Image: Epic Games via HGG
Justin's foray into gaming started with classic Resident Evil 3 and has only expanded since then. He graduated from RIT in 2021 and aspires to have his name in the credits of a video game one day.
Reviewed by Benjamin Barr
Anyone who has played Fortnite knows that there are a couple of factors that go into securing a Victory Royale, including the best places to land, hide, and loot. However, when it comes to the crucial element of battle, nothing is more important than the weapon Fortnite players choose to bring with them, such as a shotgun!
With the items and weapons that constantly spawn on the Island, it can be hard to keep track of the best shotgun Fortnite players should add to their arsenal. That’s why in this guide, we will be going over the best shotgun to bring with you in Fortnite Chapter 4, Season 2. Let’s get into it.
Key Points
- We utilize the legendary versions of each shotgun as the foundation for evaluating their performance.
- The Combat Shotgun, ranked as the weakest shotgun on our list, is an older but still viable weapon, suitable for a niche role. It excels at medium range but falls short in close-quarter combat.
- The Havoc Pump Shotgun, a new addition to the game, deals massive damage at close range but has a small magazine and slow reload time, making accuracy crucial for success.
- The Maven Auto Shotgun, was chosen as the best shotgun overall for its consistency and forgiving nature. It offers a rapid fire rate and allows for reloading while aiming, making it suitable for players with varying levels of aiming skill.
- Two bonus exotic shotguns, the Heisted Accelerant Shotgun and the Heisted Breacher Shotgun, provide unique abilities and are available through Holo-Chests scattered across the island.
Best Fortnite Shotgun, Ranked Good to Best
Before jumping into the list, it would be a good idea to explain how I’m going to compare these shotguns. While every shotgun on this list could help you in a pinch, they are not all created equal.
When looking at the nitty-gritty details of the weapons, I’ll be using the legendary stats of each shotgun as a baseline. However, the comparisons between shotguns will still hold up when talking about their different rarity counterparts.
A legendary weapon will typically perform better than a common one, but in this guide, we’re more focused on how these shotguns compare on an even playing field. With that out of the way, let’s start this list in earnest.
3/3
Combat Shotgun
The first shotgun we’re going to discuss today is the Combat Shotgun. Although technically vaulted in Chapter 4, Season 1, the Combat Shotgun is now available to spawn on the map and be looted by players.
Despite being the oldest shotgun on this list (released way back in Season 9), the Combat Shotgun is the “weakest” shotgun on this list. When I say weakest shotgun, I don’t mean bad, however. Every shotgun in this guide is viable in combat. The combat shotgun simply fills a more niche role than the other options this season.
Stats
To start, the Combat Shotgun deals 74 damage with a fire rate of 1.7. This averages to a DPS of around 125.8. This weapon also boasts an impressive magazine size of 8, with a reload time of 4.7 seconds. For those who play with building, the shotgun also does 47 structure damage.
The stats for this weapon aren’t bad. That’s likely why it’s been a fan favorite since its release. With the largest magazine of the shotguns this season and its fast fire rate, this weapon is fairly forgiving. Even if you miss one or two shots, you can easily course-correct them.
Strategy
The caveat with this weapon is that it is not as effective at close range as the other shotguns on this list. Unlike the other shotguns, the tight spread of the Combat Shotgun makes it ideal for medium range. I would even say this weapon operates better at long-range more than it does at short-range.
When pitted against the other shotguns on this list in close quarters, the Combat Shotgun loses most of those fights. However, because of its excellence in medium range, this gun can act as a decent stand-in for an assault rifle if you don’t have one. It won’t out-damage an assault rifle by any means, but it will lay down some consistent, reliable hurt on your enemies.
2/3
Havoc Pump Shotgun
Next, we’ll discuss the newest addition to the Fortnite arsenal, the Havoc Pump Shotgun. Released this season, the Havoc Pump Shotgun is a bit of an unruly beast. Despite this, it’s a strong contender for the best shotgun in Fortnite this season. For players who enjoyed the Thunder Shotgun last season, you’re going to love the Havoc because they play the same. Except the Havoc is what happens if the Thunder Shotgun went Super Saiyan.
Stats
To get into it, the Havoc Pump Shotgun deals 132 damage with a fire rate of 0.75, giving us an average DPS of 99. The Havoc has a magazine size of 6 and a reload time of 4.5 seconds. Finally, this gun does 66 damage to structures.
After looking at the stats, you can probably see why I compared this to the Thunder Shotgun. Because of the slow reload time and small magazine, they feel similar. The only difference is the insane damage the Havoc can dish out in close range. With a well-placed shot, this gun could easily one-shot your target. Or at the very least, remove all their shields and then some.
After all that, it may be confusing why this gun doesn’t make it to the top of the list. As strong as the Havoc is, it has a couple of stipulations. As I said before, the gun has a small mag and a long reload. That means each shot needs to count.
Unlike the Combat Shotgun, which allows for a little wiggle room, the Havoc has no such luxury. A missed shot from this weapon is going to hurt, and you’re going to feel it. In addition to that, anything not close range is a dice roll. The wide bullet spread means firing this thing in anything but the closest combat will likely not end in your favor.
Strategy
A good strategy for the Havoc is to use it as an opener and then switch to a fast-firing weapon to finish off your opponent. With the first landed shot punching a nice hole in your target’s defenses, switching weapons, even to a weaker one, should be able to finish them off. This also circumvents the vulnerable state you find yourself in after firing the Havoc.
This strategy changes somewhat with the Mythic version of the gun. Unlike the other shotguns in this guide, the Havoc Pump Shotgun has a Mythic variant. This higher-tier version can one-shot a player with full health and shields. While the weapon still holds the same negatives as its non-mythic version, the elimination potential is even higher.
1/3
Maven Auto Shotgun
Finally, we’ve reached the last weapon in this guide, the Maven Auto Shotgun. While there is an argument to be made about the Havoc Pump Shotgun taking this spot, I chose the Maven for its consistency. Compared to the other two shotguns on this list, the Maven is easily the most forgiving.
Stats
The Maven deals 94 damage with a fire rate of 1.4, resulting in an average DPS of around 131.6. In addition to that, the Maven has a magazine size of 6 and a reload time of 4.72 seconds. Lastly, this gun does 45 damage to structures.
The main allure of this weapon is its recovery time between shots fired. That, coupled with the fact that you can hold down the fire button, makes it a beginner-friendly weapon. Looking at the stats, it’s clear to see that raw damage isn’t the strength of this weapon. The Havoc has that area covered. The rate of fire evens the playing field, however.
In the time it takes to fire the Havoc Shotgun once, the Maven can fire two or three. This also means that accuracy is not as important. A missed shot won’t be as devastating compared to the Havoc. This lack of focus on accuracy also means it’s better for players with worse aim.
Strategy
Even though the Maven doesn’t have the same outright damage potential of the Havoc, the spread and speed mean it can lay down consistent damage. And sometimes consistent damage is the difference between a target escaping and being eliminated.
On multiple occasions, I’ve seen the Maven come out on top simply because it was more reliable. Another cool feature of this weapon is that it can be reloaded while aiming. This means you can continue lining up your shot when your gun is dry. I’ve tried out a variety of shotguns this season, and while all three guns are strong in their own right, I find myself coming back to the Maven as my go-to.
Bonus Shotguns
With the main list finished, I wanted to take some time to mention a couple of bonus shotguns. While these are technically different weapons, they’re more like special versions of the shotguns already in the game.
Since the main guide focused more on how the weapons functioned at the base level, it didn’t feel right to add these guns to the ranking. Unlike the other weapons on this list, except for the Mythic Havoc Pump Shotgun, these weapons can be found in the Holo-Chest scattered throughout the island.
Heisted Accelerant Shotgun
The first exotic gun is the Heisted Accelerant Shotgun. An exotic variant of the Maven Shotgun, the Heisted Accelerant Shotgun operates the same way with a little bonus. The gun deals 98 damage with a fire rate of 1.4, resulting in a DPS of around 137.2. The gun boasts a magazine size of 6, a reload time of 4.68 seconds, and does 46 structure damage.
What makes this weapon exotic is its Accelerant special effect. When the player deals damage with the weapon, it grants them a Pepper Effect. This increases the player’s walking, crouching, and swimming speed, as well as gives the player greater momentum. In addition to that, it steadily increases the weapon’s fire rate to a max of plus 50%. After five seconds of not dealing damage, the boosts go away.
Heisted Breacher Shotgun
The second exotic weapon in this bonus section is the Heisted Breacher Shotgun. Despite being vaulted, this is an exotic variant of the Heavy Shotgun. The gun deals 106 damage with a fire rate of 1, resulting in a DPS of 106. The gun has a magazine of 5, a reload time of 5.1 seconds, and does 759 damage to structures.
Just like the Heavy Shotgun, the Heisted Breacher fires a single powerful slug instead of a spread. This makes it an excellent choice for medium and long-range. What makes this weapon exotic, if you haven’t already noticed, is how much damage it does to structures.
Unlike the normal Heavy Shotgun that does 66 structure damage on its Legendary variant, this one does a whopping 759. For those playing with building, this is a surefire way to destroy any defenses your opponents are trying to make. Even in zero build, this gun is good at destroying cover other players may hide behind.
Join the High Ground
And that’s it for our guide to the best shotgun in Fortnite Chapter 4, Season 2. While this list is subject to change as weapon stats change and new guns are introduced, this guide shows the best shotguns in the current season of Fortnite, at least for now.
Do you agree with my list? Let me know in the comments below. I’d love to see which shotgun you gravitate towards when landing on the island. And make sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter for more gaming content!
Happy gaming!
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