Fortnite’s newest content update is out, adding the brand new Boom Bow to Battle Royale.
The weapon fires arrows with shotgun shell tips that explode on impact. A direct hit deals more than 100 damage to your opponent.
Explosive weapons are incredibly powerful in Fortnite. The rocket launcher in particular receives regular criticism for being too deadly and too easy to use. The Boom Bow also deals plenty of damage, but it requires some skill.
Take your time with the Boom Bow
The Boom Bow isn’t a weapon you can just fire into a base with little effort; you’ll need decent aim to use it effectively. A direct hit deals just 15 base damage, but there’s a 2x multiplier for headshots.
The kicker is that the bow also deals 100 explosive damage. So if you hit an opponent with an arrow, you will deal at least 115 damage in total — even more if you can hit them in the head.
The longer you hold down the fire button, the faster the arrows will travel. But explosive damage is consistent regardless of the power of your shot.
Sniper Shootout is back
Fortnite’s 8.20 content update also brings back the Sniper Shootout limited-time game mode. Only sniper rifles can be used in this mode, and floor loot spawns are reduced by 50 percent.
There’s no “down but not out” in this mode. So even if you’re playing in a duo or a squad, you’ll be eliminated instantly if you take enough damage.
A long list of bug fixes
The 8.20 content update doesn’t bring any fixes, but Epic recently rolled out a long list of them in an 8.20.1 patch. You can read through all the changes on the Fortnite blog before diving in to enjoy the new Boom Bow.
