Custom E-Liter 3K: Analysis and Thoughts

[HappyBear801]

For some reason, a discussion thread on this weapon was never made. I think we were all too focused on the L-3 Nozzlenose that came along with it. But to concur, the Custom E-Liter 3K lives up to its name, being, well, a customized E-Liter with a different load out than the original. The Squid Beakons and Kraken give this setup a much more elusive approach to the slow but long ranged sniper main weapon.

Equipment Description: A special version of the E-Liter 3K that enables new strategies utilizing the Squid Beakon and the powerful Kraken.

Shop Cost: 14200

Sub Weapon: Squid Beakon

Special Weapon: Kraken

So, after a long wait since its release, please leave your thoughts on the Custom E-Liter 3K.

NOTE: Not to be confused with the Custom E-Liter 3K Scope analysis thread, which ironically, was made prior to this one. To talk about the scopeless version, leave your thoughts here. To talk about the scoped version, go here: http://squidboards.com/threads/custom-e-liter-3k-scope-analysis-and-thoughts.9493/

 

[meleesplatter]

This weapon is only for those that have achieved perfect mastery of charger-based combat. You generally only have your wits to fall back on if you get ambushed unless your special is charged, which won't be often due to how inefficient the e-liter is at inking. When you do have it, make an effort to seek out good sniping positions and place beacons in them so that you can jump to them easily when you need a better position.

This weapon is extremely unforgiving, but if used properly can be almost unstoppable, especially if your teammates can do a good job of holding the general areas your beacons lie in.

 

[HappyBear801]

This weapon is only for those that have achieved perfect mastery of charger-based combat. You generally only have your wits to fall back on if you get ambushed unless your special is charged, which won't be often due to how inefficient the e-liter is at inking. When you do have it, make an effort to seek out good sniping positions and place beacons in them so that you can jump to them easily when you need a better position.

This weapon is extremely unforgiving, but if used properly can be almost unstoppable, especially if your teammates can do a good job of holding the general areas your beacons lie in.

Yes, this is a very team-based weapon. Without mastery, one will lose, mark my words. Defense Up/Ink Resistance Up are also extremely necessary, because of how vulnerable one will be after the Kraken wears off.

 

[meleesplatter]

Yes, this is a very team-based weapon. Without mastery, one will lose, mark my words. Defense Up/Ink Resistance Up are also extremely necessary, because of how vulnerable one will be after the Kraken wears off.

Well sure, but... ideally you'll have some beacons to jump back to once your rampage is finished. The kraken on an e-liter isn't really used for team pushes, particularly since the weapon isn't very good at closing the distance to increase the odds of splatting, it's more of a backup for when moving to a different sniping location without a beacon.

 

[HappyBear801]

Well sure, but... ideally you'll have some beacons to jump back to once your rampage is finished. The kraken on an e-liter isn't really used for team pushes, particularly since the weapon isn't very good at closing the distance to increase the odds of splatting, it's more of a backup for when moving to a different sniping location without a beacon.

I also see it used, and I have used it for this myself (although I don't use this weapon, only the normal version) to catch sneaky flankers off guard, especially if they think it's a normal E-Liter and expect the glowing head to mean just Echolocator. I've both seen and done a catch off-guard to kany opposers in this way, not to mention territory defence at this sniping position.

 

[MakesDream]

theoretically it's a good set for a charger. The beacons let you switch between perches quickly and with little risk, and the kraken can save you in a sticky situation. But it's 100% inferior to burst bombs and echo.
Might be nice if you already have an eliter and want two chargers.

 

[HappyBear801]

theoretically it's a good set for a charger. The beacons let you switch between perches quickly and with little risk, and the kraken can save you in a sticky situation. But it's 100% inferior to burst bombs and echo.
Might be nice if you already have an eliter and want two chargers.

Or if you're bad at Burst Bombs. Control-wise, Beakons are much easier to pick up. It's the Kraken that's the real challenge on this weapon, however.

 

[Award]

i posted this the other day in the scoped version A&T thread, but @HappyBear801 suggested I move it here instead. I don't think I can move threads, so I'll just double post it here for completeness:

So now that more time has passed since these threads I've been playing extensively with all 4 eliters. And I keep coming to conflicting feelings on which to use. At first I liked scopes, then I preferred scopeless. Then I preferred scopes. Then I preferred scopeless. I'm starting to thing it really doesn't matter, I'll perform similarly with either now, so maybe the extra range is worth the loss in mobility? I can't pick!

But my bigger debate is vanilla or custom. I love the burst bombs. If for no other reason, rapidly inking walls to mount platforms is overwhelmingly beneficial, and sorely missed when I'm flinging a dozen uncharged shots to get up a wall with Custom. And I got very used to using bombs offensively between this and carbon roller. But there's a dark side to eliter and burst bombs. It drains you of ink rapidly, and you can't recover from that in a pinch. Worse, if you dismount from the perch and are on the ground, it can be hard to rapidly return to a perch, often leading to SJ back to spawn and traveling there again.

I got used to using my beacons with custom. Jumping between perches is fantastic, and the mobility offered by a hasty retreat lets you press and pursue enemies with little risk since you can jump right back. In some ways, Custom is the more offensive version. Splat bombs can be offensive, but you don't get many, and most of the time when I need them it's after missing a shot and my ink reserves are already too low to use them. While custom does not allow those desperate moments, forcing a full retreat, but also providing a quick exit for high mobility.

Not all maps benefit. Skatepark is pretty hard to use beacons effectively on. Generally if I put them in the side half pipe, if my position is compromised the beacon goes with it, either by inkstrike or by full flank. Piranha, any worthy, safe point to jump to is just as fast to walk as jump. But so many maps like Bridge - inevitably if I take vanilla, I'll wish I had the mobility of custom to quickly get between areas or back up. If I take Custom I'll get cornered and wish I had the CQC ability of the vanilla. I cant choose which to take because moments of each battle will benefit either.

So how does one choose which one to take? Are there secrets to getting onto platforms without burst bombs I'm not familiar with? And how do you use your beacons if your team mates keep using them up on you for no strategic reason at all?


Additional update to the initial question: Now that Mall is back in rotation I was playing with custom there last night, and it's a similar situation as with Bridge for me. I love using it, and I love the mobility of jumping between beacons quickly though I found it hard to keep the beacons reliably on both sides, especially the right which gets overrun. And the lack of bombs to throw at the mid ramp proved challenging. Yet the responsiveness of quick jumping (and equipping appropriate gear) made it nimble enough to keep falling back in the event of a base raid. I'd get pushed off from behind from time to time. For this map I do like scopeless better (for now) though I miss reaching across to the opposing platform with the scope. But again, how would you guys position your beacons to make the most of it, and is it worth missing out on burst bombs?

 

[HappyBear801]

i posted this the other day in the scoped version A&T thread, but @HappyBear801 suggested I move it here instead. I don't think I can move threads, so I'll just double post it here for completeness:

So now that more time has passed since these threads I've been playing extensively with all 4 eliters. And I keep coming to conflicting feelings on which to use. At first I liked scopes, then I preferred scopeless. Then I preferred scopes. Then I preferred scopeless. I'm starting to thing it really doesn't matter, I'll perform similarly with either now, so maybe the extra range is worth the loss in mobility? I can't pick!

But my bigger debate is vanilla or custom. I love the burst bombs. If for no other reason, rapidly inking walls to mount platforms is overwhelmingly beneficial, and sorely missed when I'm flinging a dozen uncharged shots to get up a wall with Custom. And I got very used to using bombs offensively between this and carbon roller. But there's a dark side to eliter and burst bombs. It drains you of ink rapidly, and you can't recover from that in a pinch. Worse, if you dismount from the perch and are on the ground, it can be hard to rapidly return to a perch, often leading to SJ back to spawn and traveling there again.

I got used to using my beacons with custom. Jumping between perches is fantastic, and the mobility offered by a hasty retreat lets you press and pursue enemies with little risk since you can jump right back. In some ways, Custom is the more offensive version. Splat bombs can be offensive, but you don't get many, and most of the time when I need them it's after missing a shot and my ink reserves are already too low to use them. While custom does not allow those desperate moments, forcing a full retreat, but also providing a quick exit for high mobility.

Not all maps benefit. Skatepark is pretty hard to use beacons effectively on. Generally if I put them in the side half pipe, if my position is compromised the beacon goes with it, either by inkstrike or by full flank. Piranha, any worthy, safe point to jump to is just as fast to walk as jump. But so many maps like Bridge - inevitably if I take vanilla, I'll wish I had the mobility of custom to quickly get between areas or back up. If I take Custom I'll get cornered and wish I had the CQC ability of the vanilla. I cant choose which to take because moments of each battle will benefit either.

So how does one choose which one to take? Are there secrets to getting onto platforms without burst bombs I'm not familiar with? And how do you use your beacons if your team mates keep using them up on you for no strategic reason at all?


Additional update to the initial question: Now that Mall is back in rotation I was playing with custom there last night, and it's a similar situation as with Bridge for me. I love using it, and I love the mobility of jumping between beacons quickly though I found it hard to keep the beacons reliably on both sides, especially the right which gets overrun. And the lack of bombs to throw at the mid ramp proved challenging. Yet the responsiveness of quick jumping (and equipping appropriate gear) made it nimble enough to keep falling back in the event of a base raid. I'd get pushed off from behind from time to time. For this map I do like scopeless better (for now) though I miss reaching across to the opposing platform with the scope. But again, how would you guys position your beacons to make the most of it, and is it worth missing out on burst bombs?

Since this one has a better chance of escape due to the complete lack of tunnel vision to spot flanks better, this variant can afford to be a little bit more offensive, but still not too much. The Kraken can also be used for a bit more of a push into the enemies' line on this one rather than holding the back fort.