Unreal Engine 5 · Blueprint → C++
Add Radial Impulse in Unreal Engine 5 C++UE Docs
The Add Radial Impulse node is UPrimitiveComponent::AddRadialImpulse. Call it with an origin, radius, strength and an ERadialImpulseFalloff to push a body outward like an explosion.
Blueprint node & C++ equivalent
MyMesh->AddRadialImpulse(Origin, /*Radius=*/300.f, /*Strength=*/1500.f,
ERadialImpulseFalloff::RIF_Linear, /*bVelChange=*/true);What does the Add Radial Impulse node do?
Add Radial Impulse applies an instantaneous impulse to a body, directed away from a world-space origin point. The strength can fall off with distance from the origin, which makes it the standard building block for explosion and shockwave effects on a single component.
In C++ this is the AddRadialImpulse function on UPrimitiveComponent, applied per component; for multi-actor explosions you would call it on each affected mesh or use a radial force component.
The C++ equivalent
The snippet MyMesh->AddRadialImpulse(Origin, 300.f, 1500.f, ERadialImpulseFalloff::RIF_Linear, true); pushes the mesh away from Origin within a 300 cm radius at strength 1500. The RIF_Linear falloff means the impulse scales down linearly toward the edge of the radius; RIF_Constant would apply full strength everywhere inside it.
The final bVelChange argument is true here, so the impulse is treated as a direct velocity change in cm/s and ignores the body's mass, giving consistent knockback regardless of object weight.
Common mistakes
The body must be simulating physics, and it must lie within the supplied radius of Origin, or no impulse is applied. The Origin is a world-space FVector, commonly the explosion's location; passing a local or relative position will push objects in the wrong direction.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make an explosion push physics objects in Unreal Engine 5 C++?+
Call AddRadialImpulse(Origin, Radius, Strength, ERadialImpulseFalloff::RIF_Linear, bVelChange) on each simulating component near the blast, or use a URadialForceComponent for an area effect.
What is the difference between RIF_Linear and RIF_Constant in AddRadialImpulse?+
RIF_Linear scales the impulse down with distance so objects at the edge of the radius get less push, while RIF_Constant applies the full strength uniformly within the radius.