Apex Legends has three standard grenade types: the Frag Grenade, Thermite Grenade, and Arc Star. Each fills a different role in combat, from forcing enemies out of cover to blocking doorways or slowing a target before a push.
The biggest mistake is treating every grenade like a simple damage tool. Good ordnance usage is often about controlling movement. A grenade that forces an enemy out from behind a rock can be more valuable than one that deals a small amount of damage.
This guide covers Apex Legends grenade damage, the strengths of all three ordnance types, and when you should use each one.
All Grenade Types in Apex Legends
| Grenade | Damage | Radius | Impact Damage | Throw Behavior | Main Use |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frag Grenade | Up to 100 explosion damage | 8 m | 10 | Standard | Burst damage and displacement |
| Thermite Grenade | 4 per tick + 25 burn | 6 m wall | — | Standard | Area denial |
| Arc Star | Up to 75 explosion damage | 8.75 m | 10 | Fast | Sticking, slowing, setup |
Frag Grenades have an 8-meter blast radius, with maximum damage concentrated much closer to the center.
Arc Stars have a slightly larger 8.75-meter explosion radius and are strongest near the center of the blast.
Thermite works differently from both. Instead of exploding in a circle, it creates a 6-meter horizontal wall of fire that remains active for several seconds.
Frag Grenade: Damage and Fuse
The Frag Grenade is Apex Legends’ traditional explosive.
A well-placed Frag can deal up to 100 explosion damage, while hitting a player directly with the grenade before detonation adds another 10 impact damage.
Its blast radius is 8 meters.
Frag Grenades have a fixed four-second fuse, and unlike grenades in some other shooters, holding one in your hand doesn’t shorten that timer.
What Apex players often call “cooking” a Frag actually comes from using the grenade’s flight time to burn through part of the fuse.
How to Cook a Frag Grenade
One of the most useful tricks is throwing a Frag high into the air.
The grenade spends part of its four-second fuse traveling upward and falling back down. If aimed correctly, it can land near an enemy just before exploding, leaving very little time to react.
This is especially effective when you’re:
- Fighting from high ground
- Throwing toward enemies behind cover
- Defending a doorway
- Trying to punish a healing opponent
For example, if an enemy is holding a doorway, you can throw the Frag almost vertically so it falls back toward the entrance and detonates as they push.
Use Frag Grenades Around Corners
Frags can bounce off walls, floors, and other surfaces.
That makes them excellent for attacking positions without exposing yourself. Bounce one around a corner, roll it into a room, or use a wall to redirect it behind cover.
Frag Grenades can also damage and destroy doors, making them useful against enemies trying to hold a building.
Best Times to Use Frag Grenades
Frags are particularly strong when:
- An enemy is behind a rock, crate, or other cover
- Several players are grouped together
- Someone is healing inside a building
- An enemy is holding a doorway
- You want to deal pressure while remaining behind cover
The best Frag throws often don’t need to land directly on someone. If the grenade forces an opponent into the open, your weapon can finish the job.
Thermite Grenade: Best Area-Denial Ordnance
Thermite Grenades create a horizontal wall of fire rather than a traditional explosion.
The flames cover roughly six meters and remain active for around eight seconds.
Enemies standing in the fire take repeated damage, with Thermite dealing 4 damage per tick and applying an additional burn effect.
This makes Thermite one of the best tools in Apex Legends for denying space.
How to Use Thermite Grenades
Thermite is strongest when thrown across narrow routes.
Good targets include:
- Doorways
- Corridors
- Staircases
- Building entrances
- Escape routes
- Healing positions
You don’t always need to damage someone immediately. Blocking the route they want to use can be enough.
For example, if an enemy has two exits from a room, Thermite can remove one of those options and make their movement much easier to predict.
Thermite vs Doors
Thermite is excellent against players hiding behind doors.
Throw it near the bottom of a blocked doorway and the fire can destroy the door while also damaging the player behind it.
This makes it much harder for opponents to safely hold entrances while healing or resetting.
Thermite vs Knockdown Shields
Thermite is also useful against downed enemies.
Its fire can damage players despite a Knockdown Shield, making it a useful option when you want to finish an opponent without standing directly in front of their shield.
Thermite and the Rampage LMG
Thermite Grenades also have a unique interaction with the Rampage LMG.
You can use a Thermite Grenade to charge the Rampage, temporarily increasing its rate of fire.
Players who regularly use the Rampage therefore have another reason to keep at least one Thermite in their inventory.
Arc Star: Damage and Stick Mechanics
The Arc Star is the most specialized of Apex Legends’ three standard grenades.
It sticks to players and surfaces before exploding approximately 2.8 seconds later.
A direct hit deals 10 impact damage, while the explosion itself can deal up to 75 damage.
The blast also applies:
- Movement slow
- Blurred vision
The severity and duration of the slow depend on how close the player is to the center of the explosion.
These effects make the Arc Star an excellent setup tool for aggressive pushes.
How to Use Arc Stars
The ideal Arc Star sequence is simple:
Stick → explosion and slow → push with weapons
If you stick an opponent directly, they have far fewer options for avoiding the explosion. Even if they survive, the resulting slow can give your team enough time to close the gap.
Arc Stars are particularly useful for:
- Starting an aggressive push
- Punishing enemies holding cover
- Slowing a team moving toward you
- Blocking doorways
- Damaging clustered enemies
- Finishing downed opponents
Arc Stars also travel faster than the other standard ordnance types, making them easier to use during quick close- or mid-range fights.
Frag vs Thermite vs Arc Star
Each grenade is best suited to a different situation.
Frag Grenade
Best for explosive burst damage and forcing enemies out of cover.
Use it when you’re attacking rocks, boxes, corners, or rooms where an enemy has limited space to move.
Thermite Grenade
Best for controlling an area.
Use Thermite when you want to block a doorway, separate enemies, deny an escape route, or force someone to abandon a position.
Arc Star
Best for setting up pushes and disabling movement.
A successful stick can turn a fair fight into a huge advantage by slowing and damaging the target before your team engages.
Best Grenades for Aggressive Players
For aggressive squads, a strong combination is:
Arc Star + Frag Grenade
Open with the Arc Star to stick or slow an enemy, then push while they’re recovering.
The Frag gives you a second option when another enemy retreats behind cover.
This loadout works particularly well in close- and medium-range engagements.
Best Grenades for Defensive Players
For teams holding buildings or fortified positions, consider:
Thermite + Frag Grenade
Use Thermite to block one entrance or route while the Frag pressures another.
Together, the two grenades let you control where enemies can safely move, which is often more important than dealing maximum direct damage.
When Should You Throw a Grenade Before Shooting?
Use ordnance first when the opponent has a strong positional advantage.
If someone is safely hiding behind a rock, immediately peeking them with your gun may expose you unnecessarily. Throwing a Frag can force them into the open.
If an enemy is holding a doorway, Thermite can deny that entrance.
If someone is rushing toward you, an Arc Star can slow the push and create time to reposition or counterattack.
Grenades are most valuable when they change the geometry of the fight.
Don’t keep four grenades in your backpack all match only to die without using them.
How Many Grenades Should You Carry?
There isn’t one perfect number for every player.
If you play aggressively and frequently take close-range fights, carrying multiple Arc Stars and Frags can be extremely valuable.
More defensive players may prefer Thermites for controlling buildings and choke points.
Your available backpack space also matters. Ammunition, healing items, and grenades all compete for inventory slots, so don’t overload on ordnance if it leaves you without enough healing or ammo to survive longer fights.
Fuse Is the Best Legend for Grenades
Fuse is the obvious Legend for players who want to build heavily around ordnance.
His Grenadier passive improves standard grenades by allowing him to:
- Carry an additional grenade per inventory slot
- Throw grenades farther
- Throw them faster
- Aim them more precisely
Where most Legends hold one grenade in a slot, Fuse can carry two.
His wider kit also complements an explosive playstyle. Knuckle Cluster provides additional area pressure, while The Motherlode can trap or restrict enemies and create opportunities for follow-up grenade throws.
Other Assault Legends can also benefit from class perks that improve ordnance capacity, making the class naturally suited to players who regularly use grenades.
Best Way to Use Grenades in Apex Legends
The most important lesson is that grenades aren’t just for dealing damage.
A Frag can remove an enemy’s cover. Thermite can shut down an escape route. An Arc Star can slow a player enough for your squad to collapse on them.
Think about where you want the enemy to move, then choose the ordnance that creates that situation.
Mastering that approach will make Frag Grenades, Thermites, and Arc Stars much more valuable than simply throwing them toward enemies and hoping for damage.
