Hello everybody, I've played KF since release and here I am, two years later, putting together nearly everything I have learned into a guide.
This is designed to be a collection/portfolio of advice, assistance and beneficial information from players of all skills and experiences.
Over a long period of time, I have picked up a lot of my knowledge of the Sharpshooter perk from others and felt it would be a great help to people who want to learn more/improve their efficiency as a Sharpshooter.
After providing information on an item, I will provide a personal rating on the item from my experiences. Minimum: 0 Stars. Maximum: 5 Stars.
I welcome any contradictions, disagreements, spotted mistakes/misinformation. Please, PM me. Cheers.
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Section 1: The Run Down of the Sharpshooter Perk.
Level 0:
Headshot Damage: 10%
Recoil Reduction: 0%
Reload Time Reduction: 0%
Headshots required for next level: 30
Weapon Discount: 10%
Level 1:
Headshot Damage: 20%
Recoil Reduction: 25%
Reload Time Reduction: 10%
Headshots required for next level: 100
Weapon Discount: 20%
Level 2:
Headshot Damage: 38%
Recoil Reduction: 50%
Reload Time Reduction: 20%
Headshots required for next level: 700
Weapon Discount: 30%
Level 3:
Headshot Damage: 56%
Recoil Reduction: 75%
Reload Time Reduction: 30%
Headshots required for next level: 2500
Weapon Discount: 40%
Level 4:
Headshot Damage: 82%
Recoil Reduction: 75%
Reload Time Reduction: 40%
Headshots required for next level: 5500
Weapon Discount: 50%
Level 5:
Headshot Damage: 125%
Recoil Reduction: 75%
Reload Time Reduction: 50%
Headshots required for next level: 8500
Weapon Discount: 60%
Spawn with Lever-Action Rifle
Level 6:
Headshot Damage: 140%
Recoil Reduction: 75%
Reload Time Reduction: 60%
Headshots required for next level: -
Weapon Discount: 70%
Spawn with Crossbow
Note: The required Headshots are with the 9mm, HC, LAR, Crossbow and M14 only.
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Section 2: The Weapons and viable Load-Outs
9mm Pistol (1 block)
+ Ideal for dealing with the smaller specimens, it's free and cheap to refill, the iron-sights are accurate, there is a good mag size with a fast reload, it is light-weight, there is an attached flashlight.
- The body damage is poor, weak against medium-large specimens. Less effective at suicidal/HoE difficulty.
Summary: An excellent side-arm for the Sharpshooter, can deal with the smaller specimens efficiently, preserving ammo in the more powerful weapons for the larger specimen. 4 stars
Dual 9mm Pistols (4 blocks)
+ Again, ideal for dealing with smaller specimens, cheap to refill, twice the mag size, attached flashlight.
- Again, the body damage is poor, weak against medium-large specimens, long reload time, slightly heavier, poor accuracy which contradicts how the Sharpshooter should be played. Less effective at suicidal/HoE difficulty.
Summary: A poor choice of weaponry for the Sharpshooter. The loss of accuracy reduces the Sharpshooters effectiveness, as aiming for the head is a must. Can be used to get out of tight situations. 1 Star.
HandCannon (4 blocks)
+ Extremely powerful against smaller specimens, up to 4 specimen penetration, good headshot damage, fast reload, cheap to buy and refill, iron sights are accurate.
- There is a small mag size, which despite good headshot damage can lead to problems with bigger specimen, acts as a second side arm which means fast access to the 9mm can be a problem when the HC is out of ammo.
Summary: My personal choice of side-arm. Can be used to instantly take out small-medium specimens with ease, preserving ammo on the more powerful weapons for larger specimen. 5 Stars.
Dual HandCannons (4 blocks)
+ Again, extremely powerful against smaller specimens, up to 4 specimen penetration, good headshot damage, slightly more expensive to buy but still cheap to refill, twice the mag size which means it is capable of dealing with medium-large specimens.
- Slower reload, slightly heavier, poor accuracy which contradicts how the Sharpshooter should be played.
Summary: A fair choice of weaponry for the Sharpshooter. The loss of accuracy reduces the Sharpshooters efficiency, but the Dualies are an excellent side-arm for getting out of a sticky situation. 2 Stars.
Lever Action Rifle (6 blocks)
+ Powerful against all specimens, accurate iron sights enabling long range shooting, cheap to buy and refill, capable of stunning scrakes at Lv6, can kill in 5 headshots (6man HoE)
- Time consuming reload, relatively heavy.
Summary: With the pros by far outweighing the cons, with experience and practice the LAR is a great weapon. Capable of stunning the Sharpshooters highest priority target, the scrake at Lv6, this is a weapon you should often use. 4 Stars.
M14EBR (8 blocks)
+ Semi-automatic allowing an effective way to deal with multiple smaller specimens even on the move, fast reload, cheap to refill, large mag size.
- Extremely high learning curve which makes the m14 viable in only the most experienced hands, poor iron-sights and in-accurate laser, cannot stun scrakes, contradicts the Sharpshooters play of dealing with large specimen, heavy.
Summary: An extremely difficult weapon to use effectively. The iron-sights are poor, and the laser is unreliable. From my personal experience, this is a weapon to avoid. If you want to kill trash effectively, learn to use the HandCannon so you can still deal with bigger specimens. Otherwise, play commando. However, with experience, this weapon can be devastating. 4 stars (with experience).
Crossbow (9 blocks)
+ Extremely good (headshot) damage, can stun scrakes and capable of killing them in 2 or less shots (with hitbox practice), unlimited penetration,
- Expensive to buy and especially to refill, heavy, long time between shots.
Summary: Despite the cons, the Crossbow is the Sharpshooters best friend. It is ideal for dealing with scrakes and it can deal massive amounts to damage to all specimens. 5 Stars.
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Load-Outs:
Crossbow + HandCannon:
+ Great versatility, capable of dealing with both small and large specimens. A true Sharpshooter load-out with powerful, yet accurate weapons.
- Expensive to refill.
Summary: My personal load-out. With practice alternating between these two weapons will allow you to make quick work of any specimen in the game, making the Sharpshooter extremely powerful. Best suited for long-medium distance shooting. 5 Stars.
Addition: Recommended to learn how to use this load-out first. It is relatively simple, yet extremely effective.
Lever-Action Rifle + M14EBR:
+ Great for dealing with the smaller specimens and assisting on the larger specimens, as the LAR can stun scrakes. There is little downtime with the large mag sizes and fast reload speeds.
- M14 has a large learning curve. Firebug's can make your laser invisible.
Summary: Capable of dealing with smaller specimens (M14) and stunning scrakes with the LAR. A great assist to the team, specifically on spots where the specimens are only spotted at close range. However, the M14 is very difficult to use and this load-out is best suited to an experienced Sharpshooter. 4 Stars.
Addition: Only recommend learning this load-out after more experience. It requires a lot of knowledge and situational decision making to pull off, which only the more experienced players can make viable.
Lever-Action Rifle + HandCannon:
+ Great for dealing with smaller specimens (HC) and stunning scrakes with the LAR. Cheap to buy and refill, meaning you can give money to others.
- More difficulty/less effectiveness dealing with larger specimens, which contradicts how the Sharpshooter perk should be played, no use of tier 3 weapons.
Summary: Great for close-quarters shooting. Cheap to buy and refill, this combo also allows you to assist with both smaller and larger specimens. However, there is a lot of down-time with this load-out and the money you saved and gave to other players could be spent better on more powerful weapons. 3 Stars.
Crossbow + SCAR Rifle:
+ Great versatility, automatic weapon making quick work of smaller specimens, crossbow can deal with larger specimens. Accurate sights on both weapons. Great for clearing corridors.
- The assault rifle is less effective than in a Commando's hands. Extremely expensive and long reload times.
Summary: An effective combo for dealing with choke-point positions. This load-out provides great crowd-control. However, with a less effective, yet expensive assault rifle, this load-out has a lot of down-time. 3 Stars.
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Section 3: Specimen Breakdown and Priority List
The Clot:
A weak, common specimen that has the ability to grab you. Don't let it get to close. This specimen is best dealt with using a 9mm, HandCannon or M14.
The Gorefast:
A specimen that can deal a great amount of damage if ignored. It has the ability to charge at you. (likely hood of charge increased by difficulty) This specimen is best dealt with using a 9mm, HandCannon, LAR or M14.
The Bloat:
A large specimen that has a large amount of body HP. Has the ability to project bile onto you, which can be extremely deadly. Take of this specimens weak head with the 9mm, or more preferably the HandCannon, LAR or M14.
The Stalker:
A stealthy specimen that is relatively weak, though fast moving. Either keep on the move with this specimen preventing it from hurting you. This specimen is best dealt with using a 9mm, HandCannon, LAR or M14.
The Crawler:
A small specimen that normally comes in packs. It has a leap attack that can be lethal in numbers. This specimen is best dealt with using a HandCannon, LAR or M14 for that one-shot kill!
The Siren:
An ugly specimen in a straight jacket with a surprising amount of health. She has the ability to do an area of effect scream, hurting everybody in the radius, regardless of armour. Extremely lethal if she gets too close. This specimen is best dealt with using the HandCannon, LAR, M14 or in emergencys, the Crossbow.
The Husk:
The Scrake:
The Sharpshooters highest priority target. This specimen is extremely tough, charging at you and your team when on a designated amount of health (75% on Suicidal/HoE, 50% on Hard and below). Take out this specimen immediately with the Crossbow, LAR or an experienced user of the M14..
The Fleshpound:
The most dangerous specimen in the game. However, your team are able to deal with these just as well as the Sharpshooter, so take care of those scrakes before you consider giving all your attention to the FP. This specimen is best dealt with using a Crossbow or an experienced user of the M14.
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Priority List:
Close Range:
This list is not a Holy Sharpshooter Book. This is a logical guide to how to deal with the specimens in order. You should learn to predict which specimens are the biggest threat to your team.
A close gorefast is a bigger threat than a distant siren.
Scrakes should be dealt with as soon as possible.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 4: Extra Information and Assistance
Role of being a Sharpshooter:
The Lean Animation:
If they lean over their heads start to sway left and right, as though they are drunk! Well time it, so when their head is in the middle, you shoot their neck (this will be like shooting them through their head into their neck). Time the left and right sway. It doesn't take long, the swaying is fast enough so you're not stood like a lemon for 5 minutes, but slow enough that with a bit of practice you will reach 100% accuracy. Remember, aim for the neck.
The Stand-Up Animation:
Now this is when you have to be concentrating. I haven't yet found a reliable hitbox, so I've found a work around. When the scrake is stunned, he will look left, then look right, then he will face the front again, a mili-second later he will charge. So... fire your bolt, scrake is stunned, he looks left, he looks right, he faces front - NOW FIRE! Too early, and you have the fail hitbox effect. Too late, and you will miss. Just right = he will have exited the stand-up animation, ready to charge for you, but will not have yet started moving yet.
It starts to get really difficult when the map terrain is uneven (holding a cave in manor for example) This is when your timing must be perfect, as he will be almost impossible to hit while running up and down the terrain at speed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Positioning:
Not many people consider this, but being at the front or back of your team can drastically change the way you play in each wave. Here is a general list of the pros and cons from being at the front, back or middle of the team.
Front of Team:
+ Your team mates wont (unintentionally) block your shots providing you with a greater vision to deal with specimens. It is easier to use the HandCannon as specimens are closer. It is easier to hear incoming scrakes and fleshpounds allowing you more time to prepare.
- You are (unintentionally) blocking other team mates and it is unwise for the Sharpshooter to crouch due to weapon penetration. There is significantly more danger and less time to pull off shots. With experience this becomes less of an issue.
Back of Team:
+ You are not blocking anybodies view and have a longer time to take shots. There is less danger in being at the back.
- Your shots can be (unintentionally) blocked by team mates. Due to the range, the HandCannon is harder to use. It is also harder to identify scrakes and fleshpounds by sound.
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General Tips and Tricks:
Use weapons from perk - It sounds obvious, but you will receive a greater amount of headshot damage. And as the Sharpshooter weapons are already powerful, these two variables combine for outstanding damage. It also means you are progressing your perk further!
Learn how the Dualies bug works - When you pick up a 2nd 9mm or HC, you will only receive ammo from the weapon you picked up. If you pick up an empty 9mm or HC, even if your current one is full, your ammo will instantly disappear. In trader time, drop your current HC before picking up a new one to test how much ammo it has.
A common trick of mine is to get a team mate to carry an extra HandCannon for you. Make sure you give him the money to refill it each round! This means you have more ammo to play with, be more trigger happy!
Stack multiple weapons if trader is close to the position you are holding. Again, this means you have more ammo to play with, allowing you to be more trigger happy!
Always be aware of incoming scrakes. Avoid getting tunnel vision from the large amounts of specimens at the other end of your HandCannon. The big ones come first, do your job!
Time reloads. The phrase 'calm before the storm' couldn't be more true in Killing Floor. Don't get caught with your pants down (if that's what your into) for a bunch of zeds closing in, reload whenever possible!
Suicide for free Crossbow. Can be frowned upon by some players, but why not make use of that excellent level 6 spawn weapon. This is a more efficient way to acquire a Crossbow than buying one!
Use the penetration! Just like the support perk - line up the zeds and save yourself some ammo!
Learn to quick-scope after firing a shot! Right click to zoom in immediately after the first shot!
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Okay, I hope you have learned something from all this information.
I spent a lot of time and effort making this guide, so I hope it was beneficial.
Thanks for reading.
ljM
Note: Would like to thank an old friend of mine, MT4K who has gone AWOL. He taught me much of what I know today.
Would also like to thank a more recent friend of mine, dez for his support and advice.
Thanks for poosh and Iban for their additions.
This is designed to be a collection/portfolio of advice, assistance and beneficial information from players of all skills and experiences.
Over a long period of time, I have picked up a lot of my knowledge of the Sharpshooter perk from others and felt it would be a great help to people who want to learn more/improve their efficiency as a Sharpshooter.
After providing information on an item, I will provide a personal rating on the item from my experiences. Minimum: 0 Stars. Maximum: 5 Stars.
I welcome any contradictions, disagreements, spotted mistakes/misinformation. Please, PM me. Cheers.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
- Section 1: The Run Down of the Sharpshooter Perk
- Section 2: The Weapons and viable Load-Outs
- Section 3: Specimen Breakdown and Priority List
- Section 4: Extra Information and Assistance
Section 1: The Run Down of the Sharpshooter Perk.
Level 0:
Headshot Damage: 10%
Recoil Reduction: 0%
Reload Time Reduction: 0%
Headshots required for next level: 30
Weapon Discount: 10%
Level 1:
Headshot Damage: 20%
Recoil Reduction: 25%
Reload Time Reduction: 10%
Headshots required for next level: 100
Weapon Discount: 20%
Level 2:
Headshot Damage: 38%
Recoil Reduction: 50%
Reload Time Reduction: 20%
Headshots required for next level: 700
Weapon Discount: 30%
Level 3:
Headshot Damage: 56%
Recoil Reduction: 75%
Reload Time Reduction: 30%
Headshots required for next level: 2500
Weapon Discount: 40%
Level 4:
Headshot Damage: 82%
Recoil Reduction: 75%
Reload Time Reduction: 40%
Headshots required for next level: 5500
Weapon Discount: 50%
Level 5:
Headshot Damage: 125%
Recoil Reduction: 75%
Reload Time Reduction: 50%
Headshots required for next level: 8500
Weapon Discount: 60%
Spawn with Lever-Action Rifle
Level 6:
Headshot Damage: 140%
Recoil Reduction: 75%
Reload Time Reduction: 60%
Headshots required for next level: -
Weapon Discount: 70%
Spawn with Crossbow
Note: The required Headshots are with the 9mm, HC, LAR, Crossbow and M14 only.
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Section 2: The Weapons and viable Load-Outs
9mm Pistol (1 block)
+ Ideal for dealing with the smaller specimens, it's free and cheap to refill, the iron-sights are accurate, there is a good mag size with a fast reload, it is light-weight, there is an attached flashlight.
- The body damage is poor, weak against medium-large specimens. Less effective at suicidal/HoE difficulty.
Summary: An excellent side-arm for the Sharpshooter, can deal with the smaller specimens efficiently, preserving ammo in the more powerful weapons for the larger specimen. 4 stars
Dual 9mm Pistols (4 blocks)
+ Again, ideal for dealing with smaller specimens, cheap to refill, twice the mag size, attached flashlight.
- Again, the body damage is poor, weak against medium-large specimens, long reload time, slightly heavier, poor accuracy which contradicts how the Sharpshooter should be played. Less effective at suicidal/HoE difficulty.
Summary: A poor choice of weaponry for the Sharpshooter. The loss of accuracy reduces the Sharpshooters effectiveness, as aiming for the head is a must. Can be used to get out of tight situations. 1 Star.
HandCannon (4 blocks)
+ Extremely powerful against smaller specimens, up to 4 specimen penetration, good headshot damage, fast reload, cheap to buy and refill, iron sights are accurate.
- There is a small mag size, which despite good headshot damage can lead to problems with bigger specimen, acts as a second side arm which means fast access to the 9mm can be a problem when the HC is out of ammo.
Summary: My personal choice of side-arm. Can be used to instantly take out small-medium specimens with ease, preserving ammo on the more powerful weapons for larger specimen. 5 Stars.
Dual HandCannons (4 blocks)
+ Again, extremely powerful against smaller specimens, up to 4 specimen penetration, good headshot damage, slightly more expensive to buy but still cheap to refill, twice the mag size which means it is capable of dealing with medium-large specimens.
- Slower reload, slightly heavier, poor accuracy which contradicts how the Sharpshooter should be played.
Summary: A fair choice of weaponry for the Sharpshooter. The loss of accuracy reduces the Sharpshooters efficiency, but the Dualies are an excellent side-arm for getting out of a sticky situation. 2 Stars.
Lever Action Rifle (6 blocks)
+ Powerful against all specimens, accurate iron sights enabling long range shooting, cheap to buy and refill, capable of stunning scrakes at Lv6, can kill in 5 headshots (6man HoE)
- Time consuming reload, relatively heavy.
Summary: With the pros by far outweighing the cons, with experience and practice the LAR is a great weapon. Capable of stunning the Sharpshooters highest priority target, the scrake at Lv6, this is a weapon you should often use. 4 Stars.
M14EBR (8 blocks)
+ Semi-automatic allowing an effective way to deal with multiple smaller specimens even on the move, fast reload, cheap to refill, large mag size.
- Extremely high learning curve which makes the m14 viable in only the most experienced hands, poor iron-sights and in-accurate laser, cannot stun scrakes, contradicts the Sharpshooters play of dealing with large specimen, heavy.
Summary: An extremely difficult weapon to use effectively. The iron-sights are poor, and the laser is unreliable. From my personal experience, this is a weapon to avoid. If you want to kill trash effectively, learn to use the HandCannon so you can still deal with bigger specimens. Otherwise, play commando. However, with experience, this weapon can be devastating. 4 stars (with experience).
Crossbow (9 blocks)
+ Extremely good (headshot) damage, can stun scrakes and capable of killing them in 2 or less shots (with hitbox practice), unlimited penetration,
- Expensive to buy and especially to refill, heavy, long time between shots.
Summary: Despite the cons, the Crossbow is the Sharpshooters best friend. It is ideal for dealing with scrakes and it can deal massive amounts to damage to all specimens. 5 Stars.
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Load-Outs:
Crossbow + HandCannon:
+ Great versatility, capable of dealing with both small and large specimens. A true Sharpshooter load-out with powerful, yet accurate weapons.
- Expensive to refill.
Summary: My personal load-out. With practice alternating between these two weapons will allow you to make quick work of any specimen in the game, making the Sharpshooter extremely powerful. Best suited for long-medium distance shooting. 5 Stars.
Addition: Recommended to learn how to use this load-out first. It is relatively simple, yet extremely effective.
Lever-Action Rifle + M14EBR:
+ Great for dealing with the smaller specimens and assisting on the larger specimens, as the LAR can stun scrakes. There is little downtime with the large mag sizes and fast reload speeds.
- M14 has a large learning curve. Firebug's can make your laser invisible.
Summary: Capable of dealing with smaller specimens (M14) and stunning scrakes with the LAR. A great assist to the team, specifically on spots where the specimens are only spotted at close range. However, the M14 is very difficult to use and this load-out is best suited to an experienced Sharpshooter. 4 Stars.
Addition: Only recommend learning this load-out after more experience. It requires a lot of knowledge and situational decision making to pull off, which only the more experienced players can make viable.
Lever-Action Rifle + HandCannon:
+ Great for dealing with smaller specimens (HC) and stunning scrakes with the LAR. Cheap to buy and refill, meaning you can give money to others.
- More difficulty/less effectiveness dealing with larger specimens, which contradicts how the Sharpshooter perk should be played, no use of tier 3 weapons.
Summary: Great for close-quarters shooting. Cheap to buy and refill, this combo also allows you to assist with both smaller and larger specimens. However, there is a lot of down-time with this load-out and the money you saved and gave to other players could be spent better on more powerful weapons. 3 Stars.
Crossbow + SCAR Rifle:
+ Great versatility, automatic weapon making quick work of smaller specimens, crossbow can deal with larger specimens. Accurate sights on both weapons. Great for clearing corridors.
- The assault rifle is less effective than in a Commando's hands. Extremely expensive and long reload times.
Summary: An effective combo for dealing with choke-point positions. This load-out provides great crowd-control. However, with a less effective, yet expensive assault rifle, this load-out has a lot of down-time. 3 Stars.
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Section 3: Specimen Breakdown and Priority List
The Clot:
A weak, common specimen that has the ability to grab you. Don't let it get to close. This specimen is best dealt with using a 9mm, HandCannon or M14.
The Gorefast:
A specimen that can deal a great amount of damage if ignored. It has the ability to charge at you. (likely hood of charge increased by difficulty) This specimen is best dealt with using a 9mm, HandCannon, LAR or M14.
The Bloat:
A large specimen that has a large amount of body HP. Has the ability to project bile onto you, which can be extremely deadly. Take of this specimens weak head with the 9mm, or more preferably the HandCannon, LAR or M14.
The Stalker:
A stealthy specimen that is relatively weak, though fast moving. Either keep on the move with this specimen preventing it from hurting you. This specimen is best dealt with using a 9mm, HandCannon, LAR or M14.
The Crawler:
A small specimen that normally comes in packs. It has a leap attack that can be lethal in numbers. This specimen is best dealt with using a HandCannon, LAR or M14 for that one-shot kill!
The Siren:
An ugly specimen in a straight jacket with a surprising amount of health. She has the ability to do an area of effect scream, hurting everybody in the radius, regardless of armour. Extremely lethal if she gets too close. This specimen is best dealt with using the HandCannon, LAR, M14 or in emergencys, the Crossbow.
The Husk:
A tough specimen that is capable of shooting fireballs at you and your team. The biggest issue this specimen causes is that the fireballs blind your vision on hit. This specimen is best dealt with using the HandCannon, LAR, M14 or the Crossbow.
The Scrake:
The Sharpshooters highest priority target. This specimen is extremely tough, charging at you and your team when on a designated amount of health (75% on Suicidal/HoE, 50% on Hard and below). Take out this specimen immediately with the Crossbow, LAR or an experienced user of the M14..
The Fleshpound:
The most dangerous specimen in the game. However, your team are able to deal with these just as well as the Sharpshooter, so take care of those scrakes before you consider giving all your attention to the FP. This specimen is best dealt with using a Crossbow or an experienced user of the M14.
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Priority List:
Close Range:
- Scrake - At close ranges, Scrakes are dangerous. Sharpshooters are suited to take them down!
- Siren - Don't let her get too close, her scream hurts all the team!
- Fleshpound - The largest threat to a team. Take them down fast!
- Husk - Can blind you on impact preventing you from shooting effectively. Deal with it!
- Crawler - A threat that comes in numbers. Bring some bug-spray.
- Gorefast - A threat that can seriously hurt your team.
- Bloat - Can act as a meatshield, take off their fat heads.
- Clot - A weak specimen, but don't let them get too close!
- Husk - Ranged attacks can blind you on impact preventing you from shooting effectively. Deal with it!
- Scrake - Scrakes are dangerous. Sharpshooters are suited to take them down!
- Fleshpound - The largest threat to a team. Take them down fast!
- Siren - Don't let her get too close, her scream hurts all the team!
- Crawler - A threat that comes in numbers. Bring some bug-spray.
- Gorefast - A threat that can seriously hurt your team.
- Bloat - Can act as a meatshield, take off their fat heads.
- Clot - A weak specimen, but don't let them get too close!
This list is not a Holy Sharpshooter Book. This is a logical guide to how to deal with the specimens in order. You should learn to predict which specimens are the biggest threat to your team.
A close gorefast is a bigger threat than a distant siren.
Scrakes should be dealt with as soon as possible.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Section 4: Extra Information and Assistance
Role of being a Sharpshooter:
- You are a master of accuracy, learn to aim for the head. It will make you extremely more effective and efficient in bullet use and time taken to kill a specimen.
- You are capable of taking on every specimen, but other perks are designed to specalise in taking out smaller specimens in crowds. Do your job and deal with the larger specimens before assisting with the smaller ones. Remember the priority list.
- Online, in a team game dealing with scrakes is the number one priority. This is not as easy as it sounds. After the first bolt, the scrake will become stunned and enter one of two stun animations.
The Lean Animation:
If they lean over their heads start to sway left and right, as though they are drunk! Well time it, so when their head is in the middle, you shoot their neck (this will be like shooting them through their head into their neck). Time the left and right sway. It doesn't take long, the swaying is fast enough so you're not stood like a lemon for 5 minutes, but slow enough that with a bit of practice you will reach 100% accuracy. Remember, aim for the neck.
The Stand-Up Animation:
Now this is when you have to be concentrating. I haven't yet found a reliable hitbox, so I've found a work around. When the scrake is stunned, he will look left, then look right, then he will face the front again, a mili-second later he will charge. So... fire your bolt, scrake is stunned, he looks left, he looks right, he faces front - NOW FIRE! Too early, and you have the fail hitbox effect. Too late, and you will miss. Just right = he will have exited the stand-up animation, ready to charge for you, but will not have yet started moving yet.
It starts to get really difficult when the map terrain is uneven (holding a cave in manor for example) This is when your timing must be perfect, as he will be almost impossible to hit while running up and down the terrain at speed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Positioning:
Not many people consider this, but being at the front or back of your team can drastically change the way you play in each wave. Here is a general list of the pros and cons from being at the front, back or middle of the team.
Front of Team:
+ Your team mates wont (unintentionally) block your shots providing you with a greater vision to deal with specimens. It is easier to use the HandCannon as specimens are closer. It is easier to hear incoming scrakes and fleshpounds allowing you more time to prepare.
- You are (unintentionally) blocking other team mates and it is unwise for the Sharpshooter to crouch due to weapon penetration. There is significantly more danger and less time to pull off shots. With experience this becomes less of an issue.
Back of Team:
+ You are not blocking anybodies view and have a longer time to take shots. There is less danger in being at the back.
- Your shots can be (unintentionally) blocked by team mates. Due to the range, the HandCannon is harder to use. It is also harder to identify scrakes and fleshpounds by sound.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
General Tips and Tricks:
Use weapons from perk - It sounds obvious, but you will receive a greater amount of headshot damage. And as the Sharpshooter weapons are already powerful, these two variables combine for outstanding damage. It also means you are progressing your perk further!
Learn how the Dualies bug works - When you pick up a 2nd 9mm or HC, you will only receive ammo from the weapon you picked up. If you pick up an empty 9mm or HC, even if your current one is full, your ammo will instantly disappear. In trader time, drop your current HC before picking up a new one to test how much ammo it has.
A common trick of mine is to get a team mate to carry an extra HandCannon for you. Make sure you give him the money to refill it each round! This means you have more ammo to play with, be more trigger happy!
Stack multiple weapons if trader is close to the position you are holding. Again, this means you have more ammo to play with, allowing you to be more trigger happy!
Always be aware of incoming scrakes. Avoid getting tunnel vision from the large amounts of specimens at the other end of your HandCannon. The big ones come first, do your job!
Time reloads. The phrase 'calm before the storm' couldn't be more true in Killing Floor. Don't get caught with your pants down (if that's what your into) for a bunch of zeds closing in, reload whenever possible!
Suicide for free Crossbow. Can be frowned upon by some players, but why not make use of that excellent level 6 spawn weapon. This is a more efficient way to acquire a Crossbow than buying one!
Use the penetration! Just like the support perk - line up the zeds and save yourself some ammo!
Learn to quick-scope after firing a shot! Right click to zoom in immediately after the first shot!
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Okay, I hope you have learned something from all this information.
I spent a lot of time and effort making this guide, so I hope it was beneficial.
Thanks for reading.
ljM
Note: Would like to thank an old friend of mine, MT4K who has gone AWOL. He taught me much of what I know today.
Would also like to thank a more recent friend of mine, dez for his support and advice.
Thanks for poosh and Iban for their additions.
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