Caustic mains have been calling for buffs to the mad scientist, and Apex Legends‘ next season will have them in droves. The controller’s famous Nox Gas will become even more lethal next week, and Bangalore may rise as a new potential counter.
Starting with season 26, Caustic is getting a suite of changes to his deadly toxin, making it even more dangerous. “Recklessly pushing into an area Caustic controls will be a death sentence,” legend designer Brian Berryhill said at a press event ahead of the season, “so respect the gas, or else.”
With the new season, Caustic’s Nox Gas will deal more damage, immediately cap your speed, and strip their movement ability cooldown. The mad scientist is a direct response to Ash’s mobile hit-and-run playstyle. “If you manage to gas Ash first, she’ll have to fight it out,” Berryhill said.
Bangalore is getting new legend upgrades to rein in Caustic’s possible dominance. The left side of her tree makes her a “specialist that can clear the field,” according to Berryhill. The soldier can electrify her abilities, launching an EMP on hit. This won’t slow players down, but it will destroy any deployables within range. The right side focuses on her support capacities, especially with her smoke grenades.
These two major buffs also come with big reworks to smoke and gas particles. Both will be affected by enemy ordnance and legend abilities, allowing you to fully dissipate the effects for a short time. Throwing a grenade or an Arc Star, for instance, can give you enough visibility to put more pressure on a team when they’re laying low in the fog.
The Caustic buff is compounded by a blanket buff to all Controller legends. Ring consoles can spawn an “extra tall evac” after scanning survey data, and Zone Overcharge will “continuously recharge shields while you’re in the zone,” Berryhill said.
Players can see how the new changes shake out once season 26, Showdown, launches on Aug. 5.
Published: Jul 30, 2025 10:06 am