Apex Legends Tier List: Best Legends in Season 31 (Cipher)

Apex Legends is one of the most popular F2P shooters among fans of co-op games. As an avid player myself, I have put in over 1000 hours into the game, earning me the nickname “Apex nerd” from my friends at GameTree (and rightly so).

With Apex Legends Season 31, Cipher, now live, I’ve decided to prepare this article to tell you about all the best Legends in Apex so that you can choose the most suited character to help you win in ranked games.

The best Legends in Apex Legends Season 31 are Pathfinder, Revenant, Loba, Conduit and Alter. Pathfinder is the most reliable rotation pick, Revenant is the biggest winner of the Cipher patch with shorter cooldowns on both his abilities, and Loba stays on top despite a nerf because loot is still scarce. Axle drops to A-Tier after another round of cuts, and Bloodhound and Bangalore join her there.

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Best Legends In Apex Legends Season 31 Tier List

In Apex Legends, choosing one of the 28 unique playable characters (Legends) is an exciting part of the gaming experience. Each Legend has different abilities and playstyles, influencing which one a player chooses.

In Season 16, the class system was overhauled and Legends were placed into 5 new classes. Paying attention to the classes can help guide your Legend selection.

Back in Season 20, Legend upgrades were introduced. Now all Legends have 4 upgradable abilities, but players can only select 2 upgrades to use per match. The upgrades build on existing abilities, so the Legend’s overall playstyle doesn’t change dramatically. Leveling up unlocks upgrades which can make a trio stronger.

NOTE:

This tier list tries to rank the Legends based on how good they are. But you shouldn’t just stick to the top Legends. Instead, try out different Legends and see which ones are the most fun for you to play. The most important thing is enjoying the game and finding a Legend that fits your style really well.

I’ve created an Apex Legends Season 31 tier list, running from strongest to weakest. After exploring the table below and the article, you’ll know exactly which top Apex Legends are most effective for ranking up in Season 31. The rankings are based on the Season 31 patch notes on which Legends Apex Predators picked most at the end of Season 30 (pick-rate data from apexranked.com), and on our own judgment of each kit. The meta changes frequently as new tactics and ways to play are constantly being discovered.

Any Legend can be effective if practiced with, even low-tier ones. Having the right weapons matters too. But some Legends are ranked higher than others for competitive play. This list provides an overall ranking of the best Legends to have on your squad.

S-Tier

These Legends are a must-have pick for any team composition, as they have virtually no serious drawbacks. At this level, we have five of the best Legends in Apex.

Pathfinder

Pathfinder is a nice movement Legend. His Zipline Ultimate works similarly to Wraith’s portal, helping your team get out of tight situations or access hard-to-reach areas. For sure, enemies can also use it, so you’d better monitor the situation and be on your guard.

Pathfinder excels at both getting in and out of combat, but his large hitbox is a drawback, as it is easy to hit for your enemy when they can still see you. Even so, he was the second most picked Legend among top ranked players at the end of Season 30, and his kit is untouched in Season 31, so he moves up to S-Tier as the most reliable rotation pick.

Revenant

Revenant is a strong movement Legend that can track down vulnerable enemies and is especially effective on vertical maps. Assassin’s Instinct allows him to rise high and get around the enemy. Shadow Pounce is about quickly jumping long distances forward to get closer to weak enemies or quickly turn around.

The Forged Shadows ultimate ability gives Revenant full damage protection for a short time, excluding fire, gas, or ring damage. Enemies can destroy this defense by damaging it, but it will instantly recharge if Revenant is knocked down. Even with some minor mid-season nerfs Revenant is a great pick. Season 31 made him the biggest winner of the patch: Shadow Pounce now has a 15 second cooldown instead of 20, Forged Shadows dropped from 180 to 150 seconds, and a new upgrade extends his Ultimate when he knocks an enemy. That puts him in S-Tier.

Loba

Loba has gone from situational pick to S-Tier staple in Season 30. The Marked update removed Mythic and Gold bins, took gold attachments and backpacks out of the loot pool, and made purple attachments rarer. That makes her Black Market Boutique one of the most valuable abilities in the game, often deciding whether your squad reaches the endgame fully kitted. Season 30 also buffed her: her Tactical equips faster and travels farther, and her ultimate cooldown dropped from 150 to 120 seconds. Burglar’s Best Friend, her teleporting tactical, adds mobility on top. Season 31, Cipher, nerfed her: Burglar’s Best Friend now has a 30 second cooldown instead of 25, and Black Market Boutique went from 120 back to 150 seconds. She was still the most picked Legend among top ranked players at the end of Season 30, and loot is still scarce, so she stays in S-Tier.

Conduit

Conduit joined the roster back in Season 19. Her tactical Radiant Transfer ability gives temporary shields to your team members, which can save your squad in intense battles. Her passive features make it easier to stay in the team due to the speed boost. Her ultimate ability, Energy Barricade, can be a great way to lock down an area to protect your team or trap the enemy team and prevent them from attacking. Overall, Conduit is the strongest Support for coordinated squads, and with no cuts in Season 31 she moves up to S-Tier.

Alter

Alter, the Skirmisher Legend introduced back in Season 21, possesses a formidable set of abilities that have made her an immensely powerful addition to the game. Alter’s capabilities are currently perceived as OP, granting her and her team unparalleled mobility that allows them to disregard the area denial abilities of most Controller Legends, with the exception of Caustic.

Notably, Alter’s skill set not only facilitates her team’s ability to initiate and disengage from engagements at will, but she also excels in solo play, as evidenced by her impressive performance in the game’s Solo Mode. This versatility has positioned Alter as a potent option for both entry fragging and anchoring in Ranked matches.

Alter’s well-rounded kit makes her one of the strongest Legends in Apex right now, and with Axle cut again she keeps her S-Tier spot in Season 31. Expect Respawn to keep an eye on her in future balance patches.

A-Tier

These Legends are exceptionally good in their roles. However, they may have one or two flaws that prevent them from being in the S tier. In this category, we have nine characters.

Axle

Axle, the Combat Racer who arrived in Season 29, drops from the top spot to A-Tier in Season 31. Her Drift passive still gives her extra speed while sliding, but the latest round of cuts halved its lateral control (25% for players using Nitro Gate), so she no longer wins every repositioning battle.

Her tactical, Nitro Gate, lets the whole squad slide at high speed. Season 30 cut the max slide boost from 5 seconds to 3 (the Long Haul upgrade brings back 5), but it still sets the pace of most fights. Place it well and your team rotates, pushes and disengages faster than anyone can react. Place it badly and you build a fast lane for your enemies. Her Kickstart ultimate launches an enemy-seeking drone that knocks opponents into the air. Since Season 30 it can also stun and push your own teammates, though it does not damage them, so aim it with care. An August 25 hotfix nerfed her again: Nitro Gate’s launch speed dropped from 750 to 700, Kickstart’s stun fell from 1.5 to 0.25 seconds, its drone has 150 HP instead of 200, and its base cooldown rose from 90 to 120 seconds (the new Drone Deployer upgrade brings it back to 90). An October 1 hotfix, carried into the Season 31 patch notes, cut her again: Nitro Gate’s initial push dropped from 700 to 650, and the Kickstart drone now chases for 8 seconds instead of 10. She is still strong in coordinated squads, but she is no longer the default first pick.

Bloodhound

Bloodhound got a full rework in Season 30, Marked, and was the face of that season. Their new ultimate, Allfather’s Cloak, drops a device that cloaks every player who enters its area. The cloak lasts 12 seconds after you leave the area and gives 20% more movement speed and threat vision. Taking damage, firing or using most abilities breaks it. Bloodhound’s own abilities and, since an August 25 hotfix, ring damage do not.

The passive now shows a red trail near fresh enemy clues, and white ravens fly up to 400 meters and can be triggered from a distance. That mix of tracking and stealth makes Bloodhound one of the best Legends in Apex for aggressive, coordinated squads. In Season 31 Bloodhound is still a strong pick for coordinated squads, but faster rotation Legends like Pathfinder and Revenant now set the pace, so we have moved Bloodhound to A-Tier.

Lifeline

Lifeline is a great choice as a support Legend and can be the savior of your team, thanks to her support abilities.

Lifeline can revive teammates with her drone while she keeps fighting, and her ultimate drops a care package with gear upgrades for the squad. She is still one of the best Legends in Apex to have on your team.

Season 31 buffed Lifeline: her D.O.C. Heal Drone now has a 15 second cooldown instead of 25, it heals her while she glides, and a new level 3 upgrade adds a Revive Shield (the other option cuts 60 seconds off her Ultimate). That makes her one of the strongest Supports in the game this season.

Octane

Octane can be a strong Legend and a great addition to a team with other movement Legends. His stims make him very fast, but each one costs health, so keep an eye on your HP before you push.

Octane’s Jump Pad can help your team reach otherwise inaccessible areas, but you can be shot in the air. Octane is a nice pick for aggressive gamers, as they can move in and out of combat easily. He had no changes in Season 31, but he was the third most picked Legend among top ranked players at the end of Season 30, so he moves up to A-Tier.

Seer

Seer is a great scouting Legend that can provide useful information for your team. His ultimate ability gives your team constant information about where the enemy is. He is also capable of interrupting any enemy’s abilities and healing. Recent changes have been mixed: a July hotfix weakened his Home Base upgrade, while Season 30 first reduced, and an August 25 hotfix then removed, the turn slow from his tactical. His Focus of Attention is still one of the most disruptive abilities in the game. However, Seer has no escape ability, so he needs aggressive, skilled play.

Mad Maggie

Mad Maggie is a nice moving Legend if used correctly. Her ultimate ability, Wrecking Ball, gives your team a good movement speed boost and allows you to move in and out of combat. The tactical ability, Riot Drill, can push enemies out of cover. Maggie’s passive ability, Warlord’s Ire, gives her an advantage over other best Legends in Apex due to her increased movement speed with shotguns. Maggie is a meta character and a great alternative to other aggressive Legends, such as Wraith, Bloodhound, and Octane.

Bangalore

Bangalore is the most balanced Legend with an easy-to-learn and effective set of abilities. Rolling Thunder can be good both offensively and defensively. Bangalore’s passive ability allows her to move very quickly when being shot. The Smoke feature is one of the most versatile abilities among all the best Legends for ranked Apex. Her smoke and speed boost still work with almost any squad, but she had no changes in Season 31 and few top ranked players pick her, so she moves to A-Tier.

Vantage

Vantage is a sniper and is great for long-range combat. Her abilities, Spotter’s Lens and Sniper’s Mark, give her an advantage in sniper fights, marking enemies so that teammates can do extra damage to them. Her Echo Relocation is a good movement ability, allowing her to move a significant distance both horizontally and vertically. Playing as Vantage ensures that you can provide great assistance to your team from almost any range, making you a fearsome opponent. However, Vantage should avoid melee.

Gibraltar

Gibraltar is the best Apex Legends character for a tank position. He is able to withstand more damage than most other heroes, as well as protect your team from enemy abilities. His ultimate ability, Defensive Bombardment, is very good in open space, and Dome Shield can save you and your entire team.

Unfortunately, Gibraltar can be an easy target due to his large hitbox, and his features have a long cooldown, requiring the player to have a steady hand.

Support heroes are the basis of your squad, and Gibraltar has gained a new role in teams thanks to the many buffs the developers have put on him. Though Gibraltar is not picked that often in low-level games, he becomes a must-have attribute in high-level ranked games.

B-Tier

The best Legends in Apex from the B tier are excellent choices that can be very useful in the hands of experienced players and in certain situations. Still, they lack a level of utility. In this tier, we have eight Legends.

Crypto

The problem that has plagued Crypto since his introduction is that you become detached from your character, essentially being AFK all the time in order to properly use his abilities. Drone EMP can do a lot of damage and give your team a good chance to continue the fight. His passive ability is useful for transferring information about the enemy to your team, but he lacks distance and is easy to take down.

Experienced Crypto fans can certainly put on a good game, but for most players, and me in particular, he is too weak and difficult to play. Season 31, Cipher, reworked him: the Surveillance Drone now runs on a 25 second battery and once recalled it can be redeployed with no cooldown, marks last 8 seconds even if the drone is destroyed, and the EMP deploys with one press and no longer damages Crypto himself. The rework makes him easier to play, but he still takes practice, so he stays in B-Tier.

Wraith

Wraith is the most enduring Legend and perhaps the only hero in the game that avoids the inevitability of death better than Octane. Wraith can easily get out of any fight. That said, repeated nerfs and the speed-focused Season 30 meta have pushed her out of the very top tier, though she remains a reliable pick.

Horizon

Horizon can reach locations inaccessible to others due to her aerial prowess. You can use her feature on enemies, leaving them trapped, making them easy targets, or moving them against their will.

Horizon’s increased mobility in the air makes her a serious threat and a nightmare for less skilled players. Her ultimate ability, in the right hands, can destroy an entire squad.

Horizon is the best Apex Legend for controlling territories and vertical movement. In close combat, the Black Hole ability can give your team a chance to push enemies or more time to hold them.

Valkyrie

Valkyrie is the right Legend for hunting enemies or getting out of dangerous situations. Her Skyward Dive allows your team to change position very quickly and scout at the same time. However, with the Evac Tower, Valkyrie’s ultimate ability is no longer as effective as before.

Her main passive ability, jetpacks, allows Valkyrie to reach almost any point on the map and instantly rise to high ground. Still, they have a significant drawback: they are very loud, and you cannot fire weapons when using a jetpack.

However, with the ability to rotate your entire squad and grab high ground in any situation, Valkyrie is still a desirable pick. Season 30 cut her Missile Swarm damage from 25 to 15 and lowered her Skyward Dive height by 15%, so she is no longer the rotation queen she once was, but she is still a solid situational pick.

Sparrow

Sparrow, the Recon Legend added in Season 25, is one of the best information gatherers in the game. His Tracker Dart tactical reveals enemies who cross its line of sight and can even activate Survey Beacons remotely, while his Double Jump passive gives him vertical mobility most Recon Legends can only dream of.

His Stinger Bolt ultimate anchors a large arrow that shocks, damages, and slows everyone in its radius – great for zoning enemies out of cover or locking down a push. Sparrow rewards aggressive, high-tempo play and pairs beautifully with movement Legends like Axle and Octane. Few top ranked players picked him at the end of Season 30, though, so he moves to B-Tier for Season 31.

Fuse

Fuse is a good Legend for assault. His Knuckle Clusters can hold an area, and he also has a large supply of ammo and more space for grenades. When used correctly, his ultimate ability can be effective in area control and capturing the enemy. This hero will be an excellent addition to the team when pushing the rivals.

Rampart

Rampart provides an interesting combination of offense and defense with her ability to deploy mobile fortifications during combat. Rampart is a difficult Legend to master but is extremely effective in the hands of a skilled player.

Rampart’s ultimate abilities were strengthened after the changes, and she can now move with her machine gun, which makes her more durable. With well-coordinated teamwork and strong player skills, Rampart can significantly impact team play. Season 30 also buffed her directly: her walls deploy 0.5 seconds faster and are tougher at low EVO levels, and she moves faster while firing Sheila.

Newcastle

Newcastle is arguably the best Legend in Apex to support the team. Castle Wall and Mobile Shield are good tactical abilities that can save your team in various situations. Mobile Shield can also be useful for reconnaissance and surveillance of the enemy team. Newcastle’s abilities can be used both to protect the team and to push the enemy. In general, this balanced hero can be used both as a support and for aggression. His Castle Wall is useful for holding the new Strongholds in Season 31, so he moves up to B-Tier.

C-Tier

The C-level Apex best Legends can be useful in certain situations. These are fine and useful heroes, but as a rule, they require a high level of skill from the player. Once mastered, these Legends perform extremely well in their specific niches. Yet, there are often better choices for less experienced players. Overall, there are five Legends in the C tier.

Ash

Ash is among the best legends in Apex in her category overall. She can provide intelligence through death boxes, which will give you a tactical advantage. She can also actively participate in battles thanks to her snare ability and her Phase Breach ultimate opens a one-way portal for your team to push or escape.

Phase Breach is a good way to push or escape, but the portal is one-way, so you cannot walk back through it. Ash’s Arc Snare is not that useful usually but can stress out enemies when used correctly. Although Ash is not the best Legend in Apex compared to many other heroes, in the right hands, she can become very useful in a team.

Caustic

Caustic is a good defensive Legend. His Nox Gas Trap tactical ability can help your team lock down a building. His ultimate ability can force the enemy team to step back and give your team time to recover and regroup.

The developers buffed this hero, then nerfed and strengthened him again, and in an organized team and capable hands, Caustic is very strong. Since his Gas is now way more dangerous, a skilled Caustic player can greatly strengthen your team. So, when assembling a team with other players at GameTree, you should consider adding Caustic to your squad as one of the Apex Legends best characters. 

Wattson

Wattson is a strong defensive Legend and one of the best Apex Legends characters for holding territory late in the game. Perimeter Security and Intercept Pylon can block a building and counter the ultimate features of many other heroes. Wattson’s kit can significantly buff the team’s play on defense.

Catalyst

Catalyst is a good defensive hero who is also at her best in the late game due to her ability to fortify doors, making it easy to lock down an area inside the ring. Although her ultimate Catalyst Dark Veil is difficult to use, it can be effective, helping you escape from enemies or push away the opposing team.

Overall, Catalyst has a strong set of defensive abilities but is not easy to master for an average player. Season 30 Split 2 buffed her: Piercing Spikes now recharge in 15 seconds instead of 20, Ferro-Door reinforces up to 6 doors, and Resilient Veil cuts her Ultimate cooldown from 150 to 120 seconds. In my opinion, there are still easier-to-use Legends that are often more effective, but those buffs are enough to lift her into C-Tier for Season 31.

Ballistic

Ballistic has established himself as one of the most versatile Apex Legends characters.

His ultimate ability will upgrade the third weapon to a gold version, as well as grant nearby teammates extra mobility, faster reload speed and infinite ammo for a while. If you correctly balance your abilities, Ballistic can be extremely effective on the battlefield. However, his tactical and passive abilities are quite easy to counter.

D-Tier

D-tier Legends are not the best choice of heroes and perform poorly in most situations. These characters have abilities that can be avoided or easily countered. They provide little benefit to your team and are overshadowed by the best Legends in Apex.

Mirage

Mirage can be a nice choice in certain situations, but his abilities do not significantly impact victory. Thanks to his Now You See Me passive ability, he can be useful to your team on respawns, but his decoys are easy to spot. His ultimate ability will rarely allow you to escape from a skilled enemy. Do you wonder what is the best Legend in Apex? It’s definitely not Mirage as he is one of the weakest picks in the game right now and is not a proper choice for most situations.

What Changed In Season 31

Season 31, Cipher, launched on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Here is what changed and how it shapes this tier list:

• Legend bans in ranked: in Diamond and higher matches, each player can request one ban, and two Legends are banned per match. Requests raise a Legend’s chance of being banned, but the draw is random, so top picks like Pathfinder and Loba will not always be available. Learn a backup from each tier.
• Legend changes: Revenant and Lifeline were buffed, Crypto was reworked, and Loba was cut. Axle’s October 1 hotfix nerfs also carry over into the new season. The details are in each Legend’s section above.
• Ranked access: Road to Ranked challenges are removed, and ranked unlocks at account level 20 (EA says the exact level could still change). Players at risk of demotion get three Demotion Shields.
• New weapons: the Akimbo Wingman arrives and uses heavy ammo, and the Hemlok returns to floor loot as a burst AR.

For the full rules, see our Apex Legends ranked system guide and our new season guide. We will update this tier list again when Respawn releases the next balance patch.

Connect With Like-Minded Gamers Through GameTree.Me

As I wrote above in the article, there are many Legends in the game, and your task is to assemble a team with a balance of active and passive abilities of each hero to play in synergy. If you don’t rely on in-game matchmaking to play with random players every time, but in your own team, you better understand everyone’s abilities and playstyle and can analyze battles. Deriving from my experience, this gives you a big advantage and allows you to win more often.

Get your team together to play Apex Legends on GameTree. The GameTree app matches you with players by personality and the games you like. Playing with a team that complements your strengths is the fastest way to improve.

Join The GameTree Discord And Let Scout Build Your Squad

Knowing the meta is only half the battle. The other half is having teammates who can play it with you. The GameTree LFG Discord has about 28,500 members. Join at discord.gg/6duvwHx2Q2.

If you run your own Discord server, add Scout, the GameTree LFG bot, and use its /lfg command to find a group.

Final Thoughts

So, who is the best Legend in Apex Legends? In fact, there’s no answer to this question. The game has many very effective characters, some of them are more difficult to master than others. To better get used to Apex Legends, the choice for new players would be Bloodhound, Wraith, Octane, or Lifeline. These heroes have both strong and relatively easy-to-use abilities, and, as a result, they will be easier to master. However, I still recommend trying all the best Apex Legends characters. There is always a chance that you will be able to better reveal the abilities of a certain hero, even if they are not in the meta. Remember that the developers are trying to make all heroes balanced.