Apex Legends characters tier list: Who is the best Legend in Season 14?
Who are the best Apex Legends characters in Season 14?
Which is the best character in Apex Legends? As of Season 14, there is now a grand total of 22 characters in Apex Legends. On the whole, Respawn have done a fantastic job of balancing the different Apex Legends characters between seasons. Sure, there have been periods where the meta has been dominated by a new character (looking at you, Seer and Horizon), but overall, you can happily take any of the 22 Legends on offer and beat out everyone else to claim your victory royale.
But there's always a meta that emerges once the dust settles on a new Season. Below you'll find our up-to-date Apex Legends tier list of the best characters in the game as of Season 14. We'll talk about each Legend in turn, along with our opinion on the best Legend to use in different situations.
Apex Legends characters tier list
Here is our tier list for Apex Legends: Hunted, ranking each of the 22 characters in Season 14 from best to worst.
- Top tier: Bloodhound, Gibraltar, Valkyrie, Wraith
- A-Tier: Ash, Bangalore, Horizon, Octane, Vantage
- B-Tier: Caustic, Loba, Newcastle, Rampart, Seer
- C-Tier: Crypto, Maggie, Pathfinder, Revenant
- D-Tier: Fuse, Lifeline, Mirage, Wattson
Who is the best character in Apex Legends?
Who is the best Legend in Season 14? It depends on exactly what you mean by best. Each Legend has their own strengths and weaknesses, and the best ones will all excel under different circumstances and in different game modes.
Wraith is the overall best character in Apex Legends. Her high mobility, tiny hitbox size, and powerful survival-based abilities have made her the most popular Legend in every single Season of Apex Legends so far.
Gibraltar is the best character for ranked play. His Dome of Protection has shaped the ranked meta for many seasons now, providing teams with a safe space for healing, reviving, and avoiding otherwise inescapable damage, and although new counterplay is slowly being added with Mad Maggie's Wrecking Ball now able to destroy the Dome, Gibraltar's strength in ranked is still plain.
Bloodhound is the best character for situational awareness. Their Tactical provides them with key information on nearby enemy positions, and their Ultimate gives them extreme speed while dramatically reducing the cooldown of their Tactical for use during fights.
Octane is the best character for pushing enemies. Octane's Launch Pad is the most powerful team pushing ability in the game, and once Octane lands he can use his Stim to greatly increase his speed for chasing enemies and strafing to avoid gunfire.
Valkyrie is the best character for fighting while outnumbered. A good Valkyrie is an absolute nightmare to face as long as there is cover or a building nearby, because she can use her Jetpack to reposition in ways that other Legends simply cannot emulate.
Vantage is the best character for long-ranged fighting. Season 14's addition to the Legend roster is built to excel at sharpshooting with her Sniper's Mark Ultimate and her Passive, which gives her a very useful bullet drop indicator for long-ranged shots.
Loba is the best character for looting. Loba's Black Market Ultimate is a game-changer for her entire team, giving them access to limitless ammo and upgraded gear at any stage of the game depending on where it's deployed.
Rampart is the best character for Arena mode. In Arena, whoever has the ability to take shots at enemies from safety and dwindle their healing supplies has the upper hand, and Rampart's walls are the best tool in the game for this.
As you can see, there are lots of Legends in Apex that can claim to being the best character depending on the situation. So the best thing to do if you want to master the Legend meta is to get a clear idea of every single character's abilities, strengths, and weaknesses. To that end: let's take a closer look at each Legend in turn.
Apex Legends characters list
Vantage
Sharpshooter Vantage is the new Legend added to Apex with Season 14, and she comes with one hell of an ability set. Her Passive allows her to zoom in on an enemy with her eyepiece or a long-ranged scope and find out the shield level of their entire squad at a glance, as well as a bullet drop indicator to aid with long-ranged shots. That alone is pretty huge, but when combined with her powerful and unique Sniper's Mark Ultimate which she can whip out at a moment's notice (unlike other Ultimate abilities) to fire on enemies, she becomes a terrifying force.
But Vantage is also highly mobile thanks to her bat companion, Echo, who she can send out to a location before jetpacking to that position. It's a complex ability with lots of hidden depths, and it's where most of the skill comes from in her toolkit, but players who are quick to master this ability can run rings around enemies in close-range much like Valkyrie or Pathfinder can.
Why is Vantage A-Tier? Vantage just has so much going for her that we have to put her in A-Tier. She can damage or even knock enemies very quickly at long range with her Ultimate, before using her Tactical to close the distance rapidly - or to quickly escape if things go south. She's survivable and powerful, with a disruptive playstyle and a high skill ceiling.
Bloodhound
Bloodhound is a phenomenal scout and tracker, thanks mainly to their Tactical ability - a long-range conical scan which highlights enemies through walls for a short time. Their Ultimate feeds into this tool, dramatically reducing the cooldown of their Tactical, and also giving Bloodhound increased speed to help during fights. They are a top-tier Legend for keeping track of enemy movements during encounters with enemy teams.
Why is Bloodhound S-Tier? Their scan delivers such an amazing amount of information in a split second, particularly when combined with their Ultimate. Information like that wins fights in Apex. That's why Bloodhound is one of the most popular Legends both in general play and in ALGS tournaments.
Learn more about Bloodhound's abilities and how to use them with our detailed Apex Legends Bloodhound guide.
Gibraltar
Gibraltar has one of the highest win rates in Apex Legends, and it's not difficult to see why. He is, after all, the tankiest Legend in the game thanks to his Fortified trait and Gun Shield Passive ability. His Tactical and Ultimate may look like opposites (defensive vs offensive), but they're actually both extremely powerful tools for controlling the battleground and saving yourself from third parties and flank attacks.
Why is Gibraltar S-Tier? Gibraltar's Dome of Protection ability is so powerful it has defined the ranked meta for several seasons now. The ability to create invulnerable cover from nowhere is just too powerful to ignore, and while inside the Dome, Gibby can revive downed allies 33% faster. The undisputed champion at keeping the team alive in messy situations.
To learn more about the tankiest Legend in the game, consult our Apex Legends Gibraltar guide.
Valkyrie
Valkyrie's claim to fame is her Jetpack passive - a versatile and disruptive ability which allows for unparalleled vertical mobility that other Legends cannot follow. Combined with her team repositioning Skyward Dive Ultimate, this makes her one of the most mobile Legends on offer. Her skillset allows her to rival Octane as the prime pusher and third-partyer in Apex Legends.
Why is Valkyrie S-Tier? The mobility afforded by Valkyrie's jetpack is just so important at every level of play. She's hard to master, but a good Valkyrie is an absolute nightmare to try and pin down. Her Ultimate is a great tool for the entire team to reposition, escape, or push. What about the Season 14 nerfs to Valk's skillset, you ask? It may seem like a lot, but none of these nerfs really do too much to curb her amazing mobility dominance.
Head over to our Apex Legends Valkyrie guide for details on each of her abilities.
Wraith
Wraith has always been one of the strongest Legends in the game. Her Tactical is great for repositioning and her Ultimate is a potentially game-saving mobility tool that can be used by the whole team. She has an extremely high skill ceiling, and her small hitbox makes her a terror in close-quarters engagements.
Why is Wraith S-Tier? Wraith's skillset is startlingly versatile, allowing her to get both herself and her team in and out of danger at will. But her strongest asset has to be her small hitbox, which gives her an edge in straight 1v1 firefights.
To learn how to take advantage of Wraith's abilities, be sure to check out our Apex Legends Wraith guide.
Ash
Unlike many recently released Legends, Ash's set of abilities is very versatile, dipping into tracking, mobility, initiating attacks, and disrupting enemies. Her Passive gives her team great information about enemy locations across the map, and her Ultimate is a potent tool for fast and unexpected team repositions.
Why is Ash A-Tier? Like Bloodhound, Ash gives her team a great deal of enemy positional awareness, but for Ash it's more useful before fights than during fights. Her skillset gives her a decent response to any situation, though it can be quite difficult to use her abilities very effectively.
If you want a closer look at Ash's abilities and how they work in greater detail, check out our Apex Legends Ash guide.
Bangalore
Bangalore will always be a very well-rounded Legend. Her Passive helps her survivability in gunfights; her Smokes can save her team's life and pair beautifully with Bloodhound's scans; and her Ultimate is great for zoning large areas and punishing enemies that are out of position. A great Legend who can happily slot into any team.
Why is Bangalore A-Tier? When playing against a competent Bangalore it can be very hard to force her into a bad engagement, because she can block your vision with Smokes, zone large areas with her Ultimate, and move and slide very fast to dodge bullets and escape thanks to her Passive. She's the gold standard when it comes to "solid but not overpowered" characters.
Check out our Apex Legends Bangalore page for tips and tricks on mastering this Legend.
Horizon
Once the best Legend in the game, Horizon has levelled off into a solid choice for most teams. Her Black Hole can be situationally excellent for disrupting the enemy team, particularly when combined with grenade spam. But her strongest ability is her Gravity Lift, which the whole team can use to ascend buildings and other obstacles, or simply to make oneself a much harder target to shoot during firefights.
Why is Horizon A-Tier? Despite her nerfs a few seasons ago, Horizon's Gravity Lift is still a powerful tool that she can use to gain high ground or a good vantage point on an enemy, and make herself very hard to hit in the process. Her Ultimate, while often destroyed too quickly to deal real damage, can decimate teams if applied effectively alongside grenade spam.
For more tips and tricks with this Legend, check out our Apex Legends Horizon guide.
Octane
Octane has near-unrivalled mobility. His Stim Tactical is an endlessly spammable speed boost at the cost of some health, which is quickly regenerated thanks to Octane's Passive health regeneration effect. His Ultimate, Launch Pad, is also one of the most flexible and shortest-cooldown team repositioning tools in the game.
Why is Octane A-Tier? In fights Octane is harder to hit than nearly any other Legend thanks to his Stim, and his Launch Pad is a fantastic team repositioning ability which allows teams to easily capitalise on third-party opportunities, escape, or simply reposition with ease. The only reason he isn't S-Tier is because at the higher levels, his jump can be difficult to use precisely enough to maintain the best position with lots of top-tier teams nearby.
For tips on mastering this high-win-rate Legend, check out our Apex Legends Octane guide.
Caustic
Caustic is one of the most unpleasant Legends to go up against in a confined area (anywhere indoors, basically). His abilities all revolve around the use of Nox Gas, a powerful poison which disorientates, slows, and delivers high damage over time to enemies within the area of effect. His Nox Gas Grenade Ultimate is also a strong panic button when aimed at the floor in front of him, particularly indoors.
Why is Caustic B-Tier? Caustic is very powerful in the right circumstances, because his Nox Gas is just so oppressive. But he can only truly excel in confined indoor locations, and his large hitbox is a bit of a liability when it comes to straight-up firefights.
Learn how to play Caustic effectively with our Apex Legends Caustic page.
Loba
Loba is the very best looter in Apex Legends. Her Passive allows her to see high-level loot through walls nearby, which is great for early-game scavenging; and her Ultimate is a game-changer for the entire team, providing practically unlimited supplies of ammo and some much-needed loot for everyone. Her Tactical is also situationally useful for quick repositions and careful flank attacks.
Why is Loba B-Tier? Loba's Ultimate can be immensely powerful for any team depending on where you place it down. This alone makes her an asset to many teams. Where she falls short is her Tactical, which just isn't a very strong escape tool when you compare it to similar abilities owned by Legends like Wraith, Ash, Octane, Pathfinder, or even Vantage.
Learn more about all of Loba's abilities with our in-depth Apex Legends Loba guide.
Newcastle
New Legend Newcastle combines mobility and defence with his Castle Wall, which allows him to cover great distances to leap towards an ally in need and slam down a large-scale protective wall in front of them. He can also deploy a Mobile Shield that he can direct to move where he wants it, making him very strong at creating cover out of nowhere.
Why is Newcastle B-Tier? Newcastle's abilities are strong and can certainly save lives, but they all also have some pretty decent counterplay and weaknesses built-in. Compared with Gibby's Dome, Newcastle's defences really aren't that powerful. He sacrifices protective strength for the added mobility that comes with his Ultimate. He's certainly a good Legend to have on your team - just not the best.
If you want to learn more about Newcastle's abilities and how to make the most of them, check out our dedicated Apex Legends Newcastle guide.
Rampart
Rampart's flexible Amped Cover Tactical can be used to fortify any position in a matter of seconds, lending a defensive and offensive advantage to the entire team. Her Ultimate is another very strong tool for punishing out-of-position enemies, provided you have the time to position yourself effectively with it.
Why is Rampart B-Tier? Rampart's abilities are hard to use well. There's a lot you need to understand about how to use them, when to use them, how to draw fire from your walls while they're being set up, and so on. But a good Rampart can absolutely save your entire team, and deliver an astonishing amount of firepower in a short space of tim from relative safety.
Learn how to master this surprisingly effective Legend with our Apex Legends Rampart guide.
Seer
Seer was utterly overpowered when he was first introduced in Season 10. Nowadays he's not nearly as strong as he was, but he's still a real threat thanks mainly to his Tactical, which he can use to target enemies through walls to scan them and disrupt their heals and abilities. His Ultimate and Passive are also great tools for getting some awareness of nearby enemy whereabouts.
Why is Seer B-Tier? He's another tricky Legend to use properly, but if you have to fight Seer in a confined indoor location, it can be quite hard to catch him unawares, because he can use any one of his abilities to gain a decent idea of where you are. A well-placed Tactical from Seer can also minimise the enemy's chances of bouncing back after a bad engagement.
Gain the upper hand in any fight with our Apex Legends Seer guide covering each of his fascinating abilities.
Crypto
Crypto's abilities revolve around the use of his Surveillance Drone, which he can remotely pilot to provide a tactical view of his surroundings. Under the right circumstances his Drone can provide more valuable information even than Bloodhound's scans; and it also has the benefit of being able to remotely detonate an EMP charge which slows and damages the shields of players caught inside the blast.
Why is Crypto C-Tier? Crypto's Drone is very difficult to use effectively, as you're effectively having to quickly switch between control of two characters: the Drone, and Crypto himself, to keep him out of harm and catch up with his teammates. This is his major downside. But for those who can master it, you've got a startlingly powerful information-gatherer and fight-initiater.
If you can juggle the responsibilities of Crypto and his drone correctly, he can become a superbly powerful team player. To help you with this, we've prepared an in-depth Apex Legends Crypto guide.
Mad Maggie
Mad Maggie tries to follow in Octane's footsteps as a speed demon. She can throw down her Wrecking Ball to sow chaos and follow its path for a speed boost, and she moves faster with Shotguns than other Legends. Her Riot Drill can also be used to flush enemies out from behind cover by piercing that cover with a Thermite-like flame attack.
Why is Mad Maggie C-Tier? Season 14 threw Maggie's underwhelming skillset a boon by giving her Wrecking Ball the potent ability to destroy Gibraltar's Dome on contact. That's big news that may help disrupt the Gibby-dominant ranked meta a little bit, but let's remember that Maggie has to use an Ult to counter Gibraltar's Tactical, and while Maggie's extra speed with Shotguns can make her decent in close-quarters engagements, her skillset overall is still a little underwhelming.
Pathfinder
Pathfinder's unusual hitbox and the extreme mobility afforded by his Grappling Hook combine to make him one of the most difficult Legends to land hits on as an opponent. His Ultimate is a decent team repositioning tool, but most of the time Pathfinder is less of a team player and more of a solo flanker and pusher. This is his greatest strength and his biggest vulnerability, as he can often be caught away from his teammates.
Why is Pathfinder C-Tier? In skilled hands, a Pathfinder can run rings around lower-tier players thanks to his versatile and unpredictable Grappling Hook. It is by far the strongest part of his skillset, although as mentioned it does mean he's away from his team a lot during fights, because allies simply cannot follow Pathfinder's crazy movements. But the rest of his skillset is incredibly lacklustre, and his Grappling Hook only takes him so far as you climb the ranks.
For more tips on playing as everyone's favourite robot Legend, take a look at our Apex Legends Pathfinder page.
Revenant
The intimidating Revenant's signature ability is his Death Totem. Place it down and all your teammates can be protected from death for a short time, instead zipping back to the Totem when you'd normally be downed. It's a very powerful tool that overshadows Rev's other far more modest abilities: a situational silencing ability, and a Passive that allows him to climb higher and crouch-walk faster.
Why is Revenant C-Tier? Revenant's Death Totem essentially provides the entire team with a free push on an enemy. Combine it with a repositioning tool like Octane's Launch Pad, and it becomes quite hard to defend against. But without that synergy, Revenant is a real one-trick pony. Take away his Ult, and he doesn't really have much utility in his toolkit.
But Revenant is still a force to be reckoned with, particularly if you use the tips in our Apex Legends Revenant guide.
Fuse
Fuse's greatest strength is his Passive, which gives him the ability to hold more grenades and fire them further and more accurately. Sticking enemies with Arc Stars is much easier with Fuse. His Tactical and Ultimate are both damage-dealing area abilities meant for harrassing the enemy and forcing them out from behind cover.
Why is Fuse D-Tier? Although sticking an enemy with an Arc Star can turn around a fight, you won't find many Fuses at high-level play because his abilities simply aren't quite strong enough. A good enemy team will know not to get distracted by the mediocre damage of Fuse's Knuckle Cluster or Motherlode during a fight.
Find out more about this grenade-happy Aussie with our Apex Legends Fuse guide.
Lifeline
Lifeline's strongest ability is her Passive, which allows her to deploy her Drone to revive teammates, leaving Lifeline herself free to continue fighting. This is a very powerful skill that can turn around an entire fight, as long as Lifeline can stay alive long enough to defend her downed teammate. She can also use her Drone to provide some extra Health healing to nearby team members, and occasionally improve the team's gear by calling down her Care Package.
Why is Lifeline D-Tier? Many players love Lifeline, and she's certainly a useful Legend to have on your team, particularly if you're knocked down. But her Tactical and Ultimate abilities really aren't that valuable, and her Passive, while very useful, isn't nearly as powerful as it once was. She's also got too many rivals in the reviving department in this day and age. For this reason we've sadly had to relegate her to D-Tier, despite the fact that she can occasionally turn fights around with her toolkit.
If you need help learning this Legend, check out our Apex Legends Lifeline page.
Mirage
Mirage's claim to fame is his army of tricky holographic decoys. With his Tactical he has a short-cooldown decoy which copies his moves exactly, and his Ultimate is a good panic button, sending decoys out in all directions to mirror his movements and cover an escape attempt. If an enemy shoots a decoy, their position is highlighted to Mirage's team.
Why is Mirage D-Tier? Unfortunately, trickiness is not enough in most situations to consistently win fights and matches. His abilities are hard to use well, and it's become the norm to shoot decoys on sight even when you know they're decoys, just to reduce visual clutter on your screen. So as skillsets go, Mirage's is fairly weak - though here more than ever it's worth remembering that even D-Tier Legends can be played to great effect.
Master this trickster with the help of our Apex Legends Mirage guide.
Wattson
Like Caustic, Wattson excels at turtling. She can take an indoor position and fortify it with electrified fences to deter enemy pushes, and her Interception Pylon to counter grenade spam and provide some passive shield regeneration to herself and allies. In the right circumstances, she can be a powerful ally in battle.
Why is Wattson D-Tier? Since Season 11, Wattson's fences have become snappier, easier to set up, and more punishing to cross; and her Interception Pylon bestows shields at a higher rate. But these buffs don't change the fact that any good Wattson player could likely be even more effective as another character. Wattson's abilities are all preparatory, not reactive: there's nothing here that can help her when she needs it most, which is during an actual firefight.
Master Wattson with our Apex Legends Wattson page.
That's all 22 of the Apex Legends characters covered, along with our thoughts on the current best Legends in the game. To round off your knowledge, why not now check out our guide to the best weapons in Apex Legends? We've also got a list of the best loadouts in Apex Legends too. Or, for more general advice about the game, consult our Apex Legends tips and tricks.
