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Sniper
Strength attribute symbol
Agility attribute symbol
Intelligence attribute symbol
19 + 2
27 + 3.2
15 + 2.6
Level 0 1 15 25 30
Health 120 538 1154 1858 2122
+0.25 +2.15 +4.95 +8.15 +9.35
Mana 75 255 687 1143 1323
+0 +0.75 +2.57 +4.47 +5.22
Armor -1 3.5 10.97 18.3 21.3
Magic Resist 25% 26.5% 30.14% 33.94% 35.44%
Damage Block -
Damage

13
19

40
46

84
90

128
134

146
152

Attack Rate 0.59/s 0.75/s 1.01/s 1.27/s 1.38/s
Attack Range Ranged 550 (950)
Attack Speed ▶️ 100 (1.7s BAT)
Attack Animation 0.17 + 0.7
Projectile Speed 3000
Move Speed ▶️ 285 (Nighttime 315)
Turn Rate Takes 0.15s to turn 180°. 0.7
Collision Size 27
Bound Radius 24
Vision Range (G) 1800 (Nighttime 1400)
Gib Type Default
Internal npc_dota_hero_sniper
Picks off his enemies from afar.
With a single bullet, Kardel Sharpeye pierced the steep-stalker's central eye from the valley floor, an ominous act that resulted in his ritual exile. He would win acclaim on a field of battle, or never return. Like his mountain kin, the Sniper is one with his firearm. He Takes Aim from great distances, and scores Headshots that stop his targets dead. Armed with a modular rifle, Kardel launches incendiary rounds to rain burning Shrapnel or throwing a Grenade knocking back his enemies over entrenched positions. No enemy is safe within the range of the Sniper's scope. As he pauses to line up his cross-hairs, compensating for every variable before he Assassinates his mark in one fatal shot.
Shrapnel
Take Aim
Headshot
Concussive Grenade
Concussive Grenade
Assassinate
Assassinate
Roles: Carry Carry Nuker Nuker
Complexity: Hero Complexity
Adjectives: Bearded, Cape, Red, Nose
Legs ( 2 )


Bio[]

Sniper minimap iconKardel Sharpeye, the Sniper
▶️ "Now that's what I call stopping power."
Kardel Sharpeye was born deep in the mountains of Knollen where, since time immemorial, Keen Folk have survived by hunting the strange, cliff-dwelling steepstalkers above their village, shooting them from a distance and collecting the carcasses where they fell. Sharpeye was among the best of these strange mountain keens for whom projectile weapons are but another appendage, and to shoot is as natural as to touch.

On his day of summoning, when he was to gain full standing in his village, Sharpeye took the ancient test: a single shot from the valley floor to strike a beast down from the cliffs. To miss was to be dishonored. With his entire village standing vigil, Sharpeye took his shot. A steepstalker fell; the crowd cheered. But when the carcass was collected, the village grew silent, for the elders found that the bullet had pierced its glittering central eye then fallen to be clenched in the steepstalker's mandibles. This ominous sign was the literal opening of a dark prophecy, foretelling both greatness and exile for the gunman who made such a shot. Sharpeye the Sniper was thus, by his own skill, condemned to make his way apart from his people—and unwelcome back among them until he has fulfilled the remainder of the prophecy by attaining legendary stature on a field of battle.

Abilities[]

Shrapnel
Shrapnel icon
Affects
Enemies
Damage
Magical
Consumes a charge to launch a ball of shrapnel that showers the target area in explosive pellets. Enemies are subject to damage and slowed movement. Reveals the targeted area. Shrapnel charges restore every 35 seconds.
Cast Range: Affected by Cast Range bonuses. 1800
Effect Radius: Affected by AoE Radius bonuses. 400/425/450/475
Effect Delay: 1.2
Damage per Second: 25/40/55/70 (Talent 50/65/80/95)
Move Speed Slow: 12%/18%/24%/30% (Talent 27%/33%/39%/45%)
Shrapnel Duration: 10
Aura Linger Duration: 0.5
Charge Replenish Time
 35
 3 (Talent 9)
Cooldown symbol
 0
Mana symbol
 75
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_sniper_shrapnel_thinker
Undispellable
modifier_sniper_shrapnel_slow
Death
Kardel's modular rifle also fires incendiary rounds, useful for assaulting entrenched locations.

  • Sniper gets all 3 charges immediately upon learning Shrapnel.
    • TALENT
      Acquiring the charges increasing Talent talent immediately grants 6 charges.
  • Shrapnel starts dealing damage, applying its movement speed slow and providing vision after the effect delay.
  • The damage and the slow are both provided by an aura and its debuff lingers for 0.5 seconds.
    • Multiple overlapping instances of the aura do not stack.
  • Deals damage in 1-second intervals, starting immediately as the debuff is placed, resulting in up to 11 possible damage instances.
    • Can deal up to 275/440/605/770 (Talent 550/715/880/1045) damage to a single unit (before reductions).
  • Leveling up Shrapnel immediately updates all already existing Shrapnel instances. However, the already placed debuffs on enemies do not update.
  • TALENT
    • The slow increasing Talent talent immediately updates all already existing Shrapnel instances as well. However, the already placed debuffs on enemies do not update either.
    • The damage increasing Talent talent immediately updates all already existing Shrapnel instances as well, including already placed debuffs on enemies.
  • Grants all 3 charges upon initially acquiring ability. Subsequent ability acquisition only grants the remaining charges.


Headshot
Cannot be used by illusions. Disabled by Break. Does not pierce debuff immunity. WD
Headshot icon
Ability
Passive
Affects
Enemies
Damage
Physical
Sniper increases his accuracy, giving him a chance to deal extra damage and briefly knocks back his enemies. Headshots briefly slow enemy movement and attack speed by -100%.
Proc Chance: 40%
Damage: 20/50/80/110 (Talent 50/80/110/140)
Move Speed Slow: 100%
Attack Speed Slow: 100
Knockback Distance: 10 (Talent 35)
Slow Duration: 0.5
Knockback Duration: 0.1
Does not pierce debuff immunity.
The forced movement is instantly canceled.
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_sniper_headshot
Undispellable
modifier_sniper_headshot_slow
modifier_knockback
Taking potshots at steepstalkers in his childhood has been thoroughly refined into perfect leads on enemy combatants.

  • The proccing attack first applies the debuffs, then its own damage.
  • The damage is considered as a conditional attack damage bonus.
    • Although the attack damage bonus values are not displayed in the HUD, it is still considered and directly added to Sniper's attack damage.
    • The attack damage bonus values are not considered by critical strike or cleave.
    • However, it is considered by lifesteal, and it can be reduced only by flat reductions (e.g. damage block).
    • Since it is considered bonus attack damage, it is not affected by percentage-based attack damage bonuses or reductions.
  • Adds an average of 8/20/32/44 (Talent 20/32/44/56) damage to each attack.
  • Sets the proc chance to 100% while Take Aim icon Take Aim is active.
    • During Take Aim, it increases his attack damage output by 20/50/80/110 (Talent 50/80/110/140).
    • If is not leveled, or if the caster does not have Headshot, it is not applied.
  • Upon proccing, Headshot knocks back the target, away from Sniper.
    • The knockback does not interrupt channeling abilities.
    • The knockback is not applied on units who are already affected by other sources of forced movement.
    • Knocks units back at a speed of 100 (Talent 350).
    • Destroys trees within 100 radius enemies come in contact with during the knockback.


Take Aim
Take Aim icon
Affects
Self
Extends the attack range of Sniper's rifle. Can be activated to provide 100% Headshot chance and an additional 200 attack range. Slows you by 45%/40%/35%/30% for the duration.
Passive Component
Attack Range Bonus: 130/220/310/400
Active Attack Range Bonus: 200
Self Move Speed Slow: 45%/40%/35%/30%
Set Headshot Proc Chance: 100%
Active Duration: 3 (Talent 4)
Cooldown symbol
 20/18/16/14
Mana symbol
 50
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_sniper_take_aim
Undispellable
modifier_sniper_take_aim_bonus
Kardel always takes it upon himself to stay as far from harm as he can while still performing his role - taking perfect aim.

  • Interrupts Sniper's channeling abilities upon cast.
  • Increases Sniper's total attack range to 680/770/860/950 (Talent 780/870/960/1050).
    • Grants attack range bonus based on the caster's attack range type.
    • While active, Take Aim increases Sniper's total attack range to 880/970/1060/1150 (Talent 980/1070/1160/1250).


Concussive Grenade
Concussive Grenade icon
Affects
Self / Enemies
Damage
Magical
Launches a grenade at the target area, dealing damage to enemies and knocking them and Sniper himself back. Enemies affected have their movement slowed after the knockback.
Cast Animation: 0.1+0.8
Cast Range: Affected by Cast Range bonuses. 600
Radius: Affected by AoE Radius bonuses. 375
Damage: 200
Knockback Distance: Affected by AoE Radius bonuses. 475
Knockback Duration: 0.4
Move Speed Slow: 50%
Debuff Duration: 3
Cooldown symbol
 10
Mana symbol
 50
Does not pierce debuff immunity.
The forced movement is instantly canceled.
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_knockback
modifier_projectile_vision
Undispellable
modifier_sniper_concussive_grenade_slow
modifier_knockback
Ability Draft Notes
Ability Draft Notes:
Upgradable by Aghanim's Shard.
Requires drafting Assassinate icon Assassinate to be unlocked.

  • The grenade travels at a speed of 2500 until reaching the targeted point.
    • The projectile has 200 radius flying vision. This vision does not last.
  • Knocks Sniper and enemies within the radius away from the targeted point at a speed of 1187.5 upon cast.
    • The knockback distance is always 475, no matter how far the unit is from the center.
    • Also knocks Sniper and the affected enemies 100 range upwards, resulting in a small arc.
    • Can push units over impassable terrain. Destroys trees any unit comes in contact with during the knockback.
  • Affected enemies are fully disabled during the knockback.
    • Although Sniper is affected by the knockback, he is not disabled.
  • Although not mentioned in the tooltip, enemies are also disarmed, on top of being slowed.
  • Concussive Grenade first applies the debuff, then the knockback, then the damage.
  • Concussive Grenade cancels most position-changing effects.
  • Affects units that are currently being affected by horizontal forced movement.
    • Does not affect units that are currently being affected by upward movement.
    • The 3 notes above also apply to the caster.


Assassinate icon
Affects
Enemies
Sniper locks onto a target enemy unit and, after a short aiming duration, fires a devastating shot that deals Sniper's attack damage plus bonus damage at long range and mini-stuns the target. Whenever Sniper kills an enemy hero, Assassinate is refreshed.
Passive Component
Cooldown Skip per Kill: 100%
Cast Animation: 2+1.37 (With Aghanim's Scepter 0.5+2.87)
Cast Range: Affected by Cast Range bonuses. 3000
Cast Range Buffer: 600
Base Damage: 300/400/500
Stun Duration: 0.033 (With Aghanim's Scepter 0.8/1/1.2)
Vision Buff Max Duration: 4
Cooldown symbol
 20/15/10
Mana symbol
 175
Upgradable by Aghanim's Scepter.
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade:
Causes Assassinate to fire quicker and stun the enemy target.
Upgradable by Aghanim's Shard.
Aghanim's Shard Upgrade:
Grants the Concussive Grenade ability.
Partially pierces debuff immunity.
True Sight and shared vision pierce debuff immunity.
Partially blocked by Linken's Sphere.
Blocked upon impact, therefore, vision and True Sight are still granted.
Can partially be disjointed.
Cannot be disjointed with invisibility without True Sight immunity.
Buff/Debuff
Modifiers [?]
modifier_sniper_assassinate
Death
modifier_stunned
In order to fulfill the prophecy and return to his home town, Kardel must make another shot as perfect as the one on the day of his ancient test.
Assassinate target indicator

Visual indicator above the target.


  • The projectile travels at a speed of 2500.
  • Although the stun duration is set to 0.01 seconds, it lasts 0.033 seconds due to the server tick rate limit.
  • Assassinate places a debuff on the target as soon as Sniper begins casting.
    • The debuff lasts 4 seconds, or until the projectile lands, or the cast gets canceled.
    • Grants shared vision with the targeted unit. Does not provide any vision when targeting neutral creeps.
    • Also, it grants True Sight over the target, meaning it cannot be canceled or be disjointed with invisibility without True Sight immunity.
    • The debuff is visible to everyone. The crosshair above the target is visible to allies only.
  • Can directly target invulnerable units, and does not get canceled if the target turns invulnerable during the cast time.
    • The vision debuff is not placed when targeting an invulnerable unit but stays if the unit turns invulnerable during the cast time.
    • The projectile does not affect the target if it is still invulnerable on impact.
  • Cannot target hidden units and gets canceled when the target turns hidden.
  • Assassinate has an increased cast range buffer of 600, instead of using the default 250.
    • This means once the cast animation begins, the target has to move at least 3600 range away from Sniper to be considered out of range.
  • The initial weapon loading sound during the cast time is audible to Sniper only.
  • Resets the current cooldown of Assassinate as long as the kill credit is given to Sniper, regardless of how the kill was made, this includes the following kill conditions:
  • Only resets Assassinate's cooldown and does not reset any other abilities.
  • Acquiring Aghanim's Scepter icon Aghanim's Scepter immediately updates all current projectiles.
  • This ability's and its Aghanim's Scepter icon Ability Upgrade's cast point is not modified when acquired.
  • Fires a projectile at the primary target after the cast animation, then another projectile is fired instantly on the secondary target.


Talents[]

Hero Talents
+6 Shrapnel icon Shrapnel Charges25+100 Attack Range
+25 Shrapnel icon Shrapnel DPS20+25 Headshot icon Headshot Knockback Distance
-15% Shrapnel icon Shrapnel Movement Slow15+30 Attack Speed
+30 Headshot icon Headshot Damage10+1s Take Aim icon Take Aim Duration

Recent Changes[]

Main Articles: Changelogs, Old Abilities and Hero Lore
Version
Description
  • Assassinate icon Assassinate
    • CHANGED
      damage from a fixed 320/510/700 to 250/350/450 + 1 * InstantAttackDamage.
    • Reduced mana cost from 175/225/275 to 175 on each level.
    • ADDED
      new passive component.
      • Resets the ability's current cooldown whenever Sniper minimap icon Sniper is credited for the hero kill.
  • Increased Shrapnel icon Shrapnel radius from 400 on each level to 400/425/450/475.


Recommended Items[]

Starting items:

  • Iron Branch icon Iron Branch improves Sniper's early stats, and can be built into a Magic Wand icon Magic Wand later on.
  • Slippers of Agility icon Slippers of Agility helps with Sniper's naturally low base damage, allowing him to last hit better.
  • Faerie Fire icon Faerie Fire helps Sniper score last hits.
  • Tango icon Tango helps Sniper stay in lane.
  • Healing Salve icon Healing Salve not only rejuvenates Sniper, using it at the last second can save also save him from a gank.

Early game:

  • Magic Wand icon Magic Wand is useful in emergencies and gives Sniper some much-needed survivability.
  • Wraith Band icon Wraith Band boosts Sniper's early stats, keeping him viable in his vulnerable early game stage.
  • Wind Lace icon Wind Lace is usually picked up by supports but can be useful on Sniper to help offset his low mobility.
  • Infused Raindrop icon Infused Raindrops helps Sniper resist harassment and gankers.
  • Power Treads icon Power Treads gives Sniper the ability to switch between strength for survivability, agility for damage, and even intelligence for extra mana to use a clutch Assassinate.
  • Phase Boots icon Phase Boots is an alternative to compensate for a slow moving Sniper. They offer decent armor and damage, whereas phasing helps keep up in chases, escape, or quickly reposition yourself for an advantage.

Mid game:

  • Dragon Lance icon Dragon Lance increases Sniper's attack range to a maximum of 1190, allowing him to shoot down opponents before they can close the gap.
  • Mask of Madness icon Mask of Madness greatly increases Sniper's attack speed and provides a moderate boost to his movement speed. The lifesteal is good for farming and can save Sniper in a head-to-head fight, while Silence doesn't hurt him so much. Can later be disassembled to build Satanic.
  • Maelstrom icon Maelstrom is excellent against groups of enemies, or heroes with numerous summoned units like Phantom Lancer minimap icon Phantom Lancer. It is also a great farming item, since Sniper's Shrapnel charges can take quite a while to replenish. Combined with more attack speed items, the lightning damage will trigger continuously, and can later be upgraded to Mjollnir icon Mjollnir.

Late game:

  • Hurricane Pike icon Hurricane Pike, upgraded from Dragon Lance, provides additional means of escape and/or positioning. Absolutely crucial on Sniper, since he has no escape abilities.
  • Daedalus icon Daedalus gives Sniper massive damage in the late game, and lets him tear through enemies in just a few shots.
  • Desolator icon Desolator greatly improves Sniper's damage, and its debuff can be safely applied from long range on multiple enemies.
  • Aghanim's Scepter icon Aghanim's Scepter will allow Sniper to fire Assassinate icon Assassinate faster and to disable it's target for longer time.
  • Aghanim's Shard icon Aghanim's Shard will give Sniper access to Concussive Grenade icon Concussive Grenade, which will allow him to damage and disarm enemies while also knocking both, them and himself away from each other, giving Sniper a much needed escape mechanism.

Situational items:

  • Shadow Blade icon Shadow Blade is often picked up by beginners, as it gives Sniper a much-needed escape mechanism, as well as enabling him to position himself in team engagements. It also gives a damage boost to Sniper's first attack when cloaked.
  • Blink Dagger icon Blink Dagger patches up Sniper's low mobility and lets him position and keep away from opponents more effectively; it can be upgraded to Swift Blink to also improve his damage output.
  • Silver Edge icon Silver Edge is a decent upgrade to Shadow Blade icon Shadow Blade, and can be useful on more offense-oriented Snipers. Can be useful to break annoying enemy passives.
  • Eye of Skadi icon Eye of Skadi sacrifices damage for a great boost to Sniper's survivability, as well as adding a slow debuff that helps keep enemies within Sniper's range.
  • Mjollnir icon Mjollnir is a natural progression from Maelstrom icon Maelstrom, but is sometimes skipped in favor of other direct damage boosting items.
  • Monkey King Bar icon Monkey King Bar grants a great increase in damage, and is usually necessary to deal with evasion. However, it provides no defensive boosts and can be quite expensive.
  • Butterfly icon Butterfly is a costly but useful item if Sniper is struggling against physical carries. The attack speed and damage boosts Sniper's combat capabilities a lot, while the evasion and armor give him considerably more survivability against opposing carries.
  • Satanic icon Satanic gives a massive boost to survivability, and adds to his damage.
  • Revenant's Brooch icon Revenant's Brooch lets Sniper target ethereal enemies when toggled on, giving him an answer to enemy Ghost Scepters and Ethereal Blades.
  • Sange and Yasha icon Sange and Yasha boosts survivability with bonuses to strength and status resistance. It also provides more movement speed to help in chasing or kiting enemies.
  • Khanda icon Khanda improves Sniper's damage output with Critical Strike and makes Assassinate much more damaging, allowing him to finish off enemies more reliably or whittle down enemies from long range.

Dota Plus Progress[]

Main Article: Hero Challenges

Relics track a hero's actions and statistics, and display in-game notifications when a milestone is reached. They are only available to Dota Plus subscribers.

Relics Voice Lines
Relic Rare icon
Kills During Shrapnel icon Shrapnel
Relic Rare icon
Three Hero Shrapnel icon Shrapnels
Relic Rare icon
Kills During Headshot icon Headshot
Relic Rare icon
Assassination Kills
Relic agility icon
Hurricane Pike icon Hurricane Pike Target Damage
Relic agility icon
Physical Damage
Relic agility icon
Damage From Invisibility
Relic agility icon
Long Range Kills
Relic agility icon
Maelstrom icon Maelstrom Chain Lighting Damage
Relic agility icon
Triple Kills
Relic agility icon
Mega Kill Streaks
Relic agility icon
Towers Destroyed
Relic agility icon
Kill Assists
Relic agility icon
Kills
Plus Hero Badge 1
Bronze
Plus Hero Badge 2
Silver
Plus Hero Badge 3
Gold
  • ▶️ Dance! Ha ha ha ha! Dance!
  • ▶️ Why am I smiling? This is what trigger-happy looks like.
Plus Hero Badge 4
Platinum
Plus Hero Badge 5
Master
Plus Hero Badge 6
Grandmaster

Equipment[]

Trivia[]

  • A number of Sniper's lines are either direct quotations or paraphrases of lines used by the Sniper class in Team Fortress 2, a popular class-based shooter also by Valve. Such phrases include:
  • While casting Assassinate icon Assassinate ▶️ "Boom headshot!", which is a reference to the Pure Pwnage mockumentary series.
  • Incidentally, his voice actor, Gary Schwartz, also voices the Heavy Weapons Guy and Demoman in Team Fortress 2.
  • ▶️ "Inconceivable!" is likely a reference to Vizzini's catchphrase in the film The Princess Bride due to the similarities in both the appearance and voices of the two.
  • Sniper's name, Kardel Sharpeye, is a reference to professional Counter-Strike player Kyle "Ksharp" Miller of team 3D, who is regarded for his skillful AWP (Sniper rifle) use.
  • Sniper's fun name in DotA was Vasily Zaitsev, a highly skilled Russian sniper who was active during World War 2.
  • ▶️ "What a dum-dum!" is a pun on the expanding bullet, also known as a dum-dum. It is designed to expand on impact in order to limit penetration and create a wound larger in diameter.
  • ▶️ "Oh, a few bullets more!" is a reference to the film For a Few Dollars More.

Gallery[]

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