Sniper rifles deal devastating damage when you hit your target critically. However, this is not so easy, especially against moving targets. In this guide, we will show you how to improve your aim with your snipers and sniper rifles and thus increase your chances of winning in Fortnite: Battle Royale!
Sniper rifles are hard to master: Those who play with sniper rifles need to consider several things:
- Bullets from sniper rifles drop during flight time. The further the target is, the more the bullet drops.
- For moving targets, you need to synchronize the bullet’s trajectory with the moving player. This makes hitting them incredibly difficult.
- If you don’t set your sensitivity correctly, you’ll definitely have trouble hitting targets.
For these reasons, many players still avoid using sniper rifles. But you should give them a chance. Those who master sniper rifles have a significant advantage in Fortnite: Battle Royale.
What sniper rifles are available? Currently, there are three options to choose from:
- The bolt-action sniper rifle
- The heavy sniper rifle
- The hunting rifle
With patch 6.21, the semi-automatic sniper rifle has been removed, but is expected to return at a later date.
How do I reliably hit distant targets with a sniper rifle?
The opponent is too far away, what should I do now? Due to the drop of sniper rifle bullets over range, hitting distant targets is not easy. First, you need to determine how far the target is from you. How should you do that, you ask?
By using the scope of your sniper rifle. This features horizontal lines that can help you estimate the distance to the opponent:
Depending on how many horizontal lines your opponent fills, that is how far away they are from you. The enemy only fills just under two horizontal lines? Then they are 250 meters away from you.
The opponent is crouched in a fortress, I can only see their head, what now? Estimating distance is significantly more difficult when your opponent is buried in a fortress. Use moments when your opponent reveals more of themselves, or estimate the distance based on head size.
You can also take a few shots and check in which direction you need to correct.
Now I know how far the opponent is, how do I hit them? Adjust your crosshairs according to the size of the opponent in your scope. You will always hit an enemy in the open field if you master the following parameters:
- 0-50 meters – Aim directly at the head, you will always land a critical hit as long as your bullet hits
- 75 meters – Aim with the first horizontal line at the opponent’s neck
- 100 meters – Aim with the first horizontal line at the opponent’s head
- 150 meters – Aim with the second horizontal line at the opponent’s neck
- 200 meters – Aim with the second horizontal line at the opponent’s head
- 250 meters – Aim with the third horizontal line at the opponent’s head
The Redditor EEXdhahAA has visually represented the distances:
Warning: There are differences in the flight behavior between the bolt-action sniper rifle and the heavy sniper rifle. A bullet fired from the heavy sniper rifle does not drop as much as one from a bolt-action sniper rifle. You generally do not have to aim as high.
How do I hit moving targets with a sniper rifle in Fortnite: Battle Royale?
The opponent is running away from me, what now? Hitting moving targets is a high art that requires a keen eye. The Redditor EEXdhahAA has also calculated the necessary factors for this case and published a rule of thumb that should help you reliably hit moving targets:
- Determine the distance of the opponent to you using your scope. Now you know how high to aim
- If the opponent is 50 meters away, aim a body length in front of them
- If the opponent is 100 meters away, aim two body lengths in front of them, etc.
Note that you need to adjust your scope not only horizontally but also vertically. Even if you now have a rough orientation, you must practice, practice, practice. This is best done in the playground, as the following tip shows!
How do I set my sensitivity to fit me perfectly?
I can’t hit with my sniper rifle, what should I do? If you are struggling to land consistent critical hits, you should check your sensitivity settings.
Because if your sensitivity value when aiming is set too high, your scope will often jerk and you will hit fewer shots.
Whether the settings are perfect for you, you can extensively test in the playground. There, you can find vending machines at the southern edge of Loot Lake that spit out the shooting range among other things.
Get yourself a few of these mobile shooting installations of epic (purple) rarity and build up to the sky before using them.
You are now far from the (including moving) targets and can practice all the lessons that we covered in this article. Pay attention to the following points:
- Can you consistently aim for the head? If not, check if you have misestimated the distance to the target
- Are you missing because your scope is not set correctly? Go into the settings and adjust the sensitivity up or down until you feel comfortable and can land critical hits consistently
- Experiment with the bolt-action and heavy sniper and get a feel for the differences in handling.
The Redditor ImSpeedyGonzalez has specifically captured the point about sensitivity in a small video. If you keep all these points in mind and extensively test in the playground, your gameplay with long-range weapons will improve.
Do you have any further tips for handling sniper rifles? What is your favorite?
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