Fortnite November 9 update patch notes: Combat Pistol, Sideways Rifle buff, more

Liam Mackay
JB Chimpanksi using Fortnite Sideways Rifle

Fortnite Season 8 will soon wrap up, but Epic Games are maintaining a steady stream of content, with the latest update being the 18.30 November 9 Hotfix. This finally adds the Combat Pistol, buffs the Sideways Rifle, and more.

Fortnite Season 8 has brought a plethora of content to the ever-popular battle royale, and the loot pool is only about to get bigger. The Combat Pistol arrived in the game files with the 18.30 update, and it’s finally arrived in the game with the November 9 Hotfix.

That’s not all though, as there are changes to the Sideways Rifle, and a new Character Punchcard Questline has arrived.

Here’s everything in Fortnite’s November 9 18.30 update.

Combat Pistol arrives in Fortnite

Fortnite Combat Pistol

The standard Pistol has been vaulted, and the Combat Pistol has finally arrived with the 18.30 Hotfix.

Epic Games have compared it to the Combat Assault Rifle, where it has “tighter bullet spread and exceptional power.” However, they warned that it has “strong recoil, so it takes a savvy yielder to fire its full potential.”

The Combat Pistol can be found in Chests, on the ground, and from Fishing, and comes in every rarity. Its power ranges from 23 damage (Common) to 28 damage (Legendary).

Fortnite Sideways Rifle buff

Fortnite Sideways Rifle and Sideways minigun

The Sideways Rifle is a powerful weapon that can be obtained by going into the Sideways, and its received a substantial buff in the 18.30 Hotfix.

Epic described that the Sideways Rifle now “reaches its superpowered state (or ‘close to overheating’ state) faster, stays there longer, and is more accurate.” So, the Sideways is looking to be an even better choice in the remainder of Season 8.

New Fortnite Punchcard Quest arrives

Fortnite Season 8 character punchcards

Fortnite has expanded on its ever-growing list of weekly challenges by adding a new Shadow Ops Punchcard Questline.

You’ll earn 150,000 XP for completing all of these Punchcard Quests, so it’ll be a solid boost in earning Battle Stars and finishing the Season 8 Battle Pass.


And that’s everything included in the small 18.30 Hotfix! Stay tuned to Charlie INTEL for all future Fortnite updates.

And you can check out how to get the League of Legends Jinx skin in Fortnite.

Image Credit: Epic Games

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About The Author

Liam is CharlieIntel's Editor. After graduating in Journalism from Edinburgh Napier University, Liam made use of his passion for FPS games, including Call of Duty, by writing for sites such as The Nerd Stash, Red Bull Gaming, and GAMINGbible before joining CharlieIntel in November 2020. You can contact Liam at [email protected].