Sniper
From Liquipedia Dota 2 Wiki
Version Control
This article is mostly accurate for the latest version of the game (7.37d), in which this hero/item was changed.
It has no changes in the current game version — 7.37e.
Sniper
19 + 2
27 + 3.2
15 + 2.6
| Grants the following bonuses per attribute point: | |
|
+22HP and +0.1HP regeneration |
|
+0.17 armor and 1 attack speed +1 Main Attack Damage |
|
+12MP and +0.05MP regeneration +0.1% base magic resistance |
Show/Hide Tooltips
3000 Projectile Speed
| ||
100 (127)
(1.7 BAT) | ||
0.17 + 0.7
| ||
0.7
| ||
Default
Gib Type | ||
2011-04-30
Released | ||
2004-03-01
(v2.60) | ||
Competitive Span
2011-04-30 — Present |
Show/Hide Tooltips
| 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. | |
       | |
| Roles: |  Carry  Nuker |
| Complexity |   |
| Adjectives | Bearded, Cape, Red, Nose Legs ( 2 ) |
Facets[edit]
Ghillie Suit
While Take Aim is active, Sniper's attacks do not reveal him within the Fog of War.
Scattershot
Shrapnel has a shorter effect delay, deals more damage and applies a stronger movement speed over a shorter duration.
×0.66 Effect Delay Factor
+60/115/170/225 Damage per Second
×2.5 Move Speed Slow Factor
×0.1 Duration Factor
+60/115/170/225 Damage per Second
×2.5 Move Speed Slow Factor
×0.1 Duration Factor
Upgrades[edit]
Aghanim's[edit]
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade:
Assassinate now fires quicker and stuns the enemy target.
Reduces cast point.
Reduces cast point.
Grants the Concussive Grenade ability.
Launches a grenade at the targeted location that damages enemy units, and applies knockback to both Sniper and all affected enemy units within the radius.
Disarms, and applies a movement speed slow to affected enemy units after the knockback.
Launches a grenade at the targeted location that damages enemy units, and applies knockback to both Sniper and all affected enemy units within the radius.
Disarms, and applies a movement speed slow to affected enemy units after the knockback.
Talents[edit]
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| +50 Max Headshot Knock Distance | 25 | -30s Shrapnel Restore time |
| +30% Shrapnel Damage | 20 | +15 Take Aim Armor |
| +1s Take Aim Duration | 15 | +30 Attack Speed |
| +30 Headshot Damage | 10 | -10% Shrapnel Slow |
| ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ ▃ +2 All / / Attributes | ||
Bio[edit]
Now that's what I call stopping power.▶️Kardel Sharpeye, the Sniper
Lore:
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.
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.
Voice:
Innate[edit]
Keen Scope[edit]
Keen Scope 
Passive
Affects
Self
Grants self bonus attack range correspondingly to the caster's attack range type.
Attack Range Bonus: 160/260/360/460
This ability levels up with Assassinate.
Misc.
sniper_keen_scope (1268)
- Has 710/810/910/1010
attack range.
- 910/1010/1110/1210 attack range with Take Aim active.
Abilities[edit]
Shrapnel[edit]
Consumes a charge to launch a ball of shrapnel that showers and revealing the target area in explosive pellets.
Cast Animation: 0.3 + 0
Cast Range: 
1800
1800 Effect Radius: 
400/425/450/475
400/425/450/475 Aura Linger Duration: 0.5
Effect Delay: 1.2
Damage per Second: 30/45/60/75 (
39/58/78/97)
39/58/78/97) Move Speed Slow: 12%/18%/24%/30% (
22%/28%/34%/40%)
22%/28%/34%/40%) Shrapnel Duration: 10
35 (
5)
5)
3
0
75
Kardel's modular rifle also fires incendiary rounds, useful for assaulting entrenched locations.
Scattershot
Shrapnel has a shorter effect delay, deals more damage and applies a stronger movement speed over a shorter duration.
Effect Delay: 0.8
Damage per Second: 90/160/230/300 ( 117/208/299/390)
Move Speed Slow: 30%/45%/60%/75% ( 40%/55%/70%/85%)
Shrapnel Duration: 1
Damage per Second: 90/160/230/300 (
117/208/299/390) Move Speed Slow: 30%/45%/60%/75% (
40%/55%/70%/85%) Shrapnel Duration: 1
-
- Learning the ability grants all charges immediately.
- Multiple overlapping Shrapnel radius do not stack.
- All effects are applied within the aura radius after the effect delay.
- 0.5 seconds upon cast, Shrapnel creates a negative aura at the area-targeted location with the following properties:
- Deals
magical 
spell damage to affected enemy units in 1-second intervals within the radius. - This immediately affects enemy units upon applying the damage per second
debuff.
- Deals
- Grants a 450-radius flying vision centered around the effect radius for the entire duration.
- Does not affect the following units:
-
- The following sources update all current Shrapnel instance:
- Leveling up the ability.
- Learning both the slow increasing and damage increasing
talents.
- However, the debuff applied on enemy units do not update.
- The following sources update all current Shrapnel instance:
- Grants all charges immediately upon acquiring the ability. Subsequent ability acquisition only grants the remaining charges.
modifier_sniper_shrapnel_thinker
On hidden entity
modifier_sniper_shrapnel_slow
Shrapnel Slow: Movement speed reduced by x%.
sniper_shrapnel (5154)
- Deals the following magical spell damage (before reductions) within the radius for the entire duration per charge:
- 330/495/660/825 (
429/643/858/1072) total damage over 11 damage instances. - 180/320/460/600} ( 234/416/598/780) total damage over 2 damage instances.
- 330/495/660/825 (
Headshot[edit]
W
D
Headshot
Increases Sniper's accuracy, giving him a chance to deal extra damage and briefly knocks back his enemies.
Proc Chance: 40%
Damage: 20/50/80/110 (
50/80/110/140)
50/80/110/140) Max Knock Distance: 50 (
100)
100) Knock Duration: 0.1
Enemy units affected by headshots have their movement speed and attack speed slowed briefly.
Move Speed Slow: 100%
Attack Speed Slow: 100
Slow Duration: 0.2/0.3/0.4/0.5
Taking potshots at steepstalkers in his childhood has been thoroughly refined into perfect leads on enemy combatants.
- Headshot is a bonus conditional attack damage source and has the following properties:
- The max health as bonus attack damage values are directly added to Sniper's attack damage in the combat log and not displayed on the HUD.
- Does not interact with the following sources:
Critical strike sources.
Cleave sources.- Percentage-based
bonus attack damage sources.
- Interacts with the following sources:
Lifesteal sources.
-
Damage block sources.
- Headshot is a bonus
- The
knockback component pushes the affected enemy unit away from Sniper, and has the following properties:
- The min knockback distance is a factor of the max knockback distance, and is defined as:
- Trees within 100 radius of the pushed enemy unit are destroyed upon contact.
- Does not proc on the following units:
- Proc on the following units specifically:
Ally units.
- The forced movement applied no longer affects the
debuff immune enemy target.
modifier_sniper_headshotHidden modifier
modifier_sniper_headshot_slow
Headshot Stop: Stopped by Sniper's headshot!
modifier_knockback
Hidden modifier
Take Aim[edit]
No / Passive
Affects
Self
Sniper takes aim with addtional attack range, he is slowed for the duration.
Cast Animation: 
0 + 0
0 + 0Attack Range Bonus: 200
Move Speed Slow: 45%/40%/35%/30%
Armor Bonus: 5/10/15/20 ( 20/25/30/35)
20/25/30/35) Duration: 3 (
4)
4) While active, Sniper's shots have ensured chance to proc Headshots.
Set Proc Chance: 100%
20/18/16/14
50
Kardel always takes it upon himself to stay as far from harm as he can while still performing his role — taking perfect aim.
Ghillie Suit
While Take Aim is active, Sniper's attacks do not reveal him within the Fog of War.
- Interrupts Sniper's
channeling abilities upon cast.
- Grants the following ability effects:
- Has an ensured Headshot chance of its corresponding level.
- Attacks neither reveals Sniper within the
Fog of War, nor grants the enemy faction shared vision over Sniper.
modifier_sniper_take_aimHidden modifier
modifier_sniper_take_aim_bonusTake Aim: 100% Headshot Chance
sniper_take_aim (5156)
Concussive Grenade[edit]
Launches a grenade at the targeted location that damages enemy units, and applies knockback to both Sniper and all affected enemy units within the radius.
Disarms, and applies a movement speed slow to affected enemy units after the knockback.
Disarms, and applies a movement speed slow to affected enemy units after the knockback.
Cast Animation: 0.1 + 0.8
Cast Range: 600
600 Effect Radius: 375
375 Damage: 200
Knock Distance: 475
475 Knock Duration: 0.4
Move Speed Slow: 50%
Disarm Duration: 3
Debuff Duration: 3
Damages, but does not knockback the Immortal by design.
10
50
- Acquiring
Aghanim's Shard unlocks this ability in the fourth ability slot.
-
- Grants a non-lingering 200-radius flying vision until the projectile impacts at the area-targeted location.
and
- Applies a forced movement on all affected units 475-distance away, in a 100-distance arc
upward, from the area-targeted location.
- Cancels most position-changing effects on the x-axis, but not z-axis movement.
- The knockback duration varies corresponding to the terrain.
- Can leap over other units and impassable terrain.
-
-
- Applies a non-disabling knockback on Sniper.
- Applies a
- The forced movement source does not affect debuff immune units.
- Acquiring Aghanim's Shard while drafting Assassinate unlocks this ability.
modifier_knockbackHidden modifier
modifier_projectile_visionOn hidden entity
modifier_sniper_concussive_grenade_slowConcussive Grenade Slow: Slowed by x% and disarmed.
modifier_knockbackHidden modifier: Greater Bash
sniper_concussive_grenade (694)
- Has a 2500-
projectile speed until reaching the area-targeted location.
- The ability effects are applied as follows:
- Both the
disarm and 
movement speed slow debuff. - Applies the forced movement on all affected units.
- The magical spell damage.
- Both the
Assassinate[edit]
Locks onto a unit-targeted enemy.
After a short aiming duration, Sniper fires a devastating shot at long range and mini-stuns the target.
After a short aiming duration, Sniper fires a devastating shot at long range and mini-stuns the target.
Cast Animation: 2 + 1.37
Cast Range: 3000
3000 Cast Range Buffer: 600
Spell Damage: 300/400/500
Instant Attack Factor: 1
Stun Duration: 0.033 ( 0.8/1/1.2)
0.8/1/1.2) Vision Max Duration: 4
Resets the cooldown when an enemy hero is killed with Assassinate.
Cooldown on Kill: 0
0 
Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade
Assassinate now fires quicker and stuns the enemy target.
Reduces cast point.
Assassinate now fires quicker and stuns the enemy target.
Reduces cast point.
Cast Animation: 0.5 + 2.87
20/15/10
175
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.
-
- Applies a debuff on the
unit-targeted enemy upon its cast point with the following properties:
- The debuff applied is visible to everyone.
- The crosshair ability effect above the targeted unit is visible ally-only.
- Has a the following debuff durations, whichever last longer:
- A 4-second max duration.
- Until projectile impact.
- Until the ability cast is canceled.
- Grants the following vision bonuses over the affected enemy unit:
- The aformentioned vision bonuses do not apply when
neutral creeps are unit-targeted.
Hidden sources completely nullifies the ability cast.
- Applies a debuff on the
-
- Has a 600-cast range buffer.
- The unit-targeted enemy has to move at least
≥ 3600-distancefrom Sniper to be considered out of range.
-
- Can target invulnerable units.
- The ability does not cancel if the affected enemy is affected by other invulnerable sources during its cast point.
- The vision component is not applied when targeting an invulnerable unit. However, the applied debuff is not dispelled if the unit turns invulnerable during its cast point.
- The instant attack component procs any
attack modifiers and on-cast effects as per normal. - Has
True Strike. - Not affected by disarm sources.
- The instant attack component procs any
-
- Resets Assassinate's cooldown if the kill is credited to Sniper. This includes the following sources:
Reincarnation sources.- Killing an ally hero.
Self-denying with lethal self-damage sources.
- Resets Assassinate's cooldown if the kill is credited to Sniper. This includes the following sources:
- Acquiring the ability upgrade immediately update all current
projectiles.
- Both the
True Sight and the shared vision component affects debuff immune units.
- Only invisiblity sources with True Sight immunity can disjoint the projectile.
- Has the
DOTA_ABILITY_BEHAVIOR_NORMAL_WHEN_STOLENtag.- This ability's and its ability upgrade's cast point is not modified when acquired.
- This ability's and its
- Fires a projectile after the cast animation at the primary target.
- The secondary projectile is fired immediately afterward to the secondary target.
- The secondary
modifier_sniper_assassinateAssassinate: Sniper's taking aim at your head!
modifier_stunnedStunned
sniper_assassinate (5157)
- Has a 2500- projectile speed.
- The ability's sound effect during the cast point is audible to Sniper only.
- Has a 0.033-second
stun duration due to the server tick limit, despite the duration being set as 0.01 seconds in the backend ability files.
-
- The ability effects are applied as follows:
- The vision debuff.
- The magical spell damage.
- The instant attack.
- The stun debuff.
- The
- The ability effects are applied as follows:
Recent Matches[edit]
Main Article: Sniper/Matches
| Date | Tier | Tournament | Picks | Score | vs. Picks | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 01, 2024 - 16:00 EST | Tier 3 |   | EPL World AM S14 |      |  | 0 : 1 |  |      |
| Dec 01, 2024 - 00:05 BST | Qualifier |  | Nounish Cup OQ |     | | 0 : 1 | |      |
| Nov 30, 2024 - 10:25 CET | Tier 4 |   | GCL 2024 |    | | 1 : 0 | |     |
| Nov 29, 2024 - 17:20 UTC | Tier 4 | | GCL 2024 |    | | 1 : 0 | |    |
| Nov 29, 2024 - 16:00 CET | Tier 1 |   | BLAST Slam I |     |  | 1 : 0 |   |   |
Recent Changes[edit]
Description
- Reduced Shrapnel Scattershot damage from 120/180/240/300 to 90/160/230/300.
- Reduced Headshot slow duration from 0.5 on each level to 0.2/0.3/0.4/0.5.
- Increased Keen Scope attack range bonus from 160/240/320/400 to 160/260/360/460.
- Increased Shrapnel Ghillie Suit damage per second from 25/40/55/70 to 30/45/60/75.
- Increased Shrapnel Scattershot movement speed slow from MSSlow * 2 to 30%/45%/60%/75%.
Dota Plus Progress[edit]
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.
| Sniper's Relics | Voice Lines | |
|---|---|---|
 Towers Destroyed Kill Assists Kills |
 Bronze |
|
 Silver |
||
 Gold |
||
 Platinum |
| |
 Master |
| |
 Grandmaster |
| |
Equipment[edit]
| Sets | |
|---|---|
| Weapon | |
| Head | |
| Back | |
| Taunt | |
| Kinetic Gems | |
Trivia[edit]
- 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:
- When Rune Storing, ▶️ "Jarate!", which is a reference to Team Fortress 2 in-game weapon for Sniper class, Jarate.
- While casting 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 ultimate, ▶️ Assassinate, also uses the same, though slightly modified gunshot ▶️ sound as Counter-Strike's AWP.
- 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[edit]
Concept art
Concept art
Old model and icons
Ability icon progress
Hero icon progress
Bone Harvest sprite - alive
Bone Harvest sprite - dead
