How To Counter The Riot Shield In Fortnite (Tips & Tricks)

The riot shield, also known as the ballistic shield, is one of the new weapons you can use in Fortnite Chapter 5. It’s a heavy shield designed to protect the user from any oncoming fire, and it can be challenging to know how to beat someone who uses a riot shield.

If you see someone running straight at you with a riot shield, there are a few things you’ll want to do to try getting around this heavy defense. You won’t have too many options if you’re playing in Zero Build mode, but we have some ideas for you. Here’s what you need to know about how to beat someone using a riot shield in Fortnite.

How to Defeat Players Using Riot Shields in Fortnite

A riot shield in Fortnite protects a majority of a player’s body, but they are exposed in two parts: their legs and their right arm, and that’s how you beat them. The riot shield does not protect a player’s legs, and the right arm is constantly exposed because of the pistol they carry.

When you see someone charging you with a riot shield, aim for their feet. Even though this won’t do a huge amount of damage, the Fortnite player using the riot shield won’t be able to protect against it. They can only stop taking damage from their feet if they kneel down. When they do that, they will be vulnerable to you running at them and jumping over the shield, exposing their back. They won’t have enough time to whip around to defend themselves.

Another way to beat a Fortnite player who uses the riot shield is to flank them. However, this tactic requires a partner, so you’ll want to be in a group with at least one other player to make the most of this. You can have someone attacking the riot shield Fortnite player from the front, and then you can sneak around to the side. Their sides and back are always exposed unless they’re standing against a wall. They might turn to pivot and protect against these attacks, but your friend can then continue hitting them from a new angle. A strategy like this is all about teamwork.

The final tactic I recommend using against a riot shield Fortnite player is the shockwave or plunger grenades. You can throw the grenade behind the player using the riot shield or attach it to the side of the wall near them.

The shockwave will blast them away, briefly giving you an advantage against them. The plunger should stick behind a riot shield, hitting their exposed sides. This method doesn’t always work in beating riot shields in Fortnite, but I have used it, and it has helped me in a pinch.