Everyone is talking about Fortnite: Battle Royale and you want to try it out too? Find out in our beginner’s guide with tips and tricks in English how not to end up as cannon fodder!
Fortnite’s battle royale mode (PC / Mac, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android) is now considered one of the largest games in the world. Despite its simple gameplay, Fortnite’s battle royale mode allows for many tactical tricks that we will introduce in this article.
Download Fortnite: Battle Royale
How do I get Fortnite? The mode is completely free, just download the game from the respective store (PS4, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox One) or directly via the Epic Launcher (the game is not available on Steam) on your PC or Mac.
You can also download the game for Android devices and in Apple’s App Store for free now.
This is the goal of Fortnite: Battle Royale: Once you are in the game, you can get started right away. Matchmaking for 100 players is quick due to the massive player base, and lobbies are found quickly.
In addition to the solo mode for one player, you can also join the battle in duo mode with another player or directly participate as a 4-man squad.
Your goal is to survive the individual rounds as long as possible to emerge victorious from the matches.
Beginner Tips for Fortnite: Battle Royale
You are new to Fortnite and just learned the controls? The following beginner tips will make it easier for you to get started. The second part deals with tips and tricks for advanced players who want to increase their chances of winning or win rate.
Don’t make a sound!
Fortnite has no radar. You are completely dependent on your hearing. However, this also applies to your opponents. Therefore, keep your noise level to a minimum.
If an opponent hears you, they have an advantage in battle – even if you are armed to the teeth.
Try to sprint as little as possible – walking or crouching produces significantly less noise.
Always pay attention to your surroundings before building or gathering resources with your pickaxe.
Note: Other players can also hear you when you switch weapons.
Use headphones!
To increase your chances of emerging victorious from a fight, you should definitely play with headphones. Any second earlier that you can hear your enemy is a huge advantage.
Speakers or televisions are not well suited for this purpose. Those who own a decent headset can hear sounds much better and locate them much more precisely with surround sound.
Be paranoid!
Why should one always be alert? Stay vigilant all the time! Don’t rest anywhere, an opponent could surprise you at any moment and invite you to a romantic dinner with their shotgun.
Heard a noise? Wait quietly. Anyone who becomes complacent and careless here will find themselves back in the lobby faster than they would like. Finding strategically advantageous points on the map also requires careful planning.
Found a point from which you can oversee a lot of ground to shoot opposing players? Always remember that you are not the only one who came up with this glorious idea. If you’re unlucky, you will already be expected there.
Always keep an eye on the safe zone!
Why should you always keep an eye on the map? You should regularly call up the map to get an overview of the safe zone, which is displayed as a circle on the map.
If you are outside this ring after time runs out, you will continuously take damage from a storm.
This mechanic forces players to keep moving. The portion of the map that is safe from the storm gets consistently smaller and forces players into duels to inevitably end the rounds.
Align all your strategies according to the location of the safe zone. Luck and misfortune go hand in hand here. Is the eye of the storm far away? Then move immediately! It is not uncommon for other players to cross your path as you flee forward.
Can’t defeat enemies without risking being caught by the storm? Ignore them and run past at a safe distance. Don’t get involved in a protracted fight. You gain nothing from a victory if the storm eventually catches up with you and finishes you off.
Use shield potions immediately!
If you stumble across one of the coveted blue potions, consume it immediately! Because the potions grant you a shield of 50 points – and this lasts for the entire match. However, since the potions only provide a bonus to your shield, you are not safe from some types of damage:
- Fall damage will always directly affect your life,
- The storm also chips away directly at your life bar.
You can consume up to two of these potions to receive a shield bonus of 100 points.
Only attack with a realistic chance of victory!
Why should you think carefully about every fight? Unlike most multiplayer games, Fortnite’s battle royale mode is primarily about survival, not about killing opponents.
Always remember: You can kill 98 enemies and still lose the round.
So focus primarily on surviving! Anyone who rushes into enemy players like a bull in a china shop will make noise. This clamor can attract other players who may bring you back to the lobby unceremoniously.
Despite everything, Fortnite also rewards risky play: A successfully defeated opponent leaves all items from their inventory, which can give you an advantage in the final round. If you want to know which weapons you should pick up from fallen opponents, read our guide to the best weapons in Fortnite: Battle Royale!
Don’t rush to collect loot from fallen enemies!
Here’s why you shouldn’t be greedy for loot: You defeated an opponent and there was a true loot explosion? Suppress the impulse to immediately go there and inspect the loot. Gunfights make noise and can attract nearby players.
It is unlikely that your little tête-à-tête went unnoticed. Any player looking at the loot of fallen opponents is vulnerable at this moment. Your attention is compromised, and you present an easily overcome target.
Therefore, after every fight, wait to see if other players are attracted. This gives you the opportunity to take out greedy players who want to make off with your loot.
Every cover is destroyable – have a plan B!
Pretty much everything in Fortnite can be destroyed. Be it with the pickaxe or sheer firepower. Always keep this in mind when looking for a safe spot.
Scan your surroundings for easy escape routes and escape options if you are surprised by an opponent who targets your cover.
If you find a rocket launcher or grenade launcher, you can also turn the tables. Because these weapons are ideal for drawing opponents out of their hiding places and smoking out enemy structures.
Use the building function!
Why should you build in Fortnite? You have the opportunity to build walls and stairs to protect yourself from enemy fire. You should always do this as soon as someone shoots at you.
Building is the A and O of Fortnite and the unique selling point in the battle royale genre. Mastering the building mode gives you a huge advantage. If you want to get familiar with the nuances of building mode, you can check out our extensive building guide with plenty of tips and tricks.
This is what you can do with resources: Additionally, you should keep an eye on stocking up your resources during the game. There are three of them: Wood, Stone, and Metal. While metal is more robust than wood, the cheapest resource provides the best initial protection after placement. In the event of enemy fire, you should always use wood as cover.
If you find traps, take them with you! In the endgame, these can save your butt in your own structures.
Fortnite: Battle Royale Tips for Advanced Players
You mastered the basics and know how the building mode works? If you often reach the endgame but feel overwhelmed there, you can rest assured. We have some more interesting information that will help you finally achieve the coveted epic victory!
This is how you win with the building mode even in ambushes!
You’re running late and want to get into the eye of the storm in time? Particularly under haste and stress, it can happen that one becomes careless and only focuses on the target (the safe area).
You will not infrequently be flanked or pursued by opponents. To avoid being shot and taken down, you should immediately start building cover when under fire. Switch to building mode and build up to four walls around you with a 360-degree turn.
However, completely digging in only makes sense if you can’t locate the shots. If you know exactly from which direction the fire is coming, a placed wall is enough. This opens up retreat options for you.
The perfect training ground for your building skills is the Creative mode! Experienced players can put a wall between themselves and the enemy within seconds.
If you are fired upon but not hit, you will learn where the bullets are coming from (the corresponding wall piece will be hit). However, this is only the first step to victory.
Because within your four walls, you can’t see your opponent and therefore can’t attack them. Therefore, immediately build a staircase in the direction from which the fire is coming. This way, you can overlook the area and scout your enemy.
Ideally, you now have a height advantage over your opponent, which significantly increases your chances of winning. If the opponent stays in place – shoot them with your assault rifle.
If the opponent is quick and tries to reach your shelter with an equally placed staircase, run towards them and give them a shot with your shotgun.
If you have mastered the building process under enemy fire, you will immensely increase your chances of emerging victorious from a fight. Once the walls and stairs are finished, shelters made of metal and stone provide much more protection than those made of wood.
Learn to coordinate between building mode and inventory!
Why is the switch between building mode and weapons so important? Fights in Fortnite: Battle Royale are hectic. The coordination between building mode and weapon inventory can often be overwhelming. You often want to build a wall under fire but haven’t selected the appropriate resource for which the units are available.
Switching to the weapon menu can also lead to equipping the wrong weapon or even a healing item, leaving you defenseless for a brief moment.
To keep track in the chaos, internalize the following points:
- Remember the order of your weapon inventory. If you want to build cover or ambush the enemy with a well-placed staircase, select the weapon you want to attack with beforehand. A later weapon switch costs time.
- Before you set off, equip the building resource with which you can build cover in case of attack. This saves time and frustration.
- Sort your weapon inventory so that you can easily switch between two weapons. Those who keep bandages and shield potions alongside shotguns and assault rifles will struggle to use the weapons appropriately in a pinch.
The right coordination between building and shooting, as well as switching between building elements and weapons, represents one of the main disciplines in Fortnite: Battle Royale. Only those who always keep an overview of their entire inventory and resources will gain the decisive advantage in battle.
Weapons win battles, buildings win games
In the endgame, self-built fortresses are a surefire way to victory if done skillfully. After the available map area has shrunk for the second or third time, you should start building structures at the edge of the safe zone.
You should place these so that you can build stairs in two directions. The number of floors you need depends on how high your starting point is. In general, your building should always be as high as possible.
Now patrol within your fortress to
- Spot and eliminate running enemies
- Kill attacking opponents before they reach your fortress
- Locate opposing structures
Many players hesitate to build a structure because they feel exposed (after all, the enemy then knows where you are). However, it is rare for other players to attack enemy structures (because they have rocket launchers or grenades). In general, your elevated position gives you an advantage.
Enemies shooting rockets at your shelter can be a nuisance. However, remember that the rockets can’t harm you as long as there is a wall between you and the rocket.
In doubt, you can leave your shelter from a hidden spot, surprising the opponent (who continues to rain rockets down on your shelter). This can be done by placing a door on the side away from the enemy.
You can also install a launch pad from your shelter, which can quickly bring you to safety or behind enemies – a great tool for surprise attacks, as the following video shows:
What do you think of Fortnite’s battle royale mode? Do you have more tips? Let us know in the comments!
Note: The article was originally published in January 2018; we have updated it for Christmas.
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