Best Jump Master Strategies and Techniques in Apex Legends
Apex Legends is a fiercely competitive game that demands strategic thinking, quick reflexes, and a solid understanding of the game mechanics. One of the most critical roles in the game is the Jump Master. The Jump Master is responsible for leading the team to the landing spot and setting the tone for the match. This article delves into the best Jump Master Strategies and techniques in Apex Legends, which can potentially lead you to victory.
Understanding the Role of the Jump Master
In contrast to popular belief, the role of Jump Master is not assigned by chance in Apex Legends. It's systematically given to the last person to actively select their character. This means if you were the first to choose but manually selected your character, while the second and third players allowed the game to auto-select for them, you'll be the Jump Master. The third player will always become the Jump Master if everyone allows the game to auto-select. In a nutshell, if you're the last to manually select your character regardless of your picking order, or if you're the third in line and everyone auto-selects, you'll be the Jump Master every single time!
Strategy 1: Selecting the Landing Spot
Choosing the landing spot is one of the main responsibilities of the Jump Master. Ideal landing spots are areas with high-tier loot and less crowd. Areas like The Pit, Swamp, and Airbase are usually rich in loot and less crowded.
Also, it is important to factor in the 'added bonuses' when deciding on your drop location. With IMC armories, Tridents, PvE nests, jump towers, survey beacons, replicators, and vaults, there are plenty of tantalizing options that can sway your choice. Always ensure that at least one of these additional benefits is within reach from my chosen drop point. After all, if any location is potentially suitable, why not opt for one that comes with extra advantages?
And now, with the new updates in Apex Legends, it's never been more straightforward when it comes to evading early-game confrontations. It ultimately comes down to whether you're willing to adopt a more strategic, patient approach. Many locations such as Fish Farms, Trials, Lava City, Dome, or Orbital Cannon often remain unoccupied - a fact that seems almost absurd given the vastness of the map. However, the landing spot should also be decided based on the flight path of the Dropship.
Strategy 2: Timing the Jump – The Optimal Distance
A common misconception among players, even those at high ranks such as Diamond, is to jump from the ship when they are more than 700m away from their desired point of interest (POI). This often results in reaching the landing spot slower than intended. The optimal distance for jumping from the ship is around 400-500m away from the POI. This technique requires the player to angle their jump directly toward the landing spot and nose dive at a speed of around 150mph, which is the fastest way to reach a POI. Remember, this strategy does not involve any waving up and down, nor any hovering, without locking your position; it is a straight dive towards the landing spot.
Strategy 3: Adjusting the Jump Technique for Farther Destinations
If the desired POI is significantly out of the flight path and never comes within 400m from the ship, the "wave drop" or "zig-zag drop" method is recommended. This is often referred to as "the wiggle." This technique involves diving straight down until you reach a certain speed, then leveling out to glide until your speed drops, and then diving again. This helps cover large distances quickly but is not the quickest way to reach a POI that is within 400-500m. It's crucial to understand that the Wiggle helps you go farther, not faster. If you're doing the Wiggle for a POI 400m away, you're actually slowing your descent and spending too much time in the air.
Strategy 4: Coordinating Looting Strategies
As part of the landing plan, it's crucial to ensure that all squad members can acquire weapons as quickly as possible. The ideal scenario is for each squad member to land and loot in different buildings. However, if you're the Jump Master, keep in mind that you cannot split off from your squad during the landing sequence. Therefore, it is advisable that squad members avoid landing or looting the same building as the Jump Master whenever possible.
In circumstances where you must land in the same building due to the presence of another team, remember that a well-equipped team stands a better chance of survival than an individual with multiple weapons. Resist the urge to grab every gun you see; it's essential to let your teammates get a weapon as well, even if it's a low-tier weapon like Mozambique. The distribution of firepower within the team can make the difference between an early elimination and securing a strong position in the game.
Strategy 5: Communicate Your Landing Spot
As a Jump Master, it's vital to communicate with your squad. If you're playing with random teammates, make sure to ping your landing spot to let them know where you're headed. This helps your teammates plan their own landings and prevents them from blindly following you to an unknown location.
Strategy 6: Relinquishing the Role
And the most important factor is if you're not confident about being the Jump Master or if you believe someone else has a better plan, you can always relinquish the role. It's better to have a confident Jump Master that leads the team well than to stick with the part and make poor decisions affecting your team's chance of winning.
Conclusion
Being a good Jump Master is about more than just selecting a landing spot. It's about understanding the map, the squad's strengths and weaknesses, the flight path of the Dropship, and the game's mechanics. With the strategies and techniques listed in this article, you'll be well on your way to mastering this essential role and potentially leading your team to victory in Apex Legends.