Now that Apex Legends is out, we are finally able to see what it is and what it includes. One of the most important features of the game are the Apex Legends characters.
While a Battle Royal game, Apex Legends includes characters, called Legends, that each have unique abilities that complement each other. Playing in squads of three, players will need to make sure they have offensive, defensive and support abilities.
At launch, there are eight Apex Legends characters available. Six are free for all players while two will need to be unlocked through playing or paying.
Apex Legends Characters
The eight characters available in the game are;
- Bloodhound
- Gibraltar
- Lifeline
- Wraith
- Pathfinder
- Bangalore
- Caustic
- Mirage
The offensive characters are Bangalore, Wraith and Mirage. Support characters are Lifeline, Pathfinder and Bloodhound and the Defensive characters are Caustic and Gibraltar.
Offensive Characters
The Offensive Characters in Apex Legends are your frontline attackers who deal the most damage and work to take out the enemy Legends first.
Wraith
Wraith’s abilities are;
- Passive – Voices from the Void
- Tactical – Into the Void
- Ultimate – Dimensional Rift
Wraith’s passive ability allows her to hear when enemies are approaching. It gives her situational awareness in all environments and prevents her from being surprised or enemies from getting the drop on her.
Into the Void is an ability that lets Wraith quickly reposition and get out of harm’s way. A quick blink removes her from danger and gives her some breathing space.
Finally, Dimensional Rift allows Wraith to create two portals between two locations. These portals are connected for 60-seconds and allow Wraith and her teammates to flank enemies and create fast links between sections of the battlefield.
Bangalore
Bangalore’s abilities are;
- Passive – Double Time
- Tactical – Smoke Launcher
- Ultimate – Rolling Thunder
Bangalore’s Passive allows her to sprint faster if shot while sprinting. This allows Bangalore to escape a firefight and retreat to cover more quickly which can get her back in the fight asap.
Her Smoke Launcher fires a canister that explodes on impact and shrouds the area in a thick blanket of smoke that provides cover.
Finally, her Ultimate launches an artillery strike that blankets the battlefield and gradually moves across the map.
Mirage
Mirage is one of the more interesting Legends in the game. He’s also one of the unlockable characters. His abilities are;
- Passive – Encore!
- Tactical – Psyche Out
- Ultimate – Vanishing Act
Mirage’s Passive allows him to get a second chance when taking damage. Once knocked down, Encore! drops a decoy and cloaks Mirage for five-seconds. In that time, Mirage can make his way towards teammates to try for a revive.
Psyche Out lets Mirage launch a decoy that distracts enemies and gives the real Mirage the chance to take the enemy out.
Finally, Vanishing Act cloaks Mirage while a team of decoys spread out to distract the enemy. This gives Mirage and his team the opportunity to take advantage of the chaos and get some quick kills.
Defensive Characters
Gibraltar
Gibraltar’s abilities are;
- Passive – Gun Shield
- Tactical – Dome of Protection
- Ultimate – Defensive Bombardment
Gun Shield deploys when Gibraltar aims down the sights. A shield covers Gibraltar and protects against incoming fire. It primarily protects Gibraltar, but teammates can also make use of it.
Dome of Protection deploys a shield (like the Titan bubble in Destiny) which protects an area for 15-seconds.
Finally, Defensive Bombardment bombards an area with mortar fire. To launch, Gibraltar needs to mark the area with smoke.
Caustic
Like Mirage, Caustic is an unlockable character. His abilities are;
- Passive – Nox Vision
- Tactical – Nox Gas Trap
- Ultimate – Nox Gas Grenade
Caustic’s Passive allows him to see enemies through his Nox Gas. It gives him an edge over the enemies and allows him to get the drop on them.
Nox Gas Trap allows Caustic to deploy up to six canisters that explode when shot or triggered. These canisters spread Nox Gas over the area which damages the enemies and lets Caustic see them.
Finally, his Ultimate spreads Nox Gas over a huge area which can hit multiple squads and enemies at once.
Support Characters
Lifeline
Lifeline is a classic healer. Her abilities are;
- Passive – Combat Medic
- Tactical – D.O.C. Heal Drone
- Ultimate – Care Package
Lifeline’s Passive allows her to revive and heal 25% faster than all other characters. When reviving teammates, Lifeline also deploys a shield that protects her and her teammate.
The Heal Drone launches and heals all teammates within close proximity. It provides healing over time.
Finally, the Care Package Ultimate allows Lifeline to drop a package onto the field that contains weapons and other items for her and her team to use.
Pathfinder
Pathfinder is the only robotic Legend available. His abilities are;
- Passive – Insider Knowledge
- Tactical – Grappling Hook
- Ultimate – Zipline Gun
Pathfinders Passive allows him to scan survey beacons so he can see the ring’s next location. This allows players to head to the next area of the map before the playable area starts shrinking.
His Tactical ability lets him use a grappling hook to quickly reach areas, get a height advantage on enemies and quickly get out of trouble.
Finally, his Ultimate deploys a zip line that the entire squad can use. It can be used as a tactical attack or to escape an area. It gives the squad a fast movement option and leaves enemies in the dust.
Bloodhound
Bloodhound is the odd character out. He is a support character, but his abilities are less directly influencing and more about providing intel. They are;
- Passive – Tracker
- Tactical – Eye of the Allfather
- Ultimate – Beast of the Hunt
Bloodhound’s Passive ability allows him to see the tracks of enemies. This lets him and his team follow enemy squads to ambush them.
His Tactical ability reveals all enemies, traps and clues in front and on the field.
Finally, his Ultimate, Beast of the Hunt, transforms Bloodhound into the ultimate hunter. While the Ultimate is active, Bloodhound’s abilities are heightened and let him tracks cold tracks and move faster.
There you have the Apex Legends characters and their abilities. There are eight characters at launch, but expect Respawn to add more over time.
Apex Legends is available now on PC, PS4 and Xbox One and it’s free-to-play.
