.52 Gal Deco Guide (Extensive Seeker Coverage)

So I haven't seen a specific guide on the .52 Gal Deco (trust me, I looked) but regardless I'm sure there'll be something new in here. So um... here's my take on how to use the .52 Gal Deco.

The .52 Gal Deco is obtainable once a player reaches level 11 for 4500 points (money? idk the official currency name, so I'm just gonna use points).

The .52 Gal Deco is a two-hit kill weapon. However, if the enemy being attacked has at least one (main or sub ability slot) it becomes a three-hit. The high damage and medium range of this gun tends to make up for it's slower firing speed, and against short range weapons it can be a force to be reckoned with, not only for it's high damage output, but for it's sub, the seeker.

The .52 Gal Deco is the first purchasable weapon to introduce the seeker sub. The seeker is launched on the ground in a line, and if it doesn't hit something in 5 seconds it explodes on it's own. It has a multitude of uses on the battlefield, even though many consider it to be one of the worst subs. Some uses include:
One of the most common uses for those "unfortunate souls" who end up with seeker subs is rushing the center of the map at the beginning of a match. This tactic is one of, if not the fastest way to make it to the center. This is extremely useful for ranked modes such as Tower Control and Rainmaker, where the first push of the game can turn the tide of the entire match. It can also be useful for the other two modes, Splat Zones and everyone's favorite non-ranked mode (wow a joke haha) Turf War, as the center of the map is typically a deciding factor of the game's outcome. So, in short, rushing, it's useful for getting places fast. It is difficult on maps with a lot of pop-up obstacles in the spawn area, such as Blackbelly Skatepark and spawns with lots of grate floors such as Bluefin Depot, but with the right placement, seekers can be your greatest asset for getting a foothold on the map.

Many people know how to combat seekers at this point, jump around it, swim to the side, and so on. But there are points where even the pros can be splatted by a measly seeker. One instance would be wall climbing. I'm not talking about splatting them while they're climbing, this instance is when they're climbing onto a platform you're currently on. When they jump on the edge of a platform, they don't have many options of movement for the few seconds when they just step on. This is the time to send a seeker at them. They will either have to jump back off the platform and try again, or try inking a getaway faster, at which point you can follow their path and get the jump on them. I will be referring to moments like these in the next subsection of this guide: Pressuring. Anyways, back on topic, the seekers are good for ledge guarding, limiting your opponents options on what they can do to survive. Another scenario for seeker usefulness is passageways. Passageways are straight strips of land found on maps like Port Mackerel and the side alleys of Urchin Underpass and Walleye Warehouse. In these areas, seekers are key to securing them, as anyone who approaches is forced to either retreat, or go for a risky dodge. Next is what I like to call Panic Mode Splats. These splats are when an enemy pops up and has the upper hand. In these moments, the player feels threatened, as they could very well be splatted. At this time, a seeker can be launched for an instant kill. It's a last resort tactic to use more than 3/4 of your ink tank in a last-ditch effort to save your life. Seekers explode upon impact, meaning no wait time for detonation, unlike splat and suction bombs. This gives you a sliver of hope of survival if it hits, or, like stated above, pressures your opponent to give yourself time to recover and retaliate. Keep in mind, it CAN miss, and you will die a few times even if you do use this. However, if you're in a pinch, this could be a saving grace for you. Onto the previously mentioned sub-section: Pressuring.

I've seen many players use seekers in their setup, and I've seen them use the above stated tactics and techniques. However, I've noted that not many of said players use seekers to their full potential. They don't pressure with seekers. This is, in my opinion, the main reason seekers are so useful. And I personally believe people don't like seekers because they don't think of the possibility of pressuring with them. Pressuring, in its usage here, is a tactic that is most often used in the Carbon Roller Deco's special: the seeker bomb rush. This is the most often used pressuring technique, and many who use it don't think too much of it. However, if you've seen it in action, you'll know that that sub/special combo is a force to be reckoned with, an equalizer. While that roller is the only weapon currently available with a seeker bomb rush combo, the .52 Gal Deco does have seekers (duh) and can still be used to force your enemies into certain situations. The previously mentioned passageway and wall climb scenarios are both classic examples of this tactic. You send a seeker after them, and they focus on the seeker, much like the AI in Octo Valley. They redirect their focus mainly to the seeker and you're now the second priority. By doing this, they spend all their time getting away from the seeker, and these split seconds give you a window of opportunity to...

-Rush in and splat them
-Keep them busy until backup arrives
-Run away and recover (panic mode variant)

I'm not an avid player of Super Smash Bros. myself, but the same rule of thumb applies here. Keep your opponent on their toes, and you can lead them into their demise.

Now that the main uses of seekers have been covered (that I use) onto the last segment: The special.

In my experience as a .52 Gal Deco main, I've come to realize there are a few ways to use the inkstrike. They're simple uses, so I'm not gonna divide this part into sub-sections like I did with the seeker guide. One way to use the inkstrike is the most often used way: put it wherever the most enemy ink is. This in my opinion is one of the worst ways to use it, solely because that's all it's doing, covering ink. It can be easily covered up, and has no real purpose other than a few quick points, which are not recylced into your special gauge. The next use, a more technical approach, is a splash wall type approach. Using it to cut off a path for a few moments. It's not primarily focused on splatting anyone, but it can provide a window of opportunity to ink whatever's being hidden from an enemy. This is especially useful in a passageway scenario, keeping your enemies off you while you cover some turf safely. A third way, which is also quite clever, is looking for activity on the gamepad. This is a splat-focused tactic, and if placed correctly, can be a quick easy splat or two. It does put the enemy team at a disadvantage being a person down for a few seconds, but overall it's only a minor setback leaving you another window to utilize. The final main usage is striking key points. This is especially crucial in Tower Control and Rainmaker, as you have to predict where the tower/Rainmaker is going to be and strike that point. This is one of the more widespread techniques on Tower Control, an easy way to stop an approaching enemy tower, or a way to keep the enemy off your tower for a few seconds. Either way, if used optimally, the inkstrike is a decent asset to have on your build.

That's about all there is to it. Anyone who reads this is welcome to expand on any of the topics I didn't cover, and even suggest a gear setup to go with this. I will say that is a life-saver, as the seekers to burn through your ink supply. Anyways, if you made it this far, thanks for taking the time to read, and I hope I didn't bore ya too much :)

This is Glacei, signing off. (I don't know how to do a proper exit, so I'll leave ya with this.)