Some thoughts about the Sentinel.

I see where you're headed with this and I can honestly say that I admire your attempt to give the weapon "a stronger identity without making it oppressive." But I feel like the amount of power that would bring the sentinel to the brink of oppression without going over the line... is probably different for every player you talk to.

Over all I would say the developer feels pretty strongly that the sniper meta is not one they want to encourage. Which explains why the sentinel is where it is right now. And the kraber. And the charge rifle. Even the longbow has been in a stronger place than it is currently.

I don't want to make any arguments one way or the other, but I will say that a one-shot-one-down weapon is a cheater's wet dream. And that's something the game might be better off without. Maybe? Maybe not.... The other thing I'll say is that the developer seems to have made their opinion pretty clear, and I wouldn't expect any major changes any time soon since the power of a sniper weapon has nothing to do with speed or mobility, and those are the only things they seem to care about anymore.