Sniper (Guide)

NOTE: The factual accuracy of this article is disputed.

This is an article on training your Sniper. For a guide on how to train your Archer, see Bowman.

This is an article on training your Sniper. For a guide on how to train your Crossbowman, see crossbowman.

Third Job Analysis

The Sniper is one of stronger characters in maple story in terms of damage dealt to a single monster but is also the character that is pretty high on DEF, and avoid. Unfortunately death is very costly for them.

Pros

• Strafe is a highly powered skill on single monsters

• Arrow Eruption is an effective mobbing skill.

• Blizzard + stun eagle means Snipers can always debilitate any monster.

• Puppet can be used to distract monster's allowing the Sniper to not only mob them with less ease but save HP.

• As one of the least common classes, their equipment and scrolls are often cheaper to obtain.

• They require less STR than Hunters to equip their weapons, resulting in higher dexterity, which contributes to their attacking ability.

Cons

• Often trains alone since they lack party skills.

• Death costs them a lot of EXP due to low LUK.

Sniper Skills

Main article: Category:Sniper Skills

These are the six skills acquired upon making your job advancement. There are suggested builds on this article, although you can distribute your Skill Points the way you want.

Thrust

Boosts up the moving speed
Master Level 20: +30 speed

Mortal Blow

For a certain rate, allows you to fire arrows even at a very close range. Even kills a monster with one shot every once in a while.
Master Level 20: 70% success rate, basic attack 250%; kills the monster with HP at 50% or lower at 10% success rate.

Puppet

Summons a puppet (your other self) for a certain amount of time. While the puppet is around, the monsters will attack the puppet, not you.
Master Level 20: MP -32; Summon puppet of 6000 HP for 60 seconds.

Blizzard

Uses ice-based arrows to attack up to 6 monsters at once. Only works when equipped with a crossbow.
Master Level 30: MP -30; Attack power 140%, freezes enemy for 3 seconds.

Arrow Eruption

Fires a number of arrows into the ground, attacking upto 6 monsters at once on its way up. Only available when equipped with a crossbow. Note: Arrow Eruption has no minimum range; it will not activate the melee crossbow-whack animation if monsters are near. Prerequisites: 5 Mortal Blow
Master Level 30: MP -28; Basic attack 160%.

Golden Eagle

Summons a golden eagle. The eagle will be hovering around you, attacking 70 times. Prerequisite: 5 Puppet. Note: Requires 1 Summoning Rock to be cast.
Master Level 30: MP -80; lasts 180 seconds and 99% success rate of stunning

Strafe

Fires 4 arrows at an enemy at once.
Master Level 30: MP -32; Basic attack 100% per arrow.

Job Advancement Procedure

You have reached level 30, yippee! Time for the second job advancement! To make the second job advancement, talk to Athena Pierce in Henesys and she will give you a letter for the Bowman Job Instructor. She can be found at the Henesys Dungeon Entrance. Before going there, stock up at least 60-70 Orange Potions, as you will have to pass a test. After talking to the job instructor, you will be teleported to a place like the Ant Tunnel. There are two types of monsters inside: Zombie Mushrooms and Evil Eyes with different characteristics. They hit about 70+ damage on you. Collect 30 Dark Marbles by defeating these monsters. The drop is about 1 in 3 monsters. After that, talk to the job instructor and you will be awarded a 'Proof of a Hero'. Go back to Henesys and talk to Athena Pierce. Choose the Crossbowman and then confirm your choice. Congratulations! You are now a Crossbowman, and have just proceeded into your second job advancement! [And How is this relevant to 3rd Job Sniper advancement? Whoever wrote this whole article has got to fix it and make some sense.]

The Sniper AP Build

Now, for Snipers, you don't need to have Strength +5 your level like Rangers do. All you have to do is have your strength equal to your level to use your crossbows. So, if you're level 70, you must have 70 strength.

Level 70 -- 70 Strength, 290 Dex.

Level 80 -- 80 Strength, 330 Dex.

Level 90 -- 90 Strength, 370 Dex.

Level 100 -- 100 Strength, 410 Dex.

Level 110 -- 110 Strength, 450 Dex.

Skill Distribution

Don't know what you're doing? Maybe this will help.

Before we move onto builds, you must first ask yourself one question. Do you want to hit multiple monsters and do decent damage, or hit 1 at a time and do massive damage? Luckily for you, there is 2 paths a Sniper can follow, that is Arrow Eruption first and Strafe first.

Strafe First

With Strafe first, you'll be pumping up skills to begin efficient Squidding in your 8x levels as your primary training ground, untill 85-86 where you will have a chance to leave as your other skills grow stronger.

Level 70: 1+ Strafe/Blizzard

Level 71-80: 30+ Strafe

Level 81: 3+ Puppet

Level 82: 3+ Puppet

Strafe first only matters up untill here. You will now be equipped for Squidding and any other Single target monster you may choose to hunt. You must decide whether to now add in Arrow Eruption for Gobies and Typhoons, or Golden Eagle for Early Jr.Newties. For detailed explanations please view the training section.

Due to the release of Windraiders, Strafe first is now considered the faster build, but not by far.

Arrow Eruption First

Arrow Eruption, what can I say? It's flashy, it's cool, and it's powerful. By now you're probably used to using Iron Arrow on mobs, but Arrow Eruption will change everything. Not only does it have no minimum range(You can stand in a monster and you will be able to cast Arrow Eruption), but it can also hit platforms below or above you, allowing you to kill in ways that Iron Arrow wouldn't allow you to.

Level 70: 1+ Strafe/Blizzard.

Levels 71-72: 5+ Mortal Blow, 1+ Arrow Eruption.

72-76: 10+ Arrow Eruption. Here is where your build will split. You can now add in Strafe, to begin gobies in your early 80s, or you can continue to add in Arrow Eruption untill it's level 21. Should you choose the second option, you will be going to Typhoons.