HISTORICAL PATCH SUMMARY
What changed in this update, with player takeaways and official sources.
Published · Season 12
Changes and advice below describe this patch at publication. Latest official updates ↗
THE FINALS Update 12.0.0 launched Season 12, PRIME TIME, on October 20, 2026. Light health rises to 175 and Heavy drops to 325, the Infiltrator adds True Sight, Mimic Device and Translocator, and a large balance pass buffs CB-01, MGL32, P90, Frag, Explosive Mine, Healing Beam and Dome Shield while nerfing KS-23, LH1, XP-54, Sword and Gateway.
At publication: Recheck your shots-to-kill: Lights take one more bullet from many guns and Heavies one fewer. Smoke is stronger but explosives clear it, and Embark plans more tuning through Updates 12.0 to 12.3.
WHAT CHANGED
What got weaker
Toxic Gas Canister gas lasts less time
WHY IT MATTERSGas canisters deny a room for a shorter window, so time pushes to their expiry.
Gas duration decreased from 12s to 10s, adjusted for the new dynamic gas that explosions can clear.
Gateway cooldown increased from 40s to 50s
WHY IT MATTERSGateway plays are less frequent and tall vertical portals are capped. Plan one escape per fight.
Cooldown increased from 40s to 50s. Max distance between you and your first portal increased from 50m to 60m, and the check now includes vertical distance, which was previously unlimited.
Gas Mine radius decreased from 5m to 3.5m
WHY IT MATTERSPlace Gas Mines right on the doorway or cashout you want to cover.
Radius decreased from 5m to 3.5m.
H+ Infuser heals 10 per shot (was 11)
WHY IT MATTERSLight self-sustain dips slightly, and Medium healers matter more.
Health given per shot decreased from 11 to 10, to balance it against the Healing Beam.
Gateway now breaks Lockbolt connections
WHY IT MATTERSLockbolt plus Gateway pull tricks no longer work.
Teleporting through a Gateway immediately breaks any connection to a Lockbolt. Embark removed the combo because of bugs and balance problems.
Pyro Mine explosive damage decreased from 55 to 45
WHY IT MATTERSPyro Mine still zones, but the burst on trigger is lower.
Explosive damage decreased from 55 to 45, balancing it against the improved Pyro Grenade.
Vanishing Bomb cooldown increased from 25s to 30s
WHY IT MATTERSFewer invisibility escapes per fight, but the underhand throw is easier to place.
Cooldown increased from 25s to 30s. The secondary underhand throw arc is straighter, faster and more reliable.
Charge N Slam no longer damages airborne targets
WHY IT MATTERSJump or get elevated to dodge slam damage. Heavies should slam grounded targets.
The ground slam now only damages targets close to the ground. Elevated or airborne targets no longer take slam damage but still take knockback and concussion.
Cloaked players are easier to hear
WHY IT MATTERSCloak flanks are a little easier to hear coming. Listen for the crackle.
Idle sound is louder while stationary, and movement crackle can be heard from slightly further away.
Sword damage decreased
WHY IT MATTERSSword needs more clean hits on 175 HP Lights and stays a niche pick.
Primary precise damage 110 to 100 and base damage 71 to 65. Lunge distance 4.25m to 4m to compensate for lunge prediction.
KS-23 damage decreased from 104 to 100
WHY IT MATTERSShots to kill are unchanged against each class, so KS-23 stays strong but less forgiving at range.
Damage decreased from 104 to 100. Embark says it was still over-performing after its recent popularity.
LH1 damage decreased from 44 to 40 with shorter range
WHY IT MATTERSLH1 needs one more body shot against every class. Expect it to slip from the top of the Light meta.
Damage decreased from 44 to 40. Damage falloff now starts at 35m (was 50m) and ends at 45m (was 55m).
XP-54 magazine reduced from 36 to 34
WHY IT MATTERSLess margin for missed shots against the 175 HP Light. Reload earlier.
Ammo decreased from 36 to 34.
What got stronger
Powder Canister smoke is bigger and lasts longer
WHY IT MATTERSThrown canisters now give a usable smoke screen for revives and steals.
Smoke radius increased from 3.5m to 4.5m and duration from 9s to 13s.
Explosive Mine damage increased from 120 to 145 (Medium and Heavy)
WHY IT MATTERSA mine plus a few shots now finishes a 175 HP Light. Mine your cashout entrances again.
Damage increased from 120 to 145, adjusted for the new Light and Heavy health values. Applies to both the Medium and Heavy Explosive Mine.
Flashbang blinds longer and barely affects teammates
WHY IT MATTERSFlashbang is a real option now: you can throw it into your own team push without blinding them.
Minimum flash duration 1.5s to 2s, maximum 4.5s to 5s. Teammate flash intensity reduced from 0.95 to 0.35. More reliable hit traces near thin or small objects. Hit markers now show only for enemies and only for strong flashes (threshold 0.75 to 0.85).
Frag Grenade max damage increased from 140 to 165
WHY IT MATTERSA frag plus one or two shots now finishes most targets. Expect more frag spam on objectives.
Max damage increased from 140 to 165. The light trail is smaller and fades faster. Frags now create Blast Waves.
Pyro Grenade now deals 40 explosive damage on impact
WHY IT MATTERSPyro Grenade gets a more reliable floor, closer to Pyro Mine and Frag.
Pyro Grenades now deal 40 explosive damage on impact in a 2.5m radius, on top of the burn. This explosive damage applies through smoke, unlike fire damage.
Smoke Grenade radius and duration increased
WHY IT MATTERSSmokes cover revives and plants much better. Carry an explosive to punch through enemy smoke.
Radius increased from 3.5m to 4.5m and smoke duration from 9s to 13s. Smoke is now dynamic, and explosions such as C4, Frag, RPG and Shockwave can briefly clear it.
Sonar Grenade now available to Medium
WHY IT MATTERSMediums get a wallhack tool against cloaks and disguises. Try it in the Medium utility slot.
Sonar Grenades are now available to the Medium archetype, in addition to Light.
Thermal Bore detonates faster
WHY IT MATTERSFaster floor breaks for vertical plays.
Fuse time before detonation decreased from 1.75s to 1.4s. Thermal Bore now creates Blast Waves.
Guardian Turret highlights its target through walls and smoke
WHY IT MATTERSTurret becomes an intel tool. Place it covering the main approach to your cashout.
The turret now detects and highlights its active target, so you and your team can see that opponent through walls and smoke while they stay in the turret sights.
Healing Beam heals 50 per second (was 46)
WHY IT MATTERSHealing Beam stays the default Medium support pick and outheals more chip damage.
Healing per second increased from 46 to 50, part of a wider push to raise Medium utility.
Dual Blades hit harder with a wider precision angle
WHY IT MATTERSDual Blades are more reliable and Deflect is easier to aim back at shooters.
Primary precise damage 57 to 60 and base damage 37 to 39. Cross Slash precise damage 140 to 155, base damage 91 to 100, hitbox width 0.3m to 0.55m. Precision angle 12 to 14 degrees. Deflect now uses only the 14 degree precise angle, deflected bullets follow your crosshair and show hit markers.
Riot Shield damage and hitbox increased
WHY IT MATTERSRiot Shield swings connect more often.
Primary precise damage 86 to 90 and base damage 60 to 63, with a wider (0.8m to 0.95m) and taller (0.3m to 0.4m) hitbox. Shield Bash hitbox grows (0.35m to 0.55m wide, 0.55m to 0.9m tall) and its lunge reaches slightly further but overshoots less.
BFR Titan damage increased from 90 to 95 with faster reloads
WHY IT MATTERSMore forgiving hand cannon. Shots to kill against each class are unchanged, but reloads are quicker.
Damage increased from 90 to 95. Reload intro 0.68s to 0.62s and reload loop 0.88s to 0.8s; bullet restock point moved from 0.465s to 0.52s.
CB-01 Repeater damage increased from 84 to 88
WHY IT MATTERSTwo body shots kill a 175 HP Light again. The CB-01 stays a top Medium pick.
Damage increased from 84 to 88. Damage falloff multiplier increased from 0.64 to 0.66, so it deals slightly more at max range.
Chimera-XB damage increased from 45 to 47
WHY IT MATTERSOne fewer body shot to kill a 325 HP Heavy (7 instead of 8).
Damage increased from 45 to 47.
Lewis Gun fire rate increased from 500 to 520 RPM
WHY IT MATTERSSlightly faster kills at every range. Good pairing for the faster Heavy.
Rate of fire increased from 500 RPM to 520 RPM.
M60 fire rate increased from 580 to 600 RPM
WHY IT MATTERSA small kill-time bump for the M60 against every class.
Rate of fire increased from 580 RPM to 600 RPM.
MGL32 damage increased from 83 to 97
WHY IT MATTERSTwo direct grenades now down a 175 HP Light. Worth another test.
Damage increased from 83 to 97. MGL32 also creates Blast Waves.
P90 damage increased from 14 to 15
WHY IT MATTERSFewer bullets to kill every class; a better close-range Medium option.
Damage increased from 14 to 15.
Pike-556 damage increased from 49 to 50
WHY IT MATTERSFive body shots now kill a 250 HP Medium (was six).
Damage increased from 49 to 50.
R .357 damage increased from 74 to 76
WHY IT MATTERSShots to kill are unchanged, but the revolver keeps pace with the tankier Light.
Damage increased from 74 to 76.
SA1216 recoil reduced and range improved
WHY IT MATTERSAn easier, longer-reaching auto shotgun. Try it again in close Heavy builds.
Recoil intensity decreased by about 20%, the pattern between shots 2 and 3 is smoother, pellet spread is slightly tighter, and the damage falloff multiplier increased from 0.62 to 0.67.
SR-84 damage increased from 118 to 122
WHY IT MATTERSShots to kill are unchanged, so this is mostly about falloff and chip value.
Damage increased from 118 to 122.
What plays differently
Light health increased from 150 to 175, movement slightly slower
WHY IT MATTERSLights survive one more bullet from many guns. Recheck which weapons still two- or three-shot you, and play a little less on raw speed.
Base health increased from 150 to 175. Health regeneration now starts 8s after last taking damage (was 7s). Forward sprint 7 to 6.6 m/s, strafe sprint 4.6 to 4.4 m/s, backpedal sprint 3.8 to 3.7 m/s, forward run 5.5 to 5.1 m/s, strafe run 4.4 to 4.2 m/s, backpedal run 3.8 to 3.7 m/s. The Respec Order test is now permanent.
Heavy health decreased from 350 to 325, movement faster
WHY IT MATTERSHeavies fall a shot sooner to many weapons but reposition faster. Lean on cover and Dome or Mesh timing more than raw health.
Base health decreased from 350 to 325. Forward sprint 5.8 to 6 m/s, strafe sprint 3.65 to 3.8 m/s, backpedal sprint 3 to 3.3 m/s, forward run 3.8 to 4.35 m/s, strafe run 3.2 to 3.6 m/s, backpedal run 3 to 3.2 m/s. The Respec Order test is now permanent.
Dome Shield health raised to 600 but drains 100 per second
WHY IT MATTERSDrop the dome at the moment of the fight or plant, not early. Shooting it is now worth it, because damage stacks with the drain.
Dome Shield health increased from 250 to 600. The dome now loses 100 health per second on its own, so damage pops it sooner. Embark calls this experimental.
Gas Grenade now has 2 charges with shorter gas
WHY IT MATTERSGas is no longer fire and forget. Re-throw to keep an area denied.
Ammo increased from 1 to 2, cooldown decreased from 24s to 20s, gas duration decreased from 12s to 8s, radius decreased from 5m to 4.5m. Explosions can now briefly clear the gas.
New Light gadget: Mimic Device
WHY IT MATTERSPick props that belong in the room. True Sight reveals disguised players.
Added the Mimic Device to the Light arsenal as part of the Infiltrator playstyle. Scan objects in the world, then disguise yourself as them to hide in plain sight. Embark did not publish range, duration or cooldown numbers.
New Light gadget: Translocator
WHY IT MATTERSMark an object near cover before you peek, so you have an instant escape or a flank.
Added the Translocator to the Light arsenal as part of the Infiltrator playstyle. Mark an object in your surroundings and, while within range, swap positions with it on demand. Embark did not publish range or cooldown numbers.
Grappling Hook cooldown now depends on grapple length
WHY IT MATTERSUse short, snappy grapples to keep it available more often.
Grappling Hook now has a variable cooldown based on how long the grapple was active: 4s minimum and 7.5s maximum. Short grapples recover faster.
New Light specialization: True Sight
WHY IT MATTERSA direct counter to cloak, Mimic Device and the buffed smokes.
Added the True Sight specialization to the Light archetype as part of the Infiltrator playstyle. It reveals opponents through smoke, including cloaked or disguised Contestants. Embark did not publish range, duration or energy numbers.
Melee lunges are now predictive and hit sweeps more accurate
WHY IT MATTERSMelee should land more consistently on moving targets, even with the shorter lunge ranges below.
The lunge on regular attacks now adjusts to the target movement: no lunge if the target runs into range, slight compensation for sideways movement, and speed adjusted to land the hit. Hit sweeps are more granular and precise. Quick Melee sweep also improved.
Dagger lunge shorter, Backstab faster and stronger
WHY IT MATTERSGet a little closer before lunging. Backstabs come out faster.
Primary and Backstab lunge distance decreased from 5m to 4.25m to compensate for lunge prediction. Backstab duration decreased from 0.5s to 0.35s and base damage increased from 85 to 90.
Sledgehammer lunge shortened for predictive lunges
WHY IT MATTERSSame damage, slightly closer engagement range.
Primary and secondary lunge distance decreased from 5m to 4.5m to compensate for lunge prediction, with more accurate hit sweeps. Damage unchanged.
Spear lunge shortened and hitbox narrowed
WHY IT MATTERSClose a little more before lunging, and expect to hold your spin under kicks.
Primary lunge distance decreased from 6.5m to 5.75m and hitbox width from 0.4m to 0.35m. Spin Attack hits better match the animation, and kicks push spinning Spear players a shorter distance.
Vaults open faster and Cashout rounds are longer
WHY IT MATTERSFaster opening fights and less stalling of the last two cashboxes. Rotate earlier.
Vaults open in 10s (was 20s) and spawn after a 5s preview (was 15s). Cashout round duration increased from 9 to 9.5 minutes; final round decreased from 20 to 14 minutes. Vault and Cashout Station spawns favor fewer long-distance placements.
Mega Damage and Low Gravity removed, Double Jump added
WHY IT MATTERSNo more Mega Damage rounds. Use the Double Jump event for surprise vertical routes.
Mega Damage and Low Gravity are out of the event rotation. Double Jump is added and no longer needs an initial jump, so it works after Jump Pads or running off roofs.
Monaco, Seoul, Skyway Stadium and Las Vegas Stadium reworked; original Las Vegas retired
WHY IT MATTERSRelearn the reworked maps before ranked. See our maps page for each arena.
Monaco, Seoul, Skyway Stadium and Las Vegas Stadium get layout reworks. The original Las Vegas leaves the rotation and Las Vegas Sandstorm returns. Kyoto Moving Platforms and SYS$Horizon Foggy Night are temporarily disabled.
Destruction overhaul and dynamic smoke
WHY IT MATTERSExplosives now also clear smoke. Expect fights to change shape as buildings sag and collapse.
Gradual destruction, swinging suspended structures, Blast Waves and debris piles are live. Smoke and toxic gas now fill the space around them and can be briefly cleared by explosions. Ladders have more environmental health (100 to 550).
Sponsor challenges replace passive Sponsors; Fans drive World Tour rank; VRs removed
WHY IT MATTERSPick a Sponsor whose Signature Plays match how you play to earn Fans faster.
Sponsors (OSPUZE, ALFA ACTA, ISEUL-T) now issue challenges with rewards, unlocked after four matches. World Tour rank now progresses with Fans instead of World Tour Points. VRs are removed: items unlock via Playstyle Tokens or automatically.
What feels better to use
Players can run up steeper slopes
WHY IT MATTERSFewer snags on rubble and ramps, especially after buildings collapse.
Players can now run up slopes of up to 50 degrees, up from 45 degrees, for smoother movement over debris and the new destruction.
Breach Drill hit markers only for enemies
WHY IT MATTERSHit markers now confirm real value on enemies.
Hit markers no longer trigger when the Breach Drill blinds you or your allies, only enemies.
Automatic RS refunds after server issues
WHY IT MATTERSNo need to file a ticket for server-caused ranked losses.
RS lost to server crashes or disconnects is now credited back automatically, with an inbox message within 24 hours.
HUD rework, shotgun pellet hit markers and sight swaps from the loadout tile
WHY IT MATTERSTurn on pellet hit markers to learn shotgun ranges faster.
Reworked HUD with scaling and an aspect ratio setting, a new side panel with Quick Settings, shotgun pellet hit markers, sight swaps directly from the loadout tile, party highlight colors and a 12-slot Expression Wheel.
PATCH ARCHIVE