KF2 Sharpshooter No Hat Needed Skill Build Guide
This guide describes a Sharpshooter skill setup in Killing Floor 2 that aims to push headshot damage as high as possible while limiting how much damage trash ZEDs can do to you. The author also made a video that walks through the same picks. Below is the logic behind each tier.
Level 5: Sniper
Sniper gives 25% extra damage while you stand still and use a perk weapon. It is not limited to headshots: a body shot or a missed headshot still gets the bonus. The catch is that it is hard to use when you are alone and being chased. You have to practise holding your ground while ZEDs close in, firing four or five headshots, then backing up and repeating.
Level 5 tier: Sniper (+25% damage while stationary) next to Marksman.
Level 10: Ballistic Shock
The author ranks Ballistic Shock and Stability about equally but picks Ballistic Shock, because a Sharpshooter is easy to overwhelm: if the team moves while you are crouched, a horde of trash ZEDs can swarm you. With the M99 AMR the author still one-shots Scrakes and two-shots Fleshpounds in games of up to four players on Hell on Earth. Ballistic Shock pays off most when the team is supportive, and in solo play it is always taken because it can save your life.
Level 10 tier: Ballistic Shock and Stability.
Level 15: Rack 'Em Up
Rack 'Em Up is the author's default. With the 9mm pistol you can fire off five shots to stack the bonus and then switch to a far stronger M99 AMR or M14 EBR for what the author calls headshot paradise. The Winchester also gains a lot against Scrakes, and a few 9mm rounds followed by a Winchester shot is devastating.
Level 15 tier: Rack 'Em Up.
Level 20: Always Prepared
Always Prepared is described as a must-have, mainly because it helps the M14 EBR, which has a small magazine and little reserve. It also adds a few rounds to each weapon and an extra Freeze Grenade, which is useful both in a team and solo. Since carrying weight is limited, spare ammunition matters. The alternative skill at this tier, +10% headshot damage, is judged not worth taking.
Level 20 tier: Always Prepared.
Level 25: Zed Time Assassin versus Ranger
Both level 25 skills give a 5% chance to trigger Zed Time from a headshot. Ranger focuses on stunning ZEDs, but the build already gets its stun from the level 10 pick. Zed Time Assassin adds 35% headshot damage, so it is the clear winner here.
Level 25 tier: Zed Time Assassin and Ranger.
Summary of the build
| Level | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 5 | Sniper | +25% damage while standing still with a perk weapon |
| 10 | Ballistic Shock | Stun protects you from trash swarms |
| 15 | Rack 'Em Up | 9mm shots boost the next heavy weapon shot |
| 20 | Always Prepared | Extra ammo and a spare Freeze Grenade |
| 25 | Zed Time Assassin | +35% headshot damage, 5% Zed Time chance |
Community notes
- If you want pure damage, take the whole left side of the tree. If you want stuns, take the right side or a mix. One commenter calls this a stun build rather than a headshot build.
- For Rail Gun combos, another player runs the left side (roughly left, left, right, left, left) with the Rail Gun and SPX, and says the M14 runs out of ammo too fast for their taste.
See also our other Sharpshooter pages: Sharpshooter M99 and M14 builds and Sharpshooter in-depth shot counts.
FAQ
- Which Sharpshooter skills does this build use?
- Sniper at level 5, Ballistic Shock at level 10, Rack 'Em Up at level 15, Always Prepared at level 20 and Zed Time Assassin at level 25.
- Is this build good solo?
- The author takes Ballistic Shock in solo play every time, because the stun can save you when a crowd of trash ZEDs catches you while you stand still.
- Is it a damage build or a stun build?
- The author sells it as a headshot-damage build, but commenters point out that several of the picks (Ballistic Shock, Zed Time Assassin) lean toward stuns. Pure DPS players prefer the left side of the tree.
