Former Port Vale player David Beresford was the architect of Plymouth's ultimately comfortable victory in their penultimate home game of the season.
Winger Beresford, who spent some time on loan at Vale earlier in his career, laid on Plymouth's first two goals, for Graham Coughlan in the 57th minute and David Norris, ten minutes later, before captain Paul Wotton finished things off with a blistering shot twelve minutes from time.
A swirling wind and a bone dry pitch meant that both sides struggled to come to terms with a game which for the first half had a distinctly end of season look to it.
Beresford proved to be Plymouth's most potent threat and, on a number of occasions he beat his full back on the outside to send in dangerous crosses.
However, it was when he went alone two minutes before the interval that Plymouth came closest to breaking the deadlock. Cutting inside, he unleashed a powerful shot that beat Vale goalkeeper Dean Delaney but the ball cannoned to safety off a goalpost.
Vale's defence finally crumbled just before the hour when they conceded their first corner.
Beresford swung in a right foot cross, perfectly picking out Coughlan who headed powerfully and accurately into the roof of the net.
Ten minutes later, the home side doubled their lead and, again. Beresford was the provider.
Nathan Lowndes robbed the ball from Peter Clarke and teed up Beresford for a cross that Norris read to perfection, running in behind the defence to head home.
The home side, now comfortably in control, saved the best until last.
In the 78th minute Vale's under pressure defence cleared the ball only as far as Wotton, standing unmarked 30 yards out and he volleyed the ball home leaving Delaney standing.