Pathfinder has almost always been a popular character in Apex Legends. His silly voicelines, cheerful personality, and Grappling Hook tactical ability all proved to be a hit with Apex players from very early on in the game’s life.
The past few years could be described as something of a decline for Pathfinder mains, though. Once clearly one of the best characters in the game to go along with his popular personality and fun playstyle, Path was hit with a series of nerfs. Some of those were direct (like increasing the cooldown for his tactical ability) and some indirect (when everyone in the recon class got his survey beacon passive, an ability that originally only belonged to him), but the fact remains that season 16 was the first time in a long time that Pathfinder got some sort of meaningful buff, this time to his ultimate.
And it appears that Apex fans are just as enthusiastic about the new and improved Pathfinder as they’ve ever been since he’s now finally cracked the top spot on the Apex Legends Status pick rate charts and become the most-picked legend in the game.
Most likely, Pathfinder has been the most-picked legend earlier in the game’s history, and this mark is just the best he’s been since Apex Legends Status started to keep track of legend pick rates. Still, it’s a huge improvement for everyone’s favorite MRVN unit and one that players seem to be responding to.
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Interestingly, the buff to Pathfinder still hasn’t touched one of many Apex players’ biggest complaints about the character: he doesn’t have much of a passive. Scanning survey beacons used to make Pathfinder unique and very strong, particularly in professional play and the ALGS where knowledge of future rings shapes entire styles of play for different teams. That passive was subsequently brought to all recon characters, which spelled the beginning of the end for him in the ALGS, and then the passive was made arguably even worse in season 16 when it got changed to the much-maligned skirmisher passive.
Even with a 10-second cooldown reduction to Pathfinder’s ultimate whenever he reveals the contents of a care package, his passive ability is far easier to forget than it feels impactful to use. But none of that matters all that much when Pathfinder’s popularity still comes down to one simple truth: he’s fun to play.
There is no movement ability in Apex, a game that made its name on movement, that is more fun to use than the Grappling Hook. Slingshotting yourself across the Outlands is one of the most unique parts of anything in Apex and can create some of its deepest, most interesting combat moments in the hands of experienced players.
So here’s to you, Pathfinder mains. Your boy is finally on top, and he probably grappled his way up there.
