Fortnite Season 5 has arrived, this time with Fortnite lore and bounty hunting as the focus. Likely due in part to the success of bounty contracts and a currency system in Warzone, Epic Games has introduced similar mechanics to the new season of the popular battle royale. Players can find NPCs around the map who will give them quests, or, bounty contracts, to complete during a match. When players eliminate enemies, complete bounties, or turn in quests, they will receive a new currency called Gold Bars. This currency can be used for everything, from weapon upgrades and new gear to a personal bodyguard.
When players have saved enough Gold Bars, it is possible for them to select one of the new NPCs and purchase an item, like a weapon or weapon upgrade, or service, from them. Some of the new NPCs can be hired to help protect the player in a match. Each NPC has one signature weapon, and predictably some will be more useful than others as a method of protection and extra firepower. Here's how to hire one of the new NPCs as a bodyguard in Fortnite Season 5.
How to Hire NPC Bodyguards in Fortnite Season 5
Players will need to earn Gold Bars before they can hire an NPC as their personal bodyguard. Most of the typical Fortnite activities, like searching chests or eliminating opponents, will reward a few Gold Bars. Players also have the opportunity to earn more if they want to by accepting quests from the various NPCs around the map or completing bounties.
There are at least 40 new NPCs for players to find and interact with, often concentrated to the older, named POIs around the Fortnite map. There are a few NPCs dataminers have found but who have not yet appeared in the game, leading most players to believe more will be added over the course of the season. It is also not clear if their locations are permanent or whether they will rotate around the map each week, so players will want to keep an eye on that as more is revealed about the new season.
As players get closer to one of the NPCs, they will see a speech bubble icon with three dots inside on their mini-map. Speaking with the character will open an interface on the bottom of the screen where players can accept a quest or make a purchase.
Quests vary, especially depending on the quest-giving NPC, but the most common quest a player might receive is to bounty hunt another player. They might also be tasked with finding a certain amount of health or shields, dealing a certain amount of damage, collecting materials, and other miscellaneous tasks.
Once players have amassed enough Gold Bars, they will need to find an NPC with an ability or weapon they think might prove useful and who offers the bodyguard option for purchase. Because every NPC offers different options for sale, players may need to do some shopping and experimenting to figure out who they enjoy working with and buying from.
Unlike V-Bucks, Fortnite's other in-game currency, Gold Bars can't be purchased for money, making them a good way for players who generally avoid microtransactions to still get great rewards in-game. Gold Bars also will not disappear after the match in which they are earned. This means players can save up for the guns, upgrades, and bodyguards they really want without fear of losing their progress.
Fortnite is available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.