Sniper Class

The Sniper Class is a soldier class in XCOM: Enemy Unknown.

The primary role of the Sniper Class is providing long range standoff, force multiplier and supporting Overwatch against enemy units.

XCOM Database

“	Specialized in dealing large amounts of damage from extreme range, the Sniper is an invaluable resource for both scouting and surgical elimination of enemy units. Please note: Snipers are not suited for close-quarters combat without supplemental training.	”
–XCOM Database, XCOM: Enemy Unknown

Tactical Description

The primary role of the Sniper Class is to devote special attention to the military coup d'œil, to quickly kill high-valued targets, and to dispose of retreating or flanking hostile elements. Every "kill confirmed" alien directly translates into one less -dead- XCOM soldier. The unique characteristic of the class is the focus on long range combat: unlike other weapons, sniper rifles have greater accuracy at long distance, and suffer reduced accuracy (up to 25%) at close and mid range.

Available abilities allow snipers to develop into two general types — Recon and Overwatch.

Recon is optimized for "high-variance missions" involving rapid movement and close-quarters combat (such as UFO and Target Extraction). Overwatch excels at "low-variance missions" involving open terrain, choke points and "sniper nests" (such as Alien Abductions and the Alien Base).

Weapons

The Sniper class can be equipped with sniper rifles and pistols. They tend to rely on their pistols as backup weapons more often than any other class, so they should be the first to receive upgraded pistols.

Sniper Rifles

Weapon	Base Damage	Crit Damage	Crit Chance	Range
Sniper Rifle	3 - 5	6 - 8	25%	Long
Laser Sniper Rifle	5 - 7	9 - 11	30%	Long
Plasma Sniper Rifle	8 - 10	14 - 16	35%	Long

Source: Tactical Info, XCOM: Enemy Within

Foundry Upgrades

Ammo Conservation: Increase ammo capacity by 100%.

Pistols

Weapon	Base Damage	Crit Damage	Crit Chance	Range
Pistol	1 - 2	2 - 4	0%	Medium
Laser Pistol	1 - 3	3 - 5	10%	Medium
Plasma Pistol	2 - 4	5 - 7	0%	Medium

Source: Tactical Info, XCOM: Enemy Within

Abilities

When a soldier is promoted, certain ranks allow the player to choose one of two abilities for the soldier.

Rank	Abilities	Description
Squaddie	Headshot	Fire a shot with +30% critical chance and extra damage on critical hits, based on the tech level of the sniper rifle. 2 turn cool down.
Corporal	Snap Shot	Removes the sniper rifle's restriction on firing and Overwatch after moving. Any shots taken suffer a -20 Aim (-10 Aim in XCOM: Enemy Within) penalty.
Corporal	Squadsight	Allows firing at targets in an ally's sight radius. (In XCOM: Enemy Within, these targets cannot be critically hit unless using Headshot.)
Sergeant	Gunslinger	Confers 2 bonus damage with pistols.
Sergeant	Damn Good Ground	Confers +10 Aim and +10 Defense against enemies at lower elevation, in addition to the usual elevation bonuses.
Lieutenant	Disabling Shot	Allows the Sniper to fire a shot that causes the target's main weapon to malfunction. The target may use Reload to fix the weapon. The shot cannot inflict a critical hit. 2 turn cooldown.
Lieutenant	Battle Scanner	Scanning device that, when thrown, creates a new source of vision for 2 turns. Can only be used 2 times per battle.
Captain	Executioner	Confers +10 Aim against targets with less than 50% health.
Captain	Opportunist	Eliminates the Aim penalty on reaction shots, and allows reaction shots to cause critical hits.
Major	Low Profile	Makes partial cover count as full.
Colonel	In The Zone	Killing a flanked or uncovered target with the sniper rifle does not cost an action.
Colonel	Double Tap	Allows both actions to be used for Standard Shot, Headshot, or Disabling Shot, provided no moves were made. The second shot must be taken immediately after the first. 1 turn cooldown.

Skill Comparisons

Some players who have completed Ironman on Classic and Impossible difficulties recommend choosing Squadsight, Opportunist and Double Tap.

Snap Shot vs. Squadsight

Snap Shot removes the sniper rifle's restriction on firing and Overwatch after moving. Any shots taken suffer a -20 Aim penalty.
- Snap Shot is considerably more flexible in usage compared to Squadsight. Being able to move with the squad and not require "nests", allows full use of certain Sniper abilities which are otherwise of limited use to their Squadsight counterparts.

Squadsight allows sniping at targets in an ally's sight radius.
- Squadsight requires unobstructed line-of-sight (LoS): this means frequently hunting for "Snipers' Nests" with unobstructed view of most of the battlefield in order to make the most of this ability.
- On the plus side however, utilizing squadsight effectively will result in every sniper shot being fired with maximum aim and critical strike chance, in addition to leaving more actions to utilize double-tap in conjunction with reload or just simply fire two times, instead of relocating.
- However a lone sniper way behind other soldiers is an easy target for Seekers.

Gunslinger vs. Damn Good Ground

Gunslinger confers 2 bonus damage with pistols.
- Good for Covert Operatives because they are limited to just pistols and this allows them to do more damage.
Damn Good Ground confers +10 Aim and +10 Defense against enemies at lower elevation, when on elevated ground or flying with Archangel Armor, in addition to the usual elevation bonuses.
- Works well with Squad Sight as it will often allow the sniper to stay in one location for extended sessions and provide cover for the squad

Disabling Shot vs. Battle Scanner

Disabling Shot allows a shot that causes the target's main weapon to malfunction, forcing it to waste a turn "fixing it".
- Useful for disrupting enemies who either are or is about to go for a flanking shot.
- Can be utilized to disable the attack ability of powerful enemies like the Sectopod or the Cyberdisc.

Battle Scanner is a grenade-like scanning device that, when thrown, creates a new source of vision.
- Battle Scanner reveals all cloaked enemies within its scan range, making scanners useful for uncovering Seekers who have gone into Stealth mode; this stealth-revealing capability is valuable in the early game prior to researching Bioelectric Skin.
- Battle Scanner's scouting utility is diminished by the presence of Mimetic Skin Gene Modded squad members, which allows for safe, effective and unlimited scouting. These soldiers can move far up-field and provide targeting data to Squadsight snipers indefinitely without danger so long as they do not move.

Executioner vs. Opportunist

The choice here is a conditional ability that's active 50% of the time vs. an unconditional ability that can always be activated on your own terms.

Executioner helps to finish off wounded enemies
Opportunist allows for the setup Reaction Fire ambushes.
- If coupled with Damn Good Ground alongside Squadsight, this will effectively allow the sniper to fire against enemies when first engaged and before they move to cover.

Double Tap vs. In The Zone

The true "force multiplier" potential of the Sniper Class unlocks at the Colonel rank. Both abilities presented at this stage allow multiple shots per turn, but in different ways: high-variance reactive sniping, and low-variance proactive sniping. Your Squad Tactics and abilities need to be taken into consideration.

Double Tap allows the use of the first action for shooting instead of moving. If the soldier has an excellent enough position, they can potentially shoot twice per turn, either at the same target or two separate targets.
- Double Tap synergies with Squadsight and Disabling Shot, and excels at dealing double damage quickly to high valued targets or allow for the neutralizing of two weaker targets in the same turn. (Compared to In The Zone, it doesn't require any specific "Squad Tactics" to setup or to pull off.)
- Double Tap is limited by the cooldown, which only allows the ability to be used every other turn. (It is activated automatically when taking the first shot; cooldown can be tracked by opening the Sniper's status window: when Double Tap is available, it will be shown in beneficial status effects.)
  - Double Tap is not Bullet Swarm for snipers - the second action MUST be a shot, Disabling Shot, or Headshot; this may result in the player having to use the "End Turn" button if a target isn't available for the sniper.
  - Double Tap does not synergize with Snap Shot - the ability's benefit is negated if the soldier is moving in that turn.

In The Zone allows for sustained fire - for as long as the soldier continues to kill visible targets that are flanked or exposed - before needing to reload.
- In The Zone is effectively an "AoE attack" with the potential to pick off the two Drone escorts of a Sectopod, or the Sectoid escorts of a Mechtoid or Sectoid Commander, or the damaged survivors of a pack of Mutons, or every member of a pack of Floaters.
- In The Zone is highly dependent on Squad Tactics - requiring the destruction of alien cover by allied action - and thus synergies with:
  - Frag Grenades and Alien Grenades
  - Assault's Flush ability
  - Heavy's Suppression, Danger Zone, Mayhem, and Shredder Rocket abilities
  - M.E.C.'s Collateral Damage, Kinetic Strike Module, Flamethrower, and Grenade Launcher abilities
- In The Zone synergies with Snap Shot and Opportunist while in Overwatch against flanked foes. Certain enemy types (i.e. Chryssalids, Zombie, Berserkers and especially Drones) frequently ignore cover, making them extremely easy targets for the Sniper.

Builds and Tactics

Main article: Squad Tactics (XCOM: Enemy Unknown)

Sniper Class builds suitable for all difficulties and DLCs:

Covert Ops Soldier

Early-game "Gunslinger" build (1-2 months):

Skills: Squadsight, Gunslinger, Battle Scanner, Opportunist, Double Tap

Equipment: S.C.O.P.E., Reaper Rounds, Laser Pistol, Archangel Armor

Upgrades: Tactical Rigging, Ammo Conservation, Improved Pistol (I / II / III), Mimetic Skin, Hyper Reactive Pupils

Tactics

All-round great "general purpose" sniper build for all difficulties -- perfect for Covert Operations -- yet still remains the cheapest, most effective, and most reliable damage dealer at any stage in the game. Low Profile and Mimetic Skin allows for "camping" Intel objectives at no risk. Remains fairly flexible and effective in late game with all three Improved Pistol upgrades researched. Very high Aim combined with a Plasma Pistol allows a minimum 5 damage every shot (which is comparable in both firepower and accuracy to Light Plasma Rifle) but with half the manufacturing cost and zero reloading; and that's before Hyper Reactive Pupils, Gunslinger and Double Tap are factored in.

Marksman Soldier

Mid-game "Hunter" build (3-4 months):

Skills: Snap Shot, Damn Good Ground, Battle Scanner, Opportunist, In The Zone

Equipment: S.C.O.P.E., Chitin Plating, Laser Sniper Rifle, Ghost Armor

Upgrades: Tactical Rigging, Ammo Conservation, S.C.O.P.E. Upgrade, Mimetic Skin, Depth Perception

Tactics

A fireteam-oriented designated marksman -- designed to exploit "In The Zone" -- by moving with the squad and support them via proactively terminating low valued targets. The key point is to combined hit-and-run tactics, flanking and crossfire maneuvers with bounding Overwatch, without putting your soldier at risk.

Excels in Terror Site and Council Missions where enemies (usually Thin Men) will drop in and flanked from the side, often outside of cover. Generally good at indoor missions or close quarters engagements that requires frequently repositioning. Battle Scanner helps to plan moves in advance; this build only allows engagement of only targets in their own view zone, and the scanner can be used to scout the area without alerting the enemy.

Psi-Assassin Soldier

Late-game "Dominance" build (5+ months)

Skills: Squadsight, Damn Good Ground, Disabling Shot, Opportunist, Double Tap

Equipment: S.C.O.P.E., Chitin Plating, Special Application Plasma Rifle, Psi Armor

Upgrades: Tactical Rigging, Ammo Conservation, S.C.O.P.E. Upgrade, Neural Feedback, Adrenal Neurosympathy, Mimetic Skin, Muscle Fiber Density, Depth Perception, Mindfray, Psi Panic, Mind Control

Tactics

Extremely powerful dominance sniper, perfectly designed to terminate all weaklings, before disabling or mind-controlling high-valued targets. The key point in this tactic is making excellent use of fireteam discipline and finding the best spot to overwatch "nest", which is often the highest vantage point on the current map with the fewest LOS obstructions, and changing locations at the correct times.

This build is recommended to have archangel armor when possible; at the mission start, immediately move your recon units forward and simply "fly" with your sniper. This is also incredibly effective against Sectopods end game, since you can hit them with a disabling shot, followed up by a near 100% critical headshot.

Equipment and Upgrades

Access to a cloaking ability (i.e. Ghost Grenade, Ghost Armor, or Mimetic Skin) is critical for a Sniper end-game build. Attacks while cloaked provides bonus critical chance, which increases single-target damage potential that stacks with Headshot, to confer the highest critical chance.

Armor

Skeleton Suit and Archangel Armor allow snipers to get to higher ground instantly. Depending on the map in question, this is extremely useful on Terror Missions and abductions; however,it is only marginally useful if there are no buildings or elevated ground.

Ghost Armor, when combined with Depth Perception, Mimetic Skin, and Muscle Fiber Density, is highly adaptive to any terrain and tactical situation, having both the pre-requisite mobility and stealth attributes of previously mutually exclusive armor builds. Ghost armor allows snipers to take advantage of higher ground and remain there with impunity thanks to the ability to cloak.

Equipment

S.C.O.P.E. is mandatory and extremely useful for Snipers of all ranks and builds as they maintain the furthest distance from foes than any other class.
Tactical Rigging ^EW allows for Reaper Rounds, Grenades, Chitin Plating, Medikit to allow for patching up wounded squadmates when regrouping.
Respirator Implant ^EW provide immunity to Seeker strangulation, as a lone sniper far from the team tends to be under the most threat from these units.
Chitin Plating can be helpful for adding extra protection, since Ghost/Skeleton/Archangel armor all have less defense.
Ghost Grenades ^EW allow easy escape for a sniper ambushed by a Floater or enemy reinforcements.

Gene Mods

Main article: Gene Mods

XComEW Gene modded Sniper takes aim — A gene modded Sniper takes aim.

Requires XCOM: Enemy Within expansion:

Depth Perception confers +5 Aim and Critical for height advantage; Squadsight snipers build "nests" on high ground.
Muscle Fiber Density helps snipers reach their "nests"; normally requiring a ladder, drain pipe or grapple. More importantly, this mod substitutes the uses of the Skeleton Suit and Archangel Armors.
Mimetic Skin greatly increases the viability of the Snap Shot and Low Profile; since these requires access to full cover. Mimetic Skin becomes infinitely more valuable on fully indoor maps with numerous obstacles: snipers often wastes a turn repositioning upon entering the next room; invisibility, allows them to remain undetected during that turn, and can potentially set up an easy Double Tap or In The Zone spree.

Multiplayer Sniper Classes

The following is a detailed break-down of the Sniper class stats and abilities in multiplayer mode.

Class	Points	Health	Aim	Will	Abilities
Marksman	150	6	75	45	Headshot
Hunter	1000	8	88	65	Headshot - Snap Shot - Gunslinger - Battle Scanner - Executioner
Dead Eye	2000	8	88	65	Headshot - Squadsight - Gunslinger- Battle Scanner - Executioner - Opportunist
Agent	2000	9	105	75	Headshot - Snap Shot - Gunslinger - Disabling Shot - Executioner - Low Profile - Double Tap
Psi Assassin	4750	9	95	70	Headshot - Squadsight - Damn Good Ground - Executioner - Low Profile Psionic: Mindfray - Psi Panic - Mind Control

Note: Each soldier class has a base cost of 800 points, which would need to be added to the values above to determine the point value of a particular build. The above point and stat values reflect the default (i.e. 0 point) equipment load-out.

Bugs

Snap Shot and Double Tap - If a Sniper acquires both of these abilities, then the second shot from Double Tap will be affected by Snap Shot which reduces the accuracy by 20% (10% penalty on XCOM: Enemy Within).
Overwatch - After moving, a Sniper can only Overwatch with a pistol (except with Snap Shot). After selecting Overwatch, the Sniper may switch back to a sniper rifle and reaction fire animation will be performed with the rifle, despite the fact that Overwatch with a rifle is not possible. This requires at least one of your other soldiers to have an unused action. (Tested on XCOM: Enemy Within and XCOM: Enemy Unknown single player)
- It is likely that this is a specific case of a more general graphics bug in XCOM: Enemy Within, as it has been observed to occur without switching back to the sniper rifle, as well as in both the Support and Assault class.