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Apex Legends characters: How does Season 13's Newcastle compare?

Of all the Apex Legends characters, who do we think is best?

• Rob Leane

Published: Thursday, 12 May 2022 at 12:36 pm

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Whether you're new to Apex Legends or just trying to keep up with the latest season 13 additions to the game, it pays to know the Apex Legends characters intimately.

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There were eight humble heroes in Apex when the game first launched in 2019 – Bangalore, Bloodhound, Gibraltar, Lifeline, Pathfinder and Wraith were available to everyone, with Caustic and Mirage being unlockable – but more fighters have been added with each season of post-launch content.

Now, there are 21 characters in Apex Legends, which makes it a bit harder to pick a favourite. With Apex Legends season 13 having launched this week (that new content is in the game now), fans are getting to grips with Newcastle, the latest character to join the roster.

So, if you'd like to study the full list of all the Apex Legends characters, along with our thoughts on which ones are best, keep on reading!

Full list of all Apex Legends characters

Below you'll see the full list of all 21 Apex Legends characters as of the launch of season 13. You can click any of the links to jump forward and learn about that specific legend.

We've also got some tips, just below this section, on how to pick the best Apex Legends characters for you and your squad.

• Newcastle (the new Apex Legends character for season 13)
• Ash
• Bangalore
• Bloodhound
• Caustic
• Crypto
• Fuse
• Gibraltar
• Horizon
• Lifeline
• Loba
• Mad Maggie
• Mirage
• Octane
• Pathfinder
• Rampart
• Revenant
• Seer
• Valkyrie
• Wattson
• Wraith

Which Apex Legends characters are the best?

This is, of course, at matter of opinion. This writer's favourite legend is Valkyrie, mainly because flying above the map can come in very handy indeed (even though some of her attacks leave you very open to enemy fire).

Looking around the web, there also seems to be lots of love for Ash, Bloodhound and Gibraltar going around, while Wraith sits atop a few Apex Legends tier list roundups as well. People still love those classic characters!

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Apex Legends character classes

The best Apex Legends teams (either duos or trios or any other combination that might be added in future) are formed when players choose characters that compliment each other well.

With that in mind, it's worth being aware that the Apex Legends characters can be categorised into these classes:

• Offensive attacking: Ash, Bangalore, Fuse, Horizon, Mad Maggie, Mirage, Octane, Revenant, Wraith
• Defensive cover: Caustic, Gibraltar, Newcastle, Rampart, Wattson
• Recon/scouting: Bloodhound, Crypto, Pathfinder, Seer, Valkyrie
• Support and healing: Lifeline, Loba

Whichever Apex Legends character is your favourite, then, make sure you coordinate with your teammates to make sure you pick a good mix of abilities between you!

Newcastle: The Heroic Defender

Added as part of Apex Legends season 13 in May 2022, Newcastle is a defensive character that looks a bit like RoboCop.

His first name is Jackson and he is the brother of OG lege nd Bangalore. He would be a strong supporting pick to help the rest of your squad.

• Passive ability: Retrieve the Wounded - drags fallen teammates around using his Revive Shield, as he revives them
• Tactical ability: Mobile Shield - controls a moving drone energy shield
• Ultimate ability: Castle Wall - jumps into a target area, creating a shield wall upon landing

Ash: The Incisive Instigator

Ash joined Apex Legends in 2021, quickly making an impact as a strong attacking option, and we'd say that she still is a very decent choice for an all-out attacking role.

Before she died and was brought back as a robotic simulacrum, Ash was a human scientist named Dr Ashleigh Reid. She worked with another legend, Horizon, on Project Iris. The pair discovered a rare material named Branthium.

• Passive ability: Marked for Death - sees recent death boxes on the map, and marks the locations of any surviving members of the deceased's party
• Tactical ability: Arc Snare - throw a trap that ensnare and damage any foe that gets too close to it
• Ultimate ability: Phase Breach - create a portal to transport you in the direction you're facing

Bangalore: The Professional Soldier

Another attacking option is Bangalore, who has been in Apex Legends since the game's original launch. She is still a very popular choice among damage-hungry players.

She has a history in the military and that ties into her reasons for joining the Apex Games - she was separated from her family during a mission, and wants to make some money in the games in order to be reunited with them.

• Passive ability: Double Time - when shot by an enemy, move at a quicker pace for a limited period
• Tactical ability: Smoke Launcher - throw smoke grenades that explode on impact
• Ultimate ability: Rolling Thunder - summon an artillery strike to pummel foes

Bloodhound: The Technological Tracker

Little is known about Bloodhound's backstory, which makes him one of the most mysterious (and therefore coolest) characters in Apex Legends.

We do know that he is an expert huntsman that utilises high-tech gadgetry to stalk his enemies around the battlefield. A handy one to have in your squad, he falls into the recon category.

• Passive ability: Tracker - see footprints left behind by other players
• Tactical ability: Eye of the Allfather - reveals hidden enemies, trips and other secrets
• Ultimate ability: Beast of the Hunt - move faster and highlight your enemies

Caustic: The Toxic Trapper

Real name Alexander Nox, Caustic is another Apex Legends character that used to be a scientist. His work revolved around gases and pesticides, and that passion for poisons bleeds into his playstyle.

Handy for providing defensive cover, Caustic's poison gas clouds can force your enemies out of a location and give your team a chance to regroup.

• Passive ability: Nox Vision - see through the gas clouds when other players can't
• Tactical ability: Nox Gas Trap - deploy a gas canister that will detonate when shot (or triggered by a rival player)
• Ultimate ability: Nox Gas Grenade - generate a large gas cloud by throwing this at your enemies

Crypto: The Surveillance Expert

Real name Tae Joon Park, Crypto is a hacker and encryption expert who was framed for a murder.

In terms of gameplay. Crypto falls into the recon/scouting category, as he uses drones to survey the area around him and look for trouble.

• Passive ability: Neurolink - when your Surveillance Drone is active, enemies within 30 metres are marked on everyone's maps
• Tactical ability: Surveillance Drone - fly the drone to survey the surrounding area
• Ultimate ability: Drone EMP - blows up the drone, dealing shield damage and staggering enemies as well as disabling traps

Fuse: The Bombastic Explosives Expert

Fuse's real name is Walter Fitzroy and he is another attacking option that you'll find among the Apex Legends characters.

He's been described by the developers as a "laid-back explosives enthusiast who’s damn near covered in things that go BOOM".

• Passive ability: Grenadier - stack grenades in piles of two and throw them more accurate than other characters
• Tactical ability: Knuckle Cluster - throw a cluster of damage-dealing bombs that breaks down into a number of little bombs
• Ultimate ability: The Motherlode - send a large explosive into the air, causing flames that will fall on your foes

Gibraltar: The Shielded Fortress

Makoa Gibraltar looks like a tank and, as you'd expect, he's one of the biggest and best defensive choices among the Apex Legends characters.

More than just a beast on the battlefield, Gibraltar also has a soft side. He's often referred to as a gentle giant, and his backstory involves his father losing an arm while saving him.

• Passive ability: Gun Shield - protected by a shield while aiming down sights
• Tactical ability: Dome of Protection - summon a dome-shaped shield, offering protection for 15 seconds
• Ultimate ability: Defensive Bombardment - call for air support, pummelling a marked position

Horizon: The Gravitational Manipulator

Real name Dr Mary Somers, Horizon is another attacking option at your disposal. As well as having some control over gravity, she also has a handy little robot called Newt.

She's another one of the characters with a science-based background - one fun fact is that she spent 87 years stuck near a black hole.

• Passive ability: Spacewalk - use spacesuit to survive fall and increase air control
• Tactical ability: Gravity Lift - reverse gravity to lift players into the air
• Ultimate ability: Black Hole - NEWT creates a mini black hole, pulls players in and blasts them with a gravity attack

Lifeline: The Combat Medic

Real name Ajay Che, Lifeline comes to Apex Legends with a slightly tragic backstory, having abandoned her family of warmongers to do some good in the world instead.

In the game, she's one of the few support/healing options that you have to choose from. With her on your team, and her Drone of Compassion robot, the other players in the squad should stay alive a little while longer.

• Passive ability: Combat Medic - deploy DOC drone to revive fallen friends
• Tactical ability: DOC Heal Drone - summon DOC to heal nearby squad mates for a limited time
• Ultimate ability: Care Package - summon a pod filled with defensive gear

Loba: The Translocating Thief

If it's loot that you're after, Loba Andrade will help you find it, not least because she can spot valuable goods through walls.

Her backstory is a bit of a grim one - her family was killed by Revenant, forcing her to survive by picking pockets, picking up the skills along the way that can now help you out in the game.

• Passive ability: Eye for Quality - see epic and legendary loot through walls
• Tactical ability: Burglar's Best Friend - throw the Jump Drive Bracelet to teleport
• Ultimate ability: Black Market Boutique - use a device to teleport nearby loot to your inventory

Mad Maggie: The Rebel Warlord

Margaret Kōhere, better known as Mad Maggie, is an orphan that became a mercenary and something of a warlord.

She's very much in the attacking camp of Apex Legends characters, and she used to team up with Fuse before he abandoned her. There's definitely still beef there!

• Passive ability: Warlord's Ire - highlight enemies that you damage, and move faster than other characters when wielding a shotgun
• Tactical ability: Riot Drill - attach the drill to a surface and it will damage whatever's on the other side
• Ultimate ability: Wrecking Ball - send a damage-dealing ball bouncing into the world

Mirage: The Holographic Trickster

His normal name is Elliot Witt, but you know him better as Mirage, the stealth expert that uses his sneaky skills to creep up on rival players and take them out.

Definitely an attacking character, Mirage requires some skill to play well as, but he makes a very handy addition to the team, especially if you come against some hard-to-reach opponents.

• Passive ability: Now You See Me - deploy a decoy and become invisible when struck down in combat, and go invisible while reviving teammates
• Tactical ability: Pysche Out - send a decoy running the direction of your choice
• Ultimate ability: Vanishing Act - go invisible and deploy a team of decoys

Octane: The High-Speed Daredevil

With a name like Octavio Silva, we are surprised a nickname was needed. Octane is the son of the CEO of Silva Pharmaceuticals and his story is one that stems from boredom - as all good stories do.

After making a name for himself by performing some of the most dangerous stunts out there, he took it one step further by boosting himself in races using a grenade.

• Passive ability: Swift Mend - Your health will restore over time
• Tactical ability: Stim - Increases speed by 30% (40% while sprinting) but you will lose 20 health.
• Ultimate ability: Launch Pad - Lets players get close to you when downed and provides double jump after use

Pathfinder: The Forward Scout

Pathfinder is an MRVN (that's Mobile Robotic Versatile Entity, if you wondered), and when it comes to location scouting and surveying you will be hard-pressed to find someone better.

On the hunt for his creator, Pathfinder is a great character to have around as they are also a medic.

• Passive ability: Insider Knowledge - Scans a survey beacon and reveals the circle’s next location
• Tactical ability: Grappling Hook - It does what it says on the tin!
• Ultimate ability: Zipline Gun - Another self explanatory one, the zipline gun is great for getting out of tight spots

Rampart: The Amped Modder

Rampart has named her minigun Sheila which is all we need to know to understand how awesome she is.

Rampart is an expert modder and she is one of the best in the business when it comes to creating cover - always handy to have in Apex Legends.

• Passive ability: Modded Loader - When using LMGs and the Minigun, your magazine capacity is increased and you get faster reloads.
• Tactical ability: Amped Cover - Build a croup-cover wall and you will be protected from shots, while your own get more powerful.
• Ultimate ability: Emplaced Minigun “Sheila” - Anyone can use the beastly minigun that this ability provides!

Revenant: The Synthetic Nightmare

Although once a human, Revenant has undergone many nefarious changes at the hands of the Mercenary Syndicate and now he is a "walking nightmare of steel and vestigial flesh" - so he's had a bad run of it.

Stealth and assassination are his key skills (so he'll come in handy) and the dark edges to this character makes him one of the most compelling in the game.

• Passive ability: Stalker - Move faster while crouching, and have the ability to climb higher.
• Tactical ability: Silence - Throw a device that deals damage and disables abilities for ten seconds.
• Ultimate ability: Death Totem - A place to spawn back to if you are unfortunate enough to find yourself dead.

Seer: The Ambush Artist

While loved by his parents and thought to be kind and compassionate, Obi Edolasim was named a cursed child at birth - so he never really got the best start to life.

A representative of outcasts around the world, Seer has quite the fanbase and his recon abilities make him a worthwhile addition.

• Passive ability: Heart Seeker - Not as romantic as it sounds, this ability can pinpoint the location of nearby enemy players within 75m.
• Tactical ability: Focus of Attention - Want to send a bunch of micro-drones at your enemies that interrupts cooldowns and the ability to revive? Then use this.
• Ultimate ability: Exhibit - A dome is made using thousands of micro-drones that helps to identify enemies.

Valkyrie: The Winged Avenger

Full name, Kairi ‘Valkyrie’ Imahara, Valkyrie is on a mission to avenge her father (who players of the hugely underrated Titanfall 2 will be well aware of).

If you want to fly, you'll need to play as Valkyrie - although it can be tricky- and her ability to locate the spot of the next circle is one that will always come in handy.

• Passive ability: VTOL Jets - It only lasts ten seconds when moving, but VTOL jets give you the ability to hover.
• Tactical ability: Jet-Fighter HUD - Spot enemies within 250 meters while skydiving.
• Ultimate ability: Missile Swarm - 12 mini-rockets fire in a huge rectangular grid!

Wattson: The Static Defender

Wattson: The Static Defender is also known as Natalie ‘Wattson’ Paquette. Her father was the Games’ lead electrical engineer - so she knows her way around.

Wattson is primarily a defensive character and she is well worth having on the battlefield as her electrifying traps are a force to be reckoned with.

• Passive ability: Spark of Genius - Call in an Interception Pylon and it will boost your tactical ability recharge when standing next to it.
• Tactical ability: Perimeter Security - Throw down connecting nodes to create electrified fences and your enemies will take damage and slow down as a result.
• Ultimate ability: Interception Pylon - Incoming ordnance will be destroyed while your own shields will be repaired if damaged.

Wraith: The Interdimensional Skirmisher

Having spent time in a detention facility while hearing voices in her head, well it would be easy to see why Wraith has had a hard time of things.

But her trauma did give her the ability to jump through dimensions and she is a pro when it comes to stealth.

• Passive ability: Voices from the Void - You'll hear if your enemies are about to attack you.
• Tactical ability: Into the Void - Turn invisible while also not taking any damage - handy one, this.
• Ultimate ability: Dimensional Rift - Create a portal across the map that your whole team can use.

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Authors

Rob LeaneGaming Editor

Rob Leane is the Gaming Editor at Radio Times, overseeing our coverage of the biggest games on PlayStation, Xbox, Switch, PC, mobile and VR. Rob works across our website, social media accounts and video channels, as well as producing our weekly gaming newsletter. He has previously worked at Den of Geek, Stealth Optional and Dennis Publishing.

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