Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 introduced the Katana as a melee weapon class, two new SMG variants, and a high-capacity LMG, while vaulting several Season 1 weapons. The overall meta shifted toward aggressive close-to-mid-range play. This tier list ranks every weapon currently in the Season 2 loot pool from S (best-in-slot, game-warping impact) down to D (situationally viable at best). For a full overview of the season including map changes and Battle Pass, see the Fortnite Chapter 6 Season 2 hub.
S Tier | Best Weapons in the Season 2 Loot Pool
Katana (Legendary Melee)
The Katana is the Season 2 signature weapon and the strongest weapon in the current loot pool when used in the right range. It deals 75 damage per swing at legendary rarity, with a dash-slash combo that covers approximately 8 meters and deals 120 damage on a direct dash hit. It has no ammo requirement and cannot be countered by building (the dash goes through recently placed walls due to a confirmed hitbox behavior).
In close-range fights, the Katana eliminates fully-shielded players in two to three swings. The legendary variant spawns guaranteed at the Katana Shrine and as a low-probability floor loot item elsewhere. The combination of high damage, no ammo dependency, and dash range earns it an uncontested S-tier placement.
The primary counter is maintaining distance above 15 meters. The Katana user has no reliable response to sustained mid-range fire if they cannot close the gap.
Compact SMG (New, Season 2)
The Season 2 Compact SMG fires at 900 RPM with 45 damage per shot at epic rarity, giving it the highest close-range DPS of any SMG in the current pool. Magazine size is 30 rounds. Reload is 1.8 seconds. It outperforms the shotgun class in sustained spray at 0–5 meters and trades approximately even with shotguns in the burst-fire range.
It fills the SMG's traditional role as the anti-build weapon due to its structure damage multiplier (2x per bullet against placed walls), making it essential in build-mode lobbies. In no-build modes, it is slightly less dominant but still the strongest SMG available.
A Tier | Strong Weapons with Clear Use Cases
Plasma Assault Rifle (Carryover from Season 1)
The Plasma AR is the best mid-range weapon in the pool for consistent damage output. 50 damage per shot at epic, 18 rounds per magazine, 2.1-second reload. It rewards accurate burst fire and is the weapon of choice for players contesting at 20–50 meters. Its main weakness is per-magazine capacity: you can lose fights purely to reload timing if you miss more than three shots.
Heavy LMG (New, Season 2)
The new Heavy LMG has 60 rounds per magazine and deals 40 damage per shot. Its DPS is lower than the Compact SMG, but the 60-round magazine enables sustained suppression for an extended period without reload. At ranges where the SMG loses accuracy, the LMG maintains consistent chip damage.
It is particularly strong in end-circle fights where players are forced into tight positions: the LMG can pour enough chip damage onto a boxed opponent to force them out of cover before switching to a finisher. It is too heavy for aggressive push-and-dash plays, but as a second or third-slot support weapon it is A-tier without qualification.
Tactical Shotgun (Carryover, re-balanced)
The Tactical Shotgun received a damage buff in the Season 2 balance patch, bringing its base damage to 85 per shot at epic. It was borderline A/B tier at the end of Season 1. The buff elevates it firmly into A tier as the primary burst-damage option in the 0–10 meter range where the SMG is less reliable.
B Tier | Viable, Context-Dependent
Burst SMG (Season 2 Addition)
The second new SMG added this season fires in three-round bursts at 750 RPM. Per-burst damage is high, but the burst mechanic introduces a rhythm that punishes players who mistime their shots. It is outclassed by the Compact SMG in both sustained DPS and learning curve, but it has an argument as a B-tier option for players who prefer the burst-fire mechanic. Effective range is slightly longer than the Compact SMG, giving it a small window at 10–15 meters where it outperforms its counterpart.
Precision Sniper Rifle (Carryover)
The Precision Sniper deals 120 damage to the body and 250 to the head at epic rarity. It is mechanically unchanged from Season 1. Its B-tier ranking reflects the Season 2 meta, not an inherent weapon weakness: the combination of aggressive Katana rushes and SMG spam in close quarters reduces the number of opportunities to leverage long-range positioning compared to previous seasons. If you play passive and find elevation, the sniper performs at A-tier effectiveness.
Standard AR (Carryover)
The standard assault rifle is a reliable all-rounder but has been power-crept by the Plasma AR in every meaningful metric. It remains B-tier rather than C because it is significantly easier to obtain (floor loot is abundant) and requires no accuracy discipline to be functional. For casual play it is a solid choice. In competitive lobbies, the Plasma AR is strictly preferred.
C Tier | Situationally Useful
Pistol (Carryover)
The pistol is 40 damage per shot at rare rarity with a fast fire rate. It is the best emergency weapon when caught reloading a primary, but there is almost never a situation where actively running a pistol as a primary slot is optimal. Keep it until a better weapon is available, then replace it immediately.
Hunting Rifle (Carryover)
No scope, high damage (100 per shot), slow fire rate. The hunting rifle rewards mechanically skilled players who can reliably land shots without a scope. For everyone else, the Precision Sniper or even the standard AR is a more consistent choice. It is not worth dropping a Plasma AR for in most scenarios.
D Tier | Avoid or Replace Immediately
Suppressed Pistol (Carryover, nerfed)
The Suppressed Pistol received a damage nerf in the Season 2 patch, bringing it to 32 damage per shot. Its suppression mechanic (no audio cue from the firing location) had situational value in Season 1. At 32 damage per shot, the time-to-kill is too high in Season 2's aggressive meta for the suppression to matter before you are eliminated. Replace with any B-tier weapon as soon as possible.
Common SMG (Floor Loot)
The common-rarity SMG that drops as filler floor loot. It deals 28 damage per shot at common rarity. The only reason to use it is as a temporary hold before finding a Compact SMG or the Burst SMG. Do not commit a permanent inventory slot to it.
What Got Vaulted from Season 1
The following Season 1 weapons are no longer in the standard loot pool as of Season 2's launch:
- Striker Burst AR — replaced by the Plasma AR as the primary burst-fire long-range option
- Shockwave Launcher — removed from standard loot; may return in limited-time modes
- Combat Shotgun — replaced by the re-balanced Tactical Shotgun
- Twin Mag SMG — absorbed into the two new SMG additions
Ranked Loot Pool Differences
In ranked matches, the Katana spawn rate is reduced to approximately 30% of its casual-mode frequency. The Katana Shrine still guarantees a spawn in ranked play, but floor Katana drops are significantly rarer. The Heavy LMG spawn rate is also slightly reduced in ranked. Everything else is consistent with the unranked pool. See the Fortnite hub for ranked mode details and links to all other Season 2 guides. For the Battle Pass skin list, see the Chapter 6 Season 2 Battle Pass breakdown.