[Top 5] Apex Legends Best Defensive Characters
5. Bangalore
Sheisn’t officially defined as a defensive legend but she can still be utilised for that purpose. Rather than using damage based tacticals or “tanking” hits, Bangalore can be used to obscure lines of sight and force an enemy to push you in a way that's advantageous to you rather than them.
When under fire Bangalore receives a speed boost and improved movement for a short period of time (it has a very fast cooldown too). This is very powerful when defending multiple angles during a gunfight.
The smoke and speed combination is perfect for defending open locations with little to no cover. Reviving teammates in smoke is a viable strategy too. Use her ultimate to stall the enemy and reset fights rather than trying to get kills.
Why you should play this character:
- Smaller hitbox than other defensive characters.
- Movement and speed boosting passive, harder to hit.
- More mobile/versatile than Gibraltar/Caustic.
- Powerful ultimate ability for manipulating enemy teams.
4. Caustic
Pre-nerf, the toxic trapper would have taken second place. Unfortunately he isn’t at the top of the meta anymore, but he can still cause havoc if played correctly. He does have the fortified passive which gives him a 15% incoming damage reduction, and that is enough to give him an advantage in one on one gunfights.
A maximum of 6 traps can be deployed at any one time, that's half of Wattsons maximum. Nox traps also have a time limit, whereas Wattsons don't, hence her being ranked better in this list. Even though some defensive legends can be played aggressively it's best to leave Caustic to what he's good at; sit in buildings, block the doors and wait for enemies to make the mistake of pushing you.
Why you should pick this character:
- Slower playstyle is better for competitive games.
- Fortified health boost.
- Excellent at holding/defending small buildings and tight corridors.
- Immune to ‘slow’ effect from enemy fire.
3. Wattson
Designed for a slower but not stationary playstyle, Wattson can quickly trap up new locations with ease and still not require your team to “camp”. Her ultimate ability can be used in hectic endgame fights and slow defensive zones alike, she can also charge it fully with only one ultimate accelerant (which she has an increased carrying capacity for, similar to Fuse’s passive).
Wattson is an excellent counter to Gibraltar’s ultimate and is therefore a favourable pick for ranked and competitive play at high levels. A recent buff also gave her passive shield regeneration, making her an even stronger choice for those games where heals are scarce.
For an interesting approach, switch up the way you play her and use her traps to keep enemies locked inside buildings and prevent them from gaining positional advantage. You don't have to limit yourself to camping with this versatile legend.
Why you should pick this character:
- Passive shield regeneration.
- Up to 12 traps can be placed at any one time.
- Ultimate can be fully charged from one accelerant.
- Ultimate heals the entire team.
2. Bloodhound
Another legend that isn’t officially classed as defense, but still an excellent pick. Whilst Apex does have its own in-game class system, it should be clear by now that there is a huge amount of freedom in how you play them and how you make them work for you.
Focus on holding vantage points/highground/choke points with your team and use scans to constantly pressure any attackers or third party other fights. A well timed scan will often discourage a team from pushing you/set the odds in your favour.
His abilities alone are not perfectly suited for defense, but pair him with any of the other legends on this list and use the strategy above for serious results. That's why Bloodhound ranks second on this list.
Why you should play this character:
- Excellent support character for a full team of defensive legends.
- Scanning discourages enemies from pushing.
- Ultimate ability can be extended by downing enemies while activated (this means more scans).
- Smaller hitbox than other listed legends.
- Increased speed in ultimate.
1. Gibraltar
The outright champion for defense Gibby has the fortified passive ability, giving him a 15% reduction of any incoming damage, as well as his gun shield that has 50 of its own health. This alone makes him a massive pain in gunfights and will easily give you the upper hand.
Combine those benefits with his dome shield and bombardment, now you have a get out of jail free card for almost any situation. Use his defensive capability in an aggressive style to confuse enemy teams. Don't use the bubble to run away, throw it forward and use it to aggressively push teams that have the advantage.
Use the airstrike as a repositioning tool rather than a protective one. If someone has the high ground in the end zone and you want to take it, strike them off of it. These are just a couple of tactics that utilise both his defensive and offensive power.
Why should you pick this character:
- Up to 65 more HP than other characters.
- Mobile defense, does not confine you to buildings.
- Offensive capability.
- Increased revive speed inside of dome.
- Block all grenade damage with his gun shield.
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