When you play Fortnite you’re going to die a lot.
Dying is a part of the game.
And a natural process to improving.
Listen, each time you die it’s a chance to learn from a mistake you made. And trust me, you’re making a lot of mistakes.
Even if you don’t know it yet.
In this post, you’re going to learn about some of the common Fortnite mistakes players make.
As you read through this list you will understand more about your own mistakes. And what you can do to fix them and become a better Fortnite player as a result.
Mistake #1: Not playing for high ground
The high ground is key to victory in Fortnite.
When you have the high ground you are able to put a lot of pressure on your opponents.
Especially when you have the ultimate high ground. In other words, when you’re above anyone else in the game at that point.
Of course, there are some risks when taking the high ground, and I will explain that later.
For now, you should know when you have height it’s hard for opponents to see and shoot at you. But it’s easy for you to see and shoot down at everyone else.
The problem, though, is that most people don’t know how to get the high ground.
Yes, you might know how to build.
But what do you do when someone builds over you?
If you’ve come from a different shooter, for example, PUBG, Apex Legends or Call of Duty, then building and the high ground might seem unnatural to you.
The best way to learn how to get the high ground is by jumping into a creative game. You can do that either by yourself or with a friend.
I recommend playing against a friend. Because, when you play with a friend, you can quickly practice build battles against each other.
This will help you learn what to do in build battles faster than if you were to play just the standard game modes. Since you can get into more fights this way.
Now you can practice the common building techniques and high ground retakes until they feel comfortable. And you are confident you can consistently pull them off.
Next, start applying what you’ve learned in a real game.
Against real opponents.
You see, it’s easy to be a great builder when you play in a low-pressure setting. like creative mode against a friend.
But to be a good Fortnite player you need to be able to use what you’ve learned in a real game.
And the only way to do that is to start today.
Mistake #2: Jumping too much
Do you lose a lot of 1v1 close-quarters fights?
Well, it could be because you jump too much and it’s a common mistake new players make. Let me explain why.
When you jump you move in a standard arc. In other words, your movements are predictable so it’s easy to track and hit you.
As you know, you don’t want your movements to be predictable. You want them to be unpredictable.
You can make your movements more unpredictable by making them dynamic. In other words, by mixing strafing left and right with crouching so you’re difficult to hit.
Also, when you jump your crosshairs expand. Therefore your bloom gets worse and you’re more likely to miss your shots.
Jumping and shooting are especially difficult if you play with a controller because you have to take your thumb off the right stick to jump.
But you can use the claw grip to hold your controller. So you can jump without losing control of your aim and take full advantage of aim assist.
If you’re jumping a lot of the times in a fight, then it’s time to stop.
However, you do want to regularly jump as you run around the map, so you’re hard to hit from a distance.
You see, you’re an easy target to hit if you just run in a straight line. Because enemies can easily track you with a sniper rifle or an assault rifle.
Just take it easy with the jumping in your next fight, OK?
Mistake #3: Building with wood
Wood is the weakest material for building in Fortnite.
Here is a chart that shows the health of a wall for each building material over time:
As you can see, wood has the lowest starting health and lowest max health. So it has the lowest health at all times.
Then why do so many players build with wood? And why are there guides that advise you to build with wood?
Listen, wood used to be the best material to build with because it had the highest starting health. But there have been so many patches and balance updates and this isn’t true anymore.
Of course, wood is the easiest material to farm, because it’s found all over the map. How many trees do you think there are in Fortnite?
You should focus some of your time in Fortnite farming for material. But don’t spend all your time farming wood.
Instead, consciously look to farm for stone and metal and use it first when you’re in a fight. Because your structures will be stronger so you will be better protected.
Do you want to learn more about material in Fortnite? Read this post that goes into detail about the best material for building in Fortnite.
Mistake #4: Not Playing Kovaak’s
Kovaak’s FPS Aim Trainer is the most effective way to train and improve your aim in Fortnite.
But it’s only available to PC players, sorry console players.
Of course, controller users playing on a PC may play Kovaak’s. However, that’s a minority of the Fortnite player base.
Anyway, if you play on PC with a mouse and keyboard, playing Kovaak’s is a must. Even playing for just 10 minutes a day can be enough to have tremendous benefits.
You see, Kovaak’s is very useful if you’re someone that doesn’t have enough time to play several hours a day. But you want to be able to keep up with players that do.
Listen, one of the biggest weaknesses Fortnite players have is their aim. Because Fortnite has a lot of time where you aren’t playing and practicing.
Aim trainers are a solution to the problem of downtime and Kovaak’s is the best aim trainer available right now.
Here is my complete guide to Kovaak’s FPS Aim Trainer. In this post, you’ll get a suitable routine to follow no matter your ability to help you get godlike aim in Fortnite.
Mistake #5: Getting stuck in the storm
A mistake I see some players make is simply not paying attention to the storm.
You know the storm is dangerous.
Especially as the game progresses because each tick of the storm does more damage.
So why are you getting caught in it?
Listen, the map in the top right-hand of your screen has a timer. And the timer lets you know when the next zone is going to move.
You can also open your map to see where the next circle is and how far you need to travel to get there. So you can plan when you need to move accordingly.
Also, you may find it useful to know that the further you’re away from the next circle, the faster the storm moves. And, the closer you are to the next circle, the slower the storm moves.
So if you can get yourself in a good position, you can actually outrun the storm.
This can be helpful for getting to the next circle because you feel confident no enemies are following behind you.
Mistake #6: Using a sensitivity that’s too high
Using a sensitivity that’s too high is a mistake players make when playing shooters in general.
For example, if you’ve come from playing a MOBA such as League of Legends, you may be used to playing with a high DPI and sensitivity.
MOBA players want a high sensitivity because it helps keep the actions per minute (APM) high.
But it isn’t the same in shooters like Fortnite.
You see, in shooters, you want your mouse movements smooth and under control. So you’re able to aim accurately.
Let’s look at Counter-Strike Global Offensive (CSGO) for a moment. CSGO is a first-person shooter and one of the most popular and well-known shooter games of all time.
In CSGO all the best players use a low sensitivity because a low sensitivity lets them aim better.
Below you’ll see a chart showing the sensitivity of CSGO players in relation to their rank:
As you can see, the higher the ranks get, the lower the sensitivity gets. In other words, lower rank (bad) players use a sensitivity that’s too high.
Now, I’m not saying simply lowering your sensitivity is going to make you Global Elite overnight. Of course not.
But it does give you a better chance to compete with other players when you’re using sensible settings that allow you to aim properly.
That being said, you don’t want to use the same sensitivity of the best CSGO players in Fortnite because Fortnite is an entirely different game.
Fortnite is a third-person shooter and Battle Royale.
In fact, you want your sensitivity to be high enough so you have the mobility to move around when you get shot from behind and to build well and so on.
Do you want to know what sensitivity you should use in Fortnite? Check out this guide to Fortnite sensitivity where I break down the sensitivity of more than a hundred Fortnite pro players.
Mistake #7: Having an unorganized inventory
Your Fortnite inventory is where all your items are stored.
And not taking the time to organize your inventory into a logical order is a big mistake.
Because when you don’t know what order your items are in, you have a high chance of switching to the wrong item. Or you won’t be as quick and confident when switching between items.
This can get you killed.
Listen, you want to be able to switch to each item in your inventory quickly, without even thinking about it. And the best way to develop muscle memory is by keeping your items in the same order in every game.
So if you like your shotgun in slot 1, then it should always be in slot 1. And if you like your assault rifle in slot 2, then it should always be in slot 2. And so on for slots 3, 4 and 5.
Want to know more tips and tricks for keeping your inventory in good shape? Check out my guide on how to optimize your Fortnite inventory.
Mistake #8: Not taking advantage of sound
Sound is important in Fortnite.
And I don’t mean for just listening to music in the lobby.
I’m talking about the ability to hear where enemies footsteps are. As well as listening for nearby chests.
Obviously, knowing where your enemy is based on the sounds they’re making is a distinct advantage. But to be able to do this you need to know the direction of the sound.
You’re not going to get very good directional sound cues from your TV speakers, either. This can only be accomplished with a good headset.
The headset I recommend in Fortnite is the Hyper X Cloud II Gaming Headset. It’s one of the few gaming headsets that’s worth every penny.
Of course, you could enable the visualize sound effects option in the Fortnite settings. You can find this option in the “Accessibility” section of your Fortnite settings (I don’t know why it’s not in the “Audio” section).
For example, Ewok is a 13-year-old deaf Fortnite streamer for Faze clan. And she uses the visual sound feature because of how important sound is.
Mistake #9: Trying to eliminate downed enemies too soon
When you down an enemy, your initial instinct is to finish them immediately because you want to secure the kill and get the loot.
This is a big mistake and gets a lot of players killed. Let me explain.
There is a period of invulnerability when you first down an enemy. In other words, it takes a few seconds before you’re actually able to do damage and eliminate a downed enemy.
So, instead of trying to finish a downed enemy right away, pay attention and focus on everything else that’s going on.
You see, when you’ve downed an enemy, they can’t do anything. They aren’t a threat. All they can do is crawl around on the ground.
Also, leaving downed enemies alive a while longer puts pressure on their teammates to come and revive them. This pressure can net you some easy kills because enemies will become to you.
There is rarely any reason to rush finishing a downed enemy.
So take your time and build some walls around you to get yourself safe.
Then, and only then, get the elimination.
Mistake #10: Getting intimidated by skins
Do you know what the disclaimer says in the Fortnite item shop?
It says this:
“These items are cosmetic only and grant no competitive advantage.”
But is it true?
Clearly, there is a psychological factor involved with Fortnite skins. For example, when you see a default skin, you’re more likely to assume that player is a bot.
So you approach that fight with more confidence. Perhaps, however, you let your guard down and don’t play with the same focus you normally would.
What if it’s a good player? You know it could be a fake default.
This is something that Tfue used to do. He would play as a default skin, even though he was one of the best players in the game and this would catch players out who weren’t expecting it.
On the other hand, there are absolutely skins you would associate with being a good player. What skins do you have the most trouble fighting against?
Some people find soccer skins scary and typically call them “sweat skins”. This can also be the case with rare skins in Fortnite.
But, as you know, skins are cosmetic only and grant no competitive advantage.
Moreover, we don’t know if there’s any link between a players skin and their ability.
So, stop giving a particular skin special treatment. Treat every skin the same and with the same level of focus.
And you should find you play more consistent as a result.
Mistake #11: Using vague callouts
When you play duo or squad mode and say things such as “he’s over there” it isn’t helpful to your teammates.
You know, there is a compass on the top of your screen for a reason. So use it to let your team know the precise location of an enemy.
For example, “250” or “North East”. You can use the ping system which may be even more helpful because it shows the distance, too.
Moreover, when you damage an enemy there is a hit marker with the amount of damage done and a color. The color will either be blue to signal the enemy has shield remaining or white to signal there is no shield.
There is also a clear sound cue for when you have broken the shield and none remains. You can use this information to communicate exactly how much damage you’ve done.
For example, “25 blue” or “33 white”. This way your team will know exactly how much health remains on your enemy. And whether or not it’s a good idea to push for the kill.
One more thing, when you damage an enemy and say “he’s one-shot” when he’s clearly not, your team will not enjoy playing with you. So make sure your communication is accurate and true.
Mistake #12: Overbuilding
For the first mistake, I said it was not playing for the high ground.
This one is a little different.
You see, today most Fortnite players understand the basics of building. In other words to “just build LOL”.
But, as a result, a new problem has emerged: Overbuilding.
What is overbuilding?
Overbuilding is, simply, building too much. Or, more precisely, building unnecessarily.
And you’ve probably encountered an overbuilder at some point in your Fortnite career. You know, like a sweaty soccer skin that has built something that resembles the Taj Mahal when you only shot at them once.
Now, I’m not saying you should not build. Because, in general, there’s nothing wrong with building.
In fact, when you get shot at the first thing you should do is build a wall in that direction to protect yourself and not take damage. And I recommend you use all your material if you’re going to die anyway.
But if you need to use over 500 material in every fight just to get a kill on a player that’s a bot then you have a problem.
Moreover, you can build too high and get knocked down and fall to your death. Obviously, you don’t want that to happen.
So, how do you fix overbuilding?
Well, by not building of course. Now I’m not saying you shouldn’t build at all. What I am saying, though, is that you should try to consciously limit the amount of building you do.
In other words, only build when you need to. This can also help you learn how to play from the low ground.
You see, material management is an important skill to have and to master in Fortnite. Because you will invariably need material in the end game when the zone starts to move.
Mistake #13: Placing traps on the side of walls
This is something I learned from ItsJerian.
It’s the first mistake in his video.
And a mistake I found myself making a lot.
You see, when you trap someone in your box. And you have spike traps available in your inventory, then you want to go in for the kill.
But the problem with placing the spike traps on the side walls is that they’re easily avoidable. Let me explain.
Your opponent can pickaxe the wall down to break it, especially if you’re using a weak material like wood.
Or, if you only have 1 trap, they can run to the other side of the box and avoid the damage.
But when you place your trap on the ceiling, it’s harder to avoid.
And a guaranteed kill if you are a fast editor and can rotate the stairs.
Of course, a player could break the bottom to escape.
Most players, however, won’t have this level of awareness.
Conclusion
Congratulations on reading to the end.
I hope you’ve identified some mistake that you are making.
And now have a plan for how to correct it so you can become a better player as a result.
You see, the more you know and learn about Fortnite, the better you can get. That’s why I have a free guide teaching you more than 50 Fortnite tips and tricks.
And it doesn’t matter if you are a complete beginner or a pro Fortnite player you will learn something new when you read that post.
Anyway, I have one final piece of advice for you: Don’t let your mistakes hold you back.
Mistakes are human. And expected. But so is learning and adapting.
When you embrace learning you will grow and improve as a player.
What Fortnite mistake are you making right now?
Let me know in the comments below and I will help you fix it.