Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2: Doctor Strange debuts, building is banned, and more
The war with IO has had unexpected fallout
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FortniteChapter 3 Season 2 has done the unthinkable. There’s no more building in Battle Royale (BR). Admittedly, this is a temporary effect thanks to IO’s meddling. But the divisive move is going to separate the Sweats from the shooter lovers.
Epic has offset the lack of portable cover with upgraded movement and another defensive layer on top of your shield and health bars. But it’ll undoubtedly shake up gameplay byeliminating the one featurethat sets the game apart from the likes of PUBG, or Warzone.
The war with IO is ongoing so players can donate to the war fund. You can chip in Bars towards munitions for the Resistance, or use them to vote for which items get unvaulted.
The Armored Battle Bus is another new edition, and once funded, can be found at particular points on the map. It doubles as a party bus so if you want to lighten the mood, turn the radio on and dance your little heart out.
WhileEpic Gamesdropped the Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 cinematic story trailer, the Battle Pass trailer is MIA. But we do know which skins are on the way, so read on for everything we know about the new season of Fortnite so far.
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 – what’s new?
OvershieldFortnite Battle Royale has scrapped building right at the outset of the new season. But to make up for it (and give the sweats a chance) Epic has introduced Overshield.
Layered on top of your shield and health, Overshield is described as your “first line of defense”. It’ll basically take hits until it reduces to zero, at which point your shield and health will start getting whittled down. It also recharges, so if you’re under fire, get out of there and let it regenerate.
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Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 has rolled out a few more upgrades that’ll help you to get to grips with the new normal. Thanks to mantling, a new sprint system, and a shoulder bash, you should be able to get out of dodge with ease.
SprintingDefault movement is now faster, and that means so is sprinting. The result of your supercharged speed means that items being held go into pockets. The boosted sprint is short-lived though. A sprint meter has been added to the HUD so make sure you have enough stamina when you need to make a run for it.
MantlingScaling the vertical heights of Fortnite is more intuitive now thanks to mantling. When jumping up to high places, or between platforms, your character will grab the edge and haul themselves up. So feel free to be braver when traversing the map.
Shoulder bashingA fun new way to open doors is at your disposal thanks to shoulder bashing. Just sprint at doors to open them with your shoulder. You can also slide into doors to open them, too.
Repair TorchThe Repair Torch restores your vehicle’s health. You can top them up at gas pumps to keep them functional.
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 – Battle Pass
Marvel’s Doctor Strange finally gets added to the roster this season. He won’t be available right away, by the sounds of things. And neither will “world-class criminal” Prowler. But here’s what the lineup looks like at the moment:
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 – Bar funding
War with IO is expensive, so Bar funding is back in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2. You can choose whether to donate your Bars to ‘pro-Resistance devices’ or spend them on voting to unvault items. Here’s a look at what those Bars will get you:
Armored Battle BusYou can start funding the Armored Battle Bus straight away. It’s kitted out with Chonkers tires, a Cow Catcher for “extra ramming power”, and both a light and heavy turret. Once funded, you’ll find the Armored Battle Bus at Resistance-occupied POIs. It also has a radio if you want to give it those party bus vibes.
Turret voteInstead of voting on which items to unvault, players will be voting on the type of turret that’ll be installed at pro-Resistance sites. There’s a Light Turret which gives the “classic Mounted Turret experience.” Or you can vote for the Heavy Turret which is slower but more powerful and does heavy damage to vehicles.
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 – weapons
A new season of Fortnite means new and unvaulted weapons. There’s a new SMG and rifle to play with, as well as the unvaulted (and refreshed) Drum Shotgun and Revolver.
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 – vehicles
IO BlimpsThere’s a lot going on this season in terms of land and sky vehicles. IO Blimps are a new edition. They can be boarded from the ground via ziplines and ransacked for loot. You’ll also spot them above IO-occupied PIOs, along with Titans, IO guards, and Siege Canons. Resistance-occupied POIs can feature the Armored Battle Bus, sentry guards, and turrets.
IO Titan TanksKitted out with a cannon and machine gun turret, the IO Tanks are a boon for your armory. These vehicles have a ton of health, but the weak point is their treads. Happily, they can be easily fixed up with a Repair Torch. The engine is another weak spot; target an IO Tank’s engine, found on the back of the vehicle, to temporarily overheat its systems.
Siege CannonsPerfect for launching yourself across the map, just hop into one to go flying in the direction of your choice. They do fire projectiles as well, so feel free to turn up the heat on approaching enemies by opening fire.
Cow CatcherCow Catchers join Chonkers Tires as a mod for your vehicle. Plastering one on the front increases your ramming power, so you can bash down blockades and careen into friends and foes.
Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2 – balance changes and notes
Shabana has been writing about games for almost a decade now, as well as covering tech, politics, food, and other random tidbits at Gizmodo UK. She’s stepped outside of news every now and then to write game guides, and always appreciates a DM if she’s helped get you out of a pickle. During her time freelancing, you may have spotted her words at VG24/7, GamesRadar, and IGN. She’s also held the position of news editor at Gizmodo UK, T3, and The Sun Online.
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