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Guide

ADS Gameplay Guide — EMPULSE

Win in the ADS Experimental Playlist with hip-fire vs ADS decisions, movement integration, and post-Update 2 loadouts.

Last updated: 2026-07-12

ADS Gameplay Guide

The ADS Experimental Playlist changes EMPULSE’s combat rhythm. Hip-fire remains the movement shooter’s foundation — ADS adds precision windows without replacing speed. This guide covers when to ADS, when to hip-fire, and loadouts optimized for Update 2 balance.

Official Early Access gameplay trailer showing EMPULSE movement and combat pace.

Core Principle

Never ADS during movement chains. ADS is for settled positions — holding angles, pre-aiming lanes, trading at mid-long range after your grapple ends.

If you are wall-running, sliding, or grappling: hip-fire only.

Decision Flowchart

  1. Are you moving at high speed? → Hip-fire
  2. Are you holding a stationary angle? → ADS
  3. Is enemy within 15m? → Hip-fire (Echo, Coda, Percussion territory)
  4. Is enemy 30m+ and you have Requiem/Triad? → ADS
  5. Did you just land a grapple? → Hip-fire first, ADS only if you commit to holding

Best ADS Loadouts (Update 2)

Requiem Anchor

  • Weapon: Requiem (fire rate 0.8s, multi-shot ADS)
  • Perks: Delayed Health Regen, Martial Elite
  • P.A.I.N.T.: Sticky on choke points
  • Role: Hold lanes on Sentinel and Drainage culverts

Volta ADS Mid-Range

  • Weapon: Volta (12.5 damage, homing buffed)
  • Perks: Mech Slayer, Glutton
  • P.A.I.N.T.: Explosive
  • Role: ADS for first shots, hip-fire when homing tracks close targets

Percussion Hybrid

  • Weapon: Percussion (spread 0.5°, range buffed to 45m)
  • Perks: Kill Runner, Glutton
  • P.A.I.N.T.: Speed
  • Role: Hip-fire entry, ADS for medium-range cleanup after Update 2 buffs

Movement + ADS Integration

Update 2 added a speedometer setting — use it to learn your speed thresholds:

  • Above ~1200 cm/s: hip-fire only
  • After slide cancel into cover: ADS peek
  • Post-grapple landing: 0.3s hip-fire tap before ADS commit

Read Movement Guide for flow state fundamentals.

Ranked Note

ADS is Experimental Playlist only for now. Standard Ranked still uses hip-fire — and mechs are disabled in Ranked as of Update 2. Practice ADS in EP; practice gunfight consistency in Ranked.

Common Mistakes

  • ADS mid-grapple — you lose movement advantage
  • ADS in CQC with Echo — range nerfed to 30m, hip-fire one-shots win
  • Ignoring hip-fire accuracy reduction — tap-fire bursts instead of full spray at range
  • Using Grip attachment expecting old 75% value — now 50% effectiveness globally