Mad Maggie Looks Like Apex Legends’ First Combat Character, And It’s About Time

thegamer.com:

In the immortal words of Devo, “It’s not too late, to whip it - whip it good.” It’s a weird sentiment in a weird song with a weird music video, but it’s also weirdly prophetic when talking about live service battle royale game Apex Legends.

There hasn’t been a combat-oriented character in all 11 seasons of Apex Legends, and it’s understandable why. It would be a huge order to balance a character whose abilities worked well up close, when most of the gameplay is handled from afar. Sure, movement characters can get up close and personal and unleash a charged-up Peacekeeper shot into your face, but it’s not the same as actually having combat abilities.

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As fun as it is to clock someone’s jaw with Bloodhound’s axe or Wraith’s kunai, or annihilate an opponent with a swing of Caustic’s mighty hammer (that’s if you’re lucky enough to have unlocked an heirloom - I’m not jealous, honest), it does the same damage as a regular punch and only offers a cosmetic bonus. That’s a good thing! There’s already discussions around pay-to-win skins, and giving heirlooms bonus damage would epitomise paying lots of money into loot boxes in order to gain an in-game bonus.

But in Season 12, it looks like we might be getting our first combat-oriented character. Mad Maggie has been revealed, and this is not only the perfect opportunity to weave Apex’s deep lore back into the gameplay, but she’s shown wielding an electric whip and dustbin lid shield. Basically, she’s a badass freedom fighter and she’s gonna bash you good. Personally, I’d welcome a whipping from Apex’s newest recruit, but I appreciate some of you less horny people just want to win games, so her abilities