Fortnite Zero Build Has New Changes You Need to Know About

Fortnite Zero Build has been a personal favorite for years, and the focus on gunplay over building has brought me back to Battle Royale on multiple occasions. However, with Chapter 7 Season 2 nearing its end, new changes have been brought to Zero Build to provide even further emphasis on gunplay.

Rest assured, the changes in Zero Build mean that you won’t have to worry about players building a tower over you! However, it’s essential to know about the changes currently in-game so that you won’t be overwhelmed by your next drop out of the Battle Bus.

Fortnite: Complete Guide

Here is everything players need to know about Fortnite, including season quests, beginner guides, and all sorts of tips and tricks.

Fortnite Zero Build Changes Overview

Change	What Does It Do?
Pocket Items	You can press the Build Button to use a utility item, which has infinite use, but a cooldown. You can even grab new utility items from Vending Machines!
Common Pistol	You will start every match with a Common (Gray) Pistol!
Small Shield Potion	You will start every match with x1 Small Shield Potion for an extra +25 Shield!
Free-Fall	You can now cut your auto-deployed Glider when you leave the Battle Bus to fall faster to the ground, but you’ll need to redeploy it before gravity wounds you!
Pickaxe Stamina	You can now hold your Pickaxe to get unlimited Stamina!
Overshield Siphon	You can now eliminate players to restore your Overshield (the +50 Shield, not your main +100 Shield)!
Buffed Environmental Structures	Environmental structures, like boulders, trees, and buildings, now have more health, providing you with cover!
Reboot Van Timer Reduced	You can Reboot your allies much quicker!
Zero-Build Exclusive Items	Smoke Grenades (for cover and utility) and Brick-a-Bunkers (Port-a-Bunkers with ramp and doors) have been added to the loot pool!
No Fatal Fall Damage	Falling from a lethal height will reduce you to 1 HP and 0 Shields instead of eliminating you!

Important Changes to Know About in Fortnite Zero Build

Pocket Items

The Build Button (Circle/B) can now be used to get a Utility Item. While this is infinite-use, it does have a cooldown of around 30 seconds. You can get different Pocket Items from Special-O-Matic Vending Machines, from Shockwave Grenades, Pocket Shield Bubbles, and Med-Mist Smokes!

Exclusive Utility Items

You can add Utility Items to your loadout, like the Smoke Grenade and Brick-a-Bunker, which is basically just a Port-a-Bunker.

Starting Gear

You will no longer drop from the Battle Bus empty-handed, as Zero Build will have you spawn with a Gray (Common) Pistol and a singular Small Shield Potion. This means you can play more aggressively as you land, or defend yourself from whoever gets the first gun after dropping.

Free Falling

When you drop from the Battle Bus, you will still auto-deploy your Glider if you get low to the ground, but you can actually press Space/X/A to cut your Glider mid-air to get even lower to the ground. However, auto-deploy won’t save you from fall damage, so you might want to be careful using this!

Non-Fatal Fall Damage

While Free Fall can be dangerous, it’s never lethal. Zero Build now features no fatal fall damage, meaning you can drop from the highest point on the map, which normally would eliminate you. However, in Zero Build, these falls will cause you to fall prone with 1 HP and 0 Shields, so while it’s still going to almost kill you, it gives you a chance to recover.

Glider Redeployment

Stuck on a cliff with no escape? Jump! That’s not us telling you to return to the lobby; it’s us letting you know that it’s safe to do so because you will be able to use your Glider again while in mid-air.

Infinite Stamina With Pickaxes

Now, when you hold your Pickaxe, you will have unlimited Stamina, allowing you to run and jump around with free movement. However, this might be quite a dangerous venture, as you’ll still need to switch back to your weapons when a gunfight occurs.

Eliminations Restore Overshield

Overshield is exclusive to Zero Build and is separate from your +100 Shield. While you do get +50, which auto-regenerates when you haven’t been damaged for a few seconds, you can now instantly restore it by getting an elimination against a player!

Environmental Structure Health Increase

With no ability to build, the natural cover of trees, rocks, and walls will be essential to survival. Zero Build has latched onto this idea and bolstered it, as environmental structures (structures not made by players) will now have even more durability, making them harder to destroy.

Reduced Reboot Van Timers

The final change to note is how Reboot Vans work. You still need to pick up a Reboot Card (or buy it back) to reboot your allies, but the timer has been reduced so that you’re not waiting around exposed as an open target without your allies!