Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 1 has been trying its hand at adding utility items to the game. While you may be familiar with the Guardian Shield and the Shockwave Hammer, the Falcon Scout is the newest addition to the game. It’s entirely different from anything we’ve seen before in Fortnite.
This item will let you fly around and survey the battlefield while your body is left behind. The item has a limited range, so don’t expect to go scouting all the way across the map. However, if you find yourself a nice hidey hole and know there are enemies around, this little bird can seek them out and give you a distinct combat advantage.
Find The Falcon Scout
Much like anything within the loot pool, finding one of these birds is a matter of luck. They can appear as a part of floor loot, chest loot, and Oathbound chest loot. If you want to increase your chances of finding one, be sure to open every white and gold Oathbound chest you come across. These chests have the best chance of dropping the Falcon Scout, Guardian Shield, Shockwave Hammer, and Ex-Caliber Rifle.
Fly The Falcon Scout
It’s worth mentioning here that the Falcon Scout can be shot down. It only has 100 health, which makes it a pretty fragile piece of equipment. But don’t worry, if your bird gets shot down, it isn’t gone forever. You’ll have a ten-second cooldown to sit through before you can use the ability again.
Mark Enemies
There are two ways to mark enemies with the Falcon Scout. If you have a clear line of sight on the enemy, just keep your reticle on them for a second. This will ping and mark them for you and your teammates to see. Some enemies may be hiding behind walls or in a bush, making line of sight impossible. If that’s the case, move to where you think they are and fire off an area-of-effect ping. If you’re right, this will mark the enemy regardless of their cover or visibility.
Pick Up Items
When you fly up to an item, you’ll be prompted to pick the item up. This ability is extremely useful. If you spot a golden gun out in the open that seems a little too good to be true, send your bird in to retrieve it. There’s no reason to risk life and limb when your see a beautiful piece of loot sitting in a spot where you know someone will see you.
Retrieve Downed Teammates Or Reboot Cards
The Falcon Scout doesn’t just pick up items, it can pick up bodies as well! If you have a downed friend in the middle of a hot zone, go ahead and send in the Falcon Scout on a rescue mission. It might not always work out, but when it does, you and your friends will be hollering over the microphones about how cool it was. The Falcon Scout can also retrieve reboot cards just by flying through them. It doesn’t even have to carry the card back to you. So, if you have a few teammates whose cards are sitting out there among enemies, send in the bird! Even if it gets destroyed, you might retrieve the cards and be able to reboot your friends at a nearby van.
Leave Your Body In A Safe Place
It’s easy to get a little over-eager and start scouting for enemies whenever you get the chance. The most important thing to remember is that you’re leaving your body behind. Try to position yourself so that your vulnerable body isn’t left out in the open. Maybe get behind a tree or take cover in a bush. Exercise a lot of caution, because leaving your body in the wrong spot can end your match very quickly.