At the highest level of Apex Legends, it’s common for teams to call out a POI on a map weeks before the competition, claiming rights to safely land on the location without another team dropping on them. Directly contesting a POI against another team can prove disastrous when competing in the ALGS Split Two Playoffs, where only a limited number of games are played. However, one team found a clever way to fight back against their rivals at the expense of one of their players’ own life.
In game five of the Loser’s Bracket Round One, NORTHEPTION made a sneaky play that ruined the early game for their drop spot rivals in FURIA. Taida, NTH’s Newcastle player on Storm Point, solo dropped from his teammates on Lightning Rod, activating the IMC Armory nearby before deliberately jumping off the map.
While many spectators would normally be confused with the play, Taida activating the armory severely impacts FURIA’s early game rotation plans. The alarm noise from the armory activation drew attention from IGL HisWattson, who wondered if another team was fighting there and had to reconsider their rotation plans for the upcoming closing ring. This decision also limited FURIA’s resources, as they would not be able to level up their evo shields by damaging the spectres or gain any of the smart loot from completing the armory.
Previously, this play would be impossible, with season 16’s class overhaul giving Support legends exclusive access to crafting respawn banners for their teammates. However, the season 17 changes now allow any player to craft respawn banners for the same price of 30 crafting materials, as long as they have a Support legend in their composition.
Right after Taida jumped off the map, IGL satuki immediately crafted and picked up the banner at North Pad, where NTH was able to safely resurrect their teammate and continue looting as if nothing had happened at all. This strategy took less than one minute to execute and cost FURIA more time and resources in dealing with their damaged early game plans.
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Typically, NTH would land at Lightning Rod as their preferred POI in APAC-N, having sole possession of it in their region. However, with LAN introducing four more regions all competing for their favorite drop spots, early game contests would be inevitable. NTH prefers not to leave their games up to their initial drop loot and swap for North Pad whenever another team claims Lightning Rod, such as Alliance in Group A and FURIA in Group C.
Despite the setbacks, FURIA desperately fought back to secure ninth place and three kills for a total of five points in match five. However, FURIA’s overall performance in Loser’s Bracket Round One would end in disappointment, bowing out of the Split Two Playoffs in 37th place. NTH would end the match block in third place overall and are set to compete again for a chance of entering the grand finals in Loser’s Bracket Round Two.
