Fortnite makes critical changes to Black Panther Claws and War Machine’s Hover Jet

❘ Published: 2024-09-11T18:04:15

Epic Games

After a week of struggling to find any success with Shuri’s Black Panther Claws, Fortnite responded with a much-needed buff. The update also adjusts the spawn rate of War Machine’s Hover Jet.

Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4 allows players to step into the shoes of their favorite Marvel superheroes thanks to several iconic weapons joining the battlefield. This includes War Machine’s Arsenal, Captain America’s Shield, Black Panther claws, and more.

Some Mythic items have performed better than others. For example, Epic Games nerfed Captain America’s shield and War Machine’s Arsenal after plays combined both weapons, making it far too difficult for enemies to take them down.

Meanwhile, the same can’t be said about the new Black Panther Claws. Players labeled them “useless” in the current meta. Most complaints pointed toward the melee weapon failing to compete with other powerful close-and medium-ranged guns.

Epic responded by increasing the sprint speed and allowing players to pounce on enemies at longer ranges while using Shuri’s Black Panther Claws. In addition, the Mythic item is now available in Chests and through floor loot.

This change also impacts the drop rate of War Machine’s Hover Jet because the Mythic will drop slightly less frequently from Avengers Chests. This increases the chance for other Avenger items, including Shuri’s Black Panther Claws.

Despite getting buffed, we still expect the weapon to struggle against the battle royale’s heaviest hitters. That’s because the Dual Micro SMGs are the fastest-firing weapons in the game, and the Gatekeeper Shotgun deals massive damage up close.

And for longer-ranged fights, it will be hard to close any distance on the laser-accurate Striker Burst Rifle.

In saying that, Shuri’s Black Panther Claws will finally feel more viable than before and could even surprise players with how strong they have become.

For more on which weapons stand out the most in Fortnite, check out our weapon tier list.