Spray and pray is the name of the game
Horizon has consistently been one of the strongest and most popular characters in Apex Legends. While that is unlikely to change anytime soon, a new nerf for Horizon has brought her down back to earth with the other legends in the roster. It affects the Gravity Lift tactical ability, making gunfights while hovering an immense challenge.
Respawn secretly nerfed Horizon in Season 15
The most bizarre part of the Horizon nerf in Apex Legends Season 15 is that developer, Respawn Entertainment, didn’t reveal it beforehand. Generally in patch notes for new seasons, nerfs and buffs for legends are announced there.
However, this wasn’t the case for Horizon in Season 15. Instead, it wasn’t fully revealed until YouTubers like Dazs showed off the nerf in action. In a short clip, players can see that Horizon’s tactical ability, Gravity Lift, now works a bit differently than before.
The YouTuber is seen using Gravity Lift, launching into the air, and failing to land most shots. This is contrary to how Gravity Lift previously worked, nearly eliminating its most useful function.
In terms of its utility and cooldown, it is all the same, so nothing to worry about there. When Horizon uses her tactical, it creates a Gravity Lift in the spot she places it.
Many players use this skill directly under their feet to launch themselves into the air, making themselves harder to hit by foes in the process. Conversely, Gravity Lift allows them to get a wide view of the surrounding area and pick off enemies from above.
This last part is where the nerf comes into play. When players are hovering in the air using Gravity Lift, their accuracy with weapons are now severely disadvantaged. There is a massive amount of spray that happens from now on while firing. Your weapons are far less accurate than they would be from the same exact range on the ground.
Apex Legends community positively receives this change
It seems this is a way to nerf the main use that Horizon’s Gravity Lift has had in the past to balance her better with the other legends. This will likely significant change how players use her in combat since there is a “spray and pray” element to firing while using the Gravity Lift ability now.
In general, it seems most of the community, outside of some Horizon mains, are happy about this change. Dazs noted in the gameplay clip that it is a “healthy” change that should address much of the concerns from players regarding the legend.
Similarly, Apex Legends Sentinels’ coach, Teq, noted that it finally puts Horizon more in line with other “lift” legends like Pathfinder.
I could see Gravity Lift’s use change in the future where more players use the tactical on enemies to mess up their accuracy and put them in a temporarily vulnerable situation where their guns are inaccurate.
The general reception behind this change seems to be positive, if comments on the YouTube video are anything to go. Horizon has long needed a change, in some players’ eyes, due to her high pick and win rate in matches. This nerf seems to be an attempt from Respawn to reel in her overwhelming success.
This change doesn’t affect Apex Legends Mobile, where Horizon still isn’t available as a playable character.
