Apex Legends Chaos Theory CE and Patch Notes

March 8, 2021

The Anniversary Collection Event has just ended, but Respawn Entertainment has announced a new collection event for Apex Legends, Chaos Theory. With that new event, as you can guess, our main character is Caustic. Moreover, a new heirloom will also be added to the game, and this one is for Bangalore. Obviously, if you buy all the skins that will come with the event, you can get Bangalore’s heirloom for free. After the event, the heirloom will be available to purchase from the heirloom shop. Plus, a new LTM is coming with the event.

Apex Legends Chaos Theory event will start on March 9th, and will be available for two weeks. Besides the event, we will see new optimizations and balance changes in lots of things. And as far as I can see, the game will be elevated to a new level with these changes.

Caustic Town Takeover – Caustic Treatment

In the previous events, we saw some map changes that dedicated for a legend. Generally, those changes are applied to the map by renovating an area on the map, and it’s called “Town Takeover“. This event’s town takeover is coming for the “gas daddy”, Caustic. Water Treatment area in Kings Canyon will be renovated, and be named as “Caustic Treatment”.

When life gives you lemons, you can count on Caustic to turn them into toxic lemonade. Breathe it in at the all-new Caustic Treatment; a new dominant mousetrap with lots of high-quality loot that beckons all Legends who seek the glorious cheese.
Respawn Entertainment

Caustic Treatment is built on the place where Water Treatment was located. And according to the lore, the purpose of the building was preventing the fuel leak from Crash Site to reaching the ocean. But, the inside of the building is obviously very toxic. Maybe, this is a place that all Caustic mains were dreaming about.

Forever the scientist, Caustic has set out an experiment that requires “test subjects” to drain the toxic liquid from the center of the facility. Doing this temporarily grants access to four gold loot items locked in cages. Players must be quick though, as greed can be deadly.
Respawn Entertainment

See You Soon, Mirage Voyage!

With those changes, Respawn also announced bad news for the players. Since its launch, the irreplaceable center of the parties and squad fights, Mirage Voyage, is leaving the canyon. The next stop of the party ship might be Olympus.

If you happen to notice that the Mirage Voyage is missing, you can put the blame on Caustic. The polluted fumes from Caustic Treatment really killed the vibe, so Mirage set sail to take the party elsewhere. No one’s spotted it yet, but that party boat tends to show up in an arena when you least expect it.
Respawn Entertainment

Ring Fury Escalation LTM

We’ve told you that a new LTM will also come to Apex Legends with the Chaos Theory event. The name of the LTM is Ring Fury Escalation, and it will be available with the normal games. So, there will be no playlist for the mode. Unless you are playing ranked, you will compete with the other players while Ring Fury mode is active. Also, lots of new things are announced with the game mode.

As you know, a friend of Fuse, Maggie, was feeling so angry about the Fuse’s joining to Apex Games. Because of that, when Fuse was introduced and making a speech in Kings Canyon, she literally obliterated the whole map. The effects of damage still continue, and that’s why we will see the Ring Flares on the map. These circular flares are coming from the ground and damaging the players just like the ring in the game. Also, the damage flares deal is the same as the ring’s damage. So, on the latter rounds, the flares will deal more damage.

The upcoming Ring Flares will be seen on the minimap, and the legends will have dialogues/monologues about it. For example, when you take damage from the ring, your legend will say an appropriate sentence about it. Another example is, when you are close to an upcoming Ring Flare, your legends will warn each other about it.

So how do you deal with Ring Flares? Well, two ways. First, try not to get caught in them, silly. Failing that, you can drop a new item we’re introducing called Heat Shields.
Respawn Entertainment

Heat Shield

Heat Shield is the newest item of Apex Legends that is coming with the Chaos Theory event. When you use a heat shield, a dome that looks like Gibraltar’s tactical ability will appear. But, it’s quite different from Gibraltar’s dome. With that dome, you can cover yourself from the ring flares, even the ring itself if you are outside of the ring. Every player will have a Heat Shield at the beginning of the game, and also, you can find more Heat Shields across the map, just like the normal ground loots.

While the dome protects you from the ring or Ring Flare, you can continue looting, or you can even revive your downed teammates. If you are not in the safe zone and the ring is damaging you, the Heat Shield will also grant you some bonuses. When you are outside of the zone and use a Heat Shield, you can revive your teammates %25 faster, and consume healing items %50 faster. But do not forget that you won’t get those bonuses if you use a Heat Shield in the safe zone.

The Heat Shield won’t stay activated for too long, because the ring is also damaging it. So, take note that on the later rounds, the Heat Shields won’t stay as much as on the first rounds.

When the event or the LTM end, the Heat Shield will still be available as the ground loot.

New Pack Slot – Survival Slot

Heat Shield and Mobile Respawn Beacon won’t hold a slot in your backpack. Just like the helmet, armor, backpack, and knockdown shield slot, there will be a new slot called Survival Slot.

This new feature will continue to stay in the game, like Heat Shields.

What Does Escalation Mean?

So, we explained what Ring Fury is, but what does “escalation” mean?

Apex Legends introduced lots of new LTMs for the players, and some of them were “escalation” modes. In these modes, some features will change every few days. We don’t know what things can change, but it will be the durations or timings of Ring Flares. When the Chaos Theory event ends, we will see five different stages of the newest game mode of Apex Legends.

No-Fill Option

One of the biggest complaints from the Apex Legends is, the players can’t play the games as a solo player. The game always gives you teammates, unless there’s a connection/server issue, or there isn’t a “solo game mode”. Actually, Respawn announced a solo game mode previously, and lots of players loved it. They maybe want to make it permanent, but for now, Respawn introduced the “no-fill option”. With this option, you can play the game with teammates or as a one-player-team.

Before entering the game, on the lobby screen, players can see the “Fill Teammates” option. If you put a tick on it, you will have teammates. But if you remove the tick, you will play as on your own.

We still strongly believe that, at its best, Apex Legends is a game about team play. But we’re launching this No-Fill matchmaking as an option for solo players because we think it gives a lot of creative opportunities for you to play the game your way.
Respawn Entertainment

For people wondering why Respawn added this option, the devs gave some reason to play on your own.

Focusing on Daily and Weekly Challenges more
Warming up, dropping hot
Challenging yourself
Seeing the new teasers on your own
To learn a character or map, or to develop new strategies and tactics yourself

But, there are some limitations to that no-fill option. First, this option cannot be used in ranked games. Also, in normal games, only six players who wanted no-fill options are allowed in the game.

Chaos Theory Collection Event and Rewards Track

We always see a rewards track in the events of Apex Legends, and of course, Chaos Theory has one. To progress in that counter, you have to complete some challenges that will come with the event. The rewards on that track are obviously free, but you have to earn some points by completing challenges. There are four new badges, seven cosmetic items, and legend trackers that are waiting for you.

In the event shop, Respawn will offer us 24 brand-new cosmetic items, including legend skins and weapon skins. The players can obtain every item by paying in Apex Coins or Crafting Metals. And the players who obtained all of them will get Bangalore heirloom for free.

"Chaos Theory" skin preview video. pic.twitter.com/KGxpo4PVpd
— Shrugtal (@shrugtal) March 4, 2021

Some of the cosmetic items from the event

Bangalore Heirloom pic.twitter.com/LYLyBLu9Qc
— Shrugtal (@shrugtal) March 4, 2021

Bangalore’s “Pilot’s Knife” heirloom

Legend Updates

Of course the devs are bringing some changes to Apex Legends with the Chaos Theory update. Until now, we made the Caustic mains happy by announcing a new town takeover dedicated to him, but prepare yourself to the worst.

Caustic

Nox Gas Grenade‘s (ultimate) cooldown is increased to 210 seconds from 150 seconds
Nox Gas will no longer deals with ramping damage (from 6 HP to 12 HP), instead, it will hurt players at 5 HP per tick

Caustic is really hard to play against, and it’s very annoying to fight him. The devs told players that they know what is going on, but they can’t do balance changes to Caustic. These nerfs obviously will make Caustic weak. Sorry for your loss, Caustic mains.

Devs also said a few words about the changes.

Caustic is brutally effective at slowing down engagements. The entirety of his kit revolves around gas with a large area of effect, slow, vision obstruction, and direct health damage. It’s proven to be too oppressive in too many scenarios especially considering teammates can play in gas relatively unimpaired. Significantly reducing gas damage (without taking it away completely or having it affect armor instead) seems like a fair compromise that stays true to the character while making him less oppressive on the receiving end. We will be monitoring the data and gameplay closely. If these changes hit Caustic’s appeal or effectiveness too hard we will revisit accordingly.
Respawn Entertainment

Pathfinder

The first legend update is quite a big change, and it’s very normal to expect that other updates won’t be that big. But it’s wrong. The change on Pathfinder will rise our tin friend’s win and pick rate.

The Low Profile perk is removed.

The Low Profile perk is given to very mobile legends, or legends who have a small hitbox. The perk increase the damage dealt to that legend by %5. Pathfinder’s hitbox is updated on almost every patch notes, and it seems like the devs are ready to remove it from the robot.

Low Profile has been used as a balancing tool for both mobile and/or small legends. Although Path is still mobile, his hitbox is large. While his overall win rate and encounter win rate are by no means low, it’s hard to justify keeping Low Profile on a hitbox of his size.
Respawn Entertainment

Gibraltar

Under the Dome of Protection (tactical ability), players no longer consume healing items %15 faster

Gibraltar is causing some eyebrows to raise for some time. Especially, his passive ability that gives him a shield while ADS’ing is making it hard to kill him. That ability is in the game since it’s launch, but it’s maybe the main reason why he is popular now, because it gains players’ attention. The players were expecting some changes to it, but we are kind of disappointed now.

Horizon

Black Hole‘s (ultimate ability) cooldown is increased to 3 minutes from 2 minutes

I don’t know if we needed it, but I’m sure it won’t affect the win and pick rate of Horizon. Her kit is already strong enough, and there have to be more powerful nerfs to make players hesitate when thinking about picking her.

Revenant

His silence will disable Mirage’s cloaked revive & respawn, and Octane’s passive ability, Swift Mend.

Wattson

Another big update of this patch is coming to Wattson. That update has been wanted from players since they announced her.

Wattson’s passive ability will regenerate her shield at 0.5 per second

Rampart

Rampart is one of the legends that have worst win and pick rate among other legends. The devs trying to turn the tables for her almost every patch notes.

When built, Amped Cover (tactical ability) no longer take 200 damage from the explosives, instead, it will take normal damages from them
When built, Sheila (ultimate ability) no longer take 175 damage from the explosives, instead, it will take normal damages from them

Walls should be beefy and powerful once built. Before Rampart shipped, we were worried that her nests would be too oppressive and so we gave enemy players the option to quickly clear them out with grenades. This wasn’t necessary, as it turns out, so we’re removing increased damage from grenades against Amped Cover and Sheila.
Respawn Entertainment

Weapon Updates

Just like the legend updates, there will be some updates for the weapons that will be released with the Chaos Theory event on Apex Legends.

Weapon Optics

Fully-kited (a.k.a. gold) ARs and LMGs will have default 2x Bruiser sights

Mastiff

Pellet damage is decreased to 11 from 13
Fire rate is increased to 1.1 from 1.0

Mastiff is one of the most unbalanced weapons of the game. Sometimes it feels like the damage we deal with enemies or dealt to us feels like depending on luck. But when it hits big, it hits big.

The goal of these changes is to place this weapon’s identity between the fast fire EVA-8 and the heavy-hitting Peacekeeper. The Mastiff has consistently been dominant in close-quarters combat given its forgiving spread pattern and high damage spikes with each shot. This change reduces that high damage potential in order to limit the amount of two pumps players experience on the receiving end.
Respawn Entertainment

Wingman

Wingman will carry one more bullet in its mag, including extended mags

Hemlok

Hip-fire spread is increased

The burst damage from the Hemlok’s hip-fire was feeling a little too consistent for an AR that should excel at medium range. This change mitigates the Hemlok’s close quarters damage spikes that felt bad on the receiving end.
Respawn Entertainment

Quality of Life Updates

Kings Canyon Loot

The leaving of Mirage Voyage will lower the qualities and amount of the loots in Kings Canyon. So, to prevent this, the devs will make some changes to the loots of the map.
- The wooden shacks across the map will have a few more loots, and they will be a little higher quality
- The loot level of Spotted Lake is decreased to medium quality from high quality
- The loot of Crash Site is redistributed, the amount is the same, but the ship will have higher quality loots
- Caustic Treatment will have more loot than Water Treatment, but the loot level will be the same

Changing Optics of Gold Weapons

The players wanted that change for a long time. With that update, we can change the optics of the gold and care-package-drop weapons. But it won’t apply to Kraber.

In-Game and End-Game HUD/Screen

Now, we can see our assist counts in the in-game HUD. Just like the ranked games, it will take place next to the kill count, replacing the spectator spot. But still, the assists won’t give more XP.
The number of assists and players that we knocked will be shown on the end game screen.
If the players of the team are in the same club, the club’s name will be shown on the end screen or champion screen.

Items dropped on the Crafting Replicators won’t stick to Replicators.

Badge Progress

As you know, there are some badges that need to be completed in long term. When this update is launched, we can see our current progress for those badges.

Ping My Deathbox

When we respawned, we can ping our deathbox to take our loots again.

Gold (Level Four) Backpack

When a player with a gold backpack revives a teammate, the player that’s reviving will have an “energy crackle” based on the armor level. Plus, there will be a visual effect that shows that the player’s armor is regenerated.

Changing Servers on PC

PC players can now go back to the title screen to change the data center, instead of restarting the game.

There will be numbers in the Advanced Look Controls. Players can change and experience different controls and undo their changes easily.

When a team scans a beacon in Ring 6, the players can see where the Ring 6 ends.

Inspect Weapon

For console players, “inspect weapon” key is removed. Because the key will be bound to the survival slot. But, the console players can inspect their weapons via the emote wheel.