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Respawn Entertainment have a special treat prepared for Apex Legends gamers, arriving just in time for the holidays. Fans of this game's super-slick traversal can rejoice to discover that a new movement mechanic is being implemented when the Amped season goes live on Nov. 4.

Unveiling The Mantle Boost

Named "Momentum Boosting" by the developers, this feature gives players a surge of propulsion when scaling ledges and walls. As explained key developer the design lead, Mantle Boosting has unofficially been a feature of the game for some time, usually referred to as "ledge boosting." However it's challenging for the average player, and typically employed by pro gamers in Ranked Mode or tournaments. This season, the team is making it easier for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these advanced speed-boosts.

"Mantle Boosts have been in the game for a while, but executing it isn't easy to perform and a player would never know it [is in the game] without outside knowledge," the designer states. "Now including a Mantle Boost indicator so players can easily see when and how to activate the high-octane traversal skill, making accessible the feature and introducing fresh strategies to play for a much wider base."

Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics

What's the reason for making a once niche technique available to all players? Principal designer the development lead says the team wants gamers to feel powerful — even those who are inexperienced.

"Our community performs advanced techniques like super-gliding and tap-strafing, and we looked around at our competition, looked at what our players are doing, and we wondered, 'How can we extend some of this power to a broader audience?'" the designer explains. "Because right now, certain techniques are somewhat awkward to access — it requires to change controls and hit one-frame windows. So we said, 'What if we make a more official version?'"

The Amped Update Movement Focus

Mobility is primarily the central theme in Season 27, with characters the gravity mage, Rampart, and Valkyrie all getting enhancements to help keep them in motion. The cooldown period on Horizon's Gravity Lift has been decreased, and the Gravity Lift will propel users into the air much quicker than before. Rampart's Amped Cover now include a roof and the ability to provide movement bonuses to those nearby. However it's aerial Valkyrie receiving significant improvements this season, with various adjustments implemented to enhance her as stronger, quicker, and deadlier.

"In my opinion there's quite a consensus that her moment has arrived," says Legend designer the designer. "There's no doubt she was dominant previously, but due to the addition of new Legends, movement[-based] passives, and redeployment tools, it seemed like she's not very relevant in today's Apex. This presented an ideal chance for the team to reexamine a bunch of aspects in her abilities and sort of restore her to former prominence."

Valkyrie's Upgrades

To reclaim Valkyrie's relevance in the game's meta, the developer notes Respawn assessed all her skills and introduced significant changes. Her VTOL Jets received improvements, boosting her speed while airborne, and the jets themselves regenerates three times faster, allowing the player to spend more time aloft. She can no longer take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to mark enemies who are hit from the missiles. Her Skyward Dive ability — which lifts her entire squad into the air for redeployment or retreat — now takes reduced delay to activate. Additionally, she gains some new Legend Upgrades that users can select to reduce fuel consumption, widen the area of her Missile Swarm, or accelerate her ultimate takeoff time.

"Her jet pack fulfills the pilot experience," Holstead says.

Map Changes

Even the game's only floating arena, Olympus, is getting a movement-friendly overhaul, with major changes that opens up bottlenecks and renders claiming the high ground more manageable. The developers says Apex Legends Season 27 focuses on giving players the resources they need to keep up with the competition.

"Essentially, we were looking at Apex's fundamental nature as a fast-paced FPS," explains principal designer the lead.

The battle royale Season 27: Amped launches Nov. 4 at the specified times.