Well, well, well, look what the alien mothership dragged in! As of the final hotfix for Fortnite v17.10, the island has gotten a little... bouncier. The big news, of course, is the arrival of the Inflate-A-Bull, an item so gloriously silly it makes a Boogie Bomb look like a serious piece of military hardware. This isn't just any update; it's the last hurrah before the expected new patch, meaning Epic Games decided to send off this version with a pneumatic party animal.
The Hotfix Headliners: Relocations and Invasions
Before we get to the bull in the room, let's set the scene. The July 13th hotfix shuffled the deck on the island in a couple of key ways. First, the dynamic duo of Zyg and Choppy have packed their bags and moved. No longer will you find these NPCs loitering around Hydro 16. Nope, they've taken up residence in the far more scenic (and probably buggier) Weeping Woods. Players looking to complete quests or just have a chat will need to redirect their gliders accordingly.
Meanwhile, over at what was once the quaint Holly Hedges, a full-scale alien takeover is complete. The location has been rebranded as Holly Hatchery, and it's now crawling with Alien Guards. To make matters more tense, more Alien Parasites have been spotted skittering around. It's less 'suburban retreat' and more 'horror movie set' now. Consider yourself warned.
Meet the Inflate-A-Bull: Your New Best (Rubber) Friend
Ah, the main event. The Inflate-A-Bull is now live and ready to rumble. This blue-rarity 'Rare' item can be found in the wild like any other piece of loot—popping out of chests or lying innocently on the ground, waiting for someone to give it a squeeze.
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How to Get It:
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Loot It: Standard floor and chest loot.
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Buy It: Visit everyone's favorite mad scientist, Rick Sanchez, who's set up shop east of Weeping Woods. He'll sell you one for 25 Gold Bars. But here's the catch—he's not running a warehouse. He only stocks ONE at a time. It's a classic case of 'you snooze, you lose'.
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So, what in the name of Peely does this thing do? Imagine the world's most aggressive bouncy castle shaped like a bull. When you pick it up, it automatically straps to your back like a quirky backpack. The real fun begins when you decide to take a leap of faith. Jump from a height, and POOF—the bull inflates around you faster than you can say 'cowabunga'.
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Primary Function: It encases you in a protective, bouncy sphere, allowing you to tumble down cliffs or off buildings without taking a single point of fall damage. It's the ultimate 'oops' button for clumsy players everywhere.
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The Fine Print (Because There's Always Fine Print):
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It's Not Invincible: The bull has a health pool. Enemy bullets can and will pop your bubble, literally. Once it's shot enough, it deflates, leaving you exposed and probably embarrassed.
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Cooldown Conundrum: There's a cooldown before you can use it again. If the bull is shot until it pops, the cooldown is painfully long. However, if you're smart and manually deflate it by holding the button, the cooldown is significantly shorter. It pays to be polite to your inflatable friend!
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Strategy Session: Bull-ish Behavior
How does one master the art of the Inflate-A-Bull? It's not just for goofing off (though it's excellent for that). A savvy player can use it for strategic repositioning, escaping the storm in a pinch, or creating a chaotic, bouncing distraction in a team fight. Just remember its limitations. Don't think you're a rolling tank; you're more of a fast-moving, vulnerable target that happens to be immune to gravity's harsh lessons.
| Scenario | Smart Bull Move | Dumb Bull Move |
|---|---|---|
| Being Shot At | Manually deflate early to get a shorter cooldown. | Letting it get shot out, leaving you with a long wait. |
| Rotating from High Ground | Bounce down the mountain safely and stylishly. | Jumping into the middle of a full squad, expecting to survive. |
| In a Build Fight | Use it to quickly disengage and reset the fight. | Trying to bounce on an opponent's head for damage (it doesn't work). |
As the v17.10 season winds down, the Inflate-A-Bull is a perfect example of Fortnite's charm: it's unpredictable, fun-first, and adds a layer of chaos that keeps every match feeling fresh. So get out there, find your bull, and start bouncing. Just watch out for those Alien Guards at Holly Hatchery—they probably aren't impressed by your rubber rodeo.