Whats the deal with bolt action rifles?

[Nick*]

I'm having a real hard time using them, for one their effective range feels like a joke compared to hand cannons and auto rifles. This is made worse for me when I try and line up headshots for crit dmg and end up seeing single digt dmg numbers. I feel punished for no fault of my own for choosing one for a run and would rather have a auto rifle or shotgun for how strict range is handled towards dmg.

[Praesi]

Hypnosis lvl 3 is the strongest Gun in the Game in case of pure Damage. 400+ crit Headshots on Elites. You have to adept to the optimal range. Its part of the Gameplay.
Just hit 537 Damage Crit. Me for example runs atm Hypnosis+Hunger. Good Combo for a wide range area and serious firepower vs elites. Just test things out, you will get there.

[StacheJr]

"for one their effective range feels like a joke compared to hand cannons and auto rifles"
I mathematically don't agree with this. Except for all seeing eye, I really don't like that bolt action, it seems numerically inferior to hypnosis.
Hailstorm is a low ammo nuke. Hypnosis is my beloved. Basilisk is Pretty ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ good too, especially with certain arcana. If you truly are having issues with the range, hailstorm is where you want to be.

I find my success is linked to dashing while staying aimed in, so you can dodge a sword then pop them in the head rather quickly. Especially with hypnosis.

[Flak Monkey]

Basilisk is insane. For some reason I was sure I won't like it but when I leveled it up it just started wrecking everything. Might be my favorite sniper now. But hailstorm is amazing too. Not a huge fan of Hypnosis timing shenanigans but it's very effective for sure.

[Homeless]

if you keep using the mirror on rifle tree there is a sniper with long range and damage with a scope but it has few rounds and costs stamina to zoom in

[Rankiry]

After i cleared all currently available content / unlocks / bosses ( including tower with 5 prophecies unlocks ), i can say that regarding weapons , best combo was maxed Stakes with Diablocum Stigma. Everything else wasnt good enought.
Rifle - most of the time they require you to aim/zoom and wait, and this game ,especialy in boss battles will not let you do it safely all the time.

[Tharifaz]

Their range down iron sights is longer than handcannons or rifles. Either you're hip firing, or got the wrong impression for some reason.

That said, if you like handcannons or autorifles more - take them, why not. They can do the job just as well. I personally used Hypnosis to great effect, and All-seeing eye has incredible aoe builds from what I recall, but it needs the perks to be really useful. You're not "punished" for anything, they work well given how many people have success with them. Either they don't suit you, or you don't (yet) understand how to get their value out of them.

[w.f.schepel]

Originally posted by Nick*:

I'm having a real hard time using them, for one their effective range feels like a joke compared to hand cannons and auto rifles. This is made worse for me when I try and line up headshots for crit dmg and end up seeing single digt dmg numbers. I feel punished for no fault of my own for choosing one for a run and would rather have a auto rifle or shotgun for how strict range is handled towards dmg.

Try getting a little closer. The effective range Aiming Down the Sights (ADS) is only slightly better than on other weapons.

However, bolt action is very effective if you can aim. You still want something as a back up if you get overly friendly with a few too many goons. It does great single target damage, but as crowd control, bolt action is not the way to go.

[Jim Lahey]

I think people are missing the point of what he's complaining about. He's complaining about the fact that enemies can far out range your bolt action rifle and hit you for full damage while you cannot. And he's right. It's a dumb mechanic to have damage fall off at such short ranges with the bolt actions. Specially when its more wide open areas and you are rendered unable to fire back.

[TheLuckyAce]

I've played only with the Revolver thing (Hunger? Starting weapon of one char) and a Bolt Action. Just used the Steakthrowthing and the other Weapons to level them up.
Gnosis 1 only so far, but besides from "I'm dumb and doing reckless stuff" there was no issue with these. Specially the Dungeon on the first Island was a blast with a Bolt Action...
Specially fun if you get the Arcana with faster Sight and 2 other stats... you hit right, half a sec later leftclick while around the enemy's head and bloom done for... Most of the enemies just explode this way on medium-high range.
The first Scoped one I got felt underwhelming first... after a run with it... it kills even the enemies one-hit my prev. Bolt Action could not (even after I activated the charge while aiming thing) only Swordsman survive a headshot... but they have 0 HP Afterwards and even a basic melee hit kills them.

So overall, Bolt Actions feel pretty strong. No clue how good closer Range weapons are but how hard it can be as soon as 5-10 lower enemy swarm you ... I dont want to be closerange :D hit Firebreath/Lightningbolt - run back, take them out one by one.

[w.f.schepel]

Originally posted by Jim Lahey:

I think people are missing the point of what he's complaining about. He's complaining about the fact that enemies can far out range your bolt action rifle and hit you for full damage while you cannot. And he's right. It's a dumb mechanic to have damage fall off at such short ranges with the bolt actions. Specially when its more wide open areas and you are rendered unable to fire back.

I don't think he is. He is comparing it to the other weapons and missing the lethality per shot of the bolt action completely. Wild guess: he doesn't connect his in range shots and is sniping from too far away. So what does connect, doesn't do much.

Of course, I may be completely mistaken, but this is what I read in the OP.

[siteliner]

The ones with scope do not even have that punishing falloff people act like they do. OP can only be talking about the All Seeing Eye and though it has a steep falloff it comes with many benefits. Good handling, lots of reserve ammo and upgraded extremely strong. Have to close the gap to some musketeers but there is more than enough cover to do so.

The revolvers actually feel a bit too short ranged but regarding their upgraded versions it makes sense as one actually ignores partially range with explosive reload and the 'regular' one hits hard after lining up headshots that are not hard pulling off.

Paired with some arcana and complementing equipment all guns are viable though I dislike the small auto pistol as well as Midas - preferences after all.

[Nick*]

Originally posted by w.f.schepel:

Originally posted by Jim Lahey:

I think people are missing the point of what he's complaining about. He's complaining about the fact that enemies can far out range your bolt action rifle and hit you for full damage while you cannot. And he's right. It's a dumb mechanic to have damage fall off at such short ranges with the bolt actions. Specially when its more wide open areas and you are rendered unable to fire back.

I don't think he is. He is comparing it to the other weapons and missing the lethality per shot of the bolt action completely. Wild guess: he doesn't connect his in range shots and is sniping from too far away. So what does connect, doesn't do much.

Of course, I may be completely mistaken, but this is what I read in the OP.

When i refer to bolt actions I specifically mean the non scope variants which are All Seeing Eye and Hypnosis. But yes it does become an issue of certain enemy and lack of crowd control. Mainly the musketeers, and then two other added enemies types upon improving gnosis. Mainly the gernader and the green floating sentinel that spits at you across the map, this often leads to the gernader being behind cover across the map shelling me and then my focus being split between the sky and the ground cause of the sentinel. I had to find myself picking them off from a distance, otherwise the entire group aggros leading to hell. Compared to a scoped bolt to a non scope, I can take down groups of musketeers with headshots on a scope leading to some wiggle room, compared to my non scope taking three or so shots to take down one while having to close the distance. I know the skill issue here is to simply bring an crowd control backup, but when my backup is doing a all around better job for single targets I need to take down yesterday and then keeping a crowd off my back I cant bring myself to bring out the non scope bolt.