Apex Cipher Patch Notes: Season 31 Weapons & Legends
Apex Legends Season 31 — Cipher — launched on 3 November 2026. The patch introduces Strongholds you capture for a team level-up, a Diamond+ Legend ban system, big Wingman and L-STAR nerfs, a Crypto rework and cooldown buffs for Lifeline and Revenant. Map rotation adds E-District Night to Pubs and Ranked.
Updated 12 Nov 2026 · Source: Apex Legends Cipher Patch Notes
Current patch
This page documents Apex Legends Season 31 — Cipher as published on 2 November 2026. Official notes: Apex Legends Cipher Patch Notes. When the next patch ships, this article will be updated or replaced.
Season 31 at a glance
- Launch: 3 November 2026.
- Theme systems: Strongholds (airdropped bunkers) grant a level-up when your team controls the surrounding zone.
- Wild Cards: granted at the start of Rounds 1, 2 and 3 via a HUD selection UI. Replicators removed from Wildcard.
- Weapon Playground: preview how a weapon looks with a specific optic equipped.
- Ranked UI: inventory tab, Lobby Tier and Squad Tier displays, RP in the kill feed.
Map rotation
| Mode | Maps |
|---|---|
| Pubs and Ranked | Storm Point, E-District Night, Broken Moon |
| Mixtape (3 Nov 2026 – 5 Jan 2027) | TDM: Thunderdome, Fragment, Skull Town. Control: Production Yard, Barometer, Thunderdome. Gun Run: Skull Town, Wattson Pylon, Monument. |
| Wildcard | 3–9 Nov 2026: District, Broken Moon. 1 Dec 2026 – 5 Jan 2027: Olympus, District, Broken Moon. |
Ranked changes
| Area | What changed |
|---|---|
| Legend Bans (Diamond+) | Each player requests one Legend. The system selects 2 Legends to ban, weighted by request share. If fewer than 4 unique Legends are requested, the system adds 1 request to each of the previous week’s most played Legends. |
| Challenger Match | Entry cost reduced by 30% when Squad Tier is 2+ tiers below Lobby Tier. |
| Goliath Match | Entry cost increased by 50% when Squad Tier is 2+ tiers above Lobby Tier. |
| Disconnects | If a teammate never connects, Squad Tier decreases by one full tier. |
| Ladder schedule | Ladder 1: 10–15 Nov 2026. Ladders 2–5 run through 13 Dec 2026. |
Weapon balance
| Weapon | Change |
|---|---|
| Akimbo Wingman | Base damage 50 → 45. Headshot multiplier 1.25x (56 head dmg). Ammo changed to Heavy. Magazine size doubled in Akimbo Mode. |
| Akimbo Mozambique (Care Package) | Pellet damage 17 → 18. Stockpile 80 (40 per gun); Wildcard 110 (55 per gun). Executioner Hop-Up heals 15 shields per second. |
| Hemlok Burst AR | Body 21, Headshot 29. |
| L-STAR EMG (floor loot) | Base damage 21 → 19. Shots-to-overheat 28 → 22. Base stockpile 168 → 88. Clip recharge 22s → 18s. |
| Rapid Sniper Stock [Corrupted] | Rate of fire multiplier 1.2x → 1.1x on G7 Scout, Longbow DMR, Triple Take. |
| Disruptor Rounds | Added to EVA-8 Auto (375 points to unlock). |
The Wingman loses its two-shot threat at range, and the L-STAR is now a proper mid-tier floor gun instead of the all-fight carry it used to be.
Legend changes
| Legend | Change |
|---|---|
| Crypto (rework) | Drone battery 25s; recall 6s. Marks last 8s; mark CD 4s. Got Eyes On You: enemies stay marked +4s. Charged Up: drone battery +10s. EMP full shield damage with LoS, 50 damage without. |
| Lifeline | Tactical cooldown 25s → 15s. Ultimate Cooldown upgrade now reduces 60s. |
| Revenant | Tactical 20s → 15s. Ultimate 180s → 150s. Ever Lasting adds 10s of Ult extension on knock. |
| Loba | Tactical 25s → 30s. Ultimate 120s → 150s. |
| Axle (1 Oct hotfix carried into Cipher) | Sliding lateral control −50% (−25% with Nitro Gate). Nitro Gate push speed 700 → 650. Max knock-up 700 → 650. Drone chase time 10 → 8s. |
If it does not help
- Ladder progress not counting: check your Lobby Tier vs Squad Tier — Challenger and Goliath entry cost differs when they are 2+ tiers apart.
- Legend ban queue stuck: lobby is below Diamond. The Legend ban system only activates at Diamond and above.
- Missing Wild Card: triggered only at the start of Rounds 1, 2 and 3. Mid-round joins don’t receive one.
- Season 31 content missing on launch: force-close the client and restart to pull the new config.
FAQ
When did Season 31 Cipher launch?
3 November 2026. The patch notes were published on 2 November 2026.
Is there a new Legend in Season 31?
No new Legend is listed in the Cipher patch notes. The season focuses on Strongholds, Wild Cards, ranked systems and the Crypto rework.
How do Diamond+ Legend bans work?
Each player requests one Legend. The system selects 2 Legends to ban, weighted by request share. If fewer than 4 unique Legends are requested, 1 request is added to each of the previous week’s most played Legends.
How big is the Wingman nerf?
Akimbo Wingman base damage drops from 50 to 45 (56 on head at 1.25x). It also moves to Heavy Ammo and the Akimbo Mode magazine size doubles — so it is more sustained but less burst.
What are Strongholds in Cipher?
Airdropped bunker structures captured by controlling the surrounding zone. The capturing team gets a level up. Combine them with Wild Cards for mid-game swing picks.
Why did the Challenger Match entry cost drop by 30%?
Ranked balance. When your Squad Tier sits 2+ tiers below the Lobby Tier, you pay 30% less to enter a Challenger Match. The Goliath Match adjustment mirrors this when you are 2+ tiers above the Lobby Tier — entry goes up 50%.
Related guides
