Firewalk Studios’ latest hero shooter, Concord, has launched globally, following the rough beta phase, and much to fans’ surprise, it delivers an extensive roster of playable Freegunners. From stealthy flankers like Kyps to robust tanks like Emari, players will find something worth playing to fit their preferred playstyle. Similarly, Vale is a perfect pick for anyone looking to snipe some foes across the map in this fun sci-fi shooter.
Concord Highlights PC Exclusive Features
Ahead of Concord's launch on PS5 and PC, developer Firewalk Studios reveals some exclusive PC features for the live-service hero shooter.
However, there's some learning curve for every hero when different abilities and game modes are involved. The same applies to Vale in Concord, so here's a guide covering her playstyle and ways to optimally utilize her kit.
How To Play Vale In Concord
Vale stands out as a marksman armed with a pair of bionically enhanced legs and a sniper rifle. Although she plays a lot like the Widowmaker from Overwatch 2, her design is more original for Concord, which might help the title defuse some of the Marvel allegations. Regardless, players might want to use Vale for her long-range precision and verticality.
Moving As Vale
- Access to double jump
- Access to single dodge
Quite a few Freegunners in the game have access to the double jump movement style, and it certainly elevates the traversing experience in the arena. Vale, being one of the privileged characters, is able to easily reach ledges and platforms, unlike the characters that lack this mobility tool. Players using her should prioritize claiming a favorable spot for easy snipes over head-on battles.
Engaging Enemies With Vale
- Single-target damage
Vale’s high single-target damage potential offsets the lack of proper AoE ability in her kit. Players using her will want to prioritize targets, preferably someone squishy, to take them out instantaneously with a headshot. Vale's sniper takes a long time to bolt, so a steady aim is important given the little room for error. Even if she can switch to a sidearm to secure a kill after a body shot, there's always a risk of getting taken out by someone else in the process.
Concord: Roka Beginner's Guide
Roka is a perfect choice for players looking to rain splash damage down on their targets and easily move around the map in Concord.
Vale's Abilities In Concord, Explained
Within the extensive character roster in Concord, Vale is the only traditional sniper who is effective at long-ranged battles. She has access to two weapons, with the Monarch “Long 52” Sniper Rifle being her primary option. Her secondary weapon is the Monarch Sidearm, a semi-automatic pistol for close combat.
Aside from the weapons, Vale’s kit is comprised of the following abilities:
Peak Performance & Critical Eye
- Passive Abilities
When it comes to her passives, Vale has access to Peak Performance, which grants her faster rifle handling on critical hits. This translates to quicker bolt-action and scoping speed every time she lands a headshot, so a good aim is a necessity to properly play the character.
Vale can also track opponents with low HP through the walls using her Critical Eye. While she might not have the X-ray vision like Widowmaker’s ultimate from Overwatch 2, the passive ability is still an added advantage.
Leap
- Active Ability
Vale is a fairly nimble character with the ability to leap upwards, achieving verticality like no other. It pairs perfectly with her sniper rifle for when she needs to execute a jump shot or reach the highest platform in the arena for a tactical advantage.
Make sure to double jump before activating Leap to cover the maximum height.
Trip Mine
- Active Ability
- Recharge on elimination
Vale can hold up to a total of three Trip Mine charges. After using the explosives, she can pick up more through eliminations. Trip Mines are excellent for blocking routes, fending away opponents from the tail, and dealing some solid splash damage.
Enduring Aim
- Combat Trait
As the name suggests, Enduring Aim provides resistance to damage while Vale is aiming down scope with the Sniper Rifle. She can absorb some damage while players take their time to aim for a critical weakpoint. This combat trait isn’t a game-breaking passive, but it offers a healthy advantage to the Freegunner.
Concord: How To Use Variants
Changing Variants in Concord will change the Combat Trait of a Freegunner, and this can have a massive impact in matches.
Strategies For Vale In Concord
Utilizing different strategies depending on the game mode is crucial to winning more matches in Concord. Not to forget, teamplay is the key to asserting dominance, but with a long-ranged marksman like Vale, you might want to stay far away from your squad. She is designed to be played from a distance to avoid direct encounters, since her close-combat potential is limited.
How To Use Leap Effectively
One of Vale’s active abilities is Leap, which has many uses, but players have to keep in mind that she can only use her bionically enhanced feet to jump vertically. So, ideally, this could be used to easily access the high ground that other heroes might have trouble reaching. Vale can sit high up with her sniper rifle, eliminating targets for the team.
Leap has a short cooldown of only 7 seconds, so players should use this ability to constantly reposition themselves to get a better angle on enemies. When there is a flank on the tail, she can hop out of the fight to avoid getting pinned down. Additionally, her weapon is stable enough for jump snipes, so if the situation demands, she can re-engage with a quick scope shot from the air. To reach maximum height, however, press double jump before activating the Leap.
When To Use Trip Mine
The power of Trip Mines is disregarded in most FPS titles that have them, but when integrated within abilities, their potential is difficult to overlook. Vale has the ability to use this explosive to her advantage. The mine latches onto any surface, opening up possibilities for tactical gameplay. Place them on flanking routes, forcing opponents to rethink their steps unless they want to tank the powerful explosion.
Likewise, use it to fend off anyone trying to chase you. Trip Mines have high splash damage, so they can effectively soften up aggressive pursuit.
Extremely effective when tossed into a group of enemies, gravely injuring several at a time.
Teamfight Strategies For Vale
Vale’s performance can deeply impact the odds of winning as a team, even though she is meant to be played from a distance. Her task is to stay at a high vantage point and knock down targets without drawing attention. In game modes where capturing the zone is a priority, use Vale's single-target damage to eliminate the Anchors, since the opposing squad will likely depend on them to push into the capture point.
When it's time to capture, take a detour and eliminate flanks that might cause trouble later. Alternatively, hold the long angles (could be hallways or big entrances) and take a shot at anyone trying to sneak through. Never get too close to a target, especially when they are armed with an automatic weapon, since they can gun down Vale before she draws her sidearm.
Overall, Vale thrives at solo executions, but it is always wise to regroup with the team when there are two or more flanks scheming against her. Kyps and IT-Z, in particular, are her biggest threats. So, try staying within the proximity of your team if you spot these pesky Freegunners, as they are equipped to sneak up on Vale using their high mobility and stealth-based kits. This goes to show how Concord’s own sniper draws inspiration from Widowmaker in Overwatch 2 and is similarly vulnerable to hardcore flankers like her counterpart.
Concord
- Released
- August 23, 2024
