One of the most popular events in Fortnite is the Halloween celebration, called Fortnitemares. Starting now and running until November 3, Fortnite players can experience both tricks and treats in a new game mode for Solos, Duos, and Squads. Players can complete challenges, play ultimate tricks on living players by returning to the map after being eliminated, and unlock special exclusive cosmetics. They'll also be able to face the Shadow version of an old foe, Midas from Chapter 2 Season 2. There are currently three challenges available, with more dropping in the coming days. If the challenge doesn't reward a cosmetic item, it will reward 40,000 Season XP, a massive amount toward finishing off the Marvel-themed Battle Pass.
The obvious focal point of the event is the reappearance of eliminated players and foes as Shadows, a ghostly form that enables eliminated players to eliminate living players with new powers. One of the first challenges players will complete is to become a shadow in the game three times. It's a fairly straightforward process and, like most games, is often more fun to play as one of these "bad guys." It's also the easiest way to secure a Solo win. For allowing themselves to be eliminated or actively eliminating themselves so they can return to the match as a Shadow, a player will earn 40,000 XP. Here's how to become a Shadow in Fortnite's Fortnitemares event.
How to Become a Shadow in Fortnite
As expected, because Shadows are ghosts of eliminated players, players are going to need to allow themselves to be killed to become one. Technically, they need to drop down to one single health point, essentially dying. Players can be killed either by another player, a Shadow, an NPC boss or henchman or by purposely taking fall damage.
Rather than being completely eliminated and returned to the lobby, players will instead transform into a Shadow at one health point remaining. They will have access to new powers: Slash, Dash, Scream, and Shadow Jump. Dash and Shadow Jump are movement abilities. With Dash, players can walk through objects and walls. With Shadow Jump, they can reach higher heights. Slash is a swipe attack against an opponent, and Scream will mark nearby living players to make them easier targets. Players can also possess vehicles as a Shadow and use those vehicles to eliminate the living.
Shadows are mostly invisible, except their glowing eyes, making it harder for the living to spot a Shadow. This is important because, even as a Shadow, the player is not invincible and can be eliminated a second time, this time for good. They have no shields and 100 Health Points, but they can regain health by picking up and consuming any of the in-game loot they would normally pick up during a match.
If a Shadow player is eliminated by a living player, they may not receive credit for becoming a Shadow that round. This may just be a glitch to be worked out when the game updates again. If the Shadows eliminate all living players, even if there are many still standing, each one will receive Nightmare Royale, which counts as a Solo win in stats.
Fortnite is available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One, with versions in development for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series S and Series X.