Fortnite Runners: All NPC Locations & Services (Chapter 7 Season 3)

• There are 11 NPCs in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3, spread across 9 POIs on the Runners map.
• Four are hireable Specialists: Elite Daigo (Medic), Heatwave PJ (Scout), Dylan (Supply), and John Wick (Heavy). Each costs 350 Gold.
• The other seven are non-hireable service NPCs that charge 500 Gold per transaction.
• Specialist locations and roles never change between matches. Non-specialist services can rotate each game.
• Two POIs host two NPCs each: Sinister Strip (Vanguard Slone + The Singularity) and Shaken Sanctuary (Rival Hope + The Visitor).
• The Visitor is one floor below Rival Hope in the Shaken Sanctuary building — most players miss him entirely.
• Hired Specialists follow you for the full match. If they get eliminated, they are gone for that game.

Fortnite Runners NPC locations matter more this season than most. Gold is easier to earn through cashier machines and chests, Specialists provide ongoing combat and survival support, and knowing which two-NPC POIs exist saves you from making multiple stops. Chapter 7 Season 3 launches with 11 characters in total across the Shattered Coast map. Here is where every one of them is, what they offer, and who is worth your time.

All Fortnite Runners NPC Locations — Quick Reference

All 11 NPCs and their POIs at a glance:

• Elite Daigo — Sunken Shores (Medic Specialist, 350 Gold)
• Heatwave PJ — Latte Landing (Scout Specialist, 350 Gold)
• Dylan — Heatwave Harbor (Supply Specialist, 350 Gold)
• John Wick (Pen & Ink) — Calamari Canyon (Heavy Specialist, 350 Gold)
• The Order (Reforged) — Battlewoods (Service NPC, 500 Gold)
• The Guardian — Golden Grove (Service NPC, 500 Gold)
• Vanguard Slone — Sinister Strip (Service NPC, 500 Gold)
• The Singularity — Sinister Strip (Service NPC, 500 Gold)
• Rival Hope — Shaken Sanctuary (Service NPC, 500 Gold)
• The Visitor — Shaken Sanctuary (Service NPC, 500 Gold)
• Cluster — Cluster Coast (Service NPC, 500 Gold)

NPCs wander within their POI. They will not be standing on an exact spot. When you enter the area, look for the character icon on your minimap and close in from there.

Fortnite Runners Hireable Specialist NPC Locations

These four NPCs can be recruited for 350 Gold. Once hired, they follow you for the rest of that match. Their locations and roles are fixed — they never change between games.

Elite Daigo — Medic Specialist — Sunken Shores

Elite Daigo is at Sunken Shores, on the northeast side of the map. He wanders the open courtyard near the northeast corner of the POI, close to a bright blue house.

As a Medic Specialist, Daigo throws out Chug Splashes during and after fights. He keeps your health and shields recovering without you burning your own inventory. He is the best hire if you are pushing into late game and need sustained survivability. Sunken Shores also tends to be less contested than central POIs, so reaching him is lower risk than some alternatives. This is also the area tied to the Sunken Shores Wishing Fountain — worth combining both stops on the same drop.

Heatwave PJ — Scout Specialist — Latte Landing

Heatwave PJ is at Latte Landing. She patrols inside the grey stone building near the southeast corner of the POI.

As a Scout Specialist, PJ pings nearby enemies and unopened chests within a wide radius. That information advantage is most useful in the early-to-mid game when you are still building your loadout. Latte Landing is another lower-contested drop compared to the central POIs, making her one of the safest and most efficient hires of the four.

Dylan — Supply Specialist — Heatwave Harbor

Dylan is at Heatwave Harbor, in the far eastern cluster of buildings on the right side of the water.

As a Supply Specialist, Dylan drops extra ammunition and building materials. She is the right call if you run through ammo quickly or play build mode and need consistent material top-ups. Heatwave Harbor is a busy POI, so land with a plan. The duck race minigame starts on the north side of the same POI — you can combine hiring Dylan with running the duck race in the same match for a strong early-game loot pass.

John Wick (Pen & Ink) — Heavy Specialist — Calamari Canyon

John Wick is at Calamari Canyon, in the northwest section of the POI near the fishing hut. He is the same John Wick from the 9mm Baba Yaga guide — hiring him also connects to the questline around rescuing his dog.

As a Heavy Specialist, John Wick provides additional firepower in close-range fights. He is the strongest hire for aggressive players who want a combat companion rather than support. If you are already at Calamari Canyon clearing the Stealth Guardian Torso cases, stop by and hire him at the same time.

Fortnite Runners Non-Hireable NPC Locations & Services

The remaining seven NPCs cannot be hired. Instead, they offer rotating services you can buy with 500 Gold per transaction. What each one sells can change between matches, so check what they have at the start of a game before routing to them.

Vanguard Slone — Sinister Strip

Vanguard Slone is at Sinister Strip. She stands outside a small house to the south of the main POI marker. Sinister Strip also holds The Singularity, so both NPCs are close together here.

Sinister Strip is a contested area. Approach from the south on foot rather than dropping directly on the main strip to reduce your exposure.

The Singularity — Sinister Strip

The Singularity shares Sinister Strip with Vanguard Slone. With two NPCs in one POI, Sinister Strip is worth visiting if you need services from both. Just be aware it attracts more players early in a match because of that.

Rival Hope — Shaken Sanctuary

Rival Hope is in the main triangular building at Shaken Sanctuary, which sits south of the map’s center. She is straightforward to find — enter the building and she is on the main floor.

The Visitor — Shaken Sanctuary

The Visitor is also at Shaken Sanctuary, but he is one floor below Rival Hope. Take the stairs down from where you find Rival Hope and you will reach him. Players who only check the ground floor or the same level as Rival Hope consistently miss The Visitor entirely.

Shaken Sanctuary’s two-NPC setup makes it another efficient stop on a service run. It is also where the Stealth Guardian Helmet cases are found, so you can combine both objectives in one visit. See our Stealth Guardian case locations guide for exact spots.

The Guardian — Golden Grove

The Guardian is at Golden Grove. This is a quieter POI compared to Sinister Strip or Shaken Sanctuary, so reaching The Guardian is generally lower risk. His services rotate per match.

The Order (Reforged) — Battlewoods

The Order (Reforged) is at Battlewoods. Like the others in this category, services are variable by match. If your rotation takes you through Battlewoods naturally, check in — there is no reason to make a special trip unless you know you need what he has.

Cluster — Cluster Coast

Cluster is at Cluster Coast. He is one of the more interesting NPCs this season given his lore role as the antagonist running the Runners operation. His services charge 500 Gold and rotate per match. Cluster Coast is also where the Cluster Coast secret duck vault is hidden — both stops work well together on the same drop.

Which Fortnite Runners Specialist Is Worth Hiring

All four Specialists cost the same 350 Gold, but they serve different playstyles.

• Solo or duo pushing late game: Elite Daigo (Medic). His constant healing extends every fight you take without draining your supplies.
• Aggressive early-game or rotation-heavy play: Heatwave PJ (Scout). Knowing where enemies and chests are before you push is the strongest early advantage in Runners.
• Build mode or high-ammo-consumption playstyle: Dylan (Supply). Keeps you from running dry in extended fights.
• Late-game combat focused: John Wick (Heavy). Best used when you expect heavy close-range action and want a second gun that can keep up.

You can only have one hired Specialist at a time. Hiring a new one dismisses the previous one. If your hired NPC is downed in combat, revive them like a teammate. If they are fully eliminated, they are gone for that match and do not respawn.

How to Get Enough Gold for Fortnite Runners NPCs

Services cost 350–500 Gold. You need to loot that from scratch each match since Gold does not carry over between games.

The fastest ways to build Gold in Runners:

• Cashier machines scattered across POIs — interact with them for quick Gold
• Chests and floor loot — Gold drops consistently from standard loot sources
• Eliminating players — picking up their Gold on death
• The duck race at Heatwave Harbor — the finish line drops Gold along with weapons and healing items

If you are landing near Heatwave Harbor to hire Dylan, run the duck race minigame first. You will likely collect enough Gold to cover Dylan’s hire fee and have spending power left over for mid-game services.

Fortnite Runners NPC Tips for 2026

• Check services before routing. Non-specialist NPC services rotate per match. Verify what they have early in the game before committing a long rotation to reach one.
• Hit two-NPC POIs when possible. Sinister Strip and Shaken Sanctuary both hold two characters. One stop, two services — far more efficient than crossing the map twice.
• Don’t forget the lower floor at Shaken Sanctuary. The Visitor is one floor below Rival Hope. Most players only interact with Rival Hope and leave without finding him.
• Hire early, not late. Specialists are most valuable when they have multiple fights left to support you. Hiring someone in the final circle is rarely worth the 350 Gold investment.
• Watch the storm. Do not chase an NPC deep into the storm. It is better to hire a less ideal Specialist safely than to take storm damage trying to reach a preferred one.

For more on how to build an efficient loop around the Runners map this season, see our best loot path for Sprites guide, the boss locations guide for Mythic weapon drops, and our full Fortnite Runners tips and tricks breakdown for Chapter 7 Season 3.