Apex Legends Legend Upgrades & Perks Explained

Yes, Apex Legends introduced Legend Upgrades and Perks in Season 20, a system that lets you choose two passive bonuses for your character during a match. You earn upgrade points by gaining XP through kills, assists, and survival time, then spend them at specific level thresholds to tailor your Legend’s abilities to your playstyle and the current match situation.

Background: Why the System Was Added

Before Season 20, Apex Legends had a static meta where each Legend’s abilities were fixed for every player. The developers wanted to add a layer of strategy and replayability without overhauling the core gunplay. The result was the Legend Upgrades system, introduced in the Season 20 “Breakout” update. It replaced the old EVO armor system, which had players level up their body shield by dealing damage. Now, your Legend itself levels up, and you choose perks that can enhance your tactical, ultimate, or passive abilities—or give you small stat boosts like faster reloads or increased health.

This change was significant because it made each match feel more dynamic. Two players using the same Legend could end up with very different loadouts depending on their perk choices, which added a new dimension to team composition and counterplay.

How Legend Upgrades Work

During a match, you earn XP for your Legend in several ways:

• Kills and assists
• Damage dealt
• Revives and respawns
• Survival time (staying alive longer)

Your Legend’s level increases as you accumulate XP, and you get upgrade points at specific levels:

• Level 2: 1 point
• Level 4: 1 point
• Level 6: 1 point
• Level 8: 1 point

You can spend these points in the upgrade menu (default key: Tab on PC, or the touchpad/back button on consoles) to choose from a set of perks. Each Legend has a unique upgrade tree, but the structure is similar: at each tier, you pick one of two options. The first upgrade (Level 2) usually enhances your tactical ability, the second (Level 4) your passive, the third (Level 6) your ultimate, and the fourth (Level 8) a powerful capstone perk that can significantly alter your kit.

You don’t have to spend points immediately—you can save them and decide later, which is useful if you’re waiting to see how the match unfolds.

How to Choose the Right Perks

Choosing perks depends on your playstyle, your team composition, and the current circle position. Here are some general guidelines:

• Aggressive players should look for perks that boost damage, reload speed, or ability cooldown reduction. For example, Wraith’s “Ruthless Hunter” increases damage after using her tactical, which rewards pushing.
• Support players might prefer perks that enhance healing or revive speed. Lifeline’s “Combat Revive” lets her revive teammates while still being able to move and shoot, which is a game-changer in tight fights.
• Defensive players can pick perks that fortify positions, like Gibraltar’s “Fortified” (reduces damage taken) or Rampart’s “Covered Advance” which deploys a mobile shield while moving.
• Team synergy matters: if your squad lacks a recon character, choose perks that give you more information, like Bloodhound’s “Tracker” which reveals enemy footprints longer.

Also, consider the circle. If you’re going to be fighting in tight spaces, perks that improve close-range combat (like faster shotgun reload) are more valuable than long-range ones.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

One common mistake is ignoring the upgrade menu entirely. Some players forget to spend their points, especially in the heat of battle. You can open the menu anytime, even while moving, so make it a habit to check after each fight.

Another misconception is that perks are permanent once chosen. They are not—you can change your selection at any time after you’ve earned the points, as long as you haven’t already spent them. Once you spend a point, that choice is locked for that match, so choose wisely.

Some players think the system is pay-to-win, but it’s not. All upgrades are earned through in-match performance, not real money. There are no microtransactions tied to the upgrade system.

Comparison with Previous Systems

Before Season 20, Apex had EVO armor, where your shield leveled up by dealing damage. That system rewarded aggression but was uniform—everyone’s shield upgraded the same way. The new Legend Upgrades system is more personalized. Instead of just a stronger shield, you get ability modifications that can change how you play.

For example, Octane’s old kit was straightforward: stim for speed, jump pad for mobility. Now, with perks, you can choose “Stim Accelerant” to reduce the health cost of stim, or “Adrenaline Junkie” to increase weapon swap speed after using stim. This means two Octanes can play very differently—one might be a hyper-aggressive fragger, the other a hit-and-run skirmisher.

Costs and Availability

The Legend Upgrades system is completely free. It’s part of the core game, available in all Battle Royale modes (Trios, Duos, and Ranked). It’s not tied to any battle pass or DLC. You don’t need to own any specific Legend to use the system—every Legend has its own upgrade tree.

There is no cost to reset or change your perks within a match, but you only get a limited number of points (4 per match), so you can’t have everything. That’s the trade-off: you must prioritize which perks matter most for your current situation.

Safety and Fair Play

The system is designed to be balanced, but like any game feature, it can be exploited. Respawn Entertainment actively monitors for bugs and balance issues, and they release patches to fix any exploits. For example, if a specific perk combination becomes too powerful, they may nerf it in a future update.

Players should avoid using third-party tools or mods that claim to unlock all perks or automate upgrades—this violates the game’s terms of service and can result in a ban. Always play fair and report any suspicious behavior you encounter.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Legend Upgrades carry over between matches?

No, they reset every match. Each game you start fresh at Level 1 and earn new upgrade points as you play. This keeps every match balanced and prevents snowballing.

Can I see my opponent’s perks?

No, you cannot see what perks enemies have chosen. You can only see your own and your teammates’ (if they share). This adds an element of surprise—you never know if a Wraith has the extra damage perk or the faster tactical cooldown.

Do perks affect all modes?

Legend Upgrades are available in Battle Royale and Ranked modes. They are not in Arenas (which was removed) or in the limited-time modes like Control or Gun Run, unless specifically stated in the mode description.

What happens if I die and get respawned?

You keep your Legend level and any perks you’ve already chosen. If you haven’t spent your points, you still have them after respawning. However, you won’t earn XP while dead, so you may fall behind in levels.

Are there any perks that are universally considered best?

Not really, because it depends on the situation. However, some perks are generally strong, like the ones that reduce cooldowns or increase damage. But a good player will adapt their choices based on the circle, the enemies, and their team’s needs.

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