Electronic Arts and Respawn Entertainment have revealed the latest details about “Cipher,” the upcoming season for the popular battle royale shooter *Apex Legends*. The season is scheduled to begin at 3:00 a.m. Japan Standard Time on November 4.
Season 31 will feature numerous updates set to significantly impact the competitive landscape, including major changes to Crypto’s mechanics, the implementation of dual-wielding Wingman shotguns, the high-risk, high-reward “Stronghold” mode, and the introduction of “Legend Bans” in higher rank brackets.
Crypto Reworked into an Aggressive Scouting Style
Crypto, who previously tended to stay hidden inside his drone, has been reborn with a style that allows him to actively engage on the front lines following a firmware update from his sister, Mira.
The Spy Drone has been changed from a permanently deployed unit to a battery-powered one; while it now needs to be retrieved after a set period, the cooldown before redeployment has been significantly reduced. Placing the drone in your preferred location activates the new “Sentry Mode,” which automatically tags and highlights enemies within its line of sight for your team.Furthermore, the EMP Ultimate Ability can now be activated instantly with the press of a single button.
Comment from John Ellenton, Legends Design Lead: The goal of this rework is to shift Crypto from a passive, stationary drone setup to a more active intelligence-gathering role. We’ve made it possible to quickly toggle in and out of drone control mode, allowing Crypto to fight on the front lines alongside the team, while still maintaining the high skill ceiling that Crypto players appreciate.
Revenant & Lifeline Buffs
Revenant will be able to play more aggressively thanks to a reduced Ultimate cooldown and a faster Tactical Ability. Upgrades include options such as extending the Ultimate duration upon knocking down an enemy, applying a silence to surrounding enemies upon landing from Shadow Pounce, and automatically refreshing Pounce when an enemy is marked.
LifeLine gains a cooldown reduction for D.O.C. and the ability to heal herself while gliding. Upgrades include a reduced Ultimate cooldown and improved glide speed, as well as the return of the Resurrection Shield—once synonymous with LifeLine—significantly boosting her ability to bring allies back to the front lines.
The Wingman: Overwhelming Firepower with Dual-Wielding
The wildly popular “Wingman” revolver finally supports dual-wielding. While the Wingman previously required extremely high aim skills when used singly, it has been expanded into a weapon that allows a wide range of players to enjoy its high suppression power through rapid fire and the sense of being a powerhouse.
“Stronghold”: A New Mechanic That Sparks Fierce Mid-Game Battles
“Stronghold,” an evolution of the Care Package, is a new contested location where players can obtain extremely powerful loot.
Inside lie crate-exclusive weapons, special attachments, and EVO Points for the entire squad, but opening it takes time, and while it’s being opened, a loud alarm blares, revealing your location to nearby squads.Since cover and hard lights are automatically generated around the area, players must strategize: either hold the stronghold to claim the loot, or let another squad open it so you can launch a surprise attack.
“Legend Ban” & Rank System Revamp Coming to Diamond and Above
A “Legend Ban System” that shakes up the meta in every match will be introduced on a trial basis for matches at Diamond rank and above.
Each player casts one vote for the Legend they wish to ban, and instead of the character with the most votes being automatically removed, a lottery system is adopted where the probability of a ban varies based on the number of votes received. This prevents reliance on fixed team compositions and makes it essential to always have backup plans ready.Additionally, the development team has revealed plans to continue rolling out major updates to Ranked Mode over the next two seasons.
New Mythic “Volt SMG” & Battle Pass
The Volt SMG “Cryptic Core,” a new Mythic weapon skin, features a retro-game-style design formed by nanomachines.The weapon incorporates an animated pixel-art assistant called “PALS,” and players can freely change its appearance and effect colors by swapping out game cartridges using Exotic Shards.
Additionally, the “Cipher” Premium Battle Pass offers Legendary skins for Ash and Axel, a Triple Take weapon skin, 10 Exotic Shards, and a Tier 60 Evolving Wingman skin, among other rewards.
The new season, “Apex Legends: Cipher,” is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, November 3 (local time).
