All the biggest balance changes coming to Apex Legends with Season 2
Season 2 of Apex Legends is bringing much more to the game than just new content.
In a new blog post, Apex Legends principal weapons designer Sean Slayback explained where the new L-Star LMG, coming to the game with Season 2, fits in the meta.
The L-Star is an airdrop-only weapon that fires heavy, slow projectiles. This means it'll require a lot of leading for ranged combat, but the damage will make up for it. The ammo that spawns with the L-Star cannot be replenished. It also overheats if you continue holding the trigger, and the lens replacement process takes time.
This isn't the only new weapon-related content coming with Season 2. Respawn is also adding two new hop-ups - weapon mods that enhance or accentuate certain areas.
First, there's Disruptor Rounds, which increases damage to shields when equipped. This hop-up goes on the Alternator and RE-45. Then there's Hammerpoint Rounds, which does the opposite: increase damage to un-shielded enemies. The Hammerpoint can be attached to the P2020 and Mozambique.
The Havoc, Devotion, and Triple Take now all take Energy Mag attachments, which work as you'd expect.
The launch of the new season will also see some general balance tweaks. The Flatline, P2020, Alternator, and Triple Take have all been buffed. The Arc Star has been adjusted, too. The explosion now triggers 2.8 seconds after it sticks, instead of 2.5. Full-health players who are stuck with an Arc Star will get knocked out.
Further, anyone caught right at the edge of the explosion will no longer get their full shield destroyed. The roster of Gold weapons is being updated as well to rotate in a new set of weapons.
How much ammo you stack is being changed. For shotguns, their ammo can now only be stacked to 16 instead of 64. Energy ammo now stacks to 80, similar to light and heavy ammo.
Finally, the loot you find in airdrops will depend on which phase of the game they arrive. Late-game drops being the most powerful.
Apex Legends' second season kicks off July 2 with a new hero Wattson, the L-Star weapon, and all the tweaks noted above.