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Fortnite best weapons tier list for Chapter 5 Season 3

The best weapons for your loadout.

Blurred Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 3 promotional artwork with Magneto and a female character with a bow, and the Nitro Fist and Boom Bolt weapons in the foregorund.
Image credit: Eurogamer/ Epic Games

The best weapons in Fortnite can help you get to the final Storm Circle and secure that sweet Victory Royale if you play your cards just right.

As there's so many weapons and items constantly being added, vaulted, and unvaulted in Fortnite, we've made a tier list of the best weapons in the current Chapter 5 Season 3 update to help you secure eliminations, or avoid being downed yourself.

This is a guide for the Battle Royale mode of Fortnite, so the reasoning and stats for each weapon listed won't apply if you're playing on Save The World.

On this page:

Best weapons in Fortnite explained

Our tier list for the best weapons in Fortnite will primarily focus on the offensive stats and capabilities of the various weapons found on the Battle Royale island.

Please keep in mind that just because we've listed a weapon higher than another, it doesn't mean you should only use those. Some of the best loot is hard to find, and how much you like using a weapon, or how good you are with one, should also factor in to what loadout you choose to go with.

We also won't move a weapon up in our tier list if a sudden exploit becomes available, as these weapons are usually vaulted by Epic as soon as it is aware of the bug, then brought back when the item is balanced properly.

Inventory space is limited - so choose wisely when coming across the best weapons in Fortnite!

Fortnite promotional art showing a close-up of someone in Brotherhood of Steel T-60 power armour surrounded by smoke.
Image credit: Epic Games/Bethesda

Best weapons in Fortnite tier list for Chapter 5 Season 3

There are 23 weapons in the current Chapter 5 Season 3 version of Fortnite, but there is more of an emphasis on vehicular combat this season. Season 3 has also refreshed the loot pool again, but you can still mod weapons at Weapon Mod Benches.

Keep in mind that when you find a weapon as loot, it probably already has a mod attached to it. If it's of Uncommon rarity, it'll already have one mod. If it's of Rare rarity, it'll have two mods. Epic rarity, three mods. And Legendary, four.

Lastly, remember that you can remove mods at Weapon Mod stations, and that not every mod works with every weapon!

With all that in mind, here's our Fortnite best weapons tier list for Chapter 5 Season 3:

Weapon Tier Rarities Reasoning Picture
Cerberus' Gatekeeper Shotgun S-tier Mythic Cerberus' Mythic version of the Gatekeeper Shotgun is one of the best weapons in the current season. It's devastating at close-range combat and lets you reload all shells at once, making it a speedy hitter. If you don't like the feel of a shotgun, however, then you might want to equip the Nitro Fists instead.
Menu view of the Gatekeeper Shotgun weapon in Fortnite.
The Machinist's Combat Assault Rifle S-tier Mythic The Machinist's Mythic version of the (currently vaulted) Combat Assault Rifle is another pick for one of the best weapons in the current season. It usually has a huge kickback, but it's a lot more manageable with mods already installed on this Mythic version. This kickback reduction, along with a Red Eye Sight scope and larger magazine, makes The Machinist's Combat Assault Rifle perfect for medium-range combat scenarios.
Menu view of the Combat Assault Rifle weapon in Fortnite.
Megalo Don's Nitro Fists S-tier Mythic
Megalo Don's Nitro Fists are very easy to use and extremely powerful. See our regular Nitro Fists entry in A-tier for more information, but basically, the fists can replace your shotgun at close-range, and are easier to land a hit with than a shotgun.
Menu view of the Nitro Fists weapon in Fortnite.
Enforcer AR A-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
The standard AR is a slow-firing medium-range weapon, but it makes up for this by being incredibly powerful. You can even turn it into more of a Sniper if a scope is attached at a mod station, meaning you can make your own Sniper Rifle if there isn't one available.
menu view of montague's enforcer ar weapon in fortnite with gold swirling patterns near the tip
Oscar's Frenzy Auto Shotgun A-tier Mythic This Mythic version of the Frenzy Auto Shotgun has an eight shell capacity, deals 78 damage per shot, and has a speedy 2.5 firing rate - which is quick for a shotgun! It's a very forgiving weapon because of this.
menu view of the frenzy auto shotgun in fortnite with orange and blue graffiti on it
Gatekeeper Shotgun A-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
The only thing wrong with the Gatekeeper Shotgun is that its Mythic version exists! It's the best type of shotgun in the current season, as it's fast firing and lets you reload all shells at once, making it great for close-range battles. We still recommend using and SMG over a shotgun as close-range if you can, but the Gatekeeper is an excellent alternative if you don't have an SMG, or prefer the feel of a shotgun.
Menu view of the Gatekeeper Shotgun weapon in Fortnite.
Harbinger SMG A-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
You have to be very accurate to make the most of the Harbinger SMG's devastating damage potential, as it's got a big recoil after a few seconds of firing. We highly recommend adding Underbarrel and Barrel mods to reduce the recoil, if your Harbinger doesn't already come with them. However, shotguns and Nitro Fists are more forgiving if you don't want to deal with the Harbinger's recoil and accuracy problems.
Menu view of the Harbinger SMG weapon in Fortnite.
Ranger Pistol A-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
It may be classified as a pistol, but the Ranger Pistol is more like an SMG due to its speedy rate of fire. It really shines when you add the full set of mods to it, however, as the Legendary version of the Ranger Pistol can eliminate enemies at incredible speeds, even if they have full health and shields.
menu view of the ranger pistol which is black on the bottom and gold at the top
Striker AR A-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
If you could guarantee getting one with a scope mod, the Striker AR would be even higher on our list. That said, it's still a fantastic general use assault rifle, especially at medium range, with a high rate of fire. It can also hold its own at long-range, especially if you have a scope.
menu view of the striker ar in fortnite which is beige and resembles the scar weapon
Thunder Burst SMG A-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
Another brilliant SMG, the Thunder Burst can even help out in medium-range combat scenarios if it has a scope mod. You just have to take account of the vertical recoil if you don't have a pre-modded version if you want to get the most out of this powerful burst SMG.
menu view of the thunder blast smg weapon in fortnite with white and pink graffiti on it and a small picture of a loot llama near the tip
Conductor Hand Cannon A-tier Mythic A very good weapon if your aim is decent, but the Conductor Hand Cannon's slow fire rate can be a major downside for some. That said, it's really good for sniper-like headshots, destroying structures, and damaging vehicles - which is very handy in the current vehicle-focused season.
Menu view of the Hand Cannon weapon in Fortnite.
Nitro Fists A-tier Epic
We know Doja Cat wasn't a fan of the Chains of Hades, but if you were, you're going to love the Nitro Fists! They're incredibly easy to use and pack quite the literal punch. So if you're not a fan of using shotguns in close combat, the Nitro Fists are your best friend (or your worst enemy if you're caught on the other end of them...sorry Doja Cat).
Menu view of the Nitro Fists weapon in Fortnite.
Ringmaster's Boom Bolt A-tier Mythic
Better than the regular Boom Bolt, but not such a huge jump in damage that we recommend finding the Ringmaster boss to get it from, unless you happen to have the medallion that gives you infinite ammo. The ordinary Boom Bolt is good enough for your vehicle-destroying needs without the medallion and mythic version, but Ringmaster's version is obviously preferable if you do happen to stumble across it.
Menu view of the Boom Bolt weapon in Fortnite.
Boom Bolt B-tier Rare
Epic
Legendary
Basically: Boom Bolt make car go boom. This would be very underwhelming in most seasons, but Chapter 5 Season 3 has a focus on vehicular combat, so it's actually a useful tool for your arsenal, so we recommend picking one up if you can.
Menu view of the Boom Bolt weapon in Fortnite.
Tactical Assault Rifle B-tier Rare
Epic
Legendary
This is a first person perspective weapon when aiming down the sight, so won't fit some playstyles. If you are a fan of that perspective, however, then the Tactical Assault Rifle is a great medium range weapon with its high rate of fire. It's one of the best 'normal' weapons you'll find in the game, easily wielded by a lot of players.
Megalo Don's Combat Shotgun B-tier Mythic Megalo Don's Combat Shotgun is obviously better than the regular Combat Shotgun, but it's harder to get, as you have to defeat the Megalo Don boss to get it. It's not really worth your while to do this, as we only rate the regular Combat Shotgun as B-tier anyway. Still, it's an easy shotgun to use, and is very forgiving if you miss, so if you happen to find the Mythic version in random loot, or stumble across Megalo Don while exploring, then it could be worth your time if you're not confident using the other shotguns available this season.
Combat Shotgun B-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
We like the Combat Shotgun for its fast fire rate, and its ability to cause decent damage even at medium range. Just be careful not to go toe-to-toe with an opponent at short range who has another type of shotgun, as their damage potential will be greater than yours.
Warforged Assault Rifle B-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
The Warforged Assault Rifle is a great standard medium-range weapon to have, and it's fairly similar to the Striker AR featured in previous seasons. Just like the Striker AR, the Warforged Assault Rifle needs mods to stabilise its recoil to fully take advantage of its power. If you want more of a long-range weapon, then we also recommend modding a scope to the Warforged Assault Rifle - but balancing its recoil should be the priority for most players.
Menu view of the Warforged Assault Rifle weapon in Fortnite.
Huntress DMR B-tier Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
The Huntress DMR is more than capable of plugging the gap of a missing sniper rifle if you're after a long-range weapon, but we generally recommend swapping to a sniper rifle when you can, unless you like the fully automatic fire rate of the Huntress DMR, or you have a far better rarity of DMR than sniper. A scope will make this weapon even better for your long-range needs.
Menu view of the Huntress DMR weapon in Fortnite.
Firefly Jar B-tier Rare If you like drawing your enemies out of structures or causing them to panic, then we recommend using some Firefly Jars! They probably won't eliminate somebody unless they're low on health and shields, but they're great for chucking down and switching to another weapon to finish a fleeing ot panicked enemy off.
Hammer Pump Shotgun C-tier Common
Uncommon
Rare
Epic
Legendary
It's best to go for a Hammer Pump Shotgun with no scope if you really want to get the most out of it. The Hammer Pump Shotgun isn't bad, but an SMG is far better at short and medium-range.
menu view of the hammer pump shotgun in fortnite with brown coloured stock and reloader
Cluster Clinger C-tier Uncommon Cluster Clingers are a fun explosive that stick to any surface you throw them to, then eject tiny explosives around that area. While the damage of these explosions is decent, Cluster Clingers are best used for destroying enemy structures or buildings, so you can lure an opponent out and finish them off.
menu view of the cluster clinger grenade which resembles a plunger with grenades strapped to it
Impulse Grenade C-tier Rare Good for knocking an enemy into the storm during the final circle, or boosting yourself across the map - but there's not really any other uses for it.

List of vaulted weapons from Chapter 5 Season 2

With a new Fortnite season comes a shakeup in the loot pool - for better and for worse. Some of your favourite weapons might no longer be playable on the current version of the ever-changing island, so we've compiled all the weapons below that got vaulted at the start of Chapter 5 Season 3.

Collage of characters including Greek gods from Fortnite
Image credit: Epic

Here's a list of vaulted weapons from Chapter 5 Season 2 in Fortnite:

  • Ares' Warforged Assault Rifle
  • E-11 Blaster Rifle
  • Nemesis AR
  • Zeus' Huntress DMR
  • Frenzy Auto Shotgun
  • Hades' Harbinger SMG
  • Drum Gun
  • Wookiee Bowcaster
  • Reaper Sniper Rifle
  • Darth Vader's Lightsaber
  • Chains of Hades
  • Thunderbolt of Zeus
  • Wings of Icarus
  • Waterbending

Now that you know all about the weapons in Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 3, you can check out our pages on the new map, and how to beat Ringmaster Scarr and Megalo Don.

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