Apex Legends has a new playable Legend on the roster — for some players. Arriving alongside the launch of Apex Legends Mobile on May 17, Fade is the game’s first mobile-exclusive Legend. Developer Respawn Entertainment usually rolls out the red carpet for its new Legends, featuring them in trailers before their official launch. The mobile-only Fade comes to Apex Legends Mobile without the normal fanfare, so players are still piecing together exactly how the new Legend works. Here’s what you need to know about Fade in Apex Legends Mobile.
Fade abilities in Apex Legends Mobile
Apex Legends Mobile classifies Fade as a “phase punisher.” That means that, somewhat like existing Legends Ash and Wraith, Fade focuses on zipping around the battlefield in unpredictable ways while dealing damage.
Here are Fade’s abilities:
Slipstream (Passive): Slipstream grants Fade a short movement speed increase after a slide with a 10-second cooldown. Fade leaves a visible trail when using this ability.
Flash Back (Tactical): Flash Back rewinds Fade’s movement, letting him phase back to a previous position with a 20-second cooldown.
Phase Chamber (Ultimate): Phase Chamber creates an area of Void on the battlefield, making any Legend caught in it unable to take or inflict damage while showing their movement speed. It has a 90-second cooldown.
Fade’s abilities make him an extremely mobile character, capable of getting into and out of firefights quickly while shutting down enemies’ ability to retaliate. Fade will be at his best when sticking close to the action and staying on the move to keep enemies disoriented.
Tips for playing as Fade in Apex Legends Mobile
Don’t be shy about using Slipstream: Slipstream’s 10-second cooldown means it can and should be used frequently. It’s a simple ability, but it has applications in all kinds of scenarios. You can use it to close the distance on enemies, dart behind cover, or reach allies in need. Using it as much as possible will make it much harder for opposing players to pin you down in one spot. If you’re really tricky, you can even use the afterimages it creates to draw enemies’ attention while your allies counterattack.
Flash Back can be used for offense or defense: If you’ve played Overwatch as Tracer, Fade’s Flash Back should feel familiar. While you’re still getting the hang of playing Fade, Flash Back can be used to instantly retreat from a spicy situation, which should be especially effective when combined with Slipstream. For more advanced players, it can be used to keep enemies confused about your position or move you into place for an ambush.
Phase Chamber works on allies and enemies alike: Phase Chamber is a multifaceted ability, equally capable of debuffing the enemy or providing some cover for teammates. Its most common use will be locking down enemies, either to slow an approaching squad, make enemies briefly harmless while you retreat, or take part of a squad out of a firefight so you can focus on more high-priority targets.
In a pinch, though, it can also give your team some cover during a fight. If things are going really badly, giving your team a few seconds of safety could be enough to pop shields and heal so you can turn the fight around. Dropping a well-timed Phase Chamber on your own team could even help you escape Ultimates from enemies like Bangalore, which have the power to level your whole team at once. However you use Phase Chamber, you’ll need to be careful about who’s getting caught in its area of effect.
Best Fade team comps in Apex Legends Mobile
Fade’s speed and use of phasing for movement make him similar to Wraith and Ash, so comps using those characters should also work for Fade. There is one important difference to keep in mind, though: Fade’s movement abilities only work on himself, so you can’t use him to move your team into position like you would with Wraith and Ash’s portals. That means you’ll likely want to pair Fade with equally fast characters or include one teammate who can transport the squad.
Also, keep in mind that Apex Legend Mobile doesn’t have the full roster of the game’s PC and console versions, so your choices of team comps are more limited.
If you want to build a team based on speed, you can match Fade with Legends like Octane and Mirage. That results in a team that ignores pure defense in favor of just being too fast to hit. Octane’s Jump Pad lets you jump into the action while Mirage’s decoys combined with Fade’s movement can totally bewilder your enemies.
A more tactical option is Bloodhound, whose excellent tracking abilities will let you locate enemies that Fade can then track down with his incredible maneuverability. Caustic allows another tactical style of play that relies on traps. You can use Fade’s slipstream to lure enemies into Caustic’s gas traps or combine Nox Gas Grenade with Phase Chamber for a lethal combo.
The jump to phone for Apex Legends Mobile could change the way people play, especially with a new Legend in the mix. Watching how Fade changes the game could yield even more effective strategies throughout Apex Legends Mobile’s first season.
