Shotguns are a weapon option in Fortnite that can deal incredible damage at close range, benefiting from situations where players are forced to get close. Thankfully, the eye of the storm shrink towards the end of a Battle Royale match puts shotguns to very important use, with most rounds being decided by the shotgun’s aim. Some shotguns work better in these high-risk situations than others.
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1. Dubbing
An exotic variant of the Double Barrel Shotgun, the Dub makes use of some unique mechanics that can make it as much of a situational utility as a weapon. While statistically identical to the Double Barrel Shotgun Legendary variant, The Dub has a knockback effect that applies to both the user and the target when fired. While this may not sound like much on paper, the applications of this pushback in close range and late game situations can be the deciding factor as to who wins and who loses.
As the eye of the storm closes, The Dub’s knockback can force a player back into the storm, dealing additional damage on top of its incredibly high damage at close range. The Dub can also deal fall damage if its blast is used to knock targets off buildings and tall structures. If you fire the Dub, you can cancel the knockback applied to it by crouching, staying safe as your opponents fall to their doom.
This is not to say that self-applied recoil isn’t a benefit of the weapon. Shooting behind you with The Dub can propel you forward, and shooting down can launch you up with a super jump. You can use this mechanic to fight another player before they have a chance to start building around themselves.
2. Pump Shotgun

The Pump Shotgun is considered by many to be the “trustworthy old” weapon choice when it comes to winning the later stages of Fortnite Battle Royale. An accurate short-range blast from the Bomb can average between 90 and 130 damage per shot, with a damage cap of 185 from a point-blank shot from the Legendary variant. This can quickly clear even the heaviest armored opponents in just two or three shots.
3. Two-shot shotgun

Semi-automatic in its firing style, while moderately resembling the Pump Shotgun in its damage output, the Two-Shot Shotgun fires two of its charged projectiles with a single click. At close range, and in a perfect world where all the pellets from both shots connect without the target getting out of the way, a double shot from the Two-Shot will deal over 140 damage.
This damage is more theoretical than realistic, as achieving 100% accuracy with both shots against a skilled player is much easier said than done. Also note that the Two-Shot’s faster rate of fire increases the amount of time you’ll spend reloading during a fight. These minimal drawbacks rank it slightly below the Pump Shotgun All-Purpose consistency.
4. Main Shotgun

The Prime Shotgun is a pump-action shotgun that does 50% more damage on the first shot of a magazine alone. While a normal shot from the Prime would do between 75 and 95 damage at close range on average, an accurate first shot can deal over 110 damage.
Related: Where to find the Prime Shotgun in Fortnite Chapter 3 Season 3
While it has a nifty special effect, the Prime shotgun can be effective in starting fights where first-shot accuracy is involved. A massive 140 damage point-blank beef shot to start a fight could unnerve and intimidate your opponent into playing cautiously, giving you free rein to play as aggressively as possible. Also, an accurate first shot from the Prime shotgun can be combined with another weapon, which could be another first shot from another Prime.
5. Heavy Shotgun

This new rework of an older semi-auto shotgun fires a single accurate long-range bullet instead of the expected scatter of buckshot. Capable of consistently dealing over 100 damage per shot at medium range, the Heavy Shotgun’s effectiveness is increased due to its 1.75 headshot damage multiplier. This makes the Heavy Shotgun one of the few weapons in its class that rewards accuracy with faster kills.
You might be wondering why this shotgun ranks so low among its contemporaries. This is mostly down to its use case, as Shotguns are primarily relied on to get through close-range engagements with ease, an area where the Heavy Shotgun’s need for accuracy is difficult. While its base damage can be impressive for a ranged shotgun, other weapon types, such as sniper rifles, are much more effective at dealing long-range damage.