Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3, called Runners, hands you a decision the moment you first launch into the season. You get to add one of three starting Sprites to your collection, and that Sprite carries an ability you can switch on before you drop from the bus. The three options are Water, Fire, and Earth, and all of them are the most common Sprites on the island.
Quick answer: Pick Earth if you loot heavily for better gear, Fire if you fight for eliminations, and Water if you play in a squad. None of them locks you out of the others, so the choice is about what helps you most in the opening minutes.
All three starting Sprite options in Fortnite Runners
Each starting Sprite triggers its effect automatically when the right situation comes up during a match. The abilities are modest on purpose, since these are entry-level Sprites rather than the rare, Epic, Legendary, or Mythic types you find later.
| Sprite | Ability | When it triggers |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Replenishes shield while you are in water; the heal also applies to your nearby squad. | Standing in water |
| Fire | Creates a fiery burst when you deal enough damage to an enemy, adding extra damage. | Hitting an opponent |
| Earth | Gives you a chance to find additional rare items when you open chests. | Opening chests |
Which starting Sprite to pick by playstyle
Since you can only start with one, match the Sprite to how you actually play. The differences are small, but each one tilts the early game in a slightly different direction.
- Earth Sprite suits players who land hot for loot and crack open as many chests as possible. The extra chance at rare items helps you walk away with stronger gear, which is a real edge before fights begin.
- Fire Sprite fits aggressive players chasing kills. The burst of extra damage can finish off an enemy you have already weakened, which matters most in close encounters.
- Water Sprite is built for squads. Because the shield heal reaches your nearby teammates, it pays off only when you are grouped up near water.
None of these is overpowered, so you will not regret your pick. They are starting tools, not match-winners.
How to start a match with a Sprite equipped
After you choose your first Sprite, you can carry it into a round straight from the lobby.
Step 1: Pick one of the three starting Sprites when the game prompts you. This adds it to your Sprite Collection right away.
Step 2: In the lobby, select the Equip a Sprite option and choose the Sprite you want from your collection.
Step 3: Drop into the match. Your equipped Sprite activates on its own whenever its condition is met, such as opening a chest with Earth or dealing damage with Fire.
Your first Sprite equip is free. Equipping a Sprite at the start of later matches costs Sprite Dust, the currency you earn by extracting Sprites during a run, and rarer Sprites cost more Dust to summon.
Collecting the Sprites you skipped
Skipping two of the three starters costs you nothing in the long run. All three are the most common Sprites you will run into on the island, so you can grab the ones you missed simply by playing.
Sprites wander the map and hide inside Sprite Chests. When you find one, pick it up to use its ability, or place it in an Extraction Crate at an Extraction Site to bank Sprite Dust. Extracting a Sprite type for the first time saves it to your collection, which means the Water, Fire, and Earth options you passed on will all become available for future matches once you extract them once.
From there, the system opens up well beyond the starters. You can level Sprites by opening chests, eliminating opponents, and extracting Sprites, and rarer types like Ghost, Demon, King, Dream, Punk, and Zero Point bring far stronger effects. The starting choice only sets your tone for the first few rounds, so pick the one that helps you most right now and build out your collection from there.