- Epic Games has released significant nerfs to the Chaos Exploder AR in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3.
- The nerfs come after many players complained that the weapon was simply too powerful, especially in Zero Build.
- The balance adjustments to the Chaos Exploder AR include reduced damage, increased recoil, decreased fire rate, and more.
Epic Games has announced another round of nerfs to the Chaos Exploder AR, a weapon that has become a huge point of contention for players in Chapter 7 Season 3. These nerfs come after player feedback deeming the Chaos Exploder AR as too strong, with the developers significantly slashing its performance.
Fortnite Has Rightfully Nerfed the Chaos Exploder AR and Players Are Thrilled
As mentioned, the Chaos Exploder AR was added with the release of Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3, adding to the season’s theme by being a Dark Voyager-themed weapon. However, the weapon proved to be too powerful for many players, especially with its explosive ammunition and splash damage.
In a bid to fix the balance for the Chaos Exploder AR, Epic has deployed the following changes:
| Attribute | Old Stat | New Stat |
|---|---|---|
| Explosion Player Damage | 12 | 6 |
| Explosion Build Damage | 20 | 10 |
| Explosion Radius | 1.8 meters | 1.5 meters |
| Headshot Multiplier | 1.6x | 1.3x |
| Fire Rate | 3.5 | 3.4 |
| Recoil Recovery Time | Baseline | +50% longer |
| Recoil Control Kick | Baseline | +67% instability |
As you can see, this isn’t just a minor stat tweak but an extremely comprehensive nerf. However, this is one nerf that most players will get behind. This is because, when Chapter 7 Season 3 dropped, the Chaos Exploder AR was intended to be a high-reward rifle in the Fortnite loot pool.
However, with the weapon’s ability to destroy metal walls in 2-3 shots, it was clear that the weapon upsets the overall balance of the gameplay in the Runners season. The weapon was even more broken in the Fortnite Zero Build mode, as players couldn’t even build to defend themselves from the Chaos Exploder AR’s splash damage.
Now, with a comprehensive list of nerfs implemented, the Chaos Exploder AR shouldn’t dominate the battlefield as easily as before. With its recoil control penalized by up to 67% and its recoil recovery speed slowed down heavily, the rifle will no longer be the accurate, cover-destroying machine it was at launch.
Of course, the Fortnite community had a lot to say about these nerfs. Appreciating the hotfix, one player stated, “I can finally have a 1v1 without being lasered.” Echoing this sentiment, another player said, “The season is saved.” However, not everyone agreed with the new nerfs, with one player stating, “Why do they have to listen to complaining tryhards?”
What do you think about the new nerfs to the Chaos Exploder AR in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3? Do you think they were needed, or were they unnecessary? Tell us in the comments below!
