Exploring the Issues with Newcastle’s Ability in Apex Legends

Apex Legends has rolled out its latest update, and boy, has it shaken up the game’s dynamics! As with any seasonal patch, players should anticipate some shifts, but the changes to support characters this time around have really put Newcastle in the spotlight.

This new season has sparked quite a bit of debate, mostly because of its odd circumstances. Many players are growing increasingly concerned over the game’s monetization approach. Plus, the season’s rollout was peculiar: while there was some buzz on social media featuring sponsored artwork, the actual trailers didn’t drop until the season had already begun. This break from Apex Legends’ usual release pattern left plenty of fans speculating if Season 23 was hurried.

The good news is that Lifeline’s long-awaited rework has finally arrived, bringing joy to fans eagerly waiting after a year of leaks. Along with her revamp, the entire Support class saw some intriguing changes. Support characters used to have the exclusive ability to craft their fallen teammates’ banners, but this perk is now available to everyone, giving the class room for new advantages. However, this seemingly simple shift has turned out to be a double-edged sword, with some players quickly recognizing the immense strength these new attributes bring.

Support Legends now enjoy faster movement while healing, and they reap double rewards from using small healing items—a perk previously tied to the rare golden EVO shield. They also revive allies much quicker and help them regain health in the process, an added benefit they too receive when revived. Additionally, they can now detect if a deathbox contains a Mobile Respawn Beacon without opening it.

These upgrades make the Support Legends quite formidable, having once been formidable in their own right. Compared to other class perks, like carrying extra ammo or enhanced shields in the ring, the Support class now enjoys the most substantial benefits, leaving a noticeable impression on the meta. With new team compositions centered around Support characters quickly ascending in popularity, Newcastle has clearly emerged as a powerhouse, prompting Respawn to adjust some game elements to balance his abilities.

Despite initially having a low pick rate, Newcastle has managed to secure a strong position in the game’s meta landscape, thanks to his robust skill set. Season 23, however, propelled him to a whole new level of dominance. The new bonuses for Support characters largely fueled this rise, though other perks played a significant role as well. Newcastle’s ability to move allies to safety while reviving them, all while activating his Knockdown Shield, gets a huge boost from the faster revive bonus. This makes thwarting a Newcastle revive quite challenging, even in close combat.

Teaming up with other Support Legends like Gibraltar and Lifeline, who boast their unique revive skills and shield-based ultimates, further amplifies Newcastle’s effectiveness. These combinations become especially lethal, as they can rapidly revive downed teammates and benefit from regeneration perks, creating quite the challenge for opponents.

The advantage was significantly amplified with the Golden Knockdown Shield, a long-standing item that recently gained a new function of granting additional health to revived allies. In the hands of Newcastle, it became particularly deadly, offering revived allies the best Knockdown Shield protection along with the bonus health on top of the new regeneration for the Support class. While Season 23 saw this item’s removal from Apex Legends, Newcastle and his Support counterparts remain formidable foes in the game’s ongoing battles.