FORTNITE SHOTGUNS TIPS GUIDE – DAMAGE, STATS, & FAQ

If you are going to be successful in Fortnite you have to know how to fully utilize the shotgun! Our guide takes you through the steps you'll need to take to become a shotgun master.

The shotgun in Fortnite Battle Royale is one of the most important guns to get good with if you want to get better in the game. However, some people might find it to be inconsistent or are initially puzzled by how it works. Our shotgun tips guide will help you become better with this powerful weapon.

Shotguns have been a pretty controversial subject over the lifespan of Fortnite. Some have found them to be overpowered, while more recently they have been looked at as a bit underpowered. You'll get varying opinions on them throughout the community, but the fact of the matter is that you better know how to use one or you'll struggle in the game.

FORTNITE 6.31 PATCH UPDATE

Some pretty big changes to Shotguns in the 6.31 patch. First, there's now an Epic and Legendary version of the Pump Shotgun.

New Epic and Legendary Pump Shotgun

• 105 / 110 maximum damage
• Available from floor loot, chests, Supply Drops, and Vending Machines.

There was also some reworking on how pellets work when you land shots, and the range on the Pump Shotgun.

• Shotguns will now always apply at least 3 pellets worth of damage if only 1-2 pellets hit the target.
  • NOTE: Bonus pellets can never be critical hits.
• Pump Shotgun maximum damage and fall-off changes.
  • Pump Shotgun maximum damage increased from 80 / 85  to 95 / 100
    • Pump shotguns will do higher damage in shorter range buckets but damage falls off quicker. This means you’ll do more damage to closer targets but less damage to farther targets.

Source

FORTNITE SHOTGUN DAMAGE STATS

• Tactical Shotgun (Common, Gray): 67 damage, 134 max headshot damage.
• Tactical Shotgun (Uncommon, Green): 70 damage, 140 max headshot damage.
• Tactical Shotgun (Rare, Blue): 74 damage, 148 max headshot damage.
• Pump Shotgun (Uncommon, Green): 95 damage, 190 max headshot damage.
• Pump Shotgun (Rare, Blue): 100 damage, 200 max headshot damage.
• Pump Shotgun (Epic, Purple): 105 damage, 210 max headshot damage.
• Pump Shotgun (Legendary, Gold): 110 damage, 220 max headshot damage.
• Double Barrel Shotgun (Epic, Purple): 114 damage, 142.5 max headshot damage.
• Double Barrel Shotgun (Legendary, Gold): 120 damage, 150 max headshot damage.
• Heavy Shotgun (Epic, Purple): 74 damage, 185 max headshot damage.
• Heavy Shotgun (Legendary, Gold): 77 damage, 192.5 max headshot damage.

FORTNITE SHOTGUN TIPS

Land Your Shots (Kid) on the DOT!

Probably the hardest thing to get used to or shake when you start playing is getting used to the crosshair. You have a dot in the middle which has four little parentheses at each corner. This area is generally where your buckshot will go when you fire, but ultimately you want to be targeting where the dot is or you'll be disappointed with the results. The spread on shotguns can be pretty random (particularly the tactical), but for the most part it is concentrated on the dot.

Aim for the Head

Pretty obvious but shotguns are meant to end a battle quickly so you don't take any damage. You can use a pump shotgun to 1-shot a person from any Health currently if you hit them in the face with a shot. This means even if you are 1-health and your opponent has every single Legendary item in the game, you still have a chance if you land that head shot!

Use Third Person View to Your Advantage

If you hear someone coming towards you in a building or area with cover, try to utilize the third person view which can allow you to sidestep out behind cover and headshot them. Be sure to have the shot lined up before you pop out so you can instantly fire!

Build Better and Smarter

The biggest key to dominating with the shotgun is utilizing your building skills. If you are close to someone then being above them and shooting downwards gives you a much better angle for getting a headshot and protecting yourself from them. It's tempting to just jump off the high ground and go for a finishing shot like Ninja, but it's better for the average player to hold the high ground and quickly peak and sneak a shot off rather than expose yourself to unnecessary damage.

If you get more advanced you can try putting up a wall between you and your opponent, and then edit a quick window in it so you can throw a shot at them when they don't expect it! You can also throw a pump shot at your enemy and quickly put up a wall to block their shot.

FORTNITE SHOTGUN FAQ

Why does my shotgun sometimes do very low damage?

With the recent patch, there's no longer RNG to worry about when it comes to buckshot spread. You also get hit markers in-between your crosshairs, so if you notice you only hit a partial shot, that means you likely didn't do much damage. When you deal low damage like the common 9-damage meme, it usually means you only partially hit your shot. It could also be that you are too far away from your target, but that is more obvious.

Should you use ADS (Aim Down Sights) with the shotgun?

In most situations you shouldn't use this. It slows you down and is unnecessary in most close range fights. Often you are jumping around or quickly peaking out to take a shot. However, if you are in kind of a close to mid-range battle and have the time to lineup the shot then yes it does improve your accuracy and tightens the spread of the buckshot. Pump shotgun is also much better at this, it has a larger range and can do more damage.

Which shotgun is the best?

The Heavy Shotgun is the best shotgun right now. It does a lot of damage, and has a pretty decent fire rate. The Double Barrel used to be one of the better options, but it had its damage nerfed and is only good in certain situations. The new Epic and Legendary Pump Shotguns are going to be near the top of the list now that they've been added to the game.