Apex Legends classes have been completely revamped for Season 16: Revelry, with characters being shuffled to fit into five distinct categories. Each class now has distinct benefits and more clearly defined roles. These changes, along with many of the buffs and nerfs from the roster, factored into Respawn’s decision not to add a new Legend to the FPS game this season. Instead, players will have time to adjust to the inevitable meta changes when the Apex Legends Season 16 release date arrives on February 14.
The dev team talked about the overhauled class system at length during a Season 16 press event last week, so we’ve got plenty of details here to help you break down what you can expect to see when the update will be posted.
“Over time…with new Legends being added and the meta changing, class roles started to get a little confusing,” said Devan McGuire, Lead Legends Designer at Respawn. “This season, we want to take the opportunity to redefine what classes mean to the game.”
Five new classes have been created to properly categorize Legends: Assault, Skirmisher, Recon, Controller, and Support. Here you’ll find everything you need to know about each class, including their unique perks and the characters who can use them.
Apex Legends courses explained
- Asalto: Bangalore, Revenant, Fuse, Ash, Mad Maggie
The Assault class is about initiation and usefulness in combat. These are the legends who mainly have attacking kits used to push opposing teams. Assault Legends can open the hidden shelf of new red weapon supply containers.
These red containers basically look like the blue ones Lifeline used to open with her passive, but they contain attachments instead of healing items. Members of this class can also have an extra stack of ammo per inventory slot, allowing them to stay in the fight longer.
- Escaramuzador – Pathfinder, Wraith, Mirage, Octane, Horizon, Valkyrie
Skirmishers specialize in combat and evasive mobility, often using hit-and-flight tactics to deal damage and avoid it themselves. Legends of this class can detect incoming care packages from a great distance to see the most valuable item inside.
A circular marker will fill when bullies view care packages, and once it is full, information will be provided. These legends can also tell if the high-value item has already been taken, allowing them to create a plan to try to steal it or avoid putting themselves in harm’s way.
- Recon – Hound, Crypto, Seer, Vantage
The Recon class prioritizes enemy intelligence and tracking. Recon Legends was able to check where the next ring would spawn with inspect beacons, but this ability was completely changed in Season 16.
The class can no longer access ring data, but can now scan modified survey beacons to ping enemies on the map for approximately 30 seconds. This effect is similar to what happens when players interact with computers in the Crypto Map Room POI in Kings Canyon.
- Controller: Caustic, Wattson, Rampart, Catalyst
Controllers are experts when it comes to setting up the area and, well, controlling. These Legends can now use the old Recon ability – they can access a new Bell Console device to show their team where the next Bell location will be.
This change makes a lot of sense because controllers need to know where to start setting up their area denial abilities before the ring begins to close. In previous seasons, these Legends had to rely on their teammates for this valuable information.
- Ports: Gibraltar, Lifeline, Loba, Newcastle
Support Legends focuses on survivability and gear sourcing, with a particular focus on this aspect of survivability. The most notable support buff gives them the ability to create teammate banners, even if they have expired. As long as you have crafting materials and have access to a replicator, death is never really the end for your teammates when playing Support.
Lifeline’s supply bin passive has also been turned into a class buff that is available to her and other support legends, allowing them to open the hidden shelf in the blue supply bins that only Lifeline could. open before. High-value survival items will now spawn inside, including Phoenix Kits, Batteries, and Med Kits.
In addition to class changes, seven legends have been updated via buffs and/or nerfs. Here’s a quick look at the Legends that will be undergoing changes for Season 16:
- clairvoyant and dog – The nerfs here are aimed at reducing the frequency of scans without damaging characters. Seer’s heartbeat sensor will be audible to enemies and can’t give out as much information, so you’ll really need to listen to the heartbeat. Bloodhound’s ultimate no longer speeds up their tactics and a white crow now spawns to guide them to the nearest enemy. The White Crow is a new passive that exists in the world in areas free of enemies; it will also appear instantly when Bloodhound activates his ultimate.
- Specter and Pathfinder – These two get buffs to lighten up Valkyrie. Wraith can place a portal twice as far away and will speed up when placed. Pathfinder can also travel faster and farther, with a buff that lets him shoot his zipline much farther.
- Horizon – Horizon’s gravolift’s firing accuracy reduced, but it can now lift more. The goal is to stop him from sitting there and causing chaos.
- mirage- Mirage finally gets non-ironic benefits. After reviving, he and his ally remain cloaked for a few seconds, but you cannot draw your weapon or you will be instantly discovered. Additionally, tricked enemies will be tracked for a short time when they fire a clone.
- Safety rope – Lifeline will have a reduced slow penalty when revived, and her healing set range and speed have been improved to prevent her from feeling bogged down. It goes down almost instantly, which makes the risk seem much lower.
You’ll be able to try out all of these meta mod changes in the updated Firing Range, new TDM mode, or regular Battle Royale when Apex Legends Season 16: Revelry launches early next week. Since it’s the fourth anniversary and newcomers are likely to join, be sure to check out our All Hero Abilities guide to get you up to speed, as well as the Apex Legends Tier List to help you out. to shed even more light on your choices.