Fallout 4: Sniper

Perception Perk Strategies and Usefulness

The Sniper Perk offers a lot to the player, but finds itself in a weird place. The player who plays a mix of VATS and manual gunplay is going to get the most use out of it, while players who are extreme about either playstyle should likely look elsewhere for a good Perk. Here are the 3 ranks of the Sniper Perk and what it offers your character:

Gameplay Effects & Utility
First, note the language - this affects ballistic and energy rifles so long as they're scoped and not automatic. I personally play a mixture of VATS and normal gunplay when it comes to sniping. I sometimes feel I can make the shot when VATS may not, thanks to breath-holding and accurate rifles. If you play this way, this is a very solid Perk. The breath-holding draining less AP (50%) will give you more action points remaining should you need to go into VATS quickly after making your manual shot; you'll have more AP available because of the slower drain.

The first rank does nothing for VATS usage, although people who play Fallout 4 like a shooter may find them highly desireable. Problem is, they take a whopping 8 Perception (which is also useless outside VATS), meaning they may require 6-7 points in Perception then 2 more to get those bonuses. Is improved breath-holding worth 9 Perk points when you could improve your stamina by increasing endurance? This is a decision only you can make, though I want to point out the investment required. Just pointing out that only a few of the Perks on the way are useful to a light VATS user.

Rank two will allow your shots in and outside VATS to sometimes knock down targets that are not immune to stagger effects, so it's helpful occasionally but rather poor with a 15% proc rate. If you're making a headshot, knocking them down is not that useful unless it's a Legendary opponent and the difficulty is very high. This doesn't impress me much and is just a requirement for the powerful third rank. I'd rather them still be standing so I can take another shot, especially if they fall behind cover.

Rank three is where it gets very enticing for VATS users - the +25% is added on top of whatever your chance to hit would be - 70% hits the 95% cap. More perception just lets you make the shot at an even longer range, which preserves stealth and allows you to repeat the process.

The Sniper Perk in general is very useful with the Ninja Perk which will greatly enhance sneak attacks, moreso with Mister Sandman with silenced weapons (these are both Agility Perks and good for VATS and manual play). You'd want Sneak, as well, to round out the build.

I think that Sniper has a place in many players' builds, it's just not one you'd want to take very early given the marginal bonuses and that you cannot get the really good boost until Level 26. If you're going this route, focus on Rifleman and the aforementioned sneak attack perks to boost your damage.

For further reading, I have a guide on making a strong Sniper Build in Fallout 4.

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John

I believe Rank 1 of sniper has another hidden benefit. It significantly reduces weapon sway with scopes (much like the stabilised armor mod).

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10th April 2016 10:15am

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