Borderlands 3 Legendary Weapons Preview: Sniper Rifles

So here we are, the final hurdle. Next stop, Legendary Sniper Rifles

In our fourth and final preview guide to all the Legendary Weapons (Shotguns, Sniper Rifles, and SMG) that you’ll be able to find in Borderlands 3, we stop at my favorite of the lot, the Sniper Rifles. As someone who’s only ever played through the games as a Siren, I’ve got a real soft spot for these weapons. Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing as fun as charging headlong into a war-zone, freezing people in place, and then opening-up with whatever machine gun or pump-action I have to hand but it’s also a good way to get yourself real dead, real quick.

So I tend to err on the side of caution when playing as my chosen class, choosing to pick my victims off from a great distance. It’s a good way to rack up the EXP, and I love watching their little heads pop like grapes after I placed a slug perfectly in their brains. This probably says a lot more about me than I’d want it to but what the hell, I love Sniper Rifles, and I love the Legendary versions even more.

ASMD

Manufacturer: Maliwan

Tag Line: N/A

Special Effect: Fires Energy Balls Or A Beam Of Irradiated Death

It’s here; it’s new, it fires radiation at you! There you go folks; there’s the tag line for ya. The ASMD, no doubt a sneaky reference to Gearbox and AMD teaming up, is a brand new Sniper Rifle that has two main ways of killing the bejesus out of foes. It either fires energy balls at them, which undoubtedly explode on contact like all the energy balls in this game seem to do, or it unleashes a beam of pure radiation at them which, if it doesn’t vaporize the villain on the spot, should make them sick as a dog shortly after. The rumor that the main side effect to this is turning into The Hulk has yet to be confirmed.

Headsplosion

Manufacturer: Jakobs

Tag Line: N/A

Special Effect: Critical Hits, Ricochet Bullets, And Explosive Rounds

The first time I laid eyes on this gun, I had the same sensation that I had the first time I laid eyes of Scarlett Johansson. That’s right; I fell in love. Why? What did you think I meant? The Headsplosion looks like it’s the gun for me as every time you get a critical hit, it ricochets into anyone hat happens to be standing around. It also fires explosive rounds, which means blowing people up from a great distance has never been easier.

Hyperfocus XZ41

Manufacturer: Hyperion

Tag Line: XYZ

Special Effect: Any Shield Damage You Take Fires Bullets Back At Your Attackers

Just like The Cash-Infused Bitch SMG before it, the Hyperfocus XZ41 is a bit of a one-trick pony but what a trick that is. Anyone stupid enough to attack you while you’ve got this equipped is in for a shock as damage to your shield will be reflected back at them in the form of a hail of bullets. Always useful if you suddenly find yourself caught in an ambush.

The Monocle

Manufacturer: Jakobs

Tag Line: One Is Enough

Special Effect: Critical hits Ricochet One Bullet Into Nearest Enemy

A single shot Sniper Rifle, though true to real life, isn’t exactly what you want in a game but it seems that The Monocle has a decent party piece up its sleeve. That single bullet will, as long as you score a critical hit, ricochet into the nearest enemy. Whether or not this is a one-hit, one kill kind of situation remains to be seen, but it’s probably a safe bet that it is.

The Soleki Protocol

Manufacturer: Maliwan

Tag Line: N/A

Special Effect: Even More Ricochet Madness

And finally, we come to the Soleki Protocol. Do you ever find yourself missing more times than you hit? Tired of your bullets forever embedding in walls instead of soft, squish flesh? Then this is the Sniper Rifle for you. Any shott that bounces of any object will split into multiple projectiles and splat straight into any nearby evil-doers.