The new Kinetic Blade item introduced in Chapter 4 Season 2 is one of the more interesting items that was added to the game this season. Similar in some ways to the Shockwave Hammer introduced last season, it provides great movement in fights, traversal opportunities, as well as offensive and defensive options. Here, we are going to run through the basics of this new weapon and how using it can elevate your gameplay to the next level.
The Kinetic Blade is an item that everyone seems to be picking up in this new season of Fortnite, and for good reason. The weapon offers a new dimension of movement, offense, and defense. Understanding how the weapon works will allow you to edge out opponents during encounters. This article is going to run you through the basics of this new cybernetic sword so that you can best your opponent’s next time you pick it up.
The Kinetic Blade is an epic rarity weapon that can be found on sword stands in the new POIs introduced this season, or in chests (including holo-chests). The weapon has two attacks, the left click performs two slashes, the first one dealing 35 damage and the second dealing 70 and knocking enemies back. When right-clicking, the user charges a large slash that moves the player forward in the direction of their crosshair. This slash deals 60 damage and stores three charges, with each charge having a 10-second cooldown. Colliding with any structures immediately halts the dash, even if the structure breaks.
One of the most important aspects of the Kinetic Blade is the movement it provides when using it. The right-click dash attack allows you to cover a lot of ground in a short amount of time. Additionally, you can get a lot of vertical distance in the air as well. When you are airborne and you use the dash, it slows down your fall, allowing you to gain a lot of height. In addition to this, after you use a dash, you become immune to fall damage until you land, further adding to the distance covered if used in unison with a jump of a tall building.
One thing to note is, unlike the Shockwave Hammer, you cannot hold more than one Kinetic Blade in your inventory, and you cannot double up on the dashes. However, if you drop your current Kinetic Blade with no charges and pick up a new one, the cooldowns of the dashes will be reset, unlike the Shockwave Hammer, where picking up a new one would still place it on cooldown if you had exhausted the previous charges. This allows for strategy in tight scenarios where there are plenty of blades to go around and you need a quick escape after exhausting the charges on your current one.
When using the Kinetic Blade offensively it is important to note that it is best used in unison with the other weapons in your kit and not a stand-alone weapon due to the range limits it has. Instead, it is best to use the blade for initiating fights with the dash. If the dash lands it deals 60 damage, so following it up with a shotgun renders opponents weak in a very short amount of time. This provides you with a good opportunity to finish them off with an SMG or other close ranged option. Following up a landed dash attack with a left click is also another great option. If all hits land it will deal 165 damage as well as knock back opponents, allowing you to clean the fight up with an SMG or Rifle.
If initiating a close-range fight is not an option and you have a sniper or another long-range weapon, that is not a problem either. Landing a few rifle shots or a sniper shot first may be a better option for you. This allows you to ensure an advantage before taking any fights, then closing in on the distance with the dash that the blade has. Once in range, finishing an opponent up with the left click slash shouldn’t be an issue, especially if you landed the dash attack on them after your initial shots from a distance.
At times, the best offense is a good defense, and the Kinetic Blade is versatile in that it allows for quick exits from unfavorable situations. In Fortnite, it is a regular occurrence to get pincered by a third party in fights, especially after you are just finished with one and you are at your most vulnerable moment. If you find yourself in this situation and you have a Kinetic Blade in your inventory, the best option for you is to just dash away and create as much distance as possible. Using all three dashes at once creates more space than most people think, especially if you are in an area with a lot of buildings and houses to escape to and reset. Just keep in mind that the Kinetic Blade is a common item despite its rarity so be prepared to get chased down if your opponent happens to also have one.
If you find yourself losing a fight that you initiated using the left, click slash attack is a good way to get an enemy off you since the second slash knocks them back. After knocking them back you can make your escape by dashing away. Another important thing to note is that both of the blade’s attacks deal damage to structures. If you find yourself in a fight indoors and you are losing, you can destroy any walls with the blade and then quickly escape without having to switch between your harvesting tool and the blade. This is especially useful in tall buildings since using a dash gives you immunity to fall damage, allowing you to destroy the wall and dash out without taking more damage in addition to the fight.
The Kinetic Blade is a fun and very useful weapon from this new season of Fortnite and provides a great addition to anyone’s loadout if they stumble upon one. Providing an array of opportunities for players, the weapon proves to be useful in a multitude of scenarios. Hopefully, this explanation has helped you understand the item more and you go on to use it in future matches!
