Sniper

A Sniper, Gunner or Cannoneer is a person adept at using, as well as maintaining, ranged weaponry.

Role and Abilities
Much like musicians, snipers, in the series, are an optional and alternative occupation for any Marine or pirate. They consist of people who favor projectile-based weapons and are skilled at marksmanship. Due to their choice of weaponry, snipers excel best at long-range combat, with many often taking a backup role for stronger fighters and relying on the element of surprise.



Snipers usually have great eyesight and accuracy, allowing them to hit difficult targets from a considerable distance or through a variety of obstacles. Given the nature of their skills, many snipers can fulfill other jobs that may require similar abilities within a crew. For example, Usopp of the Straw Hat Pirates is also the crew's gunner due to being a generally exceptional sharpshooter regardless of weapon, and Van Augur of the Blackbeard Pirates can act as a competent lookout thanks to an extraordinary range of view that lets him see far away into the ocean.



Weapons that most snipers prefer to utilize include rifles and pistols, but can also include heavy artillery such as cannons, mortars and highly customized weapons that best suits the sniper's skill. However, just having access to a firearm is not enough for one to be considered a sniper since the occupation, by definition, requires a minimum degree of above-average skill. As an example, Donquixote Doflamingo is known for carrying a pistol with him, but has only used it for executions instead of actual marksmanship, thus making him not a sniper.

Some snipers are also specialized in using bows, just like some of the Kuja, or other weapons like slingshots and blowguns. But even with weapons that don't use gunpowder, they are still capable of making great precision shots.

While the status of certain characters as snipers is debatable, that does not prevent them from having noteworthy feats of accuracy. Individuals with great physical strength can throw seemingly harmless objects without any launchers, turning them into deadly projectiles of tremendous precision. Fish-Men are the most prominent of such feats, turning water droplets into high-velocity bullets, especially those who practice Fish-Man Karate.

Translation and Dub Issues
As the term sniper is often associated with firearms (as well as terrorism, especially following the 2002 Beltway snipings) in the United States, the 4Kids-dubbed anime always translates it as marksman or sharpshooter. The Viz manga and the Funimation anime use sniper more freely, but on occasion have been known to use these substitutes as well.

Trivia

 * While not considered traditional snipers (due to the lack of weaponry), both Trebol and Charlotte Katakuri were shown to precisely hit targets from long distances with ease.
 * Although Trafalgar Law is not a sniper in profession, he was trained in the art by Gladius.

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