Apex Legends: What We Know About Ballistic, Season 17's New Legend

Season 17 of "Apex Legends" is on the way, and it's introducing a new Legend into the mix. August Montgomery Brinkman, better known as Ballistic, will be joining the action and looking to shake things up. After the current Season arrived without bringing a new legend, fans will likely be eager to try out Ballistic and see what he has to offer to the meta. Fortunately, while the new season won't launch until May 9, official announcements from Respawn and recent leaks have offered players a glimpse of what to expect.

Ballistic will be a new addition to the Assault class and bring a mix of offensive and defensive abilities into battle. He also has an interesting backstory that features a fall from grace, a drive for redemption, and plenty of family drama. We won't know until Season 17 launches just how good he'll be in gameplay, or where he'll land in the Legends rankings, but he should, at least, be worth checking out when he arrives. 

According to a new trailer and info on the "Apex Legends" website, Ballistic is a veteran of the forerunner to the Apex Games, the Thunderdome Games. As a young man, August Montgomery Brinkman channeled his anger at his parents' death and his enormous inherited wealth into a career as a Thunderdome competitor. Taking the name Ballistic, he won fame and adoration for his skill until his showboating got a teammate killed.

Wracked with guilt, Ballistic withdrew from the public eye and became estranged from his wife and son. Growing older alone in his mansion, he sought to avoid the public eye and be forgotten by the world. When he learned that his son was following in his footsteps and joining the Apex Games, however, he decided it was time to make his return.

With a mix of bargaining and violence, Ballistic convinced the Syndicate to take him as a competitor and keep his son out. Now he's bound to honor his side of the agreement and fight against the other Apex Legends to ensure his son doesn't make the same mistakes he did in his youth.

Respawn hasn't made any official announcement regarding Ballistic's abilities yet, only confirming he is in the Assault class. However, recent leaks on Reddit, if accurate, reveal the abilities that he'll be bringing into the Apex Games.

For a Passive Ability, Ballistic will have Weapon Sling, which allows him to carry a third weapon. While this bonus weapon can't have any attachments, it should allow for a greater variety in combat and more adaptability to different circumstances.

For a Tactical Ability, Ballistic seems to adopt the policy that the best defense is a good offense. Smart Bullet, when it hits an enemy, will cause their gun to overheat when they fire it, eventually damaging them. This will force opponents to choose between letting their target get away or hurting themselves to take a shot. Even better, holding the Tactical button will cause the Smart Bullet to lock onto its target.

Finally, Ballistic provides some team support with his Ultimate Ability. Weapon Enhancer will buff nearby allies, giving them unlimited ammo, faster reloads, and quicker movement. On top of this, it will cause Ballistic to equip his third, Weapon Sling weapon, and it will be turned gold for some extra style.

With this batch of abilities, Ballistic has the opportunity to make a solid combatant, leading a team from the front as he debuffs foes and supports his teammates.