Sawerin
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Mass Effect 3. Weapons Guide: Sniper Rifles
Mass Effect 3 weapon system is an expended variant of the weapon system coming from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. Of course, it has a great number of unique guns but lots of them can also be found in the previous titles. Major changes have been made in the Heavy Weapons category: now you are not allowed to equip your character with them and they can only be found as pickups during missions. Luckily, in Mass Effect 3 any class can carry whichever and however many weapon types they want. The only limitation is the weight limit. For example, the Soldier can carry all five weapon types at once without exceeding carry weight, but only if properly upgraded to do so. On the top of that you can upgrade your weapon up to Level 5 making it more accurate, more powerful and less “capricious.”
Weapons in Mass Effect 3 are divided in the following categories:
1. Heavy Pistols;
2. Submachine Guns;
3. Shotguns;
4. Assault Rifles;
5. Sniper Rifles;
6. Heavy Weapons;
7. Explosives.
All guns from the following categories (except Heavy Weapon Category) can be upgraded with different modes.
Sniper Rifles
Sniper rifles are oriented on those players who enjoy staying behind the cover and shoot to kill with one shot. Usually, sniper rifles are slow and have very low fire rate. However, they are perfect for holding position from a distance and assisting teammates with tough enemies. Mass Effect 3 offers a variety of sniper rifles that can be deadly as hell but heavy as rocks or those that cause less damage but have enormously big clips with plenty of bullets. One of the main features that has to be present in any sniper rifle is Accuracy. Without this vital element a sniper rifle can’t be treated as such. Sniper rifle is not a weapon of mass destruction and it’s definitely not for everyone, so pick carefully if you plan on becoming a sniper. Below you will find a detailed overlook on the sniper rifles in Mass Effect 3.
Black Widow
Location: Spectre Requisitions
Black Widow is one of the heaviest if not the heaviest sniper rifle in Mass Effect 3. It also has one great thing that makes it different from all the other rifles in the list: instead of 1 it can shoot up to 3 times in a row before it has to be reloaded. The Alliance wanted to reduce the reload time of the original Widow rifle and this is what they came up with. Well, Black Widow lost a bit in damage but at the same time you now have 3 shots instead of one to shot the target. With Armor-Piercing Ammo focused on penetration and the piercing mod this rifle can penetrate most covers, rendering almost no enemy safe from its rounds. The Black Widow can send shots through 25cm of cover even without armor-piercing mods. The main strength is that the Black Widow has much higher damage than any other semi-automatic rifle and it can illuminate weaker enemies with one shot to the body or tougher enemies with also one shot but in the head. However, the biggest problem of this rifle is that it is extremely heavy which increases the cool down time. This is one of the reasons why it is highly recommended not to use it against Adepts, Vanguards, or Engineers.
Clip Size: 3.
Reserve: 15.
Collector Sniper Rifle
Location: Mass Effect 3, Retaliation
Collector Sniper Rifle, as any other Collector’s weapon, is very unique and you will have to spend some time getting used to the way it acts. One of the best things about this rifle is that it has unlimited ammo. Once you have this rifle in your hands, you won’t have to bother about finding ammunition to it. However, this also causes some side effects that you might not enjoy. Collector Sniper Rifle projects a powerful beam and the longer you hold the fire button, the longer and deadlier the beam becomes. However, if you run out of ammo, you will have to wait about 5 seconds for the gun to cool down and reload. So, it is highly recommended to leave a few rounds in the clip (2 or 3 will be more than enough) which will allow the Sniper Rifle to reload automatically. Also, weapon's long-range particle beam is capable of sustained fire, allowing it to switch between anti-personnel or anti-materiel roles just by holding down the trigger. With precise shooting it can be really devastating but, frankly speaking, it is really hard to keep the beam on the target for a long time. Also, the Particle Rifle has a maximum range to its beam which means it will be useless at really long distances. And, if you accidently shoot out all the ammo, you will have to wait like forever for it to reload. Despite its Sniper Rifle class, I would still call the Collector Sniper Rifle a close or middle range weapon due to its beam nature.
Clip Size: 35.
Reserve: ∞.
Javelin
Location: Rannoch: Admiral Koris
Javelin is the heaviest sniper rifle in the game and yes – it is even heavier than the Black Widow. At the same time, Javelin is very accurate and deadly. I would even say that it is a perfect weapon for disabling armored vehicles and way too good for killing enemies. Javelin bullets cut through nearly anything and even protected with a guardian shield, all you need is one shot into the head to eliminate the enemy. On the top of all, Javelin can shoot through the objects that are not thicker than 1 meter without Armor-Piercing Ammo mode or any other additional abilities. One of the best things that I personally enjoy about this weapon is that it highlights your enemies and your teammates. This makes spotting a hostile through the scope easier. It can also see through the smoke and thanks to the already mentioned highlighting system you will see the enemy long before he sees you. Lots of players enjoy using this rifle even despite its long reload time because there is almost nothing that can survive a direct shot from this sniper rifle into the head. One of its biggest problems is very small ammo package and only one round in the clip.
Clip Size: 1.
Reserve: 9.
Kishock Harpoon Gun
Location: Multiplayer Store with Resurgence Pack
Kishock Harpoon Gun is a harpoon-like spike that causes massive internal bleeding and its miniaturized disruptors are also good for destroying synthetics. However, it can be found only in the Mass Effect 3: Resurgence Pack and will be randomly rewarded through purchases of item packs. As some of the other sniper rifles this one can be charged too but it won’t cause more than 175% damage even on the full charge. When fully charged, the projectile filled with kinetic energy will simply knock light enemies which will make them look like puppies. When being shot without any charges, Kishock Harpoon Gun deals only 60% of its stated damage but the rest 40% will be dealt over the next 5 seconds representing the bleed damage. Unfortunately, scoring a headshot won’t increase the bleed damage. The rifle ignores both armor damage reduction and defense bleedthrough penalties and is the only one to take out shielded enemy like a Marauder or Centurion with a single headshot even on Gold difficulty, however it cannot penetrate covers like Javelin. The Kishock is also the only sniper rifle that does not receive a damage penalty when fired from the hip. It reloads fast even despite being a single-shot sniper rifle. However, the biggest problem is that it has to be reloaded after every single shot and can’t be reloaded when hiding behind something. Also, it is pretty hard to hit moving targets with this rifle because the projectiles fired by the Kishock take time to reach the target. Also, the very same projectiles suffer from the effects of gravity but this can be improved by charging the slot.
Clip Size: 1.
Reserve: 15.
Krysae Sniper Rifle
Location: Multiplayer Store with Rebellion Pack
Krysae Sniper Rifle is an interesting combination of a sniper rifle and (what would you think?) a grenade launcher. No, this is not a joke: Krysae Sniper Rifle actually shoots small grenades that have pretty serious travelling but cause enough damage to take down a soldier without any shields. Mostly because of the sniper rifle origin, this weapon has an amazing accuracy and with the help of its scope you can send small grenades directly into the place you’re aiming for. But, despite all the expectations, those grenades are not exactly the most powerful ever. It will take up to three shots to kill a regular enemy and considering the fact that it has only 3 rounds in the clip and additional 9 in the ammo pack, you won’t have enough grenades to use it much. You should also be aware of the fact that Krysae Sniper Rifle is only available with the Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack and is categorized as a rare item. It will be rewarded to you randomly through purchases of item packs.
Despite all the expectations, because of the specific nature, Krysae Sniper Rifle is good at any range. It can also be pretty effective against small groups of enemies causing enough damage. However, proving its explosive nature, you can’t use Krysae Sniper Rifle for headshots, which is kind of strange for a sniper rifle. Krysae Sniper Rifle has a noticeable travel time and you should keep that in mind when firing at targets from the long distance. But, even if you are not accurate enough, your grenade will still explode pretty close to the target. Unfortunately, it is not armor-piercing but it can surely kick back enemies with or without shields. The area of effect damage radius is pretty small despite the visually large explosion. Of course, with the help of different modes, upgrades and other useful things you can take care of all the minuses it happens to have. Krysae Sniper Rifle becomes very effective when combined with the weapon damage bonuses available to the Geth Infiltrator from Tactical Cloak, Hunter Mode and Networked AI. Additionally, this damage bonus works very effectively when combined with the area of effect damage.
Clip Size: 3.
Reserve: 9.
M-13 Raptor
Location: Priority: Sur'Kesh
M-13 Raptor is an interesting solution for those who enjoy using both sniper and assault rifles. One of the most unexpected things about this gun is that is has 15 rounds in this clip and its fire rate is very uncommon as for a sniper rifle. It might not be the deadliest weapon in the game but it is very accurate and again, thanks to 15 rounds in the clip, M-13 Raptor is perfect for taking out enemies from the distance. It is also very accurate at the middle and even at the close range which makes it almost irreplaceable in Mass Effect 3. It is almost impossible to take down a target with one shot but you need to understand that its purposes are slightly different. 15 rounds in the clip plus quick reload time and amazing accuracy make M-13 Raptor universal in almost any possible situation. It’s like a more accurate M-8 Avenger with built-in scope and better damage. Also, it is a perfect choice for Infiltrators thanks to their free and unlimited time slowdown when zooming through the scope. And, its much lower power scope allows switching between the targets faster which, again, makes it a weapon of good choice. M-13 Raptor’s damage is, probably, the only weak place, however, you can improve the situation with the help of Armor Piercing Ammo mod. So far, M-13 Raptor is the most balances weapon in the game that is worth being added to your arsenal.
Clip Size: 15.
Reserve: 105.
M-29 Incisor
Location: Tuchanka, Bomb
M-29 Incisor is the only burst-fire sniper rifle in the Mass Effect 3. When being used, the rifle has a noticeable vertical climb that can spoil you the perspective of a headshot kill. However, you can always aim a bit lower (in the chest area) and even with the vertical climb send three bullets in the chest, neck and head. It won’t be easy but if all three shots hit the target, you will cause enough damage to take down a target with one trigger pull. The main strength of this sniper rifle is its amazingly big (as for a rifle) clip with 15 shots in it. Well, technically, you have 5 shots only but 3 rounds each. The reserve pack can be extended up to 260 rounds and with this package M-29 Incisor looks more like an assault rifle. The weapon is very light for its category meaning that almost any class can use it as a primary weapon without any harm to his/her power recharge rate. But, of course, M-29 Incisor is far from being perfect and happens to have a number of bad features that, sometimes, are hard to cope with. Rifle’s burst fire is pretty slow giving your enemy an opportunity to dodge and avoid getting hit with all three rounds. Also, every shot alone has pretty low damage as for a sniper rifle, again, giving no chances for you to eliminate the target with one shot. On higher difficulties it might be a serious problem even with the Extended Barrel mod as far as enemies move around and they do it pretty fast. M-29 Incisor benefits a lot from the Marksman ability: it gives the weapon less time to recoil between shots. Unfortunately, this rifle can’t be switched into other fire modes which gives no choice but to constantly suffer from pretty annoying recoil.
Clip Size: 15.
Reserve: 120.
M-90 Indra
Location: Bonus item Firefight Pack
M-90 Indra sniper rifle is the only fully automatic sniper rifle in the game which makes it both interesting and strange to operate with. However, you won’t be able to see it in your inventory unless you download the Mass Effect 3: Firefight Pack. Due to its automatic nature, M-90 Indra is very effective at the middle-range distances. Unfortunately, when used outside of zoom, Indra suffers a heavy damage penalty when fired from the hip. Well, after all, Indra is a sniper and not as assault rifle (even if it behaves like one). Being a fully automatic weapon, M-90 also has the biggest clip in its class with 25 rounds each. In a pair with pretty low recoil you can actually get multiply headshots pretty easy and very fast (do not forget to appease the recoil first). M-90 Indra is a decent choice for Soldiers and Infiltrators looking to take down unshielded enemies or large enemies in short order. Also, a level V Indra is one of the lightest sniper rifles in the game giving a good chance for user classes like Adept, Engineer or Vanguard enjoy its uniqueness.
Clip Size: 25.
Reserve: 180.
M-92 Mantis
Location: Priority: Mars
M-92 Mantis is one of the deadliest sniper rifles in the game. It has very slow rate of fire but at the same time this minus is compensated with the incredible accuracy and high damage. If you are good at sniping enemies, M-92 Mantis might be a good choice for you. However, its weight limits the number of classes that can enjoy its possibilities. For those who expect to get a universal rifle effective from any distance, I must say that you came to the wrong place. M-92 Mantis is a sniper rifle in its actual meaning: it can kill with one shot, it takes like forever for it to reload and it is effective only at higher distances. With the amazing pin-point accuracy your bullet will always hit the place you aim for. One of the main downfalls of this rifle is its really low ammo package. Without any upgrades you will have only 10 rounds (1 in the rifle and 9 in reverse).
Clip Size: 1.
Reserve: 9.
M-97 Viper
Location: Priority, Palaven
M-97 Viper is very popular with military snipers because of its comfort, good damage characteristics and 6 round clip. This rifle works only in semi-automatic mode but thanks to high accuracy, pretty decent damage and fast fire rate it can be very effective at the battlefield. When fully upgraded, M-97 Viper is the lightest sniper rifle in the game. This means that even power dependent classes can enjoy rifle’s possibilities without any serious sacrifices. The Viper is ideal for taking down groups of lightly protected enemies because of its semi-high fire rate. However, its ammo package is kind of small for a long battle.
Clip Size: 6.
Reserve: 36.
M-98 Widow
Location: Priority, Thessia
M-98 Widow is capable of killing enemies in a single shot at any range regardless of which body-part is targeted. On the top of that this sniper rifle has enough power to go through thin covers or barriers. Also, if multiple enemies are lined up correctly, the Widow can take down up to three targets with one shot. As most single shot rifles with a low rate of fire, this one has to be reloaded after every single shot and comes with pretty low ammo package. But, you can improve the situation by using Adrenaline Rush, Operational Mastery or the Concentration Module. Also, animation cancelling will reduce the reload time by approximately 50%. Ammo Capacity evolution is highly recommended for this monster. On the top of all, even with all the updates, M-98 Widow will still remain one of the heaviest sniper rifles in the game, so make sure that your class can handle the heavy lifting.
Clip Size: 1.
Reserve: 7.
N7 Valiant
Location: N7 Collector's Edition Pack
N7 Valiant is a semi-automatic sniper rifle that is often compared with the Black Widow, mostly because of their similarity in damage and accuracy. Both rifles also have the exact same amount of rounds in a clip. The N7 is not as powerful as the Widow but it has a bunch of other great feature that make it a decent weapon in proper hands. First of all – it is not as heavy as the already mentioned Widow which makes it more affordable for other classes. Its fire rate might not be very fast but it has almost no recoil which kind of solves the problem giving you an opportunity to concentrate your fire on the moving enemy. Valiant’s accuracy allows players to shoot targets from the hip and without the scope which can be vital when the enemy is close. This sniper rifle works excellently with a Concentration Mod and combining it with spare ammo or Extended Barrel mod makes the Valiant a fantastic sniper rifle for lower difficulties and a versatile one for higher difficulties. However, N7 Valiant is available only from the Collector's or Digital Deluxe Edition of Mass Effect 3.
Clip Size: 3.
Reserve: 30.
Sniper Rifle Weapon Modifications
Sniper Rifle Concentration Mod I - V (Single-player only)
Biometric sensors and auto-targeting software adjust to the user's pulse and breath rate, assisting aim.
Sniper Rifle Spare Thermal Clip I - V
Adds sockets to increase thermal clip capacity, increasing number of spare shots.
Sniper Rifle Extended Barrel I - V
Lengthens barrel, creating greater bullet velocity and impact.
Sniper Rifle Piercing Mod I - V
Capacitor boosts kinetic coil generators, increasing shot penetration.
Sniper Rifle Enhanced Scope I - V
Stability-enhancing scope increases accuracy while moving and taking damage. Highlights targets through smoke.
Sniper Rifle High-Velocity Barrel I - V (Requires Retaliation for multiplayer.)
Superior kinetic coils increase shot penetration.
Sniper Rifle Thermal Scope I - V (Requires Retaliation for multiplayer.)
Reveal enemies through walls and smoke with a 4x optical scope and enhance stability and accuracy while zoomed.
Here are some of the most common Sniper Rifles compared to each other showing their basic specifications.
Mass Effect 3 weapon system is an expended variant of the weapon system coming from Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2. Of course, it has a great number of unique guns but lots of them can also be found in the previous titles. Major changes have been made in the Heavy Weapons category: now you are not allowed to equip your character with them and they can only be found as pickups during missions. Luckily, in Mass Effect 3 any class can carry whichever and however many weapon types they want. The only limitation is the weight limit. For example, the Soldier can carry all five weapon types at once without exceeding carry weight, but only if properly upgraded to do so. On the top of that you can upgrade your weapon up to Level 5 making it more accurate, more powerful and less “capricious.”
Weapons in Mass Effect 3 are divided in the following categories:
1. Heavy Pistols;
2. Submachine Guns;
3. Shotguns;
4. Assault Rifles;
5. Sniper Rifles;
6. Heavy Weapons;
7. Explosives.
All guns from the following categories (except Heavy Weapon Category) can be upgraded with different modes.
Sniper Rifles
Sniper rifles are oriented on those players who enjoy staying behind the cover and shoot to kill with one shot. Usually, sniper rifles are slow and have very low fire rate. However, they are perfect for holding position from a distance and assisting teammates with tough enemies. Mass Effect 3 offers a variety of sniper rifles that can be deadly as hell but heavy as rocks or those that cause less damage but have enormously big clips with plenty of bullets. One of the main features that has to be present in any sniper rifle is Accuracy. Without this vital element a sniper rifle can’t be treated as such. Sniper rifle is not a weapon of mass destruction and it’s definitely not for everyone, so pick carefully if you plan on becoming a sniper. Below you will find a detailed overlook on the sniper rifles in Mass Effect 3.
Black Widow
Location: Spectre Requisitions
Black Widow is one of the heaviest if not the heaviest sniper rifle in Mass Effect 3. It also has one great thing that makes it different from all the other rifles in the list: instead of 1 it can shoot up to 3 times in a row before it has to be reloaded. The Alliance wanted to reduce the reload time of the original Widow rifle and this is what they came up with. Well, Black Widow lost a bit in damage but at the same time you now have 3 shots instead of one to shot the target. With Armor-Piercing Ammo focused on penetration and the piercing mod this rifle can penetrate most covers, rendering almost no enemy safe from its rounds. The Black Widow can send shots through 25cm of cover even without armor-piercing mods. The main strength is that the Black Widow has much higher damage than any other semi-automatic rifle and it can illuminate weaker enemies with one shot to the body or tougher enemies with also one shot but in the head. However, the biggest problem of this rifle is that it is extremely heavy which increases the cool down time. This is one of the reasons why it is highly recommended not to use it against Adepts, Vanguards, or Engineers.
Clip Size: 3.
Reserve: 15.
Collector Sniper Rifle
Location: Mass Effect 3, Retaliation
Collector Sniper Rifle, as any other Collector’s weapon, is very unique and you will have to spend some time getting used to the way it acts. One of the best things about this rifle is that it has unlimited ammo. Once you have this rifle in your hands, you won’t have to bother about finding ammunition to it. However, this also causes some side effects that you might not enjoy. Collector Sniper Rifle projects a powerful beam and the longer you hold the fire button, the longer and deadlier the beam becomes. However, if you run out of ammo, you will have to wait about 5 seconds for the gun to cool down and reload. So, it is highly recommended to leave a few rounds in the clip (2 or 3 will be more than enough) which will allow the Sniper Rifle to reload automatically. Also, weapon's long-range particle beam is capable of sustained fire, allowing it to switch between anti-personnel or anti-materiel roles just by holding down the trigger. With precise shooting it can be really devastating but, frankly speaking, it is really hard to keep the beam on the target for a long time. Also, the Particle Rifle has a maximum range to its beam which means it will be useless at really long distances. And, if you accidently shoot out all the ammo, you will have to wait like forever for it to reload. Despite its Sniper Rifle class, I would still call the Collector Sniper Rifle a close or middle range weapon due to its beam nature.
Clip Size: 35.
Reserve: ∞.
Javelin
Location: Rannoch: Admiral Koris
Javelin is the heaviest sniper rifle in the game and yes – it is even heavier than the Black Widow. At the same time, Javelin is very accurate and deadly. I would even say that it is a perfect weapon for disabling armored vehicles and way too good for killing enemies. Javelin bullets cut through nearly anything and even protected with a guardian shield, all you need is one shot into the head to eliminate the enemy. On the top of all, Javelin can shoot through the objects that are not thicker than 1 meter without Armor-Piercing Ammo mode or any other additional abilities. One of the best things that I personally enjoy about this weapon is that it highlights your enemies and your teammates. This makes spotting a hostile through the scope easier. It can also see through the smoke and thanks to the already mentioned highlighting system you will see the enemy long before he sees you. Lots of players enjoy using this rifle even despite its long reload time because there is almost nothing that can survive a direct shot from this sniper rifle into the head. One of its biggest problems is very small ammo package and only one round in the clip.
Clip Size: 1.
Reserve: 9.
Kishock Harpoon Gun
Location: Multiplayer Store with Resurgence Pack
Kishock Harpoon Gun is a harpoon-like spike that causes massive internal bleeding and its miniaturized disruptors are also good for destroying synthetics. However, it can be found only in the Mass Effect 3: Resurgence Pack and will be randomly rewarded through purchases of item packs. As some of the other sniper rifles this one can be charged too but it won’t cause more than 175% damage even on the full charge. When fully charged, the projectile filled with kinetic energy will simply knock light enemies which will make them look like puppies. When being shot without any charges, Kishock Harpoon Gun deals only 60% of its stated damage but the rest 40% will be dealt over the next 5 seconds representing the bleed damage. Unfortunately, scoring a headshot won’t increase the bleed damage. The rifle ignores both armor damage reduction and defense bleedthrough penalties and is the only one to take out shielded enemy like a Marauder or Centurion with a single headshot even on Gold difficulty, however it cannot penetrate covers like Javelin. The Kishock is also the only sniper rifle that does not receive a damage penalty when fired from the hip. It reloads fast even despite being a single-shot sniper rifle. However, the biggest problem is that it has to be reloaded after every single shot and can’t be reloaded when hiding behind something. Also, it is pretty hard to hit moving targets with this rifle because the projectiles fired by the Kishock take time to reach the target. Also, the very same projectiles suffer from the effects of gravity but this can be improved by charging the slot.
Clip Size: 1.
Reserve: 15.
Krysae Sniper Rifle
Location: Multiplayer Store with Rebellion Pack
Krysae Sniper Rifle is an interesting combination of a sniper rifle and (what would you think?) a grenade launcher. No, this is not a joke: Krysae Sniper Rifle actually shoots small grenades that have pretty serious travelling but cause enough damage to take down a soldier without any shields. Mostly because of the sniper rifle origin, this weapon has an amazing accuracy and with the help of its scope you can send small grenades directly into the place you’re aiming for. But, despite all the expectations, those grenades are not exactly the most powerful ever. It will take up to three shots to kill a regular enemy and considering the fact that it has only 3 rounds in the clip and additional 9 in the ammo pack, you won’t have enough grenades to use it much. You should also be aware of the fact that Krysae Sniper Rifle is only available with the Mass Effect 3: Rebellion Pack and is categorized as a rare item. It will be rewarded to you randomly through purchases of item packs.
Despite all the expectations, because of the specific nature, Krysae Sniper Rifle is good at any range. It can also be pretty effective against small groups of enemies causing enough damage. However, proving its explosive nature, you can’t use Krysae Sniper Rifle for headshots, which is kind of strange for a sniper rifle. Krysae Sniper Rifle has a noticeable travel time and you should keep that in mind when firing at targets from the long distance. But, even if you are not accurate enough, your grenade will still explode pretty close to the target. Unfortunately, it is not armor-piercing but it can surely kick back enemies with or without shields. The area of effect damage radius is pretty small despite the visually large explosion. Of course, with the help of different modes, upgrades and other useful things you can take care of all the minuses it happens to have. Krysae Sniper Rifle becomes very effective when combined with the weapon damage bonuses available to the Geth Infiltrator from Tactical Cloak, Hunter Mode and Networked AI. Additionally, this damage bonus works very effectively when combined with the area of effect damage.
Clip Size: 3.
Reserve: 9.
M-13 Raptor
Location: Priority: Sur'Kesh
M-13 Raptor is an interesting solution for those who enjoy using both sniper and assault rifles. One of the most unexpected things about this gun is that is has 15 rounds in this clip and its fire rate is very uncommon as for a sniper rifle. It might not be the deadliest weapon in the game but it is very accurate and again, thanks to 15 rounds in the clip, M-13 Raptor is perfect for taking out enemies from the distance. It is also very accurate at the middle and even at the close range which makes it almost irreplaceable in Mass Effect 3. It is almost impossible to take down a target with one shot but you need to understand that its purposes are slightly different. 15 rounds in the clip plus quick reload time and amazing accuracy make M-13 Raptor universal in almost any possible situation. It’s like a more accurate M-8 Avenger with built-in scope and better damage. Also, it is a perfect choice for Infiltrators thanks to their free and unlimited time slowdown when zooming through the scope. And, its much lower power scope allows switching between the targets faster which, again, makes it a weapon of good choice. M-13 Raptor’s damage is, probably, the only weak place, however, you can improve the situation with the help of Armor Piercing Ammo mod. So far, M-13 Raptor is the most balances weapon in the game that is worth being added to your arsenal.
Clip Size: 15.
Reserve: 105.
M-29 Incisor
Location: Tuchanka, Bomb
M-29 Incisor is the only burst-fire sniper rifle in the Mass Effect 3. When being used, the rifle has a noticeable vertical climb that can spoil you the perspective of a headshot kill. However, you can always aim a bit lower (in the chest area) and even with the vertical climb send three bullets in the chest, neck and head. It won’t be easy but if all three shots hit the target, you will cause enough damage to take down a target with one trigger pull. The main strength of this sniper rifle is its amazingly big (as for a rifle) clip with 15 shots in it. Well, technically, you have 5 shots only but 3 rounds each. The reserve pack can be extended up to 260 rounds and with this package M-29 Incisor looks more like an assault rifle. The weapon is very light for its category meaning that almost any class can use it as a primary weapon without any harm to his/her power recharge rate. But, of course, M-29 Incisor is far from being perfect and happens to have a number of bad features that, sometimes, are hard to cope with. Rifle’s burst fire is pretty slow giving your enemy an opportunity to dodge and avoid getting hit with all three rounds. Also, every shot alone has pretty low damage as for a sniper rifle, again, giving no chances for you to eliminate the target with one shot. On higher difficulties it might be a serious problem even with the Extended Barrel mod as far as enemies move around and they do it pretty fast. M-29 Incisor benefits a lot from the Marksman ability: it gives the weapon less time to recoil between shots. Unfortunately, this rifle can’t be switched into other fire modes which gives no choice but to constantly suffer from pretty annoying recoil.
Clip Size: 15.
Reserve: 120.
M-90 Indra
Location: Bonus item Firefight Pack
M-90 Indra sniper rifle is the only fully automatic sniper rifle in the game which makes it both interesting and strange to operate with. However, you won’t be able to see it in your inventory unless you download the Mass Effect 3: Firefight Pack. Due to its automatic nature, M-90 Indra is very effective at the middle-range distances. Unfortunately, when used outside of zoom, Indra suffers a heavy damage penalty when fired from the hip. Well, after all, Indra is a sniper and not as assault rifle (even if it behaves like one). Being a fully automatic weapon, M-90 also has the biggest clip in its class with 25 rounds each. In a pair with pretty low recoil you can actually get multiply headshots pretty easy and very fast (do not forget to appease the recoil first). M-90 Indra is a decent choice for Soldiers and Infiltrators looking to take down unshielded enemies or large enemies in short order. Also, a level V Indra is one of the lightest sniper rifles in the game giving a good chance for user classes like Adept, Engineer or Vanguard enjoy its uniqueness.
Clip Size: 25.
Reserve: 180.
M-92 Mantis
Location: Priority: Mars
M-92 Mantis is one of the deadliest sniper rifles in the game. It has very slow rate of fire but at the same time this minus is compensated with the incredible accuracy and high damage. If you are good at sniping enemies, M-92 Mantis might be a good choice for you. However, its weight limits the number of classes that can enjoy its possibilities. For those who expect to get a universal rifle effective from any distance, I must say that you came to the wrong place. M-92 Mantis is a sniper rifle in its actual meaning: it can kill with one shot, it takes like forever for it to reload and it is effective only at higher distances. With the amazing pin-point accuracy your bullet will always hit the place you aim for. One of the main downfalls of this rifle is its really low ammo package. Without any upgrades you will have only 10 rounds (1 in the rifle and 9 in reverse).
Clip Size: 1.
Reserve: 9.
M-97 Viper
Location: Priority, Palaven
M-97 Viper is very popular with military snipers because of its comfort, good damage characteristics and 6 round clip. This rifle works only in semi-automatic mode but thanks to high accuracy, pretty decent damage and fast fire rate it can be very effective at the battlefield. When fully upgraded, M-97 Viper is the lightest sniper rifle in the game. This means that even power dependent classes can enjoy rifle’s possibilities without any serious sacrifices. The Viper is ideal for taking down groups of lightly protected enemies because of its semi-high fire rate. However, its ammo package is kind of small for a long battle.
Clip Size: 6.
Reserve: 36.
M-98 Widow
Location: Priority, Thessia
M-98 Widow is capable of killing enemies in a single shot at any range regardless of which body-part is targeted. On the top of that this sniper rifle has enough power to go through thin covers or barriers. Also, if multiple enemies are lined up correctly, the Widow can take down up to three targets with one shot. As most single shot rifles with a low rate of fire, this one has to be reloaded after every single shot and comes with pretty low ammo package. But, you can improve the situation by using Adrenaline Rush, Operational Mastery or the Concentration Module. Also, animation cancelling will reduce the reload time by approximately 50%. Ammo Capacity evolution is highly recommended for this monster. On the top of all, even with all the updates, M-98 Widow will still remain one of the heaviest sniper rifles in the game, so make sure that your class can handle the heavy lifting.
Clip Size: 1.
Reserve: 7.
N7 Valiant
Location: N7 Collector's Edition Pack
N7 Valiant is a semi-automatic sniper rifle that is often compared with the Black Widow, mostly because of their similarity in damage and accuracy. Both rifles also have the exact same amount of rounds in a clip. The N7 is not as powerful as the Widow but it has a bunch of other great feature that make it a decent weapon in proper hands. First of all – it is not as heavy as the already mentioned Widow which makes it more affordable for other classes. Its fire rate might not be very fast but it has almost no recoil which kind of solves the problem giving you an opportunity to concentrate your fire on the moving enemy. Valiant’s accuracy allows players to shoot targets from the hip and without the scope which can be vital when the enemy is close. This sniper rifle works excellently with a Concentration Mod and combining it with spare ammo or Extended Barrel mod makes the Valiant a fantastic sniper rifle for lower difficulties and a versatile one for higher difficulties. However, N7 Valiant is available only from the Collector's or Digital Deluxe Edition of Mass Effect 3.
Clip Size: 3.
Reserve: 30.
Sniper Rifle Weapon Modifications
Sniper Rifle Concentration Mod I - V (Single-player only)
Biometric sensors and auto-targeting software adjust to the user's pulse and breath rate, assisting aim.
Sniper Rifle Spare Thermal Clip I - V
Adds sockets to increase thermal clip capacity, increasing number of spare shots.
Sniper Rifle Extended Barrel I - V
Lengthens barrel, creating greater bullet velocity and impact.
Sniper Rifle Piercing Mod I - V
Capacitor boosts kinetic coil generators, increasing shot penetration.
Sniper Rifle Enhanced Scope I - V
Stability-enhancing scope increases accuracy while moving and taking damage. Highlights targets through smoke.
Sniper Rifle High-Velocity Barrel I - V (Requires Retaliation for multiplayer.)
Superior kinetic coils increase shot penetration.
Sniper Rifle Thermal Scope I - V (Requires Retaliation for multiplayer.)
Reveal enemies through walls and smoke with a 4x optical scope and enhance stability and accuracy while zoomed.
Here are some of the most common Sniper Rifles compared to each other showing their basic specifications.
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