Hey guys! Today I'm going to talk about Gibraltar who has been with us since the launch and has gone through numerous buffs in order to offset his thiccness in a shooter game.

I'm an Apex Predator player and Gibby was one of my favorites since the launch of the game, however, I needed to wait a while for him to become truly viable, now that he is, I will share my knowledge with you.

Let's start with an overview.

Gibraltar Overview and Abilities

Gibraltar is a "tank" that seemingly moves very slow, but rest assured he runs as fast as every other legend. Due to him being a thiccboi he was given a Fortification buff that ensures he receives 15% less damage from all enemy damage and is not slowed by enemy bullets unlike other unfortified legends.

Gibraltar is personally one of my highest win rate legends, because of his ability to succeed in late-game fights. Here is a further breakdown of Gibraltar’s abilities.

Passive Ability: Gun Shield

The Gun Shield blocks half bullet damage (up to 50 health) when deployed. This gun shield is automatically deployed when scoping in and aiming. This shield can be toggled, however, outside of trying to stick out less there is not much use for this. Once the shield is broken, it takes 9 seconds for it to regenerate.

  • Unlike other Legends where it may be optimal to hip fire/strafe, the game is changed with Gibraltar. Despite your large hitbox size and minimal mobility, if you land your bullets you will likely outgun an enemy because of the damage mitigation of the Gun Shield and the 15% overall mitigation. Don’t get too overzealous, if your enemy has a high DPS gun he will still kill you as most bullets will land.

  • Crouching will make the shield cover more of your body, however, this is not always a good idea since you want to be moving during a gunfight (A-D strafe)

  • As your best bet is to stay scoped in you should look for cover to stay behind. If possible find an area where only a small part of your body/head is sticking out. This area is known as a head glitch. Head Glitching can be very effective as it cuts down on the size of your hitbox the enemy can shoot, evening out your odds of winning a gunfight.

Tactical Ability: Dome of Protection

This ability allows Gibraltar to throw down a shield that will block all incoming AND OUTGOING attacks for 12 seconds.
  • Gibby resurrects teammates faster inside the dome which makes Gibby the guy who will often resurrect fallen teammates unless there's a Lifeline.

  • The shield is a true dome so be careful the shield is not sticking out as you can be shot from underneath. If you place the shield on uneven ground it is possible to shoot/be shot through the bottom of the shield. Use this to your advantage as many enemies will not realize this.

  • One great way to escape with Gibraltar is to use your dome. If you want to run from a fight, it is recommended to place down your dome and keep running. Even though you are outside of the shield, the enemies will not be able to get bullets through the dome. This gives you plenty of time to get to cover and heal up, or avoid the fight completely.

  • You can also throw down the dome while being chased and run in a different direction behind a corner, bamboozling the enemies at least for a split second which just might be enough.

  • Be careful not to panic shield. When getting shot at, it takes about a second and a half to actually deploy from the time you hit your ability button. At this time a smart thing to do would be to turn around and look down or strafe to avoid bullets/headshot damage. Particularly if you have weak body armor, this could be the difference between life and death.

  • Punching enemies is a fairly effective strategy if a fight occurs inside the shield. As no one can shoot through the shield itself, punching an enemy will knock them back out of the dome. This will create the necessary space to get the enemy out of the shield. It is also a guaranteed hit. I would recommend hip firing and punching to get maximum damage/efficiency. This way if your enemy moves back into the shield before being punched the bullets will hit him as well.

  • You can effectively use the Dome Shield by placing it over a Wraith portal. This will allow teammates to teleport safely, especially if they're downed.

  • If you have an Octane on your squad, encourage him to use his launch pad ability inside the shield if stuck in a sticky situation. This can allow teammates to safely exit the area as the shield is about to go away.

  • Practice dome-dancing, which is moving in and out of the dome to prevent enemies from shooting at you, they will try to mimic your movement or outsmart you but if you've played more Gibby than them, you will be a better dancer and prevail.

  • apex legends gibraltar trailer

    Ultimate Ability: Defensive Bombardment

    With the Defensive Bombardment, Gibraltar throws down a mortar strike on your target dealing 40 damage per mortar hit. This ability is similar to the ultimate ability of Bangalore, however, it covers a shorter range. It also takes effect much quicker and deals more damage. Be sure to get out of the way as this strike will damage yourself as well!

    • You can use this ability as an area clearer. This can be particularly effective to get enemies to run away from a vantage point, cover, or high ground. and shoot them while running.

    • Although the strike will damage yourself, it will not damage teammates. It will slightly stun them if they are inside the strike, however, it will not deal damage to your teammates.

    • The strike will not enter any buildings, ceilings, or structural roofs. However, it's a good strategy to enter the building such as Market in Kings Canyon or various buildings in World's Edge as soon as you throw the ultimate on the roof, forcing enemies to drop down to security while you wait for them to wipe them out.

    • Like Caustic’s Nox Grenade, Gibraltar has a long cooldown time on his ultimate. Be sure to use it efficiently. Ultimate accelerants will also be very beneficial to pick up here.

    • Perhaps Gibraltar’s most useful attribute is his ability to cover nearly the whole area with his ultimate in the late-round circles. If given the opportunity, play slow and wait for the small circle and set off the airstrike. This will give your squad a great chance to win.

    Weapon Loadout

    Gibby will benefit the most from having a mid-range weapon and a short-range weapon for punishing enemies. This means, a Wingman + Peacekeeper, Wingman + R-99, Flatline + Peacekeeper, Flatline + R-99. The combinations are endless depending on the current meta.

    Read more: Apex Legends Best Weapons Tier List

    Gibraltar Gameplay Strategy

    Gibraltar requires a very unique playstyle. His hitbox is very large, so it is imperative that you use your surroundings in order to play smart. Let’s take a few simple scenarios: A Lifeline is Spotted out in the open what do you do?

    Your first “smart” option as Gibraltar would be to check your surroundings. Where is the nearest cover? If you have some cover where you can hide behind, call her out and when your team is ready to start shooting. This play gives you a favorable gunfight as you have cover to take and your team will be around you. If you start to lose health quickly, you can easily duck behind the cover and wait for your teammates to clean up as you heal.

    You quickly notice there is no cover, now what? As a Gibraltar, you have the luxury of making your own cover with the dome shield. This allows you to take as much damage as you’d like before backing inside the shield to heal up or run away. This is another safe play that will allow your teammates to take out a squad safely, while effectively using the shield where your team will benefit from created cover.

    The Lifeline with her team spots you, and your team is too far behind to give support, now what?

    Ahh, my personal favorite. The “Oh (insert appropriate expletive here)” moment. I’m playing Gibraltar and there’s a whole squad on me. First, try to get the shield down and run straight back. This should give you some time to escape.

    If that is not enough, you have to rely on your ultimate ability. Throw the marker down just past your feet. This will serve as a distraction allowing you to get to safety. If you throw the airstrike at the enemies, they will likely chase you and find themselves away from the airstrike and in a position to damage you. Throwing the airstrike at your feet prevents the enemy squad from chasing you. Don’t worry, you’ll have enough time to get out of the way.

    A similar scenario seems to happen nearly every game. The key to success is having the discipline to know that your very overweight self will not be able to avoid the bullets of nearly any capable enemy. This is perfectly fine, as long as you compensate for this by utilizing the above strategies.

    apex legends gibraltar angry

    Major Takeaways

    It can be extremely frustrating to play as Gibraltar. Always keep the basics in mind.

    • Although it may not seem like it, you are actually the same speed as every other Legend outside of using your abilities.

    • You will mitigate 15% damage dealt to make up for your very large hitbox.

    • Get used to a slow, methodical, playstyle. Movements should be tactical at all times, and you should be wary of where your teammates are.

    • You are more than likely not going to win straight on gunfights, so do the little things that would allow you an advantage in gunfights, like hiding behind cover.

    • Stay scoped in during the gunfight. Your Gun Shield will allow you to absorb a lot of damage which can be a huge savior.

    • Be sure to carry an optimal loadout when creating your own Dome Shield cover! as both enemies and teammates can benefit from this, it is important that you carry a loadout that enables a high success rate for gunfights in the shield. Don’t be afraid to add punch as well. This will give you enough space to work with.

    • Maintain discipline! As bad as you might want to engage in gunfights, wait for the opportune time where you have the advantage.

    • Keep this article in the back of your head while you are trying to hold in the screams of playing Gibraltar. I guarantee you, success IS possible when playing him in the correct way. If you want to succeed with him, it will likely take you altering your personal playstyle.

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