How To Not Be Bad at Apex Legends. I won’t mince words: I’m horrible at online player-versus-player games. First-person shooters are my worst nightmare. Unreal Tour was the first online PvP game I enjoyed and was good at. It was released in 1999. These days, when I jump into an online shooter, I usually take one step, get my head blown off by an unknown assailant, and then well, rinse, repeat. It’s often difficult to find my way around online shooters.
This background is quite pathetic, so it’s not surprising that I am completely obsessed with Respawn’s Apex Legends. I am obsessed with this game for many reasons, and I’m not the only one. This article is not about Apex Legends as such. This article is for new players who may be terrible at these games but are determined to improve.
I am now racking up kills (as opposed to getting none first), and I have also been crowned kill leader twice (not something a beginner should be laughing at, given the 60-player match). I love Apex Legends more and more as I play.
How To Not Be Bad at Apex Legends
These are my top tips to help you succeed, or at the very least, get some real progress early on. These tips won’t be of any use to advanced players. Advanced players may disagree with these tips. They worked for me and have helped me tremendously.
Be confident in your start.
Each match will begin with a Jumpmaster being designated by the game. You can use the ping system to suggest landing spots on the map (more details in a second). You’ll better understand the local conditions in each region as you learn more about the map.
There are different loot levels at each location — it is best to grab high-tier loot quickly, but other squads may want to do the same thing.
My advice is to pay attention to the actions of other squads. You’ll be able to see the movements of other squads as the Dropship travels across Kings Canyon along its flight path. It’s worth skipping the more crowded drop areas if you’re a novice player. You will have a better chance of survival if you grab high-tier loot in the first few minutes of the match.
Kings Canyon is composed of many discrete biomes. These biomes are sometimes designed almost like a pit, with dense buildings in their midst but at higher elevations at the edges. Many chokepoints exist between biomes. It is sometimes a good idea to not land in the middle or center of a busy area. Instead, you can land at the edge and work your way in.
Don’t get greedy
While this is a great tip for combat-heavy games, it’s also a rookie error I made when I first started playing Apex Legends. To be blunt, I was way too aggressive. If I were confronted in combat, I would tend to run right for them and try out-shoot them. This never worked for me.
Things started to improve when I used a more balanced and careful approach to combat. If someone shoots directly at you, they can see you and often have an advantage over you (especially if they aren’t visible). Your priority shouldn’t be to fire back but to break their line of sight, re-group to counter them, or escape depending on your equipment.
It can be tempting to pummel your opponent when the shoe is on its other foot. You might have caught them by surprise and done some serious damage. Sometimes it is enough to finish them off. Be careful, especially if they follow you into open areas with little cover. They could be next to their squadmates and become targets. Depending on the situation, it may be beneficial to reduce an opponent’s health in smaller encounters. However, it would be best always to consider your surroundings and vulnerability regardless of how powerful you are.
Sound can make you sick.
Although it might seem obvious, this tip is something that I have noticed quite often while playing the game. I’ve been in squads where one of my teammates has bought a new gun and decided it was worth a shot. This may sound like a good idea, but it can cause immediate problems.
One thing is that when you fire your weapon, there’s always a visible tracer flame — an opponent can instantly determine your position if they see the tracer flame. The corollary is that you should also be looking for the tracer flare of your adversaries. Another thing is that sound travels a long distance in Kings Canyon. You’ll be able to hear the combat sounds well before they reach you. As you learn about the sounds of weapons, you will quickly identify which weapons are being carried by hearing them (shotgun blasts are especially obvious).
My advice is to use the designated training mode to practice shooting guns. Avoid firing weapons or making excessive noises in-game. This includes opening doors and kicking people out. Loud noises can be heard by nearby players and may cause them to see you before you are even aware.
Useful pings
The ping system is a wonderful tool I could write a whole article about. It is more than a simple voice chat replacement. One of the system’s greatest benefits is the ability to quickly and precisely ping the location foes you have spotted. Instead of spending precious time explaining where your squad should be focusing their attention, you can mark enemies anywhere in the world by clicking a button.
You can also ping items and locations around the world. This is useful, but you should use it sparingly. That is, don’t bother trying to ping every item you see. It can mask important information that your squad should be looking at. It’s a good idea if you spot mid-to high-tier loot, especially defensive equipment, to alert them. You can also respond to pings by calling “dibs” on an item. If your squad is friendly, you should be able to nab any item that you have called dibs on. It makes the entire experience much easier when a team uses this system effectively. I also think it builds trust in the group. This is quite remarkable given the matchmaking context.
Retrenchment can be crucial.
Although this tip is likely related to “don’t get greedy,” I believe it goes one step further. You may find yourself in a situation with two of your squad members who have fallen and are now bleeding out. You’ll notice countdown timers for both of them. This will give you precious seconds to revive them. You’ll have the opportunity to retrieve the banner of the downed squad member and bring it to a point where they can be respawned. There’s also an expiry timer, so don’t forget to do this before the clock runs out.
Just like combat, it can be tempting to rush in to save your squad or grab their banners as soon as you see them. Be aware that your squad only has three members, and if two of them are downed or missing, the third will likely be nearby. It is not uncommon for opponents to hang around the downed players hoping to rescue them.
It is possible to revive someone in certain situations, particularly if they can escape from a building or other dangerous areas. You can also use shields or barriers to make it less risky to revive someone. Bangalore can also drop smoke canisters into the area to cover and revive squad mates.
If it is too risky to save squad mates, I advise you to wait. Wait for an opportunity to collect the banners. The timers no longer apply once the banners have been collected. You are free to travel as many times as you like to reach the nearest respawn point. Take advantage of this. Sometimes, a simple retreat from one-sided confrontations or prioritizing the banners of your squad can turn the tide in a match.
Close doors behind you
This is the counterargument I am hearing. Keeping doors open allows you to escape faster if you are under fire. Yes, that’s true. Doors can serve two purposes: as both a defense mechanism and as a trap.
In apex Legends and any other battle royale title, it is important to be aware of other players’ movements and possible presence. Open doors, storage bins, etc., are all indicators of this. If other players are present in an area, this could change how you approach it.
Doors can come in handy here. You can gain a tactical advantage if a player spots you and they run into a building. You will hear your opponent open the door when they enter the room. This means that you will be able to pinpoint them and have better chances of getting close-up. Another advantage is that an opponent will be less likely to see where you are standing in the room when the doors close. If you’re playing as Mirage, this can provide a temporary surprise and allow you to throw a decoy to confuse them. Closed doors are a physical barrier. You can stand in a building, but your enemy will be able to strike you through a window or doorway. You will always have more time if you put physical barriers between yourself and your enemy.
Apex Legends has so many more things to offer. I have learned dozens of useful tips and tricks over the years while playing Apex Legends. The most important thing, especially for those new to the game or not proficient at it, is to continue practicing. You’ll get more familiar with the items and weapons as you play more. This familiarity will give you more advantages every time you play. You will also gain a greater advantage by becoming familiar with the game’s characters. Knowing their abilities and which work best for your needs is a must.
