Fortnite battle royale players figure out how to fish for bots
The launch of Fortnite Chapter 2 introduced a number of major changes to the game, including the arrival of bots. These machine-powered opponents are generated by the game to fill matches, ensuring players are able to be placed on an island only with opponents who are around the same skill level. Also newly added to Fortnite are fishing poles, which can be used to retrieve dumb bots.READ: Fortnite Chapter 2: Five major changes you should know about
Though Epic said they'd function in a way similar to human players, it's generally very easy to spot these machine opponents in Fortnite battle royale, particularly ones in low-skill matches.
The bots have a tendency to mindlessly harvest materials, run aimlessly in building corners, and make erratic movements you wouldn't expect from a human.
Also recently added to the game is fishing, which works in a manner similar to fishing in Minecraft. Players can find barrels of fishing poles lying all over the place; they take up a backpack slot like a firearm but are only intended for use in the game's many new lakes and rivers.
It turns out that these two new additions can be combined — it's possible to 'fish' for bots by casting the lure directly on the bots. The lure will attach and allow the player to reel the bot in a decent distance before dropping them, making it possible to drag them into a trap, bring them closer to a different opponent, or simply bring them closer for an easy kill.
The capability was recently shared in a viral Fortnite video, which shows the fishing pole being used as a way to drag a bot into a trap. If nothing else, the strategy provides a silent way to eliminate the enemy without wasting any ammo.