I can understand both views.
It's pretty hard fighting a sniper without pneuma because their damage is really high and you can barely move when being hit, and then their high hp and their shield adds to it so they can tank easily too. You hardly have a chance to survive.
On the other hand, you can just wear a few reductions and their damage is minimized.
And when your class has pneuma (+rsx) then the sniper can't do anything anymore. They are pretty much f*ked then. It's almost like a magic class. Without gtb you're dead almost instantly (from a prof for example), but once you wear gtb then they gotta think of a new way (probably stave crasher but that doesn't kill). But even professors and wizards have a way to deal damage beyond their magic. Do snipers?
But I can see why this suggestion was made in the first place. Sniper was always at a disadvantage compared to classes with shield, and it's because their ranged. They're supposed to own from far because if they're close they gotta run. But before these soaring birds came out, sniper never did enough damage. Now they do a lot more AND they got a shield. So I can understand Kuoch.
My suggestion would be: If you take away their shield, then give them a little reduction (maybe 20% at most) and a verrry small damage boost (10-15%).
^ This would be another good idea.