Alright, so there's been a bit of controversy on the viability of the 3 different specs for Sniper in PvP. I'll be focusing on Lethality, simply because of it's balance between mobility, damage, and control.

 

We'll start with the Skill Tree first.

 

Skill Tree

 

Lethality = 3 Points ---

 

 

Deadly Directive = 2 points ---

 

 

Slip Away = 2 Points ---

 

Corrosive Microbes = 2 Points ---

 

Lethal Injectors = 1 Point ---

 

Cut Down = 2 Points ---

 

 

Corrosive Grenade = 1 Points ---

 

 

Targeted Demolition = 2 Points ---

 

 

Lethal Dose = 3 Points ---

 

 

Vanish = 2 Points ---

 

 

Adhesive Corrosives = 2 Points ---

 

 

Lethal Purpose = 2 Points ---

 

Cull = 1 Point ---

 

 

Razor Rounds = 2 points ---

 

 

Devouring Microbes = 3 Points ---

 

Hold Your Ground = 2 Points ---

 

 

Weakening Blast = 1 Point ---

 

8 Remaining Skill Points: These are customizable for your preferences, I personally chose to up my Endurance, Cunning, and Energy by partially speccing into the other 2 trees.

 

Here is the skill tree I am using:

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#400bZbc0zZGbbkrrGdhR.1

 

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Keybinding:

 

I am personally a little more tactical and it's all about response time for me when it comes to PvP.

 

Here is how I bind my skills:

 

Corrosive Dart = Q

Corrosive Grenade = E

Weakening Blast = S

Cull = R

Overload Shot = X

Takedown = F

 

It takes a little practice this way, and it involves more tab targeting and the use of your mouse. You cannot be a keyboard turner and use this setup.

 

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Rotation, Priority, and Quickslots.

 

 

I'll start off with the Rotation and the reasons why you will use this.

 

Legend:

 

 

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Rotation:

 

This is the rotation for starting a fresh fight.

 

Corrosive Dart > Corrosive Grenade > Weakening Blast > Cull > Rifle Shot (if above 30%) > Takedown + Overload Shot (if target is below 30%)

 

 

You will reapply CD and CG when they fall off, as reapplying before they do will cause the time that it takes between ticks to virtually stack, therefore losing damage output.

 

Cull will be used as soon as it's off cooldown, but it would be a waste if you used it without at least one DoT applied to the target. CG should stay up long enough for 2 uses of Cull.

 

Weakening Blast will strengthen CD and CG for 10 ticks, and do a decent amount of damage on it's own. Use this after every application of your DoTs.

 

We're going to pretend Rifle Shot is another DoT that falls when the targets health reaches ~30%. It does about the same amount of damage as one of your DoTs if not more, and it costs 0 energy to use.

 

When the target reaches 30%, you need to spam Overload Shot until around 15%, when you can use Takedown to overwhelm them with burst damage.

 

Shield Probe should be used when in combat/whenever it's off of cooldown. If neither of the conditions are met, you either shouldn't or can't use it.

 

Adrenaline Probe Should be used if the fight is longer than you expected. Lethality is VERY energy intensive, so if heals are involved on the latter end, you will probably need to use this.

 

Debilitate should be used if your HP is evenly matched somewhere around the middle of the fight and you need a quick edge. When you use this, you should immediately apply heavy burst considering damage dealt will not interrupt this stun. If you are attacked by an enemy first it would also be wise to use this, as it would turn the tables giving you a small advantage.

 

Escape should be used if you're in a fight and are stunned (not rooted). Use it wisely, as the cooldown is long and if you are getting attacked by multiple enemies and you use it, the other person will more than likely have another CC which would make your use of Escape a waste.

 

Evasion should be used if you are on the losing end of the fight. This and Shield Probe together render you nigh invincible for a short period of time.

 

Flash Bang would be used if a cooldown is close to finishing (such as Cull) and you are on the losing end of a fight, it can be used as a means of escape although not very effective, or when there are a group of enemies attacking or capturing an objective.

 

Diversion can be used against any skill that has an induction time, it stops them from doing damage or healing themselves and it can be demoralizing to the target.

 

Leg Shot should be used if an enemy tries to escape, or if you are trying to surprise a target. It can be demoralizing to get rooted when there are no obvious signs of an attacker around you. It can also be used to trap an enemy in an environmental trap, like the burners or acid pools in Huttball.

 

 

 

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Quickslots

 

 

Template for Quickslot Buttons

 

[Number or letter.Skill Abbreviation]

 

(Brackets represent the outline of the quickslot button)

 

 

Offensive Abilities [Top Quickslot]

[1.RS] [q.CD] [e.CG] [s.WB] [r.Cull] [x.OS] [f.TD]

 

 

Utility [bottom Quickslot] Control [bottom Quickslot]

[AP] [sP] [CP] [EVA] [ESC] [DIV] ----------[DEB] [FB] LS]

 

 

I'll add tactics and more when I have time, I hope you enjoyed it.

Edited January 22, 2012 by Arylia

nice guide, might want to put in a section for stats too.

 

100% accuracy, 40%+ crit. then power -> surge for example.

 

Also a Build surrounding cull, explosive probe and interrogation probe 2/16/23 does more damage than a full lethality spec. But needs high crit for energy regen + more accuracy to make up for the loss of the accuracy talent.

Step 2: Hope the other team doesn't have someone that can dispel or you're screwed.

Also a Build surrounding cull, explosive probe and interrogation probe 2/16/23 does more damage than a full lethality spec. But needs high crit for energy regen + more accuracy to make up for the loss of the accuracy talent.

 

I'd be interested in seeing you post that torhead link to that 2/16/23 build, its around the way i want to go for a PVP build.

Edited January 27, 2012 by Darkpowder

Step 2: Hope the other team doesn't have someone that can dispel or you're screwed.

 

If they are busy dispelling they aren't using big heals, just hots. This puts you at an advantage if you change your playstyle up a little bit. put up a probe and series of shots > pop your snipe cool down and crit them. At this point they need to use big heals, and you can redot>stun>cull

 

 

scatter shot is also very important to use if you are getting the jump on someone or your in for a long fight.

If they are busy dispelling they aren't using big heals, just hots.

 

This is true. Making them waste their dispel means that they're going to need a big heal to follow-up. Use that opportunity to interrupt their cast to make their big heal unusable for a short time.

 

I switched to the build in my sig, and had a hard time putting down trash without AoEing all the mobs in the area. I read above to use Overload Shot, but that's worse than Snipe in terms of DPE and DPS. Instead, I'd recommend SS -> SoS -> Ambush (with EP) -> TD. If there's another low mob that needs to go down right after, I'd SS -> Laze Target Snipe (with EP if you didn't use it before) -> SoS -> Ambush (if you need to) -> TD.

 

Any better way without wasting Cull on only 1 DoT applied?

Edited March 20, 2012 by psi_overtake

heres the 2/16/23 build

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#400bZrI0bRoZhrbkrMhd.1

 

points are interchangeable depending on what you feel you need for your playstyle etc.

Edited March 20, 2012 by muffinslol

Very nice and easy guide for a very, very good specc, nicely done, sir

Why did you have to make this? Now all the snipers are going to be good rather than a select few!

This should definitely be added to the links in the sticky if it hasn't already.

 

Good guide but I am not sure I would ever recommend anyone *spamming* overload shot. It quickly will bottom out your energy. The 1.2 version of calculated pursuit from the engineering tree will make Leth/Eng builds very interesting indeed.

 

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#400ZrI0bRoMZGbbkrMhd.1

 

Stroke of Genius = Calculated pursuit 1.2(as the two talents switch places).

Razor Rounds + lethality = 11% crit on your cull and SoS(as it will add 4% per point in 1.2) which probably will make up for the loss of steady shots in the MM tree.

 

Just thought this would worth mentioning as it, more or less, follows the same rationale as a pure lethality build but rather than weakening blast an explosive/interrogation probe and a 6 sec free overload shot. So you would apply dots as normal, just after cull, go into cover and probe and leave to spam overload shot then takedown/cull again.

Great guide! I am level 43 and leveled mostly with Marksman, But I think I am high enough now to make the change. I have one question though. What about the use of Shatter Shot? Wouldn't it make sense to apply that before your dots?

Great guide! I am level 43 and leveled mostly with Marksman, But I think I am high enough now to make the change. I have one question though. What about the use of Shatter Shot? Wouldn't it make sense to apply that before your dots?

 

Nah. Your main Lethality attacks do not rely on accuracy.

Nah. Your main Lethality attacks do not rely on armor*.

 

Corrected for ya. However, your Lethality roatation does use Series of Shots, Ambush, and Snipe at times, which DO rely on armor (as well as the small part of Cull that relies on armor). Still important to apply SS if you're not planning on downing the enemy in several seconds.

heres the 2/16/23 build

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#400bZrI0bRoZhrbkrMhd.1

 

points are interchangeable depending on what you feel you need for your playstyle etc.

 

What's your rotation for this build? I've only played full MM and full Leth, so I don't have any experience with Engineering.

Just wanna say great guide to this spec, i am currently training a buddy of mine up to use it

 

Have a few noob questions as i dont have a sniper myself:

 

Lethality seems a very mobile spec, should you use cover at all in rotation?

 

Fragmentation grenade seems to cost alot of energy and is only buffed 1 time from talent tree, should you just ignore this skill and use rifle shot as a filler?

 

And finally, how many dots are there really available to cull for? I mean i know theres CG and CD but is there any other dots there can be applied for cull to hit for even more?

 

Hope some experienced lethality sniper can take his time to answe this

 

ty

Just wanna say great guide to this spec, i am currently training a buddy of mine up to use it

 

Have a few noob questions as i dont have a sniper myself:

 

Lethality seems a very mobile spec, should you use cover at all in rotation?

 

With the rotation suggested,

• Corrosive Dart > Corrosive Grenade > Weakening Blast > Cull > Rifle Shot (if above 30%) > Takedown + Overload Shot (if target is below 30%)

you will rarely use cover. This is meant to be a rotation that remains mobile

 

You will still likely use cover for times when this rotation is not viable (it's very energy intensive to use CD, CG, then Cull if the target is already hurting or not going to last long). Explosive probe and SoS are still good attacks that require cover. Cover pulse is very handy, if cumbersome to use. Odds are, you will not sit in cover though.

 

Fragmentation grenade seems to cost alot of energy and is only buffed 1 time from talent tree, should you just ignore this skill and use rifle shot as a filler?

 

It's a good filler for engineering builds or a hybrid leth/eng. For pure leth or Marksman, IMO only use it if you know you'll hit 3 targets and/or need to interrupt multiple people node capping.

 

You use rifle shot and frag grenade for different things though. Frag cost is ~20 energy and rifle shot is free. You add in the rifle shots to keep your energy up/regen energy while still doing something, not really as a primary attack.

 

You can't spam frag gren b/c of the energy cost, especially if you want to use the CD -> CG -> Cull rotation which costs ~70 energy upfront on it's own.

 

And finally, how many dots are there really available to cull for? I mean i know theres CG and CD but is there any other dots there can be applied for cull to hit for even more?

 

No, although other people's CG and CD do appear to work.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Infalliable

To add to the above re: cover.

 

When I run Lethality, I will cover on occasion to cull. This is especially true against other snipers that might use Distraction if you aren't in cover. If I absolutely must get the cull off, I will sometimes cover+entrench so that I can't be cced while culling. This has saved me on multiple occassions.

 

Conversely, I can't tell you the number of times Lethality snipers will set up their dots on me and try to cull, only for me to use Distraction or Flashbang or something else to interrupt. This usually allows me to win the DPS race against them.

Edited March 29, 2012 by Xbig

You should always at least try to use Cover before a Cull. The immunities it provides are invaluable. Not like you are moving around while using Cull anyway. Edited March 29, 2012 by Ayestes

I will always pop in cover to cull if/when I am getting hit by someone while attempting the cull. If I think they'll CC me, I'll toss up entrench too, if it's up.

 

Otherwise any good player will interrupt it

Indeed, anyone that understands Lethality knows if you interrupt the Cull then you basically shut down their entire talent spec for 9 seconds. A good one will still use Series of Shots and Ambush in it's place, but it's still a severe damper on their damage output.

I will always pop in cover to cull if/when I am getting hit by someone while attempting the cull. If I think they'll CC me, I'll toss up entrench too, if it's up.

 

Otherwise any good player will interrupt it

 

I've been dropping into cover if I'm being attacked. If I'm not, I don't like to use cover as it seems to draw in Sins and other stealthed melee like a beacon.

heres the 2/16/23 build

http://www.torhead.com/skill-calc#400bZrI0bRoZhrbkrMhd.1

 

points are interchangeable depending on what you feel you need for your playstyle etc.

 

I use this build right now and I do VERY well in PvP. My orbital strikes hit for stupid amounts and my explosive probe can do 3k+ crit (and i crit most the time). I really want to try a lethality build with weakening blast in it since it seems it will be more energy efficient in 1.2. You could spec to still get the extra exp probe dmg, but you'd still lose int probe and cluster bombs, and right now I find explosive probe (with cluster bombs attached) to be the nail on the coffin so to speak for single target in pvp, it's a lot of spike dmg.

 

But I've never tried weakening blast so maybe that extra dmg+cull+devouring microbes could make up for it, but has anyone tried both to know for sure?

 

I was also looking at a lethality build like this one:

Lethality Spec

 

I took the points out of vanish so that I could max out explosive engineering since it seems I rely on that spike a lot to destroy those healers. One thing I wasn't sure about in the above build is should I choose 2/2 Vanish or 2/2 Adhesive Corrosives?

Edited March 30, 2012 by Valiac

Feel like i have been unleashed with Lethality after MM so long ... now just make us a bit less squishy pls.

Hybrid specs to make a class viable/more fun ... give us a stand alone pvp tree!!

Overpowered Sentinel is Overpowered

Edited April 26, 2012 by daveyharsh

I've been dropping into cover if I'm being attacked. If I'm not, I don't like to use cover as it seems to draw in Sins and other stealthed melee like a beacon.

 

It's staying in one place too long that draws them in like that, just ask stationary healers, feel free to jump out of cover when you finish the Cull. You literally lose nothing and gain immunity to interupt and leaps/pulls when you cover to Cull. Get in the habit and stay in the habit.

Awesome guide mate, started playing again yesterday after a 3 month break. Was playing MM the whole time and thought I would try out Leth... damn it owned!

 

Thanks for the tips/

Edited August 3, 2012 by Griffin_au