Building vaulted? All changes in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2: Weapons, tanks & more

Epic kept teasers and leaks to a minimum ahead of Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 2, to the point where many thought it would be delayed. But now it all makes sense!

The headline change going into the new season is that building has been fully removed for the first 9 days. That’s right, Fortnite’s signature mechanic will not be available in standard Battle Royale playlists initially, though it will still feature in Arena, Creative and Team Rumble.

So why have they done this? Well, partly to put more emphasis on the new Overshield ability. This basically gives you a bonus 50 HP that will take damage before your normal Shield and Health Bars. The Overshield recharges over time, even if it is fully broken.

Weapons & Items

New

Combat SMG

Striker Burst Rifle

Vehicle Repair Torch

Cow Catcher Vehicle Mod

Unvaulted

Thermal Scoped Assault Rifle

Drum Shotgun

Revolver

Remote Explosives

Thermal Scoped Revolver

Storm Scout Sniper Rifle

Shockwave Grenades

Other weapons still available

Ranger Assault Rifle

Striker Pump Shotgun

Auto Shotgun

Sidearm Pistol

Stinger SMG

Hunter Bolt-Action Sniper

Shadow Tracker

Marksman Six Shooter

The Dub

Boom Sniper Rifle

Vehicles

Hop in an IO Titan Tank and barge your way through the battle. Equipped with a cannon and machine gun turret, this makes for the perfect mode of transport for team game modes.

Additionally, funding is already live for the Armored Battle Bus. Automatically fitted with the new Cow Catcher vehicle mod, plus a pair of light and heavy turrets, you’ll be far from lowkey in this ride.

Funding Stations

Speaking of funding, a series of votes throughout the season will let you use your gold bars to choose which items make it into Fortnite. Starting with a choice between new Heavy or Light Turrets, here’s what else you can expect to see.

Combat Assault Rifle vs Red Dot Assault Rifle

Bubble Shield vs Balloons

Boogie Bomb vs Rift-To-Go

Movement Changes

Epic has also introduced some huge changes to Fortnite’s core movement system. The default movement speed is now faster, and the previously leaked Tactical Sprint is now live.

Using this super speedy new sprint will take your weapon out of your hands, and you’ll need to keep an eye on the sprint meter as you only have a certain amount of stamina.

Mantling has been added too, something common in many other shooter games. This will let you clamber up surfaces using your arms, and will certainly make for an interesting new learning curve.

Map Changes

Everything looks quite different in Fortnite C3:S2. POIs have been occupied by the IO and Resistance, as they wage war across the Island.

IO Blimps hover above certain locations, and can be accessed via zipline to uncover some extra loot. A series of turrets, heavy machinery and the new armored vehicles mentioned above litter the map.

After a quick rotate? Track down a Siege Cannon to shoot yourself or your teammates high into the air, where you can choose to redeploy your glider to get even further.

This truly is one of the craziest season launches we’ve ever seen. Strap in for a high octane couple of months and be sure to check out the new Doctor Strange Battle Pass.