So, you want to be a long range assassin? Or maybe you just have an affinity for Sniper Rifles? Then this list is for you! I’m going to go over the basics of what class of Sniper you should use in Cyberpunk depending on your build, along with how effective it is at stealth and full assault combat!
The Three types of Sniper Rifles
When it comes to Sniper Rifles there are 3 types: Power, Tech, and Smart. Depending on your build you’re most likely going to want to choose one type and stick with it.
Power:
Power weapons are best used by builds that are highly specced into the Cool or Body tree. These are usually heavy Snipers that are best from a long distance but are powerful enough to one shot most enemies if you land a head shot. These snipers are also the best for stealth due a specific sniper that I will cover later!
Tech:
Tech weapons are best for builds that are highly specced into the Technical Ability tree. Most Tech weapons have a charge time in order to get a full damage shot out but speccing into the Technical Ability tree can lower that time. A fully charged shot from most tech snipers can shoot through some walls and most enemy cover. These are great for medium to long range and some even have the ability to go through multiple targets.
Smart:
Smart weapons are best for builds that are highly specced into the Intelligence tree. These weapons REQUIRE you to have Smart-Link cyberware installed into one of your hands. This category of weapon automatically locks on to the heads of your enemies so you no longer have to aim. Medium to long range is preferred for these rifles.
5. The Nekomata Tech Sniper Rifle
Nekomata is a brand name in Cyberpunk that you’ll see go up in quality over the course of the game. At tier 5 this sniper rifle becomes a beast that rivals even some of the legendary Snipers that I will be covering shortly. Due to the fact that it’s a Tech Sniper Rifle, its shots will need to be charged for a moment before releasing a powerful energy shot. This is great for shooting enemies through walls and cover and it will often only take a single shot to kill a regular enemy.
Stats:
- 1.7 Attack Speed
- 191 Damage,300% Headshot Multiplier
- 2.0 Reload Speed
- 90 Range Effectiveness
- 5.5 Weapon Handling
- Not hard to find in weapon shops, very rare to find on enemies
Excels at:
- Mid to extremely long range. 90 range effectiveness means that it can be shot from extreme distances and still do damage.
- Shooting enemies behind cover. The charge shot will penetrate cover, knocking enemies away from it, giving you a free shot.
- Noscoping. The Nekomata has a rare ability to be charged while not aiming. This can help you in close range combat in emergency situations.
4. The O’Five Power Sniper Rifle
The O’Five is a legendary Sniper Rifle you can acquire by completing the Beat On The Brat side quest line. This rifle has some of the highest damage output in the game per shot and has a chance to light your enemies on fire via explosive rounds. It is also just as heavy as an LMG. This means you move slow, can barely jump, and it completely disables your ability to dodge, sprint and dash.
Stats:
- 0.4 Attack Speed
- 693 Damage per shot
- 3.0 Reload Speed
- 40 Effective Range
- 3.4 Weapon Handling
Excels at:
- Mid range, due to the 40 effective range.
- Clearing groups, due to the explosive rounds and the fact that the more enemies that are on fire, the faster you reload and the higher the critical chance of the weapon.
- Dealing massive damage to a single enemy. 693 damage with no modifiers means you can hit weak spots with it and do damage equal to the Nekomata without it having to be a headshot.
3. The Ashura Smart Sniper Rifle
Every Smart Weapon requires the use of the Smart-Link Cyberware. The best part of Smart weapons is that it automatically aims for you without you needing to do anything. You simply point the weapon in the direction you want and it does all the hard work for you! The only downside is that it can only shoot at one target at a time, then you have to chamber another bullet. You get this Sniper as a blueprint from an NCPD case in Santo Domingo, near the garbage dump.
Stats:
- 1.7 Attack Speed
- 371 Damage,150% Headshot Multiplier
- 1.7 Reload Speed
- 59 Effective Range
- 3.7 Weapon Handling
Excels at:
- Mid to long range combat due to having 59 effective range.
- Picking enemies off one at a time due to only being able to lock on to one person.
- Best at combat against humans due to automatic headshots. Robots don't have weak points on their heads.
2. The Overwatch Power Sniper Rifle
At the beginning of this article I mentioned a Power Sniper Rifle that makes Power Snipers the best for stealth, this is it. You get this Sniper from completing the mission Riders on the Storm with Panam. This sniper is the best for stealth heavy playthroughs due to it having a built in silencer! It can even be used close to enemies without them knowing a shot was fired!
Stats:
- 0.4 Attack Speed
- 193 Damage, 300% Headshot Multiplier
- 2.5 Reload Speed
- 90 Effective Range
- 4.5 Weapon Handling
Excels at:
- Close to Extremely long range. Due to having 90 effective range and a silencer you can use this rifle at and range and still not be spotted, while dealing massive damage.
- Stealth. With the silencer automatically equipped to this rifle you can take apart an entire gang without them ever finding you.
- Infiltration. With the high damage you can easily get past any security you need to at any range
1. The Best Sniper in Cyberpunk 2077 is the Rasetsu Tech Sniper Rifle!
This Tech Sniper is without a doubt the best Sniper Rifle in Cyberpunk 2077! In order to get this sniper you will need the Phantom Liberty DLC and you will need to complete the mission You Know My Name. It is automatically awarded to you after mission completion. This Sniper is the all around champ in every aspect due to its special ability to hit multiple targets, be fired from long range and deal massive amounts of damage per second. After it hits one target the bullet will automatically fly towards the closest enemy, causing a chain reaction.
Stats:
- 0.8 Attack Speed
- 221 Damage, 300% Headshot Multiplier
- 3.6 Reload Speed
- 90 Effective Range
- 4.5 Weapon Handling
Excels at:
- Short to extremely long range due to having 90 effective range.
- Clearing out large groups of enemies that are standing within close proximity of each other.
- Full assaults due to its heat seeking bullets.
And that is it for my top 5 Sniper Rifles in Cyberpunk 2077! I hope you were able to learn something about these amazing weapons and I wish you good hunting, choom!
