There are a myriad of aspects that come together to create a professional Fortnite Player, or at least a decent one. What typically comes to mind are great aiming skills, map knowledge, being able to rotate well, and other crucial skills.

However, these alone aren’t what makes a fantastic player, creativity is.

If your favourite streamer has ever pulled off an insane kill or escape that left you wondering how on earth they came up with it, creativity is the answer. Let’s look at how to develop your creativity in Fortnite!

1. Check out your Surroundings!

It’s always a great idea to be aware of your opponents and their place in the space around you, but you also need to be able to understand how you can use your surroundings to your advantage.

Is there a nearby stairwell or hillside you can climb to take the height advantage, perhaps there’s a lake nearby which you can use to make a rapid escape. Trees make great cover! If all you do when in combat is accept your current situation and try to duck, weave, and jump away from bullets, you’ll only have so much luck…

One quick Impact Grenade and you’re suddenly spraying down at their head below as they desperately try to return fire, now you’re in control. Speaking of Impact Grenades.

2. Learn to Combine your Tools and Powers!

Impacts are great, the Kamehameha ability from this season is also great. They both have weaknesses that aren’t so great. While the Kamehameha blast is insanely powerful, it leaves you highly exposed while charging up the blast.

The simple fix is to remove this weakness entirely by getting creative. For example, by utilising a simple Impact Grenade to get some height, you can blast your Kamehameha from the safety of the sky as your enemies scurry from a target that’s too small to hit.

Each season mixes up with new powers and tools, it should be a natural process in your mind to think about how you can combine them.

3. Think About the Most Logical Time to use a Tool

Let’s imagine you have picked up a pair of Junkrift Grenades, where would it make the most sense to use them? Sure, you could use them to pressure enemies that are outdoors, having them run away from whatever cover they may have, but it’s unlikely you’ll actually hit them.

Buildings are great cover, fantastic places to heal, and are also mini-mazes that shield you from what’s going on outside. That can be good… but also bad as they also take a little time to escape.

If you’re headed to Titled Towers, or any other city-like area, and throw your Junkrifts at a building you know has one or more people inside, you’re likely to absolutely decimate them and they won’t even see it coming. Think about the tools you have and creative ways to make them infuriating to your enemies.

4. Play Fortnite and Chess at the same time!

Ok, I don’t mean this literally unless you’re extremely capable, then go for it. In chess, you need to be planning to trap and trick your opponents at all times. Fortnite can be just the same. This ties back into knowing your surroundings. Think about how you can lead your enemies to a location that benefits you! Perhaps you’re on a hill and see some enemies below. You don’t think you’d be able to take them out at the current distance, so let’s draw them in with a distraction!

Grenades, Shield Kegs, Junkrifts, Gas Flasks, firing a few shots. All of these can be manipulated to let enemies know something is going on, and any kill hungry opponent will come sprinting towards it to hopefully take some kills. Now that you’ve drawn them towards you, finish them how you see fit! Perhaps your shield keg distraction/lure is a fantastic place to light up grenades or drop a massive anchor on their heads with a Junkrift. Be creative!

5. Teamwork makes the Dream Work!

You’re in a Squads match, you’ve all just taken some serious damage from a great team, but you all pulled through by just an inch. Uh oh, you all don’t have enough heals because nobody planned to carry a Shield Keg, and the storm is closing in…

In many other games, teams are divided into roles. For example, Healer, Tank, and more. You’d be wise to have all sorts of gadgets and powers spread amongst you all, as having options is at the root of creativity and possibilities! This also allows you all to have some structure and expectations amongst yourselves. You are now a highly effective unit, not headless chickens running around together trying to land a few shots!

6. Learn from your Vanquisher.

You were bested, you got outsmarted, you did something that got you killed. Learn from it, spend a minute or two actually watching the person that killed you and see what you can apply. Also think about what they did. Can you copy it or make it your own? The finest artists are inspired by others until they have enough experience to make it their own. Do the same with strategies and plays.

On a similar note, it’s a great idea to watch some streamers and individuals known for being great at Fortnite. They have gone through the struggle and become what you hope to be. Accelerate the process for yourself by copying what they do and how they do it. Failure will be your greatest teacher.

7. Have fun and take a break.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in improving that we actually tire ourselves out and get worse.

That is super frustrating, so make sure you are having fun and enjoying every success. Make sure to repeat things that lead to success and stop things that do not. Frustration leads to carelessness and getting lazy. You will be wiped out by those who are playing at their best and are enjoying it.

Take a nap, take a walk, get some air with a friend. After that, get back to it and try to mix up as many unexpected combinations as possible. You’ll strike gold. Even the most meta build formations and clever strategies were just a creative concept in somebody's mind at one point, so show your enemies something they’ve never seen and catch them off-guard!

Conclusion

In the end, by doing what nobody else is, you are a pioneer. It’s the people who can get creative, mix up a ton of tools and strategies, and dare to try something else that get far, and not only in Fortnite. Take any two random items and think about how they could work together, no matter how crazy. Now get out there and do it!