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Want to become a stealthy, critical-hit-dispensing, sharpshooting, death machine? A staple in many of Bethesda’s RPGs, the sneaky archer or sniper’s appearance in the multiplayer landscape ofFallout 76follows this trend perfectly. Creating such a character is much more streamlined in this title, in fact, with the simplicity of the unique perk system. Character customization here works a little differently than elsewhere in the series.
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Whether shooting from a bush three feet away from the enemy (all the while still miraculously hidden) or standing a literal loading zone away, safely scoring critical headshots from atop of a watch tower, Fallout 76 has a lot to offer those who enjoy the sniping playstyle. This guide specifically will teach such fans how to construct the best general sniper build to set themselves up for end-game content.
Best S.P.E.C.I.A.L Stat Point Selection
Once players build their character and receive their first set of Perk cards within Vault 76,they should begin investing their points directly into Perception, Agility, and Luck.
Perception
Rifleman (Level 3)
Boosts non-automatic rifle damage by 20%
Expert Rifleman (Level 3)
Master Rifleman (Level 3)
Perception unlocks the most powerful perks that will form the base of your sniper build’s raw damage:Rifleman,Expert Rifleman, and Master Rifleman.These perks increase base non-automatic rifle (pipe rifle, hunting rifle, laser rifle, etc.) flat percentage damage by 10% at the first level, then 15%, and lastly 20% at max rank. With this in mind,non-automatic rifle damage can be boosted by up to a maximum of a whopping 60% with all three cards.
Sneak (Level 3)
Boosts sneaking skill by +75%
Covert Operative (Level 3)
Boosts sneak damage critical multiplier by +50%
Escape Artist
Breaks detection on sneak, and running will no longer make noise
Action Boy/Girl (Level 3)
Boosts Action Point Regeneration by 45%
Adrenaline (Level 5)
Gain +10% (MAX +60%) for 30 seconds, refreshes per target killed
Agility is a stat that should be heavily invested in for stealth. Selecting the perk Sneakoffers a 75% better sneaking skill at max rank, turning players practically invisible to nearly any and all enemies while in the dark (and a bit less so in broad daylight with some good cover). Also,picking Covert Operative andEscape Artist is highly advised. Covert Operative at max rank boosts the Sneak damage crit multiplier from the base 2.0x Multiplier to 2.5x, a solid 50% increase.
Escape Artist is a good utility perk to have as users no longer make noise while they sprint. Furthermore, if they’re detected, they can sneak to lose their pursuers. It’s an excellent way to escape an enemy that’s gotten too close for comfort to a sniping spot.That famous armorcan only take you so far, after all.
Maxing out Action Boy/Girl boosts Action Point regeneration by 45%; this will come in very handy indeed. Lastly, as a PVE horde-of-enemies wiper,Adrenaline at its maximum rank of Level 5 gives a +60% damage boost if users keep racking up kills (each kill refreshes the counter by 30 seconds).
Better Criticals (Level 3)
Boosts V.A.T.S. criticals by +100%
Grim Reapers Sprint (Level 3)
35% random chance to fully replenish Action Point gauge with a kill
Critical Savvy (level 3)
Keep 45% of your Critical Gauge in V.A.T.S. whenever used
Bloody Mess (Level 3)
Starched Genes (Level 2)
Prevents player from contracting new mutations and from removing existing mutations with Radaway
Luck can be entirely skipped by those who don’t use the game’s V.A.T.S. system. Those who forego it, however, may lose out on what sets sniping apart from any other build:its absurd critical hits potential. Investing in Better Criticals will boost the V.A.T.S. critical multiplier by an outstanding 100% percent at level 3. A critical shot to any normal enemy’s head at this rate will probably be an instant kill. Then, by picking up Grim Reapers Sprint and upgrading it to max rank level 3, players get a 35% chance to fully replenish their AP Gauge with a kill. Critical Savvy offers up to a 45% refund of the critical gauge whenever activated.
A fan favorite returns for this newest iteration of theFalloutseries: Bloody Mess is back. With its (nearly) universal +15% damage increase at the Max Rank of Level 3 and a random chance to cause whichever enemy you’re killing to explode into gory confetti, it’s a powerful and gory perk indeed.Not for the faint of heart.
Now for a wildcard pick in Luck: players should go ahead andinvest two points intoStarched Genes. This perk, when fully invested, prevents characters from attaining new mutations and from removing existing mutations with Radaway. The purpose of this pick will be explained later.
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Best Weapons for Sniper Build
With this build, players will primarily be sniping either manually from afar (scoped aiming) or from mid to even short range. High Sneak, AP regeneration, and critical chance allows V.A.T.S. spam to be a deadly method of play.The best weapon to utilize all of this would have to be the Gauss Rifle; a mid- to late-game weapon found randomly throughout the world.With the second-highest flat DPS percentage for rifles,the Gauss Rifle will become a preferred partneronce players find a level 45 version of it within the game.
The 308. Hunting Rifle
Until reaching that point,a great beginner sniper weapon that can get fans through much of the early game reliably is the 308. Hunting Rifle.It can be found as soon as players exit Fallout 76 for the first time. They just need to head directly south, to the point located here on the map. The weapon is sitting atop of some crates with a few boxes of 308. ammoin theGilman Lumber Mill,up a flight of stairs.
The Dragon
Those who want to spice up their gameplay with a devastating weapon that can potentially one-shot bosses, meanwhile, can attempt to find the elusiveThe Dragon.
With the highest DPS potential in the game for non-automatic rifles, The Dragon, with the right mods, Sneak multiplier, and V.A.T.S. critical hit charge, will simply erase foes in the Wasteland.However, with its lengthy reload animation after each shot, it has to be saved for only the most optimal of situations. Ideally, players will always have a primed V.A.T.S. critical hit ready for it.There are some mighty weapons in the series, but some aren’t particularly practical.
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Best Weapon Legendary Mods for Sniper Build
When it comes to the best legendary mods,the decision is largely a matter of preference. How players want to utilize damageand how their character plays are the key considerations.With that in mind, here are some effective legendary stats (1 star, 2 star, and 3 star) that would have the best synergy for the Sniper Build. Fans can prioritize from there as they see fit.
1-Star Legendary Mods
Anti-Armor
Ignores 50% of your target’s armor
Boss Killer
Damage increased after each consecutive hit on the target
Instigating
Double damage if the target is at full health
If not in combat, +100% V.A.T.S. accuracy at +50% Action Point cost
V.A.T.S. Spam
4x Ammo Capacity
2-Star Legendary Mods
V.A.T.S. criticals do an extra +50% damage
+25% faster firing rate
Vats Enhanced
+50% V.A.T.S. hit chance
Replenish Action Points with each kill
+25% boost to damage while aiming
3-Star Legendary Mods
V.A.T.S. critical meter builds +15% faster
Hits have a chance to grant a stealth field on player
V.A.T.S. Enhanced
25% less V.A.T.S. Action Points used
+15% faster reload
Best Mutations for Sniper Build
Eagle Eyes
+50% Critical Damage and +4 Perception but -4 Strength
For a sniper, there’s one main mutation that has the overall best utility and merit to use.Eagle Eyesboosts critical damage and gives 4 points in Perception.Paired with the Perk CardStarched Genes,this mutation is permant, and there’s no need to worry about RadAway removing it. An absolute must to bring out the full potential of a sniper build.
With all this equipped, a player is ready to unleash long-range devastation across the Wasteland. They’ll be able to keep foes far away fromtheir invaluable camp. The only other thing needed is some time to practise that aim!
