Fortnite Chapter 5 Tier List: All Weapons Ranked

A lot of weapons get vaulted every new chapter or even season in Fortnite, and there are always continuous balance changes to weapons that are already present. Chapter 5 in Fortnite brings a completely new arsenal of weapons and guns with the all-new weapon mods feature, which I have ranked in my tier list. I am personally enjoying the new weapons a lot, and this is coming from a player who prefers OG Fortnite.

Key Takeaways

There are 11 different weapons that you can currently use in Chapter 5 of Fortnite.
Almost every weapon in the latest chapter is new, and the majority of old weapons have been vaulted.
This really changes the meta, especially with the addition of the weapon mods feature.
My tier list ranks all of the currently available weapons with the pros and cons of each of them.
You can easily build your ultimate loadout by picking weapons from my list.

Author’s Note: I have over 6000 hours in Fortnite, so you can easily trust my ranking of all the currently available weapons in Chapter 5.

Important: I have included the stats of rare variants of each weapon. Additionally, I have not ranked the Mythic Weapons, as these are just more powerful versions of the weapons already listed with preset weapon mods.

All Fortnite Chapter 5 Weapons Ranked

Here is a list of all the weapons and the tiers that they belong to;

Fortnite Tier Ranking	Weapons
S-Tier	Striker Assault Rifle, Reaper Sniper Rifle, and Ballistic Shield
A-Tier	Hammer Pump Shotgun, Nemesis Assault Rifle, Ranger Pistol, and Grapple Blade
B-Tier	Frenzy Auto Shotgun, Hyper SMG, and Snowball Launcher
C-Tier	Thunder Burst SMG

S-Tier

fortnite tier list — S-Tier Weapons (Image Captured by Us)

This tier includes the most overpowered weapons in the current meta of Fortnite and will probably get nerfed in future updates, in my opinion. With the right mods, you can absolutely shred other players in your journey to getting the Victory Crown.

Striker Assault Rifle

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
218.7	27	25	8.1	3.2

It is not only the best assault rifle but also the best weapon in Fortnite currently. With the exception of extremely long-range battles, the Striker AR absolutely shreds at close to mid-range combat. You will literally not require an SMG in your loadout if you’re carrying the Striker AR additionally.

Amazing fire rate.
Shreds at all ranges except extremely long-range.
Can act like an SMG during close-range encounters.

Slow reload speed.
Low magazine size without weapon mod.

My Tip: I recommend using the Holo-13 weapon sight mod for the Striker AR, which will improve accuracy for long-range.

Reaper Sniper Rifle

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
58.3	110	3	0.53	3.5

It is currently the only available sniper weapon, and it does the job really well. The closest thing I can compare this sniper to is the OG Hunting Rifle, but with a scope and more bullets in the magazine. It deals amazing body damage and confirms the kill on a headshot.

Huge base damage on a single hit.
Has the ability to one-shot opponents.
It can be used to quick scope with the right weapon mod.

Slow reload speed.
Bullet drop makes it hard to land distant shots.

My Recommendation: The P2X Optic is my favorite weapon sight mod to use with this sniper, as it also allows me to utilize the weapon at close range.

Ballistic Shield

DPS

Damage

Magazine Size

Fire Rate

Reload Time

118.8 (Pistol)

18 (Pistol)

50 (Shield Bash)

15 (Pistol)

6.6 (Pistol)

1.8 (Pistol)

The Ballistic Shield almost feels like an unfair weapon in the current meta as it provides both offense and defense. It also works the best in no-build mode, where the opponent can literally not counter you if you pull out the Ballistic Shield.

Provides the ultimate defense.
Allows you to counter with a pistol when you’re invulnerable.
Can easily dominate the no-build mode using this item.

Limits the player to a pistol for offense.

Note: The shield has infinite health and can be used for the entirety of the match, but it has a downtime after it absorbs a certain amount of damage.

A-Tier

analysis of weapons — A-Tier Weapons (Image Credit Copyright: eXputer)

The weapons in this tier might not be as overpowered as the ones in the S-Tier, but they are still really powerful to use. You can even pair some of the weapons mentioned here with S-Tier weapons to create the ultimate loadout in Fortnite.

Hammer Pump Shotgun

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
65.8	94	5	0.7	5.25

This shotgun reminds me of the original Pump Shotgun, which is why using it feels right at home for me. Additionally, it deals good base damage and exceptionally great damage on a headshot at close range. Pair it up with the Striker AR, and you will get a deadly loadout in Fortnite.

Great damage on a single strike.
Can be used at mid-range.
Good magazine size for a shotgun.

Slow reload speed.
Requires precise aim.

My Advice: You will need to make each shot count with this shotgun, and you really can’t miss without a follow-up weapon, as it will leave you vulnerable.

Nemesis Assault Rifle

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
160	32	28	5	2..5

Even though I've spent less time with the Nemesis AR than the Striker AR, particularly due to the slow rate of fire, it is still an amazing long-range weapon. You will even get higher damage per shot with the Nemesis AR, but each bullet needs to count. This assault rifle also does not guarantee as a good follow-up weapon at close range, and you'll need to carry an SMG.

Amazing for long-range.
Higher base damage than the Striker AR.

Almost useless at close range.

My Recommendation: A scope attachment is a must for using the Nemesis AR, and I would recommend using the Holo-13 weapon sight.

Ranger Pistol

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
165	25	15	6.6	1.5

The Ranger Pistol is quite an underrated weapon, and I've not seen many players using it. However, I feel like the pistol is really powerful, especially with a scope attachment. It has an amazing fire rate and absolutely shreds at close range. However, it is still better to carry a Striker AR, but it can serve as the alternative until you get one.

Fast rate of fire.
Lasers enemies at close range.
Great base damage for a pistol.

It cannot be used efficiently at long range.
Low magazine size.

My Advice: If you like weapons with a fast rate of fire and do not want to use the Nemesis AR, then use this pistol as a substitute until you get the Striker AR.

Grapple Blade

Even though it is not recommended to use the Grapple Balde as a means to deal damage, it is still one of the most fun items to use in Fortnite simply because of the mobility it provides. Basically, the grapple blade provides fast movement from one place to another around the map, and the best part is that it doesn't even run out like the Shockwave Grenades.

Provides fast mobility around the map.
It doesn’t run out but needs to be charged.

It is not recommended to use it offensively.

B-Tier

The B-Tier weapons are all good as well, but these also possess some drawbacks, which ultimately do not make them the best of the best. However, these weapons are still fun to use, and you should definitely experiment around with them.

Frenzy Auto Shotgun

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
170	68	8	2.5	4.7

The closest thing I can compare this shotgun to is the good old Drum Shotgun that is still vaulted. Even though the Frenzy Auto Shotgun has an amazing fire rate, it still lacks the damage and instantly becomes useless even at mid-range. The shotgun requires you to get close and personal with your enemy to start dealing damage.

Fast rate of fire.
Deal great damage at close range.

Slow reload speed.
Low magazine size.
Becomes useless at mid-range.

My Advice: If you’re the type of player who plays aggressively enough to go face-to-face with their opponent, then this shotgun is for you.

Hyper SMG

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
180	15	30	12	2

Don't get me wrong, the Hyper SMG is a really good weapon to shred opponents at close range. However, the existence of the Striker AR really eliminates the reason for carrying this weapon in your loadout. In the scenario that you decide to main the Nemesis AR, then you should definitely also carry the Hyper SMG as a follow-up weapon for the shotgun.

Fast rate of fire.
Shreds enemies at close range.
Good magazine size.

Low base damage.
The Striker AR is just a better option.

Tip: If you’re using the Striker AR, then it is not worth it to waste an inventory spot on carrying the Hyper SMG.

Snowball Launcher

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
37.5	50	6	0.75	2.85

The Snowball Launcher is currently the only weapon that utilizes rocket ammunition, which is really hard to come by additionally. I really don't see it being useful in solos or duos. However, at least one team member should carry the launcher in trios or squads because it is really good to put a whole enemy squad under pressure.

Deals damage to multiple players in range.
Good for destroying structures in build mode.

Rocket ammunition is hard to come by.
Low damage for an explosive weapon.

C-Tier

This is the lowest tier for weapons in my tier list, and there is only one weapon in Fortnite that I'd put in here. I don't really see any advantages to using the C-Tier; nevertheless, I do have to give it a rank.

Thunder Burst SMG

DPS	Damage	Magazine Size	Fire Rate	Reload Time
91	26	24	3.5	2.25

The Thunder Burst SMG does feature higher damage than the Hyper SMG and is actually more stable. But the bursts are actually never really good to laser an enemy unless you have an extremely precise aim. It is just better to use the Hyper SMG since you can spam it to destroy story structures easily, as well.

More accurate SMG for mid to long-range.

Slow rate of fire.
No room for error; the aim needs to be precise.
Slower reload speed than the Hyper SMG.
It cannot be used to spam on opponent’s structures.

My Advice: I personally don’t recommend using the Thunder Burst SMG when there are much better options in Fortnite.

Fortnite Tier List Criteria

You can easily trust my ranking on the latest weapons and guns in my Fortnite tier list. I have almost 6000+ hours in the game split between the PS4 and PS5 versions of Fortnite. I have also participated in a lot of the Fortnite tournaments, including FNCS, and have the ability to judge weapons based on their competitive advantages as well. My tier list is based on experience, and each ranking has been justified with pros and cons.

Fortnite has added Peter Griffin in the latest Chapter 5, alongside many other characters. The new map has been really fun to explore, but it is definitely the new arsenal of weapons that made me put hours into the latest season. Furthermore, I strongly recommend reading my Up-to-Date Review of Fortnite in 2023 for an expert's analysis and critique.

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