APEX LEGENDS OFFERS SEVERAL WAYS TO CUSTOMIZE A Legend’s appearance and weapons, as well as their personality and the vocal phrases (Quips) they can use during a match. It’s important to understand that many of these customization options cost real money, and all of them are for cosmetic purposes. None impact the actual capabilities, strength, agility, or speed of a Legend during a match.
Any items you acquire from the Store or unlock within the game are yours to keep and can be used over and over again.
In order to enhance a soldier’s offensive or defensive capabilities, you need to equip them with armor, weapons, weapon attachments, ammo, and Health items during each match. Shown here is a Helmet that’s about to be picked up and worn by the soldier who grabs it. If the just-found Armor item is stronger than the one the Legend was already wearing, it’ll automatically replace the weaker version of that item.
Health-replenishment items, like this Med Kit, are important for keeping your Legend alive during a match. A Med Kit returns your Legend’s Health meter to 100 percent in eight seconds.
ADJUSTING THE CONTROLS
From the game’s Settings menu, it’s possible to adjust the sensitivity of the controls, as well as other options that’ll impact response times, and the appearance of game graphics, for example. After manually adjusting any of these settings, they’ll remain saved until you change them again.
When making any changes to the Settings menu options that relate to the sensitivity of controls or the quality of the graphics, make small and subtle changes, play the game, see the impact those changes have, and then if necessary, make additional tweaks.
The Settings menu is divided into four (or five) categories—Gameplay, Mouse/Keyboard (for PC gamers and those using a keyboard/mouse with their console-based system), Controller, Video, and Audio. These are displayed along the top of the screen. From the Gameplay submenu, you can determine what information gets displayed on the screen during matches and turn off content that you feel just adds clutter to the screen.
If you’re using a console-based gaming system (the PS4 menu is shown here), the Controller submenu offers options that allow you to customize controller button bindings, plus adjust the Sensitivity of the controls. There’s also a Sensitivity (ADS) option. For a controller, the default sensitivity of these two settings is 3. The range is between 1 (very low) and 8 (insane). Most gamers keep these two settings at the same level, so if you change one, change the other.
Also from the Controller menu, consider turning off the Vibration feature. If the controller vibrates during a firefight (which it’s designed to do), the extra movement could impact your aiming precision. The Controller menu is available when playing either a console or the PC version of the game, since an optional Xbox One controller can be connected to your PC. Shown here is the PC version of the menu.
CONTROLLER BUTTON BINDINGS
The controller button bindings determine which controller button controls each feature or function available during gameplay on a PS4 or Xbox One. Whether or not you adjust these bindings is a matter of personal preference (although when the game launched, not all of them were adjustable). PC gamers, however, often opt to customize the key bindings for their keyboard and mouse.
Be sure you memorize these controls as quickly as possible and get plenty of practice using them!
DEFAULT BUTTON BINDINGS FOR THE PS4 AND XBOX ONE
COMMAND/FUNCTION |
PLAYSTATION 4 |
XBOX ONE |
Aim Down Weapon Sight |
L2 |
Left Trigger |
Charge Firing Mode (Not applicable for all weapons.) |
Left Directional Button |
Left Directional Button |
Crouch |
Circle Button |
B Button |
Equip Grenade |
Right Directional Button |
Right Directional Button |
Extra Character Action |
Down Directional Button |
Down Directional Button |
Fight |
Right Stick (R3) |
Right Bumper |
Fire / Attack |
R2 |
Right Trigger |
Inventory |
Option Button |
Menu Button |
Jump |
X Button |
A Button |
Map |
Touch Pad |
View Button |
Melee |
Hold Right Stick (R3) |
Hold Right Stick |
Movement |
Left Stick |
Left Stick |
Pickup / Reload / Interact / Open |
Square Button |
X Button |
Ping |
R1 |
Right Bumper |
Ping Wheel |
Hold R1 |
Hold Right Bumper |
Run (Sprint) |
Hold Left Stick (L3) |
Hold Down Left Stick |
Tactical Ability |
L1 |
Left Bumper |
Ultimate Ability |
L1 + R1 |
Left Bumper + Right Bumper |
Use Health Kit / Shield Kit |
Up Directional Button |
Up Directional Button |
Weapon Change |
Triangle Button |
Y Button |
DEFAULT KEY BINDINGS FOR A PC’S KEYBOARD AND MOUSE
COMMAND/FUNCTION |
KEYBOARD KEY OR MOUSE BUTTON |
Move Forward |
W |
Move Back |
S |
Move Left |
A |
Move Right |
D |
Sprint / Run |
Left Shift |
Jump |
Space Bar |
Crouch (Toggle) |
C |
Crouch (Hold) |
Left Ctrl |
Tactical Ability |
Q |
Ultimate Ability |
Z |
Alternate Interact |
X |
Interact / Pickup / Open |
E |
Inventory (Toggle) |
Tab / I |
Map (Toggle) |
M |
Attack |
Left Mouse Button |
Toggle Fire Mode |
B |
Aim Down Sight (Toggle) |
Right Mouse Button |
Melee |
V |
Reload Weapon |
R |
Cycle Weapon |
Mouse Wheel Scroll |
Equip Weapon 1 |
1 |
Equip Weapon 2 |
2 |
Holster Weapons |
3 |
Equip Grenade |
G |
Use Health Item That’s Selected |
4 |
Inspect Weapon |
N |
Ping |
Mouse Wheel Click |
Push to Talk |
T |
Message Team |
Enter |
If you’re playing the PC version of Apex Legends, the Mouse/Keyboard submenu within Settings offers options for customizing each of the key bindings and adjusting the sensitivity of the mouse. From this menu, you can add key bindings (not currently assigned) for additional Ping options.
The Video option when playing on a console-based system allows you to adjust the screen brightness and the Field of View. You may need to adjust the Screen Brightness if you switch from playing the game in a brightly lit room to a dark room, for example.
The Field of View determines how much detail you’ll see off in the distance during a match. This impacts the quality of the graphics and the amount of computing power required to generate those graphics. Setting the Field of View option to the maximum level when playing the PS4 or Xbox One version of Apex Legends gives you the best view of the action.
If you’re playing the PC version of Apex Legends, the performance of the game will have a lot to do with the equipment you’re using. First, make sure your PC has at least the minimum system requirements for playing the game. Assuming this is the case, if you have a lower-end PC, you may want to reduce the Resolution and Field of View, along with some of the options displayed below the Advanced heading in order to maximize computer system performance when playing and avoid unwanted glitching.
According to EA, the PC minimum system requirements for Apex Legends are:
OPERATING SYSTEM |
64-BIT WINDOWS 10 |
CPU |
Intel Core i3-6300 3.8GHz / AMD FX-4350 4.2 GHz Quad-Core Processor |
RAM |
6GB |
GPU |
NVIDIA GeForce GT 640 / Radeon HD 7700 |
GPU RAM |
1GB |
Hard Drive Space |
Minimum 30 GB of free space |
According to EA, the PC recommended system requirements for Apex Legends are:
OPERATING SYSTEM |
64-BIT WINDOWS 10 |
CPU |
Intel i5 3570K or equivalent |
RAM |
8GB |
GPU |
Nvidia GeForce GTX 970 / AMD Radeon R9 290 |
GPU RAM |
8GB |
Hard Drive Space |
Minimum 30 GB of free space |
To save time, after making any changes within Settings, from the Lobby screen (shown here), return to Training Mode to test out the impact those changes have on gameplay.
SHOPPING AT THE STORE
From Apex Legend’s Lobby screen, select the Store option to visit the online-based store. The selection of items sold here changes daily. Some cosmetic items can be acquired using Crafting Metals. Meanwhile, Legend Tokens are earned by playing Apex Legends and leveling up as a gamer. These can be used to unlock Legends and acquire exclusive items from the Store. It requires 600 Legend Tokens to increase a level.
One way to gather Crafting Metals is by opening Apex Packs. A Common cosmetic item typically costs 30 Crafting Metals. A Rare item costs 60 Crafting Metals. An Epic item costs 400 Crafting Metals, and a Legendary item costs 1,200 Crafting Metals. Obviously, it makes sense to save up Crafting Metals so you can acquire Legendary items that are exclusive and not available elsewhere.
Most purchases from the Featured section of the Store require you to spend real money. First, you need to purchase Apex Coins. You can purchase bundles of between 1,000 and 11,500 coins at a time, based on how much money you want to spend. Once you’ve acquired Apex Coins, return to the Featured, Apex Packs, or Legends section of the Store to make purchases.
Every day, the Featured section of the Store reveals a different selection of cosmetic items you can purchase using Apex Coins (or in some cases Legend Tokens). One at a time, select the item you want to purchase, and then select the Unlock button to acquire it by spending Apex Points or Legend Tokens (whichever is applicable). From the Featured section of the Store, this Void Specialist skin for Wraith is selected. It’s being sold for 1,800 Apex Coins. To purchase it (assuming you have enough coins), click on the red Unlock with 1,800 Apex Coins button.
Next, confirm your purchase by clicking on the Unlock with 1,800 Apex Coins. The item will now be added to your player account’s inventory.
To access the Legend’s customization screen (shown here), return to the Lobby, select the Legends tab (in this case choose Wraith), and then select the Skins tab at the top of the screen. As you can see, the Void Specialist skin has now been unlocked and can be selected and worn when you opt to control Wraith during a match.
The Featured section of the Store typically offers Weapon Skins, Legend Skins, Banner Frames, and other cosmetic items. Some items are extremely rare (very limited edition), while others will re-appear periodically within the Store. Shown here, the Nitro Kustom weapon skin for the Devotion weapon (which is ranked as Legendary) was selected from the Featured menu and is about to be purchased for 1,800 Apex Coins.
HOW TO PURCHASE AND USE APEX PACKS
Apex Packs include a random selection of three cosmetic items. Each time you purchase and open an Apex Pack, the probability of acquiring at least one Rare or better item is 100 percent. The probability of acquiring at least one Epic or Better item is 24.8 percent, and the probability of acquiring at least one Legendary item is 7.4 percent. You will never receive duplicate cosmetic items. In addition, for every 30 Apex Packs that are purchased, you’re guaranteed to obtain at least one Legendary item, which are the rarest.
Apex Packs can be earned and unlocked as a result of game play or purchased for 100 Apex Coins each (approximately $1.00 US). Ten Apex Packs can be purchased at the same time for 1,000 Apex Coins (approximately $10.00 US).
Whether you earn Apex Packs from playing Apex Legends or purchase them from the Store, to unlock them and reveal their contents, first return to the Lobby and click on the red Apex Packs Remaining button that’s displayed in the top-right corner of the screen.
Each Apex Pack needs to be opened separately.
Shown above are the contents of two different Apex Packs. The one shown in the top image contains a rare skin for Bloodhound, as well as two audible Quips for other Legends. In the bottom image, the Apex Pack reveals three different weapon skins.
Once the contents of an Apex Pack is revealed, click on each item one at a time and then select the Equip button to add it to your player account, so it becomes immediately available to you.
OTHER ITEMS YOU CAN PURCHASE FROM THE STORE
Using 12,000 Legend Tokens or 750 Apex Coins, it’s possible to unlock additional Legends and make them accessible for you to select during a match. When Apex Legends first launched, six of the eight original Legends were unlocked and accessible to everyone. However, Caustic and Mirage needed to be unlocked from the Store. Over time, additional Legends will be introduced into the game that will need to be unlocked before they’re accessible.
Starting in March 2019, Apex Legends Season One kicked off. In conjunction, the very first Battle Pass was made available as an optional (but recommended) purchase. It included the ability to unlock a new Legend, weapons, loot items, and other cosmetic items simply by playing Apex Legends. Be sure to check the News section of the official Apex Legends website (www.ea.com/games/apex-legends/news) for details on Battle Passes, what’s included with them, and how much they cost. Also, check out Section 9 of this guide.
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF TWITCH PRIME PACKS
EA has teamed up with Twitch.tv and Amazon Prime to occasionally offer free Twitch Prime Packs. These are collections of cosmetic loot items and five Apex Packs that can be acquired and unlocked if you are a paid Amazon Prime subscriber and have a free Twitch.tv account that’s linked with your Apex Legends gaming account. To learn more about Twitch Prime Packs, visit www.twitch.amazon.com/apex.
If you play Apex Legends on multiple gaming platforms, the items you receive from Twitch Prime Packs can only be associated with your account on the one gaming platform you select.
HOW TO USE ITEMS THAT HAVE BEEN PURCHASED OR UNLOCKED
Once you’ve unlocked or purchased items, they can be applied to various Legends prior to a match. To do this from the Lobby screen, select the Legend tab, and then choose which Legend you want to apply cosmetic items to.
Each type of cosmetic item falls into one of four categories—Skins, Banners, Quips, and Finishers. Each category tab is displayed along the top of the screen. There are also Skins available for weapons that change their appearance within the game, but not their functionality.
By unlocking one or more Skins for a specific Legend, you can alter their appearance within the game. Each Skin needs to be unlocked or purchased separately. The ones available to you will have a checkmark next to their title. All others will display a lock symbol.
To unlock a locked Skin, select it. Choose the Unlock command. You’ll then be given the opportunity to unlock it with Craft Metals, Legend Tokens, or Apex Coins. If you have the right amount of in-game currency and want to make the purchase, use the Unlock button. Otherwise use the Cancel command to return to the previous screen.
Unless Legend Skins are featured items within the Store, they typically need to be acquired using Craft Metals, not Apex Coins.
Upon selecting the Banners option, there are many additional cosmetic items that can be applied to the selected Legend. These include Frames, Poses, Badges, and Trackers. Each of these must be purchased or unlocked separately. Trackers, for example, display specific tidbits of information relating to your experience and achievements as a gamer while controlling that Legend.
There are three pieces of data that can be displayed at once, based on which Trackers you unlock and select. Shown here, the Tracker 1 slot was selected on the left side of the screen, and the now unlocked AR Skills Tracker item (shown in the center of the screen) was selected. It’ll now be displayed as part of that Legend’s stats during the game. A sample of this is shown on the right side of the screen.
Quips are the audible sayings (heard using the Legend’s voice) that each Legend can use during a match. There are two types of Quips—Intros and Kill messages. Each must be purchased or unlocked separately, and then can be used during matches to communicate with or taunt enemies. Shown here are the Quips menus for Pathfinder and Wraith. As you can see, most of the available audible Quips are still locked for each character.
Every Legend has optional Finishing moves (known as “Finishers”) that are animated movements they showcase upon making a kill during a match. Again, these don’t impact a Legend’s combat abilities. When a kill is made and a Finisher is used, all gamers who have Legends in the area will see it. Upon selecting a Finisher, you’re able to view a preview of it before purchasing it within the Store. Every Legend has one Finisher that comes unlocked and ready to use.
After making a kill during a match, you must manually press the Finisher button/key to activate it. When using a PC keyboard, press the “E” key. On a PS4, press the Square controller button, and on an Xbox One, press the “X” controller button.
Unless a specific Legend’s Finishing move is a featured item within the Store, these must be unlocked, one at time, either by opening Apex Packs or using Crafting Metals. Once Battle Passes are introduced into the game, you’ll be able to unlock cosmetic items for the Legends by accomplishing specific tasks during matches. Each Battle Pass will exist for about three months, although all items you acquire from a Battle Pass will be yours to keep forever.
Remember, using any of the cosmetic items when playing Apex Legends is totally optional. If you’re a newb, focus on memorizing the controls, building your muscle memory for the controls, and gaining experiencing by actually participating in matches. Using cosmetic items and Finishers, for example, is a secondary and much less essential skill when it comes to becoming a top-ranked Apex Legends gamer.