KF2 Sharpshooter: Mobile Skill Build, Weapons and Tactics

This is an English version of a Russian guide to the sniper perk, which the Russian localization calls "Metkiy Strelok" (Marksman). The author notes that older guides have become outdated and some are just personal opinion, so this is his own experience, aimed at beginners. Other Sharpshooter pages: Sharpshooter guide (darklord) and crossbow stun build.

Skills

The Sharpshooter is not entirely self-sufficient. The game is co-op, so the team should pick an effective set of perks. Like the Demolitionist, this is a heavy class: mobility, melee and contact with large groups are weak points.

The perk is built to kill big ZEDs. Fleshpounds and Scrakes are priority targets, and it also deals strong damage to bosses. In the rest of the time it supports the team by removing Gorefiends, Husks and Bloats, its secondary targets. Its power is diluted by low mobility and weakness against crowds. The author found a skill build that keeps the Sharpshooter effective and fairly mobile:

The proposed skill build.

1. Level 5, right skill. Noticeably raises move speed, which helps when the team retreats or moves position, and also raises fire rate, which helps with small groups. The left skill gives +25% damage while standing still but becomes useless after level 10.
2. Level 10, left skill. +30% damage when shooting while crouched, plus faster movement and reload while crouched. The right skill stuns enemies, which is interesting but not needed. You end up with a mobile shooter who deals extra damage crouched, useful for camping, the main style on HoE. In trouble, he has a better chance to make ZEDs run around.
3. Level 15. Depends on how well you land headshots. The author picked faster reload. Rack Em Up (left) is useful if you can land at least three headshots in a row, or hit a charging Suicidal enemy in the head.
4. Level 20, left skill. A must: it raises damage when aiming down sights and reduces recoil, especially useful against large ZEDs.
5. Level 25, left skill (the "killer"). Besides a 5% ZED time chance, it adds 35% headshot damage.

Enemies and weapons

Weapon choice depends on habit, but each gun has its use.

The Winchester, the starting weapon.

The Winchester suits Clots, Cysts and Slashers, but they are priority targets only in wave 1, so it is wiser to swap it for the upgraded version, the Centerfire SPX.

Centerfire SPX.

The Magnum revolver.

The Railgun, a single-shot weapon with homing rounds.

• Railgun. Its homing shots are an interesting feature but using them is not advisable, as it ruins one-shotting a Fleshpound: homing sharply cuts damage. It can help when a raging Fleshpound is hard to hit and you are out of cryo grenades. Homing also helps when a Husk is aiming at the team's rear while everyone is busy in melee: the shot reaches its target even after a sudden turn. Press the middle mouse button to turn homing off; it is on by default after buying.
• Cryo grenades. A very useful part of the kit: they freeze a Fleshpound or Scrake and briefly stop a pile of small ZEDs. They can save a teammate; if you see him surrounded, throw one so he has time to kill enemies or run.
• Scope. It greatly raises accuracy, allowing tricks such as killing a Husk by shooting its gas tank to blow up surrounding ZEDs. It works best when the Husk aims at you and opens the tank, but you can also target it while the Husk is just walking.

Recommended build: Magnum + Railgun. The Centerfire can replace the Magnum if you prefer to hit from range and your team's perks are always in place.

Tactics

The Sharpshooter is a powerful tool against single enemies, so do not aggro several large ZEDs yourself or shoot when you might hit another one. Your allies will not be happy to find an "accidentally" aggroed Fleshpound two meters away.

Stay off the front line: your weapon reaches from one end of the map to the other. Your job is to quietly remove big ZEDs while the Berserker and Support are in a wild melee. This is possible only with good camping, when nothing small gets into the center, which happens with a competent team. Value such a squad.

Never break away from the team. You will have to fight back with a pistol because a sniper carries few magazines and the Railgun is single-shot. Escaping a crowd led by elite Clots is only possible by running and jumping with a knife. To avoid that, kill the big ZEDs on time while your team is whole and on position.