Originally posted on December 4, 2021
1. Practice on safer modes first
There are so many other modes to Fortnite that you can get really good just by having a laugh with your mates on Party Royale or, even better, Creative Mode. Party Royale is an excellent way of getting to know the game, the controls, and all the fiddly bits, like vehicles and emotes. I highly recommend spending some time exploring Party Royale so you’re familiar with the game and its controls before you dive into Battle Royale.
As Party Royale doesn’t include weapons or combat, check out Creative Mode. This is an excellent opportunity to practice getting around the island, building forts, and getting to grips with the weapons involved.
2. Play squads first
Starting out as a newbie on Fortnite is overwhelming, but if you can get some of your friends to team up with you, you’ll have a much better chance. Your teammates can revive you and share weapons, ammo, shields, and medkits, so you’re likely to live a lot longer in a squad than you would alone. This gives you a much better chance at holding your own when you finally jump into solo battle royale.
3. Land really far out
Although it can be hazardous to land miles away from the storm circle, dropping out of the battle bus last can be really helpful. It allows you to get your bearings, gather better loot, fill up your shield, and stock up on ammo and medkits.
You’ll also avoid the inevitable firefight that players jumping out first end up in. If you drop out of the battle bus too soon you’ll run into dozens of other players immediately and weapons will be scarce. There’s nothing worse than landing in a busy area full of empty chests. You’ll almost certainly get picked off quickly.
4. Stock up on shields, medkits, and ammo
One thing you’re going to need a lot of is shields, medkits, and ammo. If you’re landing really far out from the storm circle, it’s even more essential to stockpile medkits in case you need to replenish lost health from getting caught in the storm. Don’t get so caught up in looting that you miss the storm circle closing in on you. If you’ve got plenty of medkits, though, you can afford to run through the storm a little bit; just don’t leave it too long to stop and use a bandage.
5. Gather building materials
It’s more time-consuming than looting chests, but gathering wood, brick, and metal is crucial to your survival. You’ll also want to practice building on Creative Mode, as the quicker you can throw up a wall, staircase, or fort, the better. It helps if you always have plenty of metal as this will absorb the most bullets but wood and brick are better than nothing, and all three materials can be upgraded.
6. Avoid the storm
Avoiding the storm is paramount to your survival in Fortnite. However, you can keep running through it, and medkits and bandages are still an option. The storm doesn’t deplete your shields so your blue shields will still be at the same level when you get to safety.
If you keep an eye on the map and the timer on your head-up display, HUD, in the top right-hand corner, you should get plenty of warning of the storm closing in on you. It’s up to you to drag yourself away from the area you’re in. Don’t be fooled, that’s harder than it looks.
7. Avoid other players
The obvious way to stay alive for longer on Fortnite is to avoid other players. Some people enjoy picking a fight but the best way to win is to stay out of the way and take cover. You can build a fort if necessary, however the more discreet your hiding place the better. Try dumpsters, corners, and bushes. With giant bushes you can fortify your hiding place by building a ceiling over the top of yourself, be really careful with this though. If your fort materials are poking out of the bush at all you’ll be spotted.
8. Stay alert
One of the best things you can do to survive longer in Fortnite is simple: stay alert. It’s so easy to get lost in pickaxing trees to death or messing with emotes and sprays in a fort, but both of these things are distracting. You’ll also draw loads of attention to yourself with the noise.
Be extra careful while looting or using a medkit or shield. Watch your back while you rummage through chests, find somewhere safe and hidden to top up your shield and health.
9. Switch your weapons to Epic or Legendary ASAP
You’ll probably find that the first weapons you come across are Common, Uncommon, and Rare. These are fine for a time, but if you get a chance to upgrade or replace those with an Epic or Legendary weapon, you should. However, rocket launchers are tough to use well, and it’s better to have at least one regular gun on hand, no matter how tempting that Epic Rocket Launcher is. Weapons like Rocket or Grenade Launchers tend to run out of ammo fast and it’s much harder to ammo for.
10. Keep your shields up
The more hits you can take the better, so keep an eye out for shield potions or slurp and top up at every opportunity. Mushrooms might not give you many shield points, but that handful of shield points could be the difference between elimination or survival and winning. Keep a slot in your inventory for shield potions and don’t be afraid to use them.
No matter how new you are to the game you’re sure to survive longer in Fortnite than your enemies with these ten tips.
