Fortnite Guide: tips and tricks for beginners

If you’re here, it’s probably because you’ve already stepped on the ground in Fortnite. However - and as you may have noticed - despite being a game accessible to a large audience, it is difficult to win a game. Of course, you might get lucky and be paired with a team of players who can drag you to victory… but in that case, where’s the fun? To be able to win in this battle royale game you should understand all the complexities that Fortnite has, and you can always start with the basics.

In this guide, we will highlight many of the elemental aspects that need to be considered when playing Fortnite. These tips will help you get off to a good start, giving you a solid foundation to continue building your path to victory.

(Please note that we will not include recommendations for advanced players, as this guide is for players just starting out).

Activate the option to visualize sound effects

Before you play a game, you should make sure that the game settings suit you. In general, the settings are related to personal preferences, but there are some options that are more useful than others. One that we recommend to activate is the Display Sound Effects option, which is within the Audio section of the Settings menu. After activating it, the game will give you a visual representation of the sounds generated in it.

For example, a chest will appear on the screen if you are near one. You will also receive signals if you are near enemy fire and if there is noise from opponents near you, either walking or driving. As long as these things “have sound”, the game will not only notify you of the proximity, but also tell you from which direction that sound is coming. This will give you a tremendous advantage in the game, as you will always have an idea of where your enemies are, while they are making noise. Activate this option and you will get an immediate advantage to win in Fortnite.

Remember where the chests appear

Enabling the sound effect display will make it easier to find the chests, but if you know the general location of the chests you can go to the right place and make sure you are equipped. The good thing is that the chests appear in the same place at every game (at least in the fourth season, week 9). As Fortnite is an online service game, the locations of the chests might change every season, but they usually stay in the same place for a few months.

There are hundreds of chests all over the map, so you probably won’t be able to remember all the locations, but it will be helpful if you at least have a general notion of where to find them, especially as you get closer to the center of the storm. Knowing where the chests appear can make the difference between being eliminated at the start of the game or winning it, so do your best to remember.

You will usually find chests in the buildings of the main gathering centers on the map. They also appear in open areas, sometimes hidden where you least expect them. Remember that ice boxes work just like chests, so be sure to check them out when you are looking for equipment.

Check the storm’s progress on the map

One thing that beginner players often ignore (or even intermediate players) is the progress of the storm on the map. Unless you have a good start in the game and appear out of danger, starting from it on foot is not possible, so don’t forget to always be aware of its location. We recommend that you open the map periodically to check the storm’s path, so you can plan your route ahead. It is easy to find you looking for equipment or eliminating enemies, so don’t make the mistake of ignoring the storm.

As a general rule, as soon as the next circle is displayed, you should start moving in that direction. If you move there first you will be better placed, even if you are down. The point is that if you run into the storm it will take your life away, so don’t lose sight of it.

Don’t ignore the blast gun

It can be truly challenging to discover how all the weapons at Fortnite work, but we recommend that you do become familiar with the blast assault rifles. If you have played other shooting games before, you probably remember a weapon called FAMAS, which is easy to identify because it has a kind of handle on the top. The best thing about this gun is that it is extremely accurate, as it is semi-automatic and fires three-round bursts. It also has a high rate of fire, which means you can shoot down enemies quickly and accurately.

What you probably don’t know is that you can keep the trigger pressed to continue shooting, even if it is a semi-automatic weapon. In most other shooting games where FAMAS appears, you need to press the trigger again each time you are going to shoot, but in Fornite this is not the case. While it is excellent at medium to long range, you can also win close matches with this weapon, even if your opponent has a shotgun or submachine gun. Players often underestimate the Burst Assault Rifle because it is not fully automatic, but its accuracy, rate of fire and amount of damage it generates make it one of the game’s best weapons, especially if it is enhanced by being in a Rare category or higher.

In the video above you can see how effective this weapon is at long range. We used an Epic version of this gun, which allowed us to eliminate the enemy while jumping in and out of the water. With just a few bursts we were able to ensure elimination. This would have been much more difficult to achieve with any other weapon, even a sniper rifle, since using one of these there is less room to make a mistake. In short, the sniper rifle is the best.

Learn about the categories of gun rarities

Speaking of the types of weapon rarities, you should learn what color represents each category, so that it will be easier for you to recognize each one and you can better choose the weapons that are worthwhile. This is the list of rarities:

• Common - Grey
• Uncommon - Green
• Rare - Blue
• Epic - Violet
• Legendary - Orange

The higher the level of rarity, the more effective the weapon. Rarer weapons do more damage, have better accuracy and reload faster. Usually the difference between two consecutive rarity categories is not that much, but you should always choose to grab the weapon with the highest level of rarity, if possible. For example, a common assault rifle offers 165 damage per second (DPS), while the rare version is 170.5 DPS. That extra point may be enough to ensure an elimination that you might otherwise lose. Remember, DPS is not the only factor to consider in the odds, but it is one of the most important.

Here we have a table with the types of weapons, their rarity categories and the amount of damage they do (per second). Note that some weapons only come in high rarity categories:

Coordinate with your team

This is a bit of basic advice, but it is essential for success. The downfall of many teams during a game of battle royale is that they fail to communicate. You must make sure that all your team lands at the same point on the map, they must travel together and you must also warn your teammates when you see an enemy or useful weapons. It is also important to communicate when you need ammunition or items to heal yourself if you are injured. You can request items from a list by pressing the right button on the crosshead, if you are not using voice chat.

You should always let your team know where you are going, so that your opponents do not catch you alone. It often happens that teams are separated by accident sometimes, which can result in them being outnumbered by enemy teams. You have a better chance of winning a game if your team stays together and moves together most of the time, and also if you warn effectively. Don’t forget that you can mark enemies or items by pressing the left button on the crosshead.

Don’t enter a battle without having your life to the full

One of the most common mistakes that beginners make is to get into a battle with little life. If you can avoid this, do it. It’s true that sometimes you don’t have time to heal yourself or it’s hard to find elements to increase your life bar, but if you already have them, make sure you always equip yourself and keep your health and shield to the maximum. After you receive damage, whether from the environment, a fall or an enemy, you should try to heal yourself immediately, as long as the field is clear of opponents.

If you have the option to visualize sound effects activated, it should be easy to decipher if your surroundings are free of enemies. The larger and more effective the item you grab for healing, the longer it will take you to use it, so make sure you don’t catch them in the act. To do this, you can build a wall around you or hide inside a building. However you do it, you should prioritize your character to have the life bar as much as possible.

Learn how to build fast

Building during a battle at Fortnite may seem difficult to learn, but it’s certainly something to get used to. The more skilled players integrate construction into their routine, as they move and shoot. Normally, your goal should be to build structures upwards to gain an advantage from higher ground, so it will be easier to secure an elimination. If an enemy surprises you, you can quickly build a wall in front of you to use as a temporary shield.

To start, simply practice building when you are away from the enemies. Work on making it fast so that the action of pressing the button is integrated into your muscle memory. Then, practice this same thing, but when you are in the middle of a fight. When you are already in the final stages of the game, you will notice that the other players will take refuge in small fortresses to always have an advantage.

Think about where you will fall on the map

Like building, knowing where to fall on the map can be complicated. In general, you should fall at a point where you know you will find weapons or equipment and where you are sure you will not be taken out immediately. With that in mind, if you pick a point and see a lot of enemies falling in that same spot, you should consider changing your plans. More experienced players generally accept the challenge of facing several enemies at once, but for beginners, it is best to get away from the opponents at the beginning, to make sure you don’t get eliminated as soon as the game starts.

Fortnite brings new challenges every week, which are sometimes related to specific points on the map. For example, a challenge may ask you to find a certain amount of chests in The Authority. When something like this happens, those areas tend to attract more people, so you should always be aware of which points appear in the challenges. Another thing to consider is that the areas evolve with the game. For example, Doom’s Domain has remained one of the busiest areas this season, but the previous version of this spot, which was called Pleasant Park, was much quieter before. That’s why the places you want to go might change as updates to the game arrive.

One spot that continues to be useful is the house in Sentinel Graveyard, which is south of The Authority. There are a couple of chests to open there and it’s far enough away from the action, but it’s also relatively close enough to get into a fight quickly, if necessary. In general, there is no right or wrong place to fall, but some spots are better than others, especially if you consider how the storm forms and where the opponents are headed.

Bend over to reduce noise

If you know that an enemy is nearby (again, activating the special effects display will help you with this), you should duck to avoid making noise. This will give you an advantage, as the opponent will probably be running around making a lot of noise. This way, you can sneak up on an enemy and eliminate him before he knows what hit him. Remember, you move slower when crouching, but as a compensation you improve your aim, since the reticle is smaller in that mode. Also, by crouching, you are less exposed, so you will be a smaller target for your enemy.

Learn how to revive your companions

Being shot down and eliminated at Fortnite is inevitable, but knowing how to revive your teammates and bring them back into battle is key to ensuring a victory. For beginners, it’s best to stay close to your teammates to revive them when they are shot down (or eliminated). If everyone is spread out on the map, being on their own side, they will be closer to death during the game. If you are going to revive someone, make sure there are no enemies around you and hide behind some cover.

This is not always feasible, but do your best not to revive companions in very open areas. Also, if a partner is resuscitating someone, you can help them by building a cover around them. Resuscitation takes time and leaves you vulnerable while you do it, but you can take some precautions to make sure you are safe. Once a partner is resuscitated, you can throw a healing kit at him or her if you have one, or mark where the closest one is, as he or she will reappear with little life.

To resuscitate a partner, you must grab a restart card that you drop when you are shot down; you have 90 seconds to grab it before it is gone forever. Once you have it, you must go to one of the reset vans around the map to revive him. Remember that this process takes time, so be sure to take cover while you resuscitate your partner. When he comes back to life, he returns with only a gun, so if you can, give him better weapons, otherwise he won’t last long in battle.

All the items you can buy are only cosmetics

In your first games of Fortnite, you will surely notice many other players walking around the map with flashy outfits, weapons and other items. Most of these cosmetics can be bought in the game store with so-called V-coins. You can get these virtual coins by leveling up your battle pass or buying them with real money. Some items can also be purchased by completing challenges. Anyway, the point is that, although all these items make you look great, they are in the game for cosmetic purposes only.

This way, if you see another player with a spectacular suit, you don’t have to worry, since the suit is just an appearance, it doesn’t mean that the player has acquired power-ups, benefits or anything else in style as a result of the outfit he bought. It’s normal for beginners to be struck by the economics of the game and how they can get new cosmetics. However, keep in mind that these items are not necessary to become a good player. Many games have been criticized for having a “buy to win” system, but Fortnite doesn’t work that way.

Tips for the final circle

We end our list with some quick tips for the final phase of a game (when the circle is really small). It doesn’t help to have a good performance during the whole game just to be eliminated quickly at the end, so you must be prepared for this part.

• Keep in mind how many players (or teams) are left alive by looking at the numbers at the top of the screen. This will help you keep track of your progress and know how close you are to victory.
• Try to stay on top, as this will give you a better perspective on what is going on around you.
• Use your building skills to create large structures, if you need to. Sometimes the circle ends up in a very open terrain with almost no coverage, so it is best to create your own.
• As a precaution, take into account all the coverings around you, such as rocks, trees or buildings.
• Avoid running on very open terrain, if possible.
• Do not shoot unless you are sure you will hit the target. When you shoot you notify your enemy of your location, so if you are going to shoot, make sure you hurt him.
• Try to plan the final stages in advance. If you reach the final circle without being familiar with the area, you are likely to lose.
• Grab the rewards your enemies release, if possible. Do not put yourself in danger to do so, but if they are just in your way, do not hesitate to stock up.
• Pay attention to the elimination indicator on the left side of the screen. This will be updated as the enemies are eliminated.
• Inspect the area when it is covered. This is a benefit of the third person view: you can look around without moving your character from the cover.
• Think of an exit plan. Sometimes, even though you are playing beautifully, enemies can catch you in a bad position. So, before you get into a situation like this, make sure you can get out of it. This means having the right amount of materials to build exit ramps or being aware of the map geometry so you don’t get caught in the storm.
• In the video above, you can see how we use a cover effectively. Take a look, fire a few shots and return to your cover to heal or communicate with your team. Then lean out again to execute your enemies, prioritizing those who have not been shot down.
• Speaking of shot down enemies, sometimes you can use them to catch your opponents off guard. If you know that you have knocked someone down, surely your enemy will try to go and revive him, so you can take that opportunity to run towards them and execute them, either by throwing a grenade or shooting them non-stop.