Fortnite’s BRUTE Mech Has Been Nerfed, Here’s What’s Changed

Following weeks of fan backlash, Epic Games has finally released a balance patch for Fortnite’s BRUTE, the large mech that’s been a hot topic since the start of Season X.

The news comes via a post over on the official Fortnite site, which details the extent of the changes to the BRUTE. We’ve included it all down 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.
      • 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

The balances mainly focus on the effectiveness of the BRUTE’s missile barrage, with the maximum amount of rockets fired in a single charge being reduced, the rate at which they’re fired being reduced, and the explosion radius significantly cut down.

Similarly, the general spawn rates of the BRUTE mech across the first three storm phases has been drastically cut down to reduce how many you’re going to stumble upon.

This patch doesn’t just make changes to the mech, but has also temporarily removed the Junk Rift item from Arena playlists due to an audio issue. This will be reintroduced once the issue has been resolved.

This BRUTE balance patch for Fortnite comes just a week after Epic defended the mech’s introduction to the series, claiming it allowed less experienced players a chance of getting more eliminations and winning games.

Fortnite is available on PS4, PC, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch and mobile devices.