Kardel Sharpeye, the Dwarven Sniper, is one of DotA 1's most iconic long-range physical carry heroes. Operating primarily from the backlines of team fights, Sniper excels at picking off enemies from extreme distances while remaining relatively safe. His mechanical strengths lie in his exceptional Agility growth, which naturally increases his armor and attack speed, combined with a nearly instantaneous attack animation that allows him to dominate lane positioning and secure crucial last hits.
2. Base Stats & Attributes
Hero Attributes
| Attribute |
Base Value |
Growth (per level) |
| Strength |
19 |
+1.7 |
| Agility |
21 |
+3.1 |
| Intelligence |
15 |
+2.6 |
Statistics & Mechanics
| Statistic |
Value |
Mechanic |
Value |
| Damage |
36-42 |
Base HP Regen |
0.25/s |
| HP |
580 |
HP Regen |
+2.15/s |
| MP |
230 |
MP Regen |
+0.76/s |
| Armor |
2 |
Turn Rate |
0.7 |
| Move Speed |
285 |
Base Attack Time (BAT) |
1.7 |
| Attack Range |
550 |
Attack Animations |
0.17 / 0.7 |
Note: Sniper features a missile speed of 3000, alongside a Vision range of 1800 during the day and 1400 at night.
3. Hero Skills Breakdown
1. Shrapnel
Fires a ball full of shrapnel into the air, which promptly explodes, showering the target area after a brief delay. Enemy units that walk into this area take damage and are slowed. This ability utilizes a charge-based system.
- Damage Type: Magical
- Area of Effect (AoE): 450
- Effect Delay: 1.2 seconds
- Duration: 10 seconds
- Maximum Charges: 3
- Mechanic Constraint: Does not stack with itself.
| Level |
Move Speed Slow % |
Magical Damage per Second |
Charge Replenish Time |
Manacost |
| 1 |
15% |
15 |
35 sec |
50 |
| 2 |
20% |
35 |
35 sec |
50 |
| 3 |
25% |
55 |
35 sec |
50 |
| 4 |
30% |
75 |
35 sec |
50 |
2. Headshot
A precise shot to the head occasionally grants a chance to deal bonus damage to the target. This attack drastically slows the enemy's speed and inflicts a slight knockback effect.
- Damage Type: Physical
- Proc Chance: 40%
- Movement Slow Duration: 0.5 seconds
- Movement Slow Amount: 100%
- Knockback Duration: 0.1 seconds
| Level |
Bonus Physical Damage |
Cooldown |
Manacost |
| 1 |
30 |
Passive |
Passive |
| 2 |
60 |
Passive |
Passive |
| 3 |
90 |
Passive |
Passive |
| 4 |
120 |
Passive |
Passive |
3. Take Aim
Kardel uses his dwarf engineering skills to make permanent modifications to his rifle, enhancing its passive attack range. Additionally, this skill can be actively triggered to temporarily double his current attack range for a single shot.
- Active Buff Duration: Lasts for 1 attack only.
- Cooldown Interaction: The cooldown begins exactly when the active shot is fired, rather than when the ability is cast.
| Level |
Passive Range Bonus |
Cooldown |
Manacost |
| 1 |
Adds 100 range |
9 sec |
30 |
| 2 |
Adds 200 range |
8 sec |
30 |
| 3 |
Adds 300 range |
7 sec |
30 |
| 4 |
Adds 400 range |
6 sec |
30 |
4. Assassinate
Takes time to carefully draw a bead on a target, firing a high-velocity bullet that deals a massive amount of damage to the target at immense range. This ability also inflicts a brief ministun upon impact.
- Damage Type: Magical
- Cast Range: 3000
- Base Cast Time: 2.0 seconds
- Base Stun Duration: Brief ministun effect.
- Aghanim's Scepter Upgrade: Drastically reduces the cast time to 0.5 seconds and significantly increases the stun duration to 1.5 seconds.
| Level |
Magical Damage |
Cooldown |
Manacost |
| 1 |
320 |
20 sec |
175 |
| 2 |
485 |
15 sec |
225 |
| 3 |
650 |
10 sec |
275 |
4. Item Build Guide
| Phase |
Recommended Items |
Strategic Purpose |
| Early Game |
Wraith Band, Power Treads, Magic Wand |
Provides essential early-game attributes, much-needed movement speed, and attack speed. The stats alleviate his low baseline durability. |
| Core Items |
Shadow Blade, Maelstrom, Dragon Lance |
Shadow Blade offers a vital positioning and escape mechanism. Maelstrom enhances farming speed via chain lightning, and Dragon Lance adds health and stackable range. |
| Late Game |
Daedalus, Butterfly, Manta Style |
Daedalus scales his damage through critical strikes. Butterfly optimizes his Agility and gives evasion, while Manta Style offers a self-dispel and pushing presence. |
5. Quick Gameplay Tips
- Manipulate Vision and Range: Leverage the passive range from Take Aim along with high-ground positioning. Since Sniper has an 1800 daytime vision range, you can actively trigger Take Aim to poke enemies or land a critical last hit from outside their vision envelope, effectively denying them a chance to retaliate.
- Zone and Stack with Shrapnel: Do not drop all charges of Shrapnel in a single spot because the damage and slows do not stack. Instead, space out your charges along enemy escape paths or choke points to maintain a constant 30% slow over a large area across a 30-second window.
- Cancel Key Channels with Assassinate: While Assassinate is primarily used to secure long-distance kills, its natural ministun serves as a global interruption tool. Use it to cancel critical enemy town portal scrolls (TPs) or channeled ultimate abilities from safe distances.