Apex Legends April 9 Update: Mirage Buffs, Weapon Balancing Changes, and More

The Apex Legends April 9 update introduces a comprehensive set of changes aimed at refreshing the game’s competitive landscape. Following the recent mid-season patch, Respawn Entertainment continues its commitment to maintaining balance within the game, this time honing in on specific Legends and refining weapon effectiveness.

This article provides an in-depth look at the enhancements and adjustments made in the April 9 update for Apex Legends.

Key Highlights of the Apex Legends April 9 Update

With Season 24 already implementing significant transformations, the April 9 update focuses on targeted adjustments, particularly affecting characters such as Ash, Mirage, Seer, and Conduit.

Ash’s Tactical Adjustments

In a subtle yet impactful change, Ash has experienced a slight reduction in her tactical mobility. Her Phase Breach ability now requires more time to complete, with the maximum travel duration increasing from 1.4 seconds to 2.5 seconds and the minimum from 0.3 seconds to 0.5 seconds. This adjustment allows opponents a better opportunity to counter her aggressive repositioning tactics.

Mirage Receives a Boost

In contrast, Mirage players can rejoice with the enhancement of his Ultimate ability. It now generates six decoys instead of five, significantly amplifying his capacity for deception during critical engagements.

Improvements for Conduit and Seer

Conduit has also been fine-tuned, with her tactical ability now providing four shield regeneration per tick, up from three. This enhancement reinforces her role as a support character in tense battle situations.

Additionally, Seer has been slightly refined. His tactical ability activation time has been shortened from 1.4 seconds to 0.8 seconds, with the overall execution now at 0.9 seconds, down from 1.0 seconds. These improvements could be crucial in high-pressure scenarios, giving Seer a competitive advantage in detection-heavy confrontations.

Weapon Balancing and Function Adjustments

The April 9 update also brings significant changes to weapon performance. Noteworthy is the Hemlock, which has received a favorable buff: its headshot damage has increased by 2 points, and its magazine capacity has been expanded by 3 rounds across base, white, and blue magazines.

All SMGs are also experiencing an increase, gaining an extra point in headshot damage to enhance their lethality in fights.

Volt SMG has been adjusted to align with other submachine guns in the April 9 update. (Image via EA)
Volt SMG has been adjusted to align with other submachine guns in the April 9 update. (Image via EA)

However, not every weapon benefited from this update. The P2020 has seen a slight damage decrease from 25 to 24, while the L-Star now features increased recoil and smaller projectile sizes, reducing its consistency in battle scenarios.

Another critical adjustment involves Accelerated Weapons, where the ultimate charge gained from knocks and assists has been modified from 30% to 20%. This change is likely aimed at curbing excessive ultimate cycling in high-kill matches.

While the April 9 update for Apex Legends may not fundamentally alter the game as the mid-season patch did, it serves the essential purpose of optimizing gameplay for enhanced balance and fairness. With adjustments to both Legends and weapon functionalities, players will need to adapt their strategies to maintain a competitive edge.

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