Apex Legends‘ squad-based approach to the battle royale format means that it’s ever so important to make sure each of your teammates is strapped with solid guns, armor, and a backpack full of goodies. While it’s not difficult to find weapons and gear, making it to the very end is greatly helped by finding great weapons and gear.
In our Apex Legends best loot location guides, we’ll highlight a handful of areas in Kings Canyon that are typically littered with high tier weapons and gear. Whether you choose to head to these locations from the jump is up to you (well, your team’s Jumpmaster, really), but just know that the competition can be fierce in these areas — even less than a minute into a round.
The Hot Zone
Feeling bold? If so, pay attention at the start of each match to the blue circle on the map. You can’t miss it, as the blue light extends outwards and into the sky. The blue area is called a Hot Zone, and it changes locations every match. Hot Zones are flush with high level armor and a great mix of weapons (SMGs, LMGs, assault rifles, etc.)
The best part about picking up weapons in a Hot Zone is that sometimes they already are fitted with scopes, barrel stabilizers, extended magazines, or hop-ups. Those who have played Apex Legends know that an important part of the hunt is finding new attachments to bolster your weapons.
Hot Zones are a very risky play, probably more so than any other location you could head to during your descent. That’s largely because the location is given away with bright lights for all to see, whereas most of the other great loot locations won’t be known to all.
Supply ship
Similar to the Hot Zone, keep an eye out for the Supply Ship when choosing your flight path. The Supply Ship moves slowly across the sky, so it’s not very hard to make a successful landing if your flight path puts in its direction. The multi-floor ship holds several guns, attachments, armor, and health supplies.
If you don’t land on it during your descent, don’t worry. The supply ship has a set location each match where it will land. You’ll be able to board it using zip lines. Because it’s not a huge ship, if you don’t get to it early, it’s probably not worth the hassle.
Attempting to board the supply ship from the jump can lead to a quick death, or it can lead to some early kills for your team. Most of the time we’ve boarded while it’s in the air, another team has joined us. There’s not enough weapons and gear for six players, so naturally it’s an unbalanced fight. Depending on which side you’re on, that is either a good or a bad thing.
Finding high tier loot areas
When you enter a new named area on the map, Apex Legends tells you if it’s a high tier or mid tier loot area. Areas that aren’t named, and the space in between the landmarks and commercial areas, still contain loot but you never really know what you’re going to find. The high tier areas are where you’ll perhaps find legendary weapons and high level armor to help keep you chugging along to the final phase.
Here are all of the named areas on the map:
- Water Treatment
- Thunderdome
- Skull Town
- Airbase
- Runoff
- Slum Lakes
- The Pit
- Artillery
- Cascades
- Bridges
- Market
- Relay
- Wetlands
- Swamps
- Hydro Dam
- Repulsor
Every single one of those locations will have mid or high tier loot. But to keep the experience varied, it’s randomized each match. Sometimes you’ll land in the Thunderdome to find high tier gear, and other times you’re swimming in mid tier loot. So where should you drop for the best chances at quality loot?
We recommend aiming for the large, built-up industrial areas such as Hydro Dam, Repulsor, and Water Treatment. Hydro Dam and Repulsor have the added benefit of being in close proximity to each other. Aiming for the large areas ensures that even if you don’t find high tier loot, there will be plenty of mid tier loot to go around. Finding tons of health supplies and attachments for serviceable weapons is almost as beneficial as finding a couple pieces of legendary gear.
5 Tips for finding high tier loot
1. Use the balloons: Respawn added zip lines with balloons attached to the top which allow you to lift off once again to find a new location. If you’re in the hunt for high tier loot, using these can help you cover distances much quicker.
2. If you’re dying in the big areas, aim for smaller destinations: While we wholeheartedly recommend taking aim at the large complexes, those can get crowded in a hurry. If you’re having a hard time, try heading towards less populated regions from the jump. We’ve had a lot of quiet success dropping at the Airbase, Relay, and Market.
3. Watch out for care packages: Throughout the match, care packages drop onto the battlefield. You’ll know that it’s happening based on your character’s dialogue. Care packages are designated on your map with a blue marker, much like the Hot Zone. There’s no guarantee you’ll get legendary weapons and powerful armor from these, but we’ve found most of our best gear from care packages. Be careful approaching them, though, as other teams might be on the prowl nearby.
4. Look for Apex Pack robots: Typically found in corners of buildings, Apex Pack robots look exactly like the loot crates you open in the menu. Shoot it and a few pieces of great gear will scatter on the ground around it.
5. Lifeline can call in high tier loot: If you or one of your teammates is playing as the medic Lifeline, her ultimate ability is a drop pod containing a few extremely useful pieces of defensive gear.
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