Fortnite has released the second major seasonal update of Chapter 3, introducing a number of new additions to the game. Welcome to Chapter 3 Season 2: Resistance.
Overshield
Building has been wiped out! To help maintain cover, you now have an Overshield on top of your Shield and Health. The Overshield is your first line of defence: before your Shield and Health take a hit, it’s your Overshield that’ll crack. Your Overshield will still recover if it goes all the way down to 0.
Movement Upgrades
Not only has Season 2 removed building, but it's also introduced new ways to bring the fight:
Sprinting
Run at the new, faster default movement speed. A faster default movement speed means a faster sprint too! This sprint is so fast that it’ll mean pocketing whatever you’re holding. Of course, sprinting super fast can't be maintained forever, so a new sprint meter will tell you how much longer you can move at that pace.
Mantling
Gaining the high ground has always been key to winning a battle. And fortunately, where your feet fail, your hands will now help you out. If a surface is just a little too high for your jump — or a platform just a little too far for your landing — your hands can come into play and pull you up!
Shoulder Bashing
Players can now sprint at doors to bash them open with their shoulder. The Slide feature (introduced last season) can also be used to open doors.
Bar Funding Returns
As the Season progresses, players will have new opportunities to help direct the Resistance. Bars can be donated to pro-Resistance devices, as well as being used to vote for which items Epic should unvault.
Turret Determination
To introduce the Season, a different form of vote is live right now. Instead of an item unvault vote, it's a for Turret devices. Different pro-Resistance sites need help deciding whether to install a Light Turret or a Heavy Turret. With the former, get the classic Mounted Turret experience. With the slower but beefier latter, do heavy damage to vehicles. The first site that needs help is Sanctuary!
Armoured Battle Bus
Season 2 has also introduced another way for players to contribute their Bars right away: funding the Armoured Battle Bus.
The Armoured Battle Bus features Chonkers Tyres, a Cow Catcher (new in Season 2) and both versions of the new Turrets. Once 100% funded, the bus will immediately become available in-game at Resistance-occupied locations.
Resistance Equipment
A wide slate of weapons have been introduced today, here's all the new items that can currently be found in-game:
New Weapons
Combat SMG
Like the Combat Assault Rifle and Combat Pistol, the Combat SMG packs a heavy punch. Tame its recoil to get the most out of its exceptional power.
Striker Burst Rifle
The Striker Burst Rifle is a burst-rifle with a customized sight. Strike with this two-shot semi automatic weapon as you aim with the scope!
Unvaulted Weapons
The following weapons have been unvaulted in v20.00:
- Thermal Scoped Assault Rifle (Adjusted - semi-auto, fires faster, reduced damage, increased recoil)
- Drum Shotgun (Adjusted - fires slower, slightly increased damage, tighter spread, better falloff)
- Revolver (Adjusted - fires faster, reduced damage, higher accuracy)
- Remote Explosives (Adjusted - increased damage against vehicles)
- Thermal Scoped Revolver (Exotic weapon)
- Storm Scout Sniper Rifle (Exotic weapon)
- Though not a weapon per se, Shockwave Grenades
Returning Weapons from Chapter 3 Season 1
The following weapons have been carried over from the previous Season:
- Ranger Assault Rifle
- Striker Pump Shotgun
- Auto Shotgun
- Sidearm Pistol
- Stinger SMG
- Hunter Bolt-Action Sniper
- Shadow Tracker (Exotic weapon)
- Marksman Six Shooter (Exotic weapon)
- The Dub (Exotic weapon)
- Boom Sniper Rifle (Exotic weapon)
Land and Sky
POI Possession
The Resistance and IO are locked in head-to-head disputes to claim the Island’s POIs. You can tell if a POI is occupied by the IO if you see an IO Blimp overhead, Titans, IO guards, and Siege Cannons, while a POI occupied by the Resistance may feature an Armoured Battle Bus, Sentry guards, and Turrets.
IO Blimps
The IO having a bird’s-eye view of the Island may seem intimidating, but you can still access their blimps from the ground. IO Blimps are attached to the ground via Ziplines, so zip up to an IO Blimp and claim its loot for yourself! How do you get back down? Either use a Zipline, use the draft of a fan to begin gliding, or launch yourself with a Siege Cannon.
IO Machinery
The IO have also introduced their own set of new weapons to the Island:
IO Titan Tanks
Fire the Titan’s cannon while you drive, and if you wanna be even more formidable, have a teammate control its machine gun turret.
IO Titan Tanks have a massive amount of Health, but their treads can be destroyed if they take enough damage. If this happens, fix ‘em up by hand or with a Repair Torch! The Titan’s a tough battle-tested machine, so what to do if you’re up against one? Deal enough damage to the engine (located at the rear) to temporarily overheat its systems. This is a prime opportunity to take on the treads!
Siege Cannons
Need to get somewhere fast but the path’s too perilous on foot? Get in the seat of a Siege Cannon and launch yourself far forward. (Or launch your teammates first, then yourself.) Mid-air, you'll be given the option to deploy your Glider, but you won't take fall damage if you don't deploy it.
You can still have fun with a cannon even if you don’t have travel plans. In addition to using them as a transportation device, keep your opponents at bay by firing projectiles!
New Vehicle Modification: Cow Catcher
Chonkers Off-Road Tyres have been used to make cars offroad since Chapter 2 Season 6, but this fight against the IO calls for more modification. Available now, throw a Cow Catcher on your Joyride vehicle to boost its ramming power! (Blockades and other vehicles beware.) Throw a Cow Catcher and Chonkers on the same vehicle for the ultimate expedition.
The Repair Torch
Whether your Mudflap’s been subject to explosives, your Motorboat’s been running too long on land, or your Titan’s been targeted at the treads, fix it up with a Repair Torch! Repair Torches restore the Health of vehicles, and if they run out of fuel to ignite? Fill ‘em back up at a gas pump!
Balance Changes
- Improvement to first shot accuracy mechanics: weapons with first-shot accuracy (such as the Ranger Assault Rifle) will now reach that state more smoothly, resulting in more "near perfect spread accuracy" moments.
Competitive Notes
- Remote Explosives and Shockwave Grenades are not included in competitive playlists.
- Item unvault voting will not take place in competitive playlists.
- Storm Surge damage intervals have been increased from five seconds to ten seconds.
Building is unaffected in competitive/Arena playlists as well as in Team Rumble and Creative Islands.
What do you think of the new Season so far? Let us know by reacting below!
Follow us on Twitter (@FortniteBR) to keep up with the latest Fortnite news, leaks and more.