It's all change in Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3, as a huge flood has destroyed half the map!
This means that many favourite drop locations are now inaccessible due to being completely underwater, and loot is getting harder to find.
However, we've got the best tips to ensure you drop into the best weapons and grab those early kills against less-prepared opponents!
The Fortilla
The Fortilla. An imposing POI built from the scraps and debris that The Device left behind.
But its fragmented archipelago of unstable architecture makes it difficult to locate the best loot without needing to risk a swim between buildings.
Rather than being a sitting (or swimming) duck, drop to the following areas to find the best loot:
- Stick to the central building for a busy start, but the best loot
- There are high concentrations of loot and gold chests in the big factory-esque building to the north as well
- Keep your eyes peeled for an exit plan - a boat will suffice
- Generally, you want to pick up a decent weapon and maybe some shields, let opponents do the heavy looting, kill them, and loot their corpses
- Lots of small rooms make indoor areas perfect for shotguns, but keep an AR or sniper for catching players in the open water
Read more: Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3: How To Get The Aquaman Secret Skin
The Authority
The Authority is the ruined shell of The Agency.
While this was a great spot for picking up great weapons last season, the lack of walls or a ceiling makes you feel open and afraid while grabbing your loot.
Therefore, you need to be fast and efficient in your looting, or else risk being sniped from afar. Here's where to head:
- The Authority is a military base in the very centre of the map, so don't worry about the circle - focus on looting
- Landing in the centre will, again, be busy. It's a high-risk, high-reward scenario
- There are multiple ziplines to get away from the complex, make sure you communicate well with your team so you don't get split up when escaping
- Assault Rifles and Shotguns will fare you well here, but if The Authority is a little way away from the battle bus' flight path, pick up something with a scope to pick off opponents scrambling across the surrounding hills
Read more: Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3: Weapon Tier List And The Best Weapons To Use
Rickety Rig
Image courtesy of Dot Esports
Rickety Rig is a small new POI near The Fortilla.
It's small nature means it will naturally be less busy when you drop in, but there is also less loot.
If you fancy a quieter start to the game - or you fall short of The Fortilla in your glide from the battle bus - here's how to maximise what loot you can find:
- Generally, we wouldn't recommend heading to Rickety Rig, as it is very small and the buildings are spread out
- If you do land here, look for any weapons you can find and make your way to a boat - head straight for The Fortilla or the mainland
- The positive side of landing at Rickety Rig is that you'll likely be alone, leaving you to loot in peace
Read more: Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3: How To Get FREE Skins And V-Bucks In Battle Royale
Catty Corner
Image courtesy of Forbes
Catty Corner is another smaller POI, this time in the southwest corner of the map.
The domain of Meowscles (if you're new to the game, imagine Hello Kitty was played by Arnold Schwarzenegger) looks like a handy spot to land, but you'll need to know where to head to get kitted out:
- Catty Corner looks like an ordinary petrol station, but kill the Henchmen (there are a lot of them) and reveal its secrets
- Just like last season, shake a downed Henchman to reveal the location of the boss - a robot Meowscles called Kit
- Loot the gold weapons from Kit's body - Kit's Shockwave Launcher and Kit's Charge Shotgun - then head to the Vault
- Use the Catty Corner keycard to access the very best loot
- As always, be careful of other players camping around the Vault entrance to pounce on you and steal the looty goodness for themselves
- Now you should be fully kitted out, so head to a busier area and put those weapons to good use!
Read more: Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 3: The Device Event - What Happened And What It Means For Season 3
Old Favourites
Don't forget, you can still head to the likes of Steamy Stacks and Frenzy Farms to find your loot.
Most old POIs have been flooded to some extent, so the layout will be slightly new, but head towards your trusty chests and you'll soon pick up some great loot.
Navigating locations old and new is only going to get easier as the season progresses, as you'll learn their layouts and where the best loot spawns, and the water will slowly drain away revealing new areas and new loot.