Do Snipers Not Really Compare To Other Weapon Types Late Game?

[GaleTheWusky]

I'm using a Vectis, Here is my build here: 

 

http://warframe-builder.com/Primary_Weapons/Builder/Vectis/t_30_22033204_131-7-5-132-1-5-137-0-10-138-3-5-140-5-5-159-6-5-160-4-5-355-2-3_137-7-132-8-355-7-138-6-160-8-140-5-159-9-131-6/en/2-0-23 (didn't want to post a short link cause it's suspicious as hell.)

 

Is it my build, or are snipers kind of lack luster late game? My friend goes around with the Valkor Hek doing 36k damage without a headshot, meanwhile I have to get headshots to do 12k - 80k. Any time I put another mod on this gun, the DPS drops. I also have  the Dead eye Aura equiped(+35 damage). Maybe I'm missing something?

Edited January 1, 2016 by GaleTheWusky

[Otenko]

Snipers can work fine if you want to make them work. You're not wrong in that snipers really show their colors through crit headshots. A correctly modded gun will still down grunts on body shots, but take extra shots to down a Heavy (on body-shot or non-crit). A crit headshot, will almost assuredly down any Heavy you come across (this, combined with scope damage bonuses).

 

However, because of the reliance on crit headshots (for Heavies), this means you may have to pump a few rounds into a Heavy if you don't end up rolling those crits. It creates some unpredictability, which some people find distasteful. If you're looking for something with a higher crit-rate/consistency, Bows or Lanka (with its scope bonuses) will have higher crit chance.

 

Side note: Critical Delay is a suboptimal mod choice that can help with consistency on crit headshots. If you're manually reloading with the Vectis (pressing Reload when you have 0 bullets in your magazine, doesn't work if you have greater than 0 bullets), you can circumvent the fire rate penalty on the Vectis.

 

If the other aspects of the Vectis don't appeal to you, like the "slow" fire-rate and reload being too much of a hassle to deal with, you can try alternatives like Latron Prime, Grinlok, Sybaris, or Tiberon. These are marksman style rifles that strike something of a balance between the regular assault rifles and snipers (in my opinion). They have better fire rate and less scope complexities to deal with if you're looking to branch out slightly.

 

As someone has said above, make sure you're using the correct elements for the correct faction. These are the elements I use for each faction:

-Void runs tend to use Corrosive first, followed by Cold or Heat next if you've got a spare slot (unlikely on the Vectis).

-Grineer levels use Radiation or Corrosive. Radiation for Bombards/Napalms/Elite Lancers and Corrosive for Heavy Gunners/Seekers/Commanders.

-Corpus uses Magnetic+Toxin or Viral+Electricity, moreso dependent on personal taste and whether your weapon is mostly base Puncture or base Impact.

-Infested uses Corrosive + Heat or Corrosive + Blast. Blast and Corrosive are both good against Ancients, and the Heat for normal enemies.

 

You should make space to have 1 element combination (Corrosive/Radiation/Magnetic/etc.) but you don't need to make space for a 3rd element mod. That is, use only 2 element mods to create your combination. This can free up a slot for stuff like Charged Chamber, Fast Hands, Depleted Reload, or what have you if you're so inclined.

 

Also, I'd strongly recommend Punch Through on any weapon but especially for snipers. Having Punch Through helps you save bullets in magazine (if you're using something with a longer reload like the Vulkar/Rubico) as well as gives you the flexibility to deal with lined up enemies. I never leave home without it.

 

Also finally, Corrosive Projection is better at increasing damage than Rifle Amp (and Dead Eye eventually), because enemy armor continues to scale in endless missions. The armor reduction ends up giving a more notable increase to damage than Dead Eye or Rifle Amp impart. Even on most non-endless missions, enemies tend to have enough armor to make Corrosive Projection still a more desirable choice.

[Sormatte]

You modded for blast, try corrosive + heat instead. 

[GaleTheWusky]

You modded for blast, try corrosive + heat instead. 

I'll try for it, the vectis has high enough impact to not have to worry about corpus too much. I picked explosive because it's pretty even across the board, unless the wiki is out of date.

Edited January 1, 2016 by GaleTheWusky

[Sormatte]

I'll try for it, the vectis has high enough impact to not have to worry about corpus too much. I picked explosive because it's pretty even across the board, unless the wiki is out of date.

Thats the thing, its too even to allow you to deal the damage that you want.

[Yazeth]

Lanka and Rubico are definitely good sniper choices. Choose the Lanka for punch through and red crits, and Rubico for high dmg per shot.

Also, always mod for each faction, and not just use elements that are meh for everyone.

Edited January 1, 2016 by Yazeth

[jonnin]

vectis is good.

consider charged chamber --- its a single shot gun, so every shot gets a damage boost.

 

consider not using punch thru.  Its sort of subjective.. you can pick stuff off behind cover or kill 2 in a line but youll lose damage overall unless you are just playing hallway hero where you can ensure you get a line of guys to kill every few seconds in endless enemy missions.   Its expensive, for what you get, and its a mod slot, ... all in all, not worth it on this type of gun most of the time.

 

dunno, you might also look at further increasing your crit multiplier?  

[Seretea]

vectis is good.

consider charged chamber --- its a single shot gun, so every shot gets a damage boost.

 

consider not using punch thru.  Its sort of subjective.. you can pick stuff off behind cover or kill 2 in a line but youll lose damage overall unless you are just playing hallway hero where you can ensure you get a line of guys to kill every few seconds in endless enemy missions.   Its expensive, for what you get, and its a mod slot, ... all in all, not worth it on this type of gun most of the time.

 

dunno, you might also look at further increasing your crit multiplier?  

Gonna have to disagree on the no punch through. In a game like this where we're constantly fighting off hordes, a sniper-like weapon that can only take out a single enemy at a time is ideal. This is part of the reason why snipers don't have much of a place in late game. 

 

Of course, this is my opinion.

[jonnin]

it depends on what you are doing.   Some mission types have hordes, and some don't.     The ones that do, catching a straight line of them is not going to happen a high enough % of the time to justify the lost damage from carrying punch thru.   But that's my opinion... if you are good enough to consistently get multi-kills with punch thru, then use it.   Consider shred instead, though? 

 

Also one of the electric snipers (ive tangled the names, its 2 am and Im outta steam)  does both minor punch thru and a small aoe (or did the last time I used it).    For free, without mods.    If that is your thing, a different gun might be worth thinking about? 

 

Of course bows are really snipers and also punch for free.   I just can't see a mod for it given the alternatives that can avoid wasting the slot.

Edited January 1, 2016 by jonnin