Unexpected Fortnite mud trick blocks Flare Gun marking

Brianna Reeves
fortnite flare gun

A Fortnite fan shared a surprising trick that players can use to avoid being marked by an enemy’s Flare Gun.

Epic Games introduced the Flare Gun to its popular battle royale in Chapter 2 Season 3. The item’s since been vaulted and unvaulted multiple times, recently returning during a Chapter 4 Season 3 update in June.

While the projectile can deal some damage, it’s most notably used as a tool to scan for and mark nearby enemies. A red marker appears above the heads of scanned opponents for a limited time, making them easier to spot.

Of course, players would rather avoid something like this when in the heat of battle. And, fortunately, there’s a way to keep Flare Gun markings at bay.

Fortnite player claims mud combats Flare Gun markings

Reddit user brightworkdotuk shared an interesting trick with fellow players on the Fortnite subreddit. The user noted that they recently learned how to block Flare Gun markings – mud.

Apparently, a player can cover themselves in mud to shield against the Flare Gun’s scanning ability.

Another Reddit user chimed in with another interesting mud-related tidbit. “To add to this, if you’re marked, and then get covered in mud, you will stop being marked.”

While it’s a neat trick worth exploring, fans in the thread did lament that mud is only available in Fortnite’s Jungle biome.

The wet dirt has many uses, though. In addition to nullifying the effects of Flare Gun marking, mud somehow keeps wasps from giving chase when aggravated. YouTuber SypherPK proved as much in a recent myth-busting video. The YouTuber also confirmed that being covered in mud protects players from fireflies.

Clearly, the mud in Fortnite is doing a lot of heavy lifting behind-the-scenes.