Learn the best drop routes for Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 1 Ranked Zero Build. Platinum II player tips on hot vs. cold locations and loot quality.
Alright, let's talk about getting a good start in Chapter 5, Season 1 Ranked Zero Build. This guide is based on my experience as a Platinum II player, so take it with a grain of salt, but hopefully, it'll help you out!
First up, we're going to look at some drop strategies. The table below is kind of like a flowchart to show you different routes you can take right from the start of a match. I've color-coded the locations to give you an idea of how popular they are – red means it's a hot drop, blue is less crowded, and orange is somewhere in between. Generally, the hotter the spot, the better the loot you might find early on. Remember, you can totally mix and match these routes, but I've laid out some of my favorites and a few popular alternatives.
Chapter 5, Season 1 Drop Strategies (Southern Half)
| Drop | |||||||
| Hazy Hillside | Underground weapon cache | Hazy Vault | Unmoored Manor Vault | Lovely Lodge | Orchard Station | Fencing Fields | Underground HQ |
| The Windmill | Fencing Fields | ||||||
| Orchard Station | Train -> Wherever | ||||||
| Hazy Train Tunnel | Lil' Villa | Unnamed Dock NW of Lil' Villa | Ruined Reels | Unnamed House N of Ruined | |||
| Hazy Hillside Train Tunnel | Fencing Fields | Riviera Station | |||||
| Dumpenhausen | Reckless Railways -> Valeria's House | Reckless Weapon Cache | The Cemetery | ||||
| Reckless Railways Weapons Cache | Valeria's House (Reckless) | Placid Pumps | |||||
| Drop: Unmoored Manor (Vault, then loot Manor) | NE to Waterfall | Hazy Hillside Vault | Lil' Villa | Unnamed Dock NW of Lil' Villa | Fencing Fields | ||
| ---> | Ruined Reels | Unnamed House N of Ruined | |||||
| Hazy Hillside Cache | Reckless Railways | Placid Pumps | Riviera Station | ||||
| Stormy Station | ---> | Train -> Wherever | Estate Station | ||||
| Hazy Hillside | Zenith Wall | Grand Glacier | |||||
| Hazy Train Tunnel | Lil' Villa | Dock NW of Villa | Ruined Reels | ||||
| Hazy Hillside | Fencing Fields | ||||||
| Superior Summit | --> | ||||||
| Summit Base Camp | Zenith Wall | Grand Glacier | Reckless Railways | ||||
| Grand Glacier | |||||||
| Cliffside Lodge | Zenith Wall | Reckless Railways | Placid Pumps | Ruined Reels | |||
| Research Rock | Stormy Station | Superior Summit | Win (or die) | ||||
| Hazy Hillside | Dumpenhausen | ||||||
| Lil' Villa | Fencing Fields | ||||||
| Orchard Station | Fencing Fields | ||||||
| Train -> Somewhere |
I also tend to drop at Ritzy Riviera and Rebel's Roost sometimes, depending on how the lobby feels, but those are totally up to you.
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