M-13 Raptor

The M-13 Raptor is a sniper rifle in Mass Effect 3.

Description
The Raptor is a human version of a turian weapon developed for conflict on the low-gravity world Amar. Fighting at longer ranges than expected, the turians optimized a low-recoil, semi-automatic rifle with a scope, and issued it to their regular infantry, creating a hybrid weapon that was half-assault rifle and half-sniper weapon. Cerberus assigns the Raptor to Nemesis snipers.

Acquisition

 * Single-player: Priority: Sur'Kesh: On a bench before the door of the last checkpoint. (Purchasable from Batarian State Arms if missed during mission.)
 * Multiplayer: Randomly rewarded by purchasing an item pack.

Player Notes

 * Single-player
 * The Raptor has a very low damage level for its class. This makes it nearly impossible to get one shot kills, which is one of the key traits of many sniper rifles. Therefore, it is not suited for dispatching enemies one at a time like the M-92 Mantis or M-98 Widow.
 * On the other hand, low damage means that Raptor can be used against any enemy without being overkill (no need to decide whether it's worth spending precious ammunition to finish a weakened foe).
 * The Raptor has a much lower power scope than other sniper rifles, which can actually make aiming and headshots easier, especially when switching targets quickly. This, combined with the incredibly fast rate of fire, makes it one of the most useful rifles in the game, especially for Infiltrators, who get free and unlimited time slowdown when zooming through the scope. It is actually possible to beat the game with only the Raptor and a SMG as a backup weapon (modded with Ultralight Materials, a SMG becomes nearly weightless), getting nearly +200% power recharge rate without sacrificing much firepower.
 * The rate of fire for this weapon is far superior to other sniper rifles, except for the M-90 Indra, giving the Raptor an edge in terms of putting shots down range. This can allow the Raptor to kill multiple enemies with surprising speed, or soften them up for more powerful weapons or squadmates.
 * Another admirable trait is its larger-than-average clip capacity, which allows the rifle to carry more ammunition than most sniper rifles.
 * Using Armor Piercing Ammo and/or the sniper rifle penetration mod will greatly improve the damage output this weapon. An Infiltrator wielding a Raptor and utilising AP Ammo can take down a Harvester in a matter of seconds combined with Tactical Cloak.
 * When used by squad members, the Raptor is fired in three-round bursts just like the M-29 Incisor. This seems to be the squad member's method of shooting, however, and not a glitch, as they can occasionally be seen firing just one shot to finish off an enemy.
 * Consider upgrading the Raptor for the hands of Garrus or Ashley; Garrus' Armor Piercing Ammo equipped on a fully upgraded Raptor can be devastating, but keep in mind his ammo can be obtained by Shepard and later upgraded at 50% effectiveness for squadmates, which is still nothing to be sniffed at, especially combined with Ashley's Marksman ability.
 * For players who do not have the N7 Collector's Edition Pack, the Raptor is currently the highest theoretical dps weapon in the game. Although ones clicking finger determines whether or not this holds true in gameplay. The M-76 Revenant is a medium-close second for those who struggle with the Raptor.


 * Multiplayer
 * Functionally similar to semi-automatic assault rifles, the Raptor offers superior damage and rate of fire and comparable accuracy at the cost of a slight increase in weight over the M-96 Mattock when fully upgraded. However, because it is classified as a sniper rifle, it has a built in scope which allows an upgrade slot to be freed up instead of being used for an Assault Rifle Scope when compared with the Mattock. This means you could go into battle carrying the equivalent of two assault rifles, meaning you could have the power of a semi-automatic rifle and still have a fully automatic weapon without having to use a weaker SMG.
 * The Raptor weighs the same as the Mantis; however, when fully upgraded, its weight is comparable to a fully upgraded Viper.
 * The Raptor can be reloaded very quickly, in a similar fashion to the Viper and Valiant. Like the two mentioned weapons, if reload cancelled correctly, reloading is nearly instantaneous, effectively allowing for an almost constant rate of fire. This, of course, is at the expense of faster ammo consumption.