🔗 Share this article

Respawn Entertainment has an exciting surprise prepared for the popular battle royale gamers, perfectly timed for the holidays. Enthusiasts of this game's super-slick traversal will be pleased to discover that an innovative traversal feature will be introduced when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.

Introducing Mantle Boosting

Named "Mantle Boosting" by the developers, this feature gives players a burst of propulsion when scaling ledges and walls. According to key developer the design lead, Mantle Boosting was previously been a feature of the game for some time, usually referred to as "mantle jumping." However it's no easy feat for the average player, and typically employed by competitive players in Ranked Mode or tournaments. In this update, Respawn is making it easier for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these advanced speed-boosts.

"This technique have been in Apex for a while, but the movement requires skill to perform and gamers would never know it's possible without outside knowledge," the designer explains. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so players can easily see when and how to activate the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the mechanic and introducing fresh strategies to compete for a much wider base."

The Reasoning Behind Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

What's the reason for making a previously obscure technique available to everyone? Principal designer Josh Mohan explains the team aims for players to feel powerful — including ones who are inexperienced.

"[The playerbase] performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafes, and we examined at other games, looked at what our players execute, and we said, 'What if we extend some of this power to more players?'" the designer explains. "Because right now, certain advanced [movement] mechanics are somewhat awkward to access — you need to remap your keybinds and hit one-frame windows. So we said, 'How about we create a more official version?'"

The Amped Update Movement Focus

Mobility is primarily the central theme in this season, with characters the gravity mage, Rampart, and Valkyrie receiving buffs to help keep them in motion. The cooldown period on her tactical ability is shorter, and the Gravity Lift will boost players upward much quicker than before. Rampart's Amped Cover feature a roof and capability to provide movement bonuses to those nearby. But it's the high-flying this Legend receiving the most attention this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as more potent, quicker, and deadlier.

"I think there's quite a consensus that her moment has arrived," says character developer the designer. "Certainly she was top-tier previously, but due to the addition of other characters, mobility perks, and Evac Towers, it seemed like she fell behind in current the game. It was an ideal chance for us to reexamine a bunch of aspects [of her kit] and sort of restore her to former prominence."

Enhancements to the Aerial Legend

To restore her competitive status in the game's meta, Holstead says the team assessed each of her abilities and introduced significant modifications. Her VTOL Jets received improvements, increasing her speed during flight, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, enabling her to spend more time aloft. She can no longer take damage from her ultimate ability, which was enhanced to mark enemies who take damage from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive ability — which lifts teammates into the air for redeployment or retreat — now takes reduced delay to fire up. She's also getting some new perk choices that users can choose to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her rockets, or accelerate her ultimate takeoff time.

"Her jet pack fulfills the pilot experience," Holstead comments.

Olympus Improvements

Even the game's only floating arena, Olympus, receives a movement-friendly overhaul, with major changes that opens up choke points and makes securing elevated positions more manageable. Respawn state the game this update focuses on giving players the resources they need to compete in matches.

"Really, we were looking at the game's fundamental nature as a movement shooter," says principal designer Josh Mohan.

Apex Legends the Amped season releases November 4th at the specified times.