By Nelson Schneider - 08/09/26 at 04:33 PM CT
Last week, I took a look at the different ammo types available for ranged weapons in “Fortnite: Save the World,” and which weapons were the best in class for each. This week, we’re looking at the individual weapon types.
In “Fortnite: Save the World,” there are ranged weapons and melee weapons. Ranged weapons are divided into 6 classes: Assault Rifles, Submachine Guns, Sniper Rifles, Pistols, Shotguns, and Launchers. Likewise, melee weapons also come in 6 classes: Axes, Clubs, Swords, Scythes, Spears, and Hardware. Weapon class generally only matters when using a Commander or support characters in the Hero Loadout that boost a specific weapon class. Otherwise, it’s just personal preference and availability.
The same special terminology from last week’s article still applies, so here’s a refresher:
Flux: Flux is a rare in-game resource that can be purchased from an in-game, non-premium currency shop called the Gold Exchange. Limited amounts of Rare, Epic, and Legendary flux are added to the Gold Exchange every Wednesday during the weekly reset.
Collection Book: “Save the World” keeps track of every item schematic you’ve ever acquired via an in-game Collection Book, which is like a virtual card binder. The game encourages players to manage their inventories by capping how many different schematics, heroes, and support characters the player can have active at once, and actually rewards the disposal of unwanted loot and characters by leveling up the Collection Book and providing rewards at each level. The Collection Book also acts as the game’s “pity system,” allowing players whose RNG luck has been poor to flat out research desired weapon schematics or recruit desired hero characters by spending Flux or Research Vouchers.
Vouchers: Weapon Research Vouchers and Hero Recruitment Vouchers are two separate things, and they are typically only rewarded to players by leveling up in the seasonal venture zones that reset/cycle every 11 weeks. Vouchers can be spent to unlock “special” weapons and heroes who are considered too thematically bound to a given season – or just too powerful – to make them available to anyone with a little bit of Flux.
Let’s get into it:
Assault Rifles:
Assault Rifles are medium-long-range guns that come in 3 different trigger types. Semi-automatic rifles are too slow to be effective. Automatic rifles are too inaccurate and weak to be effective. That means burst rifles are by far the best in class option. Fortunately there are quite a few of them.
Bundlebuss:
The best light bullet option is also the best assault rifle... even though it’s an old-timey flintlock gun, and definitely NOT a modern Armalite Rifle. 8-round bursts are the biggest burst-fire in the game, and are very good at getting rid of beefier enemies in a hurry. Grab it from the Collection Book with a Weapon Research Voucher or from the Gold Exchange during the Scurvy Shoals venture season.
Deathstalker:
A hybrid between assault and sniper rifles, the Deathstalker hits almost as hard as a sniper, but is generally easier to manage and can be effectively fired from the hip. It can be pulled out of the Collection Book in either Epic or Legendary rarity with the corresponding flux.
Deathray:
The Deathray is a fully-automatic energy rifle with pinpoint accuracy, a crazy rate of fire, and significant damage per shot. Unfortunately, it’s an ammo hose, and uses energy cells, so if you decide to use this monster, keep an eye on your ammo reserves. It can be pulled from the Collection Boon in either Epic or Legendary rarity using flux.
Submachine Guns:
SMGs are designed for short-range engagements, but the best ones are also effective at medium range. The entire class tends to suffer from small magazines (meaning constant reloading) as well as hideous amounts of recoil/muzzle climb. They come in full-auto and burst-fire trigger options.
Typewriter:
A big magazine, minimal recoil, and best in class range make this Thompson’s Submachine Gun the overall pick in the category. It’s a full-auto bullet hose that just feels good to use compared to most other options. Grab it from the Collection Book with a Weapon Research Voucher.
Bobcat:
While it looks like a bullpup AR, the Bobcat is really just a Mini-Me version of the Typewriter. Similar stats across the board, similar functionality, and a similarly good feel when fired. But it’s easier to get from the Collection Book, requiring only flux.
The Trinity:
This Spy Weapon fires light bullets in 4-round bursts, but with a dinky 24-round magazine, it needs to be reloaded frequently. However, it also does more damage per bullet than either of the other best in class SMGs. But its real claim to fame is the Schematic Level 25 perk that causes it to regenerate 10% of your shield if you stand still for 1 second. If you aren’t lucky enough to snag one from a Spy Llama, then the Collection Book and flux are the easier way... though make sure to remember that Epic weapons don’t have access to the level 25 perk slot, meaning that ONLY the Legendary version is worthwhile here... and only if you’re running a giant shield build on your Commander.
Sniper Rifles:
Sniper rifles are intended for long-range combat, and in “Fortnite: Save the World” come in two sub-varieties: Actual sniper rifles and... bows. Actual sniper rifles come in all three trigger types – semi, automatic, and burst – but only semi-automatics will have any hope of landing all of their bullets on a target’s weak spot. Bows all come with long draw times as well as slow, dropping projectiles that can be hard to land at range (and aggravatingly will frequently end up in your friends’ or defenders’ backs, where they do nothing).
Super Shredder:
The best actual sniper rifle is a weird hybrid between a sniper rifle and a shotgun. The Super Shredder fires shotgun shells and doesn’t have a scope, but it has better range than any shotgun and can effectively one-shot enemies at all but the most extreme ranges. Grab an Epic or Legendary version from the Collection Book using flux.
Crescendo:
Another amazing actual sniper rifle is the Boombox-themed Crescendo. It only has a 5-round magazine, but it has a variety of interesting capabilities that make up for it. First, it fires piercing shots that can penetrate multiple enemies in a conga line. Next, it has a bow-like feature that allows shots to charged by holding the trigger, consuming more rounds from the magazine to deal more damage. If you’re not lucky enough to get it out of a Rad Llama during the Blasted Badlands venture season, Epic and Legendary versions can be pulled from the Collection Book with flux.
Vacuum Tube Bow:
The Vacuum Tube Bow is the best bow, due to its Schematic Level 25 chain lightning perk. Otherwise, it’s like any other bow, so using it before reaching the third region of the main story is completely pointless. The Vacuum Tube Bow can drop from any random loot llama, or be pulled out of the Collection Book with Legendary Flux.
Boom Bow:
What happens when you glue shotgun shells to arrows? You get the Boom Bow, which fires shotgun shells instead of heavy bullets and causes area-of-effect explosions on impact. The explosions have been nerfed since this weapon made its debut, but it’s still one of the better bow options, AND it works even in low level play. It does require a Weapon Research Voucher to claim from the Collection Book, which does limit low-level players’ access to it.
Pistols:
There are a bunch of different pistol types, ranging from slow, hard-hitting revolvers to full-auto machine-pistols to weird retro-sci-fi space lasers. This is generally the worst weapon class in the game, though, with only the most gimmicky guns being worthwhile.
Ghost Pistol:
This Fortnitemares gun requires a Weapon Research Voucher to claim from the Collection Book, and is ultimately interesting only for its piercing gimmick.
Zap Zapp:
Slow and fragile compared to other choices, the Zap Zapp can dish out a lot of area-of-effect damage in exchange for a lot of energy cells. Giving it to a Gunslinger Defender instead of using it yourself is probably the best way to get the most out of it. It can be obtained from any loot llama or pulled out of the Collection Book with Epic or Legendary Flux.
Freedom’s Herald:
Do you like explosions? Do you hate only being able to carry 150 explosive rounds? Well, the Freedom’s Herald provides an option for you! It’s a modified flare gun that fires single shotgun shells as explosive fireworks. It can be a pain to reload after every shot, but with the dearth of good pistol options, this one is at least somewhat fun to use. It comes in Rare, Epic, and Legendary rarities, and is common enough in loot llamas that you’ll probably get at least a lower tier version normally. The Legendary version might require a flux investment in the Collection Book if you REALLY want it, though.
Shotguns:
Shotguns in “Fortnite: Save the World” are kind of weird. There are three general archetypes: Precision, spread, and auto. Auto shotguns are universally terrible and deal irrelevant amounts of damage compared to the amount of ammo they consume. That leaves precision shotguns, which are good for headshotting single targets, and spread shotguns that are good for clearing large groups that are less than 10 feet away from you.
Dragon’s Might:
The Dragon’s Might is not a precision, spread, or auto shotgun. It is a unique thing that’s more like an amped-up version of the Freedom’s Herald pistol than anything else, dumping over a dozen fireworks per shot. And that’s why it’s the best shotgun. It can pop out of Chinese New Year-themed Lunar Llamas that are only available during the Flannel Falls venture season, but it can be pulled out of the Collection Book in either Epic or Legendary rarity using the corresponding flux.
Woofer:
The Woofer is the best spread shotgun. It deals slightly less damage per shot than other spread shotguns, but makes up for it with its Boombox perk. It’s a crowd control weapon that can also annihilate the crowd with a couple extra shots. The Woofer can drop from Rad Llamas during the Blasted Badlands venture season, or be pulled from the Collection book in Epic or Legendary rarity using flux.
Longarm Enforcer:
The Longarm Enforcer is the best precision shotgun. It has enough range to be effective, and with 10 pellets per shell, it can put a lot of damage into a single, tight cluster. It’s part of the base game arsenal, so it can pop out of any llama or be pulled from the Collection Book using Epic or Legendary flux.
Launchers:
Launchers encompass both rocket launchers and grenade launchers, as well as a handful of other oddball things. While the class is supposed to use explosive ammo, the best ones use energy cells.
Ancient’s Launcher:
The Ancient’s Launcher is a heavy energy cannon that has two different firing modes. Pulling the trigger unloads all 10 energy cells in the magazine to lob a short-range FU orb that creates a heavily damaging explosion. On the other hand, holding the aim button switches the Ancient’s Launcher into homing mode, allowing the player to sweep the targeting reticle over up to 10 targets, then release aim to fire a barrage of homing Saturn Missiles that are able to one-shot a LOT of nasty things (including enemies with shields). It’s available in the Gold Exchange during the Blasted Badlands venture season, or can be pulled out of the Collection Book during off-seasons with a Weapon Research Voucher.
Plasmatic Discharger:
The Plasmatic Discharger is a Fortnitemares weapon that can be pulled from the Collection Book outside of that venture season using a Weapon Research Voucher. Similarly to the Ancient’s Launcher, the Plasmatic Discharger consumes energy cells at an alarming rate in order to throw out a MASSIVE energy orb reminiscent of the BFG9000 from ‘DOOM.’ It’s a good boss killer, as it will pretty much delete whatever you point it at.
Melee:
Melee weapons generally all feel the same, regardless of their weapon class. The most important stat to focus on is swing speed (lower is better!), which ultimately renders a lot of melee weapons with otherwise-good stats irrelevant. Another major consideration is the Schematic Level 25 perk slot. If a weapon has the ability to cause explosions on critical hits in that slot, you WANT to use that weapon!
Armageddon:
The best axe, with an attack speed of 0.72. At level 25, it can cause explosions on critical hits... and its high inherent crit stats mean that will happen often. Obtainable with flux.
Astro Bat 9000:
The best club (and possibly best melee weapon overall), with an attack speed of 0.52. Even better than other weapons that explode on critical hits, the Astro Bat 9000 releases 7 exploding projectiles on critical hits! The wielder can also throw out one of these projectiles at any time by performing a heavy attack. Obtainable with flux.
Slicicle:
The best sword, with an attack speed of 0.42. This Frostnite weapon can be obtained off-season with a Weapon Research Voucher. It’s worthwhile in spite of not causing explosions, since it causes an area-of-effect freeze instead, providing crowd control.
Earsplitter:
The best spear, with an attack speed of 0.67. Most spears are REALLY slow and use a thrusting animation that just isn’t particularly good because it only hits one enemy at a time. The Earsplitter is a Boombox weapon, obtainable from Rad Llamas during the Blasted Badlands venture season or flux during the off-season, that includes the ability to make enemies dance in a wide radius when a target is stunned or knocked back (or eliminated... there are multiple slightly different dancing perks).
Steam Thrasher:
The best scythe, with an attack speed of 0.72. Most scythes are really slow. The fastest one, however, doesn’t have any particularly good level 25 perks. The Steam Thrasher is a bit slow, but it’s huge and moves in a massive arc, meaning it will hit a whole cluster of enemies with each swing. Plus it can release damaging steam clouds on kill, once every 5 seconds. Obtainable with flux.
Husk Stomper:
The best hardware, with an attack speed of 0.75. It’s literally the hardware version of the Armageddon axe, with very similar stats, but swapping crit stats for knock-back. Make sure to use the Legendary version with explosive crits! Obtainable with flux.
And that’s all there is to it. If you see any of these weapon schematics in your daily X-Ray Llama choices, consider spending the X-Ray Tickets to get your hands on them. If you’ve moved onto the third major region of the story – The Canny Valley – and you don’t have at LEAST 3 of these to fill out your arsenal, you’re not going to have a good time, and need to focus on saving up enough flux from the weekly Gold Exchange refresh to unlock them.
