Apex Legends is a squad-based battle royale centered around letting you work together against a huge group of other players in hopes of being the last one standing. Apex only features Duos and Trios, though, and if you hop into the game alone, you're still matched with random players. That being said, Apex provides a ping system that makes communication easy even if you're not using voice chat.
Still, matching with random players has its own challenges. Playing with people you don't know can make winning battles difficult, especially since teams created through matchmaking have a tendency to work together or talk to each other, especially compared to when you play with friends. But just because winning with randoms is tough doesn't mean it's impossible.
There are lots of strategies and situations to consider if you're jumping onto a team all by yourself. Playing alone with people you don't know means adapting to the situation if you want to be successful, and it means trying to make the team work even if you're at a communications disadvantage. Changing the way you play, and paying attention to how your squad plays, can help you take down those championships even if you're not with your full squad of buds. Use these tips to help you be effective on a squad in matchmaking, or even when you find yourself all alone, whether by circumstance--or by choice.
Ping Like Crazy
Whether you're playing with randoms or your best friends, the best thing you can do in Apex Legends is share information. Playing with people you don't know usually means talking is kept to a minimum, but you can still do a lot for your team by sharing information with pings. This doesn't mean you should mark every Mozambique you pass--please, stop doing that--but high-power weapons like the Longbow, Triple Take, Spitfire, and Peacekeeper are worthy of sharing, as are high-level attachments and accessories. More than that, letting your team know where enemies are and have been lets everyone keep aware of potential threats, and that makes your random team a lot more likely to survive.
Stick Together
It's tempting to wander off looting, striking out on your own a bit in order to grab the best gear you can without your teammates getting in your way, but resist the urge if you can. Spreading out so that your team can't quickly get together to aid one another is the best way to get beat in Apex Legends. What's more, most fights are won not by one particularly good player, but by the combined fire of a squad on a single enemy--it's the quickest way to take people out of the fight and skew the odds in your favor. If you let your randoms get picked off one at a time, you're going to struggle, no matter how good of a player you are.
Share And Share Alike
Apex Legends is built on working together, and that goes beyond just shooting the same enemies or pinging good guns. Helping your teammates stay well-equipped and healthy will help you win matches. That means using your abilities when they'll help if you're playing as someone like Lifeline, and it also means tossing teammates ammo, health, and shield pickups when they need them. Sharing will encourage players to share with you, and when you're all looking out for each other, your chances of winning are a lot higher. Keep your teammates alive and they'll help keep you alive, so share the loot wealth when you can.
Observe And Adapt
If possible, watch how your teammates play and try to find the best way to help them, both with your character's abilities and with your weapon choices. Are they trying to snipe? You might be better off getting in close on enemies if that's the case. Do they prefer close engagements? Providing sniper backup might be a better role for you, then. Try to diversify your team's roles and capabilities so that you can handle a variety of situations and engagements. If you're all carrying close-range or long-range weapons, you're more likely to fall to a team that's more versatile.
Don't Shoot At Enemies You Can't Kill
This is a good rule no matter the situation in Apex Legends, but when playing with randoms, it's especially useful. If you see enemies in the distance, don't start firing unless you're sure your team is ready for the engagement, and your chances of winning are good. Taking potshots at players you can't reliably down is a good way to give away your position to another team that could ambush you, and it risks starting a fight with a team that might be better outfitted than you and giving away the element of surprise. It's better to ping an enemy position and try to close the distance before you're spotted than to start shooting and hope that your teammates will figure out what to do.
When Alone, Pick Your Engagements
The big trouble with being alone is that most players opposing you are going to be sticking together, and any three-on-one battle you enter is highly likely to be a loser. When more than one player focuses their fire on you, chances are, the fight is already over. The key, then, is to pick off enemies when they're separated or to get the drop on them. Whether you've bailed on your team because you don't like them, or you're alone after losing everyone else, keeping yourself alive is job one when solo. If you find yourself outnumbered, try to get away, and move carefully and quietly to make sure you hear anybody who might be coming up on you.
Don't Just Quit
Be the change you want to see in the world. If you're downed early in a match or you don't get the Legend you want, don't just bail on your teammates. You're just contributing to everyone's bad time--your teammates are stuck with a disadvantage, which means they'll have less fun, and then they'll be more likely to quit out of their next game at the first sign of trouble, and on and on. Instead of contributing to the frustrations of the community at large, stick around; you never know when a teammate might make a clutch play and manage to revive you at a respawn beacon.
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