Difference between revisions of "Sniper (Long War)"
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|Weakness=lacks flexibility requiring good positioning and support, goes through ammo quickly | |Weakness=lacks flexibility requiring good positioning and support, goes through ammo quickly | ||
|Battles=All, especially large maps | |Battles=All, especially large maps | ||
− | |Loadout= | + | |Loadout=Scope/Neural Gunlink/Illuminator Gunsight, Alloy Bipod, Targeting Module, and/or Hi Cap Mags |
|Power Ranks=Gains power steadily with ranks, MSGT doubles dmg when active | |Power Ranks=Gains power steadily with ranks, MSGT doubles dmg when active | ||
− | |Description=A Sniper that prefers to dish out two high damage crit shots each turn, versus one extreme damage shot. Kill two squishy enemies each turn, or focus both shots on one tough enemy. Potentially highest damage output of all builds, but has to stop to reload often. Functions similarly to the pure assassin build | + | |Description=A Sniper that prefers to dish out two high damage crit shots each turn, versus one extreme damage shot. Kill two squishy enemies each turn, or focus both shots on one tough enemy. Potentially highest damage output of all builds, but has to stop to reload often. Functions similarly to the pure assassin build. A targeting module can improve crit consistency and damage significantly in early game. |
− | |Strategic Analysis=Good pre-fight positioning, ammo management, keeping track of Double Tap uptime is key to maximizing the effectiveness of this build. Ideally you want to have 5 shots in your sniper rifle so you can DT, shoot, DT again, reload, and repeat. If you don’t have Ammo Con. yet and can only have 4 shots consider repositioning and/or steadying or even reloading between DT turns if the situation allows for it. When using the Gauss Long Rifle Hi Cap Mags are mandatory until Ammo | + | |Strategic Analysis=Good pre-fight positioning, ammo management, keeping track of Double Tap uptime is key to maximizing the effectiveness of this build. Ideally you want to have 5 shots in your sniper rifle so you can DT, shoot, DT again, reload, and repeat. If you don’t have Ammo Con. yet and can only have 4 shots consider repositioning and/or steadying or even reloading between DT turns if the situation allows for it. When using the Gauss Long Rifle Hi Cap Mags are mandatory until Ammo Conservation, and even then it’s still probably a good idea. Precision Shot with the full assortment of +crit stacking gear, perks, and eye gene mods will guarantee a 100% crit chance even against Hardened or In Cover foes, while a non-Precision Shot attack will come with 50% less crit chance and is better for exposed biological targets. Aim stacking (including Sharpshooter) can also give you a 100% hit chance straight through full cover. |
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===The Most Interesting Sniper in the World=== | ===The Most Interesting Sniper in the World=== |
Latest revision as of 05:23, 28 September 2021
Long War Snipers are akin to the vanilla Sniper. With Squadsight as their first ability, they're able to inflict long range damage on enemy targets from a position of safety. Note that the Long War version of the perk does not function alongside Overwatch, unlike its base-game counterpart.
- Primary Weapon: Sniper Rifles, Marksman Rifles, Assault Rifles, Carbines, SMGs.
- Secondary Weapon: Pistols, Machine Pistols.
- Class-Limited items: Alloy Bipod.
Abilities
Rank | Ability | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Specialist |
Squadsight
Allows firing at targets in any ally's sight radius within weapon range, but critical chance suffers a -20% penalty. Extended range weapons (MEC primary weapons, Marksman and Strike Rifles, and LMGs) gain roughly five extra tiles range. Sniper rifles have infinite range. Overwatch fire does not extend to squadsight ranges, except with Marksman's and Strike Rifles. | |||
No other bonuses. | ||||
Lance Corporal |
Low Profile
Makes partial cover grant the defense bonus of full cover. |
Deadeye Confers +15 aim against flying targets. |
Lone Wolf +10 Aim and Critical Chance if not within 7 tiles of an allied unit. | |
No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | ||
Corporal |
Disabling Shot Allows sniper rifles to fire a shot that causes the target's main weapon to malfunction. The target may use Reload to fix the weapon. 2 turn cooldown. Cannot cause critical hits.
|
Precision Shot With sniper/long rifles, fire a shot that ignores squadsight critical penalties, has an additional +30% critical chance, and provides extra damage on critical hits based on the soldier's weapon tech level (+2 for ballistic/laser/gauss, +3 for pulse, +4 for plasma). With marksman's and strike rifles, allows an unlimited range shot with no other bonuses. 2 turn cooldown.
|
Snapshot For snipers, removes the sniper rifle's restriction on firing and Overwatch after taking a costly action. Any shots taken after using any costly action suffer a -10 Aim penalty. For rocketeers, reduces the aim and range penalty for launching a rocket after taking a costly action to 25% (from 50%).
| |
No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | ||
Sergeant |
Damn Good Ground Confers +10 Aim and +10 Defense against enemies at lower elevation, in addition to the usual elevation bonuses. |
Ranger
Confers +1 damage with primary weapons, rocket launchers, MEC secondary weapons and sidearms. Negates the long-range accuracy penalty with sidearms when shooting beyond 14 meters. |
Sharpshooter +10 critical chance in all situations, +10 Aim against enemies in full cover. | |
+2 Will. | No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | ||
Tech Sergeant |
Executioner Confers +10 aim and +10 critical chance against targets at or below 50% health. |
Vital Point Targeting
Confers 2 bonus damage with primary guns, and +1 damage with sidearms, against humans and alien targets whose species have been autopsied. |
Platform Stability Shots taken before any costly actions have +10 Aim and +10% critical chance. Also grants +10 aim for purposes of reducing scatter if the soldier has not moved this turn, and increases range of Blaster Launcher (which does not scatter). | |
No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | ||
Gunnery Sergeant |
Tactical Sense
Confers +5 Defense per enemy in sight (max +20). |
Bring 'Em On Confers 1-4 bonus damage during critical hits (which is then multiplied by 50% due to the critical hit). The damage is higher when more enemies are in view (including squad sight vision). This results in +1.5 dmg for 1-2 enemies, +3 dmg for 3-4 enemies, +4.5 dmg for 5-6 enemies, +6 dmg for 7 or more enemies. |
Lock N' Load Primary weapons receive one additional shot or burst before a reload is required, and you may reload your primary weapon as the first action of your turn without ending the turn. | |
No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | No other bonuses. | ||
Master Sergeant |
In the Zone Killing a flanked or uncovered target does not cost an action. Confers a -1 base damage and -10% critical hit chance penalty for each successive In The Zone kill.
|
Mayhem
Confers +2 damage for suppression, SAWs, LMGs, explosive grenades, proximity mines and rocket launchers. Confers +4 damage for sniper and long rifles, marksman's, strike and reflex rifles using Standard Shot or Precision Shot.
|
Double Tap Allows a second action restricted to Standard Shot, Precision Shot, or Disabling Shot as long as the first action was a Standard Shot, Precision Shot, Disabling Shot, or Flush provided no costly actions were taken. 1 turn cooldown. (Note: Double Tap is cancelled in the following cases: (1) the first shot results in a kill, and no more enemies are visible to the unit, or (2) for gunners only, the first shot depletes the ammo.)
| |
No other bonuses. | +2 Aim. | No other bonuses. |
*Perks tagged with blue are fixed even with Second Wave Training Roulette option is enabled
Stat Progression
- Note that, even without Hidden Potential turned on, there is a chance of gaining 1 extra will per level (shown in parentheses above). Psionic soldiers can also gain 1-6 extra will per psi level (
1 + rand(6)
).
Tactical Advice
Long War Snipers are quite similar to vanilla Squadsight snipers, but there are a few differences. Overwatch only works up to limited range, even with Squadsight, and snipers no longer have access to the Opportunist perk, making them considerably less good defensively - you'll find snipers can't demolish enemy packs on sight before they can even take cover like they can in vanilla. Squadsight is gained immediately and unconditionally, so the role of "snap shot" skirmishing snipers is filled by snipers with a Marksman Rifles and the Scout. With In The Zone and Double Tap, snipers are some of your highest damage soldiers. Watch your ammo consumption with Double Tap and ITZ; high cap mags are a good item for them.
Snipers can use sniper rifles, which act like vanilla sniper rifles, and only allow firing if the user hasn't moved unless they are Snap Shot trained, but they can also use Marksman Rifles, which are shorter range sniper rifles that can be fired after moving. Snipers can use assault rifles as well, but this isn't particularly useful in practice, since the Infantry class generally performs better with assault rifles. As in vanilla, Snipers gain the most aim per rank, ending with 7 more aim than any other class at Master Sergeant.
The three main 'trick' shots, Precision Shot (aka: Headshot), Disabling Shot, and Snapshot are now all on the same tier of Corporal, and thus, mutually exclusive. Disablers help out greatly for doing alien captures and temporarily negating dangerous threats, Precision Shooters are for bringing down heavy alien units, and Snapshot Snipers can hit with flexibility. You may want to customize their names to easily distinguish between them in the Barracks and squad deployment screens (for example: #eadshot, Dis@bling, and $napshot, and putting #, @, or $ at the start of their first name).
If Training Roulette is chosen, a lot of the same advice applies as in Vanilla, plus the various altered/custom Long War abilities (eg: "Lock N' Load" does NOT allow for firing the Sniper Rifle weapons after reloading without Snapshot, as it consumes the first action of a turn: you can still use Steady Weapon, or their pistol slot weapon, instead.
Sample Builds
In the Zone Cleaner
Long Range Assassin/Fist of God
Double Tap Crit Monster
The Most Interesting Sniper in the World
Skirmisher