All stats are assuming the weapons is at X
As always stats are courtesy of Cyonan's Spreadsheet.
Weight: 1.4
Rate of Fire: 800
Damage: 91.30
Clip Size: 45
Mad Deeps: 1217.33
Hipfired Damage: 75% (68.475)
Hipfire Mad Deeps: 913.00
Accuracy: Pinpoint
As one can see the CSR's damage potential is pretty awesome. It out does the Harrier X in terms of dps at X and comes pretty close to the Particle Rifle X as well. It's accuracy is also pinpoint thanks to its laser beam like characteristics. Recoil is also non-existant making this a very controllable weapon.
As with most weapons, it also has its downsides to counter act its main strength; damage. The high rate of fire, along with its abysmally small clip size, using up two ammo units per shot when using sustained fire, along with its incredibly painful reload time make this gun very unappleaing for some. Just to add insult to injury, the high power scope doesn't go too well with its range cap. However, the range cap isn't too bad and it really is an overblown downside of the gun IMO.
Once you can look past and adjust to the downsides the CSR really does become an absolute shredding machine.
WEAPON MODS:
Combo#1: High Velocity Barrel + Piercing mod. Pretty standard affair for most Sniper Rifles. Nice 25% damage boost with some pretty awsome wallbanging abilites to boot (made better with Drill rounds).
Combo#2: Enhanced Scope + High Velocity Barrel. For those who dislike the original scope and have trouble with the smoke screens against Cerberus. Do not get the Enhanced Scope with the Thermal Scope as I find the Thermal Scope to be pretty lackluster for the added weight.
Combo#3: Extended Barrel + Piercing mod. For the people who want to keep the CSR's medium weight but still want a very well rounded setup. Also good for the people who don't have the High Velocity Barrel at V yet. Good for equipping on casters.
Combo#4: Enhanced Scope + Extended Barrel. Same reasoning as above, with the added ability of seeing through smoke in exchange for no piercing whatsoever. Probably the least ideal build out of them all but it still works effectively against all factions.
Spare Ammo Capacity does nothing to increase the CSR's clip size, Ultra Lightweight Materials' benefits are minimal and the Thermal Scope offers too little bang for the weight (IMO).
STRATEGY:
To combat the CSR's main weakness (low clip size) one has to tapfire instead of holding down the trigger. Resoning behind this (as explained a few sections above) is that holding down the trigger makes the gun start using up two ammo units per-shot essentially halving whatever ammo you have left in the clip. Tap-firing allows you to get the most milage out of the clip-size and allows for some pretty easy ammo discipline as it is easier to stop the tap-firing than to rely just on the 'feel' as to when you should release the trigger (especially off-host).
You don't have to tapfire like the mattock either. A short 1-2 second burst per click (R1/RT) should be fine.
To combat the CSR's other main weakness, lack of sustained damage output, we use everybody's favorite cheese; Incendiary ammo. With the CSR's fast firing, laser beam like characteristics it applies ammo power EXTREMELY well and allows for Incendiary Ammo to Cheese itself. It stacks very well and if that platinum brute didn't die within the clip, the incendiray Damage Over Time effect will kill it off.
Other Ammo types work just as well (with the exception of Cryo <_<), AP and Drill for those non piercing builds or for the people who want on the spot damage, Warp for Biotics, Disruptor for Tech classes and so on. But Incendiary is probably the best ammo type for it.
One should also be wary of using it on Drells as it sufferes the same POV glitch that the other Inifnite Ammo weapons have.
Demonstrated by HardcoreSalmon
CLASSES
At the end of the day, the CSR is a Sniper Rifle so Infiltrators will do best with it thanks to their 25% multiplicative bonus at the end of their Tactical Cloak tree (Turian Ghost, Alliance Infiltration Unit and Huntress notwithstanding). Avoid CQC classes and use it on classes that mainly focus on Medium Range combat.
N7 Destroyer
Kind of an Unorthodox Build, but it works for me. Seeing as how the CSR already is pinpoint accurate I saw no need for weapon accuracy and instead went with recharge speed. Spec for Accuracy if you want a more versatile weapons platform. Clip size is vital for the CSR and even just the 30% from the Devastator Mode can make a difference. Hawk Missile Launcher for free stagggers while you are shooting for easy headshots and some neat damage. Frags for those oSH*t moments. Full weapons passives and four points in health rounds off this build.
Collector Adept
A weapons focused build, Warp Ammo is key for ultimate destruction here. Throw out dark sphere, throw Dark Channel, detonate Dark Sphere and proceed to melt everything glowing with green space AIDS. Seeker Swarms are there mainly for the Damage Reduction but use them for the cheap Biotic Explosions when in a pinch.
Geth Infiltrator
Another Great Class to use it on. Standard Sniper Tactical Cloak build, with the standard proxy mine setup. I opt for the damage for the proxy mine over 3 pity points into fitness as I find that I can clear out plat husks/abominations easier than without the damage evo. Hunter Mode I go for weapon accuracy and Rate of Fire simply because the other Evos are really not worth it on the Geth Infiltrator, unlike the Destroyer where Shield Recharge could some in handy. Full weapons-centric passives and you're set.
Salarian Infiltrator
Probably the easiest class to use the CSR on. Standard Tactical Cloak and Proximity mine setup as above. Energy drain for pure Utility, and yes the armor boost does work off host. You just don't glow like you do on host. Weapons Centric Passives and you're good to go.
me0120's MQI gameplay
Build
Krogan Shaman
me0120 wrote...
Krogan Shaman + CSR + Incindiary rounds
For this build it's simple, close range mooks you spam shockwave while shooting them with the CSR for crowd control and Fire Explosions. Medium range you can use Warp to Stagger or detonate Fire Explosions. For Bosses you simply Warp -> CSR -> Shockwave until dead, huge BE's and a ton of "Warp" damage and since most of your weapon damage is from incindiary + warp you don't have to fret about poor Krogan passives. As long as you're on your toes Shockwave can prevent Phantom sync kills and you're durable enough to make mistakes.
It can easily take out a Gold Scion from full armor to death in one Warp -> CSR -> Shockwave combo using Inc. III and Sniper amp I.
CONCLUSION
The Collector Sniper Rifle really is a great gold/plat viable weapon. Fantastic DPS with ammo cheesing abilities rivaled by few other weapons, One of the better balanced and more interesting weapons created by Bioware, hats off to them
.Hope the guide helped somewhat
Bonus:
ISHYGDDT's CSR Solo. Behold!.
Edited by DHKany, 17 July 2013 - 02:22 PM.
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