Understanding ordnance in Apex Legends: Throwables and legend abilities

These throwables are your bread-and-butter in Apex.

Reviewed by: Naim Rosinski

Last Updated on 24.04.2025

Apex Legends ordnance isn’t just about making things go boom-it’s about outsmarting your enemies. From grenades every Legend can throw to powerful, ability-based explosives, knowing how to use them can shift the fight in your favor. In this Apex Legends weapon guide, we’ll break down what ordnance is, how each type works, and how to use them like a pro.

What is ordnance in Apex Legends?

In Apex Legends, ordnance refers to throwable explosives and explosive-based abilities used by Legends. These tools include grenades available to all players and special abilities unique to certain characters. Apex Legends Ordnance is used for:

Damaging or eliminating enemies
Disrupting enemy movements
Creating area denial
Forcing opponents out of cover
Initiating or escaping combat

Understanding how each type works can give you a major edge in the Apex Games.

Universal Ordnance: Throwables available to all legends

These explosive items can be found throughout the map-inside Supply Bins, Loot Ticks, or as ground loot. Every Legend can pick up and use these.

Ordnance	Mechanics	Damage	Utility
Frag Grenade	4-second fuse; explodes on impact with surfaces	Up to 100 in blast radius; +10 blunt damage on direct hit	Flushes enemies from cover, breaks doors, disrupts revives or healing
Arc Star	Sticks to surfaces/players; explodes after 3 seconds	70 health damage (if no shields), strips all shields, 15 pierce damage on stick, applies stun	Disorients and slows enemies, great for initiating fights or punishing grouped opponents
Thermite Grenade	Creates a horizontal wall of fire on impact	25 damage over 3 seconds (stacks); lethal to unshielded targets in under 5 seconds	Blocks doorways, denies zones, forces movement during fights or endgame circles

Credit: r/apexlegends

All universal throwables can be destroyed by Wattson’s Interception Pylon. Time your throws or take it out first!

Legend-specific Ordnance: Unique explosive abilities

Some Legends wield their own signature explosives that can’t be picked up or shared. These abilities are powerful tools in any combat scenario.

Legend	Ability name	Type	Effect	Tactical use
Bangalore	Smoke Grenade	Tactical	Fires smoke canisters; obscures vision and deals 10 blunt damage on direct hit	Breaks line of sight, escapes fights, conceals revives or healing
	Creeping Barrage	Ultimate	Forward-moving artillery strike, damaging and slowing enemies	Area denial, retreat cover, or pushing enemies out of strong positions
Gibraltar	Defensive Bombardment	Ultimate	Mortar strike signaled by smoke; deals heavy AoE damage	Breaks sieges, punishes revives, zones out enemy squads
Caustic	Nox Gas Grenade	Ultimate	Releases toxic gas; slows, damages, and blinds enemies, while Caustic remains unaffected	Fortifies buildings, traps enemies, breaks pushes, sets up ambushes
	Nox Gas Trap	Tactical	Deploys gas-emitting traps that trigger when enemies are near	Area control, zone denial, interior defense, scouting through vision advantage
Fuse	Knuckle Cluster	Tactical	Launches cluster bomb with multiple airburst explosions	Disrupts healing, destroys traps, drives enemies from cover
	The Motherlode	Ultimate	Encircles area in a ring of fire and highlights trapped enemies in red	Forces movement, reveals enemy positions, denies escape or safe repositioning

Credit: r/apexlegends

4 advanced Apex Legends ordnance strategies you should know

Mastering Apex Legends ordnance goes beyond just throwing grenades at enemies. Here are a few advanced tactics to keep in mind:

Combo with abilities: Use Arc Stars or Thermites just before your teammate deploys an ability like Horizon’s Black Hole to maximize damage.
Zone control: Thermites and ultimates like The Motherlode can control choke points and force enemies into predictable paths.
Revive disruption: Toss a frag grenade or Knuckle Cluster into a reviving squad to interrupt the process and secure the kill.
Endgame zoning: In final circles, explosives are invaluable for flushing out squads hiding in cover or buildings.

Mastering ordnance for Apex dominance

From standard grenades to ultimate-level explosives, ordnance in Apex Legends is a key part of surviving and thriving in the Outlands. Whether you're cracking shields with an Arc Star or forcing a retreat with Bangalore’s barrage, knowing when and how to use ordnance can elevate your game to the next level.

So next time you're looting up, don’t overlook that grenade-you might just be holding the key to your next clutch win.

Credit: r/apexlegends

FAQs

Are grenades considered ordnance?

In Apex Legends, grenades fall under the broader category of ordnance. Ordnance includes all throwable explosives-so that means:

Frag Grenades
Arc Stars
Thermite Grenades

So in short: All grenades are ordnance, but not all ordnance are grenades.

What does POI stand for in Apex?

Points of Interest, or POIs, are named locations on the map in Apex Legends. These areas typically have a high concentration of loot and Supply Bins, making them popular landing spots at the start of a match. Dropping into a POI can give you a strong early-game advantage-just be ready for a fight!

That’s all! Want to explore more Apex Legends guides? Check out these:

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