Season 13 Saviors is the latest Apex Legends update, introducing map changes, gameplay improvements, and of course, a new playable Legend named Newcastle. This defensive tank is similar to many other characters but still has his one unique style, making him an effective choice in Apex Legends. Still, he isn’t the easiest character to master, and if you want to succeed with Newcastle, you’ll need to be familiar with his various abilities, effective strategies, and best team comps. Here’s what you need to know about Newcastle in Apex Legends.

Apex Legends Newcastle abilities

Newcastle is a defensive tank and his abilities reflect that. To make the most out of Newcastle, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with his abilities and how they work.

Newcastle’s abilities are as follows:

• Retrieve the Wounded [Passive]: Drag allies as you revive and protect them with your Revive Shield.
• Mobile Shield [Tactical]: Throw a controllable drone that creates a moving energy shield.
• Castle Wall [Ultimate]: Leap to an ally or target area and slam down, creating a fortified stronghold.

The neat thing about Newcastle’s skills is that they’re multifaceted, allowing you to use them for more than just defensive purposes. Sure, their primary function leans into defense and revive purposes, but if you know how to finesse, you can actually use them in other ways, too.

For instance, the Mobile Shield can be used as a distraction as you get the drop on your enemies—while also giving you and your teammates protection. Learning all the many ways to use his abilities will help you maximize effectiveness on the battlefield.

Apex Legends Newcastle tips

• Use his Castle Wall to close the gap: Newcastle isn’t a static character, and his Ultimate clearly demonstrates that. Although Castle Wall’s main asset is the shield it provides, Newcastle also does a massive leap just before slamming it down into the ground. This leap is arguably just as important as the shield itself, as it can be used to escape harm’s way, or even to access hard-to-reach areas. Get creative with how you use Castle Wall.
• Don’t focus on an offensive playstyle: With Apex Legends being such a fast-paced game, it’s easy to want to run around alongside Valkyrie or Ash while playing as Newcastle. The problem is that Newcastle isn’t meant to be played this way since he’s slower and more suited for a defensive role. If Newcastle goes down, he won’t be of much use to the squad, so be sure to hang back to provide support instead of running around Rambo-style.
• Make sure Newcastle gets strong knockdown shield priority: This is one of the most important things to keep in mind when utilizing Newcastle’s Retrieve the Wounded Passive ability. That’s because this skill uses Newcastle’s own shield to protect himself along with the downed ally, so it’s most effective to have the best shield possible. With that in mind, make sure whoever is playing Newcastle gets priority for the best knockdown shield.
• Newcastle’s shields don’t cover all directions: Speaking of shields, Newcastle’s defenses only cover one direction, meaning he’ll still be open to attacks from above, either side, or behind. Don’t get tunnel vision when you lay down the shield, because you’re still susceptible to attacks from all around. It helps if your squadmates watch in all directions to ensure your team remains safe while Newcastle’s shields are placed.
• Learn how to use Treat the Wounded: We advise against blindly charging over to a downed squadmate to revive them with the Treat the Wounded ability. Although you do have a shield when performing this move, it won’t make you invincible, so instead, try and utilize this skill close to other pieces of cover. It’ll do you no good to run out in the open and get taken out alongside your squadmate. Instead, assess the area, look for the nearest piece of cover, and evaluate if you think you can drag your teammate to safety before charging in.

Apex Legends Newcastle best team comps

While Newcastle performs well enough on his own, you’ll want to pair him with certain Legends to increase your chance of success. There are many viable team comps for Newcastle, but ultimately, you’ll want to pick a combination of Legends who play to each other’s strengths. For instance, the new Legend works well with Wraith, an agile character who specializes in mobility, offering a great counter to Newcastle’s slower defense skills.

Likewise, Bloodhound is highly effective alongside Newcastle, as they’re able to use their recon abilities to scan for nearby enemies. Bloodhound can then use this information to advise Newcastle where to place shields, allowing your team to be prepared ahead of a battle.

Newcastle will pair well with most Legends, and there are likely some effective strategies with certain team comps that will be discovered as Season 13 evolves.