Gears 5: Horde Mode Ultimate Abilities Guide

Horde mode in Gears 5 is going to receive a new upbeat of customization with abilities given to each of the mode’s characters.

Gears 5 is launching all over the world for those who have early access to the game. It’s going to steadily roll out at specific times, on Sept. 5 at 9 pm in your local area. A highly-anticipated mode, Horde, is returning to the game. In it, there are plenty of customization options for all of the characters in the game. They’re going to have unique abilities that they can use, which are mostly their ultimates. Here’s a break down of all of the current abilities for the characters you can play in the multiplayer mode.

Horde Mode Abilities Guide for Gears 5

Del, Reinforce

JD’s best friend is back in action, and his ultimate calls in friends to assist in the combat. With the reinforce ability, Del is going to summon a handful of Deebee reinforcements to the field. These allies are going to follow the enemies around the area, tracking them for your allies to see and they’re going to deal damage to the ones they follow consistently. It’s a great way to clear out a particularly severe wave and keep everyone on track.

Emile, Drop-Shield

The Spartan warrior from the Gears 5 Spartan Character pack is a welcome addition to the multiplayer mode. It’s likely a marketing stunt by Microsoft to get people excited about Halo Master Chief Edition, but there are no issues with this type of marketing. Emile’s ability has him slamming down a Halo drop shield, protecting everyone inside of it. Much like the downside to dropping it in Halo, everyone inside the bubble cannot fire at enemies outside of it. But they’re thoroughly protected. It’s a great ability to drop for a team to regroup and resupply.

Fahz, X-Ray

Fahz is making his first introduction to the franchise, and he’s coming into the game with a bang. In Horde mode, Fahz’s X-Ray ability is going to allow him to exclusively see-through walls and track enemies. While it may only work a short distance and not the entire map, it helps that he can shoot through the walls to damage enemies. If an ally needs help on the other side of the map, he can make short work of the troublesome enemies and then get them back up.

Jack, Hijack

While Jack has been a key member of Gears of Wars team since the first game, this is his first multiplayer appearance. He’s going to work a bit differently than some of the other characters since he’s a floating robot. His ability, Hijack, has the robot sending a node into the enemy’s nervous system and takes it over. The enemy assists the ally team, acting as a new member of the squad. The one playing Jack is going to have control over the enemy and what they do.

JD, Artillery Strike

JD is back, and his ability Artillery Strike is no joke. When the ability is ready, JD can choose a particular location on the map to summon a wave of artillery fire. You’re going to need sight of the enemy to pull it off, as the missile strikes need a particular target. For those looking to overtake a tough boss, this is an excellent way to make short work of them.

Kait, Camouflage

Kait is going to be a bit more stealthy than the previous characters in the roster. She’s going to turn invisible, so she can freely move around the map. During the short time she’s in this mode, she can freely perform silent kills against the enemy, clearing out the backline for the team.

Kat, Hologram

Much like Emile, Kat is another Spartan from the Gears 5 Spartan Character Pack. You’re going to receive them by pre-ordering the Gears 5 Ultimate Edition or the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Despite her being a DLC character, her ability is no joke. Kat can summon a hologram of herself to distract enemies. This tactic can prove useful to draw enemy fire away for her so she can escape, heal, and retaliate.

Keegan, Resupply

Keegan’s ability will support your team in any situation you find yourself in with your teammates. There’s nothing fancy about it, either. When Keegan activates his ability, everyone on the team is going to get ammo for their weapons. While simple, it’s likely going to matter that the player using Keegan can communicate with the rest of their teammates to know the best time to do this.

Lahni, Electroblade

Lahni’s Electroblade is going to lie in the same spectrum as Kat’s hologram and Kait’s Camouflage. This one is mostly going to lean into when characters find themselves cornered against an enemy. They need to whip this close-quarters ability out to instantly kill the immediate target. Lahni won’t be using it on the most prominent enemy or the boss, but it’s going to keep alive, so she doesn’t go down from a single target.

Mac, Barrier

Much like Emile’s Drop-Shield, Mac’s Barrier is going to create a small dome to protect him from incoming fire. Unlike Emile’s, the Barrier range of protection is significantly smaller than the Drop-Shield, and this one does not protect any allies. Those who use are going to want to fire it when they’re in trouble.

Marcus, Living Legend

Marcus’ ability, Living Legend, turns whatever weapon he’s using at the time into a perfect sniper rifle. While this ability is on, whenever Marcus pulls the trigger at an enemy, it’s going to become a headshot. Players do not need to aim at the head or attempt to line it up. All they have to do is pull the trigger and watch as the enemy falls to the ground, dead from the bullet. It’s a great way to clear a massive spawn of enemies in a short amount of time.

Sarah Conner, Heavy Hitter

Sarah Conner is making her debut in Gears 5 thanks to her upcoming appearance in the movie Terminator: Dark Fate. She and the T-800 are featured in the Gears 5 Terminator: Dark Fate Character Pack. Conner’s ultimate ability is called Heavy Hitter. When it activates, she uses her heavy weapon and begins to fire at the enemies, stunning any she hits. When they get hit, they’re to get pushed back from her and her allies.