Apex Legends Overclocked Split 2 Patch Notes

Apex Legends Overclocked Split 2 Patch Notes

Overclocked Split 2 Arrives: A New Chapter for Apex Legends

Apex Legends kicks off the second half of its competitive season with the much-anticipated Overclocked Split 2 update, landing on June 23rd. This isn't just a routine patch; it's a sweeping overhaul that touches Legend balance, weapon dynamics, map rotations, and even the ranked experience itself. Whether you're a seasoned Predator or a casual weekend warrior, the changes arriving today promise to shake up every drop. From long-awaited Pathfinder buffs to a brand-new shotgun hop-up, Respawn is clearly aiming to refresh the meta in meaningful ways. Let's break down everything you need to know before you jump back into the arena.

Apex Legends Overclocked Split 2 patch banner featuring Legend silhouettes and the new season logo
Apex Legends Overclocked Split 2 is live now — here's what's changed. (Image credit: Respawn Entertainment / EA)
What's New at a Glance: Ballistic gets his tactical charges doubled, Pathfinder finally has two grapple hooks, the Executioner hop-up rewards aggressive shotgun knocks, and Seer receives quality-of-life improvements that make his heartbeat sensor far more responsive. Meanwhile, Axle and Mad Maggie receive targeted nerfs to slow down their overwhelming pace.

The Ongoing War Against Cheaters

Before diving into the flashy Legend changes, it's worth acknowledging the invisible battle Respawn fights every single day. Competitive integrity remains the studio's loudest priority. In a recent transparency push, the team revealed they've successfully detected and neutralized a reverse speed hack that allowed malicious players to freeze themselves mid-air for unnatural durations. Beyond that, multiple server-crashing exploits have been quietly patched out. The anti-cheat team describes their work as a constant "cat and mouse game," and while they can't always reveal their tactics without giving cheaters a heads-up, they assure the community that more groundbreaking detection methods are on the horizon. Player reports continue to be a vital piece of this puzzle, feeding directly into the algorithms that keep lobbies fair.

Apex Legends anti-cheat system detecting and banning hackers in competitive lobbies
Respawn continues to invest heavily in anti-cheat measures to protect competitive integrity. (Image credit: Respawn Entertainment / EA)

Legend Balancing: The Big Shake-Up

This split's Legend adjustments are extensive, touching seven different characters. Some are rising from the depths of the pick rate charts, while others are being gently reined in. Here's the full breakdown, including developer insights that explain the reasoning behind each change.

⬆️ Ballistic

Double Tactical, Stronger Overheat. His Whistler now carries two charges and the overheat damage jumps from 15 to 50, but it locks onto a single weapon. Ultimate grants a sprint boost to the whole squad.

⬆️ Pathfinder

Two Grapple Hooks. Tactical charges increased to two with a flat 20-second cooldown. His zipline launches faster and recharges quicker. He also tucks his legs on horizontal zips!

⬆️ Seer

Faster Heartbeats. Passive sensor activates quicker and pulses more frequently. Tactical hits land faster, and his Ultimate now performs an initial 2-second scan on deployment.

⬇️ Axle

Reduced Uptime. Max Nitro Gates in-world dropped from 3 to 2, and gate HP reduced to 100. Knocked players can no longer slide across the map. Super Slider upgrade now reduces cooldown instead of granting a third charge.

⬇️ Mad Maggie

Tactical Cooldown Increased. Drill cooldown raised to 28 seconds. Wrecking Ball speed pads now only boost sprint speed, not all movement, making her less slippery.

🔧 Valkyrie & Conduit

Minor Adjustments. Valkyrie's faster skydive landing has been reverted. Conduit's regen rate dropped to 10/s, cooldown extended to 30s, and her Enduring Barrier upgrade no longer blocks ring damage.

Ballistic Legend with his new tactical upgrades in Apex Legends Pathfinder using two grapple hooks in Apex Legends Overclocked Split 2

Ballistic: The Return of the Retired Veteran

Ballistic has been sitting near the bottom of the pick rate barrel for a while, and Respawn is ready to give him back some teeth. The core philosophy was to restore his old power while injecting more counterplay for opponents. His tactical, Whistler, now comes with two charges instead of one, and the overheat mechanic has been reworked significantly. Instead of a universal weapon lock, Overheat now targets only the weapon the enemy is currently holding—or the first slot if they're unarmed. The damage penalty has surged from a negligible 15 to a punishing 50, and the debuff lingers for 15 seconds. Crucially, overheating no longer decays when you stop shooting or switch guns; you have to ride it out.

Developer Insight: "His Tactical buff brings back some of the previous numbers but we wanted to add more counterplay options for the victims. The speed boost on the Ultimate was also very powerful but it could make Ballistic's team very difficult to fight. Instead, we're only giving a sprint boost which should still allow for fast pushes as a team but not a speed advantage during the fight."

Speaking of his Ultimate, the speed injection now applies a sprint-only boost to Ballistic and all nearby teammates, fostering coordinated pushes without making the squad unhittable in gunfights. His upgrade tree also saw significant shuffling. Level 2 now offers "Extra Bullet" for a third tactical charge or "Trap Mode," which turns his tactical into a placeable trap dealing 35 damage. At Level 3, "Quiet Time" swaps the overheat debuff for a silence and slow effect, while "Killing Time" remains the go-to for extending the Ultimate's duration.

Pathfinder: Two Grapples, Double the Fun

Our beloved cheerful robot has been outshone by other skirmishers for seasons. Respawn's answer is beautifully straightforward: give him two grapple charges with a flat 20-second cooldown, removing the old progressive timer entirely. This single change dramatically increases his uptime and repositioning potential. But the love doesn't stop there. Pathfinder's Ultimate, the zipline gun, now launches its projectile faster and recharges in 2 minutes instead of 3. A small but delightful passive addition: he now tucks his legs in while riding horizontal ziplines, making him a slightly smaller target—a detail mains have dreamed about for years.

His upgrade paths have been reimagined to offer genuine flexibility. At Level 2, "Field Research" now grants all Recon class perks (not just survey beacon scans), while "Ringmaster" provides full Controller perks instead of just ring console access. Level 3's "Landing Gear" replaces the old extra tactical charge upgrade, granting superior air control and faster recovery from hard landings.

Seer's upgraded heartbeat sensor scanning enemies through walls in Apex Legends
Seer's passive heartbeat sensor now activates faster and pulses more frequently. (Image credit: Respawn Entertainment / EA)

Seer: Subtle But Sharp Enhancements

Seer exists in a strange space—high potential in elite lobbies but low overall pick rates. This patch focuses entirely on quality-of-life responsiveness. His passive heartbeat sensor now activates faster, pulses more frequently, and most importantly, the delay between aiming down sights and seeing the sensor has been normalized across all weapon types. Whether you're holding a Wingman or unarmed, the heartbeat circle appears at the same consistent speed.

His tactical, Focus of Attention, sees reduced delay between launch and impact, and the slow effect has been improved to halt fast-moving Legends more effectively. His Ultimate, Exhibit, now performs a 2-second scan on deployment, highlighting any enemy already inside the dome. Enemies entering afterward are also scanned briefly, and even cloaked foes will leave visible footsteps while within the zone.

Axle & Mad Maggie: Speed Demons Slowed Down

Axle's pace-of-play dominance was undeniable. To bring her in line, Respawn reduced her Nitro Gate's maximum in-world count from 3 to 2 and slashed the gate HP from 150 to 100. A critical nerf addresses the "Super Slider" upgrade: it no longer provides a second tactical charge. Instead, it offers a 5-second cooldown reduction and +1 max gate count. Knocked players can no longer slide across zip codes using her gates, closing a frustrating exploit. Her Ultimate, Kickstart, now displaces victims on a parabolic arc based on their velocity, making the knockback trajectory more predictable and situational.

Mad Maggie, a consistent top performer, sees her tactical cooldown extended from 22 to 28 seconds. More impactfully, her Wrecking Ball Ultimate no longer grants a universal speed boost. The fire pads now only accelerate sprint speed, aligning with the same design philosophy applied to Ballistic. This makes her team less slippery during chaotic breaches.

Axle's Nitro Gates reduced in count and HP in Apex Legends Mad Maggie's Wrecking Ball now only boosts sprint speed

Valkyrie & Conduit: Fine-Tuning the Meta

Valkyrie's recent skydive landing speed improvement has been reverted—a minor adjustment to manage her climbing pick rate without gutting her core identity. Conduit, however, receives more substantial tuning. After her Season 29 rework, she skyrocketed to the top of every chart, appearing in 8 of the top 10 team compositions. The hotfix already dropped her regen rate from 15/s to 10/s and increased the regen duration. This patch pushes further: her tactical cooldown rises to 30 seconds, and the Level 3 "Enduring Barrier" upgrade no longer allows regen through ring damage, closing a powerful survival loophole.


Weapons & Attachments: A New Hop-Up Era

The loot pool is getting a significant shake-up with the introduction of the Executioner hop-up and the redistribution of existing ones. Let's dive into the details that will change how you approach every gunfight.

New Executioner hop-up for Peacekeeper and Mastiff shotguns in Apex Legends
The new Executioner hop-up rewards aggressive shotgun play with shield regeneration on knock. (Image credit: Respawn Entertainment / EA)

Executioner: High-Risk, High-Reward Shotgun Play

The brand-new Executioner hop-up is exclusive to the Peacekeeper and Mastiff, and it introduces a thrilling mechanic: knocking an enemy with the weapon grants 50 shield regeneration over 5 seconds. This is a game-changer for aggressive shotgun users who can chain kills. It costs 375 points to unlock, making it a mid-game investment that can swing fights dramatically. Meanwhile, Dual Shell has been removed from the Mastiff, and Disruptor Rounds have been taken off the Peacekeeper, streamlining each shotgun's identity.

Graffiti Mod Moves, Turbocharger Expands

The Graffiti Mod hop-up, previously found on the Longbow DMR, Wingman, and Mozambique, is now exclusive to the Flatline and Volt. This shift moves the flashy mod from marksman weapons to full-auto workhorses, which could create some visually chaotic (and entertaining) mid-range duels. In even bigger news, the Turbocharger is now compatible with the Nemesis Burst AR. For 600 points, the Nemesis becomes "Turbo Nemi," reaching its maximum fire rate after just two bursts instead of the usual ramp-up. This turns the weapon into a monstrous close-to-mid-range contender.

Nemesis Burst AR now compatible with Turbocharger hop-up for 600 crafting points
The Nemesis with Turbocharger reaches max fire rate in just two bursts — a terrifying prospect. (Image credit: Respawn Entertainment / EA)

Ammo Adjustments

The Hemlok Burst AR has been a dominant force for too long. Its magazine sizes across all tiers have been trimmed:

  • White Mag: 21 → 20 rounds
  • Blue Mag: 24 → 22 rounds
  • Purple/Gold Mag: 27 → 25 rounds

Both the EVA-8 and Mozambique receive small handling speed increases, making them snappier in clutch moments.


Map Rotations & Wildcard Mode

This split's map pool brings variety across all modes. Here's where you'll be dropping:

Mode Maps in Rotation
Pubs Storm Point, World's Edge, Kings Canyon
Ranked Storm Point, World's Edge, E-District
Mixtape TDM: Skull Town, Thunderdome, Fragment, Zeus Station
Control: Caustic, Production Yard, Thunderdome, Barometer
Gun Run: Monument, Wattson Pylon, Skull Town, Thunderdome
Storm Point map returning to ranked rotation in Apex Legends Split 2 World's Edge map in rotation for pubs and ranked E-District map featured in ranked rotation

Wildcard Weekly Rotations

Following the positive reception during the Power Trip event, Wildcard mode now features weekly map rotations:

  • June 23–30: Broken Moon Wildcard
  • June 30–July 7: Olympus Wildcard
  • July 7–14: Kings Canyon Wildcard

Ranked Updates: No More Champion Squad

One of the most intriguing changes this split is the removal of the "Champion Squad" screen from the Ranked match start flow. You'll now see your own squad and then load directly into the dropship. Respawn's reasoning is straightforward: the Champion Squad information, which was set by other players, often felt misleading and contributed to pre-match frustration. They're actively working on a better, more accurate representation of lobby skill that will help you evaluate opponents without the guesswork. Ranked Ladders 7 through 11 are scheduled throughout July, so competitive grinders have plenty to sink their teeth into.

Apex Legends ranked mode removing Champion Squad screen in Split 2
The Champion Squad screen has been removed from Ranked to reduce pre-match frustration. (Image credit: Respawn Entertainment / EA)

Bug Fixes & Quality of Life

No patch is complete without a long list of fixes. Here are the highlights:

Gameplay Fixes

  • Bots will now properly loot weapons a few seconds after landing.
  • The Beam Saber is no longer partially visible during Mirage's cloak revive.
  • Players won't get stuck when respawned under low geometry.
  • Deathbox attachment exploits have been patched.
  • Akimbo weapons are correctly restored after beacon respawns.

Weapon-Specific Fixes

  • The Bocek, Rampage, and Sentinel can now be energized with Infinite Ammo active.
  • Gold shotgun bolts now correctly apply fire rate increases with Double Tap Trigger.
  • The C.A.R. SMG's gold magazine now reloads while stowed, as intended.

Legend & Map Fixes

  • Axle's "Jump Gate" upgrade now respects the Movement Ability keybind.
  • Mad Maggie's Wrecking Ball no longer bounces harmlessly off cloaked enemies.
  • Out-of-bounds timers have been fixed across Storm Point, Kings Canyon, and E-District.
  • Numerous exploits allowing Alter to reach unintended areas have been closed.
  • Lighting and collision improvements have been applied across all maps to enhance readability.

Audio & Visual Polish

  • The Deathbox Respawn in-progress sound is now louder with a wider audible radius for enemies.
  • Fuse's Mythic skydive trail volume has been reduced following community feedback.
  • Bloom intensity has been decreased on all maps. Players still experiencing issues are advised to reset brightness to the default 50%.
  • Framerate hitches caused by banner cycling have been addressed.

What This Means for the Meta

Overclocked Split 2 doesn't just tweak numbers—it redefines engagement flow. The double-tactical charges on Ballistic and Pathfinder will drastically increase their presence in both ranked and casual lobbies. Expect aggressive grapple initiations and relentless Whistler pressure to become the new normal. The Executioner hop-up rewards shotgun players who finish their kills, potentially shifting the close-range meta away from SMGs. Meanwhile, the Nemesis with Turbocharger is poised to become one of the most feared weapons in the game, rivaling even care package offerings.

The nerfs to Axle and Mad Maggie signal Respawn's commitment to curbing runaway mobility without destroying the Legends' identities. Sprint-only speed boosts are a clever compromise that allows fast rotations while leaving counterplay windows open. And for the ranked warriors, the removal of the Champion Squad screen is a bold quality-of-life experiment that could reduce pre-match anxiety—though only time will tell if the community embraces the change.

Apex Legends meta shift with Ballistic and Pathfinder rising in pick rates
Expect Ballistic and Pathfinder to dominate pick rates following these substantial buffs. (Image credit: Respawn Entertainment / EA)

Final Thoughts: Jump Into the Fray

With all these changes going live on June 23rd, there's never been a better moment to rally your squad and experience the evolved Apex Legends. Whether you're mastering Pathfinder's dual grapples, experimenting with the Executioner hop-up, or climbing the new Ranked Ladders, Split 2 is packed with fresh content. Respawn continues to prove that they're listening—to both the data and the community—and this patch feels like a genuine step toward a healthier, more dynamic meta.

Pro Tip: Start practicing with the Peacekeeper and Mastiff now. The Executioner hop-up rewards precision and aggression, and those who master the timing will have a significant edge in close-quarters engagements. Also, give the new Nemesis with Turbocharger a spin in the firing range—the two-burst wind-up is devastatingly quick.

As always, your feedback shapes the game. Respawn encourages players to share their experiences, report bugs, and keep the conversation going on social media and forums. The evolution of Apex Legends is a collaborative journey, and Split 2 is just the beginning of what promises to be an exciting chapter.

Apex Legends is free to play on PlayStation®4, PlayStation®5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch™ 2, and PC via the EA app, Epic Games Store, and Steam. Follow Apex Legends on Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok for the latest updates.