5 tips for taking less damage during gunfights in Apex Legends

Many of Apex Legends' players have an incredible aim. However, the game is designed in a manner that not only focuses on shooting but also on evasion. Therefore, players are constantly looking for techniques that will give them an edge during gunfights.

Good players in Apex Legends follow the rule of shoot and don’t get shot. While it seems easy enough to comprehend, it might not be as easy to implement. This article provides some tips for taking less damage during gunfights in Apex Legends.

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How to reduce your chances of taking damage during fights in Apex Legends

1) Practice hip fire and crouch spam combos

In Apex Legends, it is essential to move in order to avoid getting one-clipped. During gunfights, a lot of players usually ADS and stand still while trying to shoot the enemy. Staying still and aiming down sight certainly increases one's accuracy, but it’s also easier for the enemy to knock them down in an instant.

Crouch spamming while shooting can be a hard skill to master, but it's not impossible. By crouch spamming, players can throw the enemy’s aim off, leading to panic-spraying. Pairing this with hip firing at close-range will grant one more mobility and, in turn, reduce their chances of getting hit by the enemy’s bullets in Apex Legends.

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2) Cancel a slide to confuse the enemy

Canceling the slide motion abruptly during a gunfight in Apex Legends will make the player a hard target. This is a skill that will come in handy often.

A slide cancel effectively reduces the damage taken during gunfights (Image via Respawn Entertainment)

If the player slides in to take cover during a gunfight, the enemy will also have wasted a few bullets and will likely either swap weapons or reload. In this situation, it is imperative to capitalize on the bullets wasted and try to inflict maximum damage. While slide cancelation is an effective skill that one can implement to avoid getting shot, mistiming it will lead to dead slides.

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3) Head glitch with the help of the environment

There’s a reason why Apex Legends has random vehicles, shipping crates and rocks spread throughout the map. Taking cover is an essential part of surviving gunfights. This game involves skilled players who can knock one down in an instant if they don't take cover.

A head glitch is when players take cover behind objects in the environment and only their head is exposed. It’s true that this would create a window for enemies to get headshots, but it is less likely to hit one's head than body. While only the head is exposed, the player can still take shots at the enemy without taking much damage.

Head glitch to reduce chances of getting hit (Image via Reddit/apexuniversity)

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4) Take an unpredictable route and surprise the enemy

One of the hardest and most underrated tactics to follow in Apex Legends is taking unpredictable routes to approach the enemy. There’s no formula to explain which routes one can take and it depends on two factors: the game’s limits and the player’s creativity.

For example, if there's a gunfight taking place in the construction building present in Fragment (World’s Edge), one can try climbing to the next floor from the side instead of using the main zipline. Enemies will be caught off guard, giving players the advantage in a gunfight.

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5) Use an ally's knockdown shield for cover

This tip is extremely situational and can only be implemented in gunfights when one of the teammates is knocked down. Crouching behind the teammate’s knockdown shield reduces the chances of getting hit by the enemy's bullets. This will allow the player to quickly swap weapons or reload without taking too much damage.