The smelly boy of Apex Legends himself, Caustic, is one of the best defensive legends in the game. Whether you play him in ranked or casual play, Caustic can be a fine addition to any team.
The thing is though, no matter how good the legend itself is, sometimes you need some specific tips to play them at a new level. To play him more effectively, you need to know everything about this mad scientist.
Caustic is a controller legend, meaning he has access to terminals all across each Apex map that once scanned, reveal the location of the next ring. Though this isn't as useful as other passives in the game, it can be great for Caustic and his team as they probably want to set up as much as possible.
He also has access to the fortified passive, allowing him to take 15% less damage thanks to his massive hitbox. This is a little bonus so Caustic and other large framed legends don't just get destroyed from being slightly out of cover.
Next is Caustic’s main passive, Nox Vision. This ability allows him to be immune from his gasses, always a plus and gives him the ability to see enemies through them. This is very similar to a Bloodhound scan through a Bangalore smoke, but not as accurate. His enemies glow green and are highlighted when on the other side or inside of the gas.
His tactical plays off of this, allowing Caustic to throw down gas barrels. These barrels can be placed almost anywhere and set out gas when triggered. There are two ways to trigger them, one is to shoot the body of the barrel, and the other is for an enemy to walk nearby one of them.
These barrels are Caustics bread and butter, allowing him to hold down areas for a long amount of time, or take space away from a camping enemy.
Caustic’s Ultimate is a variation of his tactical, rather than placing barrels, Caustic can throw a gas canister. This can be thrown quite a distance and explodes on impact. Once set off. The grenade creates a massive area of his gas, slowing and damaging enemies similarly to his tactical.
This gas is quite a bit stronger though, and can be used in conjunction with his tactical and passive abilities.
Caustic is a great legend for holding down areas or taking some space in the end game but lacks in movement. Just as I'd recommend with any legend who doesn't have movement, it's best to pair this legend with someone like Octane or Pathfinder to get them from point A to B.
Now that you know how great Caustic is, let's discuss how to play him on another level.
How to Play Caustic Effectively:
15. Use Gas to deter enemies from engaging
Caustic is a defensive legend, and the best way to use his gas is to stop enemies from getting to you. Whether this is having traps down to stop a push, or throwing your ultimate onto an enemy squad about to push your building. Make sure to use your abilities defensively first, rather than looking to play aggressively.
14. Push into your gas if enemies get low
If you get someone caught in your gas and you manage to nearly kill them, push them as you will most likely get them. They are slowed and cannot sprint whilst also slowly taking damage, if they are already weak you should finish them off. Remember as well, you take less damage thanks to your passive, so pushing isn't the worst idea.
13. You can use the traps aggressively
Though Caustic is built around defence, he can also be used aggressively. You can throw your traps in buildings you are about to push to slow your enemies or force them to take a shot at them. Throwing your ultimate into a fight is perfect as well, as you will have the upper hand over your enemies thanks to your passive.
12. You have 6 traps
Remember, you have 6 traps to place down, so make the most out of them. Place them in the correct places and remember how many you have down. As Caustic, you want to play around all of your traps, and not hold any in reserves.
11. Place traps next to doors
One of the best ways to place your traps is to put them down next to doors. This means if an enemy walks through the door, it will be triggered. The enemy will either run through them and get slowed or be deterred altogether.
10. Block doors with traps
Another great way to use them is to block doors. If you place a trap slightly away from the middle of the door, enemies will be able to open them but not get through. As well as this, if you place it correctly, the trap will go off and hit the enemy.
9. Place traps where enemies are going to go
If you don't have access to doors, you should place your traps where enemies are going to go. Whether it's around corners, near trees or next to rocks. Wherever an enemy might path through, you should try and have a trap. Even if you can't act on the trap popping, you will know where the enemy is at least.
8. Utilise buildings as much as possible
If you can, you should be playing Caustic in or around buildings. You do not want to play in the open if you can help it, as being inside a building allows Caustic to use all of the previous tips. He is most effective inside, so make sure you prioritise it in both ranked and casual play.
7. Loadout Options
Just like any other Legend, I recommend using an assault rifle like the R-301 or even the Volt SMG for medium to long range, then having an R-99 or Peacekeeper for those close-range engagements. It's better to be prepared for every situation.
6. Choke points are key
If for whatever reason you are outside, make sure to use choke points to your advantage. Place traps around a choke where enemies are going to run through. Not only will this slow their movement through the choke, but it will also notify you of enemies approaching, it's a win-win.
5. Avoid open areas
Caustic does not do well in places he can't hide traps, this is why open areas are a no-go. You might need to move through open space to get to the ring or a better position but just try not to hold those areas as it most likely won't go well.
4. Positioning is key
Positioning should be your main priority in Apex anyways, but mainly as defensive legends like Caustic. Unlike movement legends or characters who can create cover, Caustic is pretty much screwed if he is caught off guard in a bad spot. You need to play around cover, choke points and buildings to play him effectively. If not, you are just going to get shot out and die instantly.
3. Revive in your ultimate
A great tactic in ranked games and normal play is to throw your ultimate down as cover to revive. If enemies don't have a scan or a digital threat, then they won't be able to see you. As well as this, they are deterred from pushing into the gas thanks to its damage, slowness and blindness effects. It's pretty safe and should be used if the situation calls for it.
2. Force rotations with your ultimate
Because of how strong his ultimate is and how far you can throw it, using it to force rotations is key to playing Caustic effectively. If an enemy has taken some space, such as a building, a choke or high ground, throw your ultimate at them to make them move.
Most enemies aren't going to just sit in the ultimate as they could die or get pushed. Most of the time, enemies will move out of their location to avoid the gas. Here you can either take their old position or kill the enemies. It's another win-win for Caustic.
1. Be patient
The final tip I have for you is to play patiently. Because of Caustics' abilities, passive and lack of movement, you need to play passively. Wait for enemies, bait them out and stay as patient as possible. Only push with your team or when people are caught off guard by your traps.
Enemies tend to panic in the gas, so use that against them. Being quiet, patient and just waiting for your enemies is the best tip to play Caustic as effectively as possible.
