Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Weapons Tier List
| Tags: Fortnite
| Author Jordan Ashley
The latest season has a load of new weapons, this is where they all stand in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons tier list.
The new Fortnite season has some unique additions to the loot pool. There are the chromified weapons, the return of some older guns and new additions. It’s a pretty fun loot pool, but how do you pick which weapons are worth seeking out? The Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapon tier list looks pretty different to how it did last season, guns have moved up and down. There have been some big changes to the meta.
The latest season had brought old weapons back to relevance and new ones. In mid-season patches, we've gotten some of the most OP long-range guns that the Island has ever seen.
We’re going to cover what all the weapons in this season are, along with which ones are the best Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 3 weapons.
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Weapons Tier List
We’ll break down why each weapon sits where below. If you just want a quick list though, this is roughly where it all sits for this season.
- S Tier – Hunter Bolt-Action Sniper, Prime Shotgun, Cobra DMR, Suppressed SMG
- A Tier – Lever Action Shotgun, Hammer Assault Rifle, Rapid Fire SMG, EvoChrome Burst Rifle, Goo Gun
- B Tier – EvoChrome Shotgun, Ranger Assault Rifle, Sidearm Pistol, Ranger Shotgun
It's a bit more complicated than just a few tiers though. The difference in quality between these weapons are profound. This is why each weapon is where it is in the meta:
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Weapons Tier List – S Tier
This is the top tier of the game. It’s the gear you want to find as often as you can. Sometimes, these guns are worth carrying in a lower rarity than those lower down in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 tier list.
While Fortnite is fairly well-balanced this season, these guns might make it feel like it isn't. These are the best weapons:
Hunter Bolt-Action Sniper
The sniper is back this season. This weapon has significantly improved in the Chapter 3 Season 4 patch notes. The one-shot kill is back. This is a huge boost compared to the last few seasons. On top of that though, the gun is back to having three shots in a round instead of being a single shot. These are basically two big boosts for it.
In the past, when the Sniper got three shots, its power was reduced. However, this season it once again can hit one-shot kills. This is huge. On top of that, each shot has the potential to kill if you can hit the head, even in Zero Builds. The Bolt-Action Sniper isn’t for everyone, but these buffs have clearly made it one of the easiest picks for the top of the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons tier list.
If you have decent accuracy, the bolt-action sniper is going to be a must-carry this season.
Prime Shotgun
The Prime Shotgun is a fun twist on the close-range weapon that got first added in the last season. It has a mechanic where it does extra damage on the first shot. This is a big multiplier. With the boost to headshots this season, that first shot is a force to be reckoned with. It can be a quick kill. The gun suffers on the follow-up, but there are routes around it with other guns.
The Prime shotgun might be the top weapon in the game this season. The first shot has a good chance to kill most of your opponents. Even if it doesn’t, you can switch to an SMG and follow up with spray damage up close. This is one of the better plays to make in Zero Builds. In builds, you can use it in box fighting to get first shots in, followed by reloads. It works in box fighting and out in the open.
This is one of the best guns in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons tier list. It runs away with the best shotgun prize.
Cobra DMR
The DMR initially received some similar boosts as the Hunter Bolt-Action Sniper. A few weeks after the season began though, the DMR was switched to the new Cobra. This works similarly to the old one, but it is even faster and more powerful. It’s one of the best guns in the entire game.
The Cobra DMR is similar to a sniper with a longer range and scope. However, it carries a lot more shots and can fire off quicker. This is also a hitscan weapon. You don’t have to spend time figuring out bullet drop or trying to adjust for movement. You just line up your shot, and pump shots out. This is lethal in the right hands.
The Cobra DMR can’t kill in one-shot right now. With its speed though, it is hard to counter and decent players can easily kill off an enemy before they have time to react. It's more forgiving than the sniper, and just as powerful thanks to being turned into a hitscan weapon. This gun will probably get nerfed soon, but for now it feels like playing the game on easy mode.
Suppressed SMG
The Suppressed SMG has returned with the latest season of Fortnite. This gun has had some impressive results in the past. It hits pretty hard. For an SMG, it even does okay at slightly longer ranges. If you can keep your target in range, this nearly has enough to take down a whole player in a single round.
The suppressed SMG has the potential to be much more versatile. The recoil isn’t so hard to control. While its magazine might be a bit small for kills on fully healed enemies, when paired with a shotgun this is a great combo. Following up from the first shot of the Prime with the suppressed SMG is a great way to get the best out of both weapons. It can have an intense time to kill. This is an easy pick for the top of the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons tier list.
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 Weapons Tier List – A Tier
The next tier isn’t quite as OP as those above, but they aren’t weak by any measure. All of these guns can get it done. If you’re skilled with them, they can even be the best picks for certain play styles. This tier could do with a buff, but they’re far from being something to ignore.
Lever Action Shotgun
The Lever Action has been unvaulted. It’s one of the returning weapons. This is a shotgun that debuted in Chapter 2. Although, it’s had some changes from how you might remember it. They make it a bit more worthwhile. This time the Lever Action has gotten a boost to its headshot damage. It can now kill in one shot in some situations.
The weapon only has minimal competition this season. There aren’t as many shotguns, and two of them aren't worth carrying. That means it's easy to put it at the higher end of the tier list since it’s clearly more potent than the Chrome. It doesn’t have that huge first-shot bonus of the Prime. Although, it can do consistent damage with a decent headshot multiplier here
It’s a bit more forgiving than the prime shotgun. You don’t need to switch out or time reloads after a single shot. It’s worth carrying if you can’t make the all-or-nothing approach of the Prime work.
Hammer Assault Rifle
While long-range options have gotten buffed, ARs haven’t fared so well his season. The Hammer Assault Rifle currently sits at the top of the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons tier list for this type. Although, the DMR and sniper are stronger. The Hammer can deal some decent damage if you’re accurate.
This weapon is great for more mid-range fights. It’s more forgiving than some of the other options. It also has a quicker fire rate. This can make it more versatile than the Ranger. It doesn’t outplay the long-range guns or SMG, but it’s a decent alternative if you want to stick with the assault rifle gameplay. ARs just don't have much of a place in the meta right now.
Rapid Fire SMG
The Rapid Fire SMG is a solid pick for close-range gameplay. It doesn’t have the range and versatility of the Suppressed. However, it’s a decent alternative. This one is more useable up close than the mid-range potential of the other. It also fires faster but with recoil.
While unleashing this in close quarters, you can get a lot of damage in. You can get kills pretty quickly if you pair it with a shotgun. It might not be the suppressed, but this one works fine if you get it in a higher rarity.
EvoChrome Burst Rifle
The EvoChrome Burst Rifle has been added this season as one of the new weapons. This gun has a unique mechanic. The more damage you rack up with it, the higher rarity it gets. This can even be exploited a bit. Damaging animals count. You can farm wildlife to grind on up to a high tier. At the Gold level, these guns work alright, but you have to put up with a lower rarity version for most of the game.
In terms of its actual performance, the EvoChrome Burst Rifle isn’t as strong as the typical burst. It doesn’t have the same power or accuracy. Although, it does still have its benefits. When your aim is sharp, you can rack up kills with the EvoChrome.
The biggest thing keeping this one so low down in the tier list is that there are just better alternatives. It doesn’t fire quickly enough to be a decent alternative to the sniper or DMR. It also lacks the versatility of all of the SMGs. This AR just struggles to find itself much of a niche this season. It can’t get much higher in the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons tier list. This isn’t an AR season so far.
Goo Gun
The Goo Gun as a later addition to the season coming in a hotfix patch. This weapon fires out goo which then explodes. It can go through builds really quickly. Even against players it can be lethal. It isn’t at the top of the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 tier list though, for a key reason.
While the Goo Gun is fun, it doesn’t fit into the combat as well as more established guns. It’s no replacement for long-range weapons or shotguns. However, it has some unique utility which keeps it in the higher end of the list.
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 – B Tier
This is the bottom tier for the guns this season. These just aren’t up to scratch. They are severely outplayed or don’t have a place in the meta. These guns all have problems. This is the lowest tier of the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons tier list:
EvoChrome Shotgun
The EvoChrome Shotgun is the other new weapon added in with the season's overall chrome theme. This has a different way of firing. You can probably notice from the reticle, with is more like a straight line. Like the rifle, it increases in rarity the more damage you do.
The EvoChrome fits into a weaker category of Fortnite shotguns. They can all be divided between hard-hitting and slow or fast and weaker. This is definitely the secondary category. It’s slightly faster than the competition. You get less damage out on players, and the spread is much wider, making it more forgiving but much less impactful. These downsides aren’t inconsequential.
The EvoChrome Shotgun has a few problems with sitting any higher on the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons tier list. This is probably the worst shotgun in the game at the moment. By quite a margin too. If you need a more forgiving shotgun, this might suit you, but for most, it just doesn’t work.
Ranger Assault Rifle
The Ranger AR has been hanging around most of the Chapter. It rarely gets too high on the tier list. It has got high accuracy. However, it is slow, lacks scope or sight, and feels outplayed entirely.
The Ranger kind of has a niche in more exact longer-range AR shots. Long-range rifles have taken over this category for Season 4, though. There isn‘t really much reason to pick the Ranger over a DMR.
Sidearm Pistol
The Sidearm pistol is back to being the only handgun in the core loot pool. The game’s pistols aren’t necessarily awful. There just isn’t a place for them. They don’t fire fast enough or with enough power to be worth using over something more specialized. It works fine for landing loot. For the long-haul, though, the sidearm pistol isn’t really worth carrying.
If you find the pistol's accuracy works for you, go for an exotic. There are exotic versions of the pistols that give other benefits like tracking enemies that you hit. you don’t need to go for a standard pistol.
Ranger Shotgun
The Ranger Shotgun has made a return mid-season. It’s still not very good. This gun is just outplayed in every category.
This is a shotgun that lacks the power of something like the Prime. However, it also lacks the speed and useability of lower ranking shotguns. This weapon is one-shot before a reload, and it doesn’t deal enough damage in that one-shot to make that worthwhile. This weapon doesn’t have much of a place in the meta right now.
Those are all of the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 4 weapons and where they sit. A tier list is subjective, so that’s worth keeping in mind. You might get more value from a lower weapon if it really gels with your overall play style. However, for most players, this is roughly how they sit at the moment.
The current version of the game has some great bonuses for accurate players. You’re getting headshot one-shot kills at long-range and severe damage at the short-range too. These guns are definitely in the top tier. The ones that don’t rely on accuracy sit a bit lower, but they’re still viable for certain types of players.