Apex Legends Welcome Missions Guide - Easy XP For New And Old Players

Apex Legends developer Respawn Entertainment has unveiled its latest set of cosmic-themed cosmetic items with the launch of Tuesday's Spellbound Collection Event, but the update that accompanied those cosmetics is a literal game-changer. Now players can host their own private matches and tournaments, but the new update also allows them to access another new feature: Welcome Missions. Though they're mostly meant to aid new players who might not be familiar with Apex, completing the Welcome Missions is a great way to grind out some extra XP before the Eclipse battle pass expires next month.

A dataminer uncovered a fully animated and voiced tutorial trailer earlier this year that has yet to show up in the game itself. Because of this, some players expected to see the new intro trailer hit the game alongside the addition of the Welcome Missions. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case--Apex's original, very short, woefully inadequate tutorial remains untouched, leaving new players to fend for themselves. Keep reading for a guide to completing Apex's new Welcome Challenges and tips to help you finish them as efficiently as possible. Even if you've been playing since day one, these new missions are a great way to help you brush up on rusty skills or introduce a friend to Apex without overwhelmingly. But there's another good reason to do these challenges: the rewards.

Getting started

Log in to Apex as you normally do. Once you're in the lobby, select "Seasonal" from the tabs at the top of the page. From there, a sub-menu will appear beneath the tabs. The last tab on the far right end of the sub-menu should read "Challenges." Select it and you'll find yourself in the challenge hub. Here you can find a list of daily challenges, seasonal battle pass challenges, limited-time event challenges, and now, Welcome Challenges.

At the top of the vertical list of challenges on the right side of the screen is a button that reads "Welcome to Apex." Select it to be taken to the Welcome Challenge page, where you can track your progress on each of the challenges.

Challenges

There are a total of 10 Welcome Missions for players to complete, and each of them aims to teach players about a different gameplay element and introduce them to all the tools at their disposal. The challenges themselves (and the lessons they're trying to convey) are listed below:

Restore 200 health. This challenge is about as basic as it gets, but it can sometimes be easy to forget you need to heal, especially if you're only missing a small amount of health. But that small amount should always be healed up as quickly as possible, because sometimes, those half dozen HP can mean the difference between life and deathbox.

Slide three times. When it comes to Apex, movement is everything. The ability to quickly reposition oneself or escape an enemy is a vital skill, and sliding--especially downhill--is your best bet when abilities fail you. Sliding could become an even more important part of Apex in the future if characters like Fade (and his wildly powerful passive ability, Slipstream) join the squad and affect the meta.

Deal damage with ordnance. The usefulness of Apex's throwables cannot be overstated, so it's best to get acquainted with them early on, especially if you're new to the game. Frag grenades are excellent for getting enemies to leave a building or other cramped areas. On the other hand, arc stars are a fantastic tool for precise attacks--they cause instant damage and become stuck if they land directly on an enemy, then cause even more damage when they detonate a moment later. Thermite grenades also cause instant damage, but this damage continues to stack for a short period of time, depending on how much time is spent touching the scorching flames. If you're struggling to get direct hits with ordnance, hit up the Firing Range. Practice landing ordnance directly on target dummies from different distances and angles so you can get a better feel for aiming throwables.

Swap your armor for an EVO Shield of a higher tier in battle royale. This is second nature to most players, but there's still one thing to keep in mind: Not all EVO Shields are created equal--even if they're the same color. If you're wearing a blue shield but haven't dealt any damage, you'll want to swap armor if you come across a deathbox with a damaged EVO Shield that is closer to leveling up than your own shield. Keep an eye on teammates as well, especially if you're not doing damage and they are. If they find a better shield and leave their old shield on the ground, pick it up and put it on (as long as it's closer to evolving than your current shield).

Finally, be sure to take advantage of the Replicators scattered around each map. If you've opened enough Supply Bins and barrels of Crafting Materials, you may be able to use the Replicator multiple times to level up your body shield, especially if you've already dealt some damage while wearing it. Any time you can safely use a Replicator without attracting attention, make sure to upgrade your armor (and keep your eyes peeled for more Crafting Materials, which show up as teal circles on the minimap.

Make it to the top five.* Your mileage may vary with this one depending on whether you're playing with randoms or a pre-made squad. This is much easier to achieve when you have a pre-made squad of friends, but you'll eventually make it there one way or another, it just may take more time with randomized squadmates. If you're absolutely desperate to make it to the top five immediately, ratting is the best method. Un-check the "fill teammates" box (located above the button you press to ready up) and ready up. This will drop you into a game all by yourself, and if you stay out of sight, making the top five is a piece of cake. But if your goal is winning the match or improving your K/DR, playing in a squad with some teammates is the best course of action.

Break down three doors with a melee attack. Occasionally, you'll find yourself facing combat while unarmed. It's often a better idea to run than to throw punches unless the enemy is also unarmed. As for doors, remember that it only takes two melee hits to shatter them (with the exception of doors that have been reinforced by Catalyst). If a downed enemy is blocking a door, punch through it and finish them off.

Use a Phoenix Kit.* As helpful as they are, Phoenix Kits can be a liability, as they take longer to apply than any other healing item in the game. They're best used either right after defeating enemies in battle, or when you're injured but have managed to escape the enemy's line of sight and have time to spare. Remember that Phoenix Kits take 10 seconds to use (which feels like 10 minutes when you're in the middle of a firefight and enemies are lurking nearby), so plan accordingly if you want to complete this challenge without complications. Despite the fact that they're the strongest healing item in the game, attempting to use a Phoenix Kit can result in death if you're not careful.

Take an item from a Care Package. This is another easy one, but it can still get you killed. Unopened Care Packages create a blinding stream of light that can be seen from a great distance. But the beam of light disappears when someone opens the Care Package, alerting everyone in the general vicinity to the location of that player. Additionally, players often camp near unopened Care Packages, leaving them untouched to lure in and ambush unsuspecting squads.

If possible, try to surveil your immediate surroundings for enemies before you open a Care Package. Your best bet for this challenge is to play as a legend who can either scan the area for enemies, or alert you to their presence (Bloodhound, Crypto, Seer, Wraith). If you're thinking about using Lifeline's Care Package to easily fulfill the requirements for this challenge, don't waste your time--only items from neutral Care Packages

*Challenges with an asterisk can only be achieved in battle royale mode.

Rewards

Players receive XP that counts toward both their battle pass and their individual user level for each Welcome Challenge they complete. But players who complete all 10 Welcome Challenges will receive a new item with which to adorn their characters' banners: the Apex 101 badge. It might not be the most exciting prize in the world, but it certainly adds a nice touch to your banner.

The real reward is the XP boost for long-time players who may very well complete all 10 challenges in a single go, and the ability to nudge new players in the right direction and make sure they're fully aware of all in-game capabilities. Although adding in the still-unreleased tutorial trailer would certainly give new players a better introduction to the game, Apex's new Welcome Challenges are a step in the right direction. Best of all, they're beneficial to both veteran players and clueless FNGs. Two flyers, one stone.

Apex Legends is free to play on console and PC. A mobile version of the game, Apex Legends Mobile, is available for download on Android and iOS devices.