Apex Legends Season 20: Breakout has brought with it a massive amount of changes to Respawn's popular battle royale, with Ranked Mode being entirely reworked, a new, streamlined crafting system, updates to the Firing Range, and more. But the most significant of these changes are, without question, the removal of EVO Shields from the loot pool and the introduction of the Legend Upgrades system, as well as Shield Cores.

The new shield mechanic and Legend Upgrades system go hand-in-hand, but with 100 new Legend abilities introduced to the game and no EVO Shields in the loot pool, players have questions. Is shield-swapping still a viable tactic? What new abilities are now available for each Legend? How do Shield Cores fit into the equation? But whether you're an Apex Legends veteran or a new player, we've got you covered, so keep reading for a detailed breakdown of the game's complicated (but delightfully customizable) new meta.

Are EVO Shields really gone?

EVO Shields are no longer a part of the loot pool in battle royale mode (though they function essentially the same as they previously did in Mixtape Mode). Gone are the days of spotting a purple body shield through a wall and yoinking it into your inventory via Loba's Black Market ability, leveling up a shield and dropping it for a teammate, or quickly snagging a fresh shield from the ground mid-firefight.

Instead, players drop with their shield effectively fused to their body, and begin each match with a white/Common-tier Level 1 shield with two pips of damage protection. That shield will level up as players rack up EVO Points, which can be earned in several ways--we'll go over those methods in a moment. After gaining enough EVO Points, a Level 1 shield will become a blue Level 2 shield with three pips of protection. (The newest damage pip will automatically fill over the course of a few seconds, unlike EVO Shields, which did not refill the new pip after leveling up, requiring players to do so manually via Shield Cell.) Respawn refers to this as "Legend leveling," because, as mentioned previously, the shields are basically a part of the Legends wearing them, but it's really the shield that's leveling up.

When a player is killed and respawned, they will respawn with the same level shield they had when they died. But they'll also leave behind something in their deathbox: a Shield Core.

What's a Shield Core?

Upon killing an enemy and opening their deathbox, you'll see a Shield Core where EVO Shields used to be located. Kill someone with a red EVO Shield, and you'll find a red (Level 4) Shield Core in their deathbox. But if you're sporting a blue Level 2 shield and pick up a higher-tier shield, the additional pips of damage protection will drain over 30 seconds, similar to the way Conduit's temporary shield-strengthening ability works. You can see how depleted your temporary overshield is by keeping an eye on the shield icon that will appear over your selected healing item in the HUD once you equip the Shield Core.

How does shield-swapping work?

Shield swapping is still a viable strategy, but it's a bit more dangerous now--especially during firefights--as you'll need to stop, open a deathbox, locate the Shield Core, and equip it, ideally while avoiding gunfire. That's a big risk to take for some temporary protection. If you're looting a Shield Core that's the same level as your damaged Shield Core, however, your shield will be permanently replenished to full hit points.

You can still remove your shield core and drop it for a friend, but again, this isn't exactly useful as it will only grant them 30 seconds of additional protection before they drop back down to the Shield Core that corresponds to their Legend level The days of leveling up a body shield via a Replicator (or leveling one up and giving it to a less-skilled teammate) are over.

How can I earn EVO Points?

Obviously, the easiest way to earn EVO Points (EP) is damage, and doing damage to PvE enemies like Prowlers does count toward this total. But for players who tend to choose Support-class Legends or otherwise find themselves utilizing a less aggressive playstyle, there are still plenty of additional ways to earn EP--and some of these EP can actually be shared collectively among fellow squad members, similar to the way collecting Crafting Materials used to work.

Personal EVO Points can be earned in the following ways:

• Dealing damage to enemy players
• Knockdowns (Knocking down a player who has a higher-tier Shield Core than you do will net an "Underdog XP" bonus.)
• Assists
• Finishers
• Picking up EVO Caches (These can be found in Care Packages, Vaults, and other locations with extremely high-tier loot.)

EVO Caches can be quite difficult to find, but they're very much worth hunting down, as they will instantly boost your Shield Core up to the next level.

Shared EVO Points can be obtained by:

• Dealing damage to PvE creatures (Carthage Spiders, Prowlers, Bloodhound's Trials POI, etc.)
• Wiping a squad
• Reviving a downed squadmate (+100 EP)
• Respawning a dead squadmate
• Interacting with Class-exclusive map features, like Survey Beacons and Ring Consoles (+50 EP)
• Interacting with EVO Harvesters

EVO Harvesters spawn randomly on every map shortly after the match begins, and players will get an alert when they're active. They've effectively replaced Crafting Material containers, and function very similarly. Each EVO Harvester will yield each Legend on the squad 350 EP.

How many EVO Points do I need to level up my shield?

The amount of EP needed to reach each Shield Core level is listed below:

• Level 1: 0 EP (Players start each match at Level 1)
• Level 2: 450 EP
• Level 3: 1,350 EP
• Level 4: 2,000 EP

What are Legend Upgrades and how do they work?

The new Legend Upgrades system rewards players with a choice between two of four total Legend perks that will give them the upper hand in combat and allow for a more customizable gameplay experience. Each Legend Upgrade is only active for a single match, so don't worry too much about choosing the "wrong" upgrade, as you can simply choose a different one in the next match. Variety is the spice of life, and these powerful new perks are definitely worth experimenting with.

When a player levels their Shield Core up from Level 1 (white/Common-tier) to Level 2 (blue/Rare-tier), they'll be presented with the choice between two Legend Upgrades. For example, at Level 2, Loba can choose between a Legend Upgrade that increases both the height and the range that her tactical Burglar's Best Friend bracelet can be thrown, or one that increases the range of her Black Market Boutique ultimate ability.

When a player gains enough EP to level up their Shield Core from Level 2 to Level 3 (purple/Epic-tier), they'll be faced with another choice. Lifeline, for instance, can choose between a Legend Upgrade that turns her next Care Package into a Supply Drop, or one that gives her a one-time-use self-revive ability--the first to be seen in the game since the Legendary Knockdown Shield's self-revive perk was removed in Season 14. This is an especially useful perk, as it still works even if Lifeline's entire team is downed alongside her, effectively giving the entire squad a second chance at life--especially when used in tandem with one of her Level 2 Legend Upgrades, which increases her revive speed by 20%, allowing her to quickly and effectively get her squad back in the fight even when all seems lost.

No additional Legend Upgrades are available when a Shield Core gains enough EVO points to reach Level 4 (red/Mythic), however. This is likely an attempt to prevent the Legend Upgrades system from becoming too overpowered or easy to abuse. The previous level's Shield Core upgrades combined with the red Shield Core's five pips of damage protection should be more than enough to give players a significant advantage in combat.

Legend Upgrades list - all 100 Legend Upgrades

Each Legend has four Legend Upgrades to choose from, meaning the new upgrade system has introduced a grand total of 100 new perks and buffs for players to experiment with. Each character's Legend Upgrades are listed below:

Bangalore

Bangalore Level 2: Big Bang: See nearby ordnance through walls and on deathboxes OR Ultimate Cooldown+: Reduce ultimate cooldown by 60 seconds.

Bangalore Level 3: Cover Me: Auto-Ping enemies who trigger Double Time OR Refuge: Regenerate HP while inside Smoke.

Fuse Level 2: Big Bang: See nearby ordnance through walls and on deathboxes OR Scar Tissue: Take 50% less damage and no slow effects from The Motherlode.

Fuse Level 3: Knuckle Hustler: Short speed boost on successful Knuckle Cluster hit OR Wreckless: Take 25% less explosive damage.

Ash

Ash Level 2: Murder Machine: Call out the number of squads within 150 meters after a squad wipe OR One Minute to Live: Using Passive ability tracks enemy position on map for 60 seconds.

Ash Level 3: Greedy Snare: Arc Snare remains in play for 24 seconds and can catch multiple enemies OR Twin Snares: Gain an Arc Snare charge.

Mad Maggie

Mad Maggie Level 2: Fire Ball: Wrecking Ball catches fire and explodes in thermite OR Shots Shots Shots: Auto-Reload shotguns on knock.

Mad Maggie Level 3: Big Drill: Increase depth and width of tactical ability by 50% OR Drillslinger: Gain a Riot Drill charge; reduce active duration by 25%.

Ballistic

Ballistic Level 2: Ammuvision: See relevant ammo types in deathboxes OR Care Package Insight: Reveal the most valuable item in Care Packages.

Ballistic Level 3: Extra Bullet: Gain a Smart Bullet charge OR Lasting Bullet: Smart Bullet duration is tripled.

Pathfinder

Pathfinder Level 2: Field Research: Gain access to Survey Beacons OR Ringmaster: Gain access to Ring Consoles.

Pathfinder Level 3: Down and Away: Grapple cooldown reset on knock OR Zipline Zen: Take 25% less damage while riding energized Ziplines.

Wraith

Wraith Level 2: Sixth Sense: Passive warns when nearby squad count increases OR Tactical Cooldown: Reduce tactical ability cooldown by 5 seconds.

Wraith Level 3: Fast Phase: Reduce tactical wind-up by 20% OR Ultimate Cooldown+: Reduce ultimate ability cooldown by 60 seconds.

Octane

Octane Level 2: Thick Skin: Take 25% less Stim damage OR Wreckless: Take 25% less explosive damage.

Octane Level 3: Airborne Agility: Change directions with the Launch Pad double-jump OR Mad Hops: Gain an extra Launch Pad charge.

Revenant

Revenant Level 2: Murder Machine: Call out the number of squads within 150 meters after a squad wipe OR Tactical Cooldown: Reduce tactical cooldown by 5 seconds.

Revenant Level 3: Agile Assassin: Total Shadow Pounce charge time reduced by 20% OR Grim Leaper: Shadow Pounce cooldown reset on knock.

Horizon

Horizon Level 2: Battery Collection: Shield Battery count shown above deathboxes OR Big Bang: See nearby ordnance through walls and on deathboxes.

Horizon Level 3: Tactical Cooldown: Reduce tactical cooldown by 5 seconds OR ultimate Cooldown: Reduce ultimate cooldown by 30 seconds.

Valkyrie

Valkyrie Level 2: Aerial Expert: Increased horizontal Jetpack speed and acceleration OR Afterburners: Launch 15% higher with Skyward Dive.

Valkyrie Level 3: Full Coverage: Widen Missile Swarm pattern from 4x3 to 3x5 OR Full Tank: Increase Jetpack fuel by 25%.

Bloodhound

Bloodhound Level 2: Raven's Blessing: White Ravens charge ultimate ability by 25% when activated OR Tactical Cooldown: Reduce tactical cooldown by 5 seconds.

Bloodhound Level 3: Odin's Glare: Double the duration of tactical's full-body highlight OR Taste of Blood: Gain 25 HP on knocks while ultimate is active.

Crypto

Crypto Level 2: Tactical Cooldown+: Reduce tactical cooldown by 10 seconds OR Ultimate Cooldown: Reduce Ultimate cooldown by 30 seconds.

Crypto Level 3: Network Expansion: Increase Neurolink and EMP range by 25% OR Network Traffic: Deploying Crypto's drone calls out squads in the area.

Seer

Seer Level 2: Long View: Increase passive and tactical ability range to 75m OR Racing Hearts: Faster movement when using passive ability.

Seer Level 3: Artist's Reach: Increase the throw range of ultimate ability by 20 meters OR Focus Scan: Increase tactical ability scan duration by 1.5 seconds.

Vantage

Vantage Level 2: Ringmaster: Gain access to Ring Consoles OR Ultimate Reload: Ultimate Accelerants grant +2 bullets.

Vantage Level 3: Bat Bounce: Improved tactical ability's double-jump OR Sharpshooter: Refresh tactical on hits with ultimate ability.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar Level 2: Fresh Start: Allies are revived with 50 HP OR Shots Shots Shots: Auto-Reload shotguns on knocks.

Gibraltar Level 3: Baby Bubble: Reduce tactical size and cooldown by 25% OR Bubble Bunker: Increase tactical ability's lifetime by 4 seconds.

Lifeline

Lifeline Level 2: Rapid Response: Increase Revive speed by 20% OR Tactical Cooldown+: Reduce tactical ability's cooldown by 10 seconds.

Lifeline Level 3: Gift Wrapped: Next Lifeline Care Package is a Supply Drop OR Last Stand: Gain a one-time use self-revive ability.

Mirage

Mirage Level 2: Miracle Worker: Allies are revived with health regen up to 75 HP OR More Me: Gain an additional ultimate ability decoy; reduce ultimate cooldown by 30 seconds.

Mirage Level 3: Bamboozle Bonus: Refresh tactical ability on successful Bamboozles OR Me Two: Gain a tactical decoy charge.

Newcastle

Newcastle Level 2: Swift Shield: Increase Mobile Shield speed to weapon sprint speed OR Thick Shield: Mobile Shield segments gain 250 HP.

Newcastle Level 3: Miracle Worker: Allies are revived with health regen up to 75 HP OR Stronghold: Gain +250 Castle Wall HP; extend energized barrier duration to 2 minutes.

Conduit

Conduit Level 2: Battery Collection: Shield Battery count shown above deathboxes OR Radiant Transfer: Increase tactical range by 10 meters.

Conduit Level 3: Bigger Jam: Each Jammer's damage radius increased by 10% OR Split Charge: Gain a tactical charge but halve shield regen duration.

Loba

Loba Level 2: High Value: Increase tactical's height and range OR Market Expansion: Increase Black Market Boutique's range by 25%.

Loba Level 3: Shopping Spree: Loba can take an extra item from her Black Market OR Tactical Cooldown: Reduce tactical cooldown by 5 seconds.

Caustic

Caustic Level 2: Parabolic Force: Increase Tactical throw range by 75% OR Particle Diffuser: Increase ultimate ability's area of effect by 50%.

Caustic Level 3: Breathe It In: Regenerate HP while enveloped in Nox Gas OR Residual Toxins: Nox Vision persists for longer.

Wattson

Wattson Level 2: Falling Stars: Pylon interceptions spawn Arc Stars at its base OR Fresh Start: Allies are revived with 50 HP.

Wattson Level 3: Power Pylon: Double ultimate ability's HP and shield regeneration capacity OR Split Circuit: Place up to 2 Pylons with half the shield regeneration capacity and use Ultimate Accelerants twice as fast.

Rampart

Rampart Level 2: Bandolier: Carry extra ammo per stack OR Ultimate Cooldown: Reduce ultimate ability cooldown by 30 seconds.

Rampart Level 3: Amped Reloads: Reload faster with Sheila or when behind Amped Cover OR Ramped Up: Improves mobile Sheila handling and spin-up time by 20%.

Catalyst

Catalyst Level 2: Long Cast: Increase Spike throw range by 40% OR Sister Spikes: Increase max number of active Spikes by one.

Catalyst Level 3: Long Veil: Increase ultimate ability length by 15 meters OR Resilient Veil: Increase ultimate ability lifetime by 5 seconds.

The true keys to mastering the new Shield Core system and all the new Legend Upgrades are practice and experimentation. We highly recommend doing some test runs in the recently revamped Firing Range so you can get a feel for which perks work well together, and which ones fit your playstyle the best.

For more information on Season 20, check out our interview with lead Apex Legends writer Ashley Reed for a behind-the-scenes look at how Legends are made, take a gander at all the free goodies included in the new 5th Anniversary Collection Event and Breakout battle pass, and be sure to stay tuned for more Apex Legends news as the season progresses.

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