The Chaotic World of The Finals: A Beginner’s Guide to Victory

The Finals has stormed onto the gaming scene, offering fierce 4v4 competitive multiplayer action centered around stealing and securing valuable caches for your team. Its fully destructible environments, unique character classes, and variety of gadgets give it an intensity and chaos that sets it apart from other shooters.

However, that chaos can be confusing for new players. There’s a lot to take in and master if you want to rack up wins against experienced opponents. This beginner’s guide will give you the knowledge you need to come out on top in The Finals’ furious skirmishes.

Will The Finals Have Crossplay?

Before we jump into specifics, let’s quickly answer a common question – will The Finals have crossplay support to allow friends on different platforms to squad up? The answer right now is no. Crossplay was tested during the beta period but ultimately not included for the launch version.

The developers at Embark Studios say crossplay may still happen down the line, but it’s not a confirmed feature yet. For now, you’ll need to team up with players on the same platform. Party systems are still in place though, so grabbing your PC or console pals is a breeze.

Okay, with that out of the way, let’s get into the meat of dominating The Finals battlegrounds!

The Finals Tier List – Characters and Weapons

When first booting up The Finals, you’ll need to choose one of three distinct character classes – Light, Medium, and Heavy. This is a key decision, as each class has significant strengths and weaknesses that impact gameplay. Let’s break them down:

• Light Class – With only 150 health, Lights can’t get into extended shootouts. They rely on mobility and stealth instead, striking quickly from unexpected angles. Their cloaking device is extremely powerful when used well. Lights thrive on disrupting enemies and playing an annoying fly-like distraction.
• Medium Class – The most balanced option at 250 health. Mediums can still dish out damage, heal teammates, and their jack-of-all-trades flexibility lets them combat any threat. You’ll need to expertise with numerous weapons and gadgets though.
• Heavy Class – These lumbering tanks have 350 health, making them formidable foes up close. Their high ammo counts help them suppress areas with continual fire. However, their lack of mobility is a hindrance you’ll always be conscious of.

As for weapons, you’ll accumulate plenty in time. But early on, focus on crafting builds around versatile primary weapons like the K-812 AR assault rifle or BAS-P shotgun. Supplement them with gadgets like frag grenades, ziplines for quick traversal, or thermal vision to spot sneaky Lights.

Once you understand the classes and weapons that best suit your playstyle, dominating the opposing squads gets much easier!

The Finals How to Use Reserve Loadouts

A great feature in The Finals is the ability to set reserve loadouts before each match. Here’s how it works:

You can craft two different loadouts, comprising your character class, main weapon, sidearm, and 4 gadget/ability slots. When a match starts, your first loadout is automatically equipped.

However, at any point after you respawn, you can open your inventory menu and switch to the second reserve loadout. This lets you drastically change up your gameplay style without having to leave the match!

Having two entirely different loadouts gives you versatility – maybe you have an AR loadout for ranged skirmishing, and a shotgun one for brutal cqb fights. You can adapt to whatever the current situation calls for.

Just remember that your ability and gadget cooldowns don’t reset when swapping! Time them properly so your new loadout has crucial things like ziplines ready to go. Mastering reserve swapping is key to dominating The Finals.

The Finals Best Weapons Guide

We touched briefly already on strong beginner primary weapons like the K-812 rifle and BAS-P shotgun. What other guns should you prioritize early? Here’s a quick rundown:

• K-812 – Accurate and reliable assault rifle. Versatile in most situations.
• X-22 Spec – Energy rifle with a punch. Slow fire rate but high damage.
• BAS-P – Devastating up close shotgun. Also destroys structures well.
• K-HX SMG – Agile SMG perfect for quick Lights. High fire rate shreds foes.
• RB-S50 Sniper – No scope necessary, high-power rounds at long range. Punishes oblivious enemies.

As for sidearms, the starting REX-42 pistol packs a surprise kick despite its common rarity. And the K-28 automatic pistol unloads lead quickly in close quarters.

There are many more exotic and advanced options to unlock through spending both The Finals credits and VRS currency earned from matches. But these starting selections will serve you well in getting a strong foothold into The Finals brutal contests.

Best Builds for Each Class

We’ve covered many key components like classes and weapons. Now let’s pull it all together into some strong builds tailor made for excelling with each class’s signature style:

The Finals Best Light Build

• Primary: K-HX SMG
• Sidearm: REX-42 Pistol
• Gadgets: Throwing Knives, Adrenaline Shot, Zipline, Smoke Grenade
• Special Ability: Cloaking Device

The key here is speed and stealth. The rapid-fire SMG destroys anyone you get the drop on, boosted further by the damage boost of Adrenaline Shot. Throwing Knives help finish off wounded stragglers, while Smoke Grenade lets you disappear. The zipline traverses the map to line up the perfect ambush.

The Finals Best Medium Build

• Primary: K-812 Assault Rifle
• Sidearm: K-28 Pistol
• Gadgets: Healing Beacon, Frag Grenade, Defibrillator, Thermal Vision
• Special Ability: Lockdown Turret

This versatile medium build keeps teammates in the fight with the Heal Beacon and Defibrillator revival ability. It packs a punch too – Thermal Vision spots cloaked Lights, while the rifle and turret dish out hurt. The pistol watches your back in close engagements.

The Finals Best Build (Heavy Class)

• Primary: X-22 Energy Rifle
• Sidearm: BAS-P Shotgun
• Gadgets: Rocket Launcher, Proximity Alarm, Barricade, Emergency Teleport
• Special Ability: Riot Shield

Here’s a tanky juggernaut build perfect for Heavy players wanting to control zones. The high-damage energy rifle locks areas down safely behind the protective Riot Shield. Proximity traps alert you of incoming attacks, while Barricade blocks routes entirely. The shotgun drops anyone brave enough to rush your location.

The Finals Best Starting Strategies

You’ve got a strong build, time to use it! Here are some key beginner strategies for each class:

Light Class

• Flank and isolate lone enemies
• Cloak to infiltrate enemy bases unseen
• Use vertical ziplines to access unexpected sniping spots
• Lead pursuers into pre-placed throwing knife traps

Medium Class

• Heal teammates before reviving so they don’t just die again
• Use the turret to lock down narrow chokepoints
• Toss an adrenaline shot then wipe squads rushing objectives with AR
• Block paths with goo grenades to split up groups

Heavy Class

• Shield rush objectives through storms of enemy fire
• Teleport downed teammates to you then shelter them with barricade
• No scoping with energy rifle makes you a long-range menace
• Rain down rockets from unexpected angles through environmental destruction

Follow these tips, and you’ll quickly leave hapless rookies in the dust!

The Finals Release Date

If you somehow still aren’t already playing, when can you dive into the chaos? The Finals launched on March 2, 2023, on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam.

It is a free-to-play game supported by a battle pass system and store for unlocking cosmetics, weapons, attachments and more. Additional content also planned for future seasons.

Ready to Squadron Up?

The Finals delivers heart-pounding competitive action at a breakneck pace. But now you have the knowledge for your squad to come out on top!

Review key beginner tips like:

• Choosing the best class and builds
• Using reserve loadouts effectively
• Focusing on versatile starter weapons
• Smart ability and gadget combinations
• Class-specific strategies

Mastering The Maps

Aside from mastering your builds and abilities, you’ll also need to intimately learn The Finals’ maps. The launch version currently has three maps, with more undoubtedly coming in future seasons. Let’s breakdown key traits of each one:

Meltdown Map

Set in an industrial nuclear facility, Meltdown is filled with twists and turns through decaying concrete buildings, pipe tunnels, and processing structures. Teams battle atop cracking cooling towers, in control rooms filled with instruments, and around the lethal encore itself – which lives up to the map’s name by having an exposed radioactive core players can send enemies plummeting into!

This map really epitomizes the environment destruction The Finals is known for. Practically no wall is safe from rockets, C4 satchels or even a burst from a heavy’s machine gun. Use this to your advantage to create new paths and lines of sight. Just be ready to adapt when opponents do the same back to you!

Blackgold Map

This mining facility still has functioning equipment hauling loads of black gold throughout its depths. Contested objectives often sit among the winding mining tunnels — be ready for point blank firefights over cash drops in tight spaces. Or snipe across the vast open quarry dotted with heavy machinery.

A fan favorite unique feature in Blackgold is its fully operational train system. Hop aboard an automated mining cart for fast traversal between areas…just watch out for enemies laying traps on the tracks! Derailing an enemy by blowing the tracks as they pass over is extremely satisfying too.

Network Map

Set in a massive server farm, Network offers open lanes of fire across rows of computer towers in stark sterile environments. Yet at a moment’s notice you can dip back into the shadowy maintenance corridors running behind.

The rare, closed quarters battles in this map are more impactful due to the long sight lines everywhere else. And the objectives couldn’t be more different — one sits exposed right in the middle, while another is tucked away in a hard-to-reach server room. So, you’ll need to exercise very different tactics between cash drop sites.

Learn the intricate details of each battlefield, and your strategies and positioning will improve tremendously. These maps all enable different playstyles in their layouts, so keep that in mind with both your loadouts and moment-to-moment decision making.

Advanced Tactics to Step Up Your Game

Once you have the basics down, there’s always room to refine your gameplay. Try implementing advanced strategies like:

Baiting Overconfident Pursuers

Fleeing Lights often get chased by Heavies and Mediums counting on an easy kill. Instead, lead them into a trap where your ally Lights are waiting cloaked. Catch enemies in a deadly crossfire they can’t escape due to their slower movement speeds. Just make sure one of you grabs the cash they drop!

Zipline Flanking

Zipline over the top of contested objectives to rain down fire. The verticality often catches teams off guard focused on ground approaches. Then when heat gets too heavy, zipline away to safety and reposition. Always keep enemies guessing where you’ll strike from next.

Structural Sabotage

Is another team locking down an area with annoying turrets and barriers? Flank to a different floor and set explosives beneath them, or on a wall they think protects their rear. Blow out their support, dropping them right into your team’s Killzone.

Healing Decoy

Mediums can activate their heal beam without healing anyone. Use this to lure out waiting enemies expecting an easy ambush on weakened players – when it’s just you ready to gun them down!

Next Level Customization & Progression

Alongside mastering combat and tactics, players invest deeply into customizing their chosen squad mate. Cosmetic collectables let you show off your style, with plenty of weapon and character skins, clothing pieces, accessories and dive trails unlockable through various means.

These include the seasonal battle pass rewards track, direct store purchases with VRS currency, limited time events and challenges, and hidden collectables found within maps.

You can craft a unique look that matches your personality and preferred playstyle. Light players tend to favor sleek mechanical suits and masks enhancing their stealthy characteristics. Heavies on the other hand often choose thick armor plating and brutal spiked looks to match their tank role.

Weapon attachments also impact gameplay by enhancing functionality further. Extended magazines offer more shots before reloading, scoped sights provide magnification toggles, suppressors reduce firing signature and much more. Mix and match to really perfect your build.

Final Words

Follow these guidelines, and you’ll secure more cash drops and rack up rewards in The Finals fierce firefights. Now get out there and start unleashing chaos! Destructible environments won’t demolish themselves. Think tactically when engaging across the distinctly different maps. Outsmart opponents with next level strategies they won’t expect from a new player. And intimidate them with a personalized cosmetic loadout reflecting the chaos you’re soon to inflict!

To be updated about The Finals, including the most recent news and tips for winning the game, check out Electronic First blog.

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