The forgotten art of pre-firing in Fortnite: How to end a fight before it even begins

Fortnite players try to learn and master tons of tips and tricks to get a leg up on the competition. Building, editing, escaping, aiming, and more are skills that players try to work on to become the best Fortnite player they can be, but it all goes out the window in certain situations. It doesn't matter how well someone can aim and snipe if they're in a close combat situation. The same goes for escaping if someone finds themselves in a tense build fight.

One of the best ways to get better at the game and to end fights before they even begin is pre-firing. This has become somewhat of a lost art in Fortnite, but it remains a stellar skill to have in one's back pocket. Here's how to do it.

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How to pre-fire: Tips for getting better at Fortnite

There are a few good situations in which pre-firing might be a good idea. When a player is one hit or very low (especially if the opponent knows that), it's a great time to try a pre-fire tactic. Another is in a fight when a player is an aggressor to another player who is likely boxing themselves in.

An opponent boxing in is a good time to pre-fire (Image via Epic Games)

One good method of pre-firing or baiting is fake harvesting. Players can often go up to someone's build and pretend to pull out their pickaxe and even give one swing. This will likely prompt the player to edit the wall and open a window or arch to try and get the kill. Before that happens, the attacking player should have already switched back to their shotgun or close-range weapon and fired on them.

Another method would be to simply watch through the wall. Players will likely move around a lot and be holding their map out when they're making edits. If that happens, players can aim and pre-fire to get the shot right when the edit takes place.

All of these methods require great timing, skill and patience. These are pretty advanced methods, but they can be game-changing. Fortnite players who want to take their game to the next level should consider learning these. There are tons of Creative islands that can help players practice this.