You’re making your way through the fields at the edge of Loot Lake when you see it: movement in the distance. It’s another enemy player, and it looks like they’re headed to Tilted Towers. They haven’t seen you yet. Acting fast, you equip your Bolt Action and take aim. The crosshairs dance over your target and you pull the trigger. Boom. Headshot.
Nothing beats the rush of a perfectly executed sniper kill. The thing is, sniping can be tough to get the hang of. This is especially true on the fast-paced battlefields of Fortnite, where tables can turn in an instant and one wrong move can get you killed. If you want to brush up your sniping skills, read on for a few tips that’ll turn you into a crack shot in no time.
Stay on the Move
The first and most important tip may seem a bit counterintuitive. Traditionally, sniping involves patience and careful aim. While there’s certainly a place for that, the most effective Fortnite snipers have one thing in common: speed.
In most situations that demand the use of a sniper, you’ll likely have the drop on your opponent. Like the situation at the beginning of this article, you’ll probably spot an opponent at a distance and have time to snap off a carefully aimed shot. However, it’s important to remember that one shot might not necessarily do the job. If you miss or if your opponent has full shields, you might quickly find that you’re the one coming under fire.
Before you even pull the trigger on that first shot, you should already be planning ahead to your second and even third shots. After you fire, you should assume that your opponent (if they’re still alive) is going to start looking for you and firing back. This means that after you take your first shot, you need to move. Head to a different location before firing your follow up shot to stay hidden, keep your opponent off balance, and avoid any counterattacks. It may be tempting to simply stay in one place and keep firing, but that gives your opponent ample time to line up a shot and take you out… especially if they have a sniper of their own. Don’t give your opponent that chance.
Instead, you should quickly line up your sights, take your shot, and move. Taking time to aim when you’re under attack is an easy mistake to make as a sniper, but firing quickly, even if you think you might miss, is the key to getting sniper kills.
Watch your Cover
Every sniper’s best friend? Cover. If your opponent can’t see you, they can’t kill you. Good practice for every sniper is to take shots from cover, whether that be behind a tree or from inside a building. However, staying under cover may lead to a false sense of security. Cover can easily be destroyed; one well placed rocket or grenade from your opponent can leave you totally exposed. Rather than thinking of cover as a barrier, think of it as concealment: it’s more useful to stay hidden from your enemies than it is to block their shots. Though it may be useful for a time, if you’re sniping from cover and start taking fire, you should move. Even if you think you might be able take out your enemy before they break through your defenses, playing it safe is the difference between an untimely elimination and living to fight another day.
Similarly, looking down a sniper scope means that you’re exposed. When you’re scoped in, you can only see what’s right in front of you, making it easy for opponents to sneak up on you from the sides or from behind. If you’re sniping from cover, make sure your rear and sides aren’t exposed… or, consider placing a few traps around to make sure your sniper nest can bite back.
Choose the Right Tool
Finally, there’s the matter of choosing your weapon. Fortnite has a variety of sniper weapons to choose from, each with distinct advantages and disadvantages. You can check out the article below for an in-depth look at each one:
The Complete Fortnite Weapons Guide: Snipers
READ NOWBefore you open fire, keep in mind which weapon you’re using. If you’ve got a Semi-Auto Sniper, for example, be prepared to take follow up shots. If you’re using a Bolt Action, keep in mind that you’ll have to pop out of the scope to reload before firing again. Knowing which weapon you’re using and how it behaves will make you a much more effective sniper.
If you can, hop into Playground mode and experiment for a bit. Get a feel for each rifle, and find the one that best fits your playstyle. That said, it’s good practice to know how to use each weapon well. Even if you can’t find a coveted Heavy Sniper, for example, you’ll still be able to make do with a Hunting Rifle in a pinch.
Learning how to snipe takes some practice. In addition to the basics, keeping these tips in mind will make the difference between an amateur marksman and a crackshot assassin.
