Pathfinder dethrones Wraith as most popular Apex Legends character after buff

Following a recent character buff, Pathfinder has finally overthrown Wraith as the most popular Apex Legends hero.

Pick rate data has often shown that Wraith counts as the most-played Apex Legends character. Earlier this year, the Skirmisher slipped out of the top spot but quickly regained footing following the launch of Season 16. The change placed Pathfinder in second place, with Octane dropping down to third.

This isn’t an uncommon occurrence, of course. Pick rates change quite regularly throughout each season, as Respawn deploys buffs and nerfs to various characters.

Since the Apex Legends Status site that charts such information collects data from 17-plus million users, the database doesn’t offer a complete picture of the player base. However, it provides a large enough sample to track general in-game trends. The latest trend is moving in Pathfinder’s favor.

Pathfinder is now Apex Legends’ most popular character

Based on the Apex Legends Status database, Pathfinder has officially dethroned Wraith in terms of pick rates.

Pathfinder has a pick rate of 12.1 percent at the time of writing; meanwhile, Wraith is tied with Octane at 10.5 percent. Bangalore and Bloodhound round out the top five with pick rates of 7.9 and 6.9 percent, respectively.

Notably, Pathfinder’s climb to the number one spot can likely be attributed to substantial buffs in Season 16. For example, the Legend’s zipline now enjoys greater range and speed, once more securing Pathfinder’s place as the most impressive mobility character.

Because of the nature of Apex Legends, Pathfinder as the game’s most popular hero could change at any given moment. For now, though, the optimistic robot gets to enjoy the crown previously worn by Wraith.

It’ll be interesting to see how long such a status quo lasts, especially since Wraith and Octane sit so close in the race between Apex’s second and third most-picked heroes.