Fortnite Zero Build, the highly popular buildingless mode within the battle royale, could receive some changes in the future, as the overshield could get a buff that rewards aggressive playstyles.
This new mechanic was introduced with Zero Building. Allowing players to have more room for survivability in a mode in which they can't create entire fortresses to protect themselves, Epic added a 50HP rechargeable shield that recovers automatically after a period of time without receiving damage.
According to reliable Fortnite insider and leaker HYPEX, Epic Games has added siphon to overshields, however, they've yet to activate the feature. This means that the devs may be waiting for a future update to add this new buff.
"At the beginning of this season Epic added siphon to Overshield, basically it fully recharges after every kill. But they never enabled it, so we might get it at some point later this season," HYPEX tweeted out.
If you're unaware of what siphon is in Fortnite, it's a mechanic that, in a way, rewards aggressive playstyle. After scoring a kill, players would get health or shields back (sometimes both depending on the situation) instantly.
The feature was introduced all the way back in 2019 with Epic looking to spice the gameplay up by enabling an "anti-camping" measure. However, veteran players were benefitting the most from this mechanic, pushing casual fans away from the main battle royale mode, which is why the developers decided to controversially remove it.
As we've mentioned, in their current state, overshields regenerate after a short period of time without taking any damage. Retreating if you feel you're in a losing battle is perfectly normal, however, this mechanic adds an extra layer to it as it could perfectly allow players to recharge up to 150 shield HP.
Some users are suggesting that, alongside the siphon changes, Epic removes the ability of overshields to recharge on their own, making getting kills and actively engaging the only way they can do so. This is unlikely to happen considering the devs' stance on benefitting players with high mechanical skill, sadly for those clinging to that dream.
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