This week’s Fortnite update gives players the chance to be stealthy snowmen in Battle Royale mode, explore a fan-made Pyramid in The Block, and practice their sniping skills in the latest limited-time mode. In the Sniper Shootout LTM, only scoped weapons will be available, floor loot spawners are reduced by 50%, and reviving “Down But Not Out” teammates in duos and squads has been deactivated.

While we heard about the Sneaky Snowman item yesterday, today we have the details. Equipping it involves throwing a projectile to make the snowman. Then, using secondary fire will actually allow you to wear it. The Snowman has 100 health and functions as a shield when worn, until health reaches zero, players swap it for a different item, or players try to build. This item is available in both Battle Royale and Creative mode.

Below are the Fortnite patch notes in their entirety.

LIMITED TIME MODE: SNIPER SHOOTOUT

Summary

In this limited time mode, players will do battle using scoped weapons only. May the best aim win!

What’s New?

• Suppressed Sniper Rifles have been added.
• Legendary Scoped Pistols have been added to Supply Drops.

Mode Details

• Floor Loot spawners reduced by 50%
• Reviving “Down But Not Out” teammates in Duos & Squads is deactivated – be careful peeking!
• Profile Stats (K/D & Wins) are tracked in this mode

WEAPONS + ITEMS

• Sneaky Snowman
  • Use Primary Fire to throw a projectile that creates a destructible snowman.
  • Use Secondary Fire to wear the Sneaky Snowman.
  • Sneaky Snowman has 100 Health and acts as a shield when worn by a player.
  • Sneaky Snowman is destroyed when its Health reaches zero or when the player wearing the snowman swaps to a different item or building mode.
    • This means that a player wearing a Sneaky Snowman cannot build or use other items. Movement of all types is allowed.
  • Available in Common variant.
  • Can be found from Floor Loot, Chests, and Supply Llamas.
  • Drops in stacks of 5.
  • Max stack size of 10.
• Swapped the drop chance of Shield Potions and Small Shield Potions.
  • Shield Potion
    • Reduced drop chance from Floor Loot from 16.53% to 13.22%.
    • Reduced drop chance from Chests from 14.26% to 9.51%.
  • Small Shield Potion
    • Increased drop chance from Floor Loot from 13.22% to 16.53%.
    • Increased drop chance from Chests from 9.51% to 14.26%.
• Vaulted the following items:
  • Quad Rocket Launcher
  • Port-A-fortress
  • Grappler
• Reduced the drop chance of Gliders.
  • Reduced drop chance from Chests from 11.89% to 4.43%.
• Reduced the drop chance of Balloons.​​​​​​​
  • Reduced drop chance from Chests from 7.58% to 3.24%.
• Reduced the spawn chance of Quad Crashers from 100% to 50%.
• Reduced the spawn chance of X-4 Stormwings from 80% to 50%.

PERFORMANCE

• Fixed an issue where building would cause a major drop in FPS.

EVENTS

• Added additional dates for Explorer Pop-Up Cup.
  • Updated additional materials gained on elimination to now drop with the eliminated player, rather than being granted immediately.

CREATIVE

WHAT’S NEW?

This is an early release so you may experience client crashes, loss of progress, or other unexpected errors.

WEAPONS + ITEMS

• Sneaky Snowman
  • Use Primary Fire to throw a projectile that creates a destructible snowman.
  • Use Secondary Fire to wear the Sneaky Snowman.
  • Sneaky Snowman has 100 Health and acts as a shield when worn by a player.
  • Sneaky Snowman is destroyed when its Health reaches zero or when the player wearing the snowman swaps to a different item or building mode.
    • This means that a player wearing a Sneaky Snowman cannot build or use other items. Movement of all types is allowed.
  • Available in Common variant.
  • Can be found from Floor Loot, Chests, and Supply Llamas.
  • Drops in stacks of 5.
  • Max stack size of 10.
• Added to Creative
  • Light Machine Gun
  • Suppressed Sub-Machine Gun
  • Revolver
  • Semi-Auto Sniper Rifle
  • Smoke Grenade
  • Remote Explosives

SAVE THE WORLD

WHAT’S NEW?

Frostnite Weekly Challenge 4 – Cold Chaos

Focus your fire! Enemies gain modifiers when attacked, so work as a team and defeat the threat to unlock the banner and the Guardian’s Will Sword.

Lynx Kassandra

A new Hero arrives! Fast on her feet with catlike reflexes, unlock her in the Event Store for a limited time.

MISSIONS + SYSTEMS

• Weekly Frostnite Challenge 4: Cold Chaos
  • Enemies gain modifiers when damaged. Focus your attacks for maximum efficiency.
    • Enemies receive a certain combination of mutators per wave: Quickened, Enraged, Exploding Deathburst, Frenzied Deathburst, and Smoke Screens.
    • Survive for 30 minutes (three times)  to collect the Week 4 Challenge Banner.
    • Survive for 30 minutes to collect the Medieval Sword.
  • Available on January 23 at 7 PM ET.

HEROES

• Lynx Kassandra
  • Mythic variant of the Fleetfoot subclass.
  • Available on the Event Store from January 23 at 7 PM ET.
    • Note: Lynx Kassandra will be unique when the new Hero Loadout launches.

WEAPONS + ITEMS

• Guardian’s Will Sword
  • Rewarded for completing the week 4 Frostnite Weekly Challenge.
  • A large sword with high damage and moderate impact.
  • Leap Attack
    • A Heavy attack that jumps to the targeted foe and damages nearby enemies.

AUDIO

• Improved Low Health state audio mix so that gameplay sounds aren’t ducked as severely.
• Updated Lefty/Right weapon equip/unequip sounds.
• Updated Decoy deploy and physics sounds.

[Source: Epic Games]