Respawn may be preparing to prescribe Lifeline a heavy dose of nerfs and reworks, according to developer comments on a recent Reddit AMA.
Among dozens of questions regarding balance changes coming in Apex Legends' next season, Redditor CSKaay asked what was being done about Lifeline's kit. As the game's purest "support" character, Lifeline has always been in a tricky spot—her last major rework letting her revive allies with her drone, giving her freedom to keep fighting while a shield protected the downed teammate.
According to associate live balance designer John Larson, Lifeline may be saying goodbye to that shield. The developer explained that Respawn currently plans to remove it entirely, but wants to increase her tactical healing speed by 60% and improve her care package ultimate by giving it guaranteed upgrades.
Removing the shield is a dramatic step, and replies fear may be an overcorrection. Some have suggested giving the shield a cooldown or making it destructible instead, in line with Rampart's walls.
Whatever Respawn decides, we'll likely find out when Season 9 arrives in May. The developer has teased a return to its Titanfall roots with the next season of Apex—though there's a full month of War Games to mix things up until then.
