Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 is changing up the Battle Royale meta in a number of ways, but none are more significant than the new set of weapons and items you’ll be using, and facing off against, for the next few months. Epic Games has tossed four entirely new weapons, including one of John Wick’s many trusty pistols, and one new movement item into the loot pool this season alongside a good selection of returning items.
Before we get into the weeds on these new guns, let’s quickly run through the list of returning weapons in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3: Maven Auto Shotgun, Striker Pump Shotgun, Ranger Pistol, Stinger SMG, the Hunting Rifle, and the loved/hated Chaos Reloader Shotgun.
Now, here’s what you need to know about the new weapons:
Extending Focus Shotgun
This shotgun, which has a three-round magazine, is essentially a hybrid of two past Fortnite shotguns. When firing from the hip, it’s like a slightly slower version of the Gatekeeper Shotgun, powerful and able to defeat most foes if you hit them with all three shots. When aiming down sights, it’s like the Super Shredder from last season, surprisingly deadly at mid-range–especially with the three-round magazine. It might actually be better than the Chaos Reloader, but we’ll need to spend a lot more time with it to be sure.
Chaos Exploder Rifle
This weapon has the feel of Fortnite’s old Heavy AR but with rounds that explode for bonus area damage. The area of effect for the explosive rounds is pretty small, but that’s a good thing because the Chaos Exploder is also very accurate. So while you shouldn’t expect to do a ton of harm from just from the spash damage, where this rifle really shines is in punishing enemies for bunching up–you can rip apart a squad that’s huddling too close to each other.
Surgical Burst Rifle
This gun is, in essence, a new version of Fortnite’s old Chapter 1 Burst Assault Rifle that’s been cleaned up and improved in every possible way. That’s because the old Burst AR was just not a very smooth weapon to use–it’s very accurate in the hands of somebody who knows how to use it, but there is no rhythm to it. The Surgical Burst, by contrast, feels great to use and is astonishingly accurate, but it still also manages to feel kinda like that old classic. Sweats are going to love this one.
Lancehead Pistol
John Wick’s handgun has a very large 21-round magazine and a solid gimmick: the player will throw the magazine (does 35 damage) when it’s been emptied. It’s also really accurate, which isn’t surprising for a gun John Wick is supposed to be a fan of. But the Lancehead Pistol also has a unique drawback, because it’s not automatic–meaning you’ll have to pull the trigger for every shot. It’s the first Fortnite pistol in years, in fact, that’s like this, so be wary of that the first few times you try to use it.
Seven Sliders
Having these bad boys in your inventory will make it so all your kneeslides are now powerslides, which is great for movement. But the secret with these boots is that aiming down sights with a weapon while sliding will slow you down to a crawl–but still maintain the slide–while you take your shot. In terms of feel, these play like a ground-based version of the Max Payne-esque Killswitch’s Revolvers from Chapter 6 Season 3. Be careful about overheating, though, which will decrease the Sliders’ durability more quickly and make your fall on your face. Pro tip: you can lower your heat level by sliding on water.
