The best weapons in Fortnite during Chapter 3, Season 3

Fortnite’s selection of weapons varies between categories, with plenty of different arms to choose from. From the Combat SMG, to the Striker Burst Rifle, there’s something to fit every playstyle. Each weapon is assigned a tier on a rarity scale, too. Whether you’re selecting an SMG or an assault rifle, all weapons will be color-coded as such.

• Gray: Common
• Green: Uncommon
• Blue: Rare
• Purple: Epic
• Orange: Legendary
• Gold: Mythic

The rarer the gun, the more damage it will do. Keep this in mind when entering an engagement with another player, especially during later portions of a match. You likely won’t survive using a common rifle against a player using a rare one.

If at any time during the game you find a higher rarity tier of the weapon you’re currently using, make sure you swap out your current weapon and pick up the better color. This allows you to make sure you are maximizing your damage. Gray and green weapons are fine at the start of the match, but you should have at least blue ones by the time half of the players are eliminated.

Choosing between weapons types is more difficult. It might not be a good idea to trade a common assault rifle for an epic pistol if you know you’re about to cover some open terrain. If you have to make such a choice, think about where you plan to head next and what weapon is best suited to the terrain. Not skilled with a sniper rifle? Don’t waste the inventory space by picking it up, even if it’s legendary.

While simply stumbling upon any weapon is preferable to running around the Fortnite map wildly swinging your pickaxe, there are some firearms that are preferable to others. For instance, you should really hope you happen upon a shotgun over a pistol because it’s going to keep you a whole lot safer. Likewise, you’ll need a rifle or sniper for those firefights that occur across long distances. The general rule of thumb is to ensure you have weapons for any situation, from close-quarters to midrange, and beyond.

Below are the best weapons in the game, currently.

DMR

The DMR is the perfect long-range weapon, offering the qualities of a sniper, but without many of the downsides. With the DMR, you can zoom in with plenty of magnification, and thanks to its semi-auto firing style, you can pull off follow-up shots in quick succession. While the DMR doesn’t deal as much damage as a sniper, it’s far easier to use, thanks to its fast rate of fire.

Depending on the rarity and whether you hit the head, the DMR deals anywhere from 45 to 87 damage per shot, meaning you can eliminate a player (with full health) in three to six shots. This is a big deal, especially if you can pull off a few shots before your opponents know where you are, making it a great long-range weapon. Sure, other rifles might be a little easier to use, but when it comes to power and precision, the DMR is the standout winner.

Hammer Assault Rifle

In case the DMR is too slow or too difficult to use, we recommend the Hammer Assault Rifle instead. The DMR is great, but it’s definitely a higher-skill weapon, so if you’re struggling, the Hammer Assault Rifle might work better for you, thanks to its fully automatic firing style. With this, you can simply hold down the trigger and the weapon will continue to spit out bullets until the magazine runs out. This makes it a bit more forgiving than the DMR, while still excelling at long range, even if it isn’t as powerful.

The Hammer Assault Rifle deals between 27 and 52 damage per shot depending on rarity and hit location, which means you can eliminate a player within five to 10 bullets. For newcomers, this weapon is ideal, as it’s a practical, easy-to-use rifle that packs enough of a punch to remain competitive.

Auto Shotgun

Sure, the DMR will keep you safe from afar, but up close, you’re going to want something that packs a bit more of a punch. For that, we recommend the Auto Shotgun, which is known for its tremendous power and ease of use. Since the Auto Shotgun uses shells instead of traditional rounds, it’s easier to deal damage since the pellets spread out, allowing you to connect without being as precise. Its fast rate of fire makes it a top choice, especially for new players.

It deals anywhere from 84 to 145 damage per shot, meaning you can secure an elimination in two to three shots within 8.75 meters. For any engagements past that, the Auto Shotgun will become significantly less effective, so try not to engage unless you’re close to your target. If you want to fire at an enemy past 8.75 meters, we advise using an SMG.

Combat SMG

Speaking of which, our recommended weapon for mid-range battles is the Combat SMG, which is fairly easy to use and is more forgiving than many other weapons in the same category. You’ll want to use this during engagements past the aforementioned 8.75-meter mark, allowing you to maximize damage. The Combat SMG deals anywhere from 17 to 38 damage per shot depending on rarity and shot location, meaning you can secure an elimination in seven to 15 bullets.

While this might not sound very effective, the Combat SMG has a fast rate of fire, meaning it has the potential to outperform the Auto Shotgun if you’re highly accurate and only earn headshots. It’s not as practical to secure only headshots, but there are certainly benefits to using the Combat SMG for those close to mid-range engagements, especially since its more forgiving than a shotgun.

Assault rifles

While assault rifles aren’t the most powerful set of guns in the game, they’re the most versatile. You’ve got several variants with different kinds of stopping power. They won’t take out enemies from across the map, but you’re easily covered whether you need to make a quick getaway to safety or you’re going on a run for your Victory Royale with five people left standing in your way. Just make sure to fire in short bursts, and you’ll be golden.

The best assault rifles are as follows:

• Hammer Assault Rifle
• Striker Burst Rifle

Shotguns

Shotguns aren’t great at range, of course, but if someone is nearby, you can rock their world with a devastating shotgun blast. They are the perfect complement to your assault rifle. Some are notably better than others, so play around to find the one that suits you best. You’ll find different categories of shotguns to choose from in the form of pump shotguns, tactical shotguns, and lever-action shotguns. The tactical shotgun is currently the best choice for players looking for a high rate of fire.

The best shotguns are as follows:

• Auto Shotgun
• Striker Pump Shotgun

SMGs

While not as powerful or as direct as assault rifles or shotguns, SMGs are still preferable in battle when you need something quick and light to eliminate the competition. They’re automatic, so you can hold the trigger down in a panic, and they’ll hold plenty of ammo.

They won’t do as much damage as assault rifles or shotguns, but they’re like little firecrackers that can still make for quite the party when people come to try and mess with you. Many players underrate the SMG, but it can entirely wreck a shotgun player at close range, especially if you take advantage of that weapon’s delay in shots and frequent reload time.

Here are the best SMGs:

Sniper rifles

Let’s face it: Not everyone can excel as a sniper. But if a sniper rifle is all you can find, use it wisely. It will require you to constantly remain on the move and on the lookout for areas in-game where you can sit and wait for passersby to pick off, but you’ll be a force to be reckoned with while hidden. These weapons can one-shot kill anyone who gets in your way with a well-placed headshot.

The best snipers are as follows:

• Heavy Sniper Rifle
• Boom Sniper Rifle

Pistols

Most pistols do meager damage, though they can be deadly when you find the right ones. They’re just a lot slower, rarely automatic, and do less damage per shot than most other weapons. Still, a pistol is better than nothing. Thankfully, Epic Games has added some pretty impressive pistols in the last couple of months that can catch your foes by surprise.

Here are the best pistols:

Explosives and special weapons

As part of Season 3, there aren’t many explosives and special weapons to choose from — at least ones that are practical or common. Throughout past seasons, special weapons have typically been overpowered, gimmicky, or not as useful as you’d expect. Epic Games has prioritized making the traditional weapon pool more varied and effective, such as the SMGs, assault rifles, snipers, and shotguns. Still, this season features the Star Wars E-11 Blaster Rifle, which is a useful, yet rare weapon that doesn’t actually require ammo. It packs a serious punch, so if you find one, you should definitely grab it.

Below are the recommended explosives and special weapons:

• E-11 Blaster Rifle
• Grenade

All of these recommended weapons work best for us, but ultimately, your favorite firearms will come down to preference, at least partially. If a weapon doesn’t feel good, you probably won’t like using it, no matter how much damage it deals.

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