Fortnite is a game that requires you to have a basic understanding of its weapons. If you’re just starting out, then let us help you with your decisions — there’s no way you’ll be able to understand all of them at once! To ensure that we can help you pick the right weapon for each given situation, it’s important to have an understanding of which are the most powerful, so we’ve ranked them for you.
1. Launchers
If you can’t handle the heat, stay out of the kitchen! And you definitely don’t want to be on the receiving end of a rocket launcher. Even if it is headed for someone else — believe me, it’s not worth taking a minute to admire that sight. There’s always a possibility your opponent will screw up and send it in your direction anyway. Fortnite Rocket Launchers are often associated with teamwork, too. Really powerful stuff, so use ’em well!
The Grenade Launcher can be a tricky weapon to master, but when you get the hang of it, you’re going to love its versatility. You’ll have no problem getting this grenade launcher into plenty of interesting places, and it packs a powerful punch when both grenades land on target. The only mistake you could make is to fire your grenades into an area too close to yourself — a few inches off and these grenades are going right back at you.
2. SMGs
The Tactical Submachine Gun is a powerful gun that can be used in later circles. If you pick one up, you should use it throughout the match to ensure that the enemy lacks a good defense against it. It comes in Uncommon, Rare, and Epic versions. The rare version is stronger than the uncommon, but they are both stronger than the common version.
The Drum Gun is my favorite SMG out of the new lot, but we’ll have our impressions of where it sits alongside other weapons after some playtime – i.e.- today. Packing a gigantic 50-round magazine, you’ll be able to tear down structures and those pesky forts that your enemies will be hiding in, quickly and easily. Perfect for the final handful of circles.
3. Shotguns
Why choose between a Tactical or Pump, when you can have both? I’ll give you three reasons why one of these would be a worthwhile purchase. Firstly, the pump has more power, so it takes out shielders with a single shot. Secondly, the swappable nature of this gun means you’re never caught empty-handed — if your first shot misses, switch to the second, and so on.
If you like to play as the Heavy, then invest in the shotgun. This is because it’s your best option for a fast-firing weapon that will help you win out at the close range, or let you take down enemies quickly at long distances, using your powerful minigun. As for the other classes, there are different options depending on what you’re looking for.
4. Machine Guns
This is the best gun to use in close-range combat due to its 100-bullet magazine, though you won’t be winning any extended battles at long range. Basically, this model is great for tearing through reinforced walls but doesn’t have the firepower to take on an enemy from a distance, if that’s what you’re looking for, check out the Light Machine Gun.
5. Assault Rifles
When it comes to picking a gun for a normal or uncommon mission, you want to be sure that your gun is going to do some damage. So why not pack something with a little more punch, like the Uncommon level M4 Assault Rifle? It’s one of the heavier guns, but if you’re just starting out in the game and you’re going against someone with a shotgun, this gun should carry you through.
With the Common and Uncommon Variants of the M4 Assault Rifle at your disposal, you’ll be quite the formidable opponent in medium to long-range combat scenarios (though not so much if your foe is packing a shotgun). You can also find this on fortnite’s current item shop. The Thermal Scoped AR boasts a fantastic ability, but the heavy recoil makes it difficult to use — you’ll need to tap-fire, or find some other way to control it.
6. Sniper Rifles
If you love sniping and being the best sniper in the game, then you’ll want to stock up on the Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle. Hit enemies with a single bullet, and they’ll be gone in an instant! However, it’s slow and difficult to reload — so you’ll want to make sure that your enemies don’t suspect your location before you take that perfect shot, otherwise, they might just be able to revive each other before you can reload.
The Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle is a weapon that appears in the game. It’s preferred by many players for its faster reload time — although it is the hardest weapon to find. When fully loaded, it holds 10 bullets rather than just one like the Bolt-Action.
7. Pistols
The Suppressed Pistol is a great gun for the early stages of the game. It’s best used from medium range and has no resounding noise, so you can secretly eliminate people without your enemies realizing where the shots are coming from, as well as confusing them if you’re in a crowded area. This weapon is especially effective when trying to sneak up on someone undetected.
If it’s a close-range weapon you’re after, then the Dual Pistol is the weapon for you. It takes two headshots to kill an enemy, with a shot to the chest taking a third off their health. You don’t have to worry about finding ammo for it, either — I’ve found it in nearly every single chest so far.
