THE FINALS KS-23 Guide (Season 12)

The KS-23 is the Heavy shotgun for players who refuse to sit still. One well-placed slug ends a Light, a Medium who wandered too close, or a Heavy who underestimated how fast you’d close the gap. It’s rated top-tier for the class as of Season 12 and it’s the heart of the famous KS-23 Brawler build: KS-23, Charge N Slam, RPG-7, Pyro Grenade, Goo Grenade.

What it is

A slug-firing shotgun. Unlike pellet spread, the KS-23 throws a single heavy projectile — which means accuracy matters, but so does raw stopping power at close range. It’s a commitment weapon: you either delete someone or you die learning.

Engagement range

• Sweet spot: point blank to about 15 meters, depending on how confident you are with the slug. Inside 10 meters it’s an elimination machine.
• The slug demands aim. Pellets forgive; the KS-23 doesn’t. If you’re used to spray-and-pray shotguns, expect an adjustment period.
• Past 20 meters it’s a coin flip at best. Don’t. Your job is to make the fight close-range — the gun doesn’t reach out to you, you reach in to it.

Attachment ideas

Everything about the KS-23 is about winning the approach:

• Reload speed is your best friend. A brawler lives and dies by how fast the next slug is ready.
• Hip-fire accuracy improvements help more than you’d think — most KS-23 kills happen without ADS.
• Skip range gimmicks. You’re not sniping with this; you’re closing distance and punishing mistakes.

Pros and cons

Why aggressive Heavies love it:

• Massive close-range damage — one good slug can end most of the lobby
• Rewards decisive plays: flank, slam, delete, leave
• The Charge N Slam combo is genuinely one of the best ability-weapon pairs in the game
• Great for punishing Lights who think a Heavy is free money

Why it’s risky:

• Punishing if you miss. One whiffed slug against an XP-54 Light is often a lost fight
• Very limited range — bad on the open maps if you can’t force close quarters
• You’re still a Heavy, so getting caught mid-reload in the open is a death sentence

Who should run it

Players with good target acquisition who like to lead the push. The Brawler build is the classic: Charge N Slam to close the gap and open the fight, RPG-7 to break into held positions or finish damaged targets, Goo Grenade to trap enemies in the space you chose, and Pyro to pressure anyone hiding behind cover. The loop is simple: slam in, slug the first target, goo the second, RPG whatever’s left.

If that sounds like too much chaos, the ShAK-50 offers a calmer anchor-style alternative, and the Heavy build guide covers both approaches in full. The melee guide is worth reading too — Slam and melee cancels are a real part of this weapon’s ceiling.