EMPULSE ADS Mode — Aim Down Sights Guide
Complete ADS (aim down sights) guide for EMPULSE Experimental Playlist: hip-fire vs ADS accuracy, weapon tips, and movement integration.
Last updated: 2026-07-12
ADS Mode Guide
Aim Down Sights (ADS) is the headline feature of Update 2’s Experimental Playlist, live since July 9, 2026. Every weapon can ADS for iron-sight accuracy — a major shift for a movement shooter built on hip-fire.
How ADS Works in Update 2
| Aspect | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Availability | All weapons in ADS Experimental Playlist |
| Hip-fire | Slightly less accurate than pre-Update 2 |
| ADS | More accurate when aiming down sights |
| Status | Work in progress — animations and balance tuning |
| Main playlists | ADS not in standard rotation yet |
1047 Games emphasized ADS will not replace accurate hip-fire as the movement foundation — it adds a tactical option without slowing combat to traditional cover-shooter pace.
ADS vs Hip-Fire Decision Guide
| Situation | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Mid-air grapple or wall-run fight | Hip-fire — ADS slows movement commitment |
| Holding a lane from cover | ADS — accuracy advantage at range |
| CQC room clear with Echo/Coda | Hip-fire — speed wins |
| Requiem long-range pick | ADS — major accuracy gain post-Update 2 buff |
| Tracking fast-moving target | Hip-fire or tap-ADS between shots |
Weapon-Specific ADS Notes (Update 2)
Requiem — biggest ADS beneficiary. Update 2 buffed fire rate (0.8s), faster ADS animation (0.25s), and allows multiple shots without exiting ADS. Natural ADS weapon.
Volta — homing still works in ADS. Damage buff to 12.5 makes ADS mid-range picks stronger.
Percussion / Coda — SMG buffs favor hip-fire rushing, but ADS helps medium-range taps after Update 2 spread improvements.
Echo — range nerfed to 30m. ADS does not fix CQC-only role — still a gap-closer.
Oscillator / Triad / Resonance — long-range dropoff nerfs push these toward mid-range. ADS helps hold angles at their new effective ranges.
Settings & Controls
ADS uses standard aim-down-sights input (right-click on PC by default). Check PC Keybinds and Controller for remapping.
Enable the new speedometer in gameplay settings (Update 2) to measure whether ADS slows your movement chains.
Experimental Playlist Access
ADS is only in the Experimental Playlist — not Ranked or standard TDM yet.
- Play → Experimental Playlists → ADS Playlist
- Test and share feedback on Discord/Reddit
- Read Experimental Playlists for the testing roadmap
Related Guides
- ADS Gameplay Guide — strategy and loadouts
- Update 2 Patch Notes
- Movement Guide — maintain flow state with ADS
- Best Settings