Is Fuse Overpowered Or Underrated In The Current Apex Legends Meta?
Apex Legends Season 8: Mayhem had a bombastic opening with the newest legend, Fuse joining the fray. Upon the legend's arrival, many gamers were sceptical of his abilities and weren't sure if the legend has a prominent place in the meta. When he was initially released, many thought of him as an overpowered legend in the game, where he could zone out enemies and use his ultimate to deal a ton of damage, or block enemies in open spaces.
Walter 'Fuse' Fitzroy, the 54-year-old Bombastic Explosives Expert, has one of the most unique passives in the game, allowing the legend to carry more than one grenade in an inventory slot. Moreover, with his hand cannon, his throws are more accurate, go further, and faster than other legends in the game.
With Fuse, players can expect some guaranteed grenades are coming towards them; therefore, legends with high mobility like Wraith or Pathfinder could easily counter his aggressive playstyle. Moreover, his ultimate creates a huge ring of fire that could be utilised to separate the enemies from their team and isolate targets on the map. As time went on, players adapted to the legend's explosive play style and countered him by using various abilities.
Therefore, Fuse can feel a little underwhelming to many players in the game when not in the right hands, despite having consistent opportunities to shine in the game with ample counterplay to his explosive kit.
So, where does he stand in the current Apex Legends' Meta?
FUSE HAS A VERY LOW PLAY-RATE IN APEX LEGENDS
Click to enlargeAccording to Apex Stats Tracker, Fuse has an abysmally low play-rate in Apex Legends. His play-rate is 0.3%, which is terrible compared to other legends in the game. The developers might see this as a worrying issue, as when a new legend drops into the game, players rush to pick him out and test him through the matches. Fuse's unique skill-based kit might not interest everyone in the game, but the legend's fan base seems to be very small.
Moreover, many Season 8 tier lists of the legends in the game keep Fuse at a B-Tier or lower as there aren't many interested players in the legend. Utilising Fuse to his whole potential requires players to fully understand and make strategic opportunities for their teammates to take charge and secure the kills for the squad.
It might also be that players aren't experimenting much with the legend as he is new; therefore, his play-rate is dropping significantly in the matches.
FUSE IS A BALANCED LEGEND FAVOURING THE SKILLFUL PLAYERS
Click to enlargeFuse doesn't hold much of a prominent place in the current meta where other legends overpower him. He is useful in certain specific scenarios in the match. Rather, he becomes a liability to the team, especially in the end safe zones where players cannot use grenades to their advantage without hurting themselves in the process.
With Fuse having clear strength and weakness attached to his kit, he is a balanced legend who is supposed to serve one role - like Gibraltar. He is an average legend if the players don't utilise the perfect opportunities; however, skilful players could dominate the arena if they use his abilities correctly in the matches. As time moves forward, his stance in the meta shall improve, with players learning more ways to utilise his kit aggressively and defensively.
Many content creators are currently discouraging players from picking him in the ranked matches as his kit feels severely underwhelming to many. Moreover, ranked matches are not the place to experiment. Therefore, it is best if the players stick to their comfort picks and practice with Fuse in the normal games to understand his mechanics and then use him wisely if there is ever a need in the squad.
COULD FUSE USE SOME BUFFS TO HIS KIT?
Click to enlargeDefinitely! Fuse is in dire condition with his low play-rate and the community's disinterest in playing the legend. Many players have urged that Fuse doesn't even fit the overall storyline of the game. The developers should buff him in the upcoming patches to make it easier for players to adapt to his play style and make him a viable option.
However, his passive and ability are pretty stable and buffing them further might make him overpowered. Based on the players' complaints, his ultimate, The Motherlode, feels very underwhelming and trapping players isn't rewarding enough to the legend. The enemies can easily escape the circle of death without taking too much damage. The developers could look to buff the ultimate's initial damage numbers to make it less forgiving for the enemies to escape the circle immediately after casting it. The explosive legend should find its rightful place in the game's meta, given some slight buffs like these.
Stay tuned here @GGReconEsports for Apex Legends news, guides, features, and more.
Images via Respawn Entertainment