Which of the Fortnite STW subclasses will work best for you?
No matter if you’re an experienced or beginner player of Fortnite STW, you’ll know that there are so many different ways of playing the game. Not only are you able to use a huge range of weapons to complete missions, the game’s four classes (as we explored in detail in our Fortnite STW classes guide) allow you to play with Heroes who take on a role that are most aligned to your playing style.
However, that’s not all! As well as fitting into a specific class, each Fortnite STW Hero is assigned a subclass that makes them better suited to particular functions. In this guide, we will look at the numerous subclasses that are associated with Soldiers, Constructors, Outlanders and Ninjas, assessing their strengths and abilities to help you make more informed decisions on the Heroes that you choose to play with and include in your squads.
The list of Fortnite STW subclasses is an extensive one, so let’s dive straight in!
Undeniably, Soldiers are the most popular class in Fortnite Save the World. Your typical shooters, Soldiers are the most effective class to play with when it comes to ranged combat and the use of guns, most specifically Assault Rifles, Shotguns, Pistols, Sniper Rifles, Explosive Weapons, as well as grenades. A great option for damage per second (DPS), Soldiers are great all-rounders that are one of the easier classes to play with. The specific subclasses of a Soldier are as follows:
The Berserker is a subclass that thrives on hand-to-hand, short-ranged combat. Regardless of the situation, these Heroes make sure that they are a part of the fight. With quick health regeneration and stacking damage, Berserkers are an excellent option if you are looking for aggressiveness in your Hero.
Soldiers of the Bullet Storm subclass make use of weapons with large magazine sizes to quicken the speed of their attacks and to wipe out numerous enemies at once. These Heroes are most effective from medium to long range.
The Centurion Soldier Hero subclass is a motivator to the squad. They can significantly boost the amount of damage that their squad is capable of dealing by utilising the Debilitating Shots and War Cry Hero abilities.
Cobalt Commando is a subclass available to Soldier Heroes that prioritises affliction and technical abilities, two traits that are incredibly effective when it comes to mowing down enemies using Pistols in both hands.
Commandos are best from short and medium ranges. With their powerful Goin’ Commando ability, they are able to shell bullet after bullet at enemies out of their minigun. Impressive damage increases and the ability to knock back husks make the Commando an excellent choice - they are everything you want from a Soldier.
Demolishers are capable of regenerating their Frag Grenades quicker than any other subclass. Because of their remarkable ability to clear multiple enemies at once, they are a top choice for crowd control.
Double Agent soldiers are highly proficient at using dual Pistols due to their Lefty and Righty ability. When Soldiers of this subclass defeat an enemy using these guns, the cooldown of the ability is reduced. Shots from these weapons are also capable of knocking back enemies!
Soldiers of the Master Grenadier subclass are extremely skilled with explosives, most specifically grenades. When a Master Grenadier uses the Frag Grenades ability, damage, area of effect and ammo are all increased, and cooldown is decreased.
Nevermore is a shadow-looking, specific Mythic hero who uses dual pistols to magnificent effect. War Cry is a favourite of this Hero - an ability that increases the damage that a squad is able to deal, as well as their attack speed.
Soldiers of the Raider subclass are most effective at close quarters combat, most specifically, when using Shotguns and Frag Grenades.
Rescue Troopers are great all-rounders, as they have great survivability and ammo efficiency, and they are well-suited to Assault Rifles, the most popular weapon type in the game. The first subclass you will come across in Fortnite STW, Rescue Trooper Soldiers also use the Frag Grenades, Shockwave and Goin’ Commando abilities. The quintessential Soldier!
A Sergeant is a subclass of the Soldier class that uses the Goin' Commando ability alongside the War Cry ability to increase its effectiveness.
Another frequent user of the Goin’ Commando ability is the Shock Trooper, but this specific Soldier subclass also makes great use of the Shockwave and Debilitating Shots abilities. The main focus of Shock Troopers is knocking back enemies.
Soldiers of the Special Forces subclass are masters with Assault Rifles, as they are able to hold more ammo and shoot more accurately with their reduced recoil. When using the War Cry ability, their cooldown is shorter than that of most other subclasses.
As the name suggests, Soldiers of the Support Specialist subclass are supporters of their squads - they make great use of the War Cry ability, which allows other members to deal more damage.
Survivalists are all about their own healing - when they defeat husks, their own wounds will be healed! Due to their ability to cure themselves, Survivalist Soldiers are extremely durable.
Urban Assault Soldiers are best from medium to long range, as they are most proficient at using Assault Rifles, Sniper Rifles and Frag Grenades. Not only are they able to deal masses of damage using these rifles, getting a headshot with a Soldier of this subclass will lead to increased attack speed.
As is made obvious by their name, Constructors excel at building and defending structures, an integral element of Fortnite Save the World. Not only do they make great builders, Constructors are more than capable of taking a lot of damage, as they have the highest base Health and Shield of all of the classes in the game. Extremely proficient at crowd control, they deal mainly with heavier weapons, such as Melee Weapons like axes, hammers and clubs, and larger Explosive Weapons, such as Rocket Launchers. Constructors’ specific subclasses consist of the following:
Constructors with the BASE subclass make great use of B.A.S.E. - an ability that summons a device that both reinforces all structures attached to it with additional armour and allows them to deal energy damage against enemies when they engage with it. The Bull Rush ability is also big with BASE Constructors; Bull Rush propels the Constructor forwards, during which they knock back and deal damage to husks.
Controllers are a subclass of the Constructor class that have an upgrade to the DECOY ability. As opposed to simply attracting attention from enemies, these advanced DECOYs deal damage to husks. Not only that, but enemies can be attracted from longer distances, and the cooldown of this ability will be shorter.
Demolitionists are specialists at crowd control. These Constructors can deal more damage when using Explosive Weapons, and use the DECOY, B.A.S.E., and Bull Rush abilities to great effect.
Constructors of the Electro-pulse subclass have a more advanced B.A.S.E. and Plasma Pulse. Plasma Pulse is an ability that allows the Constructor to deploy a device which projects plasma at enemies.
Guardians, like the majority of other Constructor subclasses, use B.A.S.E. and DECOY excellently in their efforts to eliminate husks. However, Guardians are unique in that they are proficient users of Exit Plan, an ability that increases their speed and the critical hit rate of blunt Melee Weapons.
Much like BASE Constructors, Constructors of the Heavy BASE subclass deal more damage when using B.A.S.E. and DECOY.
As the name implies, Hotfixers are great at fixing things! Hotfixers both build and repair fort defences faster than any other subclass. Their B.A.S.E. repairs walls automatically, and they also have numerous perks that allow them to generate new resources on a regular basis.
Melee attacks are the sweet spot of Constructors of the Kinetic Beats subclass. These Constructors have a buff to their melee abilities, making them excellent options for short range, close-quarters combat.
When using a Machinist, your Traps will be significantly improved - their durability will increase, as will the damage they are able to output, and their reload rate. Any structure connected to their B.A.S.E. will also receive a buff - damage, connectivity and health will all be increased.
MEGABASE Constructors have significant improvements to their B.A.S.E. When using this subclass, your B.A.S.E. will be the largest, deal the most damage, and provide the most strength to its connected structures out of all of the other Constructor subclasses.
When using a Constructor of the Plasma Specialist subclass, you will be able to use Plasma Pulse to the best of its ability. The enhancements it receives as a result of using this subclass are a decreased cooldown time, increased damage, and a faster regeneration of energy.
The Power BASE significantly increases the effectiveness of B.A.S.E. by giving them self-repairing walls and the ability to generate resources. They also feature increased damage resistance, damage reflection and connectivity. However, they are not one-trick ponies! DECOY and Plasma Pulse are also both used extensively by Power BASE Constructors.
Riot Control Constructors know how to take care of crowds! DECOY and Plasma Pulse are favourites of this Constructor subclass - both abilities have been buffed to effectively handle numerous enemies at once.
Another crowd control specialist, Constructors of the Sentinel class attract clusters of enemies to their DECOY and use Plasma Pulse to wipe them out in a pinch.
Tanks are skilled at using Melee Weapons, most specifically those that are blunt, such as hammers and clubs. When these constructors knock back and stagger enemies, Kinetic Overload is triggered, an ability that deals Energy damage.
The effectiveness of Plasma Pulse is a defining feature of Vintage-Tech Constructors. Not only can these Heroes deal greater damage with this ability, they also create zones with their plasma projectiles that can affect numerous husks at once.
Wardens regenerate the health of themselves and that of their squad members when they are standing in the team’s B.A.S.E. Also, whenever a Warden is engaging in melee combat, their health will be gradually increasing.
When it comes to collecting resources, Outlanders are the best class to play with by a long shot. They carry with them numerous abilities that make the harvesting process easier, but the specialities of an Outlander are not limited to resource collection. The large majority of damage dealt by Heroes of this class will come from the TEDDYs or Shock Towers that they deploy - these are external contraptions that fight on behalf of the hero. However, Pistols are a great option for the large majority of Outlander subclasses. If you choose to play with a Hero of this type, you have the following options at your disposal:
Outlanders of the Enforcer subclass can summon a TEDDY that is more powerful than that of the other Outlander classes - it will deal more damage and fire over greater distances. Not only that, but this Outlander subclass uses the Anti-Material Charge ability, which is mainly used for destroying structures, as well as Phase Shift, which propels the player forwards, and In the Zone, which increases the amount of damage that can be dealt with a pickaxe.
Flash Outlanders are extremely fast! They punch through enemies and structures that stand in their way, stunning and eliminating them as they go.
Outlanders of the Gunblazer subclass are all about combat. Their Shock Towers, TEDDYs, and abilities to fire Pistols and discover ammo are all upgraded further than that of other Outlanders.
Resource collection is at the top of the Pathfinder’s list of priorities. By using the In the Zone ability, Outlanders of this subclass move about the map with ease, harvesting loot that they intelligently spot using the Keen Eyes ability. Increased pickaxe damage is also a definite plus!
Another fast-moving Outlander, Phase Scouts use Phase Shift and In The Zone to explore all four corners of the map ridiculously quickly and deal more damage when using a pickaxe.
Rangers also move very quickly from resource to resource, but that’s not all! Outlander Heroes of the Ranger subclass excel at using pistols, with their additional critical damage and hit damage.
Reclaimers have the unique ability to build Charge Fragments by defeating enemies. These Fragments can be used for TEDDY, Loot Llamas, and Shock Towers.
If you are on the hunt for resources, Recon Scout is the Outlander subclass for you. By using both Phase Shift and Keen Eyes, these types of Outlanders make the harvesting of loot (even rare loot!) quick and efficient.
Drop Shock Towers on enemies by opting to use a Shock Gunner. These types of Outlanders use Phase Shift to quickly dip in and out of combat, during which they deal devastating damage with Shotguns.
Shock Specialists similarly drop Shock Towers on enemies to incredible effect. Phase Shift also allows these types of Outlanders to move around quickly and easily.
When it comes to melee combat, Strikers are an obvious choice. Anti-Material Charge allows them to blast through structures with a single punch, which is especially useful when harvesting materials. However, structures are not the only things that will feel the force of this ability - enemies will too!
Outlanders of the T.E.D.D. Shot subclass are most effective from further away - from medium to long range. When using one of these Heroes, headshots reap rewards; a T.E.D.D. Shot’s Eye on the Prize ability grants 1 Charge Fragment for every 15 headshot kills, and their Precision Handling ability quickens reload speed with every headshot.
Trailblaster Outlanders effectively slow and stun enemies using Shock Tower and TEDDY, giving them an opportunity to rain shots down on them from a distance.
Like Trailblasters, Trailblazer Outlanders mainly use Shock Towers, TEDDYs, and Anti-Material Charges by using the Fragments that they find throughout the map, but the focus of this particular subclass is to eliminate husks outright as opposed to slowing or stunning them beforehand.
Outlanders of the Vanguard subclass use Phase Shift to rapidly travel across the map, and Anti-Material Charges and Shock Towers to quickly and efficiently eliminate enemies.
An Outlander subclass that is equally rapid and powerful, the Wild Fragment subclass can amass numerous Fragments with ease. These collected Fragments allow the Outlander to place TEDDYs in an effort to control crowds effectively.
Heroes of the Ninja class are naturally gifted with quick movement, making it easy for them to jump in and out of combat at will. Extremely proficient at hand-to-hand combat, Ninjas earn their stripes through the use of Melee Weapons. But there’s more! These types of Heroes carry many innate abilities that allow them to put out strong DPS from afar using Throwing Stars. If your style of play is one that favours fast-paced combat, this is the option for you. These subclasses you can play with if you opt for a Ninja hero are as follows:
Ninjas of the Alchemist subclass are healing extraordinaires! With the ability to rapidly regenerate their own health and that of their teammates, Alchemists make excellent teammates.
Highly skilled in melee combat, Assassins use Assassination to increase the amount of damage they deal with Melee Weapons. They can jump higher than all of the other Ninja subclasses, and their Dragon Slash ability enables them to thrust themselves further forward while unleashing a powerful melee attack.
Increased damage with swords mean that Ninjas of the Brawler subclass can stun enemies with their Crescent Kicks before eliminating them.
Deadly Blade Ninjas can deal devastating critical damage against enemies when using swords up close. Their Throwing Star attacks from afar are also a force to be reckoned with!
If you’re looking to stealthily creep up on enemies, there really is no better choice than the Dim Mak subclass. These types of Ninjas use Smoke Bomb (with a reduced cooldown) and an enhanced Shadow Stance and Dragon Slash to allow them to take husks by surprise.
Ninjas of the Dragon subclass can deal with large amounts of enemies quickly and effectively with their Throwing Stars and buffed Dragon Slash ability. Shadow Stance and Shadowier Stance add to their survivability and resistance.
As the name implies, Energy Thieves regenerate energy almost as quickly as they expend it! These Ninjas are significantly skilled at melee combat - this expertise is increased all the more by their ability to use more Dragon Slash due to their energy regeneration.
When it comes to selecting a weapon for your Explosive Assassin, swords are the obvious choice. Not only do these blade-focussed Ninjas deal impressive damage with sharp weapons, they are capable of slowing enemies as they move towards you with Smoke Bombs.
Fleetfoot Ninjas are incredibly mobile - they can travel across the map with ease using both Mantis Leap and Dragon Slash. These abilities allow them to quickly jump in and out of combat, dealing damage with melee weapons up close, and with Throwing Stars from a distance.
As you may be able to infer from the name, Ninjas of the Harvester subclass are most effective when using scythes. As is the case with other Ninjas, Smoke Bomb and Shadow Stance aid Harvesters in combat.
If spears are your weapons of choice, you are going to want to use a Piercing Lotus Ninja. These weapons, coupled with their ability to use Crescent Kick and Smoke Bomb, make Ninjas of the Piercing Lotus subclass the perfect choice for crowd control. They are extremely effective from range also, with their ability to throw Corrosive Stars at enemies.
Ninja Heroes of the Shuriken Master subclass are most effective when used from afar, due to their focus on rapidly using Throwing Stars and Smoke Bombs to defeat enemies.
Skirmishes combine the best of both sides of a Ninja - close and mid-range combat! Up close, they can deal incredible damage with swords, or with their Dragon Slash and Crescent Kick abilities. However, Throwing Stars allow them to deal impressive damage from a distance, too.
Stonefoot Heroes are another of the Ninja subclasses mainly aimed at crowd control. These Ninjas combine their advanced sword-wielding powers with their Smoke Bomb, Shadow Stance and Crescent Kick abilities to deal imposing, stun-inducing damage against enemies.
Swordmaster Ninjas are most effective with - you guessed it - swords! This subclass use their sword mastery alongside their Shadow Stance, Assassination, Five Winds Cut and Dragon Slash abilities to raise the bar on the damage that they can deal with swords.
The clue’s in the name, The Cloaked Star subclass can be incredibly effective at both long and short ranges due to their ability to use Throwing Stars.
Thunderstrike Ninjas use Crescent Kick to masterful effect. They have an innate proficiency in damaging enemies that have been subdued in some way, whether that be stunned, staggered or knocked back. They are super effective when engaging in combat up close!
With so many Fortnite STW subclasses at your fingertips, the possibilities are (almost) endless! It’s clear to see that some subclasses are better equipped to carry out certain functions than others, so be sure to take note of this when making a decision on which Heroes you would like to play with and which you’d like to incorporate into your Squads.
We hope this guide has been helpful and has allowed you to learn more about the wide range of Heroes that you have at your disposal.
Thank you for reading - we’ll see you on the battlefield!