Our top five picks for the best weapons in the game.
Our Fortnite: Battle Royale guns and other weapons guide contains a top five list of the best guns in the game.
You won’t win games of Fortnite: Battle Royale without getting hold of a suitably solid weapon and blasting your opponents out of the game. Trouble is, when you first start out it’s impossible to know if the rifle that’s dropped right by your feet is even worth picking up, let alone worth replacing the weapon that’s already in your hands.
To help you get a better sense of the weapons you’ll want to be looking out for – and exactly why they’re so powerful in the first place – we’ve put together a list in this article that separates the best from the rest.
Of course, Fortnite: Battle Royale is constantly evolving with major content updates and the like, so we’ll make sure to keep an eye on brand new weapon releases and overhaul this guide if there’s a whole set of new goodies that suddenly eclipse our current list. It’s worth keeping this guide bookmarked for the latest on the best weaponry out there!
When you’re done here, make sure you check out our main Fortnite: Battle Royale guide, our tips for gearing up and finding loot quickly, and even our guide to getting the best performance on your system!
Fortnite Best Weapons
Here’s a list of our personal favourites and why we think they’re so good. Do also bear in mind that we don’t consider this a definitive list by any means, as every gun has its strengths. Different players may well be naturally better with some weapons but not others. This is simply a list of the weapons which have brought us the most success.
So, without further ado and in no particular order…
SCAR (Assault Rifle)
By far the strongest weapon in the game at the moment, the SCAR assault rifle is the M16’s big brother and it’s a gun that’ll handle just about any situation you throw at it.
It’s got pretty outstanding accuracy, sterling damage and it’s effective at all ranges. In many ways it feels like a very bog-standard weapon. There’s no unique characteristic or single, overpowered element to its design. It’s just outstanding in every regard and that’s why you need it in your arsenal.
Be aware that the SCAR only drops as an Epic or Legendary, so your best bet for getting hold of one is to seek out loot chests or aggress on enemies.
Jules’ Drum Gun (Mythic)
This thing absolutely shreds targets at close range thanks to its high fire rate, huge ammo capacity, and decent damage output. Not only does this make it great for eliminating enemies, but destroying structures too.
We’ve found it excels if you’ve had enough of the build off you’re embroiled in and want to catch your opponent off guard. They simply won’t have an answer to the amount of bullets you’ll be spewing at them.
Tactical Shotgun
An absolute must for any inventory, the Tactical shotgun is a perfect tool for dominating close-range duels. And it’s not too tricky to find either, it’s fairly abundant across the map.
Now that the Pump Shotgun of old has been vaulted, and the new Charge Shotgun variety requires a lengthy wind up time, the Tactical is definitely the one to go for in this Chapter.
The Tactical remains largely unchanged, trading damage for a high fire rate and strong up front damage. This makes it great for challenging someone up close as you can build, jump, strafe, and generally zip all over the place while spamming the trigger.
Bolt Action Sniper Rifle
Essential for taking out targets at range, having a sniper rifle in your inventory can significantly increase your chances of slaying the competition and emerging victorious.
Although you’ll have to perfect your aim and take into account bullet drop, landing a headshot with a sniper rifle will eliminate your opponent in an instant. Snipers also become increasingly important as matches drag on. One-versus-one duels increase in number as the clock ticks on, and as the circle tightens, holding a fixed position with a sniper rifle in tow allows you to spot targets and land critical hits without moving a muscle.
If you’ve got the option to pick up a Semi-Auto, we’re not so sure you should go ahead. Personally, we prefer the Bolt Action over the Semi-Auto as it promotes better play – you’ve really got to make every shot count. With the Semi-Auto we’re prone to standing still and spamming shots, as opposed to taking our time. This usually results in disaster as we’re unintentionally placing ourselves in a vulnerable position. The Bolt Action rewards patience, accuracy and good positioning, what more could you want?
Rocket Launcher
Think of the explosive goodness of the Rocket Launcher as more of a tool than anything. It may seem strange, but it’s less useful when you’re attempting to kill an enemy, and far better when it comes to destroying forts or parts of the environment.
This doesn’t mean you can’t use it to take out a group of enemies in one huge blast, but it’s fantastic for quickly wiping out cover and leaving enemies wide open.
Just remember that ammo’s fairly scarce for this weapon, so loot as many ammo crates as possible to build up a decent supply of rockets.
- 1. Chapter 2: Season 2 guide – Fortnite Chapter 2: Season 2 guide
- 2. Best Settings – Fortnite: Best Settings (PC, PS4, Xbox)
- 3. Best Keybinds 2019 – Fortnite: Best Keybinds 2019
- 4. System Requirements – Fortnite: System Requirements (PC and Mac)
- 5. Land Faster – Fortnite: How to land faster
Honourable Mentions
A small section dedicated to the weapons which aren’t top tier but are still ridiculously strong in the right hands.
- Ocean’s Burst Rifle – Does what it says on the tin. Fires a quick burst of three shots per second when you pull the trigger. This makes it one of the most accurate assault rifles from afar, but once you get into close range fights it really struggles.
- Submachine Gun (P90) – Not as strong as Midas’ Drum Gun, but it’s significantly easier to acquire and spits bullets just as rapidly. Think of it as a strong, budget version!
