Apex Legends map: Loot tiers and tips for every location

Apex Legends' map doesn't work like other battle royale games. Each location has a set loot tier, meaning it is more likely to produce high-tier, mid-tier, or low-tier loot in floor drops and in chests. While everyone has their favorite drop locations in Apex Legends, mastering the map depends more on securing and area with great loot and little competition. 

Read on below for our Apex Legends loot map breakdown, which includes what you need to know about the loot tiers for every area in Apex Legends' map. 

Apex Legends map and loot tiers

We don’t yet know the specifics of how Apex's loot randomization works, but here's the important bit. Each zone has a differently weighted chance for the loot tiers in every game. Most of the time you drop into Airbase, for example, you can expect loot to high-tier, but there will be outliers.

Head to Apexmap.io for the probability of each zone being a particular tier (you can even contribute data to help track the different probabilities). 

—High-tier loot zones—

The best loot zones tend to run the perimeter of the map, perhaps to compensate for the fact that they're more remote.

Artillery (High Tier) 

Artillery is one of the most plentiful zones on the Apex Legends map, with six large buildings, three small buildings (two rooftops, and one out the southern exit) in addition to a number of supply crate locations. Fights in Artillery are usually brutal close- to mid-range affairs, with valuable high ground on top of both buildings and the zipline-connected balcony of the northern bunker.

Pros:

• There’s enough loot to have a shot at equipping your entire squad.
• Six supply bins when exiting west (through Artillery Tunnels) and plenty to the south (the grassy fields leading to The Farm).
• Respawn beacon in Artillery makes recovering from near-losses easier.

Cons:

• Often a long sprint to keep up with the ring.
• High cliffs surrounding the base and the remote location can make a clean entry difficult when the dropship is far.

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Relay (High Tier) 

Another fairly remote choice, Relay is perched in the northeastern edge of Kings Canyon and marked by a large sunken concrete area with supply bins, a massive satellite dish, and 8 buildings surrounding a waterfall. If you’re forced into a fight in the area, be cautious about sliding off surfaces or ziplines as your momentum can easily carry you into the abyss.

Pros:

• Directly adjacent to Wetlands for an easy rotation to/from.
• Pretty large quantity of loot, enough to equip your entire squad.
• Often ignored, you’ll probably be unchallenged as Swamps seems to be the more attractive drop location for most players even if the dropship runs in the area.
• Respawn beacon nearby (on top of the waterfall, partially sheltered from low ground)

Cons:

• Located in a corner of the map, it’ll frequently be the first hit by the advancing ring, so you’ll need to loot quickly.
• If Swamps was accessible from the dropship, be extra careful when exiting. You’ll often run right into people rotating to Wetlands towards Relay.
• The jump balloon present in the area isn’t the most useful given its positioning.

Swamps (High Tier) 

A huge and far-flung lowland on the eastern edge of the map, Swamps represents the single largest area in terms of total volume of loot. However, this comes at the cost of the time it takes to blitz the area, and the risk of having to climb to higher ground to get out.

Pros:

• Three good rotation options available (northwest towards Wetlands, west through Hydro towards Bridges, and southwest towards Repulsor).
• Such a large variety of loot you can usually not only get your squad fully equipped, but often find your favorite gun.
• Ziplines help with moving around the area faster.
• Respawn beacon located in the southern part of Swamps, adjacent to a jump balloon.

Cons:

• Being on the edge of the map and taking a long time to loot isn’t the best combination. Expect to often be running with or after the ring.
• Very popular.
• Leaving can put you in a disadvantaged fight against other squads on higher ground.

Repulsor (High Tier) 

This large military complex on the southeastern edge is linked by two massive bridges to Hydro Dam, and has a fairly concentrated jumble of small buildings, three trapezoidal bunkers, and a pair of massive buildings linked by underground service tunnels. Get ready for deadly fistfights in tight quarters inside the massive tank storage buildings or their tunnels.

Pros:

• Compact, with two large structures.
• Should be easily enough to equip an entire squad.
• Great rotations are available, being next to Watchtower South and River’s End.
• A respawn beacon is nearby.

Cons:

• A very popular dropsite.
• Early fights will often attract anyone who dropped on Hydro Dam. 

Water Treatment (High Tier) 

A cluster of walkway-connected industrial buildings and a few exterior storage bins make up the small lootable area at the center of Water Treatment. The outlying treatment vats have little to nothing of value and don't offer much cover, so be aware when moving through them.

Pros:

• Water Treatment is tightly grouped. The buildings are so close together that your squad can quickly grab everything of value and move out.
• The balloon placement around the back is very convenient when you’re done looting, and redeploying skillfully can take you straight to several great spots. We recommend the zipline just barely into River’s End that will take you straight into Watchtower South.

Cons:

• The quality of loot is high, but because quantity is low, you’ll sometimes find a bounty of attachments you don’t need.
• Bad rotation options. The best bet is probably towards Watchtower South and River’s End/Repulsor if you’re prepared for a possible fight. You can also make the balloon jump & run to Skull Town if you’re comfortable in one of the most contested zones.

Thunderdome (High Tier) 

An open sandy bowl, the Thunderdome has three large multi-level ‘cage’ structures with some sparse loot at ground level, one larger multi-level ‘cage’ that hangs from the rocks above accessible from ziplines, and a few smaller platforms on the northeast side. Firefights here tend to be brawls in the center, ducking between the rows and piles of stones, but there are also long sightlines across the area, so be aware of the nearest cover.

Pros:

• Lots of choices for movement. West and South Settlement are both decent ‘safe’ choices since they’re rarely dropped on, or you can attempt to fall into the usual brawl at Skull Town with a leg up in guns & gear.
• A respawn beacon is present right in Thunderdome for a quick recovery after any initial losses.

Cons:

• The loot here isn’t always going to outfit you. You’re almost certainly going to need to hit another place or two—or win some fights—to be properly outfitted.
• Popular.
• Layout and quantity of buildings makes it very difficult to reach and protect squadmates who are separated from you.

Airbase (High Tier) 

With two large runways jutting out into open air and a massive perimeter wall, airbase is a unique location. The zipline between the two runways is a deathtrap if enemies notice you on it, so be cautious about using it. Loot is spread out between jumbles of supply bins, the interior of two aircraft, and a few small buildings, and takes awhile to gather up unless your squad is very organized and communicates well.

Pros:

• Good amount of loot, although it's fairly spread out.
• Another high-tier loot location with a respawn beacon, which is especially important because Airbase tends to get more than average numbers of people dropping.
• Rotations are pretty good. Runoff is a staircase away to the north, and the zipline on the southern exit leads right to West Settlement. Just be cautious with the zipline as it goes over a chasm.

Cons:

• Not a great place to be when someone gets high ground on you, and nearly all the walls and entrances will give squads who approach this advantage.
• Long sightlines across the two runways can be frustrating to deal with if your drop is contested—hoping to find the appropriate gun/scope isn’t the best feeling.

Runoff (High Tier) 

With its string of connected industrial buildings, Runoff has well-concentrated loot. There are a couple of supply bins outside, and most people often forget that the unnamed complex to the west is part of the same loot zone—don’t forget to check it. 

Another good tip, especially if you’re dropping hot, is to remember that the two small buildings up on the wall (east central and southeast) are almost guaranteed to have guns in them. They won’t have much else, but this can get you that all-important early firepower.

Pros:

• You’ll usually leave Runoff with your squad geared up.
• Airbase, The Pit, or if you’re fast enough, Slum Lake, are all adjacent and good choices. Pick one and continue to polish your loot quality or chase gunfire.

Cons:

• Runoff is a popular dropsite. Focus on getting that early gun if you drop into a scrum.
• Bad respawn beacons. The western one is closer to the edge of the map, and the one to the east is incredibly exposed to long range fire/spotting. 

Bunker (High Tier) 
Bunker is a cramped and deadly dropsite. There are three supply bins on the west side, two on the east side. On the inside is a long staircase going down to the east. At the bottom on the east side are three small rooms with loot. At the top of the stairs on the west side are two long rooms with loot. Fights here are brutal, awkward, and often devolve into punching and logjams around doors.

Pros:

• Looting bunker usually takes less than a minute if you’re unopposed.
• Caustic shines in Bunker at all stages of the game, and can really control this space well if you want to play him here and try to win a brawl.
• Can be a good spot to drop if you’re looking to improve your aim and reactions since you’re usually guaranteed a fight.

Cons:

• Bunker may be the single most popular dropsite in Apex (competing with Skull Town and the Supply Ship). 
• Closest respawn beacon is pretty exposed, out near High Desert to the southwest.
• Often not enough loot to equip a squad.
• The only close rotation spot is Cascades, which isn’t a bad choice, but can be rough if it’s immediately contested and your squad is still missing guns or toting the dreaded Mozambique.

The Pit (High Tier) 

Wrapped in towers of rock, this secluded spot seems attractive, but The Pit is a trap you should be careful not to dwell too long in. With three entrances and almost no cover, it’s best to grab and go. Sparse loot is scattered on the ground and in a trio of supply bins. Keep your ears open for a loot tick, which is sometimes stuck to the upper part of the wall.

Pros:

• Pit seems to nearly always have a tier 3 (purple) armor in the center (though occasionally we’ve been bamboozled by a Phoenix Kit).
• Takes less than 30 seconds to loot completely.
• If you’re confident, it can be a decent choice to split one person off to drop Pit when the other two are hitting Runoff or Slum Lakes.

Cons:

• Very little loot. Your squad won’t leave geared up for a fight.
• Your best rotation spot is either Slum Lakes or Runoff. Given the popularity of Runoff, it’s likely you’ll be late to a fight you’re unequipped for.
• With little cover and three entry points, getting caught in here can be a rough fight.

Supply Ship (High Tier) 

Slowly and noisily floating over the map, the Supply Ship is a three-deck flying trap. You’ll often find one landing near you in the late game only to discover it’s basically a car up on blocks, already stripped bare earlier in the round. You’ll find caches of loot that usually include guns and the highest tier at the bow and stern of the topmost deck, and several caches more in the lowest (interior) deck that sometimes include higher tier loot and always have guns. Fights here will be determined by who gets punched off the ship and/or who gets a gun first.

Pros:

• You can sometimes recover from losing the early fight by simply crawling off the side of the Supply ship and waiting for an ally.
• Very quick to loot completely.

Cons:

• Heavily contested. Competes for most popular dropsite with Bunker and Skull Town.
• Who's driving this thing? Where you’ll be when you’re done looting is a roll of the dice.
• Not enough loot to fully gear a squad.
• Can be difficult to land on, and if you miss the ship, you may be off to a rough start in the middle of nowhere.

Watchtower North (High Tier) 

A huge military monolith dominating the view of the river valley around it, including a perfect vantage point over Cascades. Loot is spread inside the bunker (don’t forget it has ladder access to the roof—useful for a flank or escape), and between a few supply bins and a pair of small buildings.

Pros:

• A zipline runs from the roof to the west side of Cascades, giving you the option to quickly close with other squads below.
• Connected to Artillery by Artillery Underpass, which can be a great way to quickly gear and then pick a fight with squads who dropped in Artillery.
• This elevated overlook provides excellent visibility for plotting your next move.

Cons:

• Modest quantity of gear. You won’t always leave with your squad fully geared. 
• While there is a zipline that gets you near it, the closest respawn beacon requires you to commit to moving to Cascades.

Watchtower South (High Tier) 

With the same prominent bunker and setup as its twin to the north, Watchtower South unfortunately doesn’t see as much traffic, so its vantage point isn’t quite as useful. Watchtower South is also missing one of the two buildings present at its counterpart.

Pros:

• Direct zipline access to the northeast edge of Water Treatment (one of the longest ziplines in Kings Canyon).
• Adjacency to Repulsor and River’s End means plenty of options for rotation.
• Great vantage point to check adjacent areas before moving.

Cons:

• Won’t always fully gear your squad. Gun choices will probably still be limited. Supply bins are a bit of a crapshoot.
• Expect contact when you start to move. River’s End, Repulsor, and Bridges are all usually pretty busy.

 

—Mid-tier loot zones—

Stick near the center of the map and you'll probably hit a mid-tier zone.  

Skull Town (Mid Tier)

Skull Town is the biggest shantytown in Kings Canyon, and often the busiest dropsite. There are close to two dozen buildings, most multi-room, in addition to fences, tarp-covered pens, and three rooftop spots to loot. If you’re dropping on Skull Town, your best bet is to make for the rooftops where there’s generally a guaranteed gun and a little more freedom of movement. 

Tips:

• Be prepared to brawl most of the time when dropping on Skull Town. And be aware that if people are dropping on Skull Town, they’re likely also dropping on nearby places. Often, you’ll finish your second or third fight in Skull Town and be set upon by a squad fresh from looting Thunderdome or somewhere else nearby.
• Know when it’s time to get out. Pull indoors after winning a fight, heal up, and loot as fast as you can so you can make tracks.
• Skull Town is an excellent spot to drop if you’re wanting to work on your early shooting and brawling skills (or just want a quick and dirty fight).

West Settlement (Mid Tier) 

A series of small buildings, a medium bi-level, and a single large one with a staircase to the rooftop make up the West Settlement. A zipline leads to Artillery, and there’s a convenient balloon if you want to try to redeploy on Skull Town.

Tips:

• Be careful using the zipline to/from Artillery—it’s over a chasm, and is fairly level, so it’s easy to get caught on it in a no-win scenario.

The rooftop of the large building can be the best first-loot in a drop as it usually has at least one gun, and is easy to land on. It’s also got good sightlines towards both Skull Town and Thunderdome.

South Settlement (Mid Tier) 

A pair of rooftops over a large garage, South Settlement isn’t big, which makes it fairly quick to loot. This should be your first destination after Thunderdome if you aren’t rushing for an immediate fight—it’s often overlooked, but can really fill out the rest of your squad’s kit.

Tips:

• Don’t forget to check the rooftop, or to drop there first if you’re dropping on South Settlement—usually there’s at least one gun up there, and sometimes a full kit with shields. 

Slum Lakes (Mid Tier) 

A sprawling collection of ramshackle slum-type buildings, Slum Lake is bisected by a bunch of pipes over a long trough. The eastern end has a few buildings on higher ground worth checking as well.

Tips:

• With Slum Lakes being a series of samey buildings, you can lose your sense of direction easily, and your sightlines are limited. Try to maintain an easy path to your teammates as you scrape this zone.
• Loot as quickly as you can—Slum Lakes is in the Northwest corner, and often will quickly be overtaken by a far ring.
• While Runoff and Pit are both good choices to check next, don’t overlook the under-cliff houses strung to the north/northeast, which can fill out the rest of your kit while you transition to Cascades and Watchtower North.

Wetlands (Mid Tier) 

Wetlands is about a dozen buildings, a collection of low ground and high ground with some ziplines. The tiny passage towards the fields south of Artillery is an easily defended choke point, and it’s important to note the commanding sightlines you get from the southwestern tip of Wetlands towards Shattered Forest and The Farm, be wary of approaching Wetlands from these directions if you know people dropped there. 

Tips:

• Rotating north towards Relay can be dangerous if you know people dropped there—you’ll be going uphill without much cover.
• Several rooftops are accessible without Pathfinder—this can be a big advantage in sightlines and midrange fights.

Bridges (Mid Tier) 

True to its name, Bridges straddles the lagoon area with a pair of spans, and also has two larger buildings and four smaller ones, plus a two-level ‘overhang’ building on the ridge above. 

Tips:

• The respawn beacon north of the overhang building may be the most dangerous in all of Kings Canyon, with no less than six points where players can emerge from other parts of the map and have an angle on both respawner and respawnee. Like Pit, it's not a position you want to occupy for longer than you have to.
• Going up the zipline to the overhang to attack enemies aware of you can be suicide—looking down the zipline on an enemy coming up makes for easy headshots.

The Farm (Mid Tier) 

There’s not a ton at The Farm, but don’t neglect the underground area, which usually has a small amount of loot and a couple of guns.

Tips:

• Note that you can get a sightline from inside the circular underground chamber all the way up to the crest of the hill towards Cascades. This can be a good place to ambush from or watch an angle.
• The Farm is a convergence point for a whole bunch of routes to and from. Be aware that if you linger there, you’re likely to encounter another squad pretty quickly (and then probably draw in more with your firefight).

River’s End (Mid Tier) 

River’s End is a long sprawl along the river, stretching all the way down to the northeast side of Water Treatment and made up of about a dozen buildings. The eastern bank climbs sharply to tiered cliffs, including a respawn beacon tucked away in the mountains.

Tips:

• Be careful getting caught in the lagoon. Anyone above will have an easy bead on you, and water cancels your momentum when sliding.
• Don’t neglect the northern overhang. The two buildings here are easy to defend and provide good sightlines.

 

 

—Low-tier loot zones—

These aren’t places you want to prioritize when landing, but they might make good defensive positions later in a match.  

Hydro Dam (Low Tier) 

Hydro Dam has a few supply bins, and four symmetrical buildings. The variety of pipes and structures can make you feel secure in cover, but don’t underestimate the long sightlines from the south. Repulsor is higher up than Hydro Dam, and the bridges (or tops of the walls) give excellent firing lanes.

Tips:

• It’s best not to linger in Hydro Dam, it’s in the middle of several popular drop sites, and is a natural route towards Bridges.
• The interior section leading towards Bridges often has a few guns, even if they aren’t the best.

Market (Low Tier) 

A ramshackle indoor slum, Market has a lower open-air area that is deadly to be caught in by fire from the second-floor walkway surrounding it. Stick to the higher walkway as much as you can, and take note of the easy roof access.

Tips:

• Market tends to be a common drop location due to loot density. Be aware you’re probably committing to an early brawl if you drop on it.
• Proximity to several mid-tier loot locations makes staying in Market an even worse idea than it already is. Loot the basics and GTFO.

High Desert (Low Tier) 

Noteworthy for the massive tower on the hill, High Desert is made up of a few small and medium sized slum-style buildings clustered together next to a hill with a few more. The tower often has at least a small amount of better quality loot near the top.

Tips:

• The tower in High Desert can make an excellent vantage point to get an idea of who is moving where, or spot out enemies to engage. Don’t underestimate the value of taking it later in the round either, if the circle allows it. 

East Settlement (Low Tier) 

A few clusters of buildings that go up in elevation as you go northeast, East Settlement has a small platform on top of the most northeastern building. This platform can provide good sightlines on the south side of Market, and may be worth using to spot squads out from.

Tips:

• Be aware that the ‘shooting platform’ doesn’t offer a ton of cover, so you may need to leap off in a hurry. 

Landing Pad (Low Tier) 

With just a single building, Landing Pad is really just a whistle stop when heading to or from Repulsor. It’s one of the most common places that people respawn squadmates at after early fights in Repulsor, so be aware you may be able to catch an unprepared team if you notice the dropship coming by.

Tips:

• Immediately redeploying with the convenient balloon is a smart idea after respawning someone, just try not to do it if you’re already under fire. 

The Shattered Forest (Low Tier) 

A small military outpost on the edge of the burned wasteland, the four buildings can provide a few guns and a moderate amount of loot. There’s also an underground area, but it doesn’t seem to have loot often, and thus is just a place to hide or sneak around the area.

Tips:

• This is a very low traffic spot, possibly one of the least visited in Kings Canyon. It’s not an awful choice for a last-minute diversion from Swamps if it looks overpopulated.  

Artillery Tunnel (Low Tier) 

Little more than a long tunnel connecting the west end of Artillery to the northwestern side of Cascades, there are a few supply bins along the way (and a few on a catwalk above halfway through).

Tips:

• On a contested Artillery drop, it’s a good idea to drop one member of your squad near the entrance of the tunnel and duck in for the first two bins—this will often net a gun or two and armor for the fights, usually unopposed. 

Artillery Underpass (Low Tier) 

A short downhill slide to Watchtower North (or a short run uphill to Artillery), Underpass doesn’t provide much loot, and isn’t much more than a named footnote.

Tips:

• If you have to escape Artillery, this is a pretty quick rotate sliding downhill towards Watchtower North, and it may even net you a gun on the way.