The Sniper-Specialist is not a marksman. A marksman hits targets. The Sniper eliminates problems before the problems know they are problems. The Sniper finds a position, watches the target for as long as it takes, and fires one shot. Then the Sniper leaves. The target does not.
Asset Realisation books the Sniper as "terminal ballistics specialist -- deniable." The Sniper is a tool for removing assets the corp wants removed without the expense and exposure of a full operation. A Soldier costs the corp ammunition, armour, medical support, and a pension if they survive. A Sniper costs the corp one round and a transport to the next assignment. The Sniper's Kadiss record shows a "ballistics consultant" with a clean service history and no kills on file -- the kills exist, but they are filed under the names of the officers who ordered them.
The Sniper's power is the nest: a prepared position, a ranged weapon, and patience. The Sniper waits for the shot. The target walks into the crosshairs. The Sniper exhales, squeezes, and watches the target drop through the scope. Then the Sniper breaks down the nest and moves. The Sniper is never where the counter-sniper looks, because the Sniper was never where the first shot came from -- the Sniper was where the second shot would have come from, if a second shot had been necessary. It was not.
Operating on the Combat chassis (d10 HD, full BAB, Fort/Ref good, Will poor, 4 SP). Light and medium armour -- the Sniper needs mobility to reach the nest and silence to wait in it. Rifles and long-arms -- the Sniper's relationship with their weapon is the closest thing to faith the Sniper has. Prime requisites: DEX (the hands) and WIS (the patience to wait for the one shot).
Rules Reference
Field
Value
Armor Allowance
Light, Medium
Bab Tier
full
Base Skill Points
4
Hd
d10
Hd Sides
10
Max Level
20
Primary Abilities
DEX, WIS
Prime Requisites
DEX, WIS
Save Tiers / Fortitude
good
Save Tiers / Reflex
good
Save Tiers / Will
poor
Weapon Allowance
All rifles and long-arms, Pistol, Knife
Notes
Archetype Niche: The Sniper is the party's long-range scalpel. Sniper's Nest provides massive range and accuracy bonuses from a prepared position, turning the Sniper into a stationary artillery piece. Calculated Shot is the highest single-shot damage in the game -- no multi-attack penalties, no damage splitting -- one perfect shot that ignores cover, range, and (with setup) DEX to AC. Ghost Protocol keeps the Sniper hidden after firing, enabling repeated elimination of targets with no counter-fire. The Sniper's niche is solving the encounter from 500 metres away before the party enters the room.
Multiclass Notes: Sniper-Specialists can multiclass with Scout and Gunslinger archetypes. Non-human snipers use simultaneous multiclassing rules.
Level Table
Marksman
Field
Value
bab
1
fortitude
2
level
1
reflex
2
skillPoints
16
title
Marksman
will
0
xp
0
Sharpshooter
Field
Value
bab
2
fortitude
3
level
2
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
Sharpshooter
will
0
xp
2250
Sniper
Field
Value
bab
3
fortitude
3
level
3
reflex
3
skillPoints
4
title
Sniper
will
1
xp
4500
Long-Gunner
Field
Value
bab
4
fortitude
4
level
4
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
Long-Gunner
will
1
xp
9000
Ghost Rifle
Field
Value
bab
5
fortitude
4
level
5
reflex
4
skillPoints
4
title
Ghost Rifle
will
1
xp
18000
Master Sniper
Field
Value
bab
6
fortitude
5
level
6
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
Master Sniper
will
2
xp
36000
Void Sniper
Field
Value
bab
7
fortitude
5
level
7
reflex
5
skillPoints
4
title
Void Sniper
will
2
xp
75000
Grand Sniper
Field
Value
bab
8
fortitude
6
level
8
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
Grand Sniper
will
2
xp
150000
Death's Eye
Field
Value
bab
9
fortitude
6
level
9
reflex
6
skillPoints
4
title
Death's Eye
will
3
xp
300000
High Death's Eye
Field
Value
bab
10
fortitude
7
level
10
reflex
7
skillPoints
4
title
High Death's Eye
will
3
xp
600000
One-Shot Legend
Field
Value
bab
11
fortitude
7
level
11
reflex
7
skillPoints
4
title
One-Shot Legend
will
3
xp
900000
High Legend
Field
Value
bab
12
fortitude
8
level
12
reflex
8
skillPoints
4
title
High Legend
will
4
xp
1200000
Death Dealer
Field
Value
bab
13
fortitude
8
level
13
reflex
8
skillPoints
4
title
Death Dealer
will
4
xp
1500000
High Death Dealer
Field
Value
bab
14
fortitude
9
level
14
reflex
9
skillPoints
4
title
High Death Dealer
will
4
xp
1800000
Silent End
Field
Value
bab
15
fortitude
9
level
15
reflex
9
skillPoints
4
title
Silent End
will
5
xp
2100000
High Silent End
Field
Value
bab
16
fortitude
10
level
16
reflex
10
skillPoints
4
title
High Silent End
will
5
xp
2400000
Ghost of the Void
Field
Value
bab
17
fortitude
10
level
17
reflex
10
skillPoints
4
title
Ghost of the Void
will
5
xp
2700000
High Ghost
Field
Value
bab
18
fortitude
11
level
18
reflex
11
skillPoints
4
title
High Ghost
will
6
xp
3000000
The Unseen
Field
Value
bab
19
fortitude
11
level
19
reflex
11
skillPoints
4
title
The Unseen
will
6
xp
3300000
Supreme Sniper
Field
Value
bab
20
fortitude
12
level
20
reflex
12
skillPoints
4
title
Supreme Sniper
will
6
xp
3600000
Special Abilities
Sniper's Nest
Field
Value
level
1
name
Sniper's Nest
description: The Sniper prepares the ground. Full-round action to establish a nest -- camouflage, range cards, shooting lane cleared, escape route planned. In the nest: +2 to attack rolls with rifles, weapon's range increment doubled, +5 to Stealth checks to remain hidden. The nest is the Sniper's home. Leaving ends the bonuses -- the nest is one position, and the Sniper commits to it. At level 5: +3 attack. At level 10: range increments tripled. At level 15: +4 attack. At level 20: the Sniper sets up a nest as a standard action -- the hands know the routine better than the mind remembers it.
Calculated Shot
Field
Value
level
3
name
Calculated Shot
description: The Sniper takes the shot. Full-round action for a single aimed shot. The attack ignores all range penalties -- distance is irrelevant. Ignores the target's cover bonus (except total cover) -- the Sniper has found the gap. Adds +2d6 precision damage -- the round goes exactly where the Sniper intended. If the Sniper has studied the target for at least 1 round without being detected, the shot also ignores the target's DEX bonus to AC -- the target does not know they are being watched and does not move like someone who knows. At level 8: +3d6. Level 13: +4d6. Level 18: +5d6. Usable 1 + half WIS modifier times per encounter (minimum 1). The Sniper does not need more shots than that.
Ghost Protocol
Field
Value
level
5
name
Ghost Protocol
description: The shot is silent. The Sniper is gone. After making a ranged attack from hiding, immediate Stealth check at -5 (instead of the normal -20) to remain hidden -- the muzzle flash was behind cover, the sound arrived from the wrong direction, the target's companions are looking at the body, not the horizon. At level 10, penalty reduced to -2. At level 15, no penalty -- the Sniper remains hidden on any successful Stealth check. The Sniper can relocate up to half speed as part of the Stealth check without provoking attacks of opportunity -- by the time anyone looks toward the nest, the Sniper is somewhere else. If the Sniper's attack drops the target, the Stealth check is at +5 -- a dead target draws every eye, and every eye is looking at the wrong place.