How to stink up the road to a Victory Royale with Fortnite’s stink bomb

The stink bomb has been the odd man out in Fortnite's list of portable explosives. Many see the regular grenades, clingers, and timed explosives as far more effective ways to blow away the competition. But have no doubt, the stink bomb can be incredibly useful in short range, mid range, and long range scenarios throughout a match with its deadly assault on the senses. With the aid of our Fortnite stink bomb guide it'll be a difficult item to pass up, even if it doesn't smell great. 

The smelly explosive is a common pickup that can be found in chests or out in the open: it’s a blue bottle with a green substance in it. It has a similar throw range to other hand held items, it has a small area of effect after exploding, and it deals five damage per half second for nine total seconds. That adds up to a total of 90 damage if the opponents takes the brunt of the attack, just shy of knocking out a full health bar.

There are a number of strategies that the stink bomb can support, even more so than some of the other explosives since its effects linger longer than the typical grenade.

Using stink smoke for concealment 

It’s a common to get locked into a mid to long range firefight with little chance to reposition, pinned down by an opponent with the higher ground. Any step outside cover will lead to a face full of bullets.

The gas cloud that stink bombs create can offer a bit of respite from the eyes of the enemy. Each bomb emits a small cloud of green gas that can be used to make maneuvers between different types of cover. A combination of three bombs, the amount each pickup comes with, can allow you to easy move out of you opponent's line of site and help you flank them.

Use the smell to clear out chokepoints 

Building is key in Fortnite. One dominant strategy for gunfights is to build higher than your opponent, and sometimes that mentality comes before the fight even starts with people building towers inside the circle and waiting.

Stink bombs are a great counter to this strategy. Their gas permeates through walls and the cloud is big enough to fill the the entirety of one space inside the structure. It can either trap the enemy in one part of the structure, force them to abandon their home, or hit them directly and cause a good bit of damage. This strategy also works well in areas of the map that have built-in chokepoints like Dusty Depot. Stink bombs can be perfect for scenarios when you catch other players hiding in the back of trucks, in storage units, or in any long hallway.

Drive enemies toward you 

The stink bomb has a lot of range. It can be thrown surprisingly far in the middle of a gunfight. You can use it to force enemies out of hiding, and even push them towards you if you throw the stink bomb on the opposite side of whoever you're fighting with.

It's a great way to force opposing players out of cover, which is especially effective when they have a considerable fort build up.

Causing a pungent distraction 

Whether or not you’re actually able to hit an enemy with the gas cloud, it makes a lot of noise. Using it will definitely draw some attention if you need to relocate or try to flank an enemy. You have three to use so they can get thrown in different directions to disorient the enemy, moving their eyes elsewhere. 

This is especially effective in areas with tight spaces like Tilted Towers, the viking settlement, and Lucky Landing.