The Finals is a free-to-play team-based FPS built around a fully destructible environment powered by Embark Studios' proprietary tech. Three body types — Light, Medium, and Heavy — offer distinct playstyles with unique abilities and weapon pools. The core game mode, Cashout, tasks teams with stealing vaults and depositing them at cashout stations while defending against other squads. What sets The Finals apart is that every wall, floor, and ceiling can be destroyed, meaning no position is truly safe and creative destruction is the meta.
This guide covers everything you need: core mechanics, the best characters, weapons worth investing in, location progression, and the tips that actually make a difference.
Core Mechanics
destruction system
Nearly every surface in The Finals can be destroyed using explosives, weapons fire, or abilities. Floors collapse under sustained damage, walls can be blown open for new sightlines, and entire buildings can be brought down. Smart destruction creates rotation paths, removes enemy cover, and denies cashout positions.
cashout objectives
Teams compete to grab vaults from the map, carry them to cashout stations, and defend them during a timed deposit. Other teams can steal the cashout by interacting with the station, creating chaotic multi-team fights. Winning requires both securing vaults and preventing steals.
class-based combat
Light builds are fast with stealth and mobility abilities but have 150 HP. Medium builds at 250 HP balance healing/support with solid DPS. Heavy builds tank at 350 HP with shields, C4, and suppressive fire. Team composition matters enormously.
gadget synergies
Each build carries specializations and gadgets that combo with teammates. Heavy's Dome Shield pairs with Medium's Turret for protected suppressive fire. Light's Grapple plus Cloaking Device enables flanking steals. Building around synergies wins more than raw aim.
environmental manipulation
Beyond destruction, you can use Goo Grenades to create temporary cover or block doors, Gas Mines to deny areas, and Jump Pads for vertical mobility. The environment is a weapon — redirecting fire through gas clouds ignites the area.
Characters Overview
| Role | Tier | Playstyle | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Light Build | A | Flank, steal cashouts, assassinate then disengage before the team collapses on you. | Mobility, Stealth, Burst Damage |
| Medium Build | S | Stay with the team, heal the Heavy, revive with Defib, control areas with gadgets. | Healing Output, Mid-Range Accuracy, Utility |
| Heavy Build | S | Lead pushes into cashout sites, shield the team, C4 floors under enemy teams. | Health Pool, Area Denial, Destruction Capability |
| Support Medium | S | Pocket-heal the Heavy, Defib downed teammates instantly, maintain safe positioning. | Healing Uptime, Positioning, Revive Speed |
| Aggressive Light | B | Close distance instantly with Dash, stun and melee kill, escape before retaliation. | Close-Range Burst, Mobility, Escape Options |
Light Build (A-Tier): Glass cannon focused on flanking, stealing cashouts, and assassinating isolated targets. 150 HP means you die fast if caught, but Cloaking Device and Grappling Hook provide unmatched mobility. Best for skilled aimers who can win duels quickly.
Medium Build (S-Tier): The most versatile class with access to the Healing Beam, Recon Senses, and the best all-around weapons. Every team needs at least one Medium. The AKM and FCAR are top-tier weapons that outperform most options at mid-range.
Heavy Build (S-Tier): The anchor of any team with 350 HP, Dome Shield, and devastating close-range damage. C4 destroys structures instantly and the Charge 'N' Slam creates chaos in cashout fights. Slow but nearly unkillable with Medium support.
Support Medium (S-Tier): Dedicated healing and utility Medium that prioritizes keeping the team alive over personal kills. Healing Beam plus Defibrillator makes your team nearly impossible to wipe. The backbone of competitive play.
Aggressive Light (B-Tier): High-risk Light build that uses Dash and Stun Gun to rush enemies directly. Incredibly lethal against isolated targets but folds against coordinated teams. Feast or famine playstyle that requires exceptional game sense.
For full build breakdowns with gear and stat priorities, see our The Finals builds guide.
Weapons Guide
| Weapon | Why It Matters | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| M60 (Heavy) | High-capacity LMG with 70 rounds per magazine and consistent damage output. | Heavy Build |
| AKM (Medium) | The best all-around assault rifle with high damage per shot and manageable recoil. | Medium Build |
| XP-54 (Light) | Burst-fire SMG that shreds at close-to-mid range. | Light Build, Aggressive Light |
| Lewis Gun (Heavy) | Alternative to the M60 with higher damage per shot but slower fire rate. | Heavy Build |
| FCAR (Medium) | Fast-firing assault rifle that outperforms the AKM at close range due to its higher rate of fire. | Medium Build, Support Medium |
M60 (Heavy): High-capacity LMG with 70 rounds per magazine and consistent damage output. Excels at sustained fire to destroy cover and suppress enemy positions. Recoil is manageable in short bursts. The default meta pick for Heavy builds.
AKM (Medium): The best all-around assault rifle with high damage per shot and manageable recoil. Kills Light in 5 body shots and Medium in 8. First-shot accuracy is excellent, making it dominant at mid-range. Slightly outperformed by FCAR at close range.
XP-54 (Light): Burst-fire SMG that shreds at close-to-mid range. The 3-round burst can headshot-kill a Light in a single trigger pull. Requires good burst timing to maintain accuracy. The meta Light weapon for players with strong aim.
Lewis Gun (Heavy): Alternative to the M60 with higher damage per shot but slower fire rate. Better for players who prefer precision over suppression. The 47-round drum magazine is smaller than the M60 but reloads faster.
FCAR (Medium): Fast-firing assault rifle that outperforms the AKM at close range due to its higher rate of fire. Less controllable at long range but melts targets up close. Pairs well with aggressive Medium playstyles.
Location Progression
| Location | Level Range | Key Rewards |
|---|---|---|
| Monaco | All Ranks | High destruction value, vertical gameplay opportunities, rooftop flanking routes |
| Seoul | All Ranks | Long-range engagement opportunities, elevated positions, destructible train platforms |
| Las Vegas | All Ranks | Indoor destruction chaos, multi-floor vertical fights, casino interior combat |
| Skyway Stadium | All Ranks | Aim-focused engagements, open-area team fights, less environmental RNG |
| SYS$HORIZON | All Ranks | Unique gravity gameplay, environmental kills, goo-based strategy |
Monaco: Tight streets and multi-story buildings make this a destruction-heavy map. Collapsing buildings onto cashout stations is a viable strategy. Rooftop fights are common and the narrow alleys funnel fights into predictable chokepoints.
Seoul: Modern cityscape with large open plazas connected by narrow alleyways. Long sightlines favor Medium and Heavy builds. The elevated train platforms provide strong cashout defense positions that require creative destruction to counter.
Las Vegas: Casino interiors with flashy lighting and multiple floors. Indoor cashout locations mean heavy destruction sends debris everywhere. The hotel tower offers the highest vertical gameplay in the rotation.
Skyway Stadium: Open arena environment with less destructible terrain than other maps. Favors gunplay skill over creative destruction. The central field offers minimal cover, making it a kill zone for Heavy builds with sightlines.
SYS$HORIZON: Futuristic floating platform map with unique gravity mechanics and destructible floor sections that drop players into the void. Falling off the map is a constant threat. Goo platforms and creative building become essential survival tools.
Tips That Actually Matter
- C4 on a ceiling below a cashout station is the single most effective play in the game — the enemy team falls through and loses the position.
- Medium's Healing Beam heals 250 HP over 5 seconds. Keep it on your Heavy during fights — a healed Heavy with 350 HP is nearly unkillable.
- Light's Cloaking Device has a visible shimmer when moving. Stand still to become truly invisible, then strike when enemies walk past.
- Goo Grenades create permanent platforms that block sightlines and doorways. Use them to seal off flanking routes during cashout defense.
- The Defibrillator revives teammates with 50% HP and has a 15-second cooldown. Position near downed allies but behind cover before reviving.
- RPG shots destroy any wall or floor in one hit. Use them to create instant rotation holes rather than wasting them on player damage.
- Gas Grenades deal 15 DPS in the cloud, but shooting through gas with a fire weapon ignites the area for 50+ DPS. Gas + fire combo is devastating.
- Jump Pads affect ALL players — place them for your team but be aware enemies can use them too. Destroy your own pads when repositioning.
- In Cashout mode, the vault carrier moves at 80% speed. Drop the vault to fight, then pick it up after clearing — don't fight while carrying.
- Dome Shield blocks all incoming damage for 15 seconds but enemies can walk through it. Pair with barricades to create a true fortress.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Playing Light without understanding its 150 HP limitation — you cannot trade shots with Medium or Heavy and win consistently.
- Ignoring destruction potential and treating the game like a standard FPS — the floor is always your best weapon.
- Running triple Light or triple Heavy compositions — team variety with at least one Medium healer is almost always stronger.
- Defending cashout from inside a building without reinforcing the floor — enemies will C4 it from below every time.
- Using the Defibrillator in the open — you're stationary for 2 seconds during the revive animation, making you an easy kill.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is The Finals pay-to-win?
No. All gameplay-affecting items (weapons, abilities, gadgets) are unlocked through progression or the free battle pass track. Premium purchases are cosmetic only. New weapons are sometimes temporarily strong but get balanced in patches.
What's the best team composition?
The meta is Heavy + Medium + Light or Heavy + Medium + Medium. You always want at least one Medium for healing and one Heavy for tanking. Light is flexible but not mandatory — double Medium provides more consistent results.
How does ranked work?
Ranked uses a points-based system where you gain or lose points based on placement and kills. Ranks go from Bronze through Diamond. Each season resets ranks partially. Solo queue and team queue share the same ladder.
Can you destroy the entire map?
Most of the map is destructible but not everything — ground floors and foundational structures usually remain. You can collapse upper floors, blow out walls, and create massive openings, but the map won't disappear entirely.
What to Read Next
- Best The Finals Builds — Detailed breakdowns with gear, stats, and playstyle guides
- The Finals Tier List — Current meta rankings
- The Finals Walkthrough — Step-by-step progression from start to endgame
- The Finals Beginner's Guide — First session essentials
- The Finals Tips & Tricks — Advanced strategies and hidden mechanics
