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This Section is about an item / mechanic that has been put in The Vault.
| “ | Explosive Weapon: Fires long-range rockets that damage enemies in an area.
|
” |
- — In-Game Description.
The Rocket Launcher is an Explosive Weapon in Fortnite: Battle Royale. It was added in the Pre-Season. During Fortnitemares, the Rocket Launcher becomes the Pumpkin Launcher.
Functionality
The Rocket Launcher shoots out a large and slow projectile. When this projectile comes in contact with a surface, or stays in the air long enough, it detonates, dealing high amounts of explosive damage. This damage can hurt the player who shot it if they're too close, alongside enemies. Rockets deal more damage to structures than they do to players, and you cannot achieve a headshot with one. Rockets are not affected by gravity, and won't drop if they go too far.
Rocket Launcher in action
Rocket launcher's seasonal variant, the Pumpkin Launcher, in action
Stats
Rocket Launchers range from dealing 70 Damage per shot to 130 Damage per shot (52.5 - 97.5 damage per second). All Rocket Launchers use 
Rockets. The Rocket Launcher cannot headshot players.
| Rocket Launcher | Rocket Launcher | Rocket Launcher |
|---|---|---|
 |
|
|
| Common | Uncommon | Rare |
| DPS: 52.5 | DPS: 63.8 | DPS: 75 |
| Damage: 70 | Damage: 85 | Damage: 100 |
| Fire Rate: 0.75 | Fire Rate: 0.75 | Fire Rate: 0.75 |
| Magazine Size: 1 | Magazine Size: 1 | Magazine Size: 1 |
| Reload Time: 4.68s | Reload Time: 4.14s | Reload Time: 3.6s |
| Structure Damage : 270 | Structure Damage : 285 | Structure Damage : 300 |
| Rocket Launcher | Rocket Launcher |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Epic | Legendary |
| DPS: 86.3 | DPS: 97.5 |
| Damage: 115 | Damage: 130 |
| Fire Rate: 0.75 | Fire Rate: 0.75 |
| Magazine Size: 1 | Magazine Size: 1 |
| Reload Time: 3.06s | Reload Time: 2.52s |
| Structure Damage: 315 | Structure Damage: 330 |
The Rocket Launcher is a Slow Moving Projectile Weapon. It has First Shot Accuracy enabled, but as it is a Rocket Launcher, it is largely irrelevant.
There is no damage falloff on the Rocket Launcher's projectiles.
Sounds
| Sound Type | Rarity | Audio |
|---|---|---|
| Pullout | Common, Uncommon and Rare | |
| Epic and Legendary | ||
| Shooting | Common, Uncommon and Rare | |
| Epic and Legendary | ||
| Drop | Common, Uncommon and Rare | |
| Epic and Legendary | ||
| Pickup | Common, Uncommon and Rare | |
| Epic and Legendary | ||
| Reload | Common, Uncommon and Rare | |
| Epic and Legendary | ||
| Shoot (Fortnitemares) | Epic and Legendary | |
| Reload (Fortnitemares) | Epic and Legendary |
Obtained
From when the weapon was last available in Standard Playlists, in Chapter 2: Season 8:
| Rarity | Chest | Rare
Chest |
Cosmic Chest | Floor
Loot |
Supply
Drop |
Fishing
(Plain) |
Fishing
(Hole) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Common (Vaulted) | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Uncommon (Vaulted) | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Rare (Vaulted) | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Epic | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ |
| Legendary | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✖ | ✓ | ✖ | ✖ |
Strategy Guide
This section outlines a strategy. Feel free to add tips, tricks and general advice about the topic.
- You can shoot a Rocket under a player and allow them to ride it. This can be used to quickly transport a player to an area, such as out of the Storm.
- Keep your distance from an enemy when shooting a rocket, if you go too close, the rocket may also eliminate you along with the enemy player.
History
Pre-Season
- Update v1.6: Introduced the Rocket Launcher in Rare, Epic and Legendary.
- Update v1.7.1: Increased Rocket Launcher reload time by 20%.
- Projectiles now deal 375 Structure Damage, instead of 450.
Season 1
- Update v1.9.1: The Rocket Launcher receives a Halloween makeover (This change is reverted after Halloween).
- Rocket Launcher supports Rocket Riding now.
Season 4
- Content Update v4.40: Increased the reload time of the Rocket Launcher based on rarity.
- Rare from 2.3 seconds to 2.8.
- Epic from 2.185 seconds to 2.66.
- Legendary from 2.07 to 2.52.
- The maximum number of unloaded Rocket Ammo that can be held has been changed to 12.
Season 5
- Update v5.40: Vaulted Rare Rocket Launcher.
- Availability of Epic and Legendary Rocket Launchers increased slightly to compensate.
Season 6
- Fortnitemares 2018: Vaulted the Rocket Luncher and Unvaulted The Pumpkin Launcher (Reverted after Fortnitemares 2018 Concluded)
Season 7
- Update v7.40: Adjustments:
- Removed Rocket Launchers from Chests.
- Increased the chance of receiving a Rocket Launcher from Supply Drops from 25% to 50%.
Chapter 2: Season 1
- Update v11.00: Adjustments:
- Common & Uncommon rarities introduced.
- Unvaulted Rare
- Decreased reload time for most rarities.
- Changed damage to 70/85/100/115/130
- Update v11.00 Hotfix
- Vaulted Common rarity
- Fortnitemares 2019: Vaulted the Rocket Luncher and Unvaulted The Pumpkin Launcher (Reverted after Fortnitemares 2019 Concluded)
- Introduced The Pumpkin Launcher in Uncommon Rarity
- Update v11.10: Added the Pumpkin Launcher to Fortnite: Creative in Uncommon, Rare, Epic, and Legendary
Chapter 2: Season 2
- Update v12.00: Uncommon and Rare rarities vaulted.
Chapter 2: Season 3
- Update v13.20: Epic & Legendary Rocket Launchers now has a small chance of dropping from Supply Drops into Team Rumble only.
Chapter 2: Season 4
- Update v14.00
- Epic & Legendary rarities Vaulted.
- Update v14.10
- Unvaulted Legendary rarity.
- Can only be obtained from defeating Gorgers.
- Unvaulted Legendary rarity.
- Update v14.20
- Legendary rarity vaulted again.
- Update v14.30
- Legendary rarity unvaulted again, from Gorgers only.
- Fortnitemares 2020: Uncommon Pumpkin Launcher dropped by Ghostly Ghost Henchmen. (Vaulted again after the Event Concluded)
Chapter 2: Season 5
- Update v15.00: Epic rarity available from defeating Ruckus at Hydro 16 or Trading Bars with characters.
Chapter 2: Season 6
- Update v16.00: Legendary rarity available from Supply Drops and Bunker Chests.
Chapter 2: Season 8
- Update v18.21: Unvaulted the Pumpkin Launcher for the Fortnitemares 2021.
- It drops as Chest loot in Epic rarity only.
- The Rocket Launcher was therefore removed.
- Content Update v18.30:
- Vaulted the Pumpkin Launcher.
- Unvaulted the Rocket Launcher in Epic and Legendary rarities.
Chapter 3: Season 1
- Update v19.00: Vaulted the Rocket Launcher is both rarities.
- Update v19.10: Unvaulted the Epic & Legendary Rocket Launcher, only in Team Rumble.
- Hotfix: Removed the Rocket Launcher from Team Rumble.
Gallery
The Chapter 1 Icon for the Weapon
Pumpkin Launcher
Promo
Promo for Fortnitemares: Midas' Revenge
Promo for Fortnitemares 2021
Concept art for the Pumpkin Launcher, likely intended for Save the World.
Trivia
- The Low Tier Rocket Launcher resembles the Russian RPG-7.
- The High Tier Rocket Launcher resembles the American Mk 153 Shoulder-Launched Multipurpose Assault Weapon or SMAW.
- The ability to ride a rocket is a glitch that Epic Games decided to not remove.
- The Decals on the Rockets themselves resemble Nose Art applied to fighter planes during WWII, such as this.
- The Common Rocket Launcher is one of the shortest lived weapons in Battle Royale, only lasting a few hours upon Chapter 2: Season 1's release.
- The Uncommon Rocket Launcher also only lasted a single full season, in Chapter 2: Season 1. It was unvaulted during Fortnitemares, however.
- When two rockets are shot at each other, one rocket will be destroyed and the other rocket will continue its path. There appears to be no pattern that controls which rocket is destroyed.
- You can shoot a Grappler at a rocket and be able to ride it for a short amount of time.
- The same applies with Spider-Man's Web Shooters, except they can be permanently held onto.
