Apex Legends Ranked Mode: Unravelling Season 16

Apex Legends, developed by Respawn Entertainment, has taken the battle royale world by storm since its inception in 2019. With a growing roster of Legends and a dedicated fan base, the game has managed to secure its position among the best battle royale games of its generation. This article will dive deep into understanding Apex Legends' Ranked Mode, its intricacies, adjustments in Season 16, and how to rise through the ranks. So with that out of the way, let's just get into it.

The Foundation of Apex Legends Ranked Mode

Apex Legends RP: The Currency of Progress

In Apex Legends, RP works as a reward system for players' performance in ranked matches. The rules of gaining RP underwent an overhaul in Season 13, and Season 14 offered slight adjustments. Currently, players can earn 125 RP for securing first place and 25 RP for each kill or assist they secure in-game. However, the amount of RP earned per kill/assist depends on the rank tier of the eliminated player.

The amount of RP you earn also depends on your placement, with a bonus score being added to each kill or assist you earn. Placing worse than the bottom half of the lobby constitutes a loss, and you will lose RP if you place low or don't have many kills.

Getting to Know the Apex Legends Ranks

The ranking tiers in Apex Legends, the heart of Ranked Mode, consist of seven distinct levels. These levels start at Bronze, leading up to the much coveted Apex Predator. Season 13 brought about the Rookie rank, a welcoming platform for new players to familiarize themselves with the game's intensity. Here's a snapshot of the ranks and their corresponding Ranking Points (RP):

• Bronze: 1000 RP
• Silver: 3000 RP
• Gold: 5400 RP
• Platinum: 8200 RP
• Diamond: 11,400 RP
• Master: 15,000 RP
• Apex Predator: Top 750 players

The Cost of Excellence: RP Costs in Ranked Mode

Like investing in a stock market, there's an entry fee to participate in the Ranked Mode in Apex Legends. This RP cost varies depending on your current ranking tier. As mentioned before, Apex Legends has seven ranking tiers, ranging from Bronze to Apex Predator. The ranks and their RP costs by division are as follows:

• Bronze matches: Division 4 (20 RP), Division 3 (23 RP), Division 2 (26 RP), Division 1 (29 RP)
• Silver matches: Division 4 (32 RP), Division 3 (35 RP), Division 2 (38 RP), Division 1 (41 RP)
• Gold matches: Division 4 (44 RP), Division 3 (47 RP), Division 2 (50 RP), Division 1 (53 RP)
• Platinum matches: Division 4 (56 RP), Division 3 (59 RP), Division 2 (62 RP), Division 1 (65 RP)
• Diamond matches: Division 4 (68 RP), Division 3 (71 RP), Division 2 (74 RP), Division 1 (77 RP)
• Master matches: All Divisions (82 RP)

As mentioned before, it's worth noting that new players are placed in the Rookie rank, which gives them a chance to get familiar with the Ranked Modes before they are placed in their proper brackets. New players don't have to pay any RP cost to play in the Rookie Rank initially, as their first Ranked Mode game is free. After that, they get placed in the Bronze Division 4 and cannot be relegated to the Rookie Rank.

Also, Master Rank matches require an increased entry cost of +5 RP for every 1,000 RP above the rank's threshold, which is limited to 175 RP.

Adapting to the Changes in Season 16

The Map Rotation and Ranked Splits

Each Ranked Season in Apex Legends is divided into two splits. In Season 16, the first split, which ran from February 14 to April 4, was played on three different maps (World's Edge, Storm Point, Broken Moon), and the second split started on April 4. At the start of each new season and the second split, players' ranks are reset, but in the Apex Legends Season 16 Split 2, your rank will only be reset by 1 rank (four divisions) rather than 1.5 (or six divisions) as it was previously. 

Also, in Season 16, Apex Legends introduced a significant change - the map rotates every 24 hours.

Maps for Season 16 include Broken Moon, Storm Point, and Olympus. The inclusion of the latter, Olympus, came as a surprise, but it certainly added a new layer of excitement.

The Apex Predator Rank: Harder to Attain, Easier to Lose

The Master rank was introduced as a buffer between Diamond and Apex Predator to make the top rank more challenging. Now, only the top 750 players on each platform (PC, Console) can carry the Apex Predator title. Moreover, players now have three games' worth of demotion protection in every tier before they risk demotion. The penalty for dropping below the RP threshold is 50% of the lower division, making it a tough challenge to maintain the Apex Predator status.

Loss Forgiveness: A Safety Net in Ranked Mode

Loss forgiveness in Apex Legends functions as a safety net, negating any RP losses under certain conditions. This typically applies if you encounter an unexpected quit, if you're left teammate-less at the start of the drop sequences, or if your match-made teammates abandon the game. However, Respawn has put a cap on the number of times loss forgiveness can be applied for unexpected quits. Players only get three used forgiveness abandons in a series, so make sure to reconnect to matches if possible. Once the limit of the three used forgiveness abandons is reached, any subsequent unexpected departures from a match that appear to be intentional will be penalized as an abandon. (Penalization for abandonment includes a loss of RP gains, an RP penalty, a temporary matchmaking penalty, etc.)

Joining Friends in Apex Legends Ranked Mode

To combat boosting, Respawn has restricted certain tiers from playing with each other. In the current season, players who are ranked Platinum and above can only party up with friends who are one tier different from them. And does not apply on Bronze, Silver, and Gold Ranks. There is no way to get around this restriction.

Ranked Rewards in Apex Legends

At the end of each ranked season, players are rewarded based on the highest rank they achieved. These rewards can include dive trails, charms, badges, and more. Which the players can then use to show off their skills and hard work by proudly displaying their ranked rewards for all to see.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Apex Legends' ranked mode is a great way for players to challenge themselves and show off their skills. With seven ranking tiers, a new ranking system, and a loss forgiveness system, players can strive to reach the top rank of Apex Predator. So what are you waiting for? Grab your favorite legend now, and get ready to climb the ranks in Apex Legends.