Apex Legends Classes Explained: Every Legend by Class

Last checked: November 9, 2026.

Apex Legends has 28 Legends split into five classes: Assault, Skirmisher, Recon, Controller and Support. A class tells you what job a Legend does for the squad, and it adds a class perk on top of the Legend's own abilities. The lists below follow EA's official Legends pages, with Season 31 (Cipher) changes from the November 2, 2026 patch notes.

Apex Legends classes at a glance

Class	Job in the squad	Class perk	Legends
Assault	Start fights and keep pushing	Carry more ammo in each inventory slot	Ballistic, Bangalore, Fuse, Mad Maggie, Revenant
Skirmisher	Move fast, flank and escape	See incoming Care Packages and reveal what's inside to the squad	Alter, Ash, Axle, Horizon, Octane, Pathfinder, Wraith
Recon	Find enemies and share intel	Scan Survey Beacons to reveal the next ring location	Bloodhound, Crypto, Seer, Sparrow, Valkyrie, Vantage
Controller	Lock down buildings and areas	Use Ring Consoles to reveal the next ring location	Catalyst, Caustic, Rampart, Wattson
Support	Heal, revive and resupply	Craft teammates' banners at Replicators	Conduit, Gibraltar, Lifeline, Loba, Mirage, Newcastle

A note on the bin perks. EA's class pages also say Assault Legends open a hidden compartment in Weapon Supply Bins and Support Legends open one in blue supply bins. The Season 30 patch notes removed both of those bin types from the loot system, so don't count on those perks in current matches.

How Legend abilities work

Every Legend has three abilities:

Passive: always on, with no button to press.
Tactical: a short-cooldown ability you'll use in most fights.
Ultimate: a bigger ability that charges over time.

During a match your Legend also levels up. At Level 2 and Level 3 you choose an Upgrade that changes part of your kit, such as a shorter cooldown or a new effect. Season 31 added another way to level: capturing a Stronghold gives every living member of the capturing squad a level.

Assault

Assault Legends are built for the middle of a fight. They push early, use explosives and ordnance to deny cover, and open space for the squad to follow.

EA suggests Bangalore, Fuse and Mad Maggie as starting points. Bangalore is unlocked for every player, and her smoke gives a squad cover to push or retreat. Mad Maggie is good at forcing enemies out of buildings they're holding.

Season 31 change: Revenant got faster cooldowns. His Tactical dropped from 20 to 15 seconds, his Ultimate from 180 to 150 seconds, and he received three new Upgrade options.

Skirmisher

Skirmishers survive by moving. They hit enemies from unexpected angles and get out before the other squad can react, and several of them can reposition the whole team.

EA's starting picks are Pathfinder, Axle and Octane. Octane's Launch Pad sends the whole squad into or out of a fight, and Wraith has a personal escape plus a portal the squad can use.

Axle was nerfed in an October 1, 2026 hotfix: slide control was reduced, and both the Nitro Gate and the Kickstart drone were toned down.

Recon

Recon Legends gather information. They scan, mark and track enemies so the squad can choose fights on its own terms, and their perk reveals where the next ring will close.

EA recommends Sparrow, Crypto and Valkyrie to start. Valkyrie also has one of the strongest squad repositioning Ultimates in the game.

Crypto was reworked in Season 31:

His drone now runs on a 25-second battery instead of lasting until it's destroyed. It can be recalled and redeployed without a cooldown, and recalling takes 6 seconds.
Enemies the drone can see can be marked for 8 seconds, and the mark ability has a 4-second cooldown. Marks stay visible even if the drone is recalled or destroyed.
His EMP Ultimate can now be fired from the deployed drone without piloting it. It does full shield damage to enemies in line of sight and 50 damage to those out of sight.

Controller

Controllers decide where the fight happens. They're strongest in buildings and tight spaces, where traps, fences and walls punish squads that push carelessly.

EA's starting picks are Wattson, Catalyst and Caustic. Caustic turns buildings into gas traps, while Rampart can hold a lane with sustained fire from a fortified position.

Support

Support Legends keep the squad alive with heals, revives and resources. Their perk lets them craft a fallen teammate's banner at a Replicator, which gives the squad another way to bring that player back.

EA recommends Lifeline, Conduit and Gibraltar. Lifeline is unlocked for every player, Conduit restores shields without relying on floor loot, and Newcastle is built around protecting revives under fire.

Season 31 changes:

Lifeline: Tactical cooldown cut from 25 to 15 seconds, and her D.O.C. drone now heals her while she glides. Her Upgrades were reshuffled, including a 60-second Ultimate cooldown reduction and a shield while reviving.
Loba: nerfed. Her Tactical cooldown rose from 25 to 30 seconds and her Ultimate from 120 to 150 seconds.

How to unlock Legends

Method	What you get
Free from the start	Lifeline and Bangalore
Welcome Pass challenges	Bloodhound, Gibraltar and Pathfinder, then 12,000 Legend Tokens when you finish the pass
Legend Tokens	12,000 tokens per Legend; you earn 600 tokens per account level
Apex Coins	750 Apex Coins per Legend
Ultimate+ Battle Pass	All Legends playable for the length of that Battle Pass split

Every Legend is unlocked in the Firing Range, so you can test any kit before spending tokens. For more ways to earn currency without paying, see our guide to free Apex Coins, packs and Crafting Metals.

How to choose your class

EA's own advice is to ignore tier lists and pick what fits how you play. A simple way to start:

You die a lot or your team gets split up: pick Support (Lifeline, Conduit or Newcastle).
You like to take fights first: pick Assault (Bangalore, Fuse or Mad Maggie).
You keep getting caught in bad spots: pick a Skirmisher (Wraith, Octane or Pathfinder).
You like to plan ahead and hold positions: pick Controller or Recon.

Over time, aim for a pool of three Legends with different jobs: one you're comfortable on, one that starts fights, and one that helps the squad even when your aim is off. That matters in Ranked, where Diamond and higher matches now have Legend bans, so your main can be unavailable. Our Apex Legends ranked guide explains how bans work.

Frequently asked questions

How many Legends are in Apex Legends?

There are 28 Legends on EA's official roster as of November 2026. Season 31 (Cipher) reworked Crypto rather than adding a new Legend.

What are the 5 classes in Apex Legends?

The five classes are Assault, Skirmisher, Recon, Controller and Support. Each class has a perk, such as Recon Legends scanning Survey Beacons or Support Legends crafting banners at Replicators.

What is the best class for beginners in Apex Legends?

Support and Assault are the easiest places to start because Lifeline and Bangalore are unlocked for everyone. EA suggests both as early picks, since healing and smoke keep you alive while you learn.

Which class can craft banners in Apex?

Support Legends can craft a teammate's banner at a Replicator. That gives the squad another way to respawn a fallen player without collecting the banner from their Death Box.

Which classes can see the next ring?

Recon and Controller Legends. Recon Legends scan Survey Beacons, and Controller Legends use Ring Consoles. Both reveal where the next ring will close.

How much does it cost to unlock a Legend?

Each Legend costs 12,000 Legend Tokens or 750 Apex Coins. You earn 600 Legend Tokens every time your account levels up, and finishing the Welcome Pass gives you 12,000 tokens.

Can two players on the same team pick the same Legend?

Not in standard Battle Royale, where each Legend can only be picked once per squad. Wildcard mode removes that limit, so a squad can run up to three of the same Legend.