A role? I never understood your logic. Why would I choose sniper when I could pick another class that, regardless of range, could deal 30 or more damage at a faster rate? The rifle in your thing used to be spammable but from a distance, where the damage is reasonable, the spread ruined any chance at nice DPS. 30 isn't really burst damage either, nor can the rifle headshot, so I've always failed to see what role it fills.
The sniper has the best range and most other weapons do less damage at long range.
The sniper does more damage at range.
Also, the spread is insignificant at medium range though it is an hinderance at long range.
Furthermore, a class's role isn't about DPS. If it was, none of the classes would fill any role except for whichever one has the slight DPS advantage over the others. Going beyond that, you know well enough that my intention has always been to keep the sniper underpowered. Trying to argue with me that it's underpowered doesn't do much of anything at all. It is very likely that the sniper doesn't fill a role because he is unnecessary. This is, more or less, true of all snipers in all games. It is merely a play-style preference that is being appeased, in this case specifically to weed out the people who enjoy playing sniper classes and then crush them mentally and emotionally.
In the end, I enjoy playing my sniper class, and that is what it will come down to when it comes time to pick a class-- because your team certainly won't gain any tactical advantage from you picking sniper. Most people don't enjoy it because they are looking for a standard sniper-- the universal imbalance.
In any case, the sniper feels like it does not have a role because it is filling the standard sniper role-- to pick off weakened or retreating enemies from a distance, and soften up incoming enemies. The difference is that they are actually forced to play the role instead of having free range to do whatever they want effectively without any risk.
You, being Truce, wouldn't choose sniper. You don't find it amusing and the only people who would pick it are those who do find it amusing. The people who abuse it have been weeded out by the proper balance, and to this end you yourself have also been weeded out from seeing a sniper as a viable option, because you live for that DPS and the sniper isn't giving it to you, as planned.
