Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3 has arrived, bringing a huge map update and a great number of other changes. Nerfs to headshot damage for SMGs, Shotguns, and Assault Rifles have been confirmed, as well as a weakening of Fortnite's aim assist feature.

As with any new Season, Chapter 2 Season 3 features a brand new combination of weaponry. Some old favorites are back from the vault, others have been put away, and there's even a new type of Shotgun. To help players make the most of the firepower on offer, here's our tier list of all the weapons in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3.

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S-Tier

Rocket Launcher

With its extremely long-range and massive damage, the Rocket Launcher is excellent for blasting players out of their fortifications, and quickly finishing them off before they can rebuild. The beginning of Chapter 2 Season 3 saw the Uncommon and Rare Rocket Launchers vaulted, but the Epic and Legendary ones have survived into Season 3, where they continue to be some of the most powerful weapons in the game.

Jules' Drum Gun

When Midas' Drum Gun was introduced to Fortnite in Chapter 2 Season 3, it quickly proved to be one of the most powerful weapons ever added to the game. Now it's been replaced by the Jules' Drum Gun, a nerfed version which is nevertheless still one of the most effective weapons players can get their hands on. With its mix of Assault Rifle and SMG characteristics, the Drum Gun shines at short or medium ranges.

Ocean's Burst Assault Rifle

While the Mythic weapons in Chapter 2 Season 3 don't outshine their normal counterparts quite as much as they did in previous Fortnite seasons, they are still uniquely powerful. The Ocean's Burst Assault Rifle is no different, particularly as it's the only Burst Assault Rifle to keep a magazine size of 30 following Patch 13.0. Its high damage and precise bursts make it a great fight-opener at mid to long range.

Assault Rifle (SCAR)

An eternal Fortnite favorite, the Epic and Legendary SCAR Assault Rifle variants hold on to their place at the top tier despite a rocky patch. The nerf to headshot damage from 2x to 1.5x in Chapter 2 Season 3 may have taken a toll on some weapons more than others, but the SCAR's precision accuracy and top-level DPS keep it firmly in the meta of the newly flooded Fortnite map.

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A-Tier

Burst Assault Rifle (AUG)

The Epic and Legendary variants of the Burst Assault Rifle, commonly known as the AUG, have seen a bigger change than most in Chapter 2 Season 3. The most major of these changes is a reduction of their burst from three rounds to two, though this is countered by an increase in damage. While its style may have shifted slightly, the AUG remains one of Fortnite's most reliable mid-range killers.

Submachine Gun (P90)

Collectively known as the P90, the Epic and Legendary variants of the Submachine Gun are in a bit of an odd spot after the launch of Season 3. While the P90 was initially unvaulted as a more powerful version of the Common, Uncommon, and Rare Submachine Gun, a hotfix has apparently nerfed it into sharing the same stats as its identical cousin the Compact SMG. It seems fairly obvious that this is a mistake, and many are expecting the Compact SMG to be removed entirely soon. Nevertheless, the P90 remains the best of Season 3's SMGs, boasting formidable DPS in close-range encounters.

Tactical Shotgun

With the Pump Shotgun and Heavy Shotgun now both safely vaulted, the Tactical Shotgun has an opportunity to dominate the class. Its new rival, the Charge Shotgun, is patchy at best, and fails to match up to the Tactical's impressive semi-automatic DPS.

Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle

A favorite of previous Seasons, the Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle makes a triumphant return in Chapter 2 Season 3. A high skill weapon, the Bolt-Action Sniper Rifle shines just after the drop, where it can easily dispatch un-shielded and injured enemies in a single hit. This comes with the cost of being absolutely abysmal in close-quarters, as well as having a high skill cap.

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B-Tier

Assault Rifle (M16)

The lower tier Assault Rifle variants, collectively known as the M16, have always been a reliable pick in the early game. While the M16 is quite a way behind the SCAR in raw numbers, it maintains the same versatility and accuracy that make the Assault Rifle class a solid pick.

Burst Assault Rifle (FAMAS)

Just like the AUG variants, the FAMAS Burst Assault Rifles have seen quite a change in Season 3. While they struggle to match up to the Assault Rifle in terms of close-range DPS, their higher damage-per-shot and focus on precise shooting make them a good pick for mid-range encounters.

Rapid Fire SMG

The Rapid Fire SMG exists as the extreme end of the SMG class, doubling down on the features of its more balanced cousin, the Submachine Gun. Its incredible fire-rate allows it to put out some truly terrifying DPS, but the bullet spread and damage drop-off make it ineffective at anything other than point-blank range.

Hunting Rifle

The only Sniper Rifle in the game without a scope, the Hunting Rifle is designed to bridge the gap between the class and Assault Rifles. While it can be difficult to land long-range shots despite its low bullet drop, the Hunting Rifles' bullet spread, reload and damage make it a good mid-range choice.

Kits' Charge Shotgun

The Charge Shotgun, newly added in Chapter 2 Season 3, is already causing a lot of debate among players. While it can certainly put out a lot of damage, its need to charge makes it a real liability against an enemy with building skills. The Mythic version, Kits' Charge Shotgun, is slightly better because of its higher magazine size, but doesn't shine in any other capacity.

Submachine Gun (MP5)

The Common, Uncommon and Rare variants of the Submachine Gun, collectively known as the MP5, are in a strange position at the moment. With the P90 being nerfed back to the stats of the Compact SMG, the MP5 technically has a higher DPS overall, boasting a faster fire rate and reload time. Unfortunately this comes at a cost of less damage per-shot, as well as a smaller magazine size.

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C-Tier

Charge Shotgun

As we've covered in its Mythic version, the new Charge Shotgun hasn't made much of a splash in its Fortnite debut. Requiring excellent timing and prediction to put out its full damage, the Charge Shotgun is just a little too fiddly to recommend.

Suppressed SMG

An odd choice to remain unvaulted, the Suppressed SMG wasn't the most popular in the last season either. While suppressed weapons may give a stealth advantage, anyone close enough to effectively use an SMG will have a hard time hiding from anyone.

Pistol

The poor pistol, Fortnite's most "okay" weapon. Its lack of damage and accuracy, particularly at range, make it very hard to recommend over almost anything else.

Chapter 2 Season 3 has brought quite a selection of weaponry out of the vault, though its still too early to say whether they're going to have the replayability that the game relies on. What's clear is that we'll be seeing more changes as the season progresses, particularly to clear up the SMG confusion.

Fortnite is available now on PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and mobile devices.

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