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Tips to become a better pvp sniper


Shwarzchild

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I started ranked in season 11. Loved the challenge. I had been strictly a pve player before. Was pretty successful in that realm and held on to that success and didn't really dive into any other part of the pool. Now that I have, my god the challenge was perfect. I fought like hell and sucked hard enough for silver. And I'm damn proud of that silver rank. I'd love to hear from other snipers out there who are better (and there definitely is better than me that's for sure). But, overall, I want to try again in season 12. I'm not joining que yet., and want to practice in regs first.

 

One thing I'm absolutely not used to is hololocate. I just...I dunno.. It doesn't fit the class in my mind and I just hardly ever think about it. But, in terms of positioning, where do you look to place this thing? Do you find it better to be used more offensively in a sense where you hololocate to say 35 meters away so you can keep blasting away, or do you find better use for it as defensively used where you can hide and maybe wait a few to re-engage?

 

I suck vs operatives. Suck. Suck. Suck. I've crushed a few with knockbback on series of shots, leg shot, regular pulse det, diversion et c. But, you put one of em on me and there's say one other attacker on me (which I find there's usually 2-3 anyway attacking me constantly which I'm fine with I just need to get some education on how to efficiently deal with these situations or just accept certain death and do as much damage as possible.

 

I'm not really afraid of sorc's or assassins. Jugs are annoying as hell with how many cool downs they have. Mara's I struggle with a little bit most of the time. Merc's sometimes struggle sometimes not.

 

To make a long story short, I'm asking for a starting point to grow past last year's silver (and maybe become an actual formidable pvp player outside of regs).

 

How did you all start? When you still were struggling what did you focus on? How did you discover what worked best for you against what wrecked you etc? I'm looking for what people's thought processes were. How did they attack certain situations? Why did they attack those situations that way?

 

Thanks all. See you all out there, and thanks for the tips.

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i also started in Season 11 and did over 100 games and ended with a ranking just over 1k. I am not really bothered about that, to be honest. This is the first time I did ranked with Eng Sniper and somehow I am in love with the class, and how it works. Before and up until that it was really a chill class for me.

I agree with Holo locate somehow I do not see it fit the class perfectly. I am currently playing eight classes, I will try a bit in Season 12, though to be good in Sniper I gotta stick to it for a week, which is something I rarely do nowadays, doing weekly's for all 8 characters and so on, and three of them are healers.

 

Biggest lesson to be better as a Sniper is how to better use each DCD, our problem will come from stealth classes stacking like crazy who then global you. That was the main problem I was having in Pre-Season. Though last week I did had five wins in five games, but probably I was carried. :eek:

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While I’ve not played ranked for a few years (due to lag limits), I have a couple of inputs to the convo about snipers in pvp.

 

I agree with the OP on holo locate. It feels awkward and most of the time I just forget it’s there. The few times I’ve used it has been defensively, but I didn’t find it especially helpful against Operatives, Sins or Mara’s.

I hadn’t considered trying it offensively, but I am already imagining some inventive tactics in certain reg maps going forward. (Shame it doesn’t work with the Hutt ball, like leap or holotraverse does).

 

Leads me to operatives. I know this is a personal issue I have and have had for many years. They are the only class I ever seem to have a problem against, it doesn’t matter the class, they always give me more issues than any other.

It could be because it’s the only class I never play myself (because I feel like a complete idiot trying to play it)

 

This new stealth based meta and what looks like even more dysnc than last meta, is only aggravating the problem more. Stealths always seem to cause more dysnc than other classes and the more of them, the worse it is. (Does anyone else experience that against Stealths? Or is it just me and my lag)

Let’s add that Operative and Sins seem to always run together and it’s bend over burst city before I can get a DCD to activate with my lag (please pass the lube).

 

While I like Marksman for the huge amount of damage it pumps into any non stealth melee class dumb enough to try and tangle you in a 1v1 or even 1v2, I really fell in love with engineering a few years ago. Even though it’s burst and potential damage is smaller, the utility it provides in a group environment for most maps makes it a great spec and really fun to play. Definitely stick with it and you can honestly cause a crap load of trouble for any class, including Stealths. I just wish they’d added back some of the snare/slow they nerfed last meta. Which was a bit OP then, but I think would work really well and not be OP with this overly mobile meta and stealth proliferation.

 

I’m also looking for tips from our resident experts on how to improve my sniper skills this meta. I’m rusty as hell.

So far I’m having the most fun on my Jugg and Sin and I’ve just taken my Merc off the shelf after 3 years.

Edited by TrixxieTriss
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In addition to the tips already mentioned here, a small thing that helped me a lot when I played ranked 8v8 hard was abusing the **** out of snap shot. It's common practice now and maybe you already do it. But if not, get in the habit of resetting cover.
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In addition to the tips already mentioned here, a small thing that helped me a lot when I played ranked 8v8 hard was abusing the **** out of snap shot. It's common practice now and maybe you already do it. But if not, get in the habit of resetting cover.

 

This is actually something I've been debating hard core in my head lately. Well, more like trying to question everything I think I know about my utilities and seeing if I'm still right (or still wrong for that matter) or if I'll surprise myself with a new trick that gives me another tool in the tool kit.

 

I typically run with ballistic dampers because it's a no brainer in my mind. Then I'll use vital regulator for the self heal since it doesn't hurt and over time it can potentially tip the scale one way or the other. Seek Cover/ Reestablish Range/ Hold Your Ground/ Defensive Safeguards/ Pillbox Sniper/ Tactical Retreat.

 

But, I really have been going back and forth on snap shot lately in that tier. Is that extra immediate snipe say more valuable than having 3 seconds off leg shot or a slow and an accuracy debuff from shatter shot?

 

I feel like there's arguments to be made about those three. If I can get you with leg shot faster, or slow you for longer, that means I don't have to re position at a quicker pace which means I can turret so if I can turret longer my damage potential goes up. If I can keep you away from me longer that also gives me the ability to shave a second or more off a cool down timer on a dcd? Do the potential damage increase or potential increase to survive ability enough to meet the instant snipe? Because of the complete roll of the dice (which is why pvp is so fun) of player skill or strategy it's so hard for me to just flat line test so I don't have any real total fact to base things on just the feeling that maybe it does over ride that snap shot utility.

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I started ranked in season 11. Loved the challenge. I had been strictly a pve player before. Was pretty successful in that realm and held on to that success and didn't really dive into any other part of the pool. Now that I have, my god the challenge was perfect. I fought like hell and sucked hard enough for silver. And I'm damn proud of that silver rank. I'd love to hear from other snipers out there who are better (and there definitely is better than me that's for sure). But, overall, I want to try again in season 12. I'm not joining que yet., and want to practice in regs first.

 

I suck vs operatives. Suck. Suck. Suck. I've crushed a few with knockbback on series of shots, leg shot, regular pulse det, diversion et c. But, you put one of em on me and there's say one other attacker on me (which I find there's usually 2-3 anyway attacking me constantly which I'm fine with I just need to get some education on how to efficiently deal with these situations or just accept certain death and do as much damage as possible.

 

I'm not really afraid of sorc's or assassins. Jugs are annoying as hell with how many cool downs they have. Mara's I struggle with a little bit most of the time. Merc's sometimes struggle sometimes not.

 

To make a long story short, I'm asking for a starting point to grow past last year's silver (and maybe become an actual formidable pvp player outside of regs).

 

How did you all start? When you still were struggling what did you focus on? How did you discover what worked best for you against what wrecked you etc? I'm looking for what people's thought processes were. How did they attack certain situations? Why did they attack those situations that way?

 

Thanks all. See you all out there, and thanks for the tips.

 

I'm very impressed that you have acknowledged that you need help and are willing to accept it. Most new, mediocre/bad ranked players go into ranked expecting success. These players aren't successful, inevitably find themselves the targets of toxicity, and become extremely defensive. So I'm glad that you're open to criticism and acknowledge the need for help.

 

From what you're describing the best advice I can give is to actually play the classes that are giving you the most trouble. I could give you specific advice on what to do in which situation, like many of the people in this thread, but it would not help. If you are having specific problems with specific classes you need to understand how they are beating you. And you will only learn that through playing the classes for yourself.

 

This is what experienced ranked players mean when they say "go back to regs." Because if you truly want to get better at your class, you need to learn the ins-and-outs of other classes. Learn how they are exploiting your weaknesses and learn how you can exploit theirs. This advice does not just go for noob ranked players either. I think 50% of the solo ranked community can learn from getting more experience and overall game knowledge through different classes. Take it as a challenge by which you will master sniper. Once you master operative, you will master how to beat operatives as as sniper.

 

I realize this is a sucky answer to your question. I did not answer how to specifically beat each class as a sniper. But there is nothing that anyone can say on the forums that will help you better than the first hand experience.

Edited by septru
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I'm very impressed that you have acknowledged that you need help and are willing to accept it. Most new, mediocre/bad ranked players go into ranked expecting success. These players aren't successful, inevitably find themselves the targets of toxicity, and become extremely defensive. So I'm glad that you're open to criticism and acknowledge the need for help.

 

From what you're describing the best advice I can give is to actually play the classes that are giving you the most trouble. I could give you specific advice on what to do in which situation, like many of the people in this thread, but it would not help. If you are having specific problems with specific classes you need to understand how they are beating you. And you will only learn that through playing the classes for yourself.

 

This is what experienced ranked players mean when they say "go back to regs." Because if you truly want to get better at your class, you need to learn the ins-and-outs of other classes. Learn how they are exploiting your weaknesses and learn how you can exploit theirs. This advice does not just go for noob ranked players either. I think 50% of the solo ranked community can learn from getting more experience and overall game knowledge through different classes. Take it as a challenge by which you will master sniper. Once you master operative, you will master how to beat operatives as as sniper.

 

I realize this is a sucky answer to your question. I did not answer how to specifically beat each class as a sniper. But there is nothing that anyone can say on the forums that will help you better than the first hand experience.

 

It's not poor advice. More so generalized in a sense, but there's still a lot of value to what you say. In a way it's one of those things that IS gigantically important, but often overlooked or pushed to a second tier "next level" type of thing. Which also in a sense it is to a degree just by the nature of it.

 

I JUST figured out what "practice in regs" means for me like two days ago and I've been playing this game for years and years. To me practicing in regs is developing strats for dealing with classes or situations and then looking for those situations and seeing how I handle it with those new strats equipped. I'm very inconsistent in that kinda panicked way that I'm sure is extremely common in green players, but I will say that the plans of attack and defense I've developed for myself in these past two days has been very very good. I've been very hard to kill., and I've been able to deal with classes I typically have a rough go of it with (ii.e I solo'd my first jug yesterday and that wasn't a jug who haphazardly used their defensives or were just bad overall. It was a long drawn out affair. I recognized his dcds. Reacted exactly as I wanted to. And I won. And more importantly to me was that I won and I knew exactly in one moment of that fight that I had won and there was no way for them beat me at that point. I used to just go into regs and play like a banshee trying to just top the charts and not die. I don't know why it took me so long to have that "how to practice properly" light go on but it has and it leads to such a difference in how to do things and yeah great stuff. So playing other classes is I would say just as important.It's good stuff.

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A very simple advice for hololocate in ranked, is to place it upstairs if possible. Then when focused you drop down, and if they follow, you hollow back up.

 

that's a good plan of use I would agree. What I've been doing has been use it as my first chess move in a sense in an attempt to be aggressive with it. Especially if I'm facing multiple Melee or definitely if multiple stealth. They will all try to gang me at the beginning of the match etc. I know it's coming unless say there's a PT who may end up taking the brunt of the open from the other team. I drop holo quick. Move as far away as I can before that 5-6 seconds clock in my head goes off. I crouch, entrench, drop orbital on myself. And then the stealth show up. I'm prepped for it. They open as hard as they can and I holo and break their opener. Might have taken a defensive of theirs with me. Might have taken a power up on their ability with me. I'm still close enough to them that my damage potential hasn't dropped and I can still continue with marginal interruption.

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From what you're describing the best advice for any pvper. I can give is to actually play the classes that are giving you the most trouble. I could give you specific advice on what to do in which situation, like many of the people in this thread, but it would not help. If you are having specific problems with specific classes you need to understand how they are beating you. And you will only learn that through playing the classes for yourself.

 

This is what experienced ranked players mean when they say "go back to regs." Because if you truly want to get better at your class, you need to learn the ins-and-outs of other classes. Learn how they are exploiting your weaknesses and learn how you can exploit theirs. This advice does not just go for noob ranked players either. I think 50% of the solo ranked community can learn from getting more experience and overall game knowledge through different classes.

.

 

This is some of the best advice. I’ve been doing it for years, even on classes I hate. Sadly, I’ve never mastered an operative as I’m complete rubbish on them. But it did show me how and why they can have their way with me so often. i learnt a few counters and how to deal on some of my Alts. But I think part of the reason they still give me so much grief is because I didn’t learn the nuances of an operative and some of their more advanced tricks / tactics.

 

Playing all classes will nearly always give you an advantage over someone who only ever plays one. It’s all well and good knowing the theory of what another class can do and how to counter, but playing them gives you extra insight and makes you a better rounded player. At least that’s my opinion and I know it helped me get better on my preferred classes. I even fell in love with some I rolled just to help me get better.

Edited by TrixxieTriss
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But, I really have been going back and forth on snap shot lately in that tier. Is that extra immediate snipe say more valuable than having 3 seconds off leg shot or a slow and an accuracy debuff from shatter shot?

 

It depends on your play-style, but also on what set bonus you are using. With a 6-piece Established Foothold, it takes 5 seconds in Entrench to get to +15% damage.

 

Do you want to reset that for an instant Snipe?

 

I do love that instant snipe but I find myself forgoing that utility in 6.0, even though it was part of the original MM tree at launch. That's where the utility came from -- from MM. But with Established Foothold I don't use it.

 

However, with 23s of Entrench every 35s now, I now finally use the 60% AoE reduction once again. That also used to be originally a part of MM and got hijacked away. It's nice to have it now with 2/3 uptime.

Edited by Monterone
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One random tid bit as MM v jugs.

 

They seem to love to pop reflect when u cast amubsh. So bait it out by fake casting and cancelling. Lay down supressive fire then bring on the pain!

 

I normally dont have issues with much, just operatives, lightning sorcs and opposing snipers. OPs just seem to have dodge like all the time.... and guess what ur hard stun is white dmg, so that rarely works. Honestly i just ignore them entirely until there is nothing else to hit, or someone else stuns them.

 

Lightning is stupid. They can run circles around u with their insane DR and LOS u with their instant casts on everything. TB is really hard to interrupt too, and when they start losing they just run away and well, there aint no catching them.

 

Opposing snipers feel weird to me, and the high ranged defence makes things rather unreliable. Once diversion is blown, there is no controlling each other so it pretty much comes down to DPS and proper defensive usage.

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I play a ton of sniper, so here's my tips and tricks.

 

I'm proficient in all three specs, but I'd say the best for PvP is probably Marksmanship, second being Virulence and third being sweet, sweet Engi in 6.0. Marksmanship is good just because of it's burst ability. Yes, Viru parses higher, and does more damage in AoE situations with the Airborne Agents tact, but it doens't have the "insta kill" potential that MM does. See, MM is a spec that can zap someone at around 30% health. I've hit 70k ambushes in the new update, so it's very effective in both Ranked and Regs in killing low health players. You got a sage healer your team is focusing but can't nick below the 30% health mark? Ambush her thot butt.

 

That being said, this will mainly be a Marksmanship guide for PvP, along with general tips on how to be a good sniper in general, no matter what spec you are.

 

Personally, I run a very mobile Marksmanship sniper, and it works well for me, however you can run a stationary one and I'll get into that way, even though I think it's better for PvE rather than PvP, as ranked is very tailored to kiting and mobility so I see staying still very disadvantageous as a sniper, despite a decent amount of our abilities requiring cast times. So that means, I run the Precise Targeter's set bonus (which gives you 3 Laze Target charges, which also has their CD reduced by 10 seconds, and Target Acquired gives back energy) with the BT-0 Tact (20% damage boost on Ambush when you covered escape or use hollowlocate) for instant Ambushes every ten seconds or so. Along with running snapshot. Theoretically, with the PT set bonus, you can get 4 Laze Targeted, instant casted Ambushes with a 20% damage boost, by the time you use all 3 of your initial laze targeted ambushes. This along with 100% crit chance, means that you're going to be hitting the hardest a sniper could. Realistically you won't be doing this, as you'll be switching off laze target priorities but whatever.

 

You can run MM two ways, mobile or stationary. Stationary MM would be using the Entrench Damage boost set bonus and the Refract tact (Pen Blast does splash damage, and with a full cast, Followthrough also does splash damage, it's wicked crazy when people stack in regs). Stationary essentially means you plant yourself out of the way, and free cast on people. It's alright for preventing global as if 4 people stack on you, you will be doing 4 Pen Blasts on 4 different targets along with 4 FTs at a 15% damage increase as long as you're entrenched. If you use sniper volley, you essentially double that. It's alright, but it really hampers your damage output on ambush, and kind of leaves you exposed when your entrench runs out. However, it's totally up to personal preference, I've been successful with both, however, I like higher damage numbers.

 

For the whole thing on Laze Target priorities you have two options basically. You could use laze targets on non BT-0 affected ambushes (hard casted ambushes), or use them on BT-0 Ambushes. This is up to prefrence on how you want to spread your damage. If you want maximum dps spread you would Laze Target hard casted ambushes, and use the 20% damage increase on ambushes to basically stretch your overall "damage" on your ambushes, it extens your ambush hits, but doesn't give as much downing potential as LTing BT-0 affected ambushes. Personally, I use Laze Target on BT-0 ambushes and take the slightly less hard hitting hard casted ambushes. Basically, this is my rotation:

 

Enter combat: Corrosive Dart > Pen Blast > Followthrough > SV > Pen Blast > FT > Snapshot snipe > Reg Snipe > TA/1st LT > Armor Pen Proc FT > Roll > Ambush > FT > Pen Blast > FT > Snapshot Snipe > (exit and reenter cover) Snapshot Snipe > Armor Pen Proc FT > Hardcasted Ambush > FT > Reapply Corrosive Dart > Pen Blast > FT > 2nd LT > Roll > Ambush > FT > lather, rince and repeat.

 

If their not dead like halfway through that then your min-maxing is off, or you gotta stop free casting into DCDs.

 

Hololocate, in my opinion should be used to either cause level disparity or allow you a breather. There are people who use it offensively, but I do not suggest it. Place it behind an object, or place it up. If your team rushes low, go high, if your team goes high, go low. A big thing in ranked is that you should not be in the thick of the fight. Snipers are the type who will get globaled, and it sucks becuase were not sorcs who are the only ranged turrets who rarely get focused. However, let your teammates run into the frey and use your cover as an anti gap closing ability. If the other team has a lot of stealth, plant yourself in the back and DO NOT move. You get stealth detection the longer you stay in cover. Usually, I give it about 15 seconds, and if you see the flash of stealth detection, cast entrench to prevent a stealth stun or CC. The worst thing you could do is get yourself CC'd as a sniper or get stunned by an operative or sin as if you get stunned you're going to lose 70% of your HP because bioware can't class balance.

 

Another way to play MM sniper is to run the Evacuation Executioner route (aka the "park it and spark it"). Essentially you take the Evacuate and Executioner utilities (Evacuate reduces the cooldown of maim and flashbang by 15s, Executioner basically allows you to use Takedown at a 15% damage buff on any health target when you use maim or flashbang on an enemy). Essentially it's an amazing option against opposing snipers or melee classes even though snipers already are great counters to melee classes. You essentially slot the takedown then FT after your ambushes. Remember too that if you ambush a target under 30% health with MM I believe takedown gets a 20% (?) damage boost, so if you use a stun ability on a target after an ambush like that you'll be hitting 35% damage boosted take downs after a 20% damage increase, 100% crit chance ambush. Essentially you'll hit around a 60k (on average) LT, roll ambush, a 15k (roughly I'e seen them hit for 20k) FT, followed by a 30k takedown, and a 15k FT. It's a solid 4 GCD burst if you do it right. Also it allows you to control a bit more, and have a higher chance window or avoiding a DCD. When stunned most classes cannot cast DCDs, the big ones being evasion out of operatives and Saber Ward or reflect out of juggs. Maras, sins, Enraged Defense out of Juggs, and Merc reflect can be casted while stunned so watch out for those.

 

You said you're having problems counter certain classes so I'll give you some tips.

 

Operatives are not hard if you watch your debuff bar. Even though we don't have 2 rolls any more since Imp Prep doesn't refresh covered escape, you need to be mindful of your bar. Concealment Operatives have a VERY hard hitting 3 GCD burst window. If you see volitile substance pop up on your bar, you need to know that the next ability they cast will be veiled strike, and then backstab. You can essentially neuter their burst window by casting evasion. Evasion will dodge Volitile substance while still bursting it and the backstab. This leaves them sitting ducks as they cast the tactical advantage knives on you. The big thing with Operatives is baiting them.

 

Playing sniper requires a lot of baiting. Baiting is essentially what it's definition is, just casting abilities to try and force certain DCDs out of certain classes. Baiting evasions out of Operatives, baiting reflects out of Juggs, bating the invulnerability bubble out of Maras, hell I've baited Sorcs out of bubbles. 8 times out of 10, if you hard cast ambush a target is going to cast a reflect or evasion. If you're running BT-0, hard cast the ambush, have them pop their DCD, cancel the ambush, wait for their DCD to run out, then roll and their a sitting duck.

 

Another thing is keeping distance from melee classes. What makes snipers so annoying to face is their ability to keep melee classes at a distance. You should be running the pen blast knockback utility so you have 2 knockbacks with sniper volley, and your large knockback with cover pulse. I just hotkey cover pulse to one of my mouse buttons and just keep up your rotation uptime.

 

Other snipers are your only real main counter. That's because of diversion. Diversion, as you now probably, basically makes you leave cover and allows you to be stunned, basically you'll get your *** chewed if you stand in a diversion. This is where hololocate comes in handy. Hit with a diversion? Spam the hell out of hololocate. You can't roll out of a diversion, but you can hololocate out of one. So, at the very least, if you do get stuck in a diversion, you can reasonably get out. Another thing is that if you don't have hololocate up, and you get diversioned, no matter what, activate evasion. Evasion can be used to negate a stun like maim or flashbang allowing you to exit the diversion and reestablish cover. If you see any of that green dust come up around you, just run.

 

Another thing is you need to be looking out for diversions and roll to avoid them. For the most part, you can see the red circle come around you, and you should always have a LOS on the enemy sniper. The only classes that cast circles are as big as diversions are snipers with Orbital Strike or a diversion, or Sorcs with Lighting Storm. Most snipers have diversion bound to a button that when double tapped basically throws it AT your character, not many press it once and manually place it. So, reasonably if you see the diversion canister coming at you, and you roll as long as you don't roll into cover, you'll make it out of the diversion radius. This is where running BT-0 could mess you up, as you are kind of a sitting duck after you roll. This is why I usually run the Pen Blast knockback util, as that gives countermeasures a 75% movement speed increase, after rolling, I usually pop counter measure and book it away from a diversion canister.

 

Another thing is knowing the rotations of other classes, their DCDs and varying up your own rotation. The big thing about PvP in general is that people are human. Humans are variable. Were not Operation bosses, we make mistakes, we do rotations out of order, and we are not robots, for the most part anyway. I made various ranks on various characters, but I'd consider my main a sniper. Still, I make sure to play other classes so I know their habits. For example, in my basic rotation, I gave off the rotation habit of snipe > snipe > ambush. Usually, if you see a double snipe you know that a FT > Ambush > FT will be heading your way. So, obviously you'd use evasion. Same as I brought up with Concealment operatives, if you see them cast volitile substance, for their OP tactical to activate, they need to hit you with veiled strike. So, since most Concealment Operatives cannot vary up their rotations as they could burst the VS, you can reasonbly hit evasion and they either have to avoid you while you free cast on them, or just try to burst through it. Same with Sorcs. Did you know you can interrupt force leach and thundering blast? And that Thundering Blast almost always comes after a crushing darkness cast? Just interrupt the TB and they're sitting ducks. AP PTs will almost always use energy lode at 4 stacks, so if you see that they go for 3 to 4, cast evasion or shield probe and keep them at a range.

 

This ability also causes people to be cocky. I've baited snipers out of evasion by using two snipes, because they think they are smart by expecting me to be a robot and cast ambush right after a double snipe. Well, no, usually I would throw a flashbang into them if I'm running evacuate executioner, then prepare my main burst rotations. It's also good to know other classes tacts. If I know an opposing sniper is running BT-0, then I'll probably watch for a double snipe then a roll, as I know they will probably try to instant cast an ambush into me.

 

That's about it for marksmanship. Sniper is I think the class that requires the most skill to play. So if you see a good sniper it's good to see. It's not exactly a class you can hop into and become a gold rated player overnight. It takes time and practice to know how/when to use your abilities correctly. It's easy to learn, hard to master. I can also tell you the basics of the other specs if you want, I would mainly say if you want to run another spec, run virulence. Engi , even though we have a love hate relationship, is not in a good spot right now when it comes to PvP at least imo . If you have any questions feel free to ask.

Edited by Tungstenses
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I play a ton of sniper, so here's my tips and tricks.

 

.

 

Great insights Tung!

 

I've definitely been getting better at being more aware of what dcds are active on players, or what's next in their rotations. I'm still rocky with it, but getting better. I'm sure it'll take a lot of time to get that segment up to par with what's necessary in ranked. I'd say the three things that are holding me back from being ready to que ranked would be

 

1) awareness of where players are in their rotations/ what DCDs they are using currently (i.e what their buff/debuff bars are telling me. I've found there's so much on those bars that it's hard to quickly locate what they have going on since there's like 40 things on there at a time. So I'm just too slow to recognize what's going on in real time to be truly effective. Is this a thing I can deal with differently from a UI perspective, or more a keep focusing on it and keep watching and over time it'll start to stick more and more?

 

2) Positioning. I'm still very raw in this category. I've been practicing as a healer a little bit here to really focus on how to kite. I don't know if that's a solid practice plan or not. I know it's a totally different ball game going from a healer class like my merc to a sniper, but I was hoping it would help teach me about how to kite, what objects are actually "solid objects" in each map (good example I think is Rishi Arena where some things look like objects I can kite around only to be behind it, and someone directly in front of me on the other side of the object still able to hit me). Besides changing the elevation with holo locate, or speed boost on countermeasures, what are you looking for, how are you moving around maps, Tung?

 

3) How to maintain my range. In arenas when I'm on my sniper I will or have been seeing, that I will have 3 on me either at all times, or very much 90 percent of the time. It seems very rare that I'm even in a 2v1 situation. I've found myself in panic mode and getting out of my little strats to deal with less players on me. I can deal with the 2v1 about 40-60 percent of the time depending on opposing player skill and me re-establishing the range I'm looking to keep. I end up just burning everything way too fast, or maybe I am burning things at the appropriate speed but I'm certainly out of my comfort zone there. What is or are your process(es) for you to keep range as a thing, or how do you decide when to enter tank mode, or retreat mode? What's the tell tale signs for you there?

 

edit: You also mention the Precise Targeter set. I was under the impression that you can't fit the extra LTs in so it was a waste. Have you noticed that you aren't fitting in what it gives you, or do you have a way around it to fit in the extra LTs?

Edited by Shwarzchild
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  • 5 weeks later...
... Personally, I run a very mobile Marksmanship sniper...

 

Hi All, I could use some help.

 

I have just a started a Sniper and the post from Tungstenses is incredibily useful also for an unexperienced player like me, thanks!!

 

Yet I am not sure what Utilities to choose. Snap Snot and Reestablish Range are a must, based on what is written in the post, but I might be missing something important.

 

Can anyone help, please?

 

Cheers!

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Hihi. I main several viri snipers and a DF gunslinger ( mirror) I got the Ultraviolet Blast tactical as one of my first Tactical drops, so have used this on and off.

 

I need to give Exploited weakness a go sometime and the Airbourne agents tacticals , since I have these two now as well. - Trouble is, regs can be such a crapshoot, it's difficult to assess whether I'm doing more or less damage over the course of a match.

 

I don't like the arena format much, and I think Viri can be kind of weak, since I'm often focused, so spend lots of time running around trying not to get hurt, since more often than not I get 3 or 4 DPS all whaling on me at the same time.

 

I love the simplicity and when left alone can rack up a lot of damage. I also find them fairly mobile, though miss the second roll. - I'm still trying to get used to holo-locate - since I rarely played classes with it until recently.

 

I could certainly do with a few nuanced pointers. - I've been PVPing for years, but sometimes a fresh pair of eyes is what one needs. It's probably not a L2P issue, more a L2P-better.

 

Only wish I could get close to some of those players who manage 10K DPS _and_ 2.5K HPS heals in a match. - Yikes!

 

 

TY

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I recommend putting copies of all of your cooldowns onto a separate bar at the middle of your screen - snipers have a lot of cooldowns to manage, and doing this will allow you to keep track of everything easily and plan out your kiting/dcd cycling. I did this back when I played sniper for a bit and it was very helpful. Eventually the cooldowns will become second nature and you can get rid of the bar.

 

You want to avoid overlapping your dcds as much as possible. Things like rolling while your evasion is active, or placing your diversion while your evasion is active, can be really inefficient and costly.

 

Make sure to reset ballistic dampers as much as possible and get in the habit of being able to do so VERY quickly to avoid getting caught out of cover with your pants down.

 

If you want to diversion another sniper, bait the roll with suppressive fire beforehand. They might think it's the diversion reticle and roll instinctively.

Edited by Hoppinswtor
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I just want to hop on the holocate is crap train.

 

Imo it needs to at least give a heal baseline. Cause snipers cant exactly self heal after they teleport away. So you just stand there waiting to get out of combat for the most part. It's pretty bad.

Add a baseline heal to it. Even just 15% health and it suddenly becomes more useable.

Edited by Nemmar
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I just want to hop on the holocate is crap train.

 

Imo it needs to at least give a heal baseline. Cause snipers cant exactly self heal after they teleport away. So you just stand there waiting to get out of combat for the most part. It's pretty bad.

Add a baseline heal to it. Even just 15% health and it suddenly becomes more useable.

 

I'm not 100% convinced a heal is required.

I do sometimes forget I have it, and some arena maps keep the location between rounds, so if you're not watching the buff bar or icon on the quickbars ( mine is nowhere near the centre of the screen) , I tend to think ooh! here would be a good place and it just transports me to the previous good place.

 

TBH I'd much rather have the 2nd roll back. - As you say, hololocate doesn't stop the dot damage, and if you are in range, your opponent(s) can often find you and finish you off, however carefully you place the marker. A few maps have obvious drop-points, so you can blast the enemy when they think they are escaping the fray.

Edited by Storm-Cutter
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Bearing in mind I'm speaking from a MM pov as that has been my main spec since the game launched.

 

Snipers have always been a glass cannon, and (to put it very basically) Sniper is a ranged class; it's biggest and strongest defence has always been and will always be keeping other classes at a distance, at the 30m-35m mark in a perfect world.

 

Which is why Snipers tend to under-perform in arenas/ranked; everybody fights in a confined space and once the enemy team is on you (which is usually straight away) it's hard to kite whilst also trying to deal damage. You could try and facetank the damage (which can be possible with a good healer/tank combo) but the odds are still heavily stacked against you.

 

Keeping enemies at a distance is usually easily done with non-stealth melee classes (mainly in 1v1), as you can see them coming and prepare; snipers have the advantage against non-stealth melee.

 

However, stealth classes have always been the hard-counter to snipers, as they always have the advantage of sneaking up on the sniper and opening up in melee, which means the sniper is either forced to try and create some distance or pop DCDs and hope you can tank the burst.

 

The problem with creating distance is that those same stealth classes can easily catch up with a sniper, and this is especially the case with Operatives/Scoundrels with their roll.

 

This is why Operatives/Scoundrels are the bane of every sniper: they are designed to be our counter.

Whilst there are ways you can mitigate stealth classes (i.e. positioning, LoS, hololocate etc.) it has always been the case that stealth classes generally trump snipers.

 

Not to say that you can't beat an Operative when they jump you, just that the advantage is heavily on their side (as it is designed to be that way) and in a 1v1 between a good operative vs a good sniper the operative will usually come out on top.

 

As much as I hate it when an Operative opens on me and rolls behind cover to self-heal I wouldn't want it changed; that's the way it's always been designed and it keeps Snipers balanced to a degree.

Edited by Spintrec
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Great insights Tung!

 

1) Is this a thing I can deal with differently from a UI perspective, or more a keep focusing on it and keep watching and over time it'll start to stick more and more?

 

You just need to be able to read the bars. I mean, I know that's not exactly the best advice. But in all actuality, look at class guides and be able to pick up the pictures. There are a lot of unique buffs/debuff images you can readily pick out. For example, knowing that ferocity for a carnage mara is a guy with two lightsabers with a pink background.

 

It also plays into knowing other classes rotations. See, at this point in my "career" as cringy it is to say that. I've played every class to at least a profiecent level, so I know the rotations and habits that I don't really even need to look at the bar. Operatives always open with volitile substance, carnage maras usually have to hit you with slash to proc Ataru form, mercs should open with primer and tracer missile so heatseekers do max damage.

 

Battle awareness is something that is forged in regs and perfected in ranked. Being vigilent and aware of what debuffs are going out, what buffs they have is a thing you need to pick up as you go on.

 

That's why I stress broadening horizons and playing more than one class. Unlucky for me that both mains I play get the meta (and metaphorical) shaft from bioware, but I know my rotations because of it.

 

2) Besides changing the elevation with holo locate, or speed boost on countermeasures, what are you looking for, how are you moving around maps, Tung?

 

Utilities, using roots and play style. Two utilities that are absolute necessities for snipers is the countermeasures purging roots and giving a speed boost, and when you leave entrenched cover you get a speed boost and root immunity. It allows me to play a mobile sniper decently. Also using roots and slows effectively.

 

Roots are also very important. Hotkey your leg shot, or whatever the abilitiy is that movement impares people, use it on chasers, also cover pulse roots as well. If I have two on me, cover pulse and book it and hope your teammates aren't trash. Slows as well are also good, there's a utility where penblasts slows targets. Ranked is a high mobility, high damage game if you're not quick you're going to be beaten.

 

I'll also say, having an escape play at the ready is always useful. Wherever you find yourself have two possible ways to get out of said situation. Be willing to peel from situations, and don't get greedy.

 

Another thing, move with your mouse, not your keyboard. You're snappier and quicker to move with your mouse, since you can snap turn and not slowly glide turn when pressing A or D.

 

3) How to maintain my range. What is or are your process(es) for you to keep range as a thing, or how do you decide when to enter tank mode, or retreat mode? What's the tell tale signs for you there?

 

Essentially, there are two (technically four, but PTs and Juggs shouldn't even think about queuing ranked this season) classes who are immune to your cover pulse. Fury/Conc maras/sents when they have stun immunity up and Mercs/Mandos with HO/HTL.

 

Use cover pulse to root, then run. If you're getting 3 banged, your biggest thing is to push back and reestablish range with roots.

 

Say for example, I'm get opened on and 3 banged by 2 sins and a Carnage Mara in Makeb Mesa up top and I have my hololocate up top. All of them are in melee range. I'd first: cover pulse, roll away (so I'm out of gap closing range of the sins because thats the one way they can break the root) and see if the mara used preditation to break the root or Mad Dash, if so, root him again with leg shot, and break entrench, and with the speed boost and root immunity, drop down below. Sins have no realistic way of breaking roots outside of using their gap closer or burning a DCD, so they're stuck up top, for cover pulses duration, and the mara is stuck being double rooted.

 

Now, you've established a range of height, along with having the advantage of having hololocate. Say one of the Sins and a mara follows you down below. You could handle the 2v1, or you could just bait them by using your hololocate. Now, two out of four enemies are stuck below, the mara doesn't have preditation or mad dash because he used it to break the root. Sin probably used force speed to get below quicker, now it's a 4v2 up top while the two below slog to try and catch up. By this time, leg shot is off CD, mara comes up the ramp to join up top, root him with legshot and push him off with pen blasts.

 

Playing sniper is hard because this is all very complicated and hard to do. If you mess up, a sin will catch you, stun you and you're a sitting duck for the duration of their OP maul spam. Hell the use of focus target and focus target modifiers is a big thing to use if you want special control of the situation. Using the focus target modifer if I wanted to root the mara without even looking at him I just hold down the modifier button and root that way.

 

edit: You also mention the Precise Targeter set. I was under the impression that you can't fit the extra LTs in so it was a waste. Have you noticed that you aren't fitting in what it gives you, or do you have a way around it to fit in the extra LTs?

 

Realistically, if you are using BT-0 in an offensive capacity you can get 3 LT'd ambushes in. Precast before the fight starts, use on the roll, cast LT again, hololocate, 3rd LT you use on a roll. The big thing about PT is that it's not really the 3 LTs it gives you its the reduction in cool downs the set gives on Target Acquired and LT. Allowing you to use those more often than not.

 

PT also fits my play style better since because I'm getting ganked a bunch in ranked, and need to establish range, I'm always on the move and while Established Foothold is nice, I rarely find myself reaching at 15% damage bonus, even though it does have it's benefits being based around entrenched. I need to work with it more.

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