Fortnite Shockwave Hammer nerfs leave fans divided

Fortnite’s Shockwave Hammer has been nerfed by Epic Games, and fans have mixed reactions to its reduced ricochet charges.

Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 1 delivered a new map, new weapons, and new features for players to explore in the final installment of the Battle Royale. The Shockwave Hammer quickly made its way into the meta, dominating both casual and competitive play. As a weapon and mobility device, the Shockwave Hammer is vital to rotations and also a useful tool in combat.

On January 13th, Epic Games reduced the Shockwave Hammer’s ricochets from four to three. Here’s what fans think of the change.

The Shockwave Hammer was already a polarizing weapon among Fortnite players, and now the discourse is even more conflicted.

Some players, like Cayden Lasher, see the nerf as an improvement. With fewer impact charges, fans are hoping the Shockwave Hammer won’t be as overpowered. Now players can only use three consecutive jumps before waiting for their weapon to recharge, giving their opponents a moment to collect themselves.

Other players see the nerf as a step backwards.

“Quite literally one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen,” Ruhvivals tweeted. “Why would you weaken movement when there are currently only 3 movement items in the game?”

Chapter 4 Season 1 does not offer enough mobility options for the players. With no items like shockwave grenades, shadow bombs, and grapple gauntlets, the new meta limits player movement. The Shockwave Hammer, which loses a jump charge, eliminates an option for mobility that could ruin a player’s game.

Epic Games have made changes to the weapon since the release of Chapter 4. Having fixed an infinite ricochet bug, changed the recharge speed from 15 to 20 seconds, and now reduced the weapon’s ricochet charges, the weapon seems poised for even more changes in the future.