Win more fights by taking them on your terms: good cover, smart peeks, and fast resets.
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Core The foundation. Worth learning for everyone.
Bonus Extra credit once the core feels solid.
Impact: Huge, 5 of 5.Impact How much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty: BasicDifficulty: EasyDifficulty: MediumDifficulty: HardDifficulty: Very hardDifficulty How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Gunfights18skills
Gunfights
18 skills
Win more fights by taking them on your terms: good cover, smart peeks, and fast resets.
5/5 · HugeHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Easy2/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Fight from cover, show as little of yourself as you can when you shoot, and step back before you take too much damage.
Every fight goes better from behind something solid, like a rock, a wall or a door frame. Before you peek, know where you will step back to, so you can get out of sight in a step or two. Peek, shoot and step back, then come out from a different side or height so the enemy can’t pre-aim your next peek. Where your crosshair sits while you peek is covered in Aim.
How to practice
In the Firing Range, set the dummies to shoot back and fight one from behind a crate: peek, fire a burst, step back. Record it and count the peeks where you stayed out after your burst.
In a match recording, pause each time you took damage. Could you have got out of sight in one or two steps? Count the times you couldn’t.
Watch
By UnrulyHOW TO WIN MORE GUNFIGHTS! APEX LEGENDS COACHINGA coaching video on strafing and using cover in fights (November 2023).Watch on YouTube (opens in new tab)
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Easy2/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Carry weapons for close and longer range, and learn the ones you hit best with.
Carry one weapon for close fights and one that reaches further, so you are not caught out at either range. Learn which weapons you actually hit with, and know their ammo and attachments well enough to grab them quickly from a death box. Respawn changes weapons, attachments and the loot pool every season, so check the patch notes when a new one starts.
How to practice
In the Firing Range, shoot the same dummy at close and at mid range with each of your two weapons. Note which one landed more of its shots at each distance.
Over three match recordings, count the fights where you used a weapon that didn’t suit the distance, such as a shotgun at mid range.
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Easy2/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Reload in cover, not in the open, and switch to your loaded second weapon when your magazine runs dry mid-fight.
Reloading leaves you unable to shoot, so reload after you step back into cover and top up between peeks. If your magazine runs dry mid-fight, switching to your loaded second weapon is often quicker than reloading, so keep both loaded. On many weapons a reload from empty takes longer than one with rounds left, and stocks change how fast you switch. Some legend perks reload stowed weapons for you; those are covered in Legends + team.
How to practice
In the Firing Range, empty a magazine at a dummy, then compare reloading with switching to your second weapon and firing. Repeat with a few rounds left in the magazine.
In a match recording, count the times you reloaded in the open or started a fight with a half-empty magazine.
3/5 · SolidHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Easy2/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Know what Frag Grenades, Arc Stars and Thermite do, and land each one where you mean to.
There are three standard grenades. A Frag Grenade bounces and rolls, and its timer starts when you throw it. An Arc Star sticks to surfaces and enemies, then explodes after a short delay, slowing and blurring anyone it catches. A Thermite Grenade leaves a short line of fire across the direction you threw it. Grenades take inventory space; legend perks that let you carry more are covered in Legends + team.
How to practice
The Firing Range has unlimited grenades. Throw each type at the same spot from close, mid and far range, and note how far each lands from where you aimed.
Bounce a Frag off a wall so it lands next to a dummy around a corner, then throw a Thermite so its fire runs all the way across a doorway.
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Medium3/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Know roughly how much health each enemy has left, using your hit marker, damage numbers and what you see them do.
By default, your hit marker shows an icon for the shield level of the player you hit, and damage numbers add up your recent damage. Enemy shields grow as they earn EVO during the match, so two enemies can need very different damage to break. Keep a rough count for each enemy you hit, and notice when one ducks out to heal or swap. Calling it out to your team is covered in Legends + team.
How to practice
In the Firing Range, set dummies to different shield levels and shoot each one. Watch the hit-marker icon and damage numbers, and note the damage each takes before its shield breaks.
In a match recording, pause after each exchange and guess how hurt your target was. Then watch what they did next, such as heal, swap or push, and note whether your guess fit.
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Easy2/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Heal in cover at the right moment, pick the heal that fits the time you have, and cancel it when you need to shoot.
Healing slows you and stops you shooting, so get out of sight first. Cells and syringes are quick but restore less; batteries and med kits restore more but take longer, so use quick heals between peeks and big ones when you are safe. You can cancel a heal at any time, and since May 2026 a Chain Healing option in Gameplay settings lets you queue your next heal while one is running. Swapping shields from a death box is the next skill.
How to practice
In the Firing Range, let a dummy that shoots back break your shield, then get out of sight and heal. Count the heals you started while it could still hit you.
In a match recording, check every heal during a fight: were you out of sight, and did you pick a quick or a long heal? Count the heals that got interrupted.
3/5 · SolidHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Easy2/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Shoot over cover that hides your body, so the enemy can only see and hit your head.
Some rocks, crates, ledges and window sills are just tall enough that you can shoot over them with only your head showing. The enemy gets a much smaller target, and you can drop out of sight by crouching or stepping back. Every hit you take there lands on your head, so it helps most against sprays, not against a sniper already aiming at the spot. Check a spot from the enemy’s side first: if your shoulders show, it isn’t one.
How to practice
With a friend in the Firing Range, take turns at crates and ledges while the other looks from the enemy side. Find three spots where only your head shows while you can still shoot.
In match recordings, find fights where you shot over cover. If you took body hits there, note the spot and look for a taller one nearby next time.
Watch
By miLs TipsHow To Head Glitch Like A Pro on Apex Legends with miLs TipsA short guide to head-glitch spots, from easy ones to harder ones (May 2022).Watch on YouTube (opens in new tab)
Gunfights / Grenades
Grenades for damage
Core
Intermediate
Impact
3/5 · SolidHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Medium3/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Land grenades on enemies who can’t easily get away, such as players healing, reviving or holding a small spot.
Grenades do the most damage to enemies who can’t easily move: players healing, reviving, or stuck in a small space. A Frag’s timer starts when you throw it, so a high throw that lands just as it goes off leaves less time to escape than one that rolls in early. An Arc Star stuck to an enemy also slows them. Be ready to shoot as it goes off: a grenade usually sets up your shots rather than winning the fight alone.
How to practice
In the Firing Range, lob Frags at a dummy from mid range until most explode at its feet instead of rolling past or going off in the air.
In your recordings, check each grenade you threw: was the enemy still there when it went off, and were you ready to shoot right after?
3/5 · SolidHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Medium3/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Use grenades to force enemies out of cover, or to block a push while you heal, revive or move.
Grenades also decide where enemies can stand. A grenade thrown behind cover or through a doorway can force enemies to move, so keep your crosshair where they will come out. A Thermite thrown across a doorway or path puts a short wall of fire between you and a push, and an Arc Star’s blast cuts the momentum of enemies who jump or slide in. Grenades can also break doors. Use the time you buy to heal, revive or reposition.
How to practice
With a friend in the Firing Range and friendly fire on, take turns holding a building while the other throws a grenade inside and aims at the exit. Count how often the holder had to step into the open.
In your recordings, find times you healed or revived under pressure. Did you block the push first, and did the enemy reach you before you finished?
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Hard4/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
When several enemies are in view, shoot the one that changes the fight most: whoever is hurting you, whoever is already low, or someone healing or reviving.
Spreading damage across a team rarely knocks anyone, so pick one target and stay on them until they break, go down or hide. That is usually whoever is damaging you, whoever is already low, or someone stuck healing or reviving. A knocked enemy can be revived and can block shots with a knockdown shield, so finish them when no standing enemy is a bigger threat. Moving your aim between targets is covered in Aim; focusing a target with your team is in Legends + team.
How to practice
In match recordings, pause at the start of each fight with two or more enemies in view. Write who you would shoot first, then check who you actually shot and why.
Over three matches, count the fights where you split damage between two enemies without knocking either. Note what made you switch.
5/5 · HugeHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Hard4/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Push when the enemy is weakest: just after their shield breaks, a teammate goes down, or they start healing or reloading, while you still have the health to finish it.
A push works best when the enemy can’t fight back at full strength: a shield has just broken, a teammate is down, or they are healing or reloading. Check your own health first, because pushing on a broken shield into a healed enemy usually loses. Close the distance using cover, and decide early whether you are committing or taking a few shots and stepping back. Pushing together with your team is covered in Legends + team.
How to practice
In match recordings, mark every push you made. Note what the enemy was doing when you started (healing, reloading, knocked or full health) and whether the push worked.
Over three matches, count the pushes you made with a broken shield. Compare how they ended with pushes you made after healing or swapping.
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Medium3/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
After you eliminate an enemy, swap your broken shield for the Shield Core in their death box, from a spot where you can’t be shot.
Since February 2024, a fallen player’s death box holds their Shield Core. Swapping to a full one refills your shield in one action, usually quicker than using a Shield Battery. If it is a higher level than your own armor, the extra shield drains away after a short time. Open the box only where you can’t be shot, and take the shield before anything else.
How to practice
In match recordings, time how long you take to open a death box and swap your shield after an elimination. Check that you took the shield before anything else.
In a match recording, check each swap you made during a fight. Could an enemy see you while you were in the box? Count the swaps where you took damage.
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Medium3/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
When a fight turns against you, get out of sight, heal or swap, and come back from a new angle or leave.
Plan your way out before you peek, so you can get out of sight in a step or two. Once you are behind solid cover, heal or swap, then decide whether to come back from a new angle or leave. Coming back healed from a new angle often beats pushing on with a broken shield. How to move away fast is in Movement; whether to take the fight at all is in Game sense.
How to practice
In match recordings, mark each time your shield broke. Note how many steps it took to get out of sight, and whether you came back from the same spot or a new one.
Over three matches, count the fights you kept fighting after your shield broke without healing or swapping. Note how many of them you lost.
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Medium3/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
In and around buildings, hold the angle enemies must walk into, avoid spots two enemies can see at once, and don’t chase through doorways blind.
Close fights are often decided by where you stand when they start: hold a corner or doorway the enemy has to come through, rather than walking through theirs. Avoid spots with two open angles, since you can only watch one. If they won’t come to you, heal or reposition while they decide instead of chasing blindly through a doorway. How to aim and strafe up close is covered in Aim and Movement.
How to practice
With a friend in the Firing Range and friendly fire on, take turns holding a Training Grounds building while the other pushes in. Record it and note which side won from each doorway.
In recordings of building fights, pause at the first shot. Were you holding an angle they had to walk into, or walking into theirs? Count each.
Watch
By DazsHow To Find & Maintain Strong Positioning On Apex LegendsHolding buildings: harder buildings, good and bad spots, and third parties while you hold (November 2022).Watch on YouTube (opens in new tab)
3/5 · SolidHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Easy2/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Use doors to slow, block and hear a push, and know how enemies can open or break them.
Closing a door slows a push and makes enemies open, kick or break it, which tells you where they are. Melee hits and explosives such as grenades break doors, and some legends can reinforce or electrify them. Don’t wait right behind a door you expect to be broken. Door abilities are covered in Legends + team.
How to practice
When you hold a room in a match, close the doors behind you. In the recording, note whether a door opening or breaking warned you before you were shot.
Early in a match, break one closed door with melee hits and another with a spare grenade. Note how long each took to open the doorway.
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Medium3/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
In an even duel, win with the first damage, better cover and well-timed heals, and back off when you’ve lost the trade.
When it’s one against one, small edges decide it: who lands damage first, who has cover to fall back to, and who heals or swaps at the right moment. Keep count of the damage on both sides; if you are clearly behind, get out of sight and reset rather than trading on. Duels with a friend in the Firing Range are a safe way to practice the whole sequence.
How to practice
Play ten 1v1s with a friend in the Firing Range with friendly fire on and matching loadouts. After each, note who did damage first and whether that player won.
In match recordings, find each 1v1 and note who did damage first. Count the duels you kept fighting while behind instead of resetting.
4/5 · HighHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Hard4/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
Gunfire draws other teams. Finish fast or break off, heal or swap right after, and face where the next team will come from.
Every fight is loud, so expect another team to arrive if it drags on. Finish quickly or break it off, then heal, swap shields and take only what you need before moving to cover that faces where the next team will come from. If a third team arrives mid-fight, decide fast whether to finish the weakest team, use the chaos to escape, or reset. Avoiding third parties through positioning and rotations is covered in Game sense.
How to practice
In match recordings, time each fight from first shot to last. Note which ones drew another team and how long they had lasted when it arrived.
After each fight in your recordings, check what you did first once the last enemy went down: heal or swap in cover, or loot in the open? Count each.
Watch
By TheOnlyAlphaGamerHow To Survive Third Parties In Apex Legends (Complete Guide)Positioning, armor swaps, retreat timing and the kill feed (June 2026).Watch on YouTube (opens in new tab)
Gunfights / Winning 1v1s
Outnumbered fights
Core
Advanced
Impact
3/5 · SolidHow much it changes your results. More bars and greener means a bigger payoff.
Difficulty
Very hard5/5How hard it is to learn and pull off in a real fight.
When you’re alone against two or three, fight from spots where only one can see you, take them one at a time, or get out.
Two enemies shooting you at once usually wins, so use doors, corners and tight spaces so only one can see you at a time. Damage the closest one, then reposition before the next arrives instead of holding the same spot. If you can’t separate them, get out of sight and reset, or buy time until a teammate can be revived or respawned, which is covered in Legends + team.
How to practice
With two friends in the Firing Range and friendly fire on, hold a building against both. Record it and count how often both could shoot you at once.
In recordings of fights you played alone, pause each time you took damage from two directions. Note a spot nearby where only one enemy could have seen you.
