Sniping is something that is going to happen. There’s no permanent way to stop it. In all honesty, it’s a fantastic strategy to help bring in the resource of banked FPs to help out your own guild with. Still, there are some common ethics that should accompany this activity, so that you are being a team player regardless.
First and foremost though, what is sniping? In general, sniping is when you actively seek out GBs that don’t have a lot left to go to a level, and you’re able to swoop in and steal a really good spot for cheap and make a profit. This is definitely easier for someone who has a Power Arc to do, because of the massive return they’re going to get (so they can spend more and still make a profit), but it is certainly not restricted to them. When you have a high enough daily collection, or if you’re lucky enough to win a coveted 100FP relic in Guild Expedition, you too may find yourself able to snipe a sweet spot on a GB of your choice for some juicy rewards. In this way you’re able to build up not only FP packs, but medals and BPs too. All very good things to have.
Generally speaking, there is only one DO NOT with sniping, and that’s to not arbitrarily snipe your guild mates! This does not count if you are someone with a Power Arc who has been asked by said mate to lock their building at a rate that allows you to profit. That’s very different. No, this is going through your guild, seeing who is close where, and then sniping (or stealing) a top spot from other guild mates. This is a huge issue because you could be disrupting a leveling group, or similar deal that the person has going on. You could also be pushing younger mates out of a top spot who are looking for BPs, and that is not polite. Especially if they don’t make many FPs and are obviously working very hard to get into place. We all were at that struggle once, after all… So when it comes to in-guild stuff, there are some general rules-of-thumb to follow before making a snipe:
- Ask the person who has the GB if they’re in a leveling group if you aren’t sure. They’ll let you know if they are, and if so, if there are any potential spots available that you can lock.
- Check to see if the people donating to the GB are guild mates. If the GB is covered in nothing but outsiders, then you’re not sniping your mates out of a spot. HOWEVER, you really shouldn’t snipe mates and should contact about giving a good lock rate.
- Take note if any of the mates on the GB are lower level and/or don’t have the GB yet and might be hunting for BPs. If so, it’s better to donate but stay at less FPs than them to help lock them into place, than to snipe/steal it from them. Trying to find other mates who might also be looking for those prints and locking all of them into good spots is even better. OR, taking a lock on a top spot to make lower spots cheaper for them, so they don’t spend as much. Coordinate with the GB owner on this so that you don’t disrupt a swap they might have going on.
- If the mate is self-leveling and there is no one else on it, then you should contact about taking a spot at a good lock rate (they’re your mate). If it’s an essential GB though for beginners (Zeus, LOA, St. Mark’s, TOR, etc) then it would also be nice to reach out or otherwise let the young mates know that there is an opportunity, and help them lock into place. Since they wouldn’t already be on the GB though, now is when it would absolutely be best to lock first, making the other spots cheaper. Consider forgoing your FP return in an effort to make the other spots really cheap for your BP-hunting mates if they don’t produce a lot of FPs yet themselves.
- Power Arcs should not lock/snipe their guild mates for less than 1.8. Anything below that is an insult to your mates.
Be mindful too of if you’re in a non-profit guild or not! If you’re in a non-profit guild than all of the above goes 100% out the window! You need to be taking positions on GBs at your return rate (lock rate) or BETTER so that you either break even or lose FPs. Non-profit guilds are rare, but do exist. If you do make a profit on a GB (by accident or by design to perhaps screw over a would-be sniper, etc), then make sure you contact the GB owner to coordinate how and where to pay back the FPs in that instance. Even if you’re not in a non-profit guild, if you’re willing to do this for your mates that is amazing. After all, a guild is only as strong as the weakest link.
Outside of the guild though, sniping becomes a lot more lucrative! While you really don’t want to snipe your mates, sniping from your friend’s list and your neighborhood is greatly encouraged! Here’s what you DO want to do:
- Check your hood/FL for good sniping opportunities, and take them if you can.
- Power Arcs should try to lock at the best rate possible to get the highest return. These are not your mates, you don’t need to lock at 1.8 (or better, or non-profit).
It’s that simple when it’s outside the guild. About the only thing to be cautious of are your allies who might be in your hood or on your FL. It’s typically frowned about screwing them over with a snipe, because allies are essentially an extended group of mates, and we’ve already decided we don’t snipe mates.
For those who have a Power Arc, half the reason to get one is to go through your hood and FL and snipe the heck out of folks, because with a Power Arc you’re going to get a great return. The entire idea is to go out and spend your FP packs sniping, to turn a profit and then have a surplus that you can use to do a proper lock for mates. A guild with well-used Power Arcs means GBs get raised to higher levels quicker, and that is of benefit to everyone. Fighters can get their trifectas to 10 faster, Traz’s can be made to mass-produce troops, LOA’s can be made to mass-produce goods… the list is endless.
So get out there and snipe responsibly! Your guild will thank you for it (for more than one reason)!
And in case you’re still unsure as to whether or not what you’re about to do constitutes sniping, here is a handy flow-chart created to help you make this determination:
Please click the image to enlarge it for easier viewing purposes.
This makes no sense. This so called “sniping” is actually boosting other players great buildings and helping them, especially your guild mates. When someone puts a GB on the swap threads, all forge points donated to that GB are an even trade, so there is no loss. That’s break even. When that GB nears the “lock in” point, those that are able SHOULD take the top spots, giving the player having their GB leveled hundreds, sometimes thousands of free forge points. This type of behavior helps everyone. It helps the owner of the GB, they get massive amounts of free forge points, it helps the person donating the fps, as they get some sort of a return on their investment, and it helps the guild as it is a much faster and more efficient way to quickly level buildings. The only person “hurt” it the lazy player that was hoping to get the huge payout of fps without investing anything. To them, they had a smaller gain with a lower spot, or, at worst, they broke even. The only person that wins if you call boosting “sniping” and prohibit it is the lazy player that expects a big reward for nothing. If you want a top spot, pay for it and lock it in, otherwise, make a deal with another player and contribute your fps first in a swap with them and lock in the top spot before it can be taken by anyone else. This ridiculous notion that contributing forge points to a guild mate is somehow nefarious is backwoods and shallow thinking. It also encourages people in your guild to get something for nothing.
Sniping, in this case, means pushing players who may be working to lock a spot out of it because you have a power arc and they do not, or because you make 10x the FPs in a day than they do. Often times younger players who haven’t had the time to get a ton of SoKs, TFs, and other specialty buildings that give extra FPs still need prints, and they will only have so many FPs a day to work with. So no, they’re not trying to be in a GB on the cheap, they just cannot move as fast. And there is nothing worse than working on a GB, only to have another player with a bigger FP pool than you swoop in and push you down, and sometimes out, of a spot. Also with younger members, in both the guilds I am a part of we encourage teamwork in that players with more FPs and developed towns will tail behind the younger players in donations, to help lock them in for less since they have less to work with.
This also happens in dedicated swap groups. There can be a group of players working together to level one building at a time, round-robin style. And because they’ve done a lot of work, another player ignores this and snipes the top spot, meaning one of the members (if there are five working on it) now will not get the rewards they have been working towards.
If a member is simply using regular swap threads, that’s entirely different. One cannot expect to hold a position in a GB by donating only when they see it in a swap thread. That is discussed in another post.
This more deals with GBs that aren’t in standard swap threads, where deals may be going on that you, a power arc holder or someone who just plain generates a lot of FPs, comes in and knocks everyone out of position because the building is suddenly lockable.
I completely agree with you on this , once the GB hits the threads it’s fair game , if you are doing a private swap with someone you need to make sure they know not to post the GB in threads before you lock the place you are going for.
What is the point of having an Arc if you can’t use it. Stop babying the new players. We live in such a cry-baby world of hurting peoples feelings and entitlement. You deserve special treatment because you are new, oh please, give me a break. Learn to swim with the big fish. If you cant be patient its your problem – or swipe your credit card then. I get annoyed when everyone needs help instead of working their way up the ladder. Grow a thicker skin because you will get attacked, plundered and sniped as long as you play this game. Sniping as some call it is an opportunity in the game for players to make a profit, if the game designers didn’t intend it to be so, you’d be able to prevent it in the first place.
Wow, sounds like you’re a real jerk to be in a guild together with.
If you want to talk about “All About Me” mentality, go look in the mirror…you sound like a very selfish bastage. The guild I am in assisted me in raising my ARC with 1.9% levels and it benefits me as the player and more over the goods it gives to my guild.
You must be in a miserable guild, I am proud of where I am and the code by which we go by….we help one another for the greater good of the guild and the player and those of us with Power Arc’s make NO PROFIT off of guild mates, we use our PA to Snipe off of Hoodies.
As I often like to say it sounds to me that half the streets here in KC and named after YOU, that being ONE WAY!
And here he is, folks. That one guy who is so self absorbed and short sighted that he mindlessly beats up his allies as well as others.
The only one in this thread with a sense of entitlement is you, sir. Maybe you should get out of your mom’s basement and interact with real people and get a grip on the way actual people do things…..
You’re the kind of ass who TK’s in MMO games just because another player didn’t do what you wanted him to…
Do the world a favor and piss off, mate.
Hello, Total Noob here…
I’ve noticed that I’ve managed to take the #5 spot on a GB, but when I check later I’m at #6 or #7 – When contributing a small amount to someone’s Great Building in Forge in Empires, how does one get pushed out of the top 5? Am I being stupid, or offensive, or are they screwing me over, or it it just Fair game-play?
Hi there, so when you’re adding FPs to a GB there’s always a chance you can get knocked out of a position unless you’re locked in. To be locked in means that there are equal to or less than FPs remaining to what you have (if you’re the lowest spot), or that the person below you cannot add in enough FPs to pass you if you’re not at the bottom of the donation list. This is the basics to locking your spot, and sniping and such comes with high Arc and lock threads; but for the purpose of securing a spot it’s not necessary knowledge I don’t think. Hopefully that answers your question, if not let me know and I’ll elaborate on it. 🙂
Thanks for the post. I agree that apart from our guild, sniping from hood/FL is encouraged.
One of my friend (not guild mate) sent bad comment and kicked me out of his friend list when I sniped his guild mate (I didn’t know) who is not in my FL. Another player in FL required a 1.9 thread when i contributed less to lock a spot in his GB. It is ridiculous! I even don’t have the Arc.
Unfortunately, you’ll find that happens quite a bit in this game. Even with an Arc I have had folks demand that I top off my contribution to their GB because they could get 1.9 in their guild, but I always remind them that I’m not in their guild. LOL 🙂 At the end of the day it’s still just a game so you have to play it your way.