Sniper O.C.C.

“The Sniper has special abilities, training, and equipment. His job is to deliver discriminatory, highly accurate rifle fire against enemy targets, which cannot be engaged successfully by the rifleman because of range, size location, fleeting nature, or visibility. Sniping requires the development of basic infantry skills to a high degree of perfection. A sniper’s training incorporates a wide variety of subjects designed to increase his value as a force multiplier and ensure his survival on the battlefield. The art of sniping requires learning and repetitiously practicing these skills until mastered. A sniper must be a highly trained in long-range rifle marksmanship and field craft skills to ensure maximum effective engagements with minimum risk.”
- U.S. Army Sniper Training Manual

The Sniper would have to be considered a "bastard son" of the assassination trade. It's skills lie in separate rings from traditional assassins. Where a ninja would use disguise and prowling to sneak right beside the target, a sniper would take up a position half a mile away atop a hillside facing the target's home or place of business. The ninja would use a silent blade or poison to topple the target in private, without alerting security. The sniper would wait for days at a time for the target to come into plain sight and eliminate it with a single round from a high powered rifle, often in plain sight of the public. The ninja would have to run or fight from within the targets own stronghold to make an escape. The sniper already has a mile head start before the target hits the ground.
The Sniper's typical mission would include walking to the target's home or workplace (which ever the target is most easily accessible) and lie in wait. The sniper will sit at the outer reaches of his rifle's range (often more than a quarter mile away) concealed in the underbrush beneath layers of camouflage and just wait. It may take an afternoon or a week until the target shows long enough for a that one clean shot but the sniper will wait out the entire time before taking a single shot to kill his prey. Then he will confirm a clean kill and make his escape quickly and quietly before any form of search party can be gathered. Long gone by the time anyone even knows where to look.
A sniper is a very specialized form of the gunfighter/gunslinger O.C.C.'s. It's focus lies in the ability to place shots accurately at amazing distances. A sniper could not out draw a gunslinger, but he could out shoot him at a 1000 yards. Snipers train in mastery over their weapons, raising their awareness of/and total control over them to an almost subconscious level. They are also well versed in wilderness living, although a fair share of them can be found in urban environments. They are, by nature, very patient loners. They are quiet and reserved and work well under pressure, often seeming detached and uncaring. It is not entirely uncommon for unstable snipers to develop a touch of megalomania later in their careers. It's hard to avoid when you spend days at a time looking down upon people that are totally unaware of your existence, deciding who will live and who will die with a pull of the trigger
Special Sniper O.C.C. Abilities & Bonuses

1. Expertise with all rifles: Akin to the Gunslinger, the Sniper has W.P. in the use of all types of rifles, whether they fire projectiles or energy. Snipers are masters of utilizing their environments and this includes making use of whatever weapons one can pick up along the way. They are at home using anything from a plasma ejector to a pre-Rifts Winchester .308. Although they are at home with any weapon a Sniper would rather use only his own weapon. It will be a specific make and model that the sniper has grown accustomed to and highly personalized to their own needs and wants.
2. Sniper Sharpshooting: This is somewhat like the standard sharpshooting skill with more of an emphasis on accuracy over speed. All bonuses are in addition to the standard W.P. and O.C.C./R.C.C. bonuses.
Sniper's Aimed Shot- A sniper could be considered a thinking man's O.C.C. with much more needed in way of mental attributes than in physical ones. As such the sniper gains it's bonus to aim more from M.E. than from P.P. The shooter gains a +1 to strike with a M.E. of 17 and for every additional 3 points above 17. The bonuses are only applicable to the appropriate type of weapon is used.
Quick Draw- A bonus is granted to the sniper because of their need to take charge of a situation, quickly grabbing the upper hand. +1 to initiative at a P.P. of 20 and for every 5 points there after.
The Bonus Attacks- There is one additional attack per melee round when using the appropriate weapon for the entire melee round. +1 attacks at level one +1 at levels 4, 8, 12 and 15 when using any type of rifle only!
The trick shot- The Sniper does not possess all of the standard trick shots like the Gunfighter, Gunslinger, or Sheriff O.C.C.'s. It is limited to the following only:
1. Can Accurately shoot while riding a horse or a moving vehicle (normally a wild shot), but strike bonuses are half and a "called" shot is impossible (The normal penalties for such a shot do not apply)
2. Can shoot accurately while standing on head or hanging upside down; all bonuses applicable with no penalties.
3. Can dodge, roll, or somersault and come up shooting (normally a wild shot), no O.C.C. or W.P. bonuses (including the sniper sharpshooting bonuses) are applicable. Only natural bonuses to strike apply.
4. Other Bonuses: Add 2D6 S.D.C., +2 to save vs. Horror Factor, +3 to save vs. any kind of Possession or Mind Control (including psionics, magic and drugs). They are usually very perceptive and constantly on the look out, +2 on all Perception rolls.
The Sniper O.C.C. & N.P.C. Villain

Alignments: Selfish and Evil only. Even those with noble intentions and a just cause still make a living by killing people. Those who are honorable (sort of anyway) will only take out those that they believe "deserve it". Those who are not will kill anyone with little regard for innocent bystanders or collateral damage.
Attribute Requirements: I.Q. of 12 or better, P.E. of 12 or better, and a M.E. of 17 or better. Anything less would be of little use in this high risk/high stress workplace.
Racial Restrictions: Dragons and other creatures of magic, master psionics and supernatural beings (demons etc.) cannot select this specialized O.C.C. nor can partial or full conversion cyborgs, androids or robots.
Player Character Note: This is a tough one to use because of the highly specialized nature of the O.C.C.. The character is likely a lone-wolf type that sees little need for group dynamics. More importantly they are a detriment to his way of life. A large number of people stomping through the woods is nowhere near as effective as a single man.
O.C.C. Skills:

Speaks Native language + one of choice at 95%
Recognize Weapon Quality (+20%)
Concealment (+10%)
Detect Concealment (+10%)
Detect Ambush (+10%)
Camouflage (+10%)
Prowl (+5%)
Math: Basic (+5%)
Intelligence (+5%)
Electrical: Basic (+10%)
Radio: Basic (+10%)
Radio: Surveillance/Tailing (+10%)
Wilderness Survival (+10%)
Land Navigation (+10%)
Lore: Choose 1
General Athletics
W.P. Bolt Action Rifle
W.P. Automatic/Semi-Automatic
W.P. Energy Rifle
W.P. Modern: One of choice
W.P. Ancient: One of choice
Hand to Hand: Expert
Hand to Hand: Expert can be changed to Hand to Hand: Martial Arts or Assassin for the cost of two O.C.C. related skills, or to Commando (See Rifts: Coalition War Campaign) for three skills. O.C.C. Related Skills: At first level the character can select six "other" skills, plus one additional skill at levels 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12 and 14. All new skills start at level one proficiency.
Communications: Any (+5%)
Cowboy: None
Domestic: Any
Electrical: Computer Repair Only
Espionage: Any (+10%)
Mechanical: Basic Only (+5%)
Military: Any (+5%)
Physical: Any except Gymnastics (+5%)
Pilot: Any
Pilot Related: Any
Rogue: Any (+5%)
Science: Astronomy, Biology, Botany, and Chemistry only
Technical: Any (+3%)
Wilderness: Any (+5%)
Weapon Proficiency: Any Secondary Skills: The character also gets to select an additional eight secondary skills from the list above, excluding those marked "None", plus two at levels 3, 5, 9, and 14. These are additional areas of interest and knowledge do not get the advantage of the bonuses listed in the parenthesis. All secondary skills start at the base skill level.
Standard Equipment: One suit of medium M.D.C. body armor (50 to 80M.D.C.) often black or camouflage, a silencer for the rifle, Laser Distancer, tinted goggles or sunglasses, set of dress clothes, pocket language translator, flashlight, multi-optics band, high powered binoculars (x100 magnification), portable tool kit, cigarette lighter, survival knife or hatchet, utility belt, knapsack, M.D.C case for rifle (25M.D.C.), back pack, Northern Gun Survival package, 10foot square of camouflage netting (+10% concealment), air filter, 1D6 weeks rations, 2 canteens, and personal effects. Weapons include one Mega-damage rifle with single shot capabilities for sniping and a very powerful targeting scope; also the greater range the better. The most popular would be the JA-11 and JA-12 models. This is the Sniper's livelihood and will be treated with tremendous respect. When not actually in the owner's hands it will be stored in a waterproof Mega-damage case to prevent any incidental damage. Next would be a small sidearm as a back up and a vibro-blade or nuero-mace. 1D6+2 reloads for each weapon, and 1D4 smoke grenades or flares for distractions.
Additional Equipment: Hand grenades, magic items, special weapons, vehicles, etc., must be acquired by the character at a later time.
Money: Starts with 3D6x100 worth of tradable goods and 1D4x1000 in credits. Snipers live high on the horse and tend to spend money as quickly as they earn it. Money funnels quickly into better armor, weapons, or good times when not working.
Cybernetics: Most tend to shy away from augmentation unless necessary. Those implants that will be considered would probably either enhance vision or hearing with bio-systems preferred for missing limbs.

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