Apex Legends Season 30 Marked — Full Patch Note Breakdown, Bloodhound Rework, Loot Overhaul, and Ranked Changes
Apex Legends Season 30: Marked is the most structurally significant update the game has seen in years. It doesn't just rebalance a handful of legends — it rewrites how loot works, rebuilds World's Edge from the ground up, removes energy ammo entirely, and stretches Ranked Ladders out to five days. This Apex Legends Patch Note overview breaks down everything that matters: Bloodhound's complete rework, the Loba and Rampart buffs, the Valkyrie and Axle nerfs, the new Corrupted Attachments, the reworked energy weapon ammo economy, and exactly how all of it reshapes Ranked play.
Update, October 2026: This breakdown covers the 4 August launch patch, and three updates have followed. The 25 August hotfix nerfed Axle again (Nitro Gate launch speed 750 to 700, Kickstart health 200 to 150, base ultimate cooldown 90s to 120s, stun 1.5s to 0.25s), removed the turn slow from Seer's tactical and adjusted Bloodhound's scan snapshots. Split 2 began on 15 September with World's Edge, Olympus and Broken Moon in rotation, buffs for Catalyst, Conduit and Fuse, and six more ranked ladders from 22 September to 1 November. The 1 October update nerfed Axle a third time: Drift and Nitro Gate lateral control cut by 50% and 25%, Nitro Gate push speed 700 to 650, Kickstart knock-up 700 to 650, drone chase time 10s to 8s, and no aim assist while under Nitro Gate. Season 30 ends on 3 November, the same day the Blood Pact Halloween event closes. For the legends that fit each Split 2 map, see the best Legends for each ranked map, and for where every legend stands now, the Split 2 tier list.
Below, each change is broken down with the numbers from Respawn's official Marked patch notes, followed by what it means for ranked. If you want help with the climb itself, the Apex rank boost and Pro Play pages explain how those services work, and the full range is on the Apex Legends store page.
Jump to:
Apex Legends Season 30 Marked — Key Takeaways
- Bloodhound gets a full rework: a brand-new ultimate, Allfather's Cloak, plus a smarter passive and a faster full-body scan on their tactical.
- Loba and Rampart get meaningful buffs aimed at making both legends more consistent in real fights, not just niche picks.
- Valkyrie and Axle get tuned down after both sat near the top of the pick-rate charts for multiple seasons.
- The entire loot economy has been rebuilt. High-tier loot spawn rates are down across every map, Gold Bins and Mythic Bins are gone, and Arsenals no longer light up the map at the start of a match.
- Corrupted Attachments are a brand-new attachment rarity — five new items that trade a big buff for a real downside, one per weapon.
- Energy ammo has been removed from the floor entirely. Energy weapons now run on a regenerating stockpile instead of lootable ammo boxes.
- Weapon tuning hits close-range SMGs hard: the Alternator, RE-45, and R-99 all take damage and magazine reductions, while the 30-30 Repeater becomes a genuine Care Package threat.
- World's Edge has been substantially reworked, with Sorting Factory and Construction Stacks returning and multiple POIs rebuilt for better rotations.
- Ranked Ladders now run for five days instead of the previous shorter cycle, giving players more time to climb each ladder.
- Map rotation: World's Edge, Storm Point and E-District in Split 1. Split 2 (from September 15) switched to World's Edge, Olympus and Broken Moon.
Want to climb faster in Apex Legends Season 30?
Start here: BoostingXP Apex Legends services. Whether you want a structured rank boost, a Predator push or Pro Play sessions to sharpen your decision-making, each service is run by experienced high-level players with clear communication throughout.
Bloodhound's Rework — Allfather's Cloak and a Smarter Kit
The single biggest legend story in this Apex Legends Patch Note is Bloodhound. Despite kit changes in earlier seasons, Bloodhound remained one of the least-picked legends at middle-to-high skill tiers, and Respawn used Season 30 to give them a genuine identity shift — from a legend who scans and hopes their team capitalizes, to a legend who can lead the push themselves.
Passive changes
- Bloodhound now sees a red trail near fresh enemy clues, guiding them directly toward recent enemy activity.
- Many clue types have been trimmed to reduce visual clutter — only traversal clues and eliminations remain.
- Trails and clues now hide once their owner dies, aside from the Player Killed clue.
- White ravens now fly up to 400m (previously 190m baseline, 380m with the old Raven's Flight upgrade), and can be activated remotely just by looking at them.
Tactical changes
- The tactical now performs a full 3-second full-body scan (previously a 2-second full-body scan followed by 2 seconds of diamond scan).
- After the full-body scan, four "snapshot" scans fire off with 1.5 seconds between each.
- If a scan hits a white raven and at least one enemy, the cooldown no longer partially refunds — though a raven hit with no enemies still refunds in full.
New Ultimate: Allfather's Cloak
Bloodhound's old ultimate is gone entirely. In its place is Allfather's Cloak, a deployable device that creates a cloaking zone. Anyone who enters it becomes cloaked, gains a 20% movement speed boost, and gets threat vision while the effect lasts.
- The cloaking area itself lasts 8 seconds.
- Once a player leaves the zone, the cloak persists for 12 more seconds.
- Cloak breaks on taking damage, firing a weapon, or using most abilities — but Bloodhound's own abilities can be used without breaking it.
New upgrades reinforce this identity shift. At level 2, Hidden Sight refreshes Bloodhound's tactical on ultimate use and hides the tactical's visual effect from enemies while cloaked, and Bird's Eye sends white ravens splitting toward the two nearest enemy squads. At level 3, True Predator means shooting only interrupts the cloak instead of breaking it outright.
The practical upshot: Bloodhound can now set up ambushes, escape bad third-party situations, or lead an aggressive push while staying genuinely hard to see. It's the kind of tool set that plays well with fast-paced squads looking to control engagements rather than just react to them.
For where Bloodhound and the rest of the cast now rank, see our Season 30 tier list.
Loba, Rampart, Valkyrie, Axle, and Seer — What Else Changed
Bloodhound isn't the only legend touched in Marked. Respawn used this patch to nudge several legends toward a healthier pick-rate spread — buffing two support-leaning picks and reining in two legends that had dominated recent metas.
| Legend | Direction | What changed |
|---|---|---|
| Loba | Buffed | Tactical equip time cut to 0.4s (from 0.6s), projectile range up roughly 15% with ~30% faster travel time, and ultimate cooldown reduced to 120s (from 150s). |
| Rampart | Buffed | Amped Cover health increased at lower Evo levels, wall deployment sped up by 0.5s, and Sheila's base move speed while firing or spinning jumps from 70 to 104. |
| Valkyrie | Nerfed | Tactical base damage cut from 25 to 15 per missile, missile attack angles adjusted so they can no longer dive straight down over cover, and ultimate height reduced by 15%. |
| Axle | Nerfed | Max slide boost time on the tactical cut from 5 seconds to 3, and the ultimate now damages and stuns Axle herself, not just enemies. |
| Seer | Adjusted | Turn slow from the tactical reduced further, continuing a multi-patch effort to dial back Seer's oppressive tactical spam. |
What this means for your legend pool
- Loba becomes a more attractive pick for squads that value fast loot access and quicker ultimate cycling — especially with the loot overhaul below making good gear harder to find.
- Rampart is easier to justify outside of pure "turtle" comps now that Sheila can actually keep pace in a moving fight.
- Valkyrie remains a strong rotational tool, but her tactical is no longer a free 25-damage poke machine, and her ultimate is easier to punish mid-flight.
- Axle still offers strong team mobility, but the self-damage on her ultimate and shorter slide window mean she rewards more deliberate use.
For abilities, upgrades and fight patterns in detail, read our guide on how to play Axle in Season 30.
The Loot Overhaul — Why Good Gear Is Harder to Find in Season 30
This is arguably the most impactful systemic change in Marked, even though it doesn't touch a single legend or weapon directly. Respawn has reworked how loot spawns and scales across every map, aiming to slow down "loot inflation" and make finding a Purple attachment feel meaningful again instead of routine.
- Purple attachment spawn rates are down across the board, though overall attachment quantity stays roughly the same.
- Arsenals are now time-locked and activate at the same time as EVO Harvesters, so they no longer create hot-drop chaos the instant a match starts.
- Mythic Bins and Gold Bins have been removed from Bin Reset entirely, and Bin Reset no longer upgrades loot to a higher tier.
- Gold Tiered Loot has been stripped from the game almost entirely — Gold Attachments, Gold Weapons from the loot pool, and Gold Backpacks are all gone (aside from the 4-10x Digital Sniper Threat Sight).
- Hot-Zone has been removed from the game completely.
- Loot Rollers and Loot Ticks spawn fewer attachments, and Rollers can no longer produce Gold loot.
- MRVN spawns are cut roughly in half (12 instead of 24), and each MRVN is now single-use.
- Wildlife drops (Prowlers and Spiders) no longer drop attachments — only healing and ammo.
In practical terms, this means the early-game loot chase is slower and more deliberate. You can no longer count on a guaranteed Gold weapon drop or a quick Hot-Zone rush to gear up in the first two minutes. Landing decisions, rotation timing, and how efficiently your squad loots now matter more than they have in several seasons — which is exactly the kind of gap where a coordinated, high-level Pro Play session with an experienced booster can help you see the game the way top-ranked players approach it.
Corrupted Attachments — A Brand-New High-Tier Rarity
To offset the slower loot economy, Season 30 introduces an entirely new attachment rarity: Corrupted Attachments. Each one comes with a genuine power spike and a real downside, and only one can be equipped on a weapon at a time — forcing a real tactical choice rather than a pure upgrade.
- Overflowing Magazine: pushes magazine size beyond Purple, but slows reload speed.
- Headseeker Barrel: increases headshot damage and keeps Purple-level recoil control, but reduces hipfire accuracy.
- Tactical Laser: improves reload speed and hipfire accuracy, but reduces ADS recoil control.
- Agile Standard Stock: removes the weapon's move-speed penalty entirely and boosts ADS move speed, but shrinks magazine size.
- Rapid Sniper Stock: increases rate of fire, but reduces magazine size.
Corrupted Attachments show up in the core loot pool at a low spawn chance, in Round 2 and 3 Care Packages, and in high-tier loot locations like the World's Edge Vaults and the Icarus Ship Bridge on Olympus. Finding one is now the moment that actually reshapes your loadout for the rest of the match — which raises the stakes of every fight over a Vault or a late-round Care Package.
Energy Ammo Rework — No More Ammo Boxes for Energy Weapons
Energy weapons get a systems-level rework this season. Energy ammo boxes have been removed from the game entirely. Instead, every energy weapon now carries its own regenerating stockpile, similar to how Bocek or Care Package weapons have always worked.
- Havoc, Nemesis, Devotion: 3 magazines worth of stockpile.
- L-STAR: 4 magazines worth of stockpile.
- RE-45, Volt, Triple Take: 2 magazines worth of stockpile.
- Energy weapons regenerate a full magazine's worth of ammo over 18 seconds, and regeneration pauses while shooting or reloading.
- A new HUD element shows remaining stockpile as a percentage (with an option to switch to a raw bullet count).
The design intent is straightforward: energy weapons should hit hard in short, sharp fights but start to run dry in longer, sustained engagements. That makes them excellent "opening" weapons for an aggressive push, but riskier as your only option in a drawn-out third-party fight — something to plan around if you're building a loadout around the Devotion or the Nemesis this split.
Weapon Balance Changes — Close-Range SMGs Get Reined In
Outside of the energy ammo overhaul, Respawn also made direct damage and magazine adjustments to several guns that had been over-performing at close range, while pushing two weapons — the 30-30 Repeater and the Hemlok — in different directions.
| Weapon | Change | Ranked impact |
|---|---|---|
| Alternator SMG | Damage down to 18 (was 19), Double Tap down to 14, magazine sizes reduced across all tiers | Requires more precision to secure a knock; less forgiving as a spray-and-pray close-range option. |
| RE-45 | Damage down to 16 (was 17), Purple magazine reduced from 27 to 24 | Pulls back one of the strongest close-range pistols after it dominated the previous split. |
| R-99 | Damage down to 12 (was 13) | Still a fast-firing SMG staple, but no longer the free close-range answer it was. |
| Hemlok Breach AR | Damage down to 21 (was 22), Breach Charge cooldown up to 30s (was 25s), reduced damage to Hardlight and structures | Stays viable as a mid-range rifle but loses some of its ability to counter Legend utility on cooldown. |
| G7 Scout | Moved to floor loot, Double Tap removed, sniper optics disabled, damage down to 33 (was 37), magazine sizes reduced | Becomes an early-game marksman option rather than a Care Package-tier threat. |
| 30-30 Repeater | Now a Care Package weapon, damage up to 51 (was 43), faster ADS charge, new Shattercaps Hop-Up (7-pellet hipfire blast) | Becomes a genuine Care Package pick that rewards accurate charged shots and close-range hipfire pressure alike. |
Simple weapon meta summary (what to run)
- For close-range fights: the Alternator, RE-45, and R-99 are still usable, but they no longer forgive sloppy aim the way they did last split — treat them as precision tools again.
- For mid-range beams: the Hemlok remains solid but leans more on its base damage than its Breach Charge utility now.
- For Care Package fights: the reworked 30-30 Repeater is worth grabbing over some rotational Care Package options thanks to Shattercaps.
- For sustained fights: lean on hitscan/projectile weapons with lootable ammo over energy weapons, since energy stockpiles run dry in long engagements.
World's Edge Rework — Sorting Factory and Construction Stacks Return
World's Edge gets a substantial rework in Season 30, driven largely by community requests and tied narratively to Bloodhound's new story arc. Respawn's stated goal was reducing the power gap between POIs while bringing back fan-favorite locations.
- Sorting Factory returns with a new central train-tunnel connection, updated platforms, and additional zipline access from the southwest near Tree Settlement.
- Tree Settlement replaces The Tree, and War Camp replaces Survey Camp.
- Monument/Fragment has the Stacks/Construction building at Fragment West restored to spread out fights.
- Landslide has been merged with the former Big Maude area to make it a more viable landing spot.
- East Village gets extra rock and tree cover, softer terrain around the Dam, and new ziplines to access the Dam from East Village.
- Countdown's underground vault now offers improved loot quality — a meaningful pull given the reduced loot economy above.
For the first week of the season, map rotations were adjusted to spotlight the new World's Edge before settling into the standard rotation listed below.
Season 30 Map Rotation: Split 1 and Split 2
With the reworked World's Edge back in steady rotation alongside Storm Point and E-District, this split leans on three maps that each demand a different skill set — fast, punishable rotations on World's Edge; disciplined macro play and third-party timing on Storm Point; and tight, controlled brawls in the interiors of E-District.
That was the Split 1 rotation. Since Split 2 started on September 15, both pubs and ranked rotate through World's Edge, Olympus and Broken Moon, with Storm Point and E-District out of the pool for now. The World's Edge tips below still apply.
Pubs & Ranked Rotation
Split 1: World's Edge • Storm Point • E-District. Split 2 (from September 15): World's Edge • Olympus • Broken Moon.
Rotation tips by map (fast, ranked-friendly)
- World's Edge: land with a loot plan in mind — with Gold loot and Hot-Zone gone, there's no shortcut to a fast kit, so prioritize consistent POIs like Sorting Factory or Fragment over hero drops.
- Storm Point: play for safe third parties and disciplined rotations. The slower loot economy means fights start later and squads that overextend early pay for it.
- E-District: expect close, controlled brawls in interiors — the Alternator, RE-45, and R-99 nerfs matter most here, so bring backup options rather than relying on one close-range gun.
Split 2's Olympus rotation is also where the Apex Legends VS Street Fighter 6 event takes place, through its Wildcard mode.
Ranked Ladder Update — Five-Day Ladders Instead of a Shorter Cycle
Each Ranked Ladder lasts five days. Split 1 ran five ladders between August 11 and September 13, and Split 2 schedules six more between September 22 and November 1, 2026.
| Ladder | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Ranked Ladder 1 | 8/11/2026 | 8/16/2026 |
| Ranked Ladder 2 | 8/18/2026 | 8/23/2026 |
| Ranked Ladder 3 | 8/25/2026 | 8/30/2026 |
| Ranked Ladder 4 | 9/1/2026 | 9/6/2026 |
| Ranked Ladder 5 | 9/8/2026 | 9/13/2026 |
| Split 2, Ladder 1 | 9/22/2026 | 9/27/2026 |
| Split 2, Ladder 2 | 9/29/2026 | 10/4/2026 |
| Split 2, Ladder 3 | 10/6/2026 | 10/11/2026 |
| Split 2, Ladder 4 | 10/13/2026 | 10/18/2026 |
| Split 2, Ladder 5 | 10/20/2026 | 10/25/2026 |
| Split 2, Ladder 6 | 10/27/2026 | 11/1/2026 |
Longer ladder windows reward players who can grind consistent sessions rather than one marathon push. If your schedule doesn't allow for that kind of consistency, this is exactly the gap a structured Apex Legends Rank Boost is built to close — steady division-by-division progress inside each ladder window without you having to log every session yourself.
How Marked Changes Ranked (What You Should Do Differently)
The simplest way to summarize Ranked in Apex Legends Season 30 is this: information and patience matter more than raw aggression. With Gold loot gone, Hot-Zone removed, and Arsenals delayed until EVO Harvester activation, there's no early "get lucky" gear spike to chase. Fights start later, gear differences are smaller for longer, and the squads that win are the ones that make disciplined decisions about when to commit.
Ranked fundamentals that gain value this split
- Efficient early looting: since high-tier loot is scarcer, spend less time re-checking cleared buildings and more time rotating toward fresh POIs.
- Patience before commitment: without a Gold-loot power spike to lean on, don't force fights you can't clearly win — the loot gap that used to punish a bad push is smaller, but so is your margin for error.
- Corrupted Attachment awareness: if you find one, understand the trade-off before equipping it — a magazine downgrade in a close-range gun can lose you a fight you'd otherwise win.
- Energy weapon discipline: track your stockpile in longer fights and don't get caught reloading nothing when your Devotion or L-STAR runs dry mid-engagement.
Best Season 30 compositions (simple, strong)
- Information comp: Bloodhound + Crypto + Loba (map awareness, ultimate-cloaked pushes, and fast loot rotation).
- Sustain comp: Rampart + Newcastle + a hitscan-heavy fragger (hold advantageous positions and grind out longer fights, which favors non-energy weapons).
- Rotational comp: Valkyrie + Loba + Bloodhound (map control, fast repositioning, and disciplined information gathering).
Notice the pattern: even the aggressive comps lean on information and controlled engagement rather than pure early-game gear dominance. That's the core lesson of Marked's Ranked meta.
New to Ranked this season? Our Apex Legends ranked guide covers tiers, RP and entry costs before you queue.
For the scoring side of the season, see our guide on how to gain RP this season.
Apex Legends Season 30 Marked FAQ
What is Apex Legends Season 30 called and when did it launch?
Apex Legends Season 30, titled Marked, launched on August 4, 2026, following the release of the full Patch Notes on August 3, 2026.
What changed for Bloodhound in Season 30?
Bloodhound received a full rework centered on a brand-new ultimate, Allfather's Cloak, which cloaks anyone inside its zone and grants a movement speed boost and threat vision. Their passive and tactical were also updated to make tracking clues clearer and scans faster.
Which legends were buffed and which were nerfed in Marked?
Loba and Rampart received buffs to their tactical speed, ultimate cooldown, and mobility. Valkyrie and Axle were both toned down after sitting near the top of the pick-rate charts, and Seer received a further reduction to tactical turn slow.
What is the loot overhaul in Apex Legends Season 30?
High-tier loot spawn rates were reduced across all maps, Gold Bins and Mythic Bins were removed, Arsenals no longer activate at match start, and Gold Tiered Loot was almost entirely removed from the loot pool.
What are Corrupted Attachments?
Corrupted Attachments are a new high-tier attachment rarity that trade a significant buff for a real downside. Only one can be equipped per weapon, and they spawn in the core loot pool, in Round 2 and 3 Care Packages, and in high-tier loot locations.
How does the energy ammo rework affect weapon choice?
Energy ammo boxes have been removed entirely. Energy weapons now use a regenerating stockpile that recharges over 18 seconds, making them strong in short fights but weaker in sustained, drawn-out engagements.
What are the Season 30 maps for Pubs and Ranked?
In Split 1 (August 4 to September 14), pubs and ranked rotated through World's Edge, Storm Point and E-District. Split 2, which started on September 15, uses World's Edge, Olympus and Broken Moon.
How long do Ranked Ladders last in Season 30?
Ranked Ladders were extended to five days each, giving players more time to compete and climb within every ladder window compared to previous, shorter cycles.
Where can I get Apex Legends Rank Boost, Predator Boost, or Pro Play?
You can browse premium Apex Legends Boosting options here: BoostingXP Apex Legends Store, including Rank Boost, Predator Boost, Badge Boost, Win Boost, Kill Boost, and Pro Play.
Final Thoughts: How to Win More in Apex Legends Season 30 Marked
Apex Legends Season 30: Marked is a patient player's patch. The loot economy rewards efficient rotations over early hero drops, Bloodhound's rework gives information-focused squads a genuine playmaking tool, and the weapon changes ask you to actually aim rather than lean on forgiving close-range guns. If you want to climb, prioritize disciplined looting, respect the slower early game, and treat Corrupted Attachments and energy ammo management as real decision points — not afterthoughts.
If you'd rather have help reaching your target rank this split, start with the BoostingXP Apex Legends services page, or go straight to Rank Boost, Predator Boost, Badge Boost, Win Boost, Kill Boost or Pro Play.
