Marksmanship

Combat expertise

Number of Nodes: 9

Key Data Needed: 6

Research Points Needed: 50

Though most of these augmentations to the way you fire your weapons are for the Aggressor types, some of these abilities favor the more clandestine approach too. If you’re intent on using firearms, make these ability purchases a priority.

Sleight Of Hand

Purchase Price: 2 Research Points

Increases reload speed for pistols and the stun gun.

This is recommended, though it isn’t a must-have ability, as those with stealth tendencies will usually hit a foe with a taser one at a time, with a lengthy pause as you find the next enemy to electrocute. Not so if you’re rapidly firing a pistol. As the taser is

a single-shot-then-reload weapon, this ability is excellent when you need to quickly rid yourself of two or more enemies in quick succession and don’t have other means to accomplish this (e.g. devices or melee attacks). As you’re likely to be spending money on assault rifles and shotguns and using them more often than pistols, this ability may not yield dividends for the aggressive player, but it’s a great help in the early missions.

Advanced Sleight Of Hand

Purchase Price: 4 Research Points, Sleight of Hand unlocked

Increases reload speed for two-handed weapons.

Thoroughly recommended for the aggressive player. If you’re focused on using assault rifles, shotguns, sniper rifles, and grenade launchers, and want them to reload more quickly, then this is the obvious choice to take, as early as possible. It shortens reload times considerably, which can mean the difference between neutralizing a foe or being taken down yourself. If you’re more used to stealth takedowns, this is little help to you.

Steady Hands

Purchase Price: Key Data in Kirby Cove, 6 Research Points, Advanced Sleight of Hand unlocked

Reduce scope sway on all scoped weapons.

This is a reasonable help for the Aggressor player or anyone who relies on clandestine sniping or accurate scoped shots from range. Remember that all affected weapons are listed as “scoped” in the Weapons Table notes in this chapter. Simply put, this allows for easier and more accurate takedowns at distance. If this is part of your combat repertoire, take this ability. If not, wait to unlock it.

Keen Eye

Purchase Price: Key Data in Nudle Park, 8 Research Points, Steady Hands unlocked

Increases damage dealt by sniper rifles.

Any weapon in the sniper rifle class, as detailed by the Weapons Table in this chapter, gets a boost to its damage rating. This is helpful when trying to drop the toughened enemies (armored foes, enforcers, and elites) from extreme to long range. It’s a must-have for sniper fans and little help if you plan your infiltrations to involve mostly close-combat takedowns. However, it’s great for providing cover during Co-op Operations if the topography is suitable for one player to hang back and snipe. Just think about how often you use sniper rifles before unlocking this.

Strong Grip

Purchase Price: Key Data in Coit Tower, 6 Research Points, Advanced Sleight of Hand unlocked

Increases the stability of two-handed weapons.

Any weapon except for a pistol or your taser benefits from this ability, which reduces “wobble” considerably and makes your target reticle much more accurate. As this affects multiple classes of weapons, it’s extremely useful to the more violent vigilante.

Target Weakness

Purchase Price: Key Data in Cliff House, 8 Research Points, Strong Grip unlocked

Increases damage dealt by shotguns against vehicles and armored targets.

If you don’t remove vehicular threats using the remote control hack or explosive devices, and if you have a particularly quick shotgun, you can eliminate a vehicle and its occupants in seconds. The same goes for armored gunmen, who previously could have shrugged off three or more shotgun blasts. Remember, there are other ways to neutralize armored foes (e.g., melee strangulation or improved tasering), but for a firearm-heavy Marcus, this improvement makes sense, though it won’t improve relations with the faction whose vehicles you’re destroying.

Steady Aim

Purchase Price: 4 Research Points, Sleight of Hand unlocked

Increases stun gun range.

This is well worth obtaining for the Ghost-style infiltrator, as the already-exceptional taser is made even more potent with this ability. Firing at and subduing foes at longer ranges means more flexibility and options when you’re neutralizing a restricted area. Though this is a fantastic ability, remember that hacking scenery to explode or shock foes or using thrown devices can yield the same result and can give you even more flexibility.

Fast Trigger Finger

Purchase Price: Key Data in Prescott, 6 Research Points, Steady Aim unlocked

Upgrades pistol rate of fire to as fast as the trigger can be pulled.

If you’re adept at manually rapid-firing your controller trigger and want to transfer this skill to your in-game pistol arsenal, take this ability. Automatic pistols and the stun gun aren’t affected, and

this ability becomes less useful when or if you decide to carry two-handed weapons around instead. But for those who prefer to drop foes with quick, manual bursts of pistol fire, find a pistol with a high damage, ignore the rate-of-fire rating, and let it rip!

Stun Amp Up

Purchase Price: Key Data in Stanford University, 6 Research Points, Steady Aim unlocked

Decreases the number of stun gun charges needed to stun armored enemies.

An incredibly helpful ability when dealing with the more vicious armored gunmen you begin to deal with as you progress through the operations. This halves the number of shots it takes to drop one, enabling you to more quickly subdue foes without the problem of them reacting and raising the alarm. As with other taser-based abilities in this branch, you may find that stepping up and strangling or using devices or scenery to remove these threats is more effective, leaving you and your taser ready to take down lightly armored threats.