In the ever-evolving battlefield of Apex Legends, scanner champions like Bloodhound, Seer, and Crypto have reshaped the meta with their ability to reveal enemy positions, track movement, and disrupt stealth. These recon Legends thrive on information warfare, turning fog-of-war into a tactical advantage. But for every scan, there’s a counterplay. This article dives deep into the techniques, Legend picks, and strategic mindsets needed to dominate scanner champions and reclaim control of the fight.
Understanding the Scanner Meta
Scanner Legends are built around intel-gathering abilities:
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Bloodhound uses Eye of the Allfather to scan enemies in a cone and Beast of the Hunt for enhanced speed and tracking.
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Seer deploys Focus of Attention to interrupt and reveal enemies through walls, while his passive heartbeat sensor gives constant intel.
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Crypto sends out a drone to scout, scan, and even disable enemy shields with his EMP.
These Legends excel in pre-fight positioning, third-party awareness, and flushing out campers. To beat them, you must deny them their edge: information.
Strategic Counters: Tactics That Break the Scan Advantage
1. Mobility and Repositioning
Mobility is the scanner’s worst enemy. Once scanned, your position is known—but if you move unpredictably, that intel becomes obsolete.
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Use verticality: Legends like Horizon, Pathfinder, and Octane can quickly reposition to higher ground or escape scanned zones.
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Rotate wide: After a scan, rotate away from the expected path. Flanking from unexpected angles breaks the enemy’s push rhythm.
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Bait and switch: Leave one teammate visible while others reposition. Scanner teams often tunnel vision on the first ping.
Mobility turns static intel into misinformation—use it to create chaos in the enemy’s decision-making.
2. Legend Picks That Disrupt Scanners
Some Legends are naturally resistant to scans or can punish scanner teams:
| Legend | Counter Ability | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Wattson | Interception Pylon, fences | Disrupts Seer’s tactical and Crypto’s drone |
| Revenant | Silence tactical | Prevents Bloodhound and Seer from scanning |
| Mirage | Decoys and invisibility | Confuses scan results and breaks tracking |
| Caustic | Gas traps obscure vision | Forces scanner teams into poor visibility |
| Bangalore | Smoke + Double Time | Breaks line of sight and punishes scan delay |
Pick Legends that either block scans, confuse them, or punish the push that follows.
3. Environmental Manipulation
Use the map to your advantage:
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Door control: Close doors behind you to delay pushes. Seer’s scan doesn’t open doors, so it limits his tactical.
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Line-of-sight blockers: Hide behind rocks, buildings, or terrain that breaks scan cones.
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Choke points: Funnel scanner teams into traps—especially effective with Caustic or Wattson setups.
4. Timing and Cooldown Awareness
Scanner abilities have cooldowns. If you track their usage, you can time your aggression:
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Bloodhound’s scan lasts 3 seconds with a 25-second cooldown.
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Seer’s tactical has a 30-second cooldown.
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Crypto’s drone can be destroyed or baited into EMP prematurely.
Force early scans, then push during cooldown windows when the enemy is blind.
Combat Techniques: Winning the Fight After the Scan
1. Don’t Panic—Scan Does Not Equal Death
Being scanned doesn’t mean you’re dead. It means you’re visible. Use that knowledge:
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Hold angles: If you’re scanned, expect a push. Pre-aim and pre-fire common entry points.
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Counter-nade: Throw grenades at the scan origin to punish the scanner’s location.
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Split fire: Focus fire on the scanner first—removing their utility breaks the enemy’s coordination.
2. Audio Discipline
Seer and Bloodhound rely on sound cues. Reduce your audio footprint:
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Crouch walk: Avoid triggering Seer’s passive heartbeat sensor.
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Avoid healing in open: Seer’s tactical interrupts healing—heal behind cover or after baiting his scan.
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Crypto drone awareness: Listen for the drone hum and shoot it down before it scans.
3. Third-Party Leverage
Scanner teams often attract third parties due to their aggressive playstyle. Use this:
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Delay engagement: Let them scan and push another team, then third-party them mid-fight.
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Fake retreat: Scan teams chase aggressively—bait them into a trap or another squad’s line of fire.
Psychological Warfare: Outthinking the Scanner
Scanner Legends thrive on control. Break that control:
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Misdirection: Use Mirage decoys or fake footsteps to bait scans.
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False intel: Leave loot trails or open doors to suggest movement in a different direction.
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Scan baiting: Peek briefly to trigger a scan, then rotate—wasting their cooldown and forcing reposition.
Scanner teams are confident when they “know” where you are. Make them doubt that knowledge.
Loadout Optimization: Gear That Counters Scanners
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Digital Threat Optics: See through smoke—perfect for Bangalore or Caustic counterplay.
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Arc Stars: Stick them on scanner Legends mid-scan for massive punishment.
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Silencer Weapons: Avoid giving away position with loud shots—especially useful when hiding from Seer’s passive.
Practice Scenarios: Training to Beat Scanners
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Scan and Dash Drill: Have a teammate play Bloodhound and scan you—practice rotating out of the scan cone within 3 seconds.
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Seer Push Simulation: Set up a 1v1 where Seer uses tactical—practice healing bait and counter-nade timing.
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Crypto EMP Trap: Use Wattson or Caustic to bait Crypto’s drone into a trap—practice drone destruction and EMP avoidance.
Final Thoughts: Turning Intel Into a Liability
Scanner Legends are powerful—but they’re not invincible. Their strength lies in information, and information can be manipulated, misdirected, and weaponized against them. By mastering mobility, choosing counter Legends, and exploiting scan limitations, you can turn the scanner’s greatest asset into their downfall.
Dominate the recon meta not by hiding—but by outsmarting. In Apex Legends, knowledge is power—but misinformation is lethal.