Now that we’re well into the full swing of Season 17, we’ve got a good grasp on where your favorite Legends have landed on the current tier list in high ranks. So we have consulted with our Pro and Challenger circuit competitors to get their input on where each Legend sits in the three-stack Diamond, Master, and Predator ranks. We’re going to work from the bottom up, so read to the end to see what Legends are standing out in the high-rank lobbies.

D Tier

Lifeline

The aggression from the teams in the higher ranks of Apex has led to this Legend dropping down a tier list rank. Lifeline is still good at what she does, of course, but at the higher levels, sitting in the knockdown shield to take the 1v1 or 1v2 is simply better than Lifeline rezzing and fighting in the open. For that reason, Lifeline just isn’t very useful for higher-ranked players, which explains her rarity in the higher-ranked lobbies. Sure, you could just avoid drone rezzing a teammate, but if that’s the case, why did you even pick her?

Mirage

Once again, Mirage finds himself in the D tier. He can still be useful in fights, but that is really mostly coming down to your individual skills and mechanics rather than the Legend himself being especially useful in combat. Moving him to the support class is nice, but it’s not really much of a game-changer. As much as a sick Bamboozle can be extremely satisfying, we all know in our hearts that Mirage belongs at the bottom of the tier list.

Revenant

Do we really need to spell it out for you? Everyone knows why Revenant lives down here.

C Tier

Vantage

The thing that has really dragged Vantage down the tier list is that her Echo Relocation ability is mid at best and will result in you taking a lot of damage if you try to use it in tight situations. Here ultimately simply lacks oomph, and it can be great, but it takes way more skill than the vast majority of ults in Apex Legends. Maybe Apex would be better if more Legends were designed in the same vein as Vantage, but for now, it leaves her in a mediocre spot.

Fuse

In the casual tier list, we spoke about Fuse frankly being a dangerous pick for lower-skilled players due to the fact that he deals so much damage to himself. This hopefully won’t be as big of a problem for the higher-skilled players, but he’s still very situational which is a huge flaw. His kit excels when you have teams trapped in tight spaces, and his kit relies on having access to plenty of grenades, as well as enough backpack space to carry them all.

Mad Maggie

Maggie is one of those Legends that can be really impactful, but only in specific situations. If you have a team pinned in a building, she can be unreal. If you’re fighting against a Gibby or a Newcastle, Maggie can actually destroy them like they’re nothing. That being said, Gibby and Newcastle are rarely played, and people don’t tend to turtle in buildings as though it’s ALGS, even in the ranked lobbies. If the new MMR-based ranked system gets sweatier, and that is a big if, Maggie might become a great choice, especially on Worlds Edge.

Newcastle

Unfortunately for Newcastle, he relies on synergizing with Wattson to be effective, which is what keeps him locked in the C tier. Even in the hands of more advanced players, Newcastle can be easily countered by grenades, and you really need Wattson’s Pylon to block those nades, or Gibby and Bang ults. When he’s paired with Wattson, Newcastle could easily sit in the A tier as the two legends complement each other so well, but on their own, they are flawed. His passive revive is still very strong, but alone, it’s simply not enough to elevate him up the tier list.

Wattson

While Wattson is great at what she does, even advanced players can’t elevate her kit due to the style of play in the higher-ranked lobbies. She’s something of a reverse Maggie in the sense that she’ll excel if the new ranked lobbies lead to extremely sweaty games with 6-8 teams left alive. She enables early rotating thanks to her Pyon, and the ability to poke and level up evo shields without wasting batteries and cells is great for taking positions early.

While her fences don’t offer insane damage, they are really good at establishing presence and deterring teams from pushing on your position. They’re even great against a Valk ulting right onto your head if they didn’t notice you were there first.

Crypto

Here is another Legend that is great in sweatier games, but accessing those survey beacons remotely is far and away his standout ability. He suffers a bit from the way that games are currently playing out, though. His EMP is strong, but it excels against Legends like Gibby and Wattson, which few people are currently playing. He’s a great forward scout, but who really needs to scout in ranked play? That’s why he’s stuck in the C tier, and is yet another legend that is great at what they do, but what they do isn’t always useful in the current high-level meta.

B Tier

Ash

The various buffs that Ash has received since her heirloom was released have helped her once again become a solid choice. Her Tether is vastly improved and is no longer deployed in slow motion. Horizon’s passive is probably the most overlooked tool in her kit, as it can be a great way to find fights, find loot, or even avoid the action entirely.

Her portal is still pretty mediocre, though, and while it can be strong in some situations, there are other abilities that outperform it, especially when it’s used as an escape. Ash is pure aggression, and trying to escape with her portal is a waste.

Loba

Here is another Legend that can really shine if the new ranked system is particularly competitive. While advanced players won’t need to rely on Loba as much to gear up, she is always going to be a useful pick overall. Especially if she helps you keep your grenades and ammo well-stocked.

We have seen Loba shine in ALGS tourneys when used by teams who want to rotate as early as possible. She lets you loot on the run while also stealing loot from teams that die nearby once you’re set up in a building. That being said, if there are not enough teams in those final circles, this power is far less effective. Regardless of that, she’ll always have her function.

Caustic

We typically hate Caustic because of how strong he continues to be, and again, his usefulness is significantly elevated in the more competitive lobbies. Overall though, he’s stuck in B tier simply because, much like Wattson and others that we’ve mentioned, the majority of fights aren’t taking place inside or around buildings where he shines. His large hitbox also makes him a liability out in the open. Still, his ult Nox Gas grenade is wildly powerful, so be sure that you’re using that in any fight when you have the opportunity.

Rampart

This is one of the best Legends for third partying, and once you’ve really mastered how to use her Sheila, Rampart can be a devastating choice. People tend to fail with her when they’re whipping Sheila out as a third weapon in close-quarters 1v1s. Sheila is insane at killing opponents before they’re aware of what’s happening, whether it’s out of the sky, at range, or from behind while they’re engaging another player. Rampart’s walls are now a pretty sturdy combat tool as well. If LMGs were a bit better, she could easily sneak up the tier list.

Bloodhound

Though Bloodhound has fallen from their tier list peak, the scans and the extra speed provided by their ult will always be incredibly useful. The White Raven went some way to making up for the loss of those fast scans in Bloodhound’s ultimate, but it’s still annoying to use. If you lean in and embrace the ability to hunt enemies down, Bloodhound can still be a great pick.

Horizon

Much like Bloodhound, Horizon has to be reimagined. She’s no longer capable of soaring into the skies and dealing huge damage, she’s all about movement and positioning. What really helps her among the higher talent is her passive, as you can combine this with advanced movement abilities like tap strafing to really break some ankles and push boundaries on what’s possible. Use the Gravity Lift to reposition with your team, rather than alone, to be as effective as possible.

Octane

Octane was in the S Tier for our casual tier list due to his flexibility and kit simplicity, but Octane’s power falls off significantly in the higher-level lobbies. Talented players will hurt you, if not fully down you, right out of mid-air, and they won’t struggle to track you while you’re stimmed. However, Octane still has his uses in the higher ranks. The kit flexibility is still there, as you can attack or escape using his mobility. If you happen to take someone by surprise or third party an ongoing fight, they will not be able to dish much damage out to you due to them being occupied.

A Tier

Catalyst

When then interaction with Seer’s ult is fixed, Catalyst will finally be the Legend that we all believed was arriving when she was first released. She has proven to be a flexible Legend with useful abilities both inside and outdoors. Her Dark Veil is a stand-out ability, as you can isolate players and take advantage of that situation. Cut off the enemy’s lines of sight or simply reduce the amount of space they have to play in. Don’t forget how powerful taking control of doors can be, as you can trap teams inside of buildings with this ability.

Pathfinder

It’s been great to see Pathfinder return to the meta, as the buffs he received last season really made a big difference for our favorite bot. Now, Pathfinder can rotate around the map, and the extra speed provides a lot of safety while doing so. His zipline is useful, and it makes his passive absolutely insane. You get your zipline by scanning care packages, so you can chain these up and make some pretty wild rotations around the map.

Ballistic

It’s obviously the early days for Ballistic, but he seems to be a really strong addition to Apex Legends, especially in team fights. The thing we really like about Ballistic is how fun he is to play or to play on a team with. The biggest question, however, is what weapons to use in the sling. We are leaning toward the Havoc in there, but a Rampage, Mozambique, or R99 are also great choices from our experience thus far.

Valkyrie

You’re probably wondering how Valk missed out on S tier without receiving any nerfs. Well, the new Evac Tower has knocked her down a notch on the tier list. Of course, her Skyward Dive goes higher and further, but the fact that this item exists in Apex simply reduces the number of times that you actually require a Valk. As a result, it’s hard to consider her as an absolute top-tier Legend, but she’s arguably the best of the A tier.

Gibraltar

Outside of Pro play, Gibraltar is a particularly underrated Legend with a very low pick rate among casual players in spite of the power he offers. He’s made inaccessible to some due to his massive hitbox, but his ultimate is still extremely powerful and difficult to avoid when it’s used well.

His arm shield can help you win your trades, especially in those close-quarters shotgun battles. Shotguns will always be your best friend while playing Gibby, as you can use his Dome of Protector or his bubble to take on multiple enemies while isolating others using the walls to cut up the space.

Wraith

She’s the OG icon of Apex Legends, and we all know what she brings to the table. The huge portal buff last season helped to elevate her back into the A tier. Aggression is a key component of Apex, and all the confidence and escapability offered by her abilities give you aggression by the ton. Is there much more to really say about her?

S Tier

Seer

While we may hate that Seer is in S tier, we simply cannot deny it. As the skill gap between players shrinks, the value of information dramatically increases. Considering that, ask yourself, who provides more information than Seer? Canceling heals, scans that last seven seconds and display the player’s health, all packed in with an ult that proves full scans for almost an entire fight? Seer is just flat-out too good.

Bangalore

One Legend continues to surpass Seer, however, because Bangalore remains to be the best and most well-rounded Legend in all of Apex Legends. She has the power of the assault class, along with smokes that can be used aggressively or defensively. Her ult can clear space, deny pushes, or provide cover for a hasty retreat. She really does have it all in her kit.

Of course, she still benefits from specific equipment, namely the Digital Threat scope, but even without it, she’s a great choice and well worth your time in Season 17.