Fortnite Season 8 is now in full swing and has introduced several mechanics and items for players to get to grips with. In addition to all the new content here, there are also some returning features from previous years, including the mysterious shadow stones that first debuted back in 2018.
If you have played Fortnite from the very beginning then you will already know how these little cubes work, but for newcomers it can be somewhat confusing.
What Are Shadow Stones in 'Fortnite'?
For those who are unfamiliar with shadow stones, they resemble miniaturized versions of the interdimensional cubes that have recently popped up all over Fortnite Island.
You are unable to carry them around in your inventory, but they can be harvested on the spot for a few temporary upgrades. The little cubes take approximately one second to consume and are located in "corrupted" areas of the map, which can themselves be distinguished by their scorched appearance and orange soil.
For example, you will be able to find plenty of shadow stones around the Dirty Docks region, especially if you look near the bigger cubes. Like epic-grade weapons, these stones will be glowing purple when you approach them.
What Are the Effects of Shadow Stones in 'Fortnite'?
Once you have interacted with a shadow stone, you will take on a ghostly form that renders you near invisible to other players. This effect will last for a 45-second period, during which you will also benefit from increased movement speed, enhanced agility, and an immunity to fall damage. As such, it is an ideal solution for when you need to make a quick getaway or outrun the encroaching storm.
Whilst in "Shadow Form" you will also have access to a special ability (mapped to the fire button) that enables you to launch forward and phase through certain structures. For instance, you will be able to move through gates, wooden platforms and thin walls, but not through any mothership debris. This is incredibly useful if you ever find yourself backed into a corner with no other means of escape.
As a trade-off, consuming a shadow stone does come with a pretty severe drawback. Namely, it will leave you unable to use any of your weapons for the aforementioned 45-second window (although you can still pick up new guns). If you need to prematurely end the status effect for this reason, you can do so by holding down the aim button.
One final thing worth noting is that you will get a small 25 XP reward upon foraging a shadow stone. It's admittedly not much, but it will help you level up and unlock those battle stars a bit faster.
Fortnite Season 8 (aka "Cubed") follows on directly from "Operation: Sky Fire", with a series of interdimensional anomalies spreading across Fortnite Island. The update can be experienced now on Xbox, PC, PlayStation, Android and Nintendo Switch platforms.
Uncommon Knowledge
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