Specialists are among the most useful allies you can recruit in Fortnite, and in Chapter 7 Season 3 there are exactly 4 of them scattered across the island. Each one has a distinct role, a fixed hire cost of 350 gold bars, and a specific spot where they hang out. Several quests this season require you to hire a specialist across multiple matches, so knowing exactly where to look saves you from wasting precious early-game time.
Where are all the specialists in Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3?
There are 4 specialists available to hire this season: Elite Daigo, Heatwave PJ, Dylan, and John Wick. Each costs 350 gold bars to recruit, and that gold does not carry over between matches, so you need to loot up fresh each game before heading to one of them.
Here's a quick overview of every specialist and their location:
Elite Daigo (Medic Specialist) at Sunken Shores
Elite Daigo is the go-to hire if you want sustained survivability. As a Medic Specialist, he keeps your health topped off during extended fights. Find him in the upper northeast corner of Sunken Shores, wandering the open courtyard next to the bright blue house. He's easy to spot once you're in the right area since he stays in that general outdoor space rather than hiding inside a building.
Elite Daigo at Sunken Shores
Heatwave PJ (Scout Specialist) at Latte Landing
Heatwave PJ fills the Scout Specialist role, making her a solid pick for aggressive players who want better awareness. She's inside the grey stone building near the southeast corner of Latte Landing. She wanders around inside, so step through the door and give it a moment before interacting.
Dylan (Supply Specialist) at Heatwave Harbor
Dylan is the Supply Specialist of the group, useful for keeping your loadout stocked. Head to the far eastern end of Heatwave Harbor, which is the cluster of buildings on the right side of the water. She's in that eastern section rather than the main docks area, so don't stop too early.
Specialist hire menu overview
John Wick (Heavy Specialist) at Calamari Canyon
John Wick is the Heavy Specialist and arguably the most recognizable hire this season. He's near the northern edge of Calamari Canyon, standing close to a small blue building at the edge of a cliff. The cliffside position makes him slightly awkward to reach if you're coming from the south, so approach from the north when possible.
How to hire a specialist in different matches
One of the season quests asks you to hire a specialist across 4 different matches. You don't need to hire 4 different specialists, just 1 per match, 4 times total. Here's the cleanest way to knock this out:
- Drop somewhere with good loot density near your chosen specialist's POI.
- Collect at least 350 gold bars before making your approach.
- Locate the specialist and interact with them.
- Select the Recruit option to pay the fee and lock in the hire.
- Repeat across 3 more separate matches.
The same specialist counts each time, so if you're comfortable with Sunken Shores as a drop, just hire Elite Daigo four matches in a row.
What's the difference between specialists and regular characters?
Regular characters in Chapter 7 Season 3 offer rotating one-time services per match: max out your ammo for 500 gold, gain 100 health or shields for 500 gold, or spawn a rift for 500 gold. They won't follow you around.
Specialists are different. Paying the 350 gold bar hire fee brings them along as a combat companion for the rest of that match. Each specialist type also has a unique role, so the value you get scales with your playstyle. A Medic Specialist like Elite Daigo suits defensive players; a Heavy like John Wick suits players who want extra firepower in late-game fights.
For a full breakdown of every NPC on the map this season, including non-specialist characters and their service costs, check out the Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 NPC locations guide.
Specialist combat companion active
Tips for completing the specialist quest efficiently
- Pick one specialist and stick with them across all 4 matches rather than chasing different ones each game.
- Latte Landing and Sunken Shores tend to be slightly less contested than Heatwave Harbor, making Heatwave PJ and Elite Daigo the lower-risk hires early in a session.
- If you're already working through other seasonal content, the Fortnite Chapter 7 Season 3 Week 1 quests guide has the full XP breakdown so you can stack multiple objectives in the same match.
- Specialists respawn each match, so a failed run doesn't lock you out.
For more maps, locations, and strategies across the full season, the Fortnite guides collection has everything organized by topic.