We take a look at the biggest changes in this season of Fortnite, including what’s new and what’s vaulted.
The latest Chapter of Fortnite is here. The IO War is over, and the island is ready to kick back and take things a bit easier. Fortnite C3 S3, or ‘Fortnite: Vibin’, has hit the game bringing new POIs, new weapons, and even some new mechanics. As usual, not all of the changes are going to be signposted when you first jump in. It pays to know everything they’ve added and changed in the new season. This is everything that’s changed in Fortnite C3 S3, what’s new, and what’s been vaulted in the game:
POI Changes in Fortnite C3 S3
The Reality Tree
The Reality Tree is one of the biggest changes with this season of Fortnite. This is a new area on the map full of trees, plant life, and even some bouncy mushrooms. It is a dynamic new POI with loot spread fairly evenly out. The different colors in this area have spiced up the surrounding POIs too. This is also where you’re going to be able to get Reality Saplings, one of the new mechanics added in Fortnite C3 S3.
Rave Cave
The Command Cavern has been a hostile drop spot for a few seasons, with a boss character alongside unfriendly NPCs. This is all gone, the cavern is now the Rave Cave!
For gameplay, there’s a lot less loot. A few areas are now closed off to make the cave a bit smaller this season. The boss is gone. While there are still NPCs, they’re not going to bother you. They’re all too busy dancing to care what you’re doing. The top side of this mountain might be where the most change has happened though.
The Rollercoaster
Ballers are back this season and there’s a full rollercoaster for you to ride in them. The track runs around the Rave Cave. This is going to be useful for mobility in a baller. Once you get the hang of grappling, you can use the momentum from the rollercoaster to travel pretty far. We’ve also got a Slipstream making a return here as part of the coaster.
Fortnite C3 S3 Item Changes
Two-Shot Shotgun
The shotguns this season have been reworked with the Two-Shot as the latest addition. This is a burst pump that gives you two shots. It isn’t as fast and smooth as the Drum Shotgun from last season. This is a nice middle ground between that fast multi-shot action and a normal shotgun.
DMR
While Epic has billed this as a new category of gun, it’s a marksman rifle along the lines of the Hunting Rifle. This one has a scope and can fire a few shots before needing reloading though. This is a high-skill high reward rifle with an emphasis on accuracy.
Hammer Assault Rifle
The ARs in Chapter 3 have been all change so far, that’s continuing with another new AR this season. The Burst and Ranger have stuck around but we’ve now got the Hammer AR too. This is a fast-firing AR with a bit of recoil. It’s not fantastic at longer ranges since it’s lacking a scope. In a lot of ways, it feels like a more balanced MK. This could be lethal for cutting through builds in the right hands.
Ballers
Ballers have made a return this season too. They now need fuel to operate and using the grappler will take extra fuel now, so keep this in mind if you’re used to the old style. You can use them for running around the map but it’s the grappling hook that really adds mobility here. These are a great pick if you’re looking to avoid the roads in your rotation.
Everything Vaulted in Fortnite C3 S3
Those are the headline new items so far in Fortnite C3 S3. With new items though, we have to lose some of the older ones. These are the items that have been vaulted in Fortnite C3 S3:
- Drum Shotgun
- Ranger Shotgun
- Thermal AR
- Thermal Flopper
- LMG
- MK-Seven
New Mechanics in Fortnite C3 S3
Storm Sickness
Storm Sickness is a new mechanic in Fortnite C3 S3. This is a condition you’re going to develop when you stay in the storm for too long. When you have storm sickness the damage of the storm is boosted for you over time. You can disable it if you get out of the storm but there’s a catch. It is cumulative, you don’t get a clean slate in the next circle.
Storm Sickness should cut down on those players who spend far too long hanging out trying to pick off desperate players trying to get to safety. It may also make the storm camping heal-off meme strat impossible, or at least much more challenging.
Reality Saplings
The Reality Seed is another new mechanic that ties into the Reality Tree. This is a sapling that you can plant. It’ll remain in the same spot for you in each game, like the tents introduced in this Chapter. As it grows, you can harvest loot from the tree. Each time it grows back this tree will give higher level loot.
This is a nice mechanic, especially if you often drop in the same spot or want to give yourself some guaranteed loot in a bolt hole for the late game. Like tents it might take a while for players to crack how to best use this. It does look like an important part of Fortnite C3 S3 though.
Wolves Get a Purpose Again
The wildlife in Fortnite has been lingering since halfway through Chapter 2. A common complaint though is that they haven’t had a point since the crafting ended. They’ve found a new sense of purpose in Fortnite C3 S3 as you can now ride on top of both wolves and boars. These mounts allow you to fight as you travel and give a different way to get around.
Those are all of the changes for Season 3. There’s also a brand new battle Pass featuring Darth Vader. Although, just about everyone already saw that in the C3 S3 leaks!
In all, it’s a good drop of new content. At first glance, nothing feels as startling as the tanks and no builds last season. There are still some mysteries though like Grappling Gloves found in the files and new Mythics coming, so expect more surprises as the season progresses.
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