation for improved mobility. The update also includes new additions to the Gold Weapon Rotation, as well as adjustments to a variety of weapons including the Hemlok and Mastiff, bringing a whole new dynamic to combat. This article will show you which legends and weapons are recommended if you want to be a winner in battle after the next update.
Pro Tip: Need Apex Coins for new character Sparrow and new weapon skins? LootBar offers a variety of Apex Coins top up, instant delivery and 24/7 customer support!
Legend Balance Changes
Wattson
Passive: Spark of Genius
- Wattson's Spark of Genius now accelerates Ult accel consumption by 50%, meaning it will charge faster when using Ult accel.
- Wattson's passive shield regeneration speed has been increased from 1 second to 2 seconds, allowing her to regenerate shields at a faster rate.
Tactical: Perimeter Security
- The HP of each fence node has been increased to 50 (previously 25), making her fences more durable.
- Cooldown has been dramatically reduced to 4 seconds (previously 15 seconds), allowing Wattson to deploy fences more quickly and frequently.
New feature:
- Fences now slow down enemies who are sliding or jumping, and the cooldowns of Ash's Phase Breach dash and Sparrow’s Double Jump will be consumed by fences.
- The electrification effect will stop if the fence is obstructed or removed but will reactivate once the fence becomes active again.
- The feature where doors exploded when opened into a fence line has been removed.
Pro Tips: This means that in room fights, and even in the final circle, Wattson has a huge advantage, being able to quickly place fences to get her team well positioned as well as safe, and using her ultimate dramatically more often, with an ultimate that can absorb projectiles such as grenades being a huge threat to Fuse.
Upgrades
- Level 2 Upgrades:
Falling Stars has been integrated into Wattson's ultimate, allowing Wattson to access her ability without needing to select an upgrade.
Help is Here: Gain access to all support-related perks. This includes the ability to open Support Bins, faster revives with health regeneration, and the addition of MRB with Banners.
- Level 3 Upgrades:
Energized Healer: Wattson now receives double the healing from small medkits.
(This is the equivalent of the old Gold Shield feature)
Power Pylon: The Ultimate has double the health, healing rate, and capacity.
Vantage
General Adjustments:
Vantage's upper body hitbox has been shrunken to better align with her character model, making her harder to hit in the upper body.
Passive: Spotter's Lens
- Vantage can now ping up to three enemies at a time.
- Health bars of the targeted enemies are now visible.
- Pinging an enemy now reveals their position when they are further than 50 meters away (was previously 100 meters).
Tactical: Echo Relocation
- Echo now auto-recalls after you jump, ensuring smoother use of her ability.
- The activation time to deploy Echo has been reduced, allowing for faster jumps.
- Echo can now fly 10 meters farther, both in base and maximum distance.
- Bat Bounce has been integrated into her base kit, adding more versatility to Vantage’s mobility.
- The time required to redeploy weapons after jumping has been reduced to 0.2 seconds (was previously 0.5 seconds).
- The field of view (FOV) in which Echo can be activated has been widened, making it easier to trigger the jump.
Ultimate: Sniper’s Mark
- The Ultimate Reload upgrade is now part of Vantage’s base kit.
- Ultimate accelerators now consume 50% faster and provide two additional bullets.
- The laser for Sniper’s Mark will now remain hidden until Vantage fires, adding an element of surprise for enemies.
- The laser lasts for 15 seconds and refreshes its timer with each shot.
- The laser’s visibility now better represents Vantage’s aim.
Upgrades
- Level 2 Upgrades:
Controlling My Prey: Vantage gains access to Ring Consoles and can overcharge zones.
Improved Mark: The icon of a marked enemy is visible through walls, briefly highlighting enemies, and revealing their health bars to the squad when marked.
- Level 3 Upgrades:
Tactical Cooldown: Reduces the cooldown of Echo Relocation by 5 seconds.
Sniper Cover: Adds a Gun Shield to Sniper’s Mark for additional protection.
Dev Notes:
The improvements to Echo Relocation make Vantage feel much snappier and easier to control. Players will appreciate the faster mobility and ease of lining up shots with the updated Sniper's Mark, and the new Gun Shield upgrade provides extra protection in high-stakes situations.
Vantage's selection rate has been relatively low, and has been greatly enhanced by this change. If you use Vantage's ultimate with increased proficiency, you'll have the opportunity to be able to kill a purple shield enemy in seconds from a distance!
Ash
Passive:
The cooldown of Ash’s Phase Breach dash has been reduced to 8 seconds (was 10 seconds), allowing her to use it more often.
Tactical:
The tether strength for Ash's Phase Breach has been slightly reduced when pulling hard, such as when using movement abilities like Revenant's Death Totem or Horizon's Gravity Lift.
Upgrades
- Level 2 Upgrades:
Dual Breach has been moved to Level 2.
Charged Knock: Ash now gains health regeneration upon knocking an enemy.
- Level 3 Upgrades:
Ghost in the Machine has been removed.
Greedy Snare and Twin Snares have been moved to Level 3.
Ballistic
Tactical: Whistler
- The damage on activation has been reduced to 15 (was 20).
- The damage caused by overheating has been reduced to 15 (was 30).
Ultimate: Tempest
- The time extension from knocks has been removed (Previous Hotfix).
Upgrades:
- Extra Bullets has been moved to Level 2.
- Lasting Bullet has been moved to Level 3.
Weapon Changes
-
Assault Rifles (AR)
Havoc AR: Improved recoil, and the damage has been increased to 20 (was 19).
Hemlok Burst AR: Reduced burst fire delay.
-
Marksman:
30-30 Repeater: Skullpiercer headshot damage has been reduced:
Uncharged: 80 (was 86).
Charged: 120 (was 130).
- Shotgun:
Mastiff: New ADS firing animation allows the weapon to return to center screen faster, improving accuracy between shots.
-
SMG:
Prowler Burst PDW: Improved horizontal recoil in burst fire and full-auto modes. Reduced burst fire delay.
-
Sniper:
Sentinel: Increased rechamber speed when energized.
We found that Devotion didn't get changed in the next update, which means that Devotion is still the power weapon! The updated legends options of Wattson and Vantage are very good choices. This is because Vantage is perfect for sniper guns, while sentinel has been strengthened; and in a version where displacement skills are very much in play, the slowing effect of Wattson's skill is a great way to target them. Here are the recommended Legends and weapon combos:
Legends:
Ash / Sparrow + Vantage / Ballistic + Wattson / Lifeline
Weapons:
Sentinel+Devotion / Devotion+Hemlok / Prowler+R301 / Mastiff+Sentinel
NOTE
After the S25 2nd half of the season update, many players have found ‘interesting’ bugs, one of the most important things you need to be aware of is that Wattson's Level 3 Upgrades will disappear as the Gold shield comes off, probably due to the use of the same code for the new talents as the Gold shield. So if you want to have a good gaming experience with Wattson, and don't want to lose your Level 3 Upgrades, it's best not to wear the Gold shield!
In addition, LootBar will also be keeping an eye on the Apex Legends tier list, Apex Legends patch notes and Apex Legends store to give you more guide and improve your gaming experience!