Best Heavy Builds

Season 12 · Patch 12.0.0 · Guide reviewed

Choose Winch Aggro when your squad can follow a pull into a close fight. Lewis Range suits a longer lane; Mesh Fortress trades the catch for protection. Bring the fight somewhere your team can finish it.

Winch Aggro

S-tier
Weapon
ShAK-50 / SA1216
Specialization
Winch Claw
Gadgets
RPG-7, Dome Shield, C4
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Make the play

  1. Reload and pick a target your teammates can also reach. Keep solid cover beside you.
  2. Pull the opponent toward your team's angle, then follow with ShAK-50 fire. Do not treat the pull as a free elimination.
  3. Break line of sight when the enemy team answers. Reset with your squad instead of chasing through the same doorway.

Where it falls short

The pull does not remove the enemy's teammates. Starting it in an open lane can put both of you in their sights.

When to swap

C4 → Barricade. Choose a place to fight from when your team already has enough destruction. You lose a remote explosive option.

Other reserve options

Lewis Gun, Goo Grenade, Healing Emitter. Swap availability depends on your game mode.

Lewis Range

A-tier

Hold the lane until the fight comes to you. Keep Winch for an opponent who closes in instead of forcing every engagement.

Weapon
Lewis Gun
Specialization
Winch Claw
Gadgets
C4, Dome Shield, RPG-7
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Tactics and swaps

Make the play

  1. Find cover with a useful view of the objective approach.
  2. Keep pressure on the lane while your squad moves.
  3. Reposition before enemies surround the hold; save the close-range catch for a target the team can finish.

Where it falls short

A long firing lane can become a flank route. Watch your exits instead of staying planted through every reload.

When to swap

C4 → Healing Emitter. Consider team sustain when another player covers the demolition job. You give up remote destruction.

Other reserve options: ShAK-50, SA1216, Barricade, Goo Grenade. Swap availability depends on your game mode.

Mesh Fortress

A-tier

Give your teammate room to act. Pick Mesh when your team wants protection during a push or a retreat.

Weapon
Lewis Gun
Specialization
Mesh Shield
Gadgets
C4, Dome Shield, RPG-7
Load this build
Tactics and swaps

Make the play

  1. Agree on the direction of the push before committing the shield.
  2. Cover the teammate making the play, then return to your weapon when pressure eases.
  3. Keep a solid piece of cover as your fallback.

Where it falls short

Protection needs a team to use it. A shield facing one direction does not solve a fight arriving from several.

When to swap

C4 → Barricade. Add another cover option for a hold. You lose the explosive for changing the room.

Other reserve options: Healing Emitter, Goo Grenade, SA1216, ShAK-50. Swap availability depends on your game mode.

KS-23 Brawler

A-tier

Open a route for the squad and take a close fight on purpose. Charge is a commitment, so pick the destination first.

Weapon
KS-23
Specialization
Charge N Slam
Gadgets
RPG-7, Pyro Grenade, Goo Grenade
Load this build
Tactics and swaps

Make the play

  1. Choose where you want to finish the entry, with cover nearby.
  2. Breach when teammates are ready to follow, then use the opening together.
  3. Reset behind cover if the first engagement does not work.

Where it falls short

Charging beyond your team can leave you isolated. Avoid treating every wall as an invitation.

When to swap

Pyro Grenade → Dome Shield. Choose temporary protection for the follow-up. You trade away the fire option.

Other reserve options: C4, Barricade. Swap availability depends on your game mode.

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Frequently asked

Does a Winch pull guarantee an elimination?

No. Treat the pull as an opening for your squad. Enemy teammates, nearby cover and your follow-up all matter. Pulling someone into an exposed position can leave you in the same crossfire.

Can I equip every weapon and reserve listed?

No. Load this build selects the first weapon, one specialization and three gadgets in this site's tool. The other weapon is an alternative and reserves are optional swaps. Your game mode determines when you can change equipment.

About these picks

These are editorial starting points, not measured win rates. Equipment and tiers follow our curated loadout catalog. Play sequences and swaps are our suggestions; your mode and teammates change the decision.

References: Embark's role guide and Season 12 changes. Compare individual weapons in the weapon tier list or TTK chart.

More build guides

Best Light BuildsBest Medium BuildsAll Meta Loadouts