Skeleton Sniper

Skeleton SniperHardmode exclusive

 Classic

 Expert

 Master

Statistics

Type	Undead Enemy
Environment	Dungeon
AI Type	Fighter AI
Damage	60/120/180 (contact) 200400600 (Sniper Bullet)
Max Life	400/800/1200
Defense	28
KB Resist	60%/64%/68%
Banner	Skeleton Sniper Banner(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
Immune to

Drops

Coins	10 SC25 SC

• Item (Quantity)Rate
• BBQ Ribs(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions)
  4.76%
• Rifle Scope
  8.33%15.97%
• Sniper Rifle
  8.33%15.97%

Projectile created

Projectile created

Projectile created

• Sniper Bullet
  

Sounds

Hurt
Killed
Sniper Bullet
Idle

• Internal NPC ID: 291
• Internal Projectile ID: 302

The Skeleton Sniper is a rare Hardmode, post-Plantera enemy that spawns in the Dungeon after Plantera is defeated. It attacks from long range, slowly approaching the player. As soon as it has a clear line of sight, it pauses briefly before firing a single shot. This shot can be fired from offscreen, travels at an extremely high velocity, and deals enough damage to kill a player with 500 health in three / two / one hit(s).

It is one of the few entities that can be detected by the Lifeform Analyzer(Desktop, Console and Mobile versions) or its upgrades.

Slab walls

Faction flags
in this area:

 

The Skeleton Sniper spawns most often in areas of the Dungeon backed by slab walls. It can also spawn in other areas, but with a significantly reduced chance.

Tips

• The Sniper must pause again after being hit, so using rapid-firing weapons will prevent it from attacking.
• Weapons with high knockback are not advisable for this enemy, because knocking it back far enough will make it pause instantly (provided it lands on solid ground) and shoot the player with ease.

Trivia

• The Skeleton Sniper's overall aesthetic bears striking resemblance to an undead German Wehrmacht sniper from the WWI- or WWII-era. This follows the common "Nazi zombies" archetype in popular culture and works of fiction.
  • The Skeleton Sniper's weapon of choice follows this aesthetic:
    • The weapon resemblance a traditional bolt-action rifle with wood furnishing, such as the Karabiner 98k which was the standard-issue service rifle in Germany during WWII.
    • The weapon may also be modeled after the FG 42, which was used by German paratroopers during WWII. The FG 42 was meant to be a replacement for a light machine gun, not a sniper rifle. However, a few were equipped with ZF4 scopes and used in a limited sniper role.
  • The Skeleton Sniper also appears to wear a Stahlhelm, a helmet commonly used by the German military during both World Wars.
  • The Skeleton Sniper will only occasionally drop a Rifle Scope, and it is not a guaranteed drop. This reflects the period during WWII where only a very small amount of semi-automatic and bolt-action rifles were equipped with scopes. The overwhelming majority of small arms in WWII were only fitted with iron sights, and very few actual snipers had the luxury of a scoped rifle. There were more marksmen and snipers than there were scopes.
• Oddly enough, the Sniper Rifle dropped is a completely different type of sniper rifle, itself resembling a more modern L96A1.

• The Bestiary entry for the Skeleton Sniper: "These eagle-eyed sharpshooters let nothing escape their crosshairs. Part of an elite military unit in their past lives."

History

 Desktop version

• Desktop 1.4.0.1:
  • Sprite updated.
  • Can now drop the BBQ Ribs.

• Desktop 1.3.0.1: Can now drop its own respective banner.

• Desktop 1.2.0.3: Drop chance of items reduced.

• Desktop 1.2.0.2: Snipers will now correctly drop Sniper Rifles.

• Desktop 1.2: Introduced.

 Console version

• Console 1.02: Introduced.

 Nintendo Switch version

• Switch 1.0.711.6: Introduced.

 Mobile version

• Mobile 1.2.6508: Introduced.

Nintendo 3DS version

• 3DS-Release: Introduced.