The problem I have is "Sharpshooter" implies long range accuracy. Yes a marksman could make great shots with pistols, but that still doesn't mean a .50 caliber Desert Eagle is going to hit a zed in his crown from 3 blocks away. Same goes for the 9mm Berettas.
Sharpshooters also have other weapons that capitalize on longer range, most notably the crossbow. It doesn't seem right to give them the advantage at close range with pistols, too.
I don't see why it can't imply short range accuracy as well. Nor do I see why Sharpshooters shouldn't have some advantage in close range as well as long range. Especially when, unlike a Commando or Support Specialist, a Sharpshooter cannot carry more than one of his long arms.
A SS cannot, for instance go Crossbow/LA, or M14/La, or M14/Crossbow.
He has to pick one. If he lost his 9mm and Handcannon, well, he'd be up **** creek without a paddle the moment he ran out of ammunition for his LA/M14/Crossbow.
A 'sharpshooter' seems, to me, the kind of person who mostly uses high damage, slow firerate weapons such as rifles (or a crossbow if you have to).
And no handguns.
I mean did you honestly think 'ah, this guys job certainly is to wield pistols' when you first heard this perks name?
Yes.
When presented with "Beserker, Commando, Medic, Support Specialist, and Sharpshooter" my thoughts on whom would have pistol specialization would center on the Sharpshooter.
handguns should have never been added to count for SS headshots....period. #1 cause that brought about the "SS overpopulation". every player has a 9mm, so why should 9mm headshot count for SS leveling when a SCAR or AA12 headshot doesn't? you can't "assign" a gun to one perk when every perk already has that weapon.
The addition of the 9mm is by no means responsible for the "Sharpshooter overpopulation", that's the M14's fault. No one would go Sharpshooter for a 9mm that's - gasp - twice as damaging (provided you hit the target in the head) at level
five! A single body-shot from the AK-47 probably overshadows that and it has 30 of them (37 if you're a level 5 commando), which can be rapid fired.
The "Sharpshooter overpopulation" is a result of the M14, which is too good for it's own, well, good. You don't need to aim with it to be good, like the crossbow or lever-action.
Also if because everyone has the weapon by default means we can't assign it to a perk, shall the next update remove the knife from the 'zerker lineup? Remove the fire-nade upgrade level 3 firebugs get? Keep Supports from getting bonuses to 'nade damage, keep demos from getting explosives damage points from nades?
It's really a silly line of logic to follow.
Sounds a little too complex, robdude.
IMO just giving pistols better viability makes it justified. Right now unless you're a Sharpshooter you more or less ignore them.
I think pistols being ignored by everyone who isn't a sharpshooter is justified. Everyone else has a rifle, shotgun, grenade launcher, etc.
The only person who has cause to care about a pistol is the guy who's accurate with them. He's the only one who could make any use of them, and that's as a backup for when he's in a situation where his more precise, metholodical weapons aren't useful.
Crossbows and lever-rifles aren't, after all, prime CQC tools, while a pistol has some use in that department.
