Fortnite Explosives Guide: All Grenades, Rocket Launchers, More

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In Fortnite, there are two main aspects of gameplay: building and survival. In terms of building, there are forts and various structures that players create. The best way to take these down is with explosives. The Fortnite explosives guide includes all of the various weaponry in this category that you should know about.

In this Fortnite explosives guide, I will let you know about all of the different types of explosives in the game. From grenades to rocket launchers and even event weapons, here are all of the explosives that you should know about. Let’s get started.

Bottom Line Up Front

There are two main categories of Fortnite explosive weapons. The first is the grenades. These are the throwable items you can send off to go and blow up something or someone. They are different from standard weapons since they are typically only usable once. The second is the explosive weapons themselves that are usually like rocket launchers. These have ammo and can be used multiple times in a row. Both have their uses and functions, especially since grenades are more common. Here are all of the grenades and explosive weapons to ever release in Fortnite:

  • Grenade
  • Batarang
  • Boogie Bomb
  • Bottle Rockets
  • Chiller Grenade
  • Clinger
  • Decoy Grenade
  • Dynamite
  • Impulse Grenade
  • Paper Bomb Kunai
  • Remote Explosive
  • Proximity Mine
  • Shockwave Grenade
  • Smoke Grenade
  • Stink Bomb
  • Rocket Launcher
  • Grenade Launcher
  • Guided Missile
  • Egg Launcher
  • Plasma Cannon
  • Proximity Grenade Launcher
  • Pumpkin Launcher
  • Recycler
  • Spire Assassin’s Recycler
  • Quad Launcher
  • Burst Quad Launcher
  • Shockwave Launcher
  • Kit’s Shockwave Launcher
  • Snowball Launcher
  • The Big Chill
  • Alien Knockgun Launcher
  • Chitauri Energy Launcher

What Are Fortnite Explosives?

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For starters, Fortnite explosives come down to their purpose. They are meant to blow up someone or something, which is what they are there for. They are intended to deal significant damage all at once and usually within a decently-sized area. Explosives are, without a doubt, the bane of many structures’ existences.

This can help to destroy player-built fortresses and render them vulnerable. In addition, they also deal loads of damage to players themselves, making them a great way of downing someone in battle instantly.

Regardless of what you are trying to do with an explosive, they are a valuable part of the battle royale experience. In the end, they come down to only two types of Fortnite explosives in the entire game, and they are the grenades and explosive weapons. Here’s what you should know about each of them.

Grenades vs Explosive Weapons

When it comes to grenades, they are throwable items. There is a distinct difference between throwable items and weapons. Items are meant to be used typically once. They still take up a slot of your inventory, and you can have stacks of them, but each item is single-use.

However, explosive weapons, on the other hand, are like guns in that they have ammo. You can replenish this ammo and keep using the same weapon repeatedly. They are relatively rare, though, and challenging to find. Worse still, the rocket ammo is also pretty rare among ammo types.

Both the grenades and explosive weapons have their pros and cons to them. Grenades are easy to use and easy to find on the battlefield. But they are limited in use and can be tame at times compared to weapons. That said, they are great for quickly needing an explosive to bust a hole through someone’s defenses.

When it comes to explosive weapons, they are hard to find and sometimes hard to use. However, they are mighty and can let you reuse them in a match. They will devastate structures and players, allowing you to blow someone up in an instant.

All Fortnite Grenades Explained

To help you know about all of the explosives in Fortnite, we will break down all grenades. This includes every single explosive throwable item ever to be released. From the traditional to the straight-up weird and whacky, here are all of the grenades in Fortnite’s history.

Grenade

Grenade

Starting off this list, there is one item that should be mentioned first, and that is the grenade. This is the most basic form of throwable explosives in Fortnite. The original grenade was one of the first items to be released in the battle royale game.

It even came out before the first season did. The grenade works mostly how you would expect it to. It deals moderate damage in terms of explosives, and it is easy enough to use. You simply hold it in your hands and then aim like you are aiming down the sights.

This will show you the arc that the grenade will go in. Throw it where you desire, and it will blow up in a few seconds. There is no way to cook the regular Fortnite grenade. In my opinion, it is one of the least valuable explosives since it is easily avoided, and the damage is just alright. But it set the foundation for better weapons later on.

Batarang

The explosive Batarang was a special event weapon in Fortnite for a limited time. It functions mainly like the proximity mine (more on that in a bit) with its design. Players can throw the Batarang, and it will stick to a surface.

From there, the explosive will wait until someone comes near it to explode. It deals some decent damage overall. If necessary, you can pick up this explosive again. This is great if you realize that there are no players nearby and want to save it for later. The explosive Batarang is great for traps.

Boogie Bomb

There is no explosive weapon in Fortnite that is more iconic than the boogie bomb. It is so famous and beloved that it even inspired an entire song around it. First released in the original Season 2, it was an instant meme and favorite among players.

The boogie bomb has a striking design to it, looking like a disco ball grenade. However, it has no explosive damage to it at all. Instead, it is a status effect item that will cause a status change on the affected players. When you throw it, it will “explode” and let out some music.

If someone is within a decently large radius, they will start dancing without stopping. They cannot do any other actions while they are dancing for five seconds. This makes them vulnerable to your attacks since they are defenseless. However, they can start attacking again if you hit them first. The boogie bomb is strange, wild, and fun.

Bottle Rockets

Bottle Rockets

The bottle rockets came out in the first Season 7. They are strange weapons that you throw down like they are fireworks. They will then launch bottle rockets in an arc over a distance. They deal minor damage. However, there are so many of them that you could do a lot of damage with just one bottle rocket item.

Unfortunately, it is hard to judge where the bottle rockets will go. This makes them one of the more challenging items to use in the game. That said, they are best for destroying lots of structures at once. It is not necessary for taking out players. To this point, bottle rockets have only been in the first chapter of Fortnite. However, with some changes in the backend, it is only a matter of time until they return someday.

Chiller Grenade

The chiller grenade is another item that is not necessarily just for dealing damage to enemies. Released in the original Season 7, the chiller grenade is meant for causing a status effect to players like the boogie bomb. When you throw it, it will blow up over a radius.

The players in that radius will not take any damage, but they will have their feet frozen. With frozen feet, it will be harder for them to control their movement. They will run faster, but they will also slide around and be difficult to control.

The chiller grenade is not super helpful, but it can confuse enemies. And if you master moving with frozen feet, it can even be great for using yourself to slide away from the storm. The chiller grenade has rarely been in Fortnite, but it did appear recently in Chapter 3 for a limited time.

Clinger

Clinger

The clinger is a uniquely named explosive, but it is just a sticky grenade. When you throw this item, it will stick to a player or other surface. After a few seconds, it will explode and deal some severe damage to whatever it was touching.

This can even include players so you can stick the clinger to them and possibly down them in one go. However, there is a way to avoid the clinger if it sticks to you. All you need to do is use an emote of any kind, and the clinger will fall down, allowing you to run away before it explodes.

The clinger first released in the first Season 3. It was only in Chapter 1 until most recently when it was unvaulted for Chapter 3, Season 1. It is still currently in the game at the time of this post.

Decoy Grenade

The decoy grenade is exactly what it sounds like. If you throw this grenade, it does not deal damage on its own. Instead, what it does is summon a decoy of yourself. They look exactly like you with the same skins and everything like that.

The difference is that they are not you and are temporary copies for a short period. They will always have a weapon already in their possession like an assault rifle or shotgun. They will try to act like a real player, running around and trying to attack enemies.

The purpose of the decoy grenade is to distract enemies so that you can get the drop on them. The decoy itself will only stick around for about 10 seconds or until they are eliminated; whichever comes first. The decoy grenade was only available in Chapter 2, Seasons 2 and 3.

Dynamite

Dynamite has a distinct look to it, looking like those classic red sticks of dynamite. The idea with this weapon is to throw it but the catch is that it does not go far. You cannot throw it too far away from you so it is meant to be used in closer ranges.

The other problem with the dynamite is that it deals little damage to other players. Because of this, the main idea for this weapon is to destroy structures in close range. It takes five seconds to explode once thrown but you can cook it in your hand ahead of time. Just don’t hold onto it for too long or throw it too close to you.

The dynamite was only available in Chapter 1. It was available starting from Season 6 and it left in Season 9.

Impulse Grenade

Impulse Grenade

The impulse grenade is another explosive throwable item that is not meant for direct damage. It is a staple that has been featured in many seasons to date. When thrown, it will knock back any players that are caught in its radius. This includes both friendly and enemy players, and even the one who throws it.

This makes the impulse grenade useful for a variety of situations. If someone goes high up in the air and hits the ground, they will still have fall damage. In that way, you could use it to blow an enemy off a cliff and take them out.

But you could also use it just to put some distance between you and the enemy. You can even just use it on yourself to help you clear a gap or get to a higher point. The impulse grenade arrived in Chapter 1, Season 2 and its last appearance was in Chapter 2, Season 3 where it was vaulted seemingly for good.

Paper Bomb Kunai

The paper bomb kunai is a special event explosive item from recently. It was introduced in Chapter 2, Season 8 during the Naruto event. Modeled after the manga and anime series, this item is a ninja-themed explosive. How it works is that it will stick to a surface, much like a clinger, and explode after a few seconds.

But it can also blow up without touching a surface if it is close enough to an enemy player and can even lock onto them. It was only available during the Naruto event and left with the conclusion of the season and chapter. It is possible that it could return someday if there is another Naruto or Boruto event.

Remote Explosive

Remote Explosive

The remote explosive is largely similar to the explosive batarang. This standard explosive can stick to a surface or a vehicle. When it does, the player is able to detonate the remote explosive whenever they want. They can wait until a player comes by or gets into a car, for instance.

The remote explosive deal some serious damage to structures and vehicles so it is best for destroying that. It first released in the original Season 3 and then left the game for seemingly good in Chapter 2, Season 3.

Proximity Mine

The proximity mine is fairly similar to the remote explosive. They both stick to surfaces and/or vehicles in the game. However, the difference is that you cannot manually activate the proximity mine. Instead, it focuses on automatically going off when a player approaches it.

It can also go off if you damage it like shooting it from afar. In addition, it deals some decent damage and will mark players who are hit by it. So, even if they are not finished off by the proximity mine, you can find them and finish the job. The proximity mine has had a short life, only being available in Chapter 2, Season 2. It is due for a return in the near future.

Shockwave Grenade

The shockwave grenade is almost entirely the same as the impulse grenade. They both focus on throwing any players back who end up in its radius. However, the difference is when it comes to fall damage. Unlike the impulse grenade, it will not deal any fall damage to the affected player no matter how far they fall.

This makes it more useful for moving around the map and escaping the storm. This is also likely why it has a much longer staying power in the game. It first came out in Chapter 1, Season 5 and its last appearance was in Chapter 2, Season 6. It is bound to come back in the near future, in my opinion.

Smoke Grenade

Smoke Grenade

The smoke grenade is nothing too special. It does exactly what smoke grenades do in other games. You throw it and it explodes, dealing no damage but creating a lot of smoke. This will make it hard to see through a particular area for a little while.

The problem is that the smoke grenade has little use in a large open island game like Fortnite. You can also see players in the smoke using any weapon that has a thermal scope. These downfalls are likely why the smoke grenade has only appeared in a few seasons during the first chapter. It has not shown up since then.

Stink Bomb

Finally for the grenades, we have the stink bomb. There are similarities to the smoke grenade in that it explodes and lets loose a cloud in a general radius. Unlike the smoke bomb, though, it does deal damage. It deals damage over time to enemies and deals it directly to their health. Even if they have shields, their HP will go down like with the storm.

The stink bomb is a much more useful version of the smoke bomb in a way. It came out in the first Season 4 and its last appearance was in Chapter 2, Season 4. It will likely come back, in my opinion, as it is a fairly useful explosive.

All Fortnite Explosive Weapons

Now, it’s time to move to the other half of the equation. We are going to break down all of the explosive weapons to ever be released in Fortnite. For the most part, these are launchers of some kind. Again, though, like grenades, Epic Games certainly showed its creative side with these weapons. Here are all of the explosive weapons to ever be in battle royale.

Rocket Launcher

Rocket Launcher

Another iconic weapon in Fortnite is the basic rocket launcher. From its memes to crazy videos of someone riding a missile out of the storm, it is a beloved explosive weapon. The rocket launcher shoots out one rocket at a time and the missile is rather slow. As such, it is mostly useful for destroying structures and players inside with heavy damage.

Grenade Launcher

The grenade launcher is a weapon that shoots out grenades. These are normal grenades that explode after just a moment. The grenades will shoot in an arc and will explode. I’m not a huge fan of the grenade launcher but it has its uses. It came out before the first season and it’s currently in the game right now.

Guided Missile

The guided missile launcher is one of the most famous and sort of controversial weapons in the game. When you shoot this rocket launcher, the camera switches to the missile’s POV. You guide the missile manually to wherever you want. But you are vulnerable during this time. It came out in Season 3 and its final appearance was in Chapter 1, Season 7. It is not even in Creative so there is little chance of its return.

Egg Launcher

The egg launcher is an Easter egg-themed weapon. It comes out at certain times and allows you to shoot out eggs that stick to surfaces. They are like clingers, dealing damage after a period of time to whatever is nearby. It has only appeared around the springtime in the first Season 3 and Chapter 2, Season 6.

Plasma Cannon

Plasma Cannon

The plasma cannon is one of the most unique weapons in this list. You have to charge up this cannon first and then unleash a large ball. Anything that touches this ball, including players, will be damaged as it goes forward. There are five plasma balls that you can shoot and there is no way to get more ammo for it. The plasma cannon was only in Chapter 2, Season 7.

Proximity Grenade Launcher

The proximity grenade launcher is a special version of the original grenade launcher. Instead of normal grenades, it shoots out proximity ones. In practice, this means that the projectiles will automatically explode whenever they are close to an enemy. They came out in Chapter 1, Season 9 with only a few appearances since then. They were, however, in Chapter 2, Season 8.

Pumpkin Launcher

The pumpkin launcher is just a reskin of the normal rocket launcher meant for Fortnitemares Halloween event.

Recycler

The recycler is a fascinating weapon that absorbs materials and structures nearby. It then turns around and shoots them out with a powerful projectile. The recycler was only available in Chapter 2, Season 6.

Spire Assassin’s Recycler

Spire Assassin’s Recycler

The Spire Assassin’s recycler is the mythic version of the base weapon. The difference is that it has better stats overall. The only way to get it is to eliminate a Spire Assassin or another player with it.

Quad Launcher

The quad launcher is just a rocket launcher but with a powerful twist. It can shoot out four rockets in quick succession before needing to be reloaded. It is a great companion for destroying structures in almost no time.

Burst Quad Launcher

The burst quad launcher’s main difference between and the regular one is how it fires. It fires two rockets at once, making it devastating for player-built structures.

Shockwave Launcher

The shockwave launcher is a strange one. It only shoots out shockwave grenades, which deal no damage, but can knock anyone hit by the grenades back.

Kit’s Shockwave Launcher

Kit

The Kit’s shockwave launcher is similar to the original. However, it is best used for escaping the storm or launching an enemy into it.

Snowball Launcher

The snowball launcher is basically a rocket launcher but with a snowy aesthetic to it. The projectiles, however, are brought down some by gravity. Its last appearance was in Chapter 3, Season 1 for a limited time.

The Big Chill

The Big Chill shoots out what are essentially chiller grenades without being grenades. Anyone hit by it will not take damage but will have frozen feet. It first came out in Chapter 2, Season 5 where it was only available in that season as an exotic weapon.

Alien Knockgun Launcher

The alien knockgun launcher was introduced in Chapter 2, Season 7 where it was only available thus far. This one shoots out an energy ball that deals minor damage. The main function is to knock back enemies and stun them temporarily. This stun does not work on the player who shoots the launcher.

Chitauri Energy Launcher

Chitauri Energy Launcher

Finally, the last launcher that we have in this guide is the Chitauri energy launcher. This unique weapon is most similar to the proximity grenade launcher. What it does is shoot out projectiles that will explode when close to an enemy.

The bonus is that it has unlimited ammo and no reloading or overheating. This means that the player can shoot as much as they want nonstop if they’d like. However, this energy launcher was only available in Chapter 1, Season 8 during the Avengers Endgame limited time mode and event.

FAQs

Question: What is the best explosive in Fortnite?

Answer: As always, the best explosive in Fortnite is going to be a topic that will differ for every player. That said, I will give you some of my options for what I think are the best explosives in the game. For this purpose, I will break up the best grenade and explosive weapon.
For grenades, the best one comes down to the boogie bomb. There is nothing like this grenade and it takes the idea of a throwable weapon in such a great way. The fact that you can stop a player from fighting back for a little bit is invaluable. The fact that they dance? Even better.
For the explosive weapons, I have a more traditional pick for what I think is the best in this category. While I like the novelty of the recycler, it is a weapon that is not too useful for me. Instead, I would go with the quad launcher. This beast shoots four rockets, instead of just one, and that power cannot be understated.

Question: Do grenades count as explosive weapons in Fortnite?

Answer: Yes, they usually do. If you are asking this because of the challenges in Fortnite that request you to get explosive weapon eliminations, you are good to go. You can use either grenades or the launchers themselves to get this challenge done.

Question: How do you get explosive weapon eliminations?

Answer: In general, getting explosive weapon eliminations require you to use either a grenade or launcher. Either one will count towards most of these missions. You will just want to pick the one that works best for you (or that you can find) and try to eliminate players. Launchers are a bit easier, in my opinion, to get eliminations with but you can use grenades, too.

Conclusion

The Fortnite explosives are some of the most crucial and underrated parts of the meta. They may not be as common as assault rifles and shield potions, but they are equally important. After all, the explosives are literally the flashiest part of the entire battle royale game.

However, explosives are only one part of the equation. This guide covered them from head-to-toe but this is only one area. If you would like to know more about other weapons in Fortnite, we’ve got you covered. Be sure to read our overall Fortnite weapons guide to see every weapon category in the entire game in detail.

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