Pathfinder is one of the most used legends in the game and for good reason. This guy is insanely fun to play in casual games, and quite effective even in ranked scenarios. Pathfinder has become a fan favourite in the community, meaning lots of people play him regularly.
The thing is though, they don't all play him as well as they can. He's a pretty simple legend on paper, but one that you can get insane at the more you know.
Pathfinder is a skirmisher legend, meaning he can see where care packages are going to drop on the map and also see what is inside of them. This passive is fantastic on all the legends who have it, but Pathfinder gets more out of it than anyone else. This works in conjunction with his own passive.
For years, Pathfinder was notorious for not having a passive. He was able to scan survey beacons around the map and get his ultimate back quicker, and that was it. Nowadays though, he can get his ultimate back from scanning a care package.
This is insane as you can place the ultimate down, scan a package and then get another ultimate. You can move around the map so quickly, it's so fun.
Next up is Pathfinder’s tactical ability. Pathfinder has access to a grapple, allowing him to move around the map with ease. It's a pretty complex ability and one that will take a lot of time to perfect.
Even at a basic level though, this tactical is one of the best in the game for repositioning, pushing fights or just general movement around the Apex map.
Finally, we have Pathfinder’s ultimate ability, the zipline. This ability allows Pathfinder to create a zipline from his position to another. With a recent buff a few seasons ago, Pathfinder and those who jump onto his zipline now move insanely fast.
You move at a similar speed to the rails all around Broken Moon. It's one of the most versatile abilities in Apex Legends and is what makes Pathfinder the legend he is.
Now, Pathfinder might be one of the most used legends in the game, and possibly one of the best, but he does have some weaknesses. Pathfinder is known in the community as a “fridge”. This is due to his massive hitbox hindering his playstyle.
You want to move around quickly as Pathfinder, but his hitbox is so big that he gets shot very easily. This means you will want some support legends on your team like Loba, Lifeline or Newcastle to cover your back if anything goes wrong.
Now that we know how amazing Pathfinder is, let's discuss how to play him even more effectively.
How to Play Pathfinder Effectively:
15. Play next to your team
Pathfinder might be an aggressive legend, but you don't need to be next to your team the entire time. Thanks to his movement abilities, you can easily take off angles to get better shots of your enemies. Then, if your team needs you, use that zipline or grapple to get back with them.
14. Be ready to push into a team fight
Pathfinder is a legend who initiates fights most of the time, so pushing into an already established team fight is something you need to be doing. Whether it's third partying with your team to zipline them forward or even just starting your own fight, get ready to push as your team will want to get some action.
13. Use the ultimate to get in and out
The Zipline isn't a one-use thing, meaning you can go back and forth on it. Whilst this is great for movement, it's also fantastic for fighting. You can use the zipline to get into a fight and gauge the situation, then use it to leave if things are getting a little too hot and heavy. It's so versatile, so remember to set it up in a way you can get back to it for an easy escape.
12. Momentum
One of the key things about Pathfinder is momentum. You need to understand that moving fast is the way to go and that your grapple is based on that. Grappling from a standstill or even walking isn't going to get you far.
This means you should bring your previous momentum with you onto the grapple. If you think of it like that, then doing things like sliding down a hill into a grapple or even using it off of a Mad Maggie ball will give you more speed. Keep all of that in mind and you will no longer have dead grapples in your games.
11. When to use your tactical
It's easy to get caught up in using Pathfinder grapple any chance you can as it's so fun and gets you around quicker. The thing is though, you should only really use it when you need it. Whether it's in a fight, pushing a team, repositioning or any other situation.
Try not to just use it for the sake of it or to get loot faster, as you might just get caught off guard and die before you can even do anything.
10. Think before you grapple
In the same vein, you should think before you grapple. Look at your surroundings, think about how a third party could come through or just see what's happening around you. Don't grapple into a massive fight or a trap, you'll regret it. Stay calm and calculated to use your grapple at the most optimal time. Whether that's to get into, away or towards a fight.
9. Be aggressive
Pathfinder is a legend that wants to be in a fight, so push forward when you can. You have so many ways to get into fights and get out that it's quite safe to be aggressive with Pathfinder, but that doesn't mean just throwing your life away.
Make sure you think about what you're doing and play correctly, whilst pushing fights when you need it. The balance is key here, and that's what makes certain players more effective than others as Pathy.
8. Loadout Options
Just like any other Legend, I recommend using an assault rifle like the R-301 or even the Volt SMG for medium to long range, then having an R-99 or Peacekeeper for those close-range engagements. It's better to be prepared for every situation.
7. Play cover
Because of how easily Pathfinder can reposition himself in and out of fights, it's best to play as much cover as possible. Stay around high ground and push up when you get a knock or need to return to your team. Play around corners and move positions as much as possible. Because of your grapple, you can easily move from one cover to another, so play like that for a better time.
6. Use the grapple in a fight
Despite the grapple being used for moving around the map and repositioning, it can also be used to disorient your enemies in the middle of a fight. If you use it to avoid gunfire or move around while shooting, enemies will get confused. This is great for making them miss or trying not to get shot.
5. Care Package Spam
With the latest changes to his passive, Pathfinder can now get his ultimate back from scanning care packages. This means that if there are a good amount around you, you can spam your ultimate to move around the map so quickly. If you see care packages, place your ultimate and get it back instantly, it's a great idea.
4. Heirloom Issues
This one can affect your gameplay pretty heavily if you are lucky enough to get Pathfinder’s heirloom. Whilst his loom is fantastic, it can sometimes get in the way of your screen, blocking enemy positions and just making the game harder to play. If you want to get better at Pathy and own the heirloom, consider taking off the heirloom for a better gameplay experience.
3. High-Level Grapple swings
One of the best ways to get better at Pathfinder and to play him most effectively is to look up higher-level grapple swings. Now, this thing isn't something I can't exactly describe, so heading over to YouTube and looking at higher-level players is the way to go.
Top players have some insane skills when it comes to playing Pathfinder and making sure they get the most out of their grapple. Take some time to study these players or watch some movement guides to truly become the best Pathfinder you can be.
2. Grapple Grab
A funny thing to do with Pathfinder’s grapple is to grab people with it. If you aim the grapple at an enemy rather than the map itself, you will be attached to them. This pulls you towards them and basically, stun locks them. They can shoot, but most of the time they will be so confused and just be locked up.
1. Mastering in-game Movement
Finally, the most significant thing about any Apex character, but mainly in movement legends like Pathfinder, is to perfect the game’s movement. Whether this is tap strafing, super gliding or wall bouncing. These all need to be perfected for any character to perform better, but it's even more amplified in movement legends like Pathfinder.
