DwayneGAnd
Look, Ma! Two Heads!
I took this character through the first two games. While it's not as powerful or effective as a normal sniper due to pistols not having as great a range or damage as rifles, it is still more than capable of destroying any opposition when built properly and is stronger than melee combat characters.
As with all long range builds, you don't need as much endurance, but you will need more luck if you are to take advantage of Sniper's luck roll.
The only major difference aside from your arsenal from a normal sniper is your second trait alongside Gifted, which in this case is One Hander. One Hander gives you the benefit of having a higher chance to hit with one handed weapons earlier in the game. Later on, this can save you from investing too high in your combat skills, leaving you more points to invest in other skills.
In Fallout 1, here is how to set your stats:
S-6 (inplant and power armor)
P-7 (implant)
E-3 (implant
C-4 (bonus from wandering tinker)
I-9 (implant)
A-9 (implant)
L-9 (bonus from Chuck in Adytum)
Traits: Gifted and One Hander
Endgame Weapons: .223 Pistol and Alien Blaster
Perks: Bonus Rate of Fire, Sniper, Action Boy (2), Awareness, Strong Back (need buffout), Better Criticals
In Fallout 2:
S-5 (module and advanced power armor)
P-7 (module)
E-3
C-6 (module and mirrored shades)
I-9 (if getting NCR neuroscan) or 8 (Hubologist Neuroscan)
A-9 (bonus from EPA
L-8 (NCR Neuroscan) or 9 (Hubologist Neuroscan)
Traits: Gifted and One Hander
Endgame Weapons: .223 Pistol, Gauss Pistol, Alien Blaster
Perks: Bonus Rate of Fire, Sniper, Action Boy (2), Awareness, Pack Rat, Strong Back (need buffout), Living Anatomy, Better Criticals, Bonus Rate of Fire, Tag (energy weapons), Quick Pockets
In the second game, you can get Tag which allows you to tag a fourth skill, which in this case is Energy Weapons. In the first game, you can just invest points in Energy Weapons without worrying about increasing skill point costs.
The .223 Pistol is your primary weapon in both games for weaker opposition. In the first game, it's your primary long range weapon due to the shorter range of the Alien Blaster, which is used for the toughest opposition in both games. In the second game, the Gauss Pistol becomes your primary extreme long range sniping weapon, though it's better used against tougher enemies that the .223 Pistol doesn't deal enough damage too, as it has the same range as its rifle counterpart the Gauss Rifle. Another good weapon is the Needler Pistol, but you need to load it with AP cartidges for maximum effect. Unfortunately, even then, it isn't as good as the Gauss Pistol due to shorter range, less damage, and higher AP costs. I know because I tested this on the oil rig against the Enclave soldiers and the Gauss Pistol outperformed it against the robots as well. Of course, for Frank Horrigan, you need the Alien Blaster if you don't intend to rely on the turrets to take him down.
I used Sulik, Vic, and Cassidy for my npcs. Sulik used the Mega Power Fist, Vic the Gauss Rifle, and Cassidy the Pulse Pistol.
As with all long range builds, you don't need as much endurance, but you will need more luck if you are to take advantage of Sniper's luck roll.
The only major difference aside from your arsenal from a normal sniper is your second trait alongside Gifted, which in this case is One Hander. One Hander gives you the benefit of having a higher chance to hit with one handed weapons earlier in the game. Later on, this can save you from investing too high in your combat skills, leaving you more points to invest in other skills.
In Fallout 1, here is how to set your stats:
S-6 (inplant and power armor)
P-7 (implant)
E-3 (implant
C-4 (bonus from wandering tinker)
I-9 (implant)
A-9 (implant)
L-9 (bonus from Chuck in Adytum)
Traits: Gifted and One Hander
Endgame Weapons: .223 Pistol and Alien Blaster
Perks: Bonus Rate of Fire, Sniper, Action Boy (2), Awareness, Strong Back (need buffout), Better Criticals
In Fallout 2:
S-5 (module and advanced power armor)
P-7 (module)
E-3
C-6 (module and mirrored shades)
I-9 (if getting NCR neuroscan) or 8 (Hubologist Neuroscan)
A-9 (bonus from EPA
L-8 (NCR Neuroscan) or 9 (Hubologist Neuroscan)
Traits: Gifted and One Hander
Endgame Weapons: .223 Pistol, Gauss Pistol, Alien Blaster
Perks: Bonus Rate of Fire, Sniper, Action Boy (2), Awareness, Pack Rat, Strong Back (need buffout), Living Anatomy, Better Criticals, Bonus Rate of Fire, Tag (energy weapons), Quick Pockets
In the second game, you can get Tag which allows you to tag a fourth skill, which in this case is Energy Weapons. In the first game, you can just invest points in Energy Weapons without worrying about increasing skill point costs.
The .223 Pistol is your primary weapon in both games for weaker opposition. In the first game, it's your primary long range weapon due to the shorter range of the Alien Blaster, which is used for the toughest opposition in both games. In the second game, the Gauss Pistol becomes your primary extreme long range sniping weapon, though it's better used against tougher enemies that the .223 Pistol doesn't deal enough damage too, as it has the same range as its rifle counterpart the Gauss Rifle. Another good weapon is the Needler Pistol, but you need to load it with AP cartidges for maximum effect. Unfortunately, even then, it isn't as good as the Gauss Pistol due to shorter range, less damage, and higher AP costs. I know because I tested this on the oil rig against the Enclave soldiers and the Gauss Pistol outperformed it against the robots as well. Of course, for Frank Horrigan, you need the Alien Blaster if you don't intend to rely on the turrets to take him down.
I used Sulik, Vic, and Cassidy for my npcs. Sulik used the Mega Power Fist, Vic the Gauss Rifle, and Cassidy the Pulse Pistol.