The Finals: Best Light Builds

The Light class in The Finals is the fastest out of the three choices. They don’t hit as hard or live as long as Mediums or Heavies, but they are extra slippery and more difficult to hit in general, making them perfect for players who love hit-and-run tactics.

There’s a lot more nuance to playing the Light class in The Finals. While players can get away with playing it like in any other shooter, they’ll miss out on all the valuable utility Lights can provide to the team. Here are two builds for this class that highlight exactly what Lights can bring to the table.

Updated March 15, 2024 by Marc Santos: A plethora of balance changes were applied between the launch of The Finals and the start of its second season, but the following loadouts for the Light class remains as relevant as they were before. Glitch Grenades remain a ubiquitous part of the class’ kit, and they still retain their identity as either skirmishers or assassins. This guide has been updated to provide information that better matches the state of the game as of Season 2’s release.

The Finals Light Build: Mid-Range Skirmisher

This build emphasizes the Light class’ hit-and-run capabilities. The weapons listed here all excel in mid-ranged fights, with the XP-54 being the most versatile among all options. The LH1 stands in between the other two guns, and despite its rate of fire getting nerfed from the beta, it’s still a decent weapon.

The Light player’s job here is to scout ahead, chunk down the enemy’s HP, and disable gadgets and Specializations with Glitch Grenade. Cloaking Device is excellent for fading in and out of the enemy’s line of sight, while Grappling Hook is for gaining good vantage points to shoot from. Use Breaching Charges to manipulate terrain and Pyro Grenades to deny objectives.

With the launch of Season 2, Lights now have access to the 93R, a burst-fire pistol that excels at close-mid-ranged combat. It demands more precision than the V9S pistol, but it rewards straight shooters with a very quick TTK. Use it in maps like Monaco where engagements constantly shift from CQB to medium range.

Close-Range Assassin

This loadout focuses on the Light’s size and speed to win close-ranged fights. As the build’s name suggests, you can expect this to feel like playing a mobile assassin who gets in close and deletes enemies very quickly. The SH1900 shotgun, Throwing Knives, and Dagger have the highest damage potential out of all weapons listed above, but they each have their own quirks for players to deal with (limited ammo capacity, projectile travel time, and backstab requirements, respectively).

Evasive Dash is very strong when used properly. You can catch a lot of enemies off-guard by dashing toward them to get a clear shot of their backs. Cloaking Device is also useful for getting up close and personal, but good players will be able to see a cloaked Light, especially when they’re up close. When using Cloaking Device, try to approach from an angle outside an enemy’s line of sight or use the general chaos of combat to mask your approach.

Previously, this loadout made heavy use of the Stun Gun to secure free kills. With the nerf it received back in Patch 1.2.0, players are better off picking a different piece of equipment. Vanishing Bomb is a very useful tool for initiating and escaping, and it fits well with the assassin theme. Use it in conjunction with Evasive Dash to strike a balance between stealth and mobility.

Light Builds For Power Shift Mode

The second season of The Finals introduced Power Shift, a Tug of War-style gamemode where teams fight to push a moving platform. This mode naturally favors teams who can lock the objective down and luckily, the Light class has the means to take and hold the platform as it cruises about the map.

With the action being so concentrated on one moving point in the map, Lights will be able to make tremendous use of their weapons on both sides of the range spectrum. The LH1 and SR-84 are great for chunking down enemies standing on the point, while any of the closer-ranged weapons like the double-barrel shotgun, M11, and melee weapons can wreak total havoc inside the point itself.

Evasive Dash allows for extremely annoying hit-and-run tactics for holding the objective, while Grappling Hook enables easier repositioning for marksmen. Regardless of what weapon you choose, always bring Glitch Grenade to disable Heavy shields, Medium turrets, and all sorts of mines.