Sharpshooter pistol build

[Bullett00th]

Can anyone explain to me the tactical advantages of a pistol-focused build for sharpshooters? Unless I have one of each, trading my overwatch/range sharpshooter for this one feels like crippling the whole squad every time.

Pistol skills are fun and look cool, but come as secondary at best and feel better suited for a frontline class. When I'm sniping, which is the primary sharpshooter function, I'm losing squadsight overwatch, an increased damage shot, the life saving kill zone and, well, all other beautiful beautiful sniping perks.

Or should I use a pistol sharpshooter differently?

[Empiro]

Lightning Hands is a great skill early on, because your accuracy isn't quite good enough to land Deadeye. Other than that, I feel the only way to use gunslingers properly later on is to use them with some sort of ammo. For example, Face Off would let you poison multiple targets at once, and Fan Fire can wreck a Sectopod if you're equipped with Bluescreen Ammo.

I still prefer the sniper line, however, because pistols don't benefit from weapon mods like Scopes, and when it comes to AOE damage, Kill Zone is better than Face Off, and I leave single target damage to my Rapid Fire Ranger.

[K. the Land-Surveyor]

In my (admittedly limited) experience using Gunslingers, they seem to require AP rounds to function properly. Withouth AP rounds, armor completely neuters their ability to dump damage, and as you move into mid-late game a lot of enemies have at least a point of armor.

I think they synergize well with Grenadiers/EXO suits, though. A lot of heavy stuff leaves enemies with a small amount of health, and Gunslinger is most efficient at cleaning up those sort of enemies. It's less good if you have a squad that intends to crunch down on big targets one at a time.

Gunslinger is my least favorite Sharpshooter build, but it seems to work well if you support it.

[Barser]

I have one of each maxed, and depending on the mission they both have there uses. I guess the traditional sniper is my favorit with the free pistol shot added in. A ranger or grenadier just fits the role better than the cowboy sharpshooter. So I would say that sniper build is the most useful tough they are both good and fun.

[rakshasa72]

Also if you get the hidden ability Shredder from the AWS it doesn't effect the pistol.

Personally I think the Devs probably thought it would be "cool" to add pistol skills but, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Better if they would have made a whole other "Gunslinger" class that focus on pistols and maybe melee. It's just counter intuitive on the Sharpshooter class.

[Roflberries]

They're more versatile and more mobile.
http://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=620214894
That is a Gunslinger a month prior to beating the campaign. He finished with 180+ kills. People seriously underestimate what they are capable of.

Also keep in mind that you don't have to go all the way down one tree, nor do you have to use the pistol exclusively. If you prefer long watch over return fire, that's an easily justifiable skill to grab even for a gunslinger.

My spec was return fire (until I had aim at high enough to mitigate the negative modifiers, then respec for long watch), lightning hands (this ability should be taken in any spec, it's hands down better than deadshot), quickdraw, faceoff, steady hands, fan fire. I went with predator/warden armor for the extra utility slot, aim pcs, scope and hair trigger (free action when you do use the rifle is fantastic for this spec), dragon/talon/ap rounds (your choice really). The extra utility slot is up to you, I used it to carry an extra meme beacon.

[DirtyCaveman]

gunslingers work especially well if you have them co-operate in tag team with a demolition for instance with ligthning hands and the other skills they can become real live savers as well depending on the situation. return fire & face off plus with quickdraw you can even fire your pistol first

"demo" cracks ém up .....pistolero finishes them off (sort of a short range "killzone" plus the explosives can also possibly clear the enemies cover or line of sight)
however i would reccommend to NOT get overconfident on using him first line ........that can easily backfire

a concealment ranger can also add well to that if you are setting up an ambushes for instance
(in a W.A.R. suit and/or grenades)

[Ofan]

In the final battle one of my gunsllnger snipers, in tandem with a few grenades, killed in one turn 8 aliens in a 360 degree arc of murder and cleared me some valuable space. Kill zone just cannot compete in that kind of alien packed environment at close range; the cone of death is too narrow.

Edit: He also set another 3 aliens on fire

[Flodge]

Originally posted by Ofan:

In the final battle one of my gunsllger snipers, in tandem with a few grenades, killed in one turn 8 aliens in a 360 degree arc of murder and cleared me some valuable space. Kill zone just cannot compete in that kind of alien packed environment at close range; the cone of death is too narrow

1x lightning hands.
6x sniper rifle shots from serial.
1x standard pistol shot from death from above.

I've done 8 kills with my long range sniper build too ^^

[Ofan]

Originally posted by flOdge:

Originally posted by Ofan:

In the final battle one of my gunsllger snipers, in tandem with a few grenades, killed in one turn 8 aliens in a 360 degree arc of murder and cleared me some valuable space. Kill zone just cannot compete in that kind of alien packed environment at close range; the cone of death is too narrow

1x lightning hands,.
6x sniper rifle shots from serial.
1x standard pistol shot from death from above.

I've done 8 kills with my long range sniper build too ^^

At close range the aim penalty is too great for that, thats fine at long range, but not at close,

Thats why I made reference to the environment

Edit: and I'm talking about just with one attack not in combo with the others

[Flodge]

I'd obviously not position him in the same way as a gunslinger but they're capable of doing MORE damage if you do position them correctly (obviously grapple helps a ton with this as a free move).

[drake_hound]

Best is a hybrid combination. but pistols chain sequance is this. lightning Hands .. Qucikdraw then special (either fanfire or face off, what ever has the most chance of doing more damage)

So sadly once every 3 turn you get to ultilise your gunslinger. then 2 turn he or she has to act like a weak sniper. (which isn´t bad. )

Better build is a Sniper with lightning hands, and fanfire (Sadly Serial is so good)
Then you can once every 3 move deliver higher then standard sniper rifle damage.
And use kill zone in between the leaving only one turn normal boring 1 sniper shot :P!

Look it isn´t that sniper is bad, infact early game they really carry the team together with a ranger. till your grenadier have Salvo and Chainshot.
Same as Specialist aid protocol really carry the team early on, especially on higher difficulties.

The sharpshooter really carries the team from lightning hands onwards. till grenadiers get salvo and beter aim.
Thus you want to keep the sharpshooter close to the team so it can take out every 3 turn . 2 targets.

[Ofan]

Originally posted by flOdge:

I'd obviously not position him in the same way as a gunslinger but they're capable of doing MORE damage if you do position them correctly (obviously grapple helps a ton with this as a free move).

That literally deafeats the object.

"Using gunslinger they are better at close range"

"Well i'd just go to long range"

Sometimes there is no option, which is why I am highlighting the conditions gunslinger is certifiably better in

[RockType]

Versatility. Mixing in some Gunslinger abilities both looks cool, and gives the sniper more options if they find themselves in a bda position, or if you NEED to take care of a nearby target. It's important to remember, that they will still have their Squadsight and most of their Aim-bonuses, so they are still completely functional as backliners, and should actually play like a regular sniper most of the time. My best sniper thus far had a mix of Sniping and Pistol skills.

[jeffy]

actually a master of pistol skills can be VERY incredible for helping on the battlefield

[Anelyn]

Originally posted by Ofan:

In the final battle one of my gunsllnger snipers, in tandem with a few grenades, killed in one turn 8 aliens in a 360 degree arc of murder and cleared me some valuable space. Kill zone just cannot compete in that kind of alien packed environment at close range; the cone of death is too narrow.

Edit: He also set another 3 aliens on fire

KZ may not yes, but serial does that so much better and then some more. And if you can get a height advantage (which happens in 80% of scenarios) you don't even need someone to remove cover for you to go to town.