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Tactics Sharpshooter's Field Guide to Enemies

Crawlers and Stalkers can be INCREDIBLY annoying if no one prioritizes them, though. You'd expect that Commandos would focus on the Stalkers, but they tend to not care and just spam the bullpup at everything. So the Stalkers get behind you and whack you while you're sniping. VERY annoying...

I don't have a problem with Stalkers Since I can see there cloaking even as a beserker just lesson for there noises and if you have really good eye site you can see them coming at you. Also look at the floor for there shadows.
 
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I don't have a problem with Stalkers Since I can see there cloaking even as a beserker just lesson for there noises and if you have really good eye site you can see them coming at you. Also look at the floor for there shadows.

The big issue with Stalkers isn't when you can see them and take them down...it's when you can't...when there are other, bigger specimens around, they tend to pop up in the worst places at the worst times to cause trouble.

For example, when you're popping Gorefast heads, backing away a step or so after each shot to keep them from slicing you, then BAM! Sliced in the back by a Stalker. But the damage she does isn't the big issue. The big issue is that now you can't move back and a trio of Gorefasts are on you, slicing you to ribbons. On Hard/Suicidal, this can get you killed easily! Plus, it can happen with almost any specimens that are chasing you: Gorefasts, Skrakes, and Fleshpounds catching up to you due to a "Stalk Block" are a nightmare.

Since Stalkers and Crawlers are the most likely to cause this, I listed them as higher priority. The fact that the other classes tend to ignore them more often than not (Save for leveling Commandos obsessively targeting stalkers! Gotta love 'em!), it tends to fall on you to get rid of the pests.

Some headshot advice on two of our favorite critters, from field experience:

Stalkers - Aim for the center of the chest when they're approaching, not the head. The way that they hunch forward and bob their heads makes this almost a guaranteed headshot at mid-long range!

Crawlers - Aim on the ground an inch or so in front of the head as they approach. Their speed plus the bullet's travel time makes the lead meet the target for an easy headshot!

Using the two tips I just tossed out there, I've began to easily headshot even Crawlers and Stalkers. I'm about halfway to Level 5 Sharpshooter. Sad thing is, I don't notice that much of a difference between Level 3 and 4, except on the harder difficulties. Heck, a Crossbow headshot from Level 2 onward is lethal to almost any creature smaller than a Skrake on normal anyway, so I guess level doesn't make a HUGE difference...
 
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i usually play with medic perks (lvl 4 :D) and i use sharpshooter weapons, i prioritise in this order

Siren/Crawler/Stalker - High - i do leave stalkers for commando's if there is one around. Take these out with LAR/HC depending on range
gorefast/bloat - medium - good headshot dummy. Take these out with LAR/hc depending on range
Clot/FP - low - dont enrage the FP and i'm fine. FP gets LAR/HC, clots get the knife
Scrake - very low - i leave these till last, and i kill them with the knife for fun. alt fire head to get a stun on, then spam primary fire on the head till he falls over :D
 
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Sharpshooters deal low single target damage with the crossbow?

Ehh.. No

You just need to learn where head shot hit box is located (shooting them in the "head" is not enough).

A scrake dies in two head shots while using crossbow (yes, even a suicidal scrake in a six player game die from two head shots by crossbow). Buty is (unless you have high perk playing easier game) your first shot will not even set him off. This actually make sharpshooters one of the best to take out scrakes.

If you claim you need more than 10 shots with the crossbow sound like you are missing his head hit box. If my math is correct you need:
12 body shots
or
1 head shot and 3 body shots
or
2 head shots
...to kill a scrake on hard setting using crossbow w/ sharp shooter perk rank 4
 
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Sharpshooters deal low single target damage with the crossbow?

Ehh.. No

You just need to learn where head shot hit box is located (shooting them in the "head" is not enough).

A scrake dies in two head shots while using crossbow (yes, even a suicidal scrake in a six player game die from two head shots by crossbow). Buty is (unless you have high perk playing easier game) your first shot will not even set him off. This actually make sharpshooters one of the best to take out scrakes.

If you claim you need more than 10 shots with the crossbow sound like you are missing his head hit box. If my math is correct you need:
12 body shots
or
1 head shot and 3 body shots
or
2 head shots
...to kill a scrake on hard setting using crossbow w/ sharp shooter perk rank 4

Math doesn't count when you OBVIOUSLY shoot him square in the head multiple times with the crossbow and he keeps coming. In theory, yes, almost everything should die in 1-2 Crossbow headshots. In practice, very few things actually DO. I hit Level 5 finally and Skrakes STILL don't seem properly affected by Crossbow headshots. I can usually drop one in 5-6, but when they SHOULD go down in 2-3, something is wrong...

If someone could find out EXACTLY where the head's "headshot" hitboxes are and post the info here (In picture form, preferably!), then that would be appreciated!
 
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Math doesn't count when you OBVIOUSLY shoot him square in the head
Ok. I will type this one more time.

His "head shot hit box" is not always the same as his visual head.

Look at your sharpshooter perk head shot requirement counter prior and after you kill a mob. If it count up by one, you killed him by a shot in the head shot hit box, if it did not... well... then you missed the head shot hit box and it will count as a body shot. Killing a mob with a shot in their head shot hit box is often pretty visual (his head will explode).

For example shooting the scrake between the eyes does not count as a head shot, but shooting it in the lower part of his mouth will. Maybe you aim too high ;)

Shooting a gorefast center in the head will not count as a head shot (and he will just wiggle around and keep comming). Shooting him in the lower right (your right when he face you) side of his head (could say between his head and his shoulder) will make his head pop. Always, No matter what weapon you use. One bullet.

Unlike most mobs (bloat, crawler, clots...) that have a head shot hit box closer to the throat, the Siren head shot hit box is located between her eyes and her forehead (think upper part of her head).

Where different mobs head shot hit box are and how you should aim with your different guns is something you learn by trial and error while you advance on your way towards rank 5 sharp shooter. I had the game for two weeks or so and is still only sharp shooter perk level 4, but i pretty much figured out where and how to aim with my sharpshooter guns to pop them heads.

Everything (except Scrake, Patriarch and Fleshpounder) die in ONE (1) shot to the head hit box using any weapon (even bullpup that deal less damage per hit than even 9mm or knife, giving it the potential to score most kills per mag of all weapons).

If the actual head shot does not straight out kill it (which most lower ranked mobs do when using sharpshooter guns with the damage component of sharpshooter perk) - then it will bleed out over five seconds.

*hate that the forum take hours and hours to update. whats up with that?*
 
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His "head shot hit box" is not always the same as his visual head.
Still, if we simple players have to start calculating and thinking about "shot hit boxes" while killing zombies, then something is wrong with the game.
If I hit a zombie in the head, it should be a "head shot".
I really don't care for anything much more complicated than that.
It "may be" more complicated than that, but it shouldn't be.
Besides, I don't see much evidence regarding the "shot hit box" - does anyone else know about this? Confirm/deny?
Didn't Tripwire fix issues regarding "head shots" in update 1 or 2?
 
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Still, if we simple players have to start calculating and thinking about "shot hit boxes" while killing zombies, then something is wrong with the game.
If I hit a zombie in the head, it should be a "head shot".
I really don't care for anything much more complicated than that.
It "may be" more complicated than that, but it shouldn't be.
Besides, I don't see much evidence regarding the "shot hit box" - does anyone else know about this? Confirm/deny?
Didn't Tripwire fix issues regarding "head shots" in update 1 or 2?

They fixed the fact that half the head shot hitboxes didn't work. At all. They didn't put the hitboxes in the right spots.

Like, as someone just said, I've tried and found that the Skrakes' head hitbox is somewhere between his mouth and throat, and the Gorefasts' hitbox is on the lower-right side of his jaw. It's kinda dumb and really should be addressed. It just seems like more weird stuff that a dev or two popped in so they would know how to 'headshot every time' and impress the public...
 
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Good guide, but uhm, it's called a lever action rifle or hell, just call it a rifle. "Action rifle" is meaningless, since all firearms have some type of action--pump-action, semi-auto, bolt-action, lever-action, etc. Not to mention that it sounds silly.

I know it sounds silly. That's why I did it. That, and typing out 'Lever Action Rifle' is longer than typing out Action Rifle...
 
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The sharpshooter was the first perk I tried out and I love it. I am only level 3, but I have no problem on ANY game mode taking out scrakes with dual handcannons. All you have to do is rush them (after using a bow or rifle to clear out any major threats) and unload into the upper body and head. When the swing back up and go back in. FP are easy on Beginner and Normal mode even with 6 people. Set it of with a couple bow headshots as far back as possible and when it gets closer pull out your handcannons. On hard mode I let my team take care of them, but if they take forever i set it off and then rush it while it is chasing them. Sirens on any mode I either shoot them in the head with the bow from far away or hide around a corner and when the turn it I pop them with the cannons. I offhand shoot crawlers with the bow from far away or just hit them once with a single hand cannon.

Nano you have written a great guide and I hope it helps any sharpshooters that are having problems getting through the last few waves. :D
 
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I didn't find the guide that useful, maybe a more experience sharpshooter could write one?

You can take down scrakes and flesh pounds solo fairly easily if you aren't surrounded by loads of crawlers.. Headshot them repeatedly until they rage, then switch to handcannons and keep headshotting them as they are close up.. You can normally kill them before you run out of ammo on handcannon.
 
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no offense but this guide is kinda bad, not overall but some stuff aretotaly wrong

sharpshooter is actualy THE best class at taking down scrakes, even better than berserker

why?

because (from yoir point of view) aiming at the right side of scrakes head (not AT the head but just a bit away) with xbow will drop scrake in1 or 2 shots in a 6-man team on ANY difficulty

also gorefasts are high prriority since aiming at his missing lower jaw will be instakill headshot mos of the time

also bloats, while not important, aiming at his neck will blow him in 1 shot on most difficulties in 6-man team even with handcannon or rifle

also while crawlers are high priority targets no matter what, you should NOT be wasting xbow ammo on them, its best using 9mm or if you are in a rush, the rifle or handcannon(s)

oh and BTW I am lv5 sharpshooter and lv4 sharpshooter on both of my accounts and yes, I know how to use him


also saying xbow to the head being weak is just stupid, since even without sharpshooter perk, it deals around 2 to 3 more dmg with headshot than a point blank hunting shotgun blast firing both shells

seriously xbow is the most damaging headshot weapon and if people have aim patriarch is the easiest killed with crossbow

even at lv3 sharpshooter you need ONLY 2 heeadshots on patriarch to make him run in normal and hard 6-man team

meaning you need 8 headshots with xbow to kill him if you let him flee and heal everytime which means, 4 people need to hit him only once, while 2 people need to hit him twice

this has been both calculated and tried out

I dont use ANY other class for patriarch ever and dont even need those badass handcannons anymore
 
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...also gorefasts are high prriority since aiming at his missing lower jaw will be instakill headshot mos of the time.
Mm.. Yes, but if you miss you will "only" stun him (this is actually really powerful and can be used tactical to stop zeds from advancing which buy you and your party time). You need 3 LAR shots to the body on Hard to kill one, even more on suicidal. Not really worth it. Atleast not if there is a berserker infront of you just waiting for anything to live long enough to hit his chainsaw.

...also while crawlers are high priority targets no matter what, you should NOT be wasting xbow ammo on them, its best using 9mm or if you are in a rush, the rifle or handcannon(s)
Agreed. Well, unless you can kill a string of maybe 5 crawlers with one arrow that is.

As you type, if in hurry, use handcannon(s) to take out crawlers and stalkers as they die to one bodyshot- you need two body shots with 9mm (on 6ppl hard).

oh and BTW I am lv5 sharpshooter and lv4 sharpshooter on both of my accounts and yes, I know how to use him
Two accounts? Imba :)

Think I have some 18k headshots last time i checked.


I dont use ANY other class for patriarch ever and dont even need those badass handcannons anymore
Ohh. Interesting.

I normaly run single 9mm (for bloat), dual handcannons (for crawler, stalker and stun scrake at melee range and stun gorefast at range - basically your get-out-of-jail-free-card). And on early waves i use LAR (as it kill clots in one shot, on hard - not suicidal) and crossbow on later waves (to deal massive damage on scrake, flehspound and patriarch).

You get down to 11kg with just xbow and 9mm (which let you dodge incomming gorefasts easier than if you pack 15kg). Or do you use dual 9mm?

Then again, i find it powerful and tactical to have 16 rounds that can each stun a gorefast or scrake long enough to save yourself or a team member.
 
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The guide is far, far outdated and lately I've been focusing more on playing (And playing Berserker/Firebug at that!) to update it much. Besides, I'm still holding a grudge against the STILL unfixed headshot hitboxes, so after I maxed Sharpshooter, I hardly ever use it these days except for...

The Sharpshooter "Money-Wave": Spawn as Sharpshooter in the first wave. Headshot clots with the 9mm while scavenging weapons/ammo/armor. At the end of the wave, switch perks and sell everything.

The Dual Handcannons alone sell for a grand total of $750! Plus the $250 you start with is an instant $1,000. Plus money from surviving the first wave and kills (Both vary by difficulty). This can often get me upwards of $1,600 by the start of the second wave, and allows you to deck out almost ANY class it it's preferred gear.

It can easily get me:
-Flamethrower/Katana/Armor as Firebug
-Shotgun/Hunting Shotgun/Grenades/Armor as Support
-Katana (Or Chainsaw)/AK/Armor as Berskerer
-AK/Bullpup/Armor as Commando

Makes it very easy to "get right to it" as another perk. No more waiting several rounds for a Firebug to get a Flamethrower on Suicidal...
 
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