Sniper Rifle Max PVP Ammo Guide (Updated)

Use this guide to get the max amount of Sniper Rifle ammo in PVP. 

Note:

• Always start with 6 Rounds
• Inventory Stat of 95 = Start with 9 Rounds
• Inventory Stat of 100 = Start with 12 Rounds

SR - Skip Rounds (+5) (Only available for certain Snipers)

SU - Surplus (+10) (Only on Häkke Weapons)

C - Sniper Ammo Chest (+20)

B - Sniper Ammo Boots (+20)

CS - Special Ammo Chest (+30)

BS - Special Ammo Boots (+30)

FS - Field Scout (+50) (Patience and Time/Zen Meteor only)

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ALL CREDIT FOR THIS GUIDE GOES TO u/ch4_meleon_

Almost all sniper rifles spawn in with 6 shots. However, if you can raise a weapons inventory stat to either 95 or 100, you’ll spawn in with additional starting ammo (even more if you use the old “Double Down” perk, but since that’s no longer a thing, let’s just ignore it).

At 95 inventory stat you will receive 9 rounds on spawn.

At 100 you will receive 12 rounds on spawn (double the normal amount!).

Simply put, increasing your sniper rifle’s inventory stat is easily the most effective way to gain “free” ammo in the crucible.

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There are several ways to increase your snipers inventory stat.

First, equip some boots or a chest piece that has a sniper ammo boosting or special ammo boosting perk. From my research with many different sniper rifles I’ve found that boots or chest pieces that allow for additional sniper ammo add 20 to your inventory stat while armors that increase all special ammo add 30 to your inventory stat. Furthermore, field scout adds 50 to your weapons inventory stat (though there currently aren’t any legendary snipers that can roll field scout). Skip rounds adds 5 to your inventory stat. Finally, Surplus adds 10 to your inventory stat.

Take a look at the chart above. Find your sniper of choice and add to the inventory value based on what armor you own. Add up the new number and if it equals 100 then congratulations! Your sniper can start with 12 rounds. If you can only get to 95 you’ll get a consolation prize of 9 starting rounds. Otherwise, you’re SOL.

You can test my findings yourself with a few different weapons. Patience and Time, for example, has a terrible inventory stat of 20 without field scout active. This means that if you use Patience and Time without field scout, even equipping boots and a chest piece that give increased special ammo will not provide any additional starting ammo (20 + 20 + 30 = 70). Conversely, Zen Meteor which has a 50 inventory stat AND field scout will always start with 12, regardless of any armor used (50 + 50 = 100). If you have a Weyloran’s March with Skip Rounds you can also see that it starts with 9 rounds if you use a chest piece with increased special ammo and sniper ammo boots (40 + 20 + 30 + 5 = 95).

Weyloran's March w/Skip Rounds



For this reason, the Y-09 Longbow Synthesis can never start a game with more than 6 rounds. Since it can’t roll with field scout, the best you can do is 10 + 5 + 30 + 30 = 75. Now you could argue that the other stats, archetype, scope, etc... of your Longbow makes up for its lack of inventory stat, but for me... I prefer more ammo over a gun that gives me a marginal advantage.

Looking back to the chart above, any sniper without at least 35 inventory stat + skip rounds cannot reach 12 rounds on spawn. Additionally, any sniper without at least 50 base inventory stat cannot start with 12 rounds without using Y1 special ammo boots. In my opinion, this makes some “off-the-meta” snipers much more appealing. Zen Meteor can always spawn with 12 rounds, for example, and lets you use your boots + chest piece to increase your heavy ammo inventory size. Furthermore, the Tao Hua Yuan, Glass Promontory, Uzume RR4, Black Spindle, Defiance of Yasmin and Hereafter all have inventory stats of 60+. This means that just by using +sniper ammo boots and a +sniper chest piece you can reach 12 rounds on spawn (no exotics or Y1 nonsense required). Defiance of Yasmin is unique as it has a base inventory stat of 70 (highest in class), which means a chest piece with increased special ammo is all that is required to reach 12 shots on spawn.

Defiance of Yasmin



The second advantage to reaching a higher inventory stat is more ammo per pickup. With at least 30 inventory stat you’ll get 4 rounds per special box (sorry Longbow, you only get 3 ), but with 100 inventory stat you actually get 5 (I’ll update this with a GIF later if people want proof).

Longbow rounds per box

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The second way to get more ammo for your sniper rifle is through perks. Here is a list of all TTK sniper perks that can get you FREE ammo in the crucible and some commentary on why they are (or aren’t) viable.

PERFECTIONIST - Available on Glass Promontory, Stillpiercer, Defiance of Yasmin and Hereafter

Magazine is refunded if all shots fired are precision kills.


PARTIAL REFUND - Available on all 1-3-1 Perk Distribution Snipers and Hakke Snipers

Chance to return a portion of the magazine after an assist.



TRIPLE TAP - Available on all 1-3-1 Perk Distribution Snipers, All Omolon Snipers

Rapidly landing precision hits will return one round to the magazine.


Note: I’ve seen people report this perk glitching and giving free ammo after single headshots, but wasn’t able to reproduce any bug like that myself.


MULLIGAN - Available on all 1-3-1 Perk Distribution Snipers, all Omolon Snipers

Missing a shot has a chance to return ammo directly to the magazine.



PERFORMANCE BONUS - Available on Glass Promontory, all Omolon Snipers, all Hakke Snipers

Kills with this weapon have the chance to grant bonus reserve ammo.



REPLENISH - Available on Glass Promontory, all Omolon Snipers

This weapon's magazine will be refilled whenever you unleash your Super.



CLOWN CARTRIDGE - Available on Omolon Snipers

Reloading this weapon has a chance to grant a larger than normal magazine.



DYNAMITE WITH A LASER BEAM - Available on the Zen Meteor

Grants explosive rounds. Rapid kills with every round in the clip load an extra, higher-damage round for 5 seconds.

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SOURCE