Shooting + Dribbling + Physical. The complete target-man package — hold up, turn, and finish.
Marksman boosts three attribute groups: Shooting (SHO), Dribbling (DRI), and Physical (PHY). It is the hold-up striker's style: strength to receive with a defender on his back, dribbling to turn him, shooting to finish the move. Compare it with the full list in our FC 27 chemistry styles guide.
The boost is not fixed — it scales with that player's own chemistry points:
| Player chemistry | Marksman boost |
|---|---|
| 0 chemistry | No boost at all |
| 1 chemistry | Small boost |
| 2 chemistry | Medium boost |
| 3 chemistry | Maximum boost (about +3 to Shooting, Dribbling, and Physical) |
A Marksman on a 1-chemistry striker barely registers. Use our FC 27 chemistry calculator to get the player to 3 chemistry first, then apply the style.
Rule of thumb: Marksman assumes your striker's game happens in contact. If he lives on the shoulder and runs in behind, Hawk is closer to the truth.
vs Hawk: when your striker's strength is running the channels rather than holding up — Hawk swaps Dribbling for Pace. A target man who never turns defenders with the ball doesn't need the Dribbling half of Marksman.
vs Finisher: when Physical is already high, Finisher's tighter Shooting + Dribbling focus wins. Marksman's Physical boost is wasted on a striker who's already strong enough.
Take a target-man striker on 3 chemistry: good in the air, decent shooting, but he gets muscled off the ball when he tries to turn. Marksman at 3 chemistry lifts Shooting, Dribbling, and Physical (about +3 each): the hold-up is firmer, the turn is sharper, and the finish lands. Same card on 1 chemistry? Fix the chemistry first.
Marksman is the right pick for target men who hold the ball up with their back to goal: Shooting to finish, Dribbling to turn, and Physical to keep defenders off. The complete target-man package.
It depends on how your target man plays. Hawk is for target men who run the channels with pace; Marksman is for target men who hold the ball up — it swaps Pace for Dribbling. And chemistry still matters more than either choice.
If Physical is already high, Finisher's two-stat Shooting + Dribbling focus adds more where it counts. Marksman is for strikers who still need the strength boost.