Apex Legends Season 27 has reshaped the legend meta with sweeping ability reworks, perk system enhancements, and major changes to Olympus. Several legends have risen—or fallen—based on how well their kits interact with the new map flow, perk tree scaling, and rotation-heavy engagements.
This guide covers:
- A ranked-focused tier list of all 25 legends, categorized by performance and utility
- Evaluation criteria including perk scaling, teamfight value, and solo viability
- Explanations for each legend’s tier placement and core kit strengths or weaknesses
- Detailed breakdowns for S-Tier power picks and what counters them
- Analysis of meta-driven team compositions and map-specific synergy on Olympus
- Notes on the new perk upgrade system’s impact on high-commitment kits
- Outlook for balance shifts and underperforming legends likely to receive mid-season changes
Season 27 Perk System Changes and Impact
The Season 27 perk system, which scales kit bonuses across three tiers, plays a crucial role in shaping legend viability—especially for high-commitment kits like Valkyrie, Rampart, and Horizon.
| Tier | Legends |
| S | Valkyrie, Horizon, Rampart |
| A | Alter, Ash, Newcastle, Lifeline, Sparrow, Seer, Revenant |
| B | Bangalore, Caustic, Mad Maggie, Loba, Ballistic, Mirage |
| C | Fuse, Wraith, Vantage, Gibraltar, Pathfinder |
| D | Catalyst, Wattson, Crypto, Conduit |
| E | Octane, Bloodhound |
Apex Legends Difficulty Tiers (Season 27)
- S-Tier: Valkyrie (Medium), Horizon (Medium), Rampart (Low)
- A-Tier: Alter (Medium), Ash (Medium), Newcastle (Medium), Lifeline (Low), Sparrow (Medium), Seer (Medium), Revenant (Low)
Best Counters for S-Tier Legends in Season 27
- Rampart: Countered by coordinated off-angles and vertical entry from legends like Horizon, Valkyrie, and Ash.
- Horizon: Smokes and scans reduce the value of her Black Hole ultimate; burst-damage weapons can burn players in her Gravity Lift quickly.
- Valkyrie: Apply pressure during her jetpack cooldown windows; force fights on the ground to negate her aerial advantage.
E-Tier Legends
These legends struggle to find a place in the current meta. Their abilities feel outdated or are so heavily outclassed by other characters that they require a fundamental rework to become competitive.
- Octane: The core concept of taking self-damage for a speed boost is a significant liability. Numerous legends offer faster, more versatile movement without any health penalty. His tactical ability is one of the weakest in the game, creating a health disadvantage before a fight even begins, and his Jump Pad ultimate offers less protection and strategic value than other rotation tools. While Respawn has confirmed Octane will receive future tuning, his current kit remains a liability in the Season 27 meta.
- Bloodhound: A foundational legend who suffers from a similar issue as Octane: a kit that feels largely unchanged since the game’s inception. While straightforward to learn, Bloodhound’s abilities are overshadowed by stronger recon legends like Vantage, Sparrow, and the newly buffed Seer. These alternatives provide more potent scanning capabilities and possess superior movement options, leaving Bloodhound’s simple speed boost feeling insufficient for high-level play.
D-Tier Legends
Legends in this tier have often received reworks but remain situational or fundamentally weak in the current meta. They can perform under specific circumstances but are generally outclassed.
- Catalyst: Once a staple in ranked play, Catalyst has since been nerfed significantly. While she remains the only legend capable of rebuilding and fortifying broken doors, she lacks the offensive and defensive flexibility of other controllers. Furthermore, her ultimate ability is often less effective, as enemies can typically still see and shoot through her wall with relative ease.
- Wattson: Her primary challenge is not a lack of power, but an exceptionally high skill ceiling that makes her difficult for most players to master. Her ultimate feels less broadly impactful this season, and her defensive setups are highly map- and zone-dependent. For these reasons, other controllers like Rampart and Caustic offer more consistent results with less required mastery.
- Crypto: As a recon legend, Crypto is overshadowed by more mobile and active scanners. He possesses a high skill ceiling and requires a niche playstyle to be effective. A significant drawback is that using his drone leaves him stationary and unable to physically assist his team in a fight. Additionally, his EMP ultimate also damages his own shields, weakening its overall utility for an aggressive push.
- Conduit: Arguably the weakest support legend in the battle royale format, Conduit’s kit feels outdated. Her passive speed boost is often redundant, and her tactical healing is now slower (25s cooldown), making it unreliable in pressure situations and better suited for safe resets. While her ultimate provides some area control by draining shields, her primary role as a healer feels underdeveloped.
C-Tier Legends
These legends are more viable and flexible than the lower tiers. While not considered top-tier meta picks, they are capable of performing well and can be effective in the right hands or team composition.
- Fuse: As an entry fragger, Fuse possesses immense damage potential through his enhanced grenade capacity and Knuckle Clusters. His main drawback is the significant self-damage his kit can inflict, making him a high-risk pick at close range. In higher-ranked lobbies, where placement and positioning are paramount, Fuse’s lack of defensive utility makes him a less optimal choice.
- Wraith: Once the premier Skirmisher, Wraith has been largely outclassed by Ash. While her tactical void run remains a powerful escape tool, her ultimate feels slower and less safe than other rotation options. She is a decent legend who can still work in specific scenarios but struggles to match the utility of A-tier rotators.
- Vantage: After buffs in a previous season, Vantage became a more decent pick. Her bat provides good mobility, and her sniper ultimate offers strong utility as a third weapon. She is, however, still outclassed in raw movement, and her ultimate requires carrying Ultimate Accelerants to be consistently effective for long range engagements.
- Gibraltar: Gibraltar excels in 1v1 engagements due to his Fortified perk and Gun Shield. He has shifted from a universal anchor to a comp-dependent pick—strong in duels, but outclassed by Newcastle and Lifeline in team sustain and overall team coordination.
- Pathfinder: In terms of pure, raw movement, Pathfinder remains one of the best. A second grapple charge at Level 3 meaningfully improves his tempo, but the large hitbox and high skill floor keep him out of top tiers. Without good positioning, he is a comparatively easy target.
B-Tier Legends
These legends are strong, meta-viable picks that can perform well both individually and as part of a team. A good character in this tier can often win fights with the right support.
- Bangalore: A well-rounded “jack of all trades,” Bangalore possesses movement, team utility, and assault capabilities. Her smoke remains a powerful tool for breaking sightlines, and her ultimate is a formidable area denial tool. Previous nerfs knocked her down from A-Tier, but she remains a solid and reliable choice in almost any situation.
- Caustic (Controller): One of the best controller legends, Caustic offers a flexible kit that excels in both defensive and offensive scenarios. His gas remains a potent threat that can quickly overwhelm unprepared teams. While his large size and lack of mobility can be a hindrance, his ability to easily unlock all four of his perks makes him a consistently strong pick. However, with the Season 27 changes, Rampart has overtaken him in controller dominance this season.
- Mad Maggie (Assault): A very solid assault legend and a stronger entry fragger than Fuse due to her combination of speed and power. Her Riot Drill and Wrecking Ball make her an excellent counter to defensive legends, including the newly buffed Rampart. Her main drawbacks are the self-damage her kit can inflict and the notoriously difficult-to-control ultimate.
- Loba (Support): With two charges for her bracelet and the ability to collect teammate banners with her Black Market, Loba is one of the best movement-based support legends. Her ultimate is also very strong, especially with perk upgrades, as it allows a team to secure the best weapons and even items from a care package.
- Ballistic (Assault): One of the premier 1v1 duelists in the game. An enemy hit by his tactical ability while his ultimate is active is at a severe disadvantage. His ultimate is also incredibly powerful, instantly upgrading his sling weapon to gold. His only weakness is a somewhat lackluster set of level three perks.
- Mirage: Mirage occupies a unique niche defined by high outplay potential. In competitive play, he often falls short due to limited team synergy. However, his invisibility on revives remains strong, and skilled Mirage players can still secure picks using well-timed decoys in ranked lobbies, making him a potent wildcard.
A-Tier Legends
These are very good legends, often considered top picks in the meta. Most competitive team compositions will include at least one of these characters, making any of them a great pick.
- Alter: Despite a heavy nerf last season, Alter remains an incredibly strong legend. Her tactical ability provides unparalleled repositioning capabilities, and her passive, which allows her to loot key items from death boxes remotely, is a game-changing ability.
- Ash (Skirmisher/Rotation): As a member of the skirmisher class, Ash was once meta-defining before receiving several nerfs. Her ultimate remains one of the best rotation tools in the game, allowing for aggressive pushes and emergency escapes with a speed that even the newly buffed Valkyrie cannot match over a short distance.
- Newcastle (Support/Anchor): Essentially an upgraded version of Gibraltar, Newcastle is the go-to defensive legend in higher-ranked lobbies. His kit is exceptionally strong, with a mobile revive that protects both him and his downed teammate, and an ultimate that now blocks incoming ordnance.
- Lifeline (Support/Tempo): Lifeline has evolved into the definition of a perfect healer. Her ultimate provides impenetrable cover and rapid healing, while her hands-free DOC revive allows her to continue fighting while saving a teammate, making her both a defensive anchor and an aggressive support.
- Sparrow: Sparrow possesses one of the most fluid movement kits in the game. His passive Double Jump is a fight-winning ability, while his tactical and ultimate abilities provide crucial intel and pressure that reward vertical play. Sparrow’s recon-mobility hybrid role makes him one of the best additions in Apex Legends Season 27.
- Seer (Recon/Fight Control): Previously considered useless, Seer received massive buffs that made him more fluid in fights, including faster tactical regen and improved visibility in his ultimate. Mobility and charge-rate upgrades make him incredibly versatile, and his perks allow for rapid tactical charges that can even heal his own shields. Post-buff nerfs have brought him down from S-Tier, but he remains a very strong pick.
- Revenant: Despite a nerf to his tactical Shadow Pounce, it remains a solid mobility tool. His ultimate, which grants an instant 75-point overshield, makes him one of the strongest 1v1 fighters in the game, capable of winning engagements against opponents with superior armor.
S-Tier
These legends are not only the best in their respective classes but arguably the best character in the entire game. Their kits are designed to win fights and dominate competitive matches, and their high win rates reflect this. The verticality of the reworked Olympus map, with POIs like Somers University and Gravity Engine, further amplifies their strengths. These new points of interest and expanded vertical layouts reward legends with superior mobility or elevation control.
- Valkyrie: The Season 27 weapon buffs to the meta are secondary to the buffs that transformed Valkyrie into an absolute monster. The recharge delay on her jetpack has been drastically reduced from 8s to 2.5s, and her horizontal flight speed has been significantly increased. Her ultimate, benefiting from the Supersonic upgrade, now launches much faster, and she can fire her tactical missiles while in her skydive. The missiles themselves no longer cause self-damage and now scan enemies while disabling their movement passives on hit.
- Horizon: Horizon was already in a decent spot, but the Season 27 changes have made her exceptionally powerful. Her Gravity Lift is now significantly faster (375 units/sec) with a shortened 22-second cooldown. Her Black Hole ultimate is now way stronger, with its health increased from 175 to 255. Her new perk abilities, such as Gravity Boots for a rapid aerial slam and Newt Scoot for a forward glide, give her immense flexibility. Faster lift and a sturdier Black Hole shorten her commit windows and raise fight conversion rates.
- Rampart: While Caustic dominated the controller meta last season, this season belongs to Rampart. Her newly buffed kit is a game-changer. Amped shields with a roof provide stronger defenses, and the wall health now scales with her EVO level. Her walls can also store damage, which is then converted into a powerful speed boost for teammates. This new form of aggression makes her the most versatile defensive-yet-aggressive hybrid legend this season.
Best Ranked Team Comps for Olympus (Season 27)
The early meta of Season 27 points toward team compositions that blend mobility, area denial, and sustain. Two reliable trios that have emerged are:
- Valkyrie + Rampart + Horizon: This composition excels at vertical rotation (Valkyrie), fortified staging with amped walls (Rampart), and lift-based re-engagement (Horizon). It is an incredibly strong combination for controlling the mid-to-late game circles on the new Olympus.
- Horizon + Ash/Seer + Lifeline/Newcastle: This trio focuses on fast entry and re-engagement (Horizon), combined with either rotation and tempo (Ash) or combat intelligence (Seer). This aggressive shell is supported by the powerful revives from Lifeline or Newcastle.
Season 27 Meta Forecast and Legend Balance Outlook
This tier list reflects the state of the game at the launch of Season 27. The meta is still solidifying, and player adaptation will be a key factor. It is highly likely that the newly buffed S-tier legends will see some balancing tweaks in a mid-season patch or future events. We should also mention that developers have stated Octane “hasn’t been forgotten,” implying a future rework is on the table, which could bring new life to underperforming legends. As always, expect the hierarchy to shift as the season progresses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best legend in Apex Legends Season 27?
The best legends in Season 27 are Valkyrie, Horizon, and Rampart. Valkyrie dominates due to her drastically improved jetpack, enhanced ultimate, and new missile functionality. Horizon benefits from a faster Gravity Lift and a sturdier Black Hole, giving her strong re-engagement and crowd control. Rampart has overtaken other controllers with scalable wall health, a team-wide speed boost mechanic, and reliable area fortification. These three legends offer the strongest mix of movement, utility, and combat presence on the new Olympus map.
What is the Apex Legends Season 27 legend tier list?
The Season 27 legend tier list ranks all 25 legends from S to E based on their performance in ranked play. S-tier legends include Valkyrie, Horizon, and Rampart. A-tier legends like Alter, Ash, and Seer are strong but slightly less dominant. B- and C-tier legends offer situational viability, while D- and E-tier legends like Catalyst, Conduit, Octane, and Bloodhound are significantly underpowered in the current meta.
How are Apex Legends legends ranked in Season 27?
Legends are ranked based on their effectiveness in ranked play, with emphasis on ability synergy, perk scaling, rotation tools, team support, and consistency across different match types. The perk system and Olympus map layout heavily influence the rankings, with vertical mobility and scalable utility playing a critical role in legend viability this season.
Which legends are currently underrated in Apex Legends Season 27?
Revenant and Mad Maggie are both strong but underutilized. Revenant’s overshield ultimate and high-mobility tactical make him one of the best 1v1 fighters. Mad Maggie’s aggressive entry kit, including her Riot Drill and Wrecking Ball, offers strong anti-fortification pressure—particularly effective against high-tier controllers like Rampart.
Which Apex Legends characters are worst in Season 27?
Octane and Bloodhound rank lowest due to outdated kits that don’t synergize with the perk system or map flow. Octane’s self-damaging tactical and low-value jump pad make him a liability in ranked play. Bloodhound, once a staple recon pick, now feels outclassed by Seer and Sparrow, who offer better scanning, tracking, and movement.
What are the best perks in Apex Legends Season 27?
Top-performing perks include Horizon’s Gravity Boots (aerial slam for surprise entries), Valkyrie’s Supersonic (faster skyward dive and mid-flight missile fire), and Rampart’s Cover Fire (convert wall damage into teammate speed boosts). These perks significantly enhance each legend’s ability to pressure opponents and reposition safely.
How does the new perk system affect legend balance?
The new perk system, which unlocks progressively stronger passives as players deal damage and survive longer, heavily favors legends with commitment-based kits. It rewards legends who can remain alive through long engagements or fortify areas, making characters like Rampart, Caustic, and Pathfinder stronger in the mid-to-late game compared to low-scaling legends like Octane or Mirage.
Which legends scale best with perks in Season 27?
Legends with strong synergy between base abilities and tier-three perks perform best. Valkyrie’s movement perks supercharge her vertical control, Horizon’s kit becomes more oppressive with aerial boosts and faster cooldowns, and Rampart’s walls become a team-wide utility tool. Other strong scalers include Pathfinder, Caustic, and Lifeline.
Has Conduit been nerfed in Apex Legends Season 27?
Yes. Conduit’s tactical healing now has a 25-second cooldown, making her even less effective in mid-fight support situations. Combined with her lack of combat utility and a redundant passive, she has fallen into D-tier. She’s better suited for low-pressure resets rather than ranked combat.
Why is Seer back in the Apex meta?
Seer received significant buffs that improved his tactical charge rate, shield-perk synergy, and fight control. His tactical can now be used more frequently, and it provides vision and shield interrupts that disrupt enemy pushes. His ultimate, while easier to counter than before, remains valuable for zone control and team tracking.
How has Olympus changed in Apex Legends Season 27?
Olympus received several map updates, including new vertical POIs like Somers University and Gravity Engine. These changes reward legends with strong aerial or vertical traversal abilities. The map now encourages high-ground control, layered engagements, and aggressive flanking—all of which boost the value of legends like Valkyrie, Horizon, and Pathfinder.
What are the best team comps for Olympus Season 27?
Two highly effective ranked comps are:
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Valkyrie + Rampart + Horizon: Blends rotation, fortified staging, and re-engagement.
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Horizon + Ash/Seer + Lifeline/Newcastle: Combines fast entry with healing or scan support, ideal for Olympus’ vertical fights and third-party pressure.
Which Apex Legends are best for vertical maps like Olympus?
Valkyrie, Horizon, and Pathfinder are top-tier for vertical maps. Valkyrie’s flight and fast-launch ultimate offer team-wide repositioning. Horizon’s Gravity Lift provides quick height access in fights, and Pathfinder’s grapples remain a versatile tool for both flanking and escapes.
Is Rampart good on Olympus in Season 27?
Rampart is one of the best controller legends this season, especially on Olympus. Her upgraded walls can store damage and provide speed boosts, and their health now scales with EVO level. This makes her excellent for locking down high ground and creating mobile cover in exposed POIs.
Which legends are best for solo queue in Apex Legends?
For solo queue, pick legends with strong self-sustain or carry potential. Ballistic is excellent for duels, Lifeline offers passive team value, and Mad Maggie provides fast-entry pressure. These legends don’t rely heavily on coordinated teammates to perform well in ranked.
What are the best counter-picks to S-tier legends in Season 27?
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To counter Rampart: Use vertical entry legends like Horizon, Valkyrie, or Ash to bypass her wall setups.
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To counter Horizon: Use smokes (Bangalore) or scans (Seer, Bloodhound) to force her out of Gravity Lift, and burst her before she lands.
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To counter Valkyrie: Push aggressively during her jetpack cooldown and avoid skyward dive situations where she controls tempo.
Who are the best recon legends in Apex Legends Season 27?
Seer is the best recon pick due to his crowd control and high uptime on scans. Sparrow offers a hybrid recon-skirmisher role with excellent verticality and tracking. Vantage is viable at range but requires setup and item investment (Ultimate Accelerants) for consistency.
What controller legend should I play in Season 27?
Rampart is the top controller pick thanks to her new perks and defensive utility. Caustic remains viable for gas zoning and holding tight spaces, but he lacks Rampart’s proactive pressure. Catalyst and Wattson are more situational and dependent on map control.
Will Octane be reworked in Apex Legends?
Developers have hinted that Octane “hasn’t been forgotten,” suggesting a possible rework or buff is in development. His current kit suffers from a self-damaging tactical and a weak ultimate, leaving him nearly obsolete in ranked play. A meaningful rework would likely address his health penalty and mobility ceiling.
Is the Apex Legends meta still evolving in Season 27?
Yes. Season 27 is still in its early stages, and while Valkyrie, Horizon, and Rampart are dominant, player adaptation and future balance changes are expected. Mid-season patches often adjust top-performing legends and bring underused ones back into viability, which could shake up the current rankings significantly.
