What does Siphon mean in Fortnite? Augment explained

Nathan Warby
Fortnite player using Siphon

The Siphon mechanic made a return in Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 1 following the 23.20 update, but how exactly does it work? Here’s our guide on what Siphon means in Fortnite and how to use it to your advantage in matches.

The Fortnite 23.20 update added plenty of exciting new content to the ever-popular royale, keeping things fresh as the wait for Chapter 4 Season 2 goes on. This latest patch brought the new Falcon Scout item to use during matches and has revealed a Dead Space crossover down the line.

it also introduced the Siphon feature back into regular battle royale games for the first time in many seasons, adding an interesting new layer to matches. But not all players will be familiar with the Siphon mechanic, making completing weekly Quests difficult.

Here’s everything you need to know about the Siphon mechanic in Fortnite and how to use it.

What are Siphons in Fortnite?

Fortnite player and Falcon Scout

Siphon is a Fortnite feature that refills a player’s health and shields every time they damage or eliminate an enemy, allowing them to get straight into the next fight without worrying about healing. It’s a feature that suits aggressive players who like to push teams and rack up high-kill games.

It can make for some interesting fights, as every hit deals damage to one player while healing the other by the same amount, leading to a tug of war as teams look to balance health and damage.

Epic have experimented with Siphons in the past, most recently in an LTM mode released in December, and is a standard feature of competitive matches. It also appeared briefly in Fortnite Season 7 but was removed as it was leading to overly aggressive matches.

How to use Siphon in Fortnite Chapter 4 Season 1

The Siphon mechanic can be used in Fortnite through Reality Augments, the new in-game Perks added in the Chapter 4 Season 1 update. At the moment there are two Augments that incorporate Siphoning in their abilities – Shotgun Striker and Rarity Check.

Shotgun Striker applies the Siphon effect to any Shotgun you pick up, while Rarity Check does the same to all Common and Uncommon weapons.

Unfortunately, there is no way to way guarantee that you’ll receive either of these Reality Augments in a match. As they were before the update, these Perks are random in each game so you’ll have to keep your fingers crossed that you get a lucky pick.


For more on Fortnite, be sure to check out the rumored Family Guy crossover and Kid LAROI crossover.

Image credit: Epic Games

About The Author

Nathan is a Senior Writer for CharlieIntel and Dexerto, primarily covering FIFA and Call of Duty, as well as general gaming news and guides. After leaving university with a degree in Sports Studies and a master's degree in Magazine Journalism, he took on a role as a local news reporter before moving into games media. You can contact Nathan by email at [email protected].