Introduction
Being the most iconic of all the weapons in Splatoon, the Splattershot is a great weapon for beginners and can be used surprisingly effectively when used by the right squid-kid. This guide will give tips to those who wish to use the Splattershot line to it's fullest potential.
Properties and Qualities
The Spattershot is the most balanced weapon of all of the shooters and, possibly, the game. It has a decent damage output, fire-rate, and range, making it the best suited for any situation. The Splatershot has a 3 shot kill from close to mid range, at a distance, the kill could take 4 shots. This gives the Splattershot a good match-up at close to mid range against most shooters, except the .52 Gal and the .92 Gal. However, the Spattershot's main weakness is it's range. Like almost all shooters, the Splattershot struggles against long-range weapons, such as the Chargers, except the Bamboozler and Squiffer lines, and the Squelcher line. The saving grace of this weakness is the Splattershot's Sub and Special weapons, which I will get into in the next segment. Overall, this weapon is perfect for a Splatoon newcomer or for someone looking for a weapon that performs well in everything.
Variations of the Weapon
Standard Splattershot
Equipped with Burst Bombs and Bomb Rush, the Standard Splattershot emphasizes it balanced playstyle even more. Burst Bombs are amazing pressure tools as they can easily rack up damage with their ability to be thrown at rapid fire, allowing for 1-2 hit kills. Burst Bombs also act as great ways to throw off Chargers, they can bully them into retreating until the coast is clear. The Burst Bombs rapid fire capabilities are further explained with the Bomb Rush special. This special is amazing for claiming turf and scaring foes away, so let this loose when a point is contested. However, Bomb Rush isn't a kill or panic button special, as it isn't the best at earning kills.
Tentatek Splattershot
This variation of the Splattershot is more focused on covering the Standard's weaknesses, as it has the Suction Bombs and the Inkzooka. Suction Bombs have a bigger blast radius than the other bomb, but at the cost of exploding after 2-3 seconds of the bomb being placed, giving opponents lots of time to retreat. The gimmick of this weapon is that it can stick to walls, giving the element of surprise. If you're being chased, stick one of these on a nearby corner and wait for the opponent to walk right into a wall bomb. The special of this weapon, the Inkzooka, is very reliable. This gives the Tentatek an edge in range as the Inkzooka can take down any sniper in your path. Same as the Standard Splattershot, the Tentatek's special weapon isn't a panic button, it's used to take down those pesky snipers who use the Splattershot's weakness to its advantage.
Wasabi Splattershot
The final loadout of the Splattershot line and a part of Sheldon's Picks comes with Splat Bombs and Inkstrike, allowing for a playstyle that focuses on turf coverage. Splat Bombs excel in both turf coverage and and killing. Splat Bombs, unlike the other two bombs, roll on the ground and explode after about a second of stopping. This can lead to some complicated kill set-ups as they can kill quick and with one-shot. The Inkstrike, in my opinion, is a very bad special, having a small radius and can easily be cleaned up by a team. The only real use of the Inkstrike is those last-second launches at the end of a match. Nevertheless, the Inkstrike could be used to claim some turf and it greatly contributes to the Wasabi Splattershot's turf-claiming playstyle.
The Weapons Matchups
The Splattershots' greatest weakness is the dreaded snipers. Having the best range in the game really gives the E-Liters and Splat Chargers a edge in a long-range firefight. If the Splattershot can get close enough and avoid enemy fire, sub weapons and even the main weapon's fire can take out chargers quickly. A matchup in favor of the Splattershot is against the Roller class. Having a better fire rate that can easily can take out the roller before the roller can fling its ink and a farther range than the roller give the matchup to the Splattershot. The Slosher class has about a 50/50 matchup that can go either way. In a fair firefight, I think that the Slosher wins very slightly, but if the Splattershot has a surprise advantage, the Splattershot wins.
Conclusion
Congrats! You have the basic knowledge of how to use the Splattershot, its variations, and its matchups. Next up on the Beginner's Guides, the Splat Roller makes a splash.
Being the most iconic of all the weapons in Splatoon, the Splattershot is a great weapon for beginners and can be used surprisingly effectively when used by the right squid-kid. This guide will give tips to those who wish to use the Splattershot line to it's fullest potential.
Properties and Qualities
The Spattershot is the most balanced weapon of all of the shooters and, possibly, the game. It has a decent damage output, fire-rate, and range, making it the best suited for any situation. The Splatershot has a 3 shot kill from close to mid range, at a distance, the kill could take 4 shots. This gives the Splattershot a good match-up at close to mid range against most shooters, except the .52 Gal and the .92 Gal. However, the Spattershot's main weakness is it's range. Like almost all shooters, the Splattershot struggles against long-range weapons, such as the Chargers, except the Bamboozler and Squiffer lines, and the Squelcher line. The saving grace of this weakness is the Splattershot's Sub and Special weapons, which I will get into in the next segment. Overall, this weapon is perfect for a Splatoon newcomer or for someone looking for a weapon that performs well in everything.
Variations of the Weapon
Standard Splattershot
Equipped with Burst Bombs and Bomb Rush, the Standard Splattershot emphasizes it balanced playstyle even more. Burst Bombs are amazing pressure tools as they can easily rack up damage with their ability to be thrown at rapid fire, allowing for 1-2 hit kills. Burst Bombs also act as great ways to throw off Chargers, they can bully them into retreating until the coast is clear. The Burst Bombs rapid fire capabilities are further explained with the Bomb Rush special. This special is amazing for claiming turf and scaring foes away, so let this loose when a point is contested. However, Bomb Rush isn't a kill or panic button special, as it isn't the best at earning kills.
Tentatek Splattershot
This variation of the Splattershot is more focused on covering the Standard's weaknesses, as it has the Suction Bombs and the Inkzooka. Suction Bombs have a bigger blast radius than the other bomb, but at the cost of exploding after 2-3 seconds of the bomb being placed, giving opponents lots of time to retreat. The gimmick of this weapon is that it can stick to walls, giving the element of surprise. If you're being chased, stick one of these on a nearby corner and wait for the opponent to walk right into a wall bomb. The special of this weapon, the Inkzooka, is very reliable. This gives the Tentatek an edge in range as the Inkzooka can take down any sniper in your path. Same as the Standard Splattershot, the Tentatek's special weapon isn't a panic button, it's used to take down those pesky snipers who use the Splattershot's weakness to its advantage.
Wasabi Splattershot
The final loadout of the Splattershot line and a part of Sheldon's Picks comes with Splat Bombs and Inkstrike, allowing for a playstyle that focuses on turf coverage. Splat Bombs excel in both turf coverage and and killing. Splat Bombs, unlike the other two bombs, roll on the ground and explode after about a second of stopping. This can lead to some complicated kill set-ups as they can kill quick and with one-shot. The Inkstrike, in my opinion, is a very bad special, having a small radius and can easily be cleaned up by a team. The only real use of the Inkstrike is those last-second launches at the end of a match. Nevertheless, the Inkstrike could be used to claim some turf and it greatly contributes to the Wasabi Splattershot's turf-claiming playstyle.
The Weapons Matchups
The Splattershots' greatest weakness is the dreaded snipers. Having the best range in the game really gives the E-Liters and Splat Chargers a edge in a long-range firefight. If the Splattershot can get close enough and avoid enemy fire, sub weapons and even the main weapon's fire can take out chargers quickly. A matchup in favor of the Splattershot is against the Roller class. Having a better fire rate that can easily can take out the roller before the roller can fling its ink and a farther range than the roller give the matchup to the Splattershot. The Slosher class has about a 50/50 matchup that can go either way. In a fair firefight, I think that the Slosher wins very slightly, but if the Splattershot has a surprise advantage, the Splattershot wins.
Conclusion
Congrats! You have the basic knowledge of how to use the Splattershot, its variations, and its matchups. Next up on the Beginner's Guides, the Splat Roller makes a splash.