The best weapons and loadout for Fortnite Chapter 7

Fortnite Chapter 7: Pacific Break mixes an arsenal of new weapons with some old favorites. Most of the guns and items are strong and there's no one killer loadout—but there are certain weapons and items that you should favor.

Below I'll rank all of the weapons, new and old, in a tier list so you know exactly what to equip. Then, I'll go over the uber-powerful mythic weapons and how to get them, before discussing the best mobility, healing, and utility items to complete your loadout, including the ever-trusty Shockwave grenades, the new wingsuit and the divisive self-revive.

Pump shotgun to my head, this is the loadout I'd pick (disregarding mythic weapons):

• The Deadeye assault rifle for mid- and long-range fights
• The Iron pump shotgun for close range
• The tactical pistol as a spare short-to-mid-range weapon for its absurd headshot damage
• Shockwave grenades for mobility
• A healing item, ideally the Chug Jug or the shield keg
• Plus a self-revive (which doesn't take up a loadout slot)

If you only want to carry two weapons—three is arguably overkill—then take the Deadeye with the versatile Twin Hammer shotgun, which is more forgiving than the Iron Pump. Then, take the Forsaken Vow blade, which grants you extra mobility alongside the shockwaves and heals. Or, if you're playing no build mode, you could forgo the blade for some mobile cover in the form of Shield Bubble Jrs or Port-a-Bunkers.

Fortnite Chapter 7: Pacific Break best weapons tier list

There's not a lot to choose between the weapons in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 1, but the Deadeye assault rifle stands out for its versatility, accuracy and—crucially—its red-dot 1.5x zoom scope, which helps you land shots at mid-range.

Both shotguns this season are excellent, but for different things. The Iron pump shotgun deals more damage per shot, so it's strong in build box fights when you only have a split second to pull the trigger. The Twin Hammer shotguns, however, fire much faster so they're more forgiving and will deal more damage in extended fights.

Remember that rarity matters, with rarer versions of weapons dealing more damage, and it can be worth swapping for a "worse" gun of a higher rarity.

S-tier

Deadeye assault rifle

The Deadeye, the Enforcer and the tactical pistol are all solid mid-range weapons. For me the Deadeye has the edge because it has the largest magazine of the three, plus a clean sight to guide your shots. It also has a 1.75x headshot multiplier, higher than the Enforcer. It doesn't really have a weakness whereas the other two do (as I'll explain in a second).

At the moment, this is my go-to primary weapon. It's good at most ranges and its recoil is easy to manage. It can even double as a hipfire spray weapon up close if your shotgun runs out.

A-tier

Iron pump shotgun

A one-hit wonder. Compared to the Twin Hammer, the Iron Pump does far more damage per shot—up to 165 to the head at the lowest rarity—but fires slower. Its high single-shot damage makes it an ideal weapon for box fights, where you might only have a split second to fire before your opponent blocks the line of sight.

Its slow fire rate demands an accompanying spray weapon. I normally carry this one if I'm taking three guns, whereas if I'm taking only two weapons, the Twin Hammers are more versatile.

Twin hammer shotguns

These dual-wielders are basically all you need in a close-range fight, and because of their high fire rate they deal far more damage per second than the Iron Pump. If you hold down the trigger they'll fire at their optimum rate, so you needn't worry about timing your shots.

They're a perfect pairing for the Deadeye assault rifle. Use the Deadeye to chip at enemies from mid-range, then move in with the Hammers when your opponent is low.

B-tier

Tactical pistol

An underrated weapon. Its small 15-bullet magazine and heavy recoil make it harder to hit opponents, but my god, if you can land your shots it'll out-class basically every other weapon. Its high fire rate, solid base damage of around 25 per shot and its whopping 2x headshot multiplier means you drop an enemy before they know what hit them (four headshots will down an enemy in builds mode).

I only usually carry this in a three-weapon loadout. You'll need something more reliable at mid-to-long ranges, and a shotgun for one-shot potential up close.

Enforcer assault rifle

It fires slower than the Deadeye and lacks a scope, but it deals up to 40 damage per body shot at higher rarities. It's a solid choice if you like to engage from a distance.

Its bullet spread away from the centre of your reticle, called bloom, means you'll have to tap-fire to retain its accuracy, unlike the Deadeye. Its small magazine is, for me, its biggest weakness: its stats stack up to the Spire Rifle from Chapter 6, but where the Spire held 50 bullets, the Enforcer only holds 20.

Arc-lightning gun

Never my first choice because its range is short, it has a charge up time and you can't fire it from behind cover. But in build modes, it can cause havoc because its beam chains between players, structures, and back again. It also destroys bushes—fantastic for campers.

In 1v1 fights in the open it will lose to most other guns and you'll need to be ultra-precise with your aim: don't expect to just click near somebody and kill them.

C-tier

Holo SMG

It's the same old story for SMGs in Fortnite: they can melt players up close if you land all your shots, but there's very little reason to carry them beyond shredding through builds. They're too easily outgunned by assault rifles at mid range and by shotguns close up. The Holo does at least have a scope, so it feels easier to aim than the Dual Micro SMGs.

Dual Micro SMGs

On paper, their mammoth damage per second is tempting—but these dual-wielding SMGs fire so fast that their 28-round magazines are gone in an instant. Constant reloads makes it difficult to reliably chew through your opponents' builds. Pro-level players who can consistently land headshots may have some luck with them.

Vengeful sniper rifle

It's the quintessential sniper rifle: slow-firing and powerful, with a 2x headshot multiplier. It can't one-shot opponents (its maximum possible damage is 184), which limits its potential, but if you can land your first shot and follow it up with an assault rifle then your opponent is toast. If you're playing in a squad, it can be handy to have one between you.

Mythic weapons

Fortnite Chapter 7 Pacific Break mythic weapons

There are five mythic guns in the new Fortnite chapter. Three of them drop from bosses, and two from challenges in specific locations of the map.

Boss spawns are random in Chapter 7, which I love. They can appear virtually anywhere on the map, so anyone can run into them. Look out for the boss icon on your minimap: it's a skull wearing a crown. Defeat the boss to get the mythic.

They're all listed below, with instructions on where to find them: they are all, as you'd hope, strong, and the mythic lightning gun is the only one I wouldn't go out of my way to get.

• Hush's Deadeye assault rifle: A mythic version of the Deadeye, dropped by the Hush boss.
• Brutus' Twin Hammer shotguns: Defeat the Brutus boss to get the mythic version of the Twin Hammer shotguns.
• Human Bill's Arc-Lightning gun: The Human Bill boss drops this gun when killed.
• Pinpoint Iron Pump Shotgun: A mythic version of the iron pump. To get it, you'll need to lift the giant weight at Ripped Tides, in the west of the map. Before you try your rep, eat the steaks dotted around the POI because they'll help you lift it much faster.
• Enhanced Enforcer assault rifle: Perhaps the hardest to obtain. You need to drive a car over the big stunt ramp on the east side of the map, north of Classified Canyon. Then, this mythic has a chance to drop.

Should you carry boss transformation kits in Fortnite Chapter 7?

Alongside mythic weapons, bosses each drop a "transformation kit". These kits transform you into the boss, granting you extra health and shield plus a unique ability: low-gravity for Human Bill, shield regeneration for Brutus, and blink-style teleports called Zero Point dashes for Hush.

But they have two big downsides: first, they take up an inventory slot, and second, they show your exact location on the map at all times. I don't think the advantages are worth it.

Best Fortnite items

Best items in Fortnite Chapter 7: What heals and mobility to carry alongside your weapons

Alongside your favorite weapons you'll need at least one mobility item and I'd recommend you carry healing, too. You can also carry utility items and throwable explosives, and I'll explain all of this in detail below.

So, what heals and mobility should you carry?

Healing

As always, the best healing item is the one you have on you: mini shields, med kits, fish, and bandages will do in a pinch. But ideally you'll find a Chug Jug, which heals 200 health and shield combined and can be used as many times as you need until it runs out. It's the best healing item in the game.

In team-based modes, make sure at least one person carries a shield keg, bought from a vending machine. If you chuck it on the ground then it spurts out shield juice that heals everyone in the vicinity: enough to get you and all your allies to full shield. Dead handy.

And whenever possible, grab a self-revive kit. As the name suggests, they let you revive yourself when you're down, although the full animation takes 10 seconds, more than enough time for an enemy to finish you off.

They're best for team-based modes (especially builds, when your teammates can build you cover) but they're worth it in solos too, in case you're sniped across the map. You get them by spending 2,500 gold at a medical vending machine, or from supply drops.

Mobility

All hail Shockwave grenades. I hope Epic never removes them from the loot pool: they're the most versatile movement item, as well as the most fun. Throw them at the ground and when they explode, they'll shoot you away from them.

By varying where you stand and how high you jump, you can adjust how far they'll fling you—so you can use them to escape or to precisely close distance on a fleeing foe. Just spend 15 minutes on a practice map if needed. They're plentiful this season, so always try to carry a stack of six.

If you can't find shockwaves, or if you want to carry two mobility items, get the Forsaken Vow blade. Technically it's a melee item but its real power is in its right-click movement ability, which slashes a long distance in the direction you're looking. A player with this blade is always hard to hit. To get one, head for the golden portals dotted around the island: they'll show up on your minimap.

The wingsuit looks epic but is the least useful of the three mobility items. Activate it to soar skywards and then fly around, losing altitude as you go. If you swoop down you'll gain speed, and you can then look upwards again to fly further. You can travel long distances with them but you trail colored smoke, giving away your location to anyone nearby. Avoid unless you have no other option.

Utilities and throwables

The final few items competing for a loadout slot in Fortnite Chapter 7 are utility items and throwable explosives.

Utility items are mainly relevant for Zero Build modes, because these can act as portable cover. Specifically, keep an eye out for the Port-a-Bunker, which builds a small, ramped fort around you, and the Shield Bubble Jr, which spawns a small impenetrable dome. Both can save your life and they're particularly good for end-of-round zones where cover is sparse.

If you want one I'd recommend carrying them alongside two weapons, one mobility item, and one healing item.

As for explosives, you have grenades, dynamite, and clingers. They can be useful for team-based build modes, but otherwise I'd largely ignore them.

Fortnite loadout tips

Experiment to find your perfect loadout

Now you have a feel for all the weapons and items, here are some simple tips for picking your ideal combo:

• Play to your strengths: Everyone’s playstyle is different. If you’re good at closing distances with shifty movement, you could ditch an assault rifle and combine an SMG with a shotgun (the compact SMG and the tactical shotgun, for example). Test different combos until you find some you enjoy.
• Pick weapons that synergise: Ideally, that means something short-range and something for mid-range fights. Also think about your weapons’ strengths and weaknesses, and how they fit together. The infantry rifle doesn't have enough bullets to shine up close, so if you're only carrying one other weapon, you'll need something that can deal sustained damage at short-range. The tactical shotgun would be a better pick than the more powerful but slower-firing Thunder shotgun.
• Consider swapping to a "worse" weapon of higher rarity: A purple SMG will beat a white assault rifle. Adapt to what you find.
• Remember, there are no rules: Find a loadout you enjoy and stick with it, or vary it up every match depending on your mood.