Apex Legends Season 16 is here and it’s the biggest shake-up the meta has had in years. Along with some substantial reworks to various legends and weapons, Season 16 also introduces a new class system that gives these characters new passives. From being able to carry more ammo to seeing what’s inside of a Care Package, developer Respawn Entertainment is clearly putting a greater focus on team composition.
When evaluating each legend, we looked at their adaptability, general abilities, how they synergize with other legends, and what they bring to a game. You can climb the Ranked ladder with anyone if you’re skilled enough — just know you’ll have an easier time with some than others. Just because your favorite legend isn’t at the top doesn’t mean you should stop using them! We’re simply evaluating them as they currently stand in the Season 15 meta, as well as their performance in Ranked matches. I won’t be heavily considering high-level. ALGS competitive play, as that’s an entirely different beast that most of the player base won’t experience.
S Tier
Wraith
Everyone’s favorite “tryhard” legend, Wraith has been popular with professional players, streamers, and competitive individuals since the game was released. Boasting one of the smallest hitboxes in the game, Wraith can be difficult to pin down in a hectic battle. Following another round of buffs, Wraith has been elevated to an S-tier legend once again. This is because her portal now goes twice as far and the speed while running to place the portal has been drastically increased. Because of this, Wraith is now one of the best rotation legends in the entire game. Being able to quickly move your team from one location to another has always been strong, but doubling the distance has elevated her above other rotation legends like Ash or Octane. Wraith is also a terrific escape legend since her Tactical allows players to be a bit riskier and take angles others can’t during a firefight.
Bangalore
Apex Legends’ weapons expert, Bangalore has witnessed a massive surge in popularity. This is due to a variety of factors, perhaps the most notable is how she directly counters a lot of controller-using players. See, whenever someone aims in her smoke while using a controller they will lose aim assist. This makes tracking targets much more difficult, giving mouse and keyboard players a needed edge. Bangalore is also terrific on the new Broken Moon map, as her smoke grenades provide needed visual cover to disengage from enemy teams or third parties. Given players’ frustration with controller users, I don’t imagine Bangalore’s pick rate dropping any time soon.
Bloodhound
This might be a bit of a controversial pick, but Bloodhound is still extremely viable in the current meta. Following a complete rework to their kit, Bloodhound will now see a white raven throughout the duration of a match. Scanning this raven will instantly refresh your scan and lead you toward the closest enemy team. The raven will then appear again at the end of its flight, allowing you to scan the bird once more. It’s an odd cadence, but once you get the hang of this new mechanic you can easily locate enemy teams or just get free scans during fights. Bloodhound’s ultimate also makes use of this new bird, as their scan won’t have a faster cooldown or reset when the entering Beast of the Hunt. Instead, you can scan the raven at the start of your ultimate to acquire your targets and take the scan off cooldown. All of these new tools may be a bit overwhelming, but it’s hard to deny that Bloodhound is still the best scan legend in the game.
Pathfinder
Apex Legends’ friendly neighborhood robot, Pathfinder was one of the characters that got a pretty substantial buff this season. Similar to Wraith, his Zipline can now go up to 200 meters and players will move way faster while riding it. But where things get really wild is Pathfinder’s Zipline will instantly come off cooldown whenever he scans a Care Package that is either dropping from orbit or has landed. This allows Pathfinder players to chain ziplines to cross vast distances with little effort. It’s perhaps one of the strongest passives in the entire game, which finally helps elevate Pathfinder to being one of the best legends in the entire game. Pathfinder’s grappling hook is also a terrific engagement and disengagement tool, giving him terrific mobility options during fights.
Newcastle
Newcastle is a support character that revolves around reviving his teammates and fortifying positions. His passive Revive the Wounded, allows him to move a downed teammate while reviving them. If that wasn’t already strong, he provides a shield that blocks incoming projectiles, allowing you to safely move someone into cover during a fight. It’s remarkably potent on its own, but combining it with a gold backpack makes Newcastle quite a formidable presence. His Tactical is Mobile Shield, which is a small barrier that he throws out in front of him. This shield can be rotated and moved around the battlefield. It’s great for pushing toward opponents, adding an extra layer of protection when reviving, or just covering your team’s flank during a fight. Finally, there’s his ultimate, Castle Wall. When deployed, Newcastle rockets forward and sets up a large barricade either where he marked or on any ally he’s locked onto. Great for saving your allies or just setting up a defensive position in an area lacking cover, Castle Wall is terrific since Newcastle can deploy up to about 70 meters away.
A Tier
Valkyrie
Valkyrie’s kit is all about repositioning and seeking out advantageous angles. Capable of redeploying her entire team in seconds, she is a very dangerous legend if you take the time to master her. Unlike most other legends, Valkyrie is capable of quickly rotating to take the high ground during a fight without worrying about a long cooldown. Yes, the hover does require fuel, but a skilled player can easily manage this so long as they aren’t spamming the jump button. Valkyrie’s Tactical allows her to stun enemies, slowing and damaging anything caught in the blast radius.
But her most powerful skill is her Ultimate. With the tap of a button, Valkryie becomes her own jump tower, able to redeploy her squad. Using this to escape tricky fights, quickly rotate into the circle, or just move to higher ground is critical. Plus, whenever she flies over someone, they are highlighted for your entire team, giving them real-time info. Despite getting a pretty substantial nerf, Valkyrie is still extremely strong — you just can’t spam her jetpack as much.
Gibraltar
You just can’t put Gibraltar down. Since the game’s release, this hero has been hit with both buffs and nerfs in an attempt to balance him. Despite having back-to-back nerfs to his abilities, Gibraltar is still one of the best and most difficult heroes to go up against in a one-on-one. This big boy can soak a lot of damage, especially if you aren’t landing consistent headshots. His Dome Shield offers protection from all incoming damage sources and allows Gibraltar to pick up downed teammates faster. Players can even use healing items faster when in the shield, making it perfect for recovering during a fight.
Gibraltar’s ultimate has high damage potential but is mainly used to either cut off an enemy advancement or force them out into the open. This gentle giant is still one of the best “anchor” characters in Apex Legends, giving your squad a place to fall back to if their push fails. Plus, dueling a Gibraltar when they have perfected the art of “bubble dancing” is one of the most terrifying things in the game.
Caustic
God, I am so tired of seeing and dying to this character.
This legend revolves around area denial and obstructing an enemy’s ability to effectively push onto your team’s position. With Caustic’s gas no longer slowing or blinding teammates, he is far more terrifying since he can liberally use his containers to flood an entire location with gas. But it’s more than just a way to damage opponents — the gas can obscure Caustic, allowing him to pick up teammates or just block entrances.
This legend is an utter nightmare to fight in the end circle, and his ability to lock down entire areas of the map is unrivaled. While he lacks mobility, Caustic is an incredibly dangerous foe who can slow down enemy pushes or outright turn the tables. Yes you can destroy his barrels, but they take 150 damage to break if they’re triggered. It doesn’t help that the only hard counter to Caustic is, well, Caustic.
Catalyst
Season 15’s legend, Catalyst is all about fortifying a position and blocking enemy line-of-sight. She is remarkably strong at locking a building down — especially one with only a few entrances. This makes her quite strong on maps like World’s Edge or Broken Moon where a lot of the fighting revolves around holding structures. Her passive fortifies or rebuilds doors, giving you terrific outplay potential. Being able to just lock down a door and pop a Shield Battery can mean the difference between winning a fight or going back to the lobby. Her spike traps are remarkably versatile as they can slip under doors, block off pushes, or just help force an enemy out from behind cover. Finally, there’s her ultimate, which can not only be used defensively to block sightlines but is terrific for applying pressure during aggressive pushes. Being able to split up a team with a single wall, allows you to easily isolate a single target to gain momentum during a battle.
B Tier
Seer
Seer is once again a meta-defining powerhouse that has clawed his way back into both the pro and casual scene. While his scans aren’t as easy to perform as Bloodhounds, Seer is still very strong in his own right – especially in Ranked mode where players are typically hiding or fighting from buildings. His passive gives constant wall hacks, allowing a team to always know if someone is hiding nearby or looking to ambush your team. As for his Tactical, it may take a bit of time really get used to its delayed trigger since someone can move out of the way before the scan activates. But, once you understand both when and how to use Seer’s micro-drones, it’s one of the strongest abilities in the whole game.
The best part of Seer’s kit is his ultimate, which provides real-time information for a large radius. However, his heart chamber can be destroyed nullifying this ultimate and can be seen for miles, making you a prime target for other teams. That being said, Seer’s kit is still exceptionally potent – especially once you get good at hitting enemies with your Tactical. There’s a reason he’s seen a huge spike in popularity following the most recent ALGs.
Horizon
Of all the legends, Horizon got hit with the most nerfs. Not only do players take an aim penalty while riding her Gravity Lift, but her Ultimate won’t pull foes if they’re behind walls or cover. This makes her a bit trickier to play but doesn’t make Horizon a “bad” character. She now has a heavier emphasis on gaining high ground or displacing enemies with her abilities. Her ultimate is still terrific for catching a team or player off guard, providing visual cover, or just acting as a way to initiate a fight. Horizon also has a terrific passive, as it allows her to quickly engage any foe she drops onto or just easily escape from an enemy team. Yes, you cannot instantly kill someone while riding up her lift. However, if you use her tools as a way to gain positional advantage she is still one of the best in the game at gaining high ground.
Ash
Despite having a mediocre pick rate, Ash is still a very potent legend. She is a solid engagement character, capable of quickly capitalizing on hurt or unaware enemies. Marked for Death allows an Ash player to know where teams are, making it easy to either get into an isolated fight or avoid a particularly problematic location. Arc Snare is a solid Tactical that not only zones enemies trying to chase you, but can also lock down problematic mobility legends like Valkyrie or Octane. However, it’s her ultimate that really makes Ash shine. Phase Breach is a one-way portal that almost instantly transports you and anyone who goes into it. It’s such a solid ultimate that gives you terrific repositioning or the ability to secure an angle during a fight. Ash is an incredible legend who can easily slot into almost any team composition, regardless of what rank you are playing.
Wattson
Boasting some of the best arena denial skills in the entire game, Wattson’s fence pylons can turn any indoor or confined location into an electric fortress. Not only do they slow down enemies that pass through, but you’ll also be pinged when they are triggered. Great as an early warning system or deterrent for opponents, Wattson is the master at dictating the flow of combat. These fences are perfect for securing locations or forcing enemies down a specific path. The problem is that Wattson is a static character in a game all about mobility. Even with the changes to her abilities, there are simply better options if you want to play defensively.
Mad Maggie
Mad Maggie is a supremely aggressive legend who focuses mainly on disruption and close-quarters combat. Her Riot Drill can easily force enemies out of cover or potentially kill them while healing. It’s a strong tool when used properly, as it constantly pressures enemies trying to disengage. Maggie’s ultimate is also a remarkably strong tool for either escaping, closing the gap, or causing absolute chaos. Throwing that Wrecking Ball in a small room is both entertaining and remarkably potent.
Where Maggie struggles is that there are simply superior options available to players. Maggie is great and is perfect for harassing defensive legends or teams who like to camp in buildings, however, most squads would rather run a Newcastle, Seer, or Valkyrie. This doesn’t make her bad, as she can be exceptionally strong in the right hands. Just there are other options that most teams would prefer to run, especially in the lower and middle ranks.
Crypto
As a Crypto main, I do have a bit of bias when it comes to evaluating this legend, but he has become far more useful following the latest buff. Now Crypto’s drone can be depoyed without going into it. We did it, lads! We finally got our buff! This gives you far more utility throughout matches, allowing players to be far more aggressive when pushing enemies. Being able to just deploy the drone and trigger your EMP can change an entire fight, especially at higher ranks when bringing down a Gibraltar bubble is key.
Speaking of the EMP: it’s still one of the best ultimates in the game when used correctly. Not only does it do 50 shield damage to all foes inside the radius, but it also slows them down, which gives you enough time to secure an easy kill. Combine this with the ability to throw your drone and you can now use the EMP with virtually no delay; it’s terrific. Crypto’s currently seeing a big spike in popularity, mainly due to him offering the most consistent scans and use of the new Survey Beacons. However, since he is one of the most difficult legends to play in the game, I don’t suspect this pick rate will last the entire season.
Fuse
Oh boy, Fuse. A legend who can be an absolute nuisance to deal with, this explosives expert is the king of harassment. With his area denial skills increased thanks to the doubled Knuckle Cluster duration, Fuse can quickly stop pushes or zone enemies with ease. His ultimate also got a buff, highlighting all enemies trapped inside the flames for his entire team. This makes isolated targets easier to take down, even if they’re in a building. Fuse is a terrifyingly good harassment legend who can constantly prod and batter players trying to hide behind cover. While he lacks mobility options, Fuse is a great option for those who like to control the flow of battle or force people out of cover. He is also quite potent during the last few rings, where cover is scarce.
Mirage
Mirage finally got buffed! I know, I can’t believe it either. The baron of bamboozles got some much-needed changes to his passive ability, making him far more viable both in casual and Ranked matches. Now whenever he Bamboozles a player, that user will be tracked for a couple of seconds. This allows Mirage and his teammates to gain valuable information during a fight. Additionally, both Mirage and whoever he revives will remain invisible for a few seconds until they pull their guns out. There’s a lot you can do in three seconds, as this turns Mirage into an escape artist that can make some big plays during fights. Sure, this doesn’t mean Mirage is suddenly overpowered or defining the meta, but he is in a much better position than he previously was.
C Tier
Vantage
The Season 14 legend, Vantage is already making a name for herself thanks to this sharpshooter’s mobility and Ultimate. Starting with her passive, Vantage can relay a variety of information to her team whenever she aims at a foe. This not only includes what legend they are but how many are left in their squad and what EVO Shields they have on. This allows her to quickly assess whether a squad is easy prey or if someone is off on their own. As for Vantage’s Tactical, this allows her to quickly launch toward her bat Echo. While she is vulnerable during the activation, it still offers her terrific repositioning potential.
But where she really shines is when you break out her custom sniper rifle. Acting as her Ultimate, Vantage will gain a bullet every 40 seconds up to a total of five rounds. Not only do these do a high amount of damage, but any enemy hit by her rifle takes increased damage from your team. It’s extremely strong in the early stages of a match, as she can swiftly take an enemy down with just a couple of rounds. This makes Vantage strong, however, there are simply better options available — especially if you plan to play Ranked.
Rampart
Rampart is one of the most intriguing characters in Apex Legends, as her kit is a mix of defensive and offensive tools. Her Amped Cover is extremely difficult to get rid of once deployed, making it perfect for holding down a position or protecting someone who is healing. However, Amped Cover has a long cast time and is vulnerable while being deployed. Thankfully, it now needs to take 45 damage to explode and have a faster deploy time. However, Rampart still lacks any meta-defining abilities, escape options, or extremely strong area denial.
Additionally, her minigun is capable of dealing a ton of damage if you can land your shots or keep someone pinned behind cover. But the minigun can be a bit awkward to use since many legends are extremely mobile. This allows them to duck behind cover before they’re knocked down or killed by Rampart’s ultimate. That being said, the spin-up time reduction makes Shelia quite strong when used properly or even if you need to swap to it. I don’t think Rampart is a bad character, she is just one that isn’t always needed on a team.
Loba
Loba is a great character on paper, but she hasn’t been terribly useful in most matches. Her passive ability makes her good for quickly looting, but it doesn’t really synergize with any other legends or her own abilities. The Black Market Boutique ultimate is cool even though you’re only limited to two items per person and it can be used by enemies when left alone. Where I really enjoy Loba is in long wars of attrition near the end of a game — being able to snatch up any loot while my team is hunkered down somewhere is great.
Her bracelet is also a solid Tactical that suffers from a comically long cooldown. A great movement option, this Jump Drive lets her quickly reposition herself to gain an advantage in a fight. The Jump Drive also has a long cast time and is easy to predict and counter if you’re watching Loba.
Octane
Octane’s Apex Legends career has truly been up and down. There was a point where he was one of the best mobility options in the entire game. Unfortunately, that time has passed and Octane isn’t as useful as other legends. Yes, there are obviously exceptions to this as players who take the time to master all of the mobility tech can make Octane extremely difficult to kill. However, these exceptions are few and far between. Players have gotten used to the Jumpad and the trajectory users launch off it, which makes them pretty easy to kill for an experienced player. As for his Tactical, Octane’s Stim still lets him rundown any escaping foe or evade incoming fire. That speed boost is no joke and can be tricky to fight against when a player knows how to strafe while stemming. Octane is a decent legend that has a ton of potential, however, with all the buffs to Wraith and Pathfinder, there are just better options right now.
D Tier
Revenant
A legend who struggled to stay viable in general play, Revenant simply doesn’t offer enough utility compared to other legends. He can hold two charges of Silence, which can be useful to block vision or disrupt a specific player’s rhythm. Yet, they are pretty slow and easily avoidable in most cases. Revenant’s passive is also pretty situational and his big hitbox makes this murder-bot an easy target. His Death Totem can be useful, as it allows you to make riskier and more strategic plays. But the visual alert can be seen for miles and a smart team can easily third-party anyone using the totem. Revenant just isn’t in a great spot right now and I don’t expect to see a lot of him this season.
Lifeline
Lifeline has finally gotten a buff and it’s fine. Even though we haven’t seen the return of the resurrection shield, the buffs to D.O.C. are still quite nice. Having an infinite health pool makes the drone feel far less clunky and the doubled range is perfect when your team is fighting in cover. I’m also a big fan of the cooldown reduction to her ultimate, making it far more practical in the early to mid-game. That being said, I feel like I’d still rather have a Newcastle in most fights. While Lifeline’s healing options are great, her gear allows for less definitive plays that can close a fight out. Yes, there are certainly exceptions to this, but overall I find her kit still lacking when compared to other legends like Newcastle and even Gibraltar.
