How to use Fortnite's Port-a-Forts to support a winning playstyle

In the world of Fortnite there really aren’t that many items that have a truly unique function. There are of course multiple damage dealing weapons, most of which have a few variations, many ways to heal and add shields and the three types of building materials. But currently the Port-a-Fort is the only item that will build you a structure pretty much instantly.

On paper that sounds extremely useful, and at times it can be, but more times than not we see them being used to annoy squadmates instead of for any tactical reason. With one Port-a-Fort taking up an entire inventory slot this is pretty easy to justify, but even so the possibilities offered by the massive fort you can have within a second often outweigh the cost. We have spent hours playing around with the Port-a-Fort trying to find the best way to use it, and this is what we have learnt. 

Don’t rely on a Port-a-Fort for all your building needs

Providing you have already figured out that changing your building hotkeys from the very strange default of F1-F5 is the best idea in the world, you should be at least somewhat competent when it comes to construction in the middle of a battle. Even if we ignore the build meta where highground is everything, being able to quickly build some protection with your materials is the best way of playing, and thus relying on that Port-a-Fort you have in your pocket should really be a last resort. 

Use the Port-a-Fort for a better tactical position, and not to save you in the middle of a fight unless you really have to. Placing it in a good location in the later stages will give you some solid protection and a good vantage point to pick off those remaining players. While quickly throwing it down in a fight will give you a structure that your opponent will instantly know how to destroy, and will leave you stranded at the top if you are against a duo or squad who know how to play together. Stick to normal building for fights, and Port-a-Forts for better tactical positions. 

Drop a Port-a-Fort on the high ground  

As with most shooters, highground is pretty important in the world of Fortnite. It gives you much better sightlines, makes enemies easier to spot and means that anyone that spots you is going to have to hit some good shots to bring you down. It really is something you should always be looking for, and that is even more true when you are looking for a good spot to lay down your Port-a-Fort. 

If there is any kind of highground in the later circles, which is when you want to be using the Port-a-Fort, your first task is to try and ascend it, and then once you have secured that higher ground, throw down your Port-a-Fort for an even bigger vertical advantage. Sure, it gives away your location, so if you would rather avoid fights this might not be the best idea, but if you are confident in winning a gun battle the highground Port-a-Fort will give you a big advantage. 

Plug the hole

Easily the most annoying thing that can happen when you are playing on top of a Port-a-Fort is that someone manages to sneak up behind you, comes in the door and suddenly is shotgunning you in the back from two feet away. You feel like an idiot for not noticing them, and they are probably styling you with a Take the L dance or two. 

The best way to stop this from happening is actually super simple. Just build a floor at the top of the main tower of the Port-a-Fort. That way if someone does sneak in they will have to destroy that before they can come and fight you at the top, and hopefully that should give you enough of a warning to be ready to take the fight. This is such a simple thing to do, but it really will save your life a lot. 

Rebuild the Port-a-Fort  

If you spend ages building yourself a big old building and one of your panels gets destroyed you are going to replace it providing you aren’t otherwise engaged with a gunfight. Now you would think that the same would go for a Port-a-Fort, but the amount of players that we see who simply leave a massive hole in the top of the Fort is far too high. If one of those panels is missing you leave yourself exposed from a surprising amount of angles, and it makes it really easy to fall down to the floor. 

Just the simple act of rebuilding a destroyed part of the fort, even if you can’t do it perfectly on the corner but at least put a ramp there, will give you a lot more protection than having a gaping hole in the middle of your structure.