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Fortnite's B.R.U.T.E. mech has been nerfed

The hulking behemoth that is the Fortnite B.R.U.T.E. mech has been knocked down a few pegs following a recent patch.

Sam Chandler

August 23, 2019 3:45 AM

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Fortnite’s indomitable B.R.U.T.E. mech has finally been nerfed after a recent update. The patch notes on Epic Games detail precisely how the mech has been adjusted. Players should now find it far more manageable to fight against.

Fortnite B.R.U.T.E. mech nerf

The nerfs to the mech are rather comprehensive. Almost every aspect of the B.R.U.T.E. has been nerfed, but there are also areas where its effectiveness has been increased.

Firstly, the amount of rockets the mech has access to has been reduced and their rate of fire has been decreased. The rockets’ blast radius has been shrunk, the cooldown to use the dash has been increased, you’ll no longer be as fast when boosting in the air, and you’ll no longer receive materials when stomping or dashing through the environment.

The chances of a mech spawning have also been drastically reduced across the board and changed per storm phase. This should make those endgame fights less of a battle for who gets the mech.

However, the cost of using an overshield has been reduced. If you’re in the gunner seat, make sure you’re using this as much as possible. The health of the B.R.U.T.E. has also been increased a little bit. Considering the drastic nerfs to the weaponry and movement, players will need to be a bit more careful about their positioning.

Check out the mech changes below:

• Decreased the maximum amount of rockets fired by the B.R.U.T.E. in a single charge from 10 to 6.
• Decreased the rate at which the rockets are fired from the B.R.U.T.E. by 56%.
  • Our goal with these changes is to increase the back and forth between the users of the B.R.U.T.E. and the players they face. These changes allow the players on the receiving end of the missile volley to have more time to react and protect themselves.
• Decreased the radius of the B.R.U.T.E.’s rocket explosion by 42%.
  • Our goal with this change is to improve consistency and understanding around focused barrages of missiles. B.R.U.T.E.s will continue to be a strong option against structures, but less lethal against players.
• Increased the dash cooldown from 3 seconds to 5 seconds.
  • The previous dash cooldown not only increased the B.R.U.T.E.’s mobility, but also made the B.R.U.T.E.s a harder target to hit from distance than we’d like. The adjustment here reduces the ability to close gaps quickly while in the B.R.U.T.E. while also increasing the ability to land shots on target for players facing the B.R.U.T.E.
• Decreased the velocity gained from boosting while in air by 33%.
  • We want to reduce a B.R.U.T.E.’s ability to engage and disengage at long distances to encourage a more strategic approach to an encounter. In general we hope to shift B.R.U.T.E.s away from being highly mobile and put more emphasis on their already defensive nature.
• The B.R.U.T.E. no longer grants materials to the driver and passenger when stomping or dashing through the environment.
  • Note: This change should roll out shortly following the other changes.
  • Our goal is to add more tension between being in and out of a B.R.U.T.E. as well as reduce instances where players can farm faster than intended without exposing themselves to danger.
• Adjusted the variability of spawn rates for storm phases 1, 2, and 3 in core modes. Arena spawn rates will remain unchanged.
  • Storm phase 1
    • New spawn rates
      • 29% chance to spawn 0.
      • 3% chance to spawn 1.
      • 3% chance to spawn 2.
      • 3% chance to spawn 3.
      • 3% chance to spawn 4.
      • 3% chance to spawn 5.
    • Old spawn rates
      • 33% chance to spawn 2.
      • 33% chance to spawn 3.
      • 33% chance to spawn 4.
    • Storm phase 2
      • New spawn rates
        • 25% chance to spawn 0.
        • 25% chance to spawn 1.
        • 25% chance to spawn 2.
        • 25% chance to spawn 3.
      • Old spawn rates
        • 33% chance to spawn 2.
        • 33% chance to spawn 3.
        • 33% chance to spawn 4.
      • Storm phase 3
        • New spawn rates
          • 25% chance to spawn 0.
          • 25% chance to spawn 1.
          • 25% chance to spawn 2.
          • 25% chance to spawn 3.
        • Old spawn rates
          • 33% chance to spawn 1.
          • 33% chance to spawn 2.
          • 33% chance to spawn 3.
        • Previously, the early stages of a match were guaranteed a minimum amount of B.R.U.T.E.s. We’d like to provide a little more variance to that experience so that matches don’t always play out the same way. The overall average number of B.R.U.T.E.s per game is reduced slightly.
      • Decreased the material cost of using the gunner’s overshield from 200 to 75.
        • Our goal is to further emphasize use of materials for positive defensive benefit.
      • Increased the Health of the B.R.U.T.E from 1000 to 1250.
        • With the above changes, users of the B.R.U.T.E. need to play a bit more strategic than before, so we want to give a little bit longer of a window to do so.

The mech had been causing Fortnite players trouble for a long time. There was even a movement on Twitter calling for its nerf. Now that its time of reckoning has arrived, perhaps players will see the B.R.U.TE. in a more positive light. You can read the full patch notes over on Epic Games. Be sure to keep it locked to Shacknews for the latest Fortnite news and guides.

Sam Chandler

Head of Guides

Hailing from the land down under, Sam Chandler brings a bit of the southern hemisphere flair to his work. After bouncing round a few universities, securing a bachelor degree, and entering the video game industry, he's found his new family here at Shacknews as Head of Guides. There's nothing he loves more than crafting a guide that will help someone. If you need help with a guide, or notice something not quite right, you can message him on X: @SamuelChandler