Fortnite’s drastically overpowered B.R.U.T.E. mechs have finally been nerfed in an update that is live now on all platforms.
Thankfully, the mech has been nerfed in almost every aspect. Firstly, their spawn rates have been reduced across the board, so you should see less of them in the first place. There is now a chance that no mechs will spawn at the beginning of each phase, which Epic is hoping will provide “a little more variance to the experience”. Previously, there was guaranteed to be two spawning in at the beginning of Phases 1 and 2 and one at the beginning of Phase 3, but there is now a 29% chance that none will spawn in Phase 1 and a 25% chance that none will spawn in Phases 2 or 3, so you should be seeing less mechs in general.
If you do manage to bag yourself a mech then expect to notice that it packs much less of a punch than before. The number of rockets that can be fired in a single charge has been decreased from 10 to 6, and the rate at which they can be fired has been decreased by a very noticeable 56%, which Epic says should “allow the players on the receiving end of the missile volley to have more time to react and protect themselves”. The radius of the explosion has also been reduced by 42%, which should make B.R.U.T.E.s “a strong option against structures, but less lethal against players”.
On the movement side of things, the B.R.U.T.E.s dash cooldown has been increased from 3 seconds to 5, and the velocity gained from boosting while in the air has been decreased by 33%. Epic says that they’re making these changes to make the mech easier to hit at range and to reduce its ability to close gaps quickly. Epic wants to “encourage a more strategic approach to an encounter” as they aim to “shift B.R.U.T.E.s away from being highly mobile and put more emphasis on their already defensive nature”. That being said, the B.R.U.T.E. has had one minor buff to its defensive attributes, as its had a health increase from 1000 to 1250 and the material cost of using the gunner’s overshield has been reduced from 200 to 75.
Speaking of materials, in one final nerf you’ll no longer be able to pick up materials when you’re either the driver or the passenger. Epic says that this is to “reduce instances where players can farm faster than intended without exposing themselves to danger” as they look to increase tension between being in and out of a B.R.U.T.E.
It’s good to see the mech finally being addressed after its notable absence from the previous patch, but I have to say that I’m a bit surprised that Epic has been so slow in reacting to this one. It remains to be seen whether these changes will be enough to appease the massive number of players who have been complaining and calling for its removal from the game, but at least it should make them slightly more bearable for now.
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