Don’t feel like watching the video? No worries! I’ve got the entire transcript right below for your reading pleasure!
Breakpoint offers a lot of avenues for gameplay; You can run and gun, blow stuff up, sneak, and most importantly, snipe. Unfortunately, Breakpoint doesn’t really offer a true sniper experience like you’d see in the Sniper Ghost Warrior or Sniper Elite series of games. That doesn’t mean you can’t get something approximating it, however, so let’s get started!
First off you’ll need, at a minimum, the following equipment: The Recon A1 Sniper Rifle, and the TARS101 scope. Once you’ve got the Recon A1, be sure to get it fully upgraded. If you’d like to match my exact setup, you’ll also want to get the extended magazine, bipod and the ATPIALx3.
You should also think about what you’d like to carry for a pistol; I personally like the MK23 for it’s recoil, damage and rate of fire, but it is completely up to you what you choose, as long as it can equip a suppressor.
For skills, Pistolero, Rolling Thunder and Sensor Hack are what I recommend.
Pistolero is great for this build because we’re doing the one-rifle loadout, and you’ll want to make sure your pistol is up to snuff when it is needed.
Rolling Thunder is an obvious choice; you’ll want to get as much damage as you possibly can out of your rifle, especially since the Recon A1 is actually among the lowest damage in sniper rifles. We’ll explain why you want that rifle further in the video.
Finally, sensor hack allows you to hide from and do additional damage to drones, which are the sniper’s biggest weakness when it comes to taking down enemies.
In this build, it is important to NOT take Ballistic Advantage, which we’ll cover a little further in the video.
For class, I strongly encourage you to choose Panther. Why not Sharpshooter, you ask? Well, we’ll be playing without enemy markers thanks to Ghost Experience settings, which limits the usefulness of the sensor launcher. Armor Buster rounds are also out, as we don’t want anything that will affect the bullet drop of our rounds, regardless of the extra damage imparted.
The Panther class actually works perfectly for us; The cloaking spray helps us hide from our biggest threats, cloak & run is perfect for evasion when we’ve been discovered, and the bonuses to stealth and the fact that pistols don’t get a damage reduction while using a suppressor is ideal for the playstyle we’re pursuing.
Equipment wise, our inventory will always consist of sync shot drones, binoculars, and syringes. Your free slot will either be occupied with EMP grenades, mines, cutting torches or even the strike designator if you’ve got it unlocked, all depending on the needs you have for the mission. Generally speaking, mines are going to be your most commonly used tool, so I usually recommend you come with them equipped already.
Let’s get back to the shooting though, shall we?
The reason we chose the Recon A1 sniper rifle isn’t just because of it’s good looks; That rifle, combined with the TARS101 optic, works out in such a way that we can actually make use of the reticle marks to figure out where our shot will land when we don’t have ballistic advantage equipped as a skill. Just below the center of the crosshair is 200m; the bottom of the crosshair is 250, the first line 300, 350 and so on, and it works that way all the way down the optic.
This means that not only do we have a more immersive experience, but accurate longer range shots even beyond 600m are possible. Of course, past around 550m, you’ll only be able to take down fixed targets such as power generators, turrets or mortars, but being able to take them out well away from the base is a fantastic ability.
Gameplay wise, you’ll want to make use of your drone to highlight individual targets to pay attention to and get ranges on. You’ll also want to make use of your binoculars for range; now that range matters, you have to pay attention to it!
When you find a good perch, look for potential entrances and plan for if the enemy tries to rush you. You can utilize your mines to keep them at bay and give you some extra warning should they be creeping up on you, giving you a chance to escape without wasting your cloak & run ability, which should be saved for situations where you’re surrounded.
Also, take your time with your shots. Rushing just means you’ll be discovered faster. You can make use of AI teammates to make quick work of patrolling enemies at distances past the viability of sync shot drones if you like, although you might want to consider playing with a friend to act as spotter and a second rifle instead.
When it comes to range, don’t be afraid to get closer if necessary. Take out as many as you can from afar if you think you can do so without being discovered, but don’t hesitate to get into sync shot drone range in order to take out patrols. Also, at closer ranges your sniper rifle will become unwieldy; that’s why we carry a pistol! If you’re within 75 meters or so, depending on the pistol you chose, I’d recommend making use of it over your sniper rifle, just so you can take quick follow up shots and avoid having your vision obscured by your scope. You also have the added benefit of being less detectable when firing at closer ranges with a pistol; The Recon A1 will be heard suppressed at 29 meters, and if you’re close enough to use the pistol, there is a chance someone may be within that 29 meter range!