Released in Season 8: Mayhem, Walter "Fuse" Fitzroy is the cause of many headaches in Apex Legends. While being an annoying legend to go against due to his abilities, many players do not know how to utilize him to his maximum potential. He is the 12th most selected legend in the game, seeing most of his time in lower-tier lobbies. However, mastering Fuse can quickly turn engagements towards your favor on the battlefield.
Fuse is an expert in explosives, with his upgraded prosthetic arm being a key component of not only his lore but also his kit. Offensive and defensive capabilities abound for this master of mayhem. Become an expert at fightin' fire, with fire with this Salvo champion by following these tips and tricks.
10 Walter 'Fuse' Fitzroy at Ya Bloody Service
Most players know that Fuse's Passive, Grenadier, allows him to use the grenade launcher on his right arm to launch grenades 70% faster. Yet, this passive also tracks the projected path of any ordinances prior to firing them. This is best paired with arc stars, essentially enabling them as hit scan.
Do keep in mind that frag grenades have the same ignition time of 4 seconds regardless of being thrown or launched. So, if you are trying to "sky nade" an enemy player or team, remember to toggle his launcher off by using the utility action button (the "H" key or the "down button" on the D-pad).
9 Never Met A Problem He Couldn't Detonate
Grenadier allows Fuse to stack two grenades per inventory slot. However, this passive also allows him to pick up a stack of grenades out of Loba's Black Market instead of picking up one at a time. While this is a simpler tip, this ability to pick up stacks of ordinances, instead of just one ordinance per selection in the Black Market, allows you to grab a stack (or two if so desired) of nades while opting to grab meds or weapon attachments for your second selection.
Going off of this tip, there was a hidden buff for Fuse in Season 14. When Respawn opted to get rid of the self-revive capabilities of the gold knockdown shield, they swapped the Guardian Angel abilities of the gold backpack from previous seasons onto the gold knockdown shield. The gold backpack now allows you to carry one more large medical supply per inventory slot. Because of this, whenever you have a gold bag as Fuse, you can now free up more space in your inventory for more of your favorite grenades.
8 Servin’ ’Em A Knuckle Sandwich
Fuse's Knuckle Cluster unleashes a cluster bomb that can be fired great distances toward enemies. This passive has a cooldown of 20 seconds, a duration of 6 seconds, and 2 charges. It can stick to enemies or surfaces and explodes into mini-explosions 1.5 seconds later. The knuckle cluster deals 10 damage upon sticking an enemy, and the mini-explosions are fixed on the point of the initial explosion, which deals around 90 damage to targets stuck in the middle of it.
This overview is worth reiterating, regardless of your skill, due to the fact that most Fuses either spam the Knuckle Cluster or panic fire it. Always make sure to line up your shots while playing Fuse; patience is important to maximize damage. If you line up your shots to stick players and/or fire the tactical at players where there is no line of sight, this will not only maximize damage but also serve as a makeshift scan allowing you to see which direction enemies are moving due to the onscreen damage indicators.
7 It’s About To Get A Lil' Loud, Fellas
Fuse's tactical is best for mid-to-long-range fights or in enclosed spaces due to his large size and lack of escapability that other offensive legends possess. Do not be afraid to use his tactical often; the timer is very short, and his Knuckle Clusters will replenish rapidly. However, be aware that while these charges will not damage teammates, they can damage Fuse himself.
While his clusters are great for farming damage, they really shine for their ability to create panic in opponents. It is perfect for making enemies move either by sticking the player directly, or firing the Cluster to one side if they are behind cover. Always try to move opponents to your advantage by making them move out into the open or come toward you. It is imperative to be thinking several steps ahead when moving your opponents; this helps in predicting which way they will move next in order to avoid taking damage.
6 Got A Copy Of Their Dental Records? Gonna Need 'Em
The more advanced techniques of the Knuckle Clusters begin here with basic baiting. Doors are a Fuse's best friend when it comes to baiting, whether that be holding a door to heal or strategically playing doors to get enemies to funnel towards you. Play off of your tactical and grenades when baiting, and when you deal massive damage or isolate an enemy, use your gunskill to get the knock.
Baiting with a fake revive is another great way to force an enemy to push you. Be aware of your surroundings and the cooldown on your knuckle clusters while attempting this. Whenever the enemy pushes you to prevent you from picking up a teammate, stick them with your Knuckle Cluster before finishing them off with your weapons.
5 Tell The Devil Fuse Sent Ya
Another great trick with the Knuckle Cluster is to slide into the door an enemy is healing behind, fire a Knuckle Cluster at the door, and then pre-fire the door when you believe it is about to break. While it does damage you, it is negligible in comparison to the amount of damage done to opponents. Even if the player backs away from the door to run, you can shoot them in the back and get the knock. Be advised that it is not recommended to attempt this play if you are under 50 health.
Speaking of firing into the door, the Knuckle Clusters are perfect for destroying doors as well as other legends' abilities such as: Caustic's traps, Rampart's Amped Cover, Revenant's Death Totem, Loba's Black Market, and Wattson's fences. Be mindful of any enemy Wattson Interception Pylons placed by teams running Wattson; the Pylons destroy any projectiles coming their way.
4 Here Comes The Motherlode
Fuse's Ultimate, The Motherlode, launches a projectile into the air up to 200m away before exploding and encircling the target area in a wall of flames that lasts 17 seconds. This ability can be destroyed by Wattson's ultimate and does not penetrate Gibraltar's Bubble Shield. Yet, it is a highly versatile ultimate with different offensive, support, and defensive uses.
When using Fuse's ultimate, you can ADS to get a 3x magnification. If you have no long range sights while playing Fuse, you can use this to essentially "snipe" enemies across the map. However, you should primarily snipe from a distance with his ultimate if you are third partying a fight. This will maximize the amount of damage you inflict and unleash chaos upon the other two teams since they do not expect the Motherlode to enter the fight.
3 Combust Or Bust
Whenever attempting to trap players in your ultimate, make sure to not aim it too far out. This is a common mistake of newer Fuse players, causing you to waste an ult on a team that can easily escape. Instead, opt to perform trapping techniques in close to medium range in order to capitalize on the team trapped in a certain position, such as a building or while they are crafting or reviving a teammate. This trapping technique is also great for late-game circles, especially in ranked.
This technique can be further used in close-quarters combat. If you are a Fuse and you are being pushed by an enemy team, have an opportunity to cut off a route, or even down an enemy, do not be afraid to use the Motherlode on yourself. This will cause you to receive only about 5 or 8 damage to yourself, while denying an area from a team or giving your team some breathing room.
2 Managing Your Backpack
The question of how many grenades you should carry as a Fuse is very common for those trying to learn the legend. For level 1 backpacks it is best to carry 2-4 grenades (frags, arc stars, or thermites), while Fuses with level 2 backpacks should ideally have 4-6 grenades, and a level 3 backpack should contain 6-8 grenades at a time.
Grenades are used for every situation as a Fuse, so it is ideal to carry a large amount of them. Furthermore, it is great to have a shotgun as Fuse in order to not only maximize the number of grenades you can carry, but to also assist with the previous tips and tricks involving door baiting and the use of Knuckle Clusters.
1 Team Composition
Thanks to the seemingly simplistic nature of Fuse's kit, he can be paired with multiple different legends. A legend that allows rotations such as Valkyrie, Horizon, or Wraith are perfect to use with Fuse due to his large stature and limited movement abilities. Other legends with opportunities for high DPS ultimates such as Gibraltar, Caustic, Horizon, or even Bangalore are great to pair with Fuse, too. You can combine the effects of these legends' ultimates with Fuse's Motherlode and Knuckle Clusters to overwhelm an enemy team and cause a great deal of damage, help your team to reset with heals, or move positions.
Keep up to date with any adjustments to Fuse's kit through Respawn's website or Twitter. While he is designated as an offensive legend, Fuse is capable of being the all around support a team needs. Coordinating with your team allows Fuse to shine to his fullest potential.