Simple Newcastle buff could save his terrible pick rate in Apex Legends

Newcastle was introduced in Apex Legends Season 13 but players believe his movement isn’t up to par, and one fan has even drawn up a simple buff that could boost his pickrate.

Newcastle joined the Apex Games with a clear role as a bulwark for any squad that he plays with. Whether sending his shield to keep them covered on rotation or jumping to their aid when they get knocked, the big man is meant to bail people out of trouble.

While that might work out well sometimes, each ability he spends to help out his teammates leaves him vulnerable on his own.

However, if Newcastle were a little more shifty, there’s a chance he could stand on his own better and crack into the meta for the first time, and that’s what this fan concept buff aims to achieve.

One simple buff concept could make Newcastle more viable in Apex Legends

While the Heroic Defender already has some impressive movement thanks to his ultimate, that once-every-few-minutes utility isn’t enough to keep him safe when his tactical is on cooldown or currently being used to shield a teammate.

So to fix the elder Williams’ vulnerability issues, Reddit user DANNYonPC believes the answer could lie in boosting his sliding movement, making him harder to keep up with as he maneuvers around the battlefield and protects his teammates.

“New movement idea: 30% sliding speed [and] instead of sliding normally, he sits on his shield,” they said.

Idea for a Newcastle buff to improve his movement! from apexlegends

This would not only integrate the newcomer’s shield even further into his kit, but it would also give him a new level of freedom to take chances and make plays on his own without fear of getting picked off by a bloodthirsty opponent.

As a result, Newcastle players and their squadmates could open up their strategies a bit more and play with an aggressive mindset that is otherwise lacking when he’s a member of the squad.

Only time will tell what Respawn ultimately decides to do, but with another Legend on the way for Season 14, Bangalore’s big brother is in danger of being left behind if he stays in his current form.