If you see a brown flight cap and checkered face paint in a Fortnite lobby today, you’re looking at a piece of history. Or a very dedicated collector. Honestly, the Renegade Raider skins have reached a level of mythic status that Epic Games probably never intended back in 2017. Most players weren't even around when the original was available. It’s the ultimate "I was there" badge.
Back then, the game was a mess. It was clunky. Building was a secondary thought. People were just trying to figure out how to survive the storm. In that chaos, the first Renegade Raider appeared, and it changed the way we look at digital rarity forever.
The One That Started It All: The OG Renegade Raider
The original Renegade Raider isn't just rare. It’s technically "extinct" from the shop. It didn't function like skins do now. You couldn't just throw V-Bucks at the screen and walk away with it. You had to actually play the game—a lot.
First, you had to hit Level 20 in Season 1. Then, you had to spend 1,200 V-Bucks in the "Season Shop." This was before the Battle Pass even existed. Because the player base was tiny compared to today's millions, very few people actually met those requirements. Even fewer bothered to spend money on a game that many thought would be a temporary fad.
Visually, it’s simple. She’s based on the Headhunter character model. She wears a leather pilot’s helmet, some classic goggles, and has dark paint streaks under her eyes. It's utilitarian. It's gritty. It feels like she actually belongs in a post-apocalyptic world, which is something modern Fortnite skins often lose with their neon lights and reactive capes.
Why it never comes back
People ask this constantly. "When is Renegade Raider returning?"
The short answer? Probably never. Epic Games has a track record of keeping "Season Shop" and "Battle Pass" items exclusive to their specific windows. Bringing back the OG version would likely cause a massive community backlash from the "OG" players who pride themselves on owning it. It’s the cornerstone of account selling—which is against TOS, by the way—but it drives the black market value of accounts into the thousands of dollars.
The Fire Rises: Blaze and the Magma Expansion
Since Epic knew they couldn't re-release the original without a riot, they did the next best thing. They remixed it.
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Blaze arrived in June 2020 as part of the Lava Series. She is basically the Renegade Raider if she climbed out of a volcano. Instead of brown leather, she’s made of cooling embers and glowing orange flames. Her goggles glow. Her skin looks like cracked obsidian.
The brilliant part about Blaze was that she was available in the regular Item Shop. Anyone with 1,500 V-Bucks could grab her. It was a peace offering to the fans who loved the silhouette of the Raider but missed the 2017 window. She also comes with the Firestarter Back Bling, which adds a bit of value that the original skin lacked.
Interestingly, Blaze has her own "Recharge" style which is a bit more subdued, but most people run the full flame version because, well, why wouldn't you? It's a loud skin. You aren't hiding in bushes with Blaze.
Checkered Past: Permafrost and the Frozen Variants
Then things got cold.
The Permafrost Raider arrived as part of the Black Ice Legends pack. This was a tactical move by Epic. They took the iconic Headhunter-Raider model and dipped it in liquid nitrogen. She has a blue, icy aesthetic with white fur trim on her hat.
What's cool about this one (pun intended) is how it fits into the "Legends" bundles. Usually, these bundles come with three skins for a set real-world price, rather than V-Bucks. It made the Raider silhouette accessible again, but in a way that felt distinct from the original. You can't mistake a glowing blue ice pilot for the brown-clad OG.
The Most Controversial One: Raider’s Revenge
Technically, this is a harvesting tool, not a skin. But you can't talk about Renegade Raider skins without talking about the pickaxe.
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Raider's Revenge is a rusty axe wrapped in barbed wire with a screw through the top. It was the Season Shop companion to the skin. To get it, you had to reach Level 35. That was a massive grind in 2017. Because of that, the pickaxe is actually considered even rarer than the skin itself.
There is a certain "sweat" factor associated with this axe. If you see someone using it, they aren't just an old player. They were a grinder back when the game was barely functional.
Skeletal Vibes: The Skull Squad Variant
Fortnite loves Halloween. It’s their biggest season. So, naturally, they had to give the Renegade Raider a spooky makeover.
Enter the Skeletara skin.
Released in October 2021, Skeletara takes the Raider's outfit and applies a neon-blue skeletal pattern to it. It’s part of the Skull Squad set. While she isn't officially named "Renegade Raider," the character model, the hat, the goggles, and the boots are a direct 1:1 match. It’s the "Renegade Raider in cosplay."
She’s often sold in a pack with other skeletal versions of popular skins like Fishstick and Rickety Renegade. It’s a budget-friendly way to get that specific look without needing a time machine.
Check the Facts: Is "Checkered Past" Actually a Raider?
There is often a lot of confusion in the community about skins that look similar but aren't actually part of the Renegade line.
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- Scarlet Defender: Often confused because of the hat, but she's a different model entirely.
- Aerobic Assassin: Uses the Headhunter model, but she's 80s themed. Not a Raider.
- Rust Lord: Often called the "male version," but they are just part of the same Scavenger set.
The true Renegade Raider skins are defined by that specific aviator cap. If it doesn't have the cap and the goggles, it's just another Headhunter skin. Epic has thousands of those.
How to Handle the "Rarity" Obsession
Look, I get it. Owning a rare skin feels good. But the "Renegade Raider" name has become a bit of a trap for new players.
Scammers use the allure of these skins to hijack accounts. They’ll promise "Renegade Raider Codes" or "Cheap OG Accounts."
Here is the reality: There are no codes. There is no secret way to unlock the 2017 version. If you see a website claiming they can give you the OG skin for $20, they are lying. Period. They want your login info. Don't give it to them. The only way to safely enjoy the Renegade Raider aesthetic in 2026 is to wait for the variants like Blaze or Skeletara to rotate into the Item Shop.
What the Future Holds
Epic Games knows the power of the Renegade brand. We've seen a trend lately where they "remix" old skins for the Battle Pass. We saw it with the OG Season, where they combined skins like Spectra Knight.
It’s highly likely we will see a "Remixed Renegade" in a future Battle Pass. Maybe a Cyberpunk version? Or a Steampunk one? They’ve already done fire, ice, and skeletons. The only thing left is a full-blown futuristic reimagining.
Actionable Steps for Collectors
If you're desperate for that Renegade look, stop checking "account selling" sites. You're going to get banned or scammed. Instead, do this:
- Add "Blaze" to your wishlist: She returns to the shop roughly every 30 to 40 days. Use an app or a tracker website to get an alert.
- Watch for "Legends" Packs: The Frozen and Magma packs usually return during their respective seasons (Winter and Summer).
- Check the "Hootenanny" shop sections: Epic often bundles "fan favorites" together. The Raider variants frequently show up there.
- Save 1,500 V-Bucks: Most variants hover around this price point. Don't get caught with an empty wallet when a variant finally drops.
Owning a Renegade Raider skin—even a new one—is about appreciating the history of the game. It's a nod to the scavengers who built the first wooden towers on a map that doesn't even exist anymore. Wear the goggles with pride, but don't lose your account over a digital hat.