With King's Canyon back permanently in Apex Legends thanks to the new map rotation system, players are trying to figure out which characters perform better on the classic map compared to World's Edge. The layout and playstyle for King's Canyon is quite different compared to the newer World's Edge, and thus the meta has shifted a bit when it comes to who is dropping into King's Canyon.
In this tier list, there will be a break down for where every character in Apex Legends stands in the current King's Canyon meta, and why they have shifted compared to their World's Edge ranking.
S-Tier
Gibraltar - What needs to be said about Gibraltar, the Apex Legends prodigal son? Gibraltar has it all: phenomenal defensive abilities in the form of his Arm Shield and Dome Shield, as well as a powerful, area-lockdown ultimate ability. It's no wonder he sits at the top of the Apex Legends tier lists even on World's Edge. Thanks to his Fortified passive in tandem with his Arm Shield, Gibraltar can take quite a lot of damage before being knocked. Overall, Gibraltar has seen quite a lot of action since his buff (with even the recent nerf not taking much off the edge), but it may only be a matter of time before Respawn knocks him down a peg or two.
A-Tier
Revenant - In a wild turn of events, Revenant has skyrocketed up the tier list, previously ranking in at C-tier at the start of Season 4. However, this is not due to the map rotation but instead a powerful buff Revenant received recently. Revenant now has two charges of Silence, which also lasts longer and has a more substantial area. Revenant's Death Totem also got a buff, and now players return to the Totem with at least 50 HP which can give them a fighting chance if rushed by the other team. Overall, it's a powerful buff that Revenant really needed to be viable.
Bloodhound - Bloodhound recently got a surge of people playing as them thanks to the Old Ways event and its accompanying skins and short. However, Bloodhound also has seen a rise in popularity thanks to a couple buffs that have turned the one-lackluster tracker into something to be feared. Bloodhound's tactical scan now covers a much more significant area, allowing them to better plan an attack. In addition to this, their Beast of the Hunt ultimate now extends its duration every time Bloodhound knocks an enemy while it is active. Overall Bloodhound is in a solid spot, and outside of some minor buffs to audio to help them be slightly more stealthy, they are pretty good where they're at.
B-Tier
Lifeline - In terms of Support characters, there is no better one than Lifeline, but unfortunately Lifeline got hit with a bit of a nerf recently that made her a bit more difficult to use. In a recent update, Respawn modified how "Low Profile" character worked. Previously, Low Profile legends took more damage. That is still the case, but now the damage is consistent whether it is a body shot or a leg shot (with legs shots previously doing less damage). While Wraith and Pathfinder notice this a little bit less due to their mobility/escape skills, Lifeline has no such ability. She'll likely struggle a bit more in the new Battle Armor event when there are only limited shields available. However, her on-demand health and care packages still make her a solid pick for a team.
Caustic - Caustic is Apex Legends' second Fortified character, but unlike Gibraltar, Caustic has no extra shields to hide behind. However, in place of shields, Caustic relies on his traps to lock down and secure areas for his team. While Caustic struggled on World's Edge due to the large amount of open-area engagements, King's Canyon has several more enclosed areas making it ideal for Caustic and his traps, but since King's Canyon is available for less time due to a recent change in the map rotation system, players may want to give him a spin in Ranked. While it's still frustrating that Caustic's smoke slows his teammates, he is still a great choice on King's Canyton for his area denial - after all, there's few things scarier than being trapped in Bunker with a Caustic.
Wattson - Wattson has found a surprising spot in the current meta, mostly thanks to her ultimate ability. However, recently with the reduction in grenade stacks, players are carrying less ordinance so her ability is slightly less useful. Much like Caustic, Wattson really thrives on World's Edge due to the aforementioned enclosed areas. Put a Caustic and a Wattson on a team together and there is slim chance that anyone is getting past those two. Working together, those two can turn Bunker into an absolute hell hole that is impassible by pretty much anyone. Wattson still thrives in the endgame especially if the final circle has a building she can lock down with her fences. The only downside is that she (undeservingly) has the Low Profile passive, which one can hope will be changed in the coming season.
Wraith - Wraith is unquestionably the most-picked character for many popular "TTV" players, even after her recent nerf in the form of the Low Profile changes. Her ability to escape fights is unmatched, and when Wraiths actually play with their team instead of hot-dropping Skull Town, her portal can be really helpful as well.
Pathfinder - The other character caught up in the wild Low Profile nerf is Pathfinder. This friendly robot is one of the most-played Legends right now due to his amazing mobility. Those who can master Pathfinder's grapple can move faster than anyone else in the game, and navigate around (or through) fights with ease. As stated, the Low Profile debuff really hits Pathfinder hard, but his mobility makes it a little bit harder for enemies to shoot him. It's no wonder Pathfinder is one of Apex Legends' most played characters.
C-Tier
Bangalore - Bangalore has always been a middle-of-the-pack Legend, and that's part of her design it seems. She is Apex's "soldier class" meant to be easy-to-learn for new players. Her smokes provide good cover to either engage or disengage from a fight (and can be deadly if she or her team has Digital Threat sights). Double Time helps Bangalore navigate the battlefield a bit quicker, which is always handy. Her ultimate, Creeping Barrage, does decent damage and covers a wide area, though with King's Canyon having more interior fighting areas it's a bit less useful. Overall she's a solid pick, but not anything remarkable that can really shape the game.
Crypto - Crypto has almost always been seen as one of Apex Legends' weakest characters, but in a surprising turn of events he has found a weird spot in the meta. With the rise in trap users (Caustic, Wattson), it helps to have Crypto's drone to scout out the dangerous areas, proving to be invaluable when it comes to initiating a fight in final rings. His EMP does great shield damage, but more importantly it also can destroy traps and fences, essentially negating any advantage Wattson and Caustic had. While it's a very niche use, Crypto is definitely seeing more use these days.
D-Tier
Mirage - Outside of some highly demanded quality of life features, the Apex community has been particularly vocal about wanting a Mirage buff. While Mirage's abilities are fun and can be really satisfying to use right, he's just not fantastic when it comes to combat encounters. Most Legends have at least one ability that can be used mid-fight to help turn the tides, but outside of Mirage's ultimate ability turning him invisible (which can still be tracked by the keen eye), Mirage is relatively useless in a fight. One big Mirage buff could be an ability that was tested during the DUMMIES Big Day event, where the DUMMIE would spawn several decoys that mirrored the main decoy's movement. It was a wild ability and great for escaping a bad situation. It would also be great if Mirage's decoys could use ziplines and climb walls as well, to add to the confusion.
Octane - Poor Octane rounds out the bottom of the tier list. Unfortunately Octane brings little to the current meta - even his gimmick of going fast is outclassed by Pathfinder and his Grappling Hook (and Pathfinder doesn't damage himself). His Jump Pad is handy in certain situations, especially since it has a short recharge time, but it just isn't quite helpful enough to put him in line with other legends. Perhaps if theybuffed his speed boost or added the ability to sprint and shoot while Stimmed up then perhaps he could see some more use in the meta.
Apex Legends' Season 5 is rapidly approaching, despite the recent delay. Players only have two more weeks to secure their Season 4 rewards and Ranked placement, so picking the best characters for the job should be a key factor. While most characters currently have some form of spot in the meta, there are the unfortunate few that fall to the wayside. Hopefully when Loba finally makes an appearance in Apex Legends she will be properly balanced to fit right in with the rest of the gang.
Apex Legends is available now for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.