A new wave of mobility is replacing vehicles in Fortnite. When season eight was released days ago, Epic finally listened and put planes into the vault. Shopping carts and the all-terrain cart have also been vaulted, leaving a whole new system in place. Cannons, volcanic vents and the volcano all provide a great way to get around the map. Unlike vehicles, these mobility items leave the player vulnerable instead of putting them on the offense. This is a great change and the results seem positive so far.
Cannons
Perhaps the largest addition to mobility, cannons have locations all throughout the Fortnite map. Players can interact with the cannons to aim and shoot themselves anywhere they want. Grabbing the cannon from behind and moving it to the desired spot is a great option. This lets the player reposition the cannon to high ground before launch, allowing them to go further. The cannon can also adjust up and down before launching, so the height can vary based on how far the player wants to go.
The only downside to the cannon is that the player is very vulnerable in the air. With a long hang time on the way up, players are very noticeable, especially with the trail behind them. In order to avoid being shot out of the air, players can aim for the vents. The volcanic vents will cancel the ball and allow the player to glide to or from enemy fire. This strategy is also good for multiple rotations if they’re looking to travel far.
Volcanic Vents
The volcanic vents are a great alternative when jump pads are not available. The vents are scattered all around the map and provide a significant boost into the air. The vents are in pretty random places, but chaining them together helps to get around. With the high volume of vents around the new area, players can get anywhere they need to go by hitting multiple vents.
If players find themselves in a situation where they need to jump from a battle, the vents will stop a fall. Bailing off those one vs. ones and flying away can be a better option than using excessive materials. Players just need to land fast because like a jump pad, vulnerability in the air is a downside to usage.
Volcano
The volcano has the same effect that loot lake did during the cube event. When a player enters the volcano, a tornado of wind sends the player sky high out of the top. The height the volcano sends the player to is comparable to a rift when the glider is out. The wind tunnel is great because there is loot all around the base of the volcano, so it is a free drop. With up to 5 chests at the volcano, it makes for a great spot to loot and meet up with friends afterward.
The volcano is also useful if the storm is further than normal since it launches players higher than the vents. Fights on top of the volcano will be fun to watch in scrims and pro play since the mobility is sky high. Vents and the actual volcano allow for some much needed movement in the new zone.
Hoverboards
Hoverboards are not a new addition to Fortnite but are a great mobility item instead of vehicles. The reason the hoverboard is not a vehicle is because it does not house the player, protecting them during usage. With the hoverboard being an item, it allows great mobility without giving the player an advantage.
Unlike planes and quads, the hoverboards can only boost so high. Players are also very vulnerable on hoverboards since they do not cover the player, just provide mobility. Unless the player boosts through the air, it is very easy to get shot off, which makes it a great item. To much offense with a mobility item makes it overpowering, and this item is in a great spot.
Overall mobility is heading in the right direction. With more tactical items like the vents, players need to be smart on how they rotate. Relying on planes is left in Season 7 and this further expands the skill gap. Once quads are nerfed or removed, mobility will be in a state where only good players will use it well.
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