Ballistic Apex Legends: Best weapons, abilities & lore explained, how to play
Apex Legends Season 17 Arsenal introduced Ballistic, a brand-new offensive Legend to the roster. The Refined Gunslinger's deadly abilities are most effective when used aggressively and in the hands of a player who isn't afraid of taking a gunfight on their terms.
To master Ballistic in Apex Legends, it's key you're familiar with his abilities and equipped with the best tips & tricks to push his kit to the limit on the battlefield. Not only that but knowing the background lore of Ballistic is important if you're going to main the Refined Gunslinger in Apex Legends.
So, let's check out everything you need to know to master Ballistic in this ultimate guide for the Legend.
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Ballistic abilities in Apex Legends
Here are all of Ballistic's abilities that he has access to while taking on foes in the Outlands:
Passive: Sling
A sling where you can store a third weapon. Access via inventory. The sling weapon cannot take attachments.
Tactical: Whistler
Shoots a guided projectile that debuffs the enemy. Enemy guns will start to heat up as they shoot. Overheating will cause a reaction and deal damage. Holding the Tactical will allow it to lock on to a target.
Ultimate: Tempest
When activated, nearby teammates get a buff applied. It gives faster reload speed, armed move speed, and infinite ammo. Ballistic's sling weapon will be equipped and upgraded to Gold.
- Use the best Apex Legends weapons tier list to help decide what guns you want to use with Ballistic's Sling and Tempest abilities.
How to play Ballistic in Apex Legends: Tips & Tricks
Use weapon in Sling with hard-to-find attachments
Click to enlargeWhen activating Tempest, Ballistic adds gold attachments to whatever gun is being held in his Sling. As a result, a good strategy is to carry a gun in your Sling that requires a hop-up to be top-tier.
Options like the Havoc & Devotion for the Turbocharger are great, as well as the Wingman for the Skullpiercer, or the Mozambique for Hammerpoint Rounds.
This will ensure you have a massive advantage over your foes when your Ultimate is activated and alongside the faster reload times, you'll be a force in the Outlands.
Combine Ballistic with Revenant Ultimate
Click to enlargeIf you're looking for a deadly Ballistic combination, it may be worth pairing up with a Revenant in your matches. Activating Rev's Totem and Ballisitic's Tempest together will make short work of any opponents in your path thanks to the extra mobility and reload speed.
Not only that but even if they manage to take you down, you'll be able to respawn and rush back into the gunfight to cause even more chaos.
Hold your Tactical for aggressive enemy pushes
Click to enlargeWhile shooting Ballistic's Whilster every time it's off cooldown can be an effective strategy, it's often better to be patient with the ability.
Oftentimes, an enemy player will push you aggressively with an SMG, looking to rack up kills. Waiting for them to come blistering at you with their weapon is the perfect time to fire out the Whilster, as it punishes them for firing their weapon, dealing extra damage.
On top of this, as the Tactical locks onto foes, so there's no risk of you missing the ability.
Best weapons to use with Ballistic in Apex Legends
Click to enlargeWhile weapons choice in Apex Legends all comes down to preference, there are a select set of guns that work extremely well for Ballistic. As his Ultimate gives the Refined Gunslinger incredible mobility and reload speed, SMGs are always a solid choice as well as shotguns. However, the Wingman is another lethal pick if you're skilled enough to land your shots.
Check out the list of Ballisitic's best weapons below:
- Wingman
- R99
- CAR SMG
- EVA-8 Auto
- Nemesis
Here are all the best weapons to put in your Sling for maximum value from Tempest's gold attachments:
- Devotion
- Havoc
- Wingman
- Mozambique
- Rampage LMG (Instantly charges up)
Apex Legends Ballistic: Lore
Click to enlargeAt a glance, Ballistic shares a striking resemblance with Kuben Blisk, the founder of the Apex Games. Blisk is a primary antagonist in the Titanfall series and a key player in the lore of Apex Legends. Leaks surrounding Blisk entering the Apex Games have been circulating for some time now too.
However, despite speculation before his release, Ballistic is not Blisk and his full name is August Brinkman.
In his youth, Brinkman earned a reputation for being the youngest celebrity Thunderdome Games champion. Despite showing incredible skill with a weapon, Brinkman's selfish playstyle and poor attitude led to his career being cut short.
Decades after retiring, he noticed that his son was attempting to join the Apex Games. Brinkman agreed to return to the battlefield as Ballistic as long as the organisers stopped his son from joining the competition.
Now he's looking for redemption and while the Refined Gunslinger is in his later years, he shouldn't be underestimated under any circumstances.
When did Ballistic release in Apex Legends?
Ballistic joined the Apex Legends roster in the Season 17 "Arsenal" update on May 9, 2023.
So, that's everything you need to know about Ballistic in order to master the Refined Gunslinger in Apex Legends. Be sure to check out our Apex Legends homepage for more news and guides, or take a look at the best Apex Legends aim trainers to help you refine your aim.