Apex Legends: The Ultimate Pathfinder Guide

Considered as one of the mascots of Apex Legends, the robotic Pathfinder is by no means a selfless machine. Originally designed to be a machine who can accompany scientists in dangerous experiments, Pathfinder has joined the Apex Games to use his expert navigational skills to help his team survive. Thanks to his grappling prowess, Pathfinder is capable of reaching difficult environments and higher surfaces to secure the advantage against other opponents, making him one of the game’s best explorers.

Now assigned the Skirmisher Class in Season 16: Revelry, Pathfinder of Apex Legends will find himself even more tailored for an explorer/ambusher role. Fans who are curious and eager to use Pathfinder’s grappling hooks to master navigating around Apex Legends maps may want to understand not just how his kit works but how they generally interact with the rest of his environments.

At first glance, Pathfinder looks like the other MRVNs (Mobile Robotic Versatine eNtity) scattered around the world. However, Pathfinder is unique in that he's built for a special purpose: to help the greatest scientists of the Outlands solve its energy crisis. However, when an accident has Pathfinder forget his memories about his time with his creators, his experience in the Apex Games helped him in his quest to recover them.

When Pathfinder eventually discovered that he created a child in a past he forgot, he's set his sights not only to find his makers but also find his own creation. While he's out on his journey, Pathfinder uses his talents for navigation and exploration to help his teammates survive the Games.

Why Use Pathfinder: The Map Is A Friend

Considered as one of the first characters that players unlock in the game, Pathfinder is one of the best Legends in Apex Legends to help gamers get familiar with the battle royale’s navigational mechanics. However, even pros like choosing Pathfinder for his multi-directional focus, allowing them to adjust to almost any terrain due to how skillful Pathfinder becomes in zig-zagging across battlefields. Fans who like this kind of gameplay should also lock into Pathfinder for these reasons:

Vertical mastery: One of the best components in Pathfinder’s kit is his Grappling Hook (Tactical), which technically allows him to access almost all vertical points in the map with enough precision. This gives Pathfinder mains the opportunity to secure effective vantage points in high areas, making Pathfinder an effective sniper and even an ambusher.
Scouting prowess: In a high-octane battle royale like Apex Legends, it’s important for teams to be able to get the jump on opponents and get ahead in finding loot and relevant items as often as possible. Pathfinder’s abilities to navigate inaccessible areas makes him an ideal scout, encouraging players using him to try to scout ahead without being spotted by enemies or retreating in the safety of verticality when spotted.
Perfect for navigation practice: Players looking to master various areas in Apex Legends should give Pathfinder a shot. His straightforward kit allows players to explore points in the game’s maps that aren’t immediately noticeable on the ground, letting players get a deeper understanding of the battle royale’s environments and may even use it to their advantage as both Pathfinder and other characters.

The Basics Of Pathfinder: Zipline Supremacy

Players looking for a way to maximize Apex Legends gameplay in the context of exploration can definitely appreciate Pathfinder’s kit. His skillset that capitalizes on verticality and multi-directional gameplay demands a certain degree of finesse and map understanding on the part of players, especially with Apex Legends SMGs. These elements may feel overwhelming for newcomers to the game’s rather expansive maps. Curious gamers who want full control over the map to secure directional advantages need to consider the following run through on Pathfinder’s skills:

Insider Knowledge (Passive): Pathfinder’s Zipline Gun can get a massive boost in cooldowns when revealing a Care Package.
Grappling Hook (Tactical): This has Pathfinder launch a grappling hook towards any direction, latching onto the first thing it sees. Afterwards, Pathfinder is swung to the direction of the object, allowing him to climb high surfaces or even swing on the side of buildings like Spider-Man.
Zipline Gun (Ultimate): Pathfinder deploys a zipline that stays active between an active and a target location. Players can travel back and forth between these points, giving teams access to previously-inaccessible areas.

Passive: Insider Knowledge

Pathfinder’s Zipline Gun (Ultimate) is another key element for directional versatility among players, and getting the character to increase the cooldown of this Apex Legends Ultimate can help Pathfinder become more tactically viable in the long game. Thanks to Insider Knowledge (Passive), this tactic has become more feasible as simply scanning a Care Package can boost this ability’s cooldown, making it more enjoyable to mow down enemies with Apex Legends LMGs from ziplines.

Properties: Revealing a Care Package through Pathfinder’s Skirmisher Perk will reduce the cooldown of his Ultimate by 10 seconds.
Care Packages galore: Thanks to Insider Knowledge, scanning four (4) Care Packages can transform Zipline Gun’s cooldown from 120 to 80 seconds. Instead of using Ultimate Accelerants, having Lifeline continuously call for her own Care Packages (Ultimate) can give Pathfinder quite the speedy recovery and also obtain better gear.

Tactical: Grappling Hook

Perhaps the highlight of Pathfinder’s toolkit, Grappling Hook (Tactical) is one of the most versatile tools in Apex Legends despite its simple nature. At its core, this ability releases a grappling hook that latches onto the first object it sees and reels Pathfinder to its direction, allowing the Legend to swing vertically or even to the side. With the right timing and prowess, Pathfinder can become a navigational master in any map and kill opponents from any height even with an Apex Legends Pistol.

Properties: The grappling hook is 21 meters long, with a cooldown of 10 to 30 seconds depending on the distance Pathfinder travels. Pathfinder’s crosshair turns blue if the surface is something he can grapple. Swinging to the side allows Pathfinder to slightly change his trajectory, with the hook immediately disengaging after a 90-degree turn while still keeping Pathfinder in the air.
Take note of some tactical maneuvers: Certain techniques with the Grappling Hook can help players get the strategic advantage in combat. For instance, players get extra momentum if they jump as soon as the hook reaches a surface. Likewise, grappling towards a thrown object has Pathfinder move along with the object, allowing players to get more tactical repositionings.
Check for crazy stunts: Given how most objects in Apex Legends are interactive, Grappling Hook can be used to create quite a ton of stunts. For instance, Pathfinder can latch onto another player (an enemy!) to pull each other together. It’s possible to latch onto objects such as Surveillance Drones (Crypto), Black Market Boutiques (Loba), and Interception Pylons (Wattson). However, Pathfinder is pulled towards a flying Valkyrie, and is immediately interrupted by Silence (Revenant).

Ultimate: Zipline Gun

Sharing is caring, and perhaps the epitome of Pathfinder’s kind nature rests with Zipline Gun (Ultimate). Thanks to this ability, Pathfinder can deploy a zipline between any two (2) locations on the map, provided they’re both surfaces and within the bounds of the map. This allows Apex Legends teammates to access previously inaccessible locations, and may even be used to jump the gun on enemies.

Properties: This Ultimate has a 2-minute cooldown, with up to four (4) of these lines being deployable throughout the match. Each zipline can be up to around 176 meters long, with movement with these lines being 66-percent faster than regular ziplines on the map.
Think in advance: Zipline Gun is best used for tactical positioning and repositioning, meaning it’s best deployed to lead into near the thick of battle to allow Pathfinder and his team to get a quick exit. Likewise, Pathfinder can always use other actions such as shooting or other abilities to stop his travel, allowing for quick retreats and repositioning.
Get dangerous with placements: While Pathfinder would likely want his Zipline Gun to bring his allies to relatively safe locations, he can actually use this to fool enemies to deathtraps. At its core, Pathfinder can use Zipline Gun on any surface, even if said surface won’t support standing Legends, forcing enemies to fall or stay on a dead end after they land.

Pathfinder Gameplay: Get Hooked Everywhere

Given Pathfinder’s nature as an Apex Legends character with heavy ties to exploration, players should expect to navigate areas quite often with his grappling skills. Unlike other Legends, there’s a particular expectation for Pathfinder to understand how a majority of map areas work, requiring players to exhibit a particular degree of adaptability when engaging opponents. Here are some tips for players to capitalize on their Pathfinder’s Apex Legends skills:

Decide quickly about hooks: The fast-paced nature of Pathfinder’s Grappling Hook (Tactical) is built precisely for quick thinking, meaning players can maximize Pathfinder’s navigational skills provided they’re able to identify ideal spots for grappling. Players should remember that there’s no fall damage in the game, meaning Pathfinder can be reckless in hooking towards places with no surfaces to land on. In case of emergencies, Pathfinder can take rather weird angles to hook and land in an obscure area before running to safety.
Shoot when in mid-air: One of the most interesting aspects of hooking with Pathfinder is how he can let go of his Grappling Hook and be able to do basic shooting in mid-air. This can become an integral part of survival in Apex Legends, as Pathfinder shooting from above or from a weird angle can be a tough thing to counter - especially since the target won’t always be able to catch Pathfinder while he’s moving.
Scout ahead whenever possible: Given Pathfinder’s advanced grappling abilities, he’s the best equipped to be able to scout ahead for possible looting areas and other safe zones. However, while his Grappling Hook is an efficient way to get him out of danger, it’s advisable that his allies don’t stay too far ahead in order to ensure help arrives whenever Pathfinder gets in trouble.

Skirmisher Class: Reach The Advantage

It’s reasonable for the game to classify Pathfinder as a Recon in his initial appearance due to his ability to reach distant locations quickly, making him viable as a scout. However, the Season 16: Revelry update in February 2023 changes Pathfinder’s designation as a Skirmisher, giving him with even more buffs to allow him to secure advantages quickly. As a Skirmisher, Pathfinder can now do the following:

Care Package vision optimization: When Pathfinder sees a Care Package falling from the sky or on the ground, he immediately sees the highest-value item inside. The name of the item is greyed out once an enemy team has acquired the same item. He can also ping these items for the team to see, acting as a variation of Loba’s special item sight.

Loadout Recommendations

Compared to other Legends, Pathfinder as part of an Apex Legends team doesn’t appear too “flashy” with vibrant techniques and abilities. Rather, his straightforward grappling toolkit can blend well with environments in the game, making Pathfinder rather hard to find if he knows how to blend in properly. This makes him an ideal skirmisher built for surprises, with a loadout recommending Apex Legends weapons like Assault Rifles that pave the way for crazy antics. Here are some weapons to consider:

Peacekeeper (Shotgun): Compared to other shotguns, the Peacekeeper gives quite the pain as its pellets take the shape of the star and is rather condensed towards its target. Given how Pathfinder can find himself zooming towards the thick of battle, being able to shoot an opponent immediately upon engaging is a perk players shouldn’t miss. Given close-enough shots, the Peacekeeper can be enough to dispatch some enemies in a few clicks.
Combat Advanced Round (SMG, Heavy/Light Ammo): Unlike other weapons in the game, the C.A.R. SMG is unique in that it can use two (2) sets of ammo - Heavy or Light, with players able to alternate. This allows players to technically carry just one (1) type of Ammo, allowing them to save bullets in their inventory. Given how both Heavy and Light Ammo are the most common bullet types out there, Pathfinder in any combat situation may be able to get Ammo for the C.A.R. despite the location.
HAVOC Rifle (Assault Rifle, Energy Ammo): Contrary to other ARs, the HAVOC still needs a bit of charging before dislodging charges (unless players have a Turbocharger equipped). While this can be a bummer at first glance, Pathfinders who want to jump the gun on foes can use these few seconds of charging to catch enemies by surprise and get a few sure shots before they even run away.