by Apex Legend has quite a few characters with scanning abilities, but none have a cool drone like Crypto. This aerial sweeping expert can be a useful addition to teams when played correctly. In the following guide, we detail all of Crypto’s unique abilities and how to best use them to counter other characters or shore up holes in your own team’s defenses.
Scan them all with your abilities
Crypto’s role on the battlefield is similar to that of Bloodhound: tracking down and identifying enemies. However, unlike Bloodhound, who is an aggressive tracker who seeks out teams to kill, Crypto places less emphasis on being on the front lines, as he is better placed to find enemies while remaining hidden.
Crypto’s tactical ability is surveillance drone, which sends out a drone that has a variety of uses. When manually controlled, he can open and close doors, open loot bins, and retrieve respawn beacons from a fallen teammate. You can even point the drone camera at any of the Champion Squad banners throughout the arena and it will show you how many squads are in your immediate vicinity.
Although you can tag enemies with your drone, tag them with Crypto’s passive ability Neurolink is what best helps your team. This highlights the enemy for your entire team, allowing allies to see targets through walls or smoke.
Crypto’s ultimate ability is EMP Drone, which deals 50 shield damage – outright destroying the white body armor – and slows all enemies with an effect similar to Wattson’s perimeter security fencing. Unfortunately, Crypto is affected by his own ultimate ability, so make sure you’re not in the blast zone when activating the EMP Drone.
You’re rarely the leader of the group
Crypto rarely excels at leading his team’s offense. If you want to play as Crypto, you’ll usually fill a support role, helping your teammates increase their kill count. Unlike most other Legends, Crypto does not possess an ability that allows him to easily escape a fight. As such, you should ensure that firefights are already stacked in your team’s favor before committing. Once you emerge from hiding and join the fray, you need to engage.
Although his abilities suggest a long-range approach, Crypto is actually at his best in mid-range combat. Equipping a mid-range scope on the G7-Scout, R-301, or Rampage gives Crypto the ability to deal damage quickly from a slight distance. When a battle starts, the best thing is to find cover and send your drone skyward. Be careful, as Crypto cannot move while manually piloting the drone.