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1) RE-45 Nerf in Season 26: What Changed?

The RE-45—a staple close-range secondary—received targeted nerfs in Split 1 to reduce its forgiveness and dominance in hip-fire duels.

Magazine Size & Attachments

  • Base magazine reduced 18 → 15
  • White mag: 18 | Blue mag: 21 | Purple mag: 24

Recoil & Handling

  • +12% vertical recoil
  • +10% horizontal recoil

Projectile Size

Bullet projectile size assistance was fully removed, making accuracy and tracking skill more decisive.

Ranked Impact & Alternatives

The pistol is still usable in close quarters, but it’s no longer the default finisher. Players seeking consistency now prefer R-99 or Peacekeeper for decisive bursts. If you’re playing a defensive anchor in buildings, consider pairing a PK with a mid-range beamer. Need help optimizing your loadout for your rank? Book a run on /store/apex-legends/rank-boost.

2) Evo Harvester Update: Faster Evolves, Better Distribution

The Evo Harvester system was tuned to speed up shield progression and reduce POI overcrowding.

  • Spawn rate increased from roughly ~7 → ~10 per map
  • Lower chance of multiple harvesters in the same POI

How to Exploit This Change

Earlier purple/red shields mean mid-game fights last longer and punish poor entry. Prioritize safe Harvester rotations when you’re under-geared, then swing fights with a timing push once your team hits purple. If your squad lacks confident pathing, our ranked specialists can coach rotations in live games.

3) Season 26 Ranked Legend Meta

The meta favors legends that blend survivability, control, and initiation. Expect high value from:

  • Alter — bursty movement & clutch pathing
  • Caustic — king of building control & zone denial
  • Ash — execute angles and isolate picks
  • Bangalore — tempo control with smokes & passive
  • Revenant — suppress abilities, force skirmishes on your terms
  • Sparrow — flexible kit; a strong wild-card in coordinated trios

If your team lacks defensive structure for endgame buildings, slot a controller/defender (e.g., Caustic) and a reliable revive anchor (see below).

4) S-Tier Squad: Newcastle + Caustic + Gibraltar

For Split 1, the Newcastle / Caustic / Gibraltar trio is S-tier in close-range and building fights. This comp thrives on tight teamwork—move as a single unit, trade damage, and layer utility.

Why It Wins

  • Newcastle: revive angles, mobile cover, anchor positioning
  • Caustic: door control, denial, post-plant pressure
  • Gibraltar: dome timings, bubble-rez, ult to break stalemates

Recommended Weapons (Building Fights)

  • Peacekeeper — burst damage king for holds & entries
  • R-99 — melts with focus fire
  • Devotion (Turbocharger) — anchor DPS to punish pushes

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5) Weapons Meta: Best Guns by Range

Long Range

  • 30-30 Repeater — punishing poke, high headshot value (Skullpiercer)
  • Charge Rifle — reliable chip to open pushes and farm Evo

Mid Range

  • Devotion — top DPS with Turbocharger; pairs well with a shotgun
  • R-301 — the all-rounder for beams and pressure

Close Range

  • Peacekeeper — one-pump pressure in tight corridors
  • R-99 — fastest practical TTK with good tracking
  • RE-45 — viable but outclassed post-nerf

Synergy Loadouts

  • Charge Rifle + Peacekeeper — chip then commit
  • 30-30 + R-301 — flexible for rotating lobbies
  • Devotion + R-99 — team-fight shredder inside buildings

6) Ranked Strategy Guide: How to Climb RP

Teamwork Above All

Split 1 is unforgiving to solo hero plays. Hold hands, swing together, and commit as three—especially in buildings.

Zone Control & Building Holds

Identify high-value buildings early and set up layered defense (traps, cover, dome). Punish late rotations. Building control translates into consistent Top-3s and natural KP.

Armor Economy

Leverage the increased Evo Harvester spawns for early purple/red armor, then take proactive mid-game fights.

RP Farming by Tier

  • Gold–Platinum: Placement first, KP opportunistic
  • Diamond: Controlled aggression—third party on timings
  • Masters+: Info control, zone priority, execute endgame win conditions

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7) Pro Insights & Loadout Examples

Tempo Control (Ash/Bangalore/Alter)

Use utility to force 3v2s: smoke scans, portal timings, and off-angle executes. Convert chip damage into fast collapses.

Anchor/Controller (Newcastle/Caustic/Gibraltar)

Stabilize space, reserve ultimates for timings (entry or counter-entry), and crossfire doors/hallways.

Example Trio Loadouts

  • Entry: R-99 + PK
  • Anchor: Devotion (Turbo) + PK
  • Flex: R-301 + 30-30 (or Charge Rifle)

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FAQ

What happened to the RE-45 in Season 25?

The RE-45 had its base magazine reduced from 18 to 15, saw +12% vertical and +10% horizontal recoil, and lost projectile size assistance. It’s still usable but less dominant in close quarters.

What’s the strongest ranked squad for Split 1?

Newcastle + Caustic + Gibraltar is S-tier for close-range and building fights thanks to revive security, denial, and dome timings. It scales well into endgame win conditions.

Which weapons dominate the Season 25 ranked meta?

Peacekeeper and R-99 for close range, Devotion and R-301 for mid range, and 30-30 Repeater plus Charge Rifle at long range.

What changed with Evo Harvesters?

More harvesters now spawn per map (~10 vs ~7 previously) with reduced clustering in single POIs, enabling faster shield progression and healthier rotations.

How do I gain RP faster this split?

Prioritize placement, leverage early Evo upgrades, run a defender anchor, and time mid-game third parties off damage. For a guaranteed climb with a pro duo, try ElovateBoost’s Ranked Boost.

Conclusion & Next Steps

Season 26 Split 1 rewards discipline, unit movement, and building control. The RE-45 nerf pushes players toward high-precision closers like the Peacekeeper and R-99, while increased Evo Harvester spawns accelerate shield scaling. Run a defender anchor, abuse timing windows, and you’ll stack RP reliably.

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