Fortnite is doing more and more to ramp up the competitive scene. For the players, that means learning how to play a more competitive style and refining their skills. Maximizing points in competitive modes allows players to get the most of the allotted games and really climb the leaderboards. Most players in the early stages do not know how to play this type of game. Casual players flood early games so it is important to do well so better competition follows.
Landing
When a player chooses a landing spot, there are a few things to consider. Familiarity, player count, bus route, hot spots and materials are all something to think about when dropping. Players should always go where they are most comfortable. Having a few set drops will allow the player to be familiar with loot drops and where to get the most material the fastest. This familiarity aspect is often overlooked, but the little things add up in higher level gameplay.
Players also need to keep in mind the total materials at that location. If a player likes to land at Lazy Lagoon, for example, knowing how to get max wood on the boat and max brick on land is key. The front of the boat is worth 200 wood, and the bottom piece is another 150. On the side of the buildings, there are anchors and a fountain that grant lots of brick and metal as well. This puts you in a good spot with material to fight if needed and good late game material as well.
The bus route also plays a huge role. If the bus is going over Salty Springs and that is a go-to location, it’s going to be hot. POI’s across the bus route are more populated and see more traffic than normal. Having multiple spots to go to will increase the chances of living since the player isn’t forced into one area.
Loadout
The loadout a player carries is very important too. The normal four guns and a heal is not going to be as effective as two or three guns and heals. In these late-game scenarios, players are doing what they can to sneak in shots. Players rotating and editing windows are at risk of being shot at any time. Having minis is good, but it is not enough if the player is sniped or shotgunned hard by an enemy.
Because of the high traffic of bullets, higher level players often carry two guns. A shotgun and an AR is all a player needs to do sufficient damage during late game. Having minis, a slurp and big shields puts the player in a way better spot in the final fights. Holding three healing options also gives the player fewer chances to stand still with items like a sniper or a thermal. This makes them more aware of what is going on and more likely to hide in a box and not take risky shots.
If two weapons are not enough, some players like to hold special weapons, like a grenade launcher or stink bombs. These items are great when forcing players out of a build and into the open. The grenade launcher will shred their builds and waste material, forcing enemies to run away. Stink bombs force enemies out of a box and into an uncomfortable place for a few moments.
Rotations
Once the player loots all of the area, it is important to know how to rotate. In competitive modes, the best way to rotate is to stay ahead of storm and not get into any fights. Keeping up with the storm is ok, but rotating to the safe zone early will help the player to not take damage mid-game. Boxing up will make sure that the player is safe and does not have to move and risk taking damage. Keeping up with the zone will also help to not get shot at by enemies camping the border.
This slow playstyle takes patience to learn and master. Learning how to not take fights mid-game will help that player save healing for late game. Obviously, fights happen and are not 100 percent avoidable. Players just need to make sure to end the fight fast, otherwise, it attracts attention. Fighting mid-game is rewarding, but enemies from boxes look to third party on these fights to gain some health. If possible, the player should fight inside of builds so that enemies cannot edit or get easy shots.
Slow playing in boxes will also help to survive until late game. Late game placement is almost always worth more than kills, so surviving is key. While a player is fighting, it is very easy for an enemy to land shots. Staying put inside a one by one makes it considerably more difficult. Tunneling through builds and replacing enemy walls will help avoid gunfire and keep players safe. End game is where players will have the ability to get kills, so kill points should not be the priority, placement should.
Boxing up
Boxing up is not as easy as the pros make it look. While making the box is easy, playing well from inside is tricky and takes practice. Having quick edits and knowing when to leave and when to stay comes with game experience and watching pros. When rotating from a box on low ground, players should always cover their head. This makes it easy to block enemy shots and, if an enemy drops on the player, they own the floor and can edit them down for an easy kill.
Players also need to be aware of what material they are using. Wood is great for early and mid game, but towards the end, players should look to use brick or metal. This makes it harder for enemies to break through builds and harder to see where the player inside is. Using brick or metal also protects the player more if they are on high ground since it is much harder to shoot out.
Multiple boxes is also a good strategy for late game. If a player is in a single box, it is very easy to break it. Having multiple boxes makes it harder for an enemy to know where the player is and what they are looking at. It is also harder to shoot that player from two different directions because there are multiple walls between them.
End Game
At the end of the game, it is important not to panic. Panic causes the player to play too fast and not be precise. Playing at the pace of the game and hitting shots is what will win players the game. One thing a player can do to increase their chance of winning is taking high ground really late. When there are around 10 players left, high ground becomes important. Seeing where every enemy is allows the player to hit shots on everyone, weakening or killing them quickly.
Using heals before final circles is also important because the player will most likely not have time once the circle is always moving. Medkits, chugs and big shields take too long to drink at this time, so earlier is better. Killing enemies is the best way to replenish late game, so make sure to hit those shots.
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