Many players wonder which weapon in Fortnite: Battle Royale is the most sought after and the highest rated. Often, the legendary SCAR is mentioned, also referred to as “the golden SCAR.” But is that true? Is there even a best weapon in the game?
In every game, there are tools that do their job easier than others. But how do you recognize them? Pure statistics provide no insight into the behavior of a particular weapon.
A rarity scheme gained popularity with Diablo 2 and World of Warcraft, visualizing the rarity and strength of an item based on colors. With this tier system, game developers could hit two birds with one stone:
- The color of a weapon directly indicates whether it is better or worse than your own weapon.
- At the same time, it stimulates players’ collection instincts to always want to find the best.
By now, the color “Orange” has established itself as the ultimate standard (apart from a few outliers). It symbolizes the legendary stuff that is better than anything else.
When we search for the best weapon in Fortnite, nothing beats the legendary (orange) quality or rarity. But which weapon is the best?
Hype around the golden Scar in Fortnite
In the community, the legendary SCAR, an assault rifle, often appears when discussing the best weapon. It is also referred to as the golden Scar.
The weapon is somewhat the object of desire for players in Fortnite: Those who loot it early hit the jackpot. The golden Scar is the weapon that comes closest to being a “signature weapon” in Fortnite, meaning a weapon that becomes closely associated with the player.
- The thing is sung about in YouTube songs.
- People go to a shooting range just to try out a SCAR in real life (via YouTube).
- And generally, it is something special when a golden SCAR is found. You feel good about it.
What the legendary SCAR can do in Fortnite: Battle Royale
The legendary assault rifle, named SCAR after its real-world counterpart, fires medium ammunition and has a magazine capacity of 30 rounds. On paper, the legendary SCAR differs only slightly from the simplest variant, the common assault rifle:
|
Status value | Assault Rifle |
Assault Rifle |
| Rarity | common (gray) | legendary (orange) |
| Ammunition | Medium ammunition | Medium ammunition |
| Damage per second | 165 | 198 |
| Damage per shot | 30 | 36 |
| Critical damage | 60 | 72 |
| Rate of fire | 5.5 | 5.5 |
| Magazine | 30 | 30 |
| Reload | 2.3 | 2.1 |
The legendary variant of the assault rifle delivers a significant amount of damage. However, its popularity has other reasons that weapon statistics don’t reveal. The legendary SCAR is a true laser and doesn’t sway even a millimeter.
If Fortnite: Battle Royale didn’t have a Bloom mechanic, one would have to describe the SCAR as nearly unfair. But do statistics and handling make the SCAR the best weapon? We answer this with a clear no! Because as always, it depends on the situation you find yourself in.
Why there is not one “best weapon” in Fortnite: Battle Royale
Depending on the combat situation, one weapon or another may be a better choice. If you face your opponent face to face, they will take you down faster with a tactical shotgun or submachine gun.
In such situations, even with a legendary SCAR, you have few chances. The best weapon in Fortnite: Battle Royale must be able to prove itself useful in many different situations.
At medium range, the SCAR is unmatched. In fact, there is only one weapon that can be used universally: the rocket launcher. You can not only incinerate enemy fortifications but also push opponents and fire from a higher position.
The damage of the legendary variant is brutal. Those who have many rockets can literally shower their opponents with bullets.
Ironically, it is not the legendary rocket launcher that is the rarest weapon in the game but the epic variant (purple). This is because supply drops always come with one legendary weapon.
Can such a rare weapon actually be the best?
Can a weapon be the best in the game if it is unrealistic to find it at all? A blue bolt-action sniper rifle is significantly more common – and additionally has the potential to take out opponents with one shot.
However, you first need to hit critically. Not an easy task with moving opponents. With a rocket launcher, you just need to fire the weapon in the general direction of your opponents.
To draw a legendary rocket launcher from a treasure chest, you need a lot of luck – the drop chance is only 0.032%, which is extremely low. A legendary SCAR, on the other hand, drops ten times more frequently, at 0.324%.
The question of the best weapon is always dependent on perspective:
- Those who want to take out opponents from long distances will likely consider the sniper rifle the best weapon
- For medium ranges, the legendary SCAR is undoubtedly the king
- For close combat, an epic shotgun or submachine gun could even be considered the ultimate choice
Only the rocket launcher can somehow function from all positions. As it is so rare, it essentially plays no major role. The impossible determination of one super weapon proves at least one thing: Epic has succeeded in achieving the right weapon balancing!
Which weapon is your favorite and why?
