Fortnite Clinger grenades receive secret buff that makes them even more powerful [UPDATED]
UPDATE – February 25 @ 3:00 PM PT
Epic Games have announced that a hotfix has been released in Fortnite that “resolved an issue that was causing Clingers to do more environmental damage than intended.” This may or may not be in relation to the “secret buff” discussed in this article.
The sticky explosive grenades in Fortnite Battle Royale known as Clingers have received a secret buff since their return, and not many people have been made aware of it yet.
Previously, the Clingers had done 100 points of damage to players’ health and/or shield, and 200 points of damage to structures, including player-built walls, ramps, etc…
Now, while the health points damage has remained at 100, the structural damage potential has been increased to 400, doubling that statistic from before.
What this means is that Clingers can be now used much more effectively when dealing with player-built structures, as a single Clinger can completely demolish a fully built wall structure (150 HP) and brick structures (300 HP)
As for metal structures, they can’t be destroyed by a single Clinger as they have 500 HP when fully built, but they can still be severely damaged to the point where a player can simply clean it up by following the explosion with a couple of weapon shots.
So, what does this mean? Fortnite expert ‘ImSpeedyGonzalez,’ who first brought this secret change to light, has also outlined a variety of different kinds of plays that players can make with Clingers and take advantage of their newfound power.
Plays include sneaking in a Pump Shotgun or another Clinger before an enemy player can rebuild their destroyed barrier, or replacing enemy controller walls with your own and then exploiting them to your advantage.
One notable defense that can be used against these new Clingers is ‘self-coning,’ which is hiding under a roof structure and repeatedly rebuilding it after its been destroyed. Apparently, the Clingers’ dropoff mechanic prevents it from harming players who use this tactic.
It’s interesting and confusing as to why Epic Games did not reveal this Clingers buff in any patch notes or separate announcement, although it certainly wouldn’t be the first time they’ve secretly adjusted things in the game without telling the player-base.
It’s yet another chapter in the controversial existence of the Clingers, who were first introduced in Season 3, nerfed several times, vaulted at the start of Season 7, then brought back later on in that same season.
What do you think of this buff to Clingers, and why do you think Epic decided to keep it a secret? Tweet us @Dexerto and share your thoughts!
