Fortnite best weapons tier list for Chapter 5 Season 3 (2024)

The best weapons for your loadout.

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.

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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!

Best weapons in Fortnite tier list for Chapter 5 Season 3

There are 24 weapons in the current Chapter 5 Season 3 version of Fortnite, not including the Boogie Bomb. However, there is more of an emphasis on vehicular combat this season.

You can still mod weapons at Weapon Mod Benches though, so 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.
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.
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.
Tri-Beam Laser Rifle	A-tier	Epic	The main appeal of the Tri-Beam Laser Rifle is its Hitscan capabilities. This means there's no delay between firing and hitting an opponent, so you don't have to compensate for them moving if firing over a longer distance. This makes it very easy to use when compared to other mid or long-range guns. It does some good damage too, but keep in mind that the Tri-Beam Laser Rifle overheats quickly after just nine shots.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.

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.