Family Travel Guide

Sniping

Here's how it works and why it matters:

Article Contents

Sniping in Forge of Empires (FoE) is a strategic—and often controversial—tactic used by players to profit from other players’ Great Buildings (GBs).

🎯 What Is Sniping?

Sniping is the act of contributing Forge Points (FPs) to someone else’s GB in a way that secures a reward spot (like 1st, 2nd, or 3rd place) without paying the full value of that spot. The goal is to earn FPs, blueprints, and medals while spending as little as possible.

There are different styles of sniping:

  • Profit sniping: You contribute just enough to lock a reward spot and earn more in return than you spent.

  • Placeholder sniping: You drop a small amount (like 1 FP) to monitor the building and jump in later.
  • Break-even sniping: You contribute enough to earn rewards equal to your investment.
  • Spite sniping: Done to disrupt another player’s plans, often without profit motive.

🧠 Why It Works

When a GB is close to leveling up, players can contribute FPs to help it reach the next level. The top contributors earn rewards. But if the GB owner hasn’t secured those spots with trusted donors, a sniper can swoop in and claim them—sometimes even pushing out a planned contributor.

For example:

  • A GB needs 1,000 FP to level.
  • The owner contributes 500 FP.
  • A sniper contributes 300 FP, locking 1st place.
  • The sniper earns a reward worth 400 FP, netting a profit of 100 FP.

⚔️ Is It Ethical?

That’s the hot debate. Some players see sniping as a clever use of game mechanics. Others view it as disruptive or unfair, especially when it interferes with guild donation threads like 1.9 or 1.8 swaps.

🛡️ How to Prevent Being Sniped

If you’re a GB owner and want to avoid snipers:

  • Only unlock a GB level when you’re ready to level it.
  • Use trusted guildmates or friends with high-level Arcs to lock top spots early.
  • Coordinate donations so snipers can’t profit from jumping in.

📊 Sniping Profitability Matrix

(See also Guild Boost Topics)

This matrix assumes:

  • You’re targeting 1st place on a GB.
  • You know the total FP cost to level the GB.
  • You know the reward for 1st place (in FPs).
  • You have a high-level Arc (e.g., 90% bonus).
  • You want to calculate the maximum FP you can invest while still making a profit.

📌 Formula:

Reward with Arc = Base Reward × (1 + Arc Bonus)
Max FP to Invest = Reward with Arc - 1 (to ensure profit)

🧠 How to Use It

  • Check the GB’s current level and total FP required to level.
  • Look at the reward for 1st place.
  • Multiply that reward by your Arc bonus (e.g., 1.9 for 90%).
  • If you can lock the spot by investing less than or equal to the reward, it’s profitable.
  • If the GB owner has already contributed a lot, your window to snipe profitably shrinks.GB