The latest Season of Fortnite has just dropped. While we had some substantial leaks this time, there are still some pretty big surprises in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 patch notes. The game has had some significant changes. Half the map has changed. There are new guns. There’s even a new element to gameplay entirely. The mysterious chrome that’s taking over the map.
Jumping into a round is the best way to see what’s changed. Although, you don’t want to get caught out. Some new guns and mechanics could take you by surprise. We’re going to run through all the changes. Everything in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 patch notes. This is everything new and changed:
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes
Chrome 
The most significant new feature in the new season is a new item with a few features. This is Chrome. It’s a new substance around the map that with unique properties, it’s been shown off in the early teases for the season. This is a metal substance that is spreading and consuming all it touches.
The main way to use Chrome right now is the Chrome Splashes. These are new throwable items. They work like Chug Splashes. Although, instead of dealing out healing Chug juice, it’s launching Chrome. This applies in a rough bubble around where it hits. If it strikes a wall, it’ll make it into a semi-transparent chrome material instead so that you can phase right through.
The chrome is a big move for breaking up locked-down fights. If you’re in a Fortnite 1V1, remember there’s a quick way to jump right through a wall now.
A chrome splash affects you too. This is a whole new status in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes which has unique benefits.
Chromify yourself
Once you get hit with Chrome, you’ll become chrome version too. This recolors you into a metallic version of your skin. This is similar to the Midas skin’s effect. However, this time it’s more than a cosmetic difference, chrome has unique properties in the game itself and new mechanics.
While you’re chrome version, you have some new mechanics and effects. You’re immune to fire. You also have a new sprinting mechanic. Players become a blob while sprinting. You move faster, don’t take fall damage, and can air dash if you jump. You can also dash through any building piece or wall to go through it with the chrome effect.
This doesn’t last too long, but it provides some excellent bonuses. This will be a fun mechanic through the Season as player’s figure out how it can best be used. It’s one of the more exciting bits of the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes.
Map Changes in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes
The map has received some significant changes with the new season update. There are some changed POIs. However, there are also brand-new ones. These are the biggest differences to the map this time around:
Herald’s Sanctum
This is a brand-new POI for this season. It’s pretty heavily themed around the chrome effect that’s taking over this season. It’s a large POI. With a whole tower for high ground.
Air Ships
The Air Ships are a new POI that’s dotted all around the map with the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 patch notes. These are balloon hoisted structures that sit quite a bit above the ground. The center of each air ship is a D-Launcher. These function like launchpads, shooting you up into the air. You can find these dotted around a lot of different pOIs.
New Weapons in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes
EvoChrome Shotgun
The EvoChrome Shotgun is this season’s newest addition to the loot pool. This is a new shotgun added, which a unique mechanic. The more you damage opponents, the better the gun gets. Your rarity will increase as you deal damage. You can take a gun from grey through to Mythic just by clocking up kills with it. Otherwise, it isn’t the most remarkable shotgun, but with a lot of the more popular ones looted it’s nice to have some variety.
Chrome Burst Rifle
The Chrome Burst Rifle is a new AR that’s joined the loot pool. This one has the same mechanic. It goes up in rarity as you get kills and damage. It replaces some much-loved ARs, but its actual function isn’t quite as smooth as the typical burst.
Unvaulted and Remaining Weapons in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes
Those are the new changes to the games loot pool. However, some have been unvaulted. Along with some that have stayed form last season. These are all of the other weapons that are available and part of the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes:
- Sidearm Pistol
- Prime Shotgun
- Level Action Shotgun
- Rapid Fire SMG
- Suppressed SMG
- Ranger AR
- Hammer AR
- DMR
- Grenades
- Bolt Action Sniper
- Firefly Jar
- Harpoon Gun
- Shadow Tracker
- Dub
- Boom Sniper Rifle
- Boogie Bomb
- Shockwave Grenades
Sniper Changes in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes
The sniper rifle and other marksman weapons har remained in the loot pool, but they’ve had some significant changes. The higher rarity versions of the weapons have got their one shot kills back. Once again, you can use these guns to take out an opponent in a single shot. This is a welcome change after previous seasons nerfed them. One shot snipers are a welcome return.
Each of the weapons have had their damage and headshot multiplier increased to allow one-shot kills:
- Bolt-Action Sniper – Damage and Headshot Multiplier Increased
- Hunting Rifle – Damage and Headshot Multiplier Increased
- Automatic Sniper Rifle – Damage and Headshot Multiplier Increased
- Level Action Rifle – Damage and Headshot Multiplier increased
- Suppressed Sniper Rifle – Damage Increased
- Semi Auto Sniper Rifle – Damage Increased
- Rail Gun – Damage Increased
- Bolt action Sniper Rifle – Damage Increased
- Heavy Sniper – Headshot multiplier Increased
- Storm Scout Sniper Rifle – Headshot Multiplier Increased
- Boom Sniper Rifle – Damage Increased
These weapons have all had changes. Although, they aren’t all in Battle Royale. These weapons have been changed in the files for other game modes and creative reflects the changes, even if they’re not in the loot pool right now.
Keys and Low Security Vaults
A fun feature added to existing POIs with the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Patch Notes is low security vaults. These are new vaults. They have a different mechanism for getting unlocked. You don’t need two players to open them up anymore. You’ll need to loot keys.
These keys will allow you to get inside the new version of vaults on the map. Low security vaults quite only one key. High security ones will require two. These new vaults contain weapons, ammo, slurp barrels, everything you need to get kitted out.
Once you get keys, you can see the location of some vaults on the map. This makes it a bit easier to get into one once you collect the key.
Port-A-Bunker
This season we’re getting a replacement to the classic Port-A-Fort. The Port-A-Bunker is a brand-new item. This is a new item that creates an instant base. Unlike the Port-A-Fort though, it’s not shoving you up in the air with high ground.
The bunker more creates an instant 90. You get a ramp going up, along with a 1×2 base at the bottom.
The bunker comes with tryes for getting moving a bit fast, along with some decent protection. This is a nice alteration. It’s going to work great in zero builds.
Sliding Changes
The new sliding mechanic in this Chapter has received some changes. You can now knock players back with it. When you’re sliding, if you strike another player, it will kick them back rather than pass by them. This isn’t t a massive change to the kit. However, it’s still nice to see Epic improving the new mechanics with the Fortntie Chapter 3 Season 4 patch notes.
Competitive Changes
The competitive side of Fortnite has had some alterations to its loot pool. Usually, it lags a little bit behind the normal game’s loot pool. Since we don’t have any mechanics out of the gate, this isn’t a significant change. However, a couple of items aren’t included in the competitive pool this season:
- Firefly Jars
- Shockwave Grenades
These are the only items missing at the moment. As ussual, the vaulting of mobility in competitive continues to be a bit confusing considering that they aren’t exactly unbalanced. However, it isn’t a big difference to how the game plays.
There’s also the hype reset that comes with every season effecting Arena.
Restricted Hardware Warnings
One change that might not apply to everyone is new checks for specific restricted hardware. Players using hardware that’s restricted will get an in-game warning. If they don’t remove the hardware, they will be banned.
Epic’s example of this “hardware” is a Cronus Zen or Cronus Max. This is a controller mod that allows you to use a mouse in controller lobbies, as well as running specific scripts automatically.
These devices are unfair. They mainly market themselves by claiming they let you use mouse and keyboard in controller lobbies. It’s great that Epic is stepping up defenses against this kind of player.
Those are all of the significant changes to the game with this season. There are fun new weapons, big map changes, and a nice competitive change with doing something about cheating devices. It’s shaping up to be a good season so far.
