There are three types of armor that players will be picking up in nearly every match of Apex Legends Mobile: Evo Shields, Knockdown Shields, and Helmets. While the differences between the different levels of Evo Shields and Knockdown Shields are generally pretty self-explanatory, Helmets tend to be the type of item that you always grab and upgrade whenever available, but without knowing exactly what they do.
While some players can be satisfied simply knowing that grabbing a better helmet is always the right choice, those who are truly looking to master Apex Legends Mobile‘s mechanics will want to know why. At the end of the day, Apex helmets aren’t the most complex system in the game, but understanding them can still give you the edge.
| Can You Play Solo Queue? | Can You Play With a Controller? | Does Apex Legends Mobile Have Cross Progression? | How to Unlock Fade | 5 Tips For Getting Started | How to Redeem Apex Packs | Fade Abilities Explained | Apex Legends Mobile Phone Requirements | Does Apex Legends Mobile Have Bots? | Game Modes Explained | Best Characters For Beginners | Best Weapons For Close Range Encounters | Where to Find the Volt SMG | Evo Shields Explained |
Apex Legends Mobile Helmets
Helmets are found in the regular pool of ground loot and when playing the battle royale, all players spawn with a level 1 helmet already equipped. There are four helmets in total but unlike the Evo Shield, they can’t be upgraded through any means other than finding a higher-level item than the one you have equipped.
The role of the Helmet in Apex Legends is extremely straightforward: they reduce the amount of damage taken from headshots. A better helmet means better damage resistance, but also unlike the game’s Evo Shields, they don’t need any sort of recharge after taking hits. The complicated thing about Helmets, however, is that they don’t block set amounts for damage dealt, instead, a calculation needs to be done to understand specifically how much damage reduction is done.
In general, the protection percentages look like this:
- Level 1 Helmet (white): 20% headshot damage reduction
- Level 2 Helmet (blue): 50% headshot damage reduction
- Level 3 Helmet (purple): 65% headshot damage reduction
- Level 4 Helmet (gold): 65% headshot damage reduction, increases Tactical and Ultimate ability charge time
As noted above, Level 3 Helmets have the same damage reduction as Level 4 ones, however, the golden Helmets also give players an advantage by reducing the recharge time between Tactical and Ultimate ability uses. Those playing as characters with short ability cooldown speeds such as Mirage and Octane might consider letting their teammates snag the Level 4 Helmet if found in order to better optimize team synergy.
Players can see what level of Helmet they have equipped in the bottom left of the screen.