Sprites are the central mechanic of Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3, branded as Runners. They first showed up in Chapter 6 Season 1, but this time they work very differently. Instead of being a one-off buff you find and spend in a single match, Sprites are now permanent collectibles. You grab one on the island, carry it to an extraction point, survive a timer, and it becomes part of a collection you keep across matches.
Quick answer: Pick up a Sprite to gain its ability for the current match, then take it to an extraction point and survive the exfil timer to bank it. Extracting earns Sprite Dust, which you spend before a future match to start with that Sprite already equipped.
How Sprites work in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3
Every Runners match contains Sprites scattered across the island. Walking up to one and picking it up fills an inventory slot, shows the Sprite on your back, and immediately grants its ability for the rest of that match. Rarer Sprites are harder to find and grant stronger effects.
Holding a Sprite is only half of it. To keep it, you have to bring it to an extraction point, lock it in, and outlast a countdown timer before you can exfil. Surviving that window adds the Sprite to your permanent collection and pays out a new currency called Sprite Dust. Full details are laid out in Epic's v41.00 update notes.
Sprite Dust is what powers the loop. You earn it by extracting Sprites, then spend it before a match starts to summon a Sprite you have already collected. A summoned Sprite grants its ability before you even leave the Battle Bus, so you drop in with a head start. Rarer Sprites cost more Sprite Dust to summon.
- Sprite Dust is earned by successfully extracting Sprites.
- Sprite Dust is spent before a match to summon a previously extracted Sprite.
- Summoned Sprites grant their power before you drop from the Battle Bus.
- Rarer Sprites cost more Sprite Dust to summon.
All 10 Sprites and their powers
At launch there are 10 Sprites split across four rarity tiers. Higher rarity means a stronger effect and a higher Sprite Dust cost to summon.
| Rarity | Sprite | Power |
|---|---|---|
| Rare | Earth Sprite | Chance to find additional rare items when opening Chests. |
| Rare | Fire Sprite | Creates a fiery burst when you deal enough damage to an enemy. |
| Rare | Water Sprite | Replenishes shields while in water for you and nearby Squad. |
| Epic | Duck Sprite | Emoting or Jamming replenishes shields. |
| Epic | Ghost Sprite | Grants cloak for a duration upon reloading. |
| Epic | Demon Sprite | Siphons some health and shields when you eliminate an opponent. |
| Epic | King Sprite | Your Pickaxe deals more damage. |
| Legendary | Dream Sprite | Grants a random item at each level, exploding with legendary loot at Max Level. |
| Legendary | Punk Sprite | Possibly nothing, or infinitely something. |
| Mythic | Zero Point Sprite | Spawns a Shield Bubble Jr. when you use a healing item on yourself. |
How to level up and master a Sprite
A Sprite gets stronger the more you use it, and leveling comes from three activities tracked while it is in your inventory.
| Activity | What counts |
|---|---|
| Exploration | Finding and opening Chests. |
| Eliminations | Downing and eliminating opponents. |
| Extractions | Successfully extracting Sprites. |
Reaching a Sprite's maximum level takes several runs. Once it is maxed, extracting that Sprite grants Mastery, which unlocks progression rewards spread across the season. The higher the level, the more powerful the Sprite's ability becomes, so investing in one Sprite over multiple matches pays off.
You know a Sprite has been banked when it appears in your permanent collection after exfil, and you know it is mastered when extracting a max-level Sprite triggers the Mastery reward track.
Special Sprite variants
Rare Special Sprites appear throughout the season and carry small bonus effects on top of their base power. You can pick them up through Daily Drops, Power Hours, and other limited-time events and activities.
Items that help you extract Sprites
Extraction does not always require running to a fixed point. Several items change how and where you can secure a Sprite.
| Item | Effect | Availability |
|---|---|---|
| Portable Extractor | Extract your equipped Sprite from anywhere on the island. | At launch |
| Lucky Locator | Tracks a buried Chest guaranteed to hold a Sprite you haven't collected. | Later this season |
| Extraction Site Booster | Calls in a special Extraction Crate that boosts any Sprite extracted there, and draws other players' attention. | Later this season |
Sprites and The Guardian skin
Sprites also feed into the Battle Pass. The Guardian is a mech suit piloted by a Sprite, and Battle Pass owners can use any extracted Sprite as the pilot. Banking a Sprite through extraction lets you pick it as the customization option for that suit.
The practical takeaway is to treat early matches as collection runs. Sprites tend to matter most at the start of a fight, and by the time you have strong floor loot a Sprite is usually less impactful, so extracting one to invest in a future drop is often the smarter play. Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 launches June 6, 2026, with the full Runners Sprite lineup live from day one.