Apex Legends patch makes knockdown shields more effective, buffs Wattson’s Pylon, raises level cap
Apex Legends' final major patch this year has arrived.
The latest Apex Legends update released on PC earlier today, with PS4 and Xbox One to follow soon. This is mostly a house-keeping patch, but it does have a few noteworthy additions.
The recently announced level cap increase is the patch's biggest addition. You not only have new levels to grind (up to 500), you'll also be earning Apex Packs at a faster pace compared to the previous cap. It's not one per level like Overwatch, but it is better.
As far as new content, Respawn added six new weapon charms in both the Epic and Legendary Apex Pack rarity tiers. Charms will be found at the in-game shop if you want to buy them directly, though like most store content, they will rotate. The recently added firing range now also supports friendly fire thanks to a new toggle.
The major balance tweak in this week's update is a buff to knockdown shields. They now extend over and behind the head for extra protection. Respawn also buffed the health of the common KO shield to 200 from 100, and the blue (rare) to 450 from 250. To balance it out, you'll now move slightly slower when using a KO shield.
Wattson’s Pylon is now also more effective against grenades thanks to improved interception tech. Respawn says this should reduce instances where grenades would land within the protected area and cause damage.
See the full change log on Reddit.