A Fortnite player discovered just how powerful and deadly the Shockwave Hammer can be. The recent launch of Chapter 4 brought several changes to the game, notably Fortnite's improved Unreal 5.1 graphic features. With the addition of new items like the Shockwave Hammer, players have started testing their limits.
First revealed in Fortnite Chapter 4's launch trailer, the massive Shockwave Hammer can be used as a weapon and a means to get around in the game. Hitting an opposing player with this will deal 75 damage, and it can fling them away. Likewise, players could slam the hammer on the ground to get away from fights. Players can find this weapon in chests, capture points, or simply on the ground.
In the case of player MonstercatDavid, they tried chasing down a player driving a car using the Shockwave Hammer. In a clip uploaded on the Fortnite subreddit, it showed the player slamming the hammer on the ground while attempting to destroy the vehicle, and avoid getting shot. It took a few seconds for them to hit it and launch it in the air to deal several blows until it exploded. The explosion flung MonstercatDavid away, causing them to die from fall damage and finishing 9th in the battle royale.
The hilarious clip garnered positive reactions from fellow Fortnite players, calling MonstercatDavid "dedicated" for using the hammer in a gunfight. One pointed out that fall damage is completely avoidable now if players try to hammer down before hitting the ground. Meanwhile, others seem to have gotten inspired to do a "hammer only" challenge for Fortnite Chapter 4. Though players would have to be careful and not get eliminated because of their Shockwave Hammer.
Since the release of the Shockwave Hammer, Fortnite players have had mixed feelings about it. Many love it because it does deal significant damage, especially if a player manages to hit an opponent multiple times, and it can help them close the gap when they're chasing down other players riding dirt bikes or cars. They also shared clips of their Victory Royale after using the hammer. Meanwhile, others don't find the Shockwave Hammer fun, but didn't specify whether they used the weapon themselves or were attacked by another player with it. One emphasized that it shouldn't be used in professional Fortnite tournaments as it might give players a leg up in the competition.
Fortnite has had some unusual and overpowered mechanics in the past. During its Dragon Ball collaboration back in August, players were one-shotting opponents with Goku's Kamehameha ability. Compared to that, the Shockwave Hammer doesn't seem to be that OP.
Fortnite is currently available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.