Sniper Guide in Dota 2

Sniper is a hero in the Dota 2 game who belongs to the ranged class and has high mobility. He can deal a lot of damage from a distance, which makes him a dangerous opponent for melee heroes.

Character Description

Sniper in the Spirit of the Howling Wolf set

Sniper is a strong hero who can deal a lot of damage from afar and control a crowd of enemies. However, he also has some weaknesses, such as low defense and the need for a lot of experience and gold to develop. Therefore, it is important to choose the right moments to attack and use his abilities effectively.

Pros and cons

Pros Cons
High damage at range Low health
There are abilities that deal area damage. Highly dependent on objects
Can attack enemies without being noticed. Defenseless in close combat
Can finish off enemies with his ultimate The need for proper positioning on the battlefield

Character History

In the Knollen Mountains, where the Smarts have long lived by hunting unusual climbers, Kardel Sharp-Eye was one of the most skilled marksmen. He was a master at hitting targets from afar and deftly collecting prey that had fallen from high cliffs. The gun was an extension of his hand, and the shot was its gentle touch.

Basic characteristics 

Sniper has the highest attack range increase in the game. In its arsenal, it has abilities that deal area damage and high target damage to the target.

At the beginning of the game, the Sniper has the following characteristics:

The character plays differently depending on the aspect chosen. With one, he is heavily dependent on items and position in combat. With another, he is capable of dealing a lot of damage at early levels.

Sniper Aspects

Ghillie Suit

An aspect for the classic Sniper core. When the hero attacks using the Take Aim ability, he remains invisible in the fog of war. This property makes him an even more dangerous opponent, allowing him to remain unnoticed and deal damage from afar.

Sniper skills

Keen Scope

Depending on the Ultimate upgrade level, the innate ability increases attack range by 160, 260, 360, and 460.

Shrapnel

The hero fires a volley into the air that explodes and deals damage to all enemies in the target area. Enemies are slowed down. The fog of war dissipates in the area of ​​effect. The charge is restored after 35 seconds.

Headshot

With improved accuracy, each attack of the hero can deal additional damage. When hit, the target is thrown back and its movement and attack are slowed by 100% for a short time. If the attack target is close, the enemy flies further.

How to upgrade Sniper skills

The screenshot below shows the order in which you should upgrade your skills:

Purchase/Assembly Sniper

Items for a hero in Dota 2 are chosen based on the situation in the game. The standard initial purchase for a Sniper may look like this:

Who to use Sniper against

Sniper shows itself well in almost all games, but is best if the enemy team has a large number of melee characters. But any ranged character loses to us in terms of damage range. 

  • Medusa;
  • Necrophos;
  • Silencer;
  • Drow Ranger;
  • Venomancer;
  • Enigma;
  • Earthshaker.

Counter pick Sniper

Sniper’s opponents are mobile heroes who can quickly approach the target. Also dangerous are characters with stuns and disables, especially those who can become invisible. While Hurricane Pike can be used against a hero like Anti-Mage, a character with invisibility and stun is a serious threat. Here are some examples of such heroes:

  • Slark;
  • Clinkz;
  • Legion Commander;
  • Pudge;
  • Ricky (Riki);
  • Baratrum (Spirit Breaker).

Characters that can quickly close the distance and cause us damage complicate the game. Examples of such heroes are: 

  • Primal Beast;
  • Morphling;
  • Spectra;
  • Centaur (Centaur Warrunner);
  • Earth Spirit;
  • Storm (Storm Spirit).

Sniper Gameplay Tactics

Sniper is played both on the mid and safe lane. Can also be a support of the fourth position in the offlane. Statistics for November 2024 show:

  • In over 55% of matches, winning with a Sniper on a mid lane team has a 51% success rate.
  • On the easy line, in approximately 26% of matches the win rate is 48%.
  • Offlane – as a support in 18% of matches, only 49% of them were victorious. 

In Dota 2, each hero can perform different roles depending on the situation and the player’s skills. Sometimes problems arise due to misunderstandings on the part of the team, but if you can successfully adapt and prove the effectiveness of your approach, then your teammates will most likely support you.

Like any other hero that usually plays in the mid lane, you should not pick Sniper first during the pick. Otherwise, you risk seeing all the heroes from the list above on your opponent. Think about what you can counter them with.

If you have trouble staying in your lane, try to just last hit creeps from high ground. You can periodically farm jungle creeps with Shrapnel. Don’t be overly aggressive and play it safe

Don’t move around the map mindlessly, move carefully and always buy a teleport. If you see that your allies are fighting and you can help them with your ultimate, then feel free to go to them and attack the enemies.

If you are constantly being caught off guard, do not go alone, as you will be an easy target and your loss can greatly weaken the team. 

The main goal in combat is to deal as much damage as possible and make sure that the enemies do not focus on you. Shoot at the center of the battle. If danger arises, run away and ask your team for help. The sniper is vulnerable even in the late stage of the game, and is unlikely to survive if he encounters powerful heroes who have gotten close to him.

For your information, you can watch the gameplay of pro-player Larl and get more detailed and useful information.

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