new castle, the newest saga coming to Apex Legends with the release of the new season, finally detailed their abilities in a new trailer ahead of the official launch. A highly defensive legend with a strong supporting role in the squad, Newcastle was able to jump up and save his teammates like any other character in the game.
We’ve listed his full kit below, so you can get an early look at how Newcastle works ahead of the May 10 update, along with some other interesting things we learned about the character during last week’s EA press conference.
Newcastle Capability Analysis
Passive – Retrieve the injured
Newcastle is able to use his own portable shield to protect allies during the revival. This costs the same cost as his own knockdown shields, so if you have Newcastle hanging out nearby, you can increase the value of these defensive items throughout the game.
Additionally, Newcastle is able to pull allies as he revives them, allowing for tactical repositioning even on rough terrain.
Tactical – Mobile Shield
Newcastle’s tactical ability is a throwable energy shield that can be repositioned on command in response to enemy movements, making it a highly flexible defensive option no matter the situation. But you have to be careful because this shield is split into two parts – top and bottom – both of which can be destroyed. This means that you will have to look at your head or legs based on the parts taken out by other teams.
Ultimate – Castle Wall
Newcastle’s ultimate is an astronomical defensive option, allowing him to span great distances and deploy a massive fortress around him and his allies. Enemies trapped in the area near Newcastle’s landing site will be knocked back, and attempting to pass through it will deal damage and slow movement.
This ability can be used alone, but targeting a teammate before using it will greatly increase the distance and height Newcastle can jump before deploying the fort. So it’s a great tool to help grab and save a caught mate.
Newcastle origin
According to character designer Devan McGuire, based on an old character concept called Axiom, the initial thought process was to create a character that could attack with a shield charge. While cool, it clearly feels “selfish” and doesn’t really make sense in the context of Apex. However, once the plans to add Jackson to the game were locked in, the idea of a defensive Cavaliers fused with Axiom’s kit formed the protective backing we see at Newcastle today.
As for why the team would now want to make a defensive support hybrid, Devin detailed that the team is currently looking to fill a role that doesn’t currently have a legend. With no real option for players who want to defend and support their team, Newcastle are a great opportunity to offer that option and mix game and meta.
For more on Apex Legends: Saviours, check out our coverage of new map changes to Storm Point for the new season, as well as a recent trailer that digs into Newcastle’s backstory.
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