Why the Flare Gun is so important in Fortnite Chapter 3

Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 1 flipped everything. Literally. The Island is brand new, the weapons have some rebalances and a key new mechanic was introduced to the game in Sliding. However, another mechanic was removed: shakedowns. Without the ability to easily spot enemies on the same team, the un-vaulted Flare Gun becomes an important tool. Here’s why.

Why the Flare Gun is so important in Fortnite Chapter 3

The Flare Gun has always been a favorite of mine ever since it was first introduced in C2S3, and then again in C2S6. It fires a flare that can mark enemies in a 50 meter radius when the flare explodes. It’s like a more aggressive version of the Recon Scanner, as it can also set fire to structures. It’s now un-vaulted in Chapter 3 Season 1’s January 11 hotfix.

Marking enemies is extremely powerful in Solo modes, as it previously could only be done in multiplayer by shaking enemies down. Now that multiplayer modes don’t have shakedowns anymore, the Flare Gun becomes a valuable addition to your team’s inventory.

With a Flare Gun, you can keep better track of your enemies. Knowing how many enemies are in an area means you can make sure you’re not caught in a vulnerable position after a skirmish when you’re reloading or healing.

Now that every team is without the ability to mark enemies, teams with a Flare Gun have a huge advantage compared to those who don’t. Not to mention it’s great at destroying wooden structures, which may shift the evaluations of build materials going forward.

Notably, the Flare Gun is not available in Competitive Playlists yet. It and the Shield Keg may be introduced in Comp play for a short evaluation period. While powerful, it was not paramount to have in previous Seasons.

It seems Epic Games are concerned with how powerful marking enemies could be, which could have been the same line of thought that removed shakedowns in the first place.

Some entries are outdated, but check out our tips and tricks from the last time Flare Guns were in the weapon pool. Most of it still applies to this new Season.