Fortnite player proves Groot skin is pay-to-win in viral clip

Groot was introduced to Fortnite in Chapter 2 Season 4. It is an exclusive Battle Pass cosmetic item and has four styles. Although he was only added to the game in 2020, he had already stolen hearts worldwide in 2014's Guardians of the Galaxy movie.

Owing to his fame and loyalty to his crew, when the cosmetic was announced for the game, fans couldn't wait to get their hands on it. Despite the skin being time-limited, many loopers have managed to bag it and continue to use it till date. However, the skin has faced its fair share of criticism.

According to the community, Groot skin in some capacity is pay-to-win in Fortnite. Since it blends in so well with brown backgrounds, it's possible to hide in plain sight when next to a tree or cliff edge. However, as discovered by one Redditor, the skin also remains somewhat invisible even while hiding in Klomberry Bush.

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Grootberries seem to be the latest forageable item to be added to Fortnite Chapter 3

During what seemed to be the end-game of a duo’s match in Fortnite, Reddit user RevB0T was wearing the Groot skin and tried out their luck by hiding in a bush. Now, hiding or camping in bushes is not a new strategy. It's been around for years and has worked well in many situations.

Since they hide characters completely, it is possible to camp in them and stay relatively safe. However, in RevB0T's case, the player takes shelter in a Klomberry Bush. Given how small they are, it's technically impossible to stay hidden in them.

Since the character's outfit is visible, even players with tunnel vision will be able to spot this anomaly. But for some reason, it would seem that the opponents in the match that day failed to spot the player in hiding. In fact, they even walked up to Klomberry Bush and casually harvested Klomberries before returning to the fight.

It would seem that the Groot skin is indeed pay-to-win in Fortnite. Despite its brown color, it remains hidden pretty well when crouched inside a green Klomberry Bush. However, there is another plausible reason as to why the opponents failed to notice the player in the bush.

According to the community, being unable to see someone hidden in the bush is rather common. Since most players focus on moving targets, they fail to pay attention to something stationary. That being said, here are a few comical reactions from other users:

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The big question: Is Groot a pay-to-win skin in Fortnite?

While the answer would suggest an outright yes, it has a lot to do with the environment. If a fight occurs in a forested area or brown terrain, the skin can potentially give players an edge.

The moment an opponent loses sight of a player and stops moving, it can be argued that they would be well hidden and hard to spot. However, since tunnel vision and focusing only on moving targets is not something all players do, those wearing the Groot skin may not gain any edge in combat.

That said, while the skin is pay-to-win to an extent, it only works when the conditions are perfect in every way possible. Even so, this trick is unlikely to work when facing professional and seasoned players.