To guarantee yourself an Heirloom in Apex Legends, you will need to open a maximum of 500 Apex Packs.
Understanding Heirloom Shards and Apex Packs
Heirlooms are ultra-rare cosmetic items in Apex Legends, unique to each Legend, and can include special melee weapons, banner poses, and intro quips. Unlike most cosmetics, heirlooms cannot be directly purchased with Apex Coins or Crafting Metals. Instead, they are obtained using Heirloom Shards.
- Heirloom Shards: These are a special in-game currency used to unlock any Heirloom set of your choice from the Heirloom Store. You receive a set amount of shards (typically 150) that allow you to purchase one full Heirloom set.
Apex Packs are the primary way to acquire Heirloom Shards, alongside other cosmetic items like character skins, weapon skins, banner frames, and more. Each pack contains a random assortment of items, with varying rarities.
The Guaranteed Heirloom Mechanism (Pity Timer)
While opening Apex Packs gives you a chance to receive Heirloom Shards, there is a built-in mechanism to ensure players eventually acquire them. This is often referred to by the community as a "pity timer."
- The 500-Pack Guarantee: You are guaranteed to receive Heirloom Shards within a maximum of 500 Apex Packs opened. This means that if you have not received shards from your first 499 packs, the 500th pack you open will definitely contain them.
- Counter Reset: Once you receive Heirloom Shards, the hidden counter that tracks your opened packs resets to zero. This means that to get another set of shards, you would need to open up to another 500 packs.
Important Note: It is possible, though rare, to receive Heirloom Shards from any Apex Pack opened before you reach the 500-pack guarantee. The 500-pack limit simply acts as a definitive ceiling.
Probability vs. Guarantee
The probability of receiving Heirloom Shards from any single Apex Pack is less than 1%. This low chance makes them exceptionally rare drops. However, the guaranteed system ensures that even players with consistently bad luck will eventually obtain an Heirloom.
Here's a simplified breakdown of the Apex Pack Heirloom likelihood:
| Apex Packs Opened | Likelihood of Heirloom Shards | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 - 499 | Possible | There is a small chance (less than 1%) to receive shards from any pack. Many players obtain them randomly before hitting the limit. |
| 500 | Guaranteed | If you have not received shards from the previous 499 packs, the 500th Apex Pack you open will undoubtedly contain Heirloom Shards, allowing you to choose your desired Heirloom from the in-game store. |
Practical Insights for Obtaining Heirlooms
While you can't speed up the guarantee, here are ways players accumulate Apex Packs and get closer to an Heirloom:
- Leveling Up: Players receive free Apex Packs by increasing their player level.
- Battle Pass: Each season's Battle Pass offers free and premium Apex Packs as rewards.
- Collection Events: These limited-time events often allow players to unlock an Heirloom (or Heirloom Shards if they already own all event items) by completing the entire collection using Apex Coins or Crafting Metals. These are separate from the Apex Pack guarantee.
- Purchasing Apex Packs: Players can buy Apex Packs directly from the in-game store using Apex Coins.
- Promotional Bundles: Keep an eye out for special bundles or offers that include Apex Packs.
There's no official in-game way to track your exact Apex Pack count towards the 500-pack guarantee, so many players use third-party trackers or simply estimate based on their playtime and purchases.
