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Respawn Entertainment have a special treat prepared for Apex Legends players, arriving just in time for the holidays. Fans of this game's super-slick traversal can rejoice to learn that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.

Unveiling The Mantle Boost

Named "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this feature provides gamers a burst of forward momentum when climbing over ledges and walls. According to lead battle royale designer the design lead, this technique was previously existed of the game for some time, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." But it's challenging for the average player, and typically employed by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or esports competitions. This season, the team simplifies the process for everyone to successfully perform these advanced movement boosts.

"This technique have been in Apex for a while, but executing it requires skill to perform and a player might not realize it [is in the game] without outside knowledge," the designer explains. "We're adding a visual cue so players can clearly identify when and how to trigger the fast-paced traversal skill, opening up the mechanic and adding fresh strategies to play for a much wider base."

Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

What's the reason for making a previously obscure movement quirk accessible to all players? Lead Legend designer Josh Mohan says the team wants players to experience empowerment — even those who are new.

"[The playerbase] is doing advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we examined at our competition, looked at what the community are doing, and we said, 'How can we provide some of this power to more players?'" Mohan clarifies. "Since currently, certain techniques are kind of janky to use — it requires to remap your keybinds and hit one-frame windows. So we said, 'What if we create a polished implementation?'"

Season 27 Emphasis on Mobility

Mobility is largely the central theme in this season, with Legends Horizon, Rampart, and Valkyrie receiving buffs to maintain them mobile. Recovery time on Horizon's Gravity Lift is shorter, and this skill will propel users upward much quicker than it used to. Her defensive walls now include a roof and capability to grant movement bonuses to allies in range. But the spotlight is on the high-flying this Legend receiving significant improvements this season, with multiple tweaks applied to enhance her as stronger, quicker, and more lethal.

"I think many agree that Valkyrie's time is here," states Legend designer the designer. "Certainly that she's been top-tier in the past, but with the introduction of other characters, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she fell behind in today's the game. It was an ideal chance for us to revisit a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and sort of bring her back to her glory days."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To reclaim her competitive status in the game's meta, Holstead notes Respawn evaluated all her skills and introduced some powerful changes. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, boosting her speed during flight, and this equipment regenerates much quicker, enabling the player to remain longer aloft. She can no longer take damage from her ultimate ability, which has also been upgraded to mark enemies who are hit from the missiles. Her squad redeploy ability — which launches teammates into the air for redeployment or retreat — requires reduced delay to fire up. Additionally, she gains some new Legend Upgrades that players can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her Missile Swarm, or accelerate her Skyward Dive activation.

"Valkyrie's equipment now delivers on that jet-fighter fantasy," Holstead says.

Map Changes

Even the game's only floating arena, this location, is getting a mobility-focused facelift, with an extensive redesign that expands bottlenecks and makes securing elevated positions a bit less daunting. Respawn says Apex Legends this update focuses on providing gamers the tools required to compete in the competition.

"Really, we examined the game's fundamental nature as a fast-paced FPS," says principal designer the lead.

Apex Legends the Amped season releases Nov. 4 at the specified times.