How to build and box fight in Fortnite

Mastering some basics in Fortnite is not a cup of tea, especially when it comes to building and box fighting.

Box fights have always been notorious for having high-skill ceilings. And fans of the battle royale are often dismayed at how difficult the learning curve for it is.

So, what makes and breaks a good box fight player? In this guide, the focus will be on some basics that gamers need to keep in mind.

Fortnite is primarily a building game with a battle royale dynamic. This makes it unique and separates it from every other popular free-to-play game from the genre.

Unlike other games where players have to move to cover while engaging in gunfights, Fortnite allows them to build their own cover. This gives gamers the advantage of moving swiftly while fighting an opponent out.

The focus here is to help Fortnite players understand the difference between building materials and construct usage. Simultaneously, this article will elucidate how to win basic box fights through various situational examples.

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The basics of building in Fortnite

Fortnite gamers can use three distinct materials for building defensive constructs. They can build using wood, stone, and metal. These materials vary in structural integrity, and players have to farm them before engaging in gunfights.

There are four types of building constructs that can be used in Fortnite: walls, floors, stairs, cones. Combining them strategically allows players to defend themselves from opponents.

Simultaneously, gamers can add traps to their builds to catch opponents off-guard when they try to enter these constructs forcefully.

When players build these constructs in Fortnite, it takes a while for the materials to reach their peak HP (Hit Points). In other words, these three materials have different structural capacities when it comes to defensive measures.

Thus, gamers have to be extensively decisive with their choice of material, depending on the situation. These three materials vary in functionality, and their usage depends entirely on the player's discretion.

Before getting into the situational varieties, it is best to know these three materials' structural capability in Fortnite.

• Wood - 100 (min HP)/200 (max HP)
• Stone - 90 (min HP)/300 (max HP)
• Metal - 80 (min HP)/400 (max HP)

The minimum and maximum HP of these materials are contributing factors in the outcome of box fights. This means Fortnite gamers should choose wood over stone and metal for instant cover. At the same time, choosing metal and stone during prolonged gunfights gives players the advantage.

Depending on the structural integrity of these constructs, players can farm the appropriate amount of materials to build in Fortnite.

For instance, wood and stone are structurally weaker than metal at max HP. On the contrary, metal becomes a poor choice when players need to create cover instantly, as its base HP is just 80.

For a quick example, users can imagine an opponent spraying with a standard Assault Rifle at less than 50 meters. Dealing 30 damage with 165 damage per second, the opponent will tear through metal or stone constructs. However, if the construct is made of wood, it would take him/her longer to shoot it down.

Another instance would be defending against an opponent with a Shotgun in Fortnite. If he/she shoots with a Pump Shotgun at less than 30 meters, it's best to build with wood initially.

The Pump Shotgun (common) deals 70 damage at a 0.7 fire-rate, which means players will need to build with strong minimum HP materials.

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What is box fighting in Fortnite?

Image via Sportskeeda

Box fights in Fortnite are described as situations where both players focus on getting the better of each other by coalescing construction, editing, and shooting. This means their primary focus is on getting to an advantageous position before aiming at their opponent.

Box fighting in Fortnite includes several sub-elements like editing, phasing, piece control, trapping, and so on. However, players can easily transition into these aspects if they have a basic knowledge about building in Fortnite.

As the name goes, a box fight is about building a box to avoid direct confrontation with opponents in Fortnite. This further allows players to build structures that offer a height-advantage over the enemy.

To build a box, gamers just need to place four walls around the character, with a floor on top and the bottom.

After placing these walls, they have a range of options to choose from. For instance, they can construct stairs to elevate themselves. Similarly, they can follow up with a floor and build four walls to create another box. This is the basic concept of gaining height-advantage in Fortnite.

The following examples will focus on a few 1x1 box fight situations players will often face. These are pretty straightforward and will help them grasp the basic concept of winning box fights in Fortnite.

#1 - Opponent taking the high-ground

There are situations where Fortnite players struggle when an opponent takes the high-ground.

This happens when the enemy builds a ramp and constructs a box above the ground. Naturally, this becomes an advantageous position for them. However, there are several methods to counter this.

Firstly, players have to build their own constructs before the opponent starts building. Reaction-time and quick building skills are vital components in winning these fights.

After gaining a substantial height advantage over the opponent, gamers will need to predict the enemy's position by hearing their footsteps. By doing so, they will have the advantage of placing a build before the enemy gets a chance. This is essentially the basics of piece control in Fortnite.

As soon as the construct is placed, players can edit it to enter the opponents' box and eliminate them easily.

On the contrary, they can also edit a small part of the entire construct to create an opening to aim at the enemy. This will keep them safe from any traps the opponent has placed inside their box.

There are several other methods and utilities to defeat an opponent with a height advantage. For instance, players can use the Shockwave Grenade to enter an opponent's box directly.

The fundamental idea is to counter the opponent's height advantage by building up to the same level.

#2 - Aggressive 1x1 box fights

When an opponent forcefully tries to enter a player's box in Fortnite, there are a few methods to eliminate them instantly. While they can rely on traps, gas cans, and other items, the best way to learn from a situation like this is to combine building, editing, and shooting.

If a player is hiding inside a 1x1 box (four walls on each side, two floors on top and bottom, or a cone on top), enemies will try to shoot down the walls first.

In case they breach one of the walls, it is best to construct a ramp with wood to distract them momentarily. Conversely, players can directly go in for a 50-50 gunfight.

The best building option in this situation would be to edit one side of the stairs. Players will need to rotate the stairs to confuse the enemy and then edit one side only.

Preferably, this side should be close to the enemy, as they would have to flick their mouse to relocate the crosshair. This will help players confuse the enemy and shoot them with relative ease.

To win box fights, gamers will have to practice constructing multiple boxes while gaining the height advantage over opponents. Simultaneously, predicting the enemy's position and placing builds before they get a chance should be developed in an instant motion.

There are several 1x1 and 2x2 creative maps in Fortnite that allow gamers to practice box fights with others.

The best way to improve at box fighting in Fortnite is to learn from these situations. Players can always try out the Creative mode to practice placing constructs, editing builds, and gaining piece control.

Note: This article is for beginners, as several new players often search for these tips and tricks.