Apex Legends Season 13: Saviors changes to Fortified and headshots, explained

Newcastle got nerfed before even releasing.
Apex Legends headshot fortified changes season 13
Image via Respawn Entertainment

In Season 13: Saviors, Apex Legends is shaking up its combat meta in the usual way: by hitting the game’s roster of Legends and weapons with a pile of balance tweaks that will most likely be reverted in future seasons. Interestingly, a number of those changes impact specifically headshots. Clicking heads will feel different in Season 13, as Fortified Legends and a number of armor pieces and weapons become more or less effective. Below are all the changes to Fortified and headshots in Apex Legends Season 13: Saviors.

Recommended Videos

For starters, the Fortified passive no longer applies to headshot damage. Fortified is a 15% damage resistance shared by the bulkier Legends (currently, only Gibraltar, Newcastle, and Caustic) to make up for how much easier it is to land shots on them compared to tiny characters like Valkyrie. This damage reduction now only applies to body and limb shots, as well as to splash damage from throwables. It still applies to the ring’s damage, as well, so it’s not completely without its benefits.

In Season 13: Saviors, Apex Legends players will also see changes to how headshot damage is calculated with certain guns, and against certain helmets.

  • Blue helmet headshot damage reduction is increased from 40% to 50%.
  • Purple helmet headshot damage reduction is increased from 50% to 65%.
  • Kraber headshot multiplier is reduced from x3.0 to x2.0. This should barely make a difference, as the Kraber’s monstrous per-shot damage is already enough to kill all Legends with a single headshot. We expect collateral kills to be less common, but that’s not really relevant.
  • LMG weapons’ headshot damage multiplier is reduced from x1.75 to x1.5, and the maximum headshot range is reduced from 64 meters to 57. Curiously, this change does not apply to the Rampage LMG.

What does all this mean? For most players, nothing. Gibraltar and Caustic mains will notice a difference in the early game but should feel just fine after they upgrade their armor. Those who like to use LMGs may notice a very slight dip in effectiveness, but LMGs get most of their damage through sustained fire rather than precision, so the difference will be almost imperceptible.

Note that the information outlined above only covers the changes to headshot damage. For the bigger picture, check out our breakdown of all Apex Legends Season 13: Saviors changes and updates.


Gamepur is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article Apex Legends: The Best Settings for Massive FPS Boost on Low-End PCs | Fix Stuttering and Lag
Apex Legends in Season 6
Read Article How to Fix “Game Version Does Not Match Host” Error in Apex Legends
game version does not match host error apex legends featured image
Read Article Apex Legends & Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Event Release Date, Materia, Cosmetics & More
apex legends and final fantasy 7 rebirth event guide featured image
Read Article Fans Gush Over the Apex Legends & Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Event
fans loving buster sword apex legends final fantasy 7 rebirth event
Read Article Apex Legends Official Cookbook Review – Daring Recipes for Gamers
The Apex Legends Official Cookbook Review Cover
Related Content
Read Article Apex Legends: The Best Settings for Massive FPS Boost on Low-End PCs | Fix Stuttering and Lag
Apex Legends in Season 6
Read Article How to Fix “Game Version Does Not Match Host” Error in Apex Legends
game version does not match host error apex legends featured image
Read Article Apex Legends & Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Event Release Date, Materia, Cosmetics & More
apex legends and final fantasy 7 rebirth event guide featured image
Read Article Fans Gush Over the Apex Legends & Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth Event
fans loving buster sword apex legends final fantasy 7 rebirth event
Read Article Apex Legends Official Cookbook Review – Daring Recipes for Gamers
The Apex Legends Official Cookbook Review Cover
Author
Asen Aleksandrov
Freelance writer, narrative designer in training, full-time Wendy's shill. Send questions/rants to [email protected]