Do Different Colored Weapons Do More Damage in Fortnite?
Yes, different colored weapons in Fortnite absolutely do more damage. The game employs a rarity system where the color of a weapon directly correlates to its power, damage output, and often other beneficial stats. This system is a cornerstone of Fortnite’s gameplay, influencing player strategy and loot prioritization. Understanding this color-coded hierarchy is crucial to mastering the game. Weapons are categorized into a spectrum of colors, each representing a distinct tier of performance, making the search for better loot a fundamental part of each match.
Fortnite’s Weapon Rarity System: A Color-Coded Guide to Power
Fortnite uses a simple yet effective color-coded system to denote weapon rarity, which directly translates to weapon effectiveness. Here’s a breakdown of the color hierarchy from weakest to strongest:
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Grey (Common): Grey weapons are the most frequently found and considered the weakest. They deal the lowest damage, have the slowest reload times, and generally possess the least favorable statistics. These are the basic, ubiquitous weapons you’ll encounter early in a match.
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Green (Uncommon): Green weapons are a step up from their grey counterparts. They offer slightly increased damage and improved stats. While still not ideal for late-game encounters, they serve as a reliable upgrade in the early to mid-game.
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Blue (Rare): Blue weapons represent a significant jump in effectiveness. They deal more damage than green weapons and often have additional advantages such as improved accuracy or slightly faster reload times. They are a great mid-tier option and are commonly sought after by players.
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Purple (Epic): Epic weapons are a high-tier loot option. Purple weapons outperform blue weapons in damage, accuracy, and other critical areas. They provide a significant boost in combat capability.
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Gold/Yellow (Legendary): Gold or yellow weapons are the most powerful non-mythic weapons. They deal the highest damage, boast the best stats, and are the most accurate. They’re the most sought-after standard loot in the game.
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Mythic: The rarity above Legendary and lower than Exotic, usually obtained from bosses. These weapons are very powerful.
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Exotic: The most powerful rarity, these items can be purchased from certain NPC’s during matches or found in supply drops.
The increase in stats between each tier is not just marginal; it can drastically impact your ability to win gunfights. For example, a legendary SCAR does significantly more damage per shot and has a higher damage per second (DPS) than a common grey version. Therefore, actively seeking higher rarity weapons is a key part of Fortnite’s gameplay loop and a vital strategy for success.
The Impact of Rarity on Weapon Stats
Beyond base damage, the rarity of a weapon influences various critical stats:
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Damage: This is the most obvious impact. Higher rarity weapons will deal more damage with each shot, both in general damage and headshot multipliers.
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Reload Time: Higher rarity weapons typically have faster reload times, allowing for more sustained damage output. This is particularly crucial during intense firefights.
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Accuracy: Weapons at higher rarities usually have tighter accuracy and better recoil control, making them more effective at medium to long ranges.
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Trait Slots: Each weapon rarity allows for an increasing number of ‘traits’. These are often percentage buffs to weapon stats that can further influence the power of a weapon.
These cumulative improvements make a noticeable difference in combat. A legendary weapon might not just do a little more damage than a grey one; it could reload faster, fire with more accuracy, and possess additional buff traits, making it drastically superior in all aspects. This creates a significant power progression, forcing players to always strive to upgrade their gear.
Beyond Color: Other Factors Influencing Weapon Power
While color is a primary indicator, it’s also worth noting that specific weapon types and game updates affect how powerful a weapon can be. The type of weapon also determines it’s overall effectiveness.
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Weapon Type: A shotgun will generally deal more damage at close range than an assault rifle, regardless of their color. Similarly, a sniper rifle excels at long-range engagements. Each weapon has an intended use, so choosing the right type is crucial.
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Game Updates: Fortnite often receives updates that can change the statistics of weapons and balance the game. It’s important to keep track of the current meta, as what was once a powerful weapon might be less effective after a patch.
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Reality Augments: Random reality augment perks can appear during a match. These can include a range of buffs such as damage increases.
Therefore, while understanding the color-coded rarity system is crucial, combining it with an understanding of weapon types and staying updated with gameplay changes will help players make the most informed choices.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the order of weapon rarities in Fortnite from weakest to strongest?
The order from weakest to strongest is: Common (Grey) < Uncommon (Green) < Rare (Blue) < Epic (Purple) < Legendary (Gold) < Mythic < Exotic.
2. Do blue weapons do more damage than green ones?
Yes, blue weapons generally do more damage than green weapons. They also have better stats in terms of reload time and accuracy.
3. Are gold weapons the best in Fortnite?
Gold/Legendary weapons are the best standard weapons you can find in the game. They offer the highest damage, best accuracy, and fastest reload times. Mythic and exotic are more powerful but less common and more difficult to obtain.
4. Do legendary weapons have more perks than common ones?
Yes, legendary weapons have additional stat upgrades. A legendary weapon can have a higher base damage, accuracy, and faster reload time than its common counterpart. In addition, more stat buffs or trait slots are added at higher rarities.
5. Is it always better to prioritize a higher rarity weapon?
Generally, yes, higher rarity weapons are better. However, it can sometimes depend on your play style and the specific weapon type. A blue shotgun might be better in close-quarters combat than a legendary sniper rifle, for example, if you prefer an aggressive playstyle.
6. What do the damage colors mean in Fortnite?
Blue damage is to shields, white damage is to health, and gold damage is headshot damage.
7. Are pistols useful in Fortnite?
Pistols are a viable option in close to medium range combat. With upgrades and certain augments, they can become very powerful.
8. Which shotgun is the fastest in Fortnite?
Auto shotguns have the fastest fire rate among all shotguns in Fortnite.
9. Is Mythic better than Legendary in Fortnite?
Mythic weapons are generally more powerful than Legendary weapons, and are harder to come by.
10. What’s more powerful Exotic or Mythic?
Exotic weapons are the most powerful in the game, usually obtained through gameplay or purchasing from NPCs during a match.
11. Does weapon skin impact weapon performance?
Weapon skins are purely cosmetic and do not affect the performance or damage of weapons.
12. Can a grey weapon be better than a higher rarity weapon with certain traits?
Yes, it is possible. A lower rarity weapon with significant trait buffs can sometimes be more effective than a higher rarity weapon without good traits, or if the player does not benefit from them.
13. What is the best exotic weapon in Fortnite?
The Heisted Accelerant Shotgun is widely considered one of the best exotic weapons due to its versatility and high damage output.
14. Does the color of the weapon increase reload time?
Generally, higher rarity weapons have faster reload times compared to lower rarity versions of the same weapon type.
15. What are the most common errors to make in regards to weapon rarity?
The most common errors include; not upgrading your weapon tier, not understanding weapon traits, and not updating with game updates that can change specific weapon stats.