Fortnite v42.10 has refreshed the Battle Royale Loot Hacks pool while also reducing how frequently the system hands players top-tier weapons. Epic Games’ September 3 update notes confirm five items in the new pool: Caduceus Staff, Scorpion’s Combat Kit, Wrecker Revolver, Deadeye Assault Rifle and Holo Twister Assault Rifle. The update also changes hacked weapon quality from the previous Epic-to-Mythic range to Rare through Legendary.
That rarity adjustment is a direct response to how powerful Loot Hacks have become since Chapter 7 Season 4: Override launched. Epic said the system had been producing too many high-powered weapons too often, prompting the developer to lower its quality ceiling. This follows an earlier adjustment in which Epic said Loot Hacking had been particularly generous with Epic-or-higher weapons and indicated that Loot Hacks would occur slightly less frequently.
Loot Hacks were introduced with Override as one of the season’s major new gameplay systems. Players spend Sprite Dust to customize their hacked loot, after which eligible items have a chance to appear from Chests based on the player’s selected upgrades. Configurations can be reset and respecced within a Loot Hack set, but Epic says Sprite Dust invested in one set does not transfer into the next refresh, giving each rotation its own progression cycle.
The new weapon selection mixes standard firearms with two distinctive crossover items. Mercy’s Caduceus Staff from Overwatch and Scorpion’s Combat Kit from Mortal Kombat return alongside the Wrecker Revolver, Deadeye Assault Rifle and Holo Twister Assault Rifle. The crossover weapons make this refresh particularly unusual because Loot Hacks can now provide equipment originally introduced through separate collaboration events rather than simply cycling conventional Fortnite guns.
The wider Fortnite v42.10 update also makes several weapon balance changes that will affect the environment around those hacked items. Epic slightly increased Pump Shotgun damage and reduced its equip time, while the 8-Bit Shotgun received reduced damage alongside a faster equip time. The standard Assault Rifle now has a slightly lower headshot multiplier, reduced Mythic damage and a slower reload, while Mega Man’s Mega Buster received increased projectile speed.
Epic has also brought back the Sweeper Shotgun with a substantial rework. The returning shotgun now fires a conventional spread rather than its previous wide pattern, has a faster fire rate and allows players to interrupt a reload once shells have been loaded so they can fire immediately. Those improvements are balanced by a slightly smaller magazine and reduced maximum range, making its return another meaningful adjustment to the season’s overall weapon pool.
Loot Hacks sit alongside Match Overrides as part of Override’s broader attempt to let players alter how individual matches function. The same September 3 patch expands that system with [[LINK|https://www.techtroduce.com/fortnite-prop-hunt-big-head-overrides-v42-10/|new Prop Hunt and Big Head Overrides]], as well as Action Hero, which introduces a mid-air Hangtime effect while aiming and increases damage. Epic also says a Sharpshooter Override is scheduled for the following Thursday, offering increased weapon accuracy with reduced recoil and bloom.
Taken together, the Loot Hacks changes make v42.10 as much a balance update as a content refresh. Players still gain access to several powerful and unusual weapons, but the move away from Epic-to-Mythic hacked loot should reduce how easily the system produces endgame-level loadouts. With a new five-item rotation, returning weapons and simultaneous balance adjustments across the regular loot pool, Epic is tightening the system without removing the customization that defines Fortnite Override.
