Editing How to play guide for Apex Legends (section)

==Your first matches==
Here's some general tips for your first matches, depending on the Round you're currently in. Generally, a game ends around Round 3, unless for some reason you, your teammates, or the enemies want to waste everyone's time by not attacking anyone until there are only 2 teams remaining, which may lead to games lasting up until the Final Round (6).

===Early game (Rounds 1 and 2)===
As is expected with most Battle Royale game modes, all Legends begin the match inside of a dropship flying across the map in a straight line. Checking your map for the projected flight path is a good idea, as this allows you to predict the amount of initial traffic each named location will have. Locations near the drop ship's flight path are usually densely populated at the start of the match because players can get into the action faster compared to late path locations.

The last player who picked their Legend will be chosen as the '''Jumpmaster''', giving them the privilege to initiate the drop sequence for your team - although one can always decide to land alone, even if it's strongly discouraged. If you are the Jumpmaster, find out if your squad is looking for immediate action or a chance to get nicely geared, and then go ahead with the drop. Your two (or one) squad members will automatically follow your movement during the free-fall until they decide to break away and fly on their own. The ideal drop distance is approximately 500 meters. If your preferred drop location is further than 1000m, don't drop; rather, settle and find a closer location.

Sticking together in the same PoI largely increases your chance of survival once you land -- but try to avoid landing right next to the Jumpmaster, or else you'll all be scrambling for loot in the same location and all of you will probably end up with little to no loot. If you are the only team landing in the PoI, detach from the Jumpmaster when you are close to the ground PoI, land on different area of the PoI, and regroup with your squad after you've looted your own location. However, if there are other teams in the same area, stick to the same building can be wise, in case a team member is forced into the fight.

Once you've geared up adequately, collaborate with your squad when deciding where to go and what to do next. The Ring will periodically shrink and make the playable area smaller, and standing outside of it will keep dealing damage every second. While in the first round the damage can be ignored for the most part, subsequent rounds may not be so forgiving.

===Mid game (Rounds 3 and 4)===
You've looted your first location and may have headed towards another one. Maybe you've gotten into a fight with another squad along the way, maybe not. When the mid game approaches, it's best to assume that most players have at least a level 2 {{ItemLink|Evo Shield|text={{Rare|Evo Shield}}}} and thus, most of them will at least have 175 health each.

Since at this point the most important locations have usually been looted already, it's time to either seek a squad to fight for their loot and upgrade your {{ItemLink|Evo Shield}}, or to go inside The Ring and prepare for a later round. Engaging an enemy squad will however startle other nearby squads, due to the gunfire being loud which can be heard from afar, therefore make sure that you are either ready to fight more than just one squad, or ready to disengage them once another squad arrives. At this point in the game, [[Care Package|Care Packages]] and [[Crafting|Replicators]] will have came down, so if there are no squads around, try and get some better items from there.

===Late game (Round 5)===
Either by luck, skill, or simply because you have encountered nobody to fight, you're now in the late game. At this point, everyone should have at least a level 3 {{ItemLink|Evo Shield|text={{Epic|Evo Shield}}}}, or 200 total health. If you or your weapons are still equipped with {{Common|level 1}} items, you should try your luck with the available unlooted areas and [[Supply Bins]] you find while you're going inside The Ring. Who knows, maybe that one unopened Supply Bin at [[World's Edge#Locations|The Tree]] will contain an {{ItemLink|Extended Light Mag|text={{Legendary|Extended Light Mag}}}} for your [[R-301 Carbine]].

Early positioning is key to winning a game: predicting where The Ring will end up is essential to get an advantage that might win you the game. If you can get to a building that is in The Ring before other teams do, then they will be forced to take the fight to you at a lower ground since it is a lot easier to hold a building than to push it, especially in late game. Play cautiously by keeping your attention focused far ahead of your immediate location. Climb walls whenever possible instead of taking the obvious path. Use Ziplines to quickly traverse open areas, but drop from them immediately if you see a squad at the end of the Zipline. If you enter a building, close the door on your way in as it may be the final giveaway that leads to your squad's demise. 

===End game (Final Round)===
Since everyone is apparently scared to fight, the Ring has decided that you all have to die somehow, and therefore will shrink until there's no more safe ground that keeps you from burning to death. Squads are encouraged, if not forced, to move quickly due to The Ring now killing you in just 4 hits. Stakes are high, and squads are alert. Do whatever it takes to increase your chances of survival. Control some high ground or maybe decide to camp in an area. Abuse cover if being shot at. Nothing is off the table when the winner is decided in a matter of seconds.

Good luck!