[GameSpot] - Apex Legends Gaiden Event - Armed And Dangerous LTM Guide

[343iBot]

Apex Legends' anime-themed Gaiden event went live on July 19, and in addition to introducing 40 new cosmetics based on popular anime series, the event heralded the return of a well-loved limited-time mode: Armed and Dangerous.

Armed and Dangerous was the very first LTM to appear in Apex Legends back in 2019, and recently made its debut in the mobile version of the game. The shotguns- and snipers-only mode challenges players to prove their skills without their favorite automatic and semi-automatic weapons within reach. Whether you're new to Armed and Dangerous or just need a refresher course, keep reading for a closer look at the mode, and some tips on how to survive long enough to make it to the winner's circle.

Armed and Dangerous is simple in theory--all weapons are removed from the loot pool except for the Charge Rifle, Kraber, Longbow, Sentinel, EVA-8, Peacekeeper, Mastiff, and Mozambique. (The Triple Take is not available, as it was reclassified as a marksman weapon in 2021.) Ordnance remains in the loot pool, as do hop-ups that apply to shotguns and snipers, like the Shatter Caps and Kinetic feeder attachments. But other than throwables and legend abilities, you have nothing else to fall back on, necessitating some changes to the way you approach a match. Here are some dos and don'ts that you'll want to keep in mind while you play.

DON'T: Make a lot of noise

Armed and Dangerous matches often consist of extended periods of near-silence (occasionally punctuated by sniper fire), followed by brief skirmishes that are over quickly. Because of the chaotic nature of this LTM--and the speed with which you can be downed--a stealthy approach is often the best one, especially if other squads are nearby. Be sure to keep an ear out for any lone enemies who may be lying in wait for the opportunity to respawn their squad.

Speaking of respawning, it's a good idea to leave any Mobile Respawn Beacons you may stumble across. While they can certainly come in handy, their slow deployment sequence and absolutely deafening sound effects will immediately alert every squad in the area to your location. Unless two enemy teams are in the middle of a loud, chaotic gunfight, you're probably better off waiting until you can make it to a standard Respawn Beacon and pull off a quieter, quicker respawn.

DO: Pick up Ultimate Accelerants

Unless you're a Lifeline or Wattson main, you probably don't spend too much time hunting for Ultimate Accelerants, but they can be very helpful in Armed and Dangerous. Armed and Dangerous is a mode that can go from slow-moving to face-paced chaos in the blink of an eye. If you main a legend that has a particularly slow-charging ultimate ability, it's a good idea to get it charged up as soon as possible, and keep another Ultimate Accelerant nearby should the need arise to use your ult more than once in quick succession. Legends who can easily create escape routes for their squads will benefit greatly from this, so anyone playing Ash, Pathfinder, or Wraith will want to keep an extra Ultimate Accelerant on hand.

DON'T: Scoot 'n loot

It's natural to make a mad dash for any un-looted areas you may come across, but keep in mind that the loot pool in Armed and Dangerous is extremely limited compared to standard battle royale matches. Before running into a new POI, take stock of your current inventory. Most shotguns just need a sight and a bolt, and extended sniper mags are everywhere. Unless there's a specific attachment or weapon you're seeking, it's best to stop looting as soon as you've got everything you need.

It may even be worth waiting for enemy teams to cease fighting, then pick through their death boxes before tracking down the surviving team--because everyone is using the same type of weapon, the likelihood of you finding the specific item you need in any given deathbox skyrockets. You can always use Loba to ensure you get exactly what you want as quickly as possible, but it may not be worth it in the end, as the ground loot is plentiful, and summoning items from her Black Market leaves a visible trail that will lead enemies right to your doorstep.

DO: Camp to your heart's content

Visibility is everything in a mode where each enemy player you encounter is almost guaranteed to have a sniper rifle on them. While regularly rotating between POIs can be the key to survival in standard Apex matches, Armed and Dangerous favors a different approach. Keep an eye (and an ear) out for enemy combatants when moving between points of interest, and be sure to fully scope the area out before you approach.

Don't just glance at your destination--peer through a long-range scope at the areas surrounding the POI you intend on moving to. Are there any elevated areas where snipers could be lurking? Put yourself in the enemy's shoes and scope out any potential points of ambush.

Legends with scanning abilities (Bloodhound, Crypto, Pathfinder, Seer) should use their X-Ray vision on any areas you suspect may be occupied, and when possible, scan Survey Beacons. But be aware that using a scanning ability may alert enemies to your location. The quicker your squad can set up camp in a comfortable, safe spot inside the ring, the better. Perch on something high enough to give you a good view, let your enemies come to you, and pick them off one by one as they scramble to escape the shrinking ring.

DON'T: Check out that Care Package

As tempting as it may be, try to resist the urge to run for any Care Packages that may land during the match. If you're playing as Lifeline, you may wish to refrain from activating your Care Package unless you do so right at the edge of the ring. The ring's orange glow can disguise the beam of light emanating from the Care Package, making it less likely that an enemy will notice that beam disappear when the package is opened. The sound of the ring also helps camouflage the noise made by the Care Package's descent.

When it comes to neutral care packages, proceed with extreme caution. The best time to go for one of these is when two nearby teams are loudly engaged in combat. Any nearby third (or fourth) parties will likely have their eyes on the firefight, so this is your best chance to loot a Care Package unnoticed. However, a far better method is to find a Care Package and let an enemy team do the looting for you. Find yourself a nice sniper's nest with a clear view of an unopened Care Package and wait for an enemy team to approach. Once you take them out, the goodies in that Care Package--and all the items the enemy team was carrying--are yours for the taking.

The contents of the Replicator are displayed on the loading screen before each match.

DO: Check out that Replicator

Just like standard Apex matches, Replicators appear in Armed and Dangerous as well. At the time of writing, the Replicator currently contains the gold sniper mag, gold sniper optic, purple helmet, purple backpack, Longbow DMR, and Peacekeeper, but it's possible that this may change from day to day or week to week as the event continues. Be sure to give the Replicator a look to make sure you don't waste time hunting through ground loot for a weapon, item, or piece of armor that's currently tucked away inside the Replicator.

But just like with Respawn Beacons, caution is key--be sure to have Bloodhound or Crypto scan the area for enemies before activating the replicator. Using Seer for this is not recommended, as his abilities are quite loud, and his ultimate can be seen from a great distance.

DON'T: Play the wrong legend

There's no "wrong" way to play Armed and Dangerous, but some legends are better suited to the task than others. Fuse, for example, is a fantastic choice due to his ability to stack grenades. Likewise, Crypto, Bloodhound, and Seer are all excellent choices for their stealth-friendly tracking abilities (though Bloodhound and Seer's abilities can occasionally attract too much attention). Ash, Pathfinder, and Wraith are great for getting your squad out of a sticky situation, plus Ash's ability to track enemy squads via deathbox scans and icons on her map is very valuable when scoping out a new POI.

Due to the distracting spectacle of her Care Package ability and the fact that Armed and Dangerous matches can go from dead silence to deathbox graveyard in a matter of seconds, Lifeline isn't the best choice for this mode. When it comes to healing, Mirage might be a better choice than Lifeline in this mode simply due to the fact that he can cloak while reviving and respawning teammates, and is capable of creating the perfect distraction while those teammates heal up or locate their death boxes and gear up.

Rampart is hit-or-miss, as the deafening sound of Sheila's gunfire is enough to attract the attention of the entire lobby, and Newcastle can provide stronger, faster cover with ease and added mobility. This, combined with his mobile shield and ability to drag downed teammates out of the line of fire while reviving them, makes Newcastle one of the best legends you can choose to play as in Armed and Dangerous.

Wattson and Caustic are solid choices as well, but only if you plan on staying indoors. When the map switches to the expansive, nature-heavy Storm Point, you may wish to switch to a legend with a broader skillset and longer-range abilities. Still, Wattson's Interception Pylon will certainly come in handy if you find yourself on the receiving end of a grenade rainstorm.

While Valkyrie is great for a quick escape, all of her abilities are extremely loud, making her a less-than-ideal choice for players hoping to keep a low profile. Revenant, on the other hand, is a nice middle ground when it comes to risk vs. reward. While all of his abilities are loud, being able to fling his tactical down a hallway can mean the difference between getting pushed by an enemy team and immediately clobbered, or getting those precious extra seconds you need to finish healing up or reloading. Similarly, while his ultimate ability is loud and can alert enemies to your location, it's also effectively a get-out-of-jail-free card. As long as you position his Death Totem wisely and coordinate with your teammates, Revenant is a great choice for Armed and Dangerous.

DO: Make use of throwables

As previously mentioned, throwables are the only other type of weapon available in Armed and Dangerous, and they are plentiful. However, due to limited item slots in backpacks, grenades are often at the bottom of many players' "must-loot" lists. But in Armed and Dangerous, they're a must-have game-changer. The mode is so focused on gunplay that enemies are often caught off guard when they're suddenly hit with a barrage of arc stars and thermite grenades--something that is especially easy to pull off in this particular LTM.

Running a shotty-sniper loadout generally means you'll have a little more space in your inventory (especially if you snagged that purple backpack from the Replicator earlier), so be sure to take advantage of those extra inventory slots. Play around in the Firing Range a little bit, test out your ideal loadout, and calculate how many throwables you can carry--then make sure to have them on hand at all times.

DON'T: Go it alone

No matter what mode you're playing, Apex Legends is a game about teamwork. Even if you don't have a pre-made squad of friends to play with and are stuck playing with randoms, mic up and coordinate your strategy. Don't push an enemy squad without making sure the rest of yours is on board. Don't run off and leave a teammate behind, and make sure not to be a straggler yourself--keep up with the rest of your squad. Don't wait until things have fallen apart to turn on your mic and start calling the shots. Most importantly, don't peel off from your squad while skydiving, land halfway across the map, promptly get downed, and then proceed to verbally harass your squad while disconnecting. Be a good sport--Legends don't ragequit.

Armed and Dangerous will be live for the entirety of the Gaiden Thematic Event, which runs from July 12 to August 2.

Apex Legends is free to play on console and PC. A mobile version of the game, Apex Legends Mobile, is available for download on Android and iOS devices.

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