If there’s one banner that most Apex Legends players can probably get behind, it’s the banner for new content in Apex Legends. And in one week’s time, those players will be getting their wish. Changes will becoming to Season 16 that will impact not only the Legends and how they’re played but the weapons and, possibly, the meta that’s gripped us since the Season began.
Generally, a new season means a new hero. But this time, Respawn has stepped out of their usual ritual to bring the player base something a little fresher. Those changes include:
- Team Deathmatch, with two teams of 6 vying for the most kills in some of the most popular map areas.
- Remastered Legend classes, which include some shiny new perks and ability upgrades.
- New weapons, like the Nemesis rifle.
All New Apex Legends Class Perks and Changes (February 2023)
One of the changes that I’m personally most looking forward to is the Remastered Class System. This is something that’s been hinted at for a long time, and it’s exciting to see what Respawn has done with it.
There are 5 new classes: Assault, Skirmisher, Recon, Support, and Controller. All legends will fall into one of these silos. Here’s what each class does:
The Assault Class in Apex Legends, Explained
The Assault Class in Apex Legends is occupied by our damage-dealing heroes:
- Ash
- Bangalore
- Fuse
- Mad Maggie
- Revenant
It’s no surprise to see them here, as each of these Legends has offensive abilities that allow their team to make a push. These legends will receive two new perks.
- Perk 1: Assaults legends will be able to open the hidden shelf inside the new red supply bins. This ability is similar to what Lifeline could do previously, but red supply bin hidden shelves will be much more offensive, containing smart loot attachments for the whole squad. And the further you get into the match? The better these attachments get.
- Perk 2: Assault legends will be able to carry an extra stack of ammo per inventory slot. So, 80 vs 60 if you’re carrying light ammo.
The Skirmisher Class in Apex Legends, Explained
The Skirmisher Class is occupied by:
- Horizon
- Mirage
- Octane
- Pathfinder
- Valkyrie
- Wraith
These heroes excel at one specific tactic: getting in, doing damage (and ideally securing a kill), then getting out. They’re all legends, with movements, abilities and perfect for the solo player… or Twitch streamer.
Unfortunately, Skirmishers will only get one new perk:
- Perk 1: Skirmisher Legends will be able to see the red weapons inside Supply Drops before the Supply Drop has even landed. This is similar to Loba’s passive, which allows her to see all purple loot, but concentrated on only one weapon type.
The Recon Class in Apex Legends, Explained
I always love Recon Legends on my squad, and they’re finally getting some love. Recon Legends are:
- Bloodhound
- Crypto
- Seer
- Vantage
Of course, Recon Legends are the legends that can scan and find enemies on the field. Vantage is the weakest at this, but she still counts, right? As for their new perk, it’s an interesting one.
- Perk 1: Previously, Recon legends could scan beacons and learn precisely where the next ring is. Now, that scan will instead allow the Recon legend and their squad to see the location of all enemies on the map… for a full 30 seconds.
The tradeoff? Every enemy team will know precisely where they were scanned from. That means that scanning will require a little more tactical thought than before, but at least you’ll know precisely where your enemies are coming from.
The Support Class in Apex Legends, Explained
The Support class has always felt a little… under-loved, especially with how utterly mediocre Lifeline’s ultimate is. But now they’re getting some significant utility buffs. The Support Legends are:
- Gibraltar
- Lifeline
- Loba
- New Castle.
The gang’s all here. These legends excel at either providing barriers, offering quick revives, or getting you kitted out. And their perks further complement that distinction:
- Perk 1: All Support Legends will now have access to the hidden shelf in blue supply bins, taking on Lifelife’s once exclusive passive ability.
- Perk 2: Support legends can now craft dead allies’ banners at Crafting Stations for a mere 30 materials. Even if the timer has run out. Do I sound excited? I’m very excited. It’s awful when one of your friends gets killed and has to sit out the rest of a ten-minute game. But this will keep them in (or at least hopeful).
Technically, the Recon Perk should be the best one available… but I can’t overstate how thrilled I am about the second Support Perk.
The Controller Class in Apex Legends, Explained
The final class is the Controller Class, which is all about holding (or controlling, I guess) a point. These legends are:
- Catalyst
- Caustic
- Rampart
- Wattson
Related: How to Gift in Apex Legends
No one’s surprised to see these names here, I’m sure. Each of these legends has an ability that either helps secure a building using traps or provides barriers. But if you’ve ever played with a turtle build, you know that their one weakness is moving their fort to the next ring. Fortunately, their new perk has it covered.
- Perk 1: Controller legends will be able to scan Ring Consoles (a new mechanic in the game) to learn the next ring location. And, yes, they did just steal and repurpose that old recon mechanic. But that’s okay! Still helpful.
Will these class changes impact who you pick in the upcoming season? Are you happy with the improvements? I certainly am. It’s not a massive change, but it will undoubtedly have an impact on the new season.
