Epic Games has made another attempt to balance Fornite’s controversial mech

Players have argued over Fortnite’s B.R.U.T.E. mech ever since it was added at the beginning of season 10. But instead of backing down and removing the mech, Epic Games is working to balance the vehicle so that everyone can enjoy it. The latest patch is the next step toward that goal.

The updated mech will shoot fewer rockets, and give players more time to respond to each individual rocket by increasing the time they take to fire. The mech will no longer gain materials just by walking through buildings and trees; they’ll have to be gathered the old-fashioned way.

Mechs have been given slightly more health, from 1000 to 1250, to help balance those changes. The cost to use the overshield on the mech has been decreased to 75, from 200. These adjustments will make the mech more durable, while hopefully limiting its destructive power.

You can read the patch notes below for a full list of changes:

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

B.R.U.T.E.

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.

14.3% chance to spawn 1.

14.3% chance to spawn 2.

14.3% chance to spawn 3.

14.3% chance to spawn 4.

14.3% 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.

Junk Rift

• The Junk Rift has been temporarily removed from Arena playlists.

This is due to an audio issue caused when the portal is significantly higher than a player.