🔗 Share this article Apex Legends' Niche Traversal Techniques Are Going Mainstream During This Update Respawn Entertainment has a special treat in store for Apex Legends players, perfectly timed for festive season. Fans of the battle royale's super-slick traversal will be pleased to discover that a new movement mechanic will be introduced when Season 27: Amped goes live on Nov. 4. Introducing Mantle Boosting Dubbed "Momentum Boosting" by Respawn, this feature gives players a surge of forward momentum when scaling ledges and walls. According to lead battle royale designer the design lead, Mantle Boosting has unofficially existed of the game for some time, often called as "ledge boosting." But it's challenging for casual gamers, and typically employed by competitive players in competitive play or esports competitions. In this update, Respawn simplifies the process for players of all skill levels to successfully perform these advanced speed-boosts. "This technique existed in the game for some time, but the movement isn't easy to perform and gamers might not realize it [is in the game] without external guides," the designer explains. "We're adding a visual cue so users can easily see the timing to activate the fast-paced traversal skill, making accessible the mechanic and adding new ways to play for more players." Why Opening Up Advanced Mechanics Why make a previously obscure technique accessible to everyone? Lead Legend designer the development lead says the team wants players to feel powerful — even those who are new. "Our community is doing advanced techniques like super-glides and tap-strafes, and we looked around at our competition, observed what the community execute, and we said, 'What if we provide some of this power to a broader audience?'" the designer clarifies. "Because right now, some of these advanced [movement] mechanics are kind of janky to access — it requires to remap your keybinds and execute within precise timings. So we said, 'How about we make a more official implementation?'" Season 27 Movement Focus Movement is largely the name of the game in this season, with Legends the gravity mage, Rampart, and the aerial combatant all getting buffs to help keep them in motion. The cooldown period on her tactical ability has been decreased, and this skill will boost users upward faster than before. Her defensive walls now include a roof and capability to grant speed boosts to those nearby. But it's the high-flying Valkyrie who's getting the most attention this season, with multiple tweaks applied to make her more potent, faster, and more lethal. "In my opinion many agree that Valkyrie's time has arrived," states character developer Ian Holstead. "Certainly that she's been top-tier previously, but with the introduction of other characters, movement[-based] passives, and Evac Towers, it felt like she fell behind in current the game. It was an ideal chance for us to revisit multiple elements in her abilities and sort of bring her back to her glory days." Enhancements to the Aerial Legend To restore Valkyrie's relevance in current strategies, Holstead notes the team assessed each of her abilities and implemented some powerful changes. Her VTOL Jets have been upgraded, boosting her speed during flight, and this equipment now recharge much quicker, allowing the player to spend more time in the air. Now she won't take damage from her own Missile Swarm, which was enhanced to mark opponents who are hit from it. Her Skyward Dive skill — which launches her entire squad into the air for repositioning or escape — requires reduced delay to fire up. Additionally, she gains recently added perk choices that players can select to reduce fuel consumption, expand the spread of her rockets, or further speed up her ultimate takeoff time. "Her jet pack now delivers on the pilot experience," Holstead comments. Map Changes Even the game's only floating arena, this location, receives a mobility-focused facelift, with major changes that expands choke points and renders claiming the high ground more manageable. The developers says the game this update is all about providing gamers the resources they need to keep up with the competition. "Really, we were looking at the game's core identity as a fast-paced FPS," says lead Legend designer Josh Mohan. Apex Legends Season 27: Amped launches Nov. 4 at 10 a.m. PST/1 p.m. EST.