Welcome to the Sniper Build for Starfield. This is the perfect build if you want to engage in a sniper playstyle in Starfield, taking out enemies from long range before they are able to retaliate.
The Sniper build also makes use of Pistols and Rifles for situations where closer range combat is required.
Sniper Build Table of Contents:
Sniper Build Background
When creating your character at the start of your Starfield playthrough, you’ll need to select a Background for your character. There are 20 Backgrounds in the game, and each one has three starting skills associated with it, allowing you to get a head start with a particular build idea. Backgrounds may also affect some dialogue options as they change how NPCs see your character.
For the Sniper Build, we recommend choosing the Cyber Runner background. This will give you a head start with the following skills:
- Stealth – Improves your damage when you are undetected.
- Security – Allows you to bypass security systems, letting you access containers, rooms and passages that would otherwise be off limits.
- Theft – Improves your chances of successfuly stealing items without getting caught. Likely includes actions such as Pickpocketing.
Improving stealth is particularly important for the Sniper build, as remaining undetected while sniping enemies will give you more time to take them out before they can retaliate against you.
Sniper Build Traits
You can choose traits to further customise the abilities of your character at the start of the game.
Most of the Traits are not especially powerful and are more for roleplaying purposes. However one that is strong is the Wanted trait, which will give you a bonus to damage output when you are at low health. However, this trait also causes mercenaries to occasionally come after you (probably works in a similar way to the mercenary encounters in Skyrim).
You can also get the Introvert trait, which will increase your endurance when adventuring alone (but decrease it if you have a companion with you). This is optional – if you plan to have companions with you then you might want to pick Extrovert instead, which has the opposite effect.
Please note that traits are completely optional in Starfield – you can choose to have between one and three Traits, or none at all. Some traits can turn out to be detrimental depending on your playstyle and choices in the game. For example choosing Introvert will actually make you weaker if you later choose to adventure with a companion. So if you’re unsure, it is better not to pick any traits at all.
Sniper Build Skills
Every time you level up in Starfield, you will gain one skill point to spend. These can be spent to improve various skills in the game. For a skill to be eligible for improvement, you’ll need to have completed a challenge that makes use of that skill. For example unlocking the next rank of the Security skill requires you to have picked a certain number of locks.
It’s difficult to give a precise step-by-step direction for leveling up, since your available skills will be dependant on which skill challenges you have completed. However generally speaking you should prioritize unlocking and improving the following skills:
- Physical Skills
- Stealth – Makes it easier to remain undetected, and increases your sneak attack damage.
- Wellness – Increases your maximum health
- Fitness – Increases your oxygen (stamina)
- Concealment – Considerable increases your sneak attack damage
- Combat Skills
- Ballistics – Increases your damage with Ballistic weapons, which includes some Snipers.
- Rifle Certification – Increases your damage with Rifles, useful for when you are forced to fight at closer ranges.
- Sniper Certficiation – Increases your damage and accuracy with Snipers
- Sharpshooting – Increases critical damage with ranged weapons
- Technology Skills
- Security – Increases your ability to bypass security systems (lockpicking)
After the full release of Starfield we will create a full step-by-step progression guide for the Sniper Build.
Sniper Build Weapons
Your primary weapon for the Sniper build will obviously be a Sniper. However it’s also inevitable that you’re going to get drawn into close range combat sometimes, so it’s good to have weapons ready for these situations. For this, we recommend having a good Rifle on backup, since this is a versatile weapon that deals decent damage at close and medium range.
Since the Sniper is a mostly stealth oriented playstyle, we recommend using the Silencer attachment, and making sure you have a good scope on your Sniper. You can craft these upgrades at weapon workbenches.
Sniper Build Armour
Armour in Starfield falls into four categories, of which you can equip one of each at a time. These are:
- Spacesuits
- Packs
- Helmets
- Apparel
Armour is important for not only protecting your character from enemy attacks, but also shielding you from various environmental effects as you explore different planets in Starfield. High quality armour (especially Legendary armour) will also come with various modifiers that improve your character’s abilities in a specific way (for example a % damage buff when using a particular type of weapon).
The loot is mostly random, so it is difficult to create a precise guide for which items you should be using. However look out for high quality armour that gives you good resistances, along with modifiers that increase your offensive or defensive capabilities.
