Best Fortnite Pickaxes: The Greatest Harvesting Tools, Ranked

How we ranked the best Fortnite pickaxes

This is an editorial ranking, not usage data. In October 2026 we read the main community vote rankings, including fortnite.gg's, and the editorial best-pickaxe guides that rank for this search, from Hotspawn, Dot Esports, EarlyGame and ExitLag, and kept the pickaxes that show up across several of them. Ties were broken in favour of pickaxes you can still get.

Prices, first and last Item Shop dates and shop counts come from fnbr.co; rarity, sets, styles, introduction seasons and the in-game descriptions from fortnite-api.com. Both were read on 28 October 2026. Where the two sources disagree on the season a pickaxe was introduced, we print no season rather than pick one.

The best Fortnite pickaxes, ranked

1. Leviathan Axe

The Leviathan Axe is Kratos's frost axe from God of War, and it is the pickaxe that the most guides and community voters agree on. It arrived with the Kratos outfit in Chapter 2 Season 5 as part of the Oathbreaker set, and its rune-etched blade glows icy blue. Its description, "Forged by Brok and Sindri.", nods to the games' blacksmiths. The catch is availability: it cost 1,000 V-Bucks and was in the shop 32 times between 4 December 2020 and 19 March 2021, and not since. No other pickaxe tops as many lists of the best Fortnite pickaxes.

2. The Axe of Champions

The Axe of Champions is Fortnite's esports trophy: a golden pickaxe with the FNCS crest, first handed out through the Fortnite Champion Series in Chapter 2 Season 2. For years it was a status symbol you had to earn. That changed on 5 September 2025, when it went on sale in the Item Shop for 1,200 V-Bucks; it has been in the shop 16 times since, most recently on 30 September 2026. Guides that still call it unobtainable are out of date. Newer FNCS versions now carry the bragging rights, but the original has the cleanest design of the best pickaxes in that line.

3. Star Wand

Star Wand looks like a toy, a pink wand topped with a smiling gold star, and that contrast is why so many competitive players carry it. One editorial guide ranks it the best Fortnite pickaxe outright and calls it the main choice of sweaty players. It costs 800 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 125 times since March 2019, most recently on 1 October 2026, so it is one of the easiest of the best pickaxes to buy. Its description, "Swing for the stars.", is the whole pitch.

4. Candy Axe

Candy Axe is the candy-cane pickaxe from Fortnite's first winter, first sold on 24 December 2017 as part of the Frosty Fights set. It cost 1,500 V-Bucks, high for a pickaxe, and it still does; it has been in the shop 65 times, most recently on 31 May 2026. The red-and-white twist makes it one of the most recognisable silhouettes among the best Fortnite pickaxes, and it pairs with far more than Christmas outfits. Its description is "Deck the walls with festive mayhem!", and voters and guides both rank it in their top ten.

5. Ice Breaker

Ice Breaker is a plain, slightly battered pickaxe from the Arctic Command set, and it is the classic competitive choice: small, quiet and unobtrusive. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 110 times since January 2018, most recently on 1 October 2026. The game files also include an FNCS Ice Breaker, added on 1 October 2026, which says something about its standing in competitive play. Two editorial guides and the community vote include it among the best pickaxes, and for the sweaty look at the lowest price it is the default answer.

6. Reaper

Reaper is a simple scythe, first sold on 31 October 2017 for Fortnite's first Halloween and often paired with the Season 3 Reaper outfit that players nicknamed "John Wick". It is often described as hard to get, but the shop history shows the opposite: 103 appearances at 800 V-Bucks, the latest on 17 August 2026. The long curved blade gives it a sweeping silhouette that has aged far better than most Season 1 cosmetics. If you want one of the best OG Fortnite pickaxes that you can still buy, this is it.

7. Merry Mint Axe

Merry Mint Axe, usually just called Minty, is a peppermint-striped pickaxe with a bright green glow at its head, and it has never been sold in the Item Shop. It came as a redeem code with selected licensed Fortnite merchandise, which turned getting one into a hunt through toy shops. It belongs to the Frosty Fights set alongside Candy Axe, and community voters rank it among their ten best pickaxes. Its description, "Refreshingly festive.", undersells how much it was wanted.

8. AC/DC

AC/DC is an electrified tool from Fortnite's first Battle Pass, Chapter 1 Season 2, at tier 63. The tesla-coil head crackles with lightning, and its description, "Warning: High Voltage!", fits. It has never been sold, so it marks an account from the winter of 2017–18. Two of the editorial guides we read name it among the best Fortnite pickaxes, and it remains one of the most distinctive designs from that era.

9. Throwback Axe

Throwback Axe is the original default pickaxe from Chapter 1, brought back in the Origins set. It was in the Item Shop on a single day, 5 November 2020, at no cost, and it has not been offered since. It is the tool almost every early player swung, and pairing it with a Chapter 1 default outfit is still one of the best nostalgia combinations in the game. One editorial guide puts it among its ten best pickaxes for that reason. Its description is short and fitting: "Take your pick."

10. Energy Sword

The Energy Sword is Halo's plasma blade, which Fortnite only got in Chapter 6 as part of the Spartan Operations set, as a page-1 Battle Pass reward rather than a shop item. The glowing blue blade is sharp and readable, and a second style, Bloodblade, turns it red. Its description, "Plasma, refined and sharpened.", fits the look. One editorial guide ranks it eighth among the best Fortnite pickaxes, and because it came from a recent pass, it may return under Epic's 18-month policy as reported.

11. Harley Hitter

Harley Hitter is Harley Quinn's baseball bat, scrawled with writing, from the DC Series Gotham City set. Community voters rank it in their top five pickaxes, ahead of many newer collaborations, because a bat swing suits nearly any outfit with an edge. It costs 800 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 112 times since February 2020, most recently on 16 March 2026. Its description is suitably blunt: "Come out swinging." It is one of the best licensed pickaxes you can buy without waiting years.

12. Raider's Revenge

Raider's Revenge, a rusty hammer wrapped in barbed wire, was long treated as a pickaxe you could not buy: the game data dates it to Chapter 1 Season 1, yet it had no Item Shop sale until 20 December 2024. Since then it has been in the shop 85 times at 1,500 V-Bucks, the latest on 31 January 2026, and it has a Black & Gold style. Guides that still call it ultra-rare are out of date. It ranks among the best pickaxes for its chunky, menacing design and its description: "Wrapped in rusty barbed wire, and ready to settle the score."

13. Photonic Striker

Photonic Striker is the Fortnite Crew's customisable blade, part of the Photonic Legacy set from Chapter 3 Season 4. It has five shape styles (Photonic Striker, Advanced, Cyberlight, Tuned and Complex) and four energy colours (Energy Orange, Laser Red, Radiant Blue and Magnetic Green), so it can match almost any outfit. It was a Fortnite Crew Legacy reward and has never been sold in the Item Shop. That flexibility is why one editorial guide ranks it third among the best Fortnite pickaxes.

14. Rainbow Smash

Rainbow Smash is a plush unicorn head on a stick, part of the Sunshine and Rainbows set, and it is the most cheerful way to break a wall. It was in the Item Shop as recently as 27 October 2026 at 1,500 V-Bucks, its 99th appearance since February 2018. The loud colours are the point; its description, "Beat the stuffing out of 'em.", says the rest. Best-of-all-time guides still include it, and it is one of the few Chapter 1 pickaxes that looks as playful now as it did in 2018.

15. Driver

Driver is a golf club from the Teed Off set, and one of the few joke pickaxes that also looks clean. The head is small and the shaft is slim, so it never clutters the screen. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 74 times since April 2019, most recently on 1 October 2026. Community voters put it in their top 15 of the best pickaxes, and its description, "Swing for the green.", keeps the joke going.

16. Stealth Breaker

Stealth Breaker is the newest pickaxe in this ranking: a blacked-out, shovel-shaped tool from the Typical Gamer Icon Series set, first sold on 29 May 2026. Community voters already rank it among their ten best pickaxes, and the appeal is obvious: it takes the compact shape competitive players like and makes it all black. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 16 times, most recently on 15 September 2026. Its description, "Smash in style.", fits a tool that is all about looking low-key.

17. Cold Snap

Cold Snap is a frosted staff topped with flowers, with a small lantern hanging from it, from Chapter 1 Season 7. Its description, "Frosted and flowery.", sums up an unusually delicate design, and community voters place it in their top dozen of the best Fortnite pickaxes. It costs 800 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 78 times since December 2018, most recently on 31 May 2026. It suits winter outfits and softer, nature-themed looks better than almost any other tool on this list.

18. Catwoman's Grappling Claw

Catwoman's Grappling Claw is a sleek black grappling hook from the Batman: Zero Point set, first sold on 19 May 2021. It is slim, dark and quiet-looking, a favourite for anyone who wants a pickaxe that does not compete with the outfit, and community voters rank it in their top 15. It costs 800 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 101 times, most recently on 24 April 2026. Its description, "Pickaxing Purrrfection.", is a pun most players will forgive.

19. Skully Sceptre

Skully Sceptre is a bone wand topped with a grinning cartoon skull, first sold on 30 October 2022 during the Halloween season. Its description, "What a cute little tool for dark magic.", gets the balance right: spooky but not grim. At 500 V-Bucks, with 76 shop appearances and the latest on 17 August 2026, it is one of the cheapest of the best Fortnite pickaxes. Community voters rank it in their top 20, and it pairs well with almost any Halloween outfit.

20. Studded Axe

Studded Axe is a classic pick shape with a wrapped, studded handle from the Sharp Style set, and its one-word description, "Edgy.", says it all. It costs 800 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 78 times since July 2018, most recently on 3 October 2026. It ranks here because it looks like a real pickaxe, a rarer thing in the locker than it should be, and it works with nearly any outfit. Community voters place it among their 20 best pickaxes.

21. Crowbar

Crowbar is exactly that: a plain dark crowbar, earned through the High Stakes challenges in Chapter 1 Season 5 and part of the Getaway Gang set. It has never been sold, so it marks an account that played that limited-time event. The slim hook keeps the look understated, and its description, "Pry away.", matches its no-frills design. Community voters rank it in their top 15 of the best pickaxes.

22. Party Animal

Party Animal is a silver Slurp keg on a pole, with blue Slurp lettering, from the Slurp Squad set, first sold on 7 January 2018. It costs 1,500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 78 times, most recently on 21 June 2026. It is one of the most fun pickaxes to swing, and its description, "Red plastic cups not included.", fits. Best-of-all-time guides still feature it among the best Fortnite pickaxes, and it looks good with almost any Slurp or party-themed outfit.

23. Axecalibur

Axecalibur turns Fortnite's medieval Season 2 into a pickaxe: a long axe with a red-and-gold hilt, earned at tier 35 of the Chapter 1 Season 2 Battle Pass. It is part of the Fort Knights set with the Black Knight and Blue Squire outfits and has never been sold. Its description, "Stone and anvil not included.", nods to the sword in the stone. Best-of-all-time guides still list it among the best pickaxes, and it remains a strong pick for knight-themed loadouts.

24. Permafrost

Permafrost is a jagged ice axe from the Harbinger set, earned through the Ragnarok challenges in Chapter 1 Season 5. Its description, "Chiseled from glacial ice.", matches the translucent blue blades. It has never been in the Item Shop, so it only belongs to players who completed those challenges. It also looks sharper than most icy pickaxes released since, and older lists of the best Fortnite pickaxes keep it for that reason.

25. Ghost Face's Hunting Knife

Ghost Face's Hunting Knife is the Scream killer's blade, from the Ghost Face set, and one of the slimmest tools on this list. It first went on sale on 11 October 2025, costs 600 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 26 times, most recently on 11 October 2026. Community voters rank it in their top 25 of the best pickaxes, and the plain steel knife works with far more than Ghost Face: almost any dark or horror outfit takes it. Its description, "Survive 'til the sequel.", nods to the films.

26. Bananaxe

Bananaxe is a curved, banana-yellow blade on a black handle, earned at tier 43 of the Chapter 2 Season 2 Battle Pass as part of the Banana Royale set. Its description, "Split anything that gets in your way.", is the joke, and the clean shape keeps it from feeling silly in a fight. It has never been sold. One editorial guide we read names it among its 14 best pickaxes, and it is an obvious match for Agent Peely, the banana spy from the same set.

27. Lucky

Lucky is one of Fortnite's oldest shop pickaxes: a dark pick with a yellow smiley-face motif, first sold on 2 November 2017. Its description, "A sturdy pickaxe with a great attitude.", explains the charm. It costs 500 V-Bucks and has been in the shop 73 times, most recently on 9 July 2026, so it is an easy way to own a Season 1 item. One editorial guide includes it among the best Fortnite pickaxes because the simple shape has aged well and goes with almost anything.

28. Vision

Vision is a spiked black mace with a single staring eye, from the Ouroboros set, and its description, "Unending gaze.", is suitably creepy. It is also the most frequently sold pickaxe on this list: 147 shop appearances since January 2019, the most recent on 4 October 2026, at 800 V-Bucks. Community voters rank it in their top 30 of the best pickaxes, and the dark look makes it a natural match for horror and villain outfits. It rarely stays away from the shop for long.

29. Duelist's Foil

Duelist's Foil is a needle-thin fencing foil with a gold guard, from page 7 of the Chapter 5 Season 1 Battle Pass and the En Garde set. Its description, "Make your point swiftly, and without counter.", plays on fencing, and a second style, Midnight Duelist's Foil, darkens it. It is the thinnest tool on this list, which keeps the screen clear. It has never been sold, and per Epic's stated policy as reported, only pass items from Chapter 5 Season 4 onward can return after 18 months, so this one predates that window.

30. Diamond Jack

Diamond Jack is a jewel-encrusted pickaxe from the Travis Scott set, released for the Astronomical concert in April 2020. It cost 800 V-Bucks and was in the shop only six times, from 22 to 27 April 2020, and not since. The diamond-studded head is one of the best-looking collab pickaxes of Chapter 2, its description, "Astroworld's Finest.", fits, and community voters still rank it in their top 25. Six and a half years out of the shop is why it closes the list of the best Fortnite pickaxes.

Which of the best Fortnite pickaxes can you still get?

The Item Shop pickaxes here can only be bought when they rotate in: the shop resets every day at 00:00 UTC, and the dates above are history, not a schedule. Some have been away for years, among them the Leviathan Axe (since March 2021) and Diamond Jack (since April 2020), so a past price is no promise of a return.

Ice Breaker, Driver, Skully Sceptre, Lucky and Stealth Breaker cost 500 V-Bucks each and have been in the shop recently; the V-Bucks price guide shows what that costs in real money. Battle Pass and challenge pickaxes cannot be bought at all, and Photonic Striker came only through the Fortnite Crew.

Pickaxes for a competitive loadout

Every pickaxe harvests at the same speed, so competitive players choose on size and sound: small, quiet tools such as Ice Breaker and Star Wand keep the screen clear. The sweaty skins guide covers the rest of that loadout, and our ranking of the best Fortnite skins covers the outfits.