The Fortnite Port-a-Fort does exactly what it says on the tin. It is quite simply a fort that you can store in your inventory slot, and when you need to create a building quickly you just throw this out into the work and up pops a big structure for you to climb and hide inside. It’s incredibly simple, and yet it always seems that people struggle to use it well. It’s very much an item there’s a time and place for in a Fortnite match, and perhaps not one you are going to want to carry in place of some good weapons and healing options, but when used right it can quite easily turn a fight, or at least offer you that small advantage you need to go on and win the game.
And of course you can troll all of your squadmates by throwing one at their feet and seeing them fly to the top without a clue of what is going on.
That is why we have spent hours searching through chests to try and find as many Fortnite Port-a-Forts as we can, and with just a 3.3% drop chance that has proven quite the challenge in itself! But now we have returned from our lofty Port-a-Fort heights and are armed with more than a few tips to help you master the Fortnite Port-a-Fort.
Don’t rely on a Port-a-Fort for all your building needs
We must admit that when we first got our hands on a Port-a-Fort with the 3.5 patch we often relied on it a little too much when it came to building some protection during fights, especially when playing on console. If you are still struggling to build stable structures in the heat of the moment then a Port-a-Fort can be a solid way out, but really the much better option is to keep practicing your manual building skills, perhaps in Fortnite Playground Mode, and slowly but surely improve over time. This will make you a much better player overall and generally you will end up building more useful structures than a Port-a-Fort.
Always make sure it gives you the high ground
Port-a-Forts are great for giving you some good height very quickly, but they don’t always guarantee you a vertical advantage over your opponents. If another player is on elevated terrain or has built themselves a massive structure that you just can't shoot out then the Port-a-Fort might not be the best solution. Afterall it will only boost you up a short way and you’ll have to do some risky building yourself to continue to build on top of it.
If you think you need to gain some extra height try building your way up onto some higher terrain and throwing it down there. That will almost always work out much better than throwing it at your feet during a panicked moment in the middle of a valley. Of course if by some miracle you have multiple Port-a-Forts then stacking them on top of each other is a solid strategy.
Block the tire jump
Every Port-a-Fort will place some tires at the bottom that will throw anyone who touches them up to the top of the structure. When you’ve just built one or need to get back to the top that is pretty convenient, but it can also be your downfall as it makes it very easy for a foes to sneak in and quickly fly at you before you even know they are there. So to make sure that doesn't happen try placing a simple wooden floor over the part where the fort opens up at the top.
Doing this - especially in solos where you will not want to share the fort with anyone - should be the first thing you do every time you bust out a Port-a-Fort. If a foe wants to make it to you at the top level they are going to have to make some serious noise to break that floor you placed, and that should give you more than enough time to turn around and bring them down.
As an added bonus, doing this will mean that you also don’t fall down when you walk backwards trying to avoid some incoming fire, forgetting there is a massive hole right behind you.
Rebuild the Port-a-Fort
Port-a-Forts are pretty obvious targets, and while they aren’t easy to take down it doesn’t take much to destroy one of the stairs at the top where you will most likely be standing. If someone does destroy one of the sections of the top then it is certainly worth rebuilding it with metal (if you can) as quickly as possible, even if the immediate danger is not coming from that direction.
A destroyed section leaves you exposed from more angles than you would think and can spell disaster for your chances of a Victory Royale. But simply rebuilding it will at least give you some amount of cover, and protect you pretty well. Keeping your structure up after throwing it out is pretty important, as falling to the ground will usually result in a quick death.
Want more Fortnite tips? Make sure to check out our plethora of guides, including the Fortnite building guide, Fortnite landing tips and even the Fortnite llama locations.
