Overview
The Krak-On Splat Roller (henceforth KOSR) has quickly gained a reputation as overpowered and/or easy to play with. The KOSR's features mesh really well together. Its incredible ink coverage builds its special meter quickly. Its special - the Kraken - counters the vulnerability that comes with using a roller, and also meshes extremely well with its sub-weapon, the Squid Beakon.
Pros
Cons
Basic Use
As with any other weapon, this depends a lot on how you build your gear, but the key things the roller does well are cover areas quickly, and net OHKOs. Most of the time these are what you want to be doing, one or the other, depending on your game mode. Your special, the Kraken can be used defensively, and a lot of players fall into using it as a panic button similar to the Bubbler. However it's not always best to save it as a fall back. The Kraken also excels at sneaking quickly into enemy territory to set up a Squid Beakon and rally your team to it, or for quickly taking out a tightly packed group of enemies camping a choke point. As you get further and further control of the map away from your spawn, start to set up Squid Beakons liberally to ensure your team keeps that control. Do not set them in the open where they will be destroyed quickly. The best spots tend to be in corners or behind the various props that litter most stages, try to make it so that team members can super jump into some cover, or where the enemy isn't likely to spot the beacon and the super jump tag.
Common Mistakes
Er... dropping a Squid Beakon anywhere near your spawn. Don't do this, it is a waste of ink. Keep your coverage efficient, and if you find yourself in a position where you're going to roll over some of your own ink, swim to recharge that ink meter, which will run out of regularly if you're not careful.
Don't just roll, you also need to master "flicking". When you jump and flick ink from your roller by pressing ZR you gain both range and an increased ability to aim your fire. If you are using motion controls (recommended) practice tilting your controller up or down to hit different spots in front of you.
Move around, try to hold the middle, don't rush your enemies' spawn or running round and round particular points in a predictable pattern. These are surefire ways to die often, and the more often you are dead, the more control of the map/tower/rainmaker/splatzone the opposing team can gain. Instead, aim to capture and hold choke points or game mode objectives. Rollers are good at hiding and killing advancing inklings, or rolling over inklings from behind. Use stealth.
Advancing into enemy territory without the support of a shooter is risky, and it's easy to overestimate the KOSR's ink fling range. It's safer to assume the enemy out-ranges you, and while it is okay to be a lone-wolf roller, it's best to build up your combat savvy first. A final thing: It's always tempting to use your special, but turning Kraken towards the very end of a match can lose it for your team if you're not under immediate threat. Sure, you gain invincibility, but your ink coverage is enormously reduced right as everyone else is making their final push. Don't panic, just keep rolling and flinging in those final moments, it will do much more.
Rollers are bad at inking walls. You can waste a lot of time trying to climb a steep face for very little gain. Think carefully about whether or not it's worth the trouble, and if your shooters are smart (which isn't a given), they will create opportunities for you to climb any way.
Oh, and try to get out of the enemy's line of fire before your time as the Kraken ends, or you will probably get splatted. Get some kills quick, then get out and let your shooters secure the area, or get inking up their next front if you're confident it's safe.
Suggested Builds
These are rough archetypes based on what we currently known about gear, and what might be easiest to roll. Tweak them to your preference.
KrakenSpam
Fishfry Visor - 1x Special Charge Up, 3x Ink Saver Sub
Zink LS - 1x Special Duration Up, 3x Quick Super Jump
Blue Biker Boots - 1x Ink Resistance Up, 3x Run Speed Up OR Cherry Kicks - 1x Stealth Jump, 3x Run Speed Up
This load-out supports the KOSR's strengths, offering a quick charge for that powerful special. An effective strategy is to hang back - not too far back, do advance towards the front lines - covering as much terrain as you can to build your special. That coverage provides your shooters with a lot more mobility should they be pushed back from whichever point your team is trying to hold. Once you've built up your first special meter, check the map, and consider planting a few Squid Beakons. If your team is locked in a fire-fight, this is your opportunity to break the enemy in one sudden burst. If you can see a weak spot in your defences, or an enemy breaching an important area, swim there and take them out. The general idea is to ink so much ground that you're are just alternating between support and offense. If you die, that area you neglected around your base at the start of the match, because you were advancing, lets you recharge your special safely.
Blue Biker Boots and Cherry Kicks are always solid choices on any build, it comes down to preference. Ink Resistance means you're not such a sitting duck if an Aerospray user surrounds you with enemy ink, potentially giving you moments to heal, fling, or just escape alive. Stealth Jump lets you jump into the fray with your special charged, possibly take an enemy out (remember you can start a fling as you come down to land), and activate the Kraken to break their lines. Why Run Speed? It can useful for defense - the best response a roller has in many defensive situations is to walk backwards and flick, a faster retreat can be the difference between dying or not. Still, there is lots of room to vary the sub-abilities here.
Krak-Infiltrator
Fishfry Visor - 1x Special Charge Up, 3x Ink Saver Sub
Shrimp-Pink Polo - 1x Ninja Squid, 3x Ink Saver Main OR Sky-Blue Squideye - 1x Cold Blooded, 3x Ink Recovery.
Blue Biker Boots - 1x Ink Resistance Up, 3x Run Speed Up
This one's all about staying relatively undetected, and using the Kraken's speed and ability to push deep into enemy territory to set up strategic camps, and potentially get your team surrounding them. Get lots of beacons up all over the map, giving your team a lot of opportunities to super jump around, just remember to ink up secure the area before you bother with a beacon, or you might just set up a meat grinder for the other team. I have seen teams isolate enemy beacons without destroying them, then camping and splatting anyone stupid enough to use them. Be smart about your paths of infiltration and your beacon placement, and don't rely on your own teammates being smart and not jumping into unsecured areas. Part of being smart in the present Splatoon metagame, where you don't pick your teams, is also about minimising your teammates' opportunities to be stupid. You may need to spam "To Me!"
This set is less effective on certain stages, such as Port Mackerel, due to fact that people spawning in will almost certain notice your Kraken trail and follow you. It can still be more than worth setting Squid Beakons down one or both of the two arms leading from their spawn, but you will need to be vigilant while doing so. Use the map periodically to check you're not being followed. If you are, sometimes it's best to camp and take them out, leaving your team a beacon on the higher ground, without a trail of your team's ink alerting spawning enemies to its presence. Ninja Squid lets you camp effectively and guard your beacons, but you can make the case for Cold Blooded as well, as you won't be on their Ecolocator for so long if they're exploiting that.
Final Burst
Jungle Hat - 1x Last-Ditch Effort, 3x Special Duration Up
Baseball Jersey - 1x Special Charge Up, 3x Ink Saver (Sub)
Orange Lo-Tops - 1x Swim Speed Up, 3x Special Saver
Firstly, don't bother using this set in Ranked Battles. It's effective only in Turf Wars. Say you've been equally matched throughout a whole battle. This set is about using those final 30 seconds to turn the tide in your teams favour, or if your team has dominated just to mop up that last few pixels of ink as gravy.
Defense & Damage Up abilities are also good options here. You could consider building this one tankier, so it has a little more chance of surviving those final moments.
The Krak-On Splat Roller (henceforth KOSR) has quickly gained a reputation as overpowered and/or easy to play with. The KOSR's features mesh really well together. Its incredible ink coverage builds its special meter quickly. Its special - the Kraken - counters the vulnerability that comes with using a roller, and also meshes extremely well with its sub-weapon, the Squid Beakon.
Pros
- - It is easy to pick up and it plays intuitively.
- - Like all rollers, it spreads ink quickly.
- - Usually kills in one hit.
- - Incredibly strong in a supportive role.
- - Squid Beakon can prevent losing an area once it is held.
- - Kraken is invincible and deadly, though demands more skill since its debuff.
- - Excels on flatter maps that don't demand much climbing.
Cons
- - Extremely limited range.
- - Quite vulnerable to attack from back and flanks.
- - Reduced mobility, quick turns aren't very efficient in terms of inking, and you can't splat hop.
- - Appallingly inefficient at inking steep terrain/walls.
- - Kraken is often easy for enemies to hide from or avoid.
Basic Use
As with any other weapon, this depends a lot on how you build your gear, but the key things the roller does well are cover areas quickly, and net OHKOs. Most of the time these are what you want to be doing, one or the other, depending on your game mode. Your special, the Kraken can be used defensively, and a lot of players fall into using it as a panic button similar to the Bubbler. However it's not always best to save it as a fall back. The Kraken also excels at sneaking quickly into enemy territory to set up a Squid Beakon and rally your team to it, or for quickly taking out a tightly packed group of enemies camping a choke point. As you get further and further control of the map away from your spawn, start to set up Squid Beakons liberally to ensure your team keeps that control. Do not set them in the open where they will be destroyed quickly. The best spots tend to be in corners or behind the various props that litter most stages, try to make it so that team members can super jump into some cover, or where the enemy isn't likely to spot the beacon and the super jump tag.
Common Mistakes
Er... dropping a Squid Beakon anywhere near your spawn. Don't do this, it is a waste of ink. Keep your coverage efficient, and if you find yourself in a position where you're going to roll over some of your own ink, swim to recharge that ink meter, which will run out of regularly if you're not careful.
Don't just roll, you also need to master "flicking". When you jump and flick ink from your roller by pressing ZR you gain both range and an increased ability to aim your fire. If you are using motion controls (recommended) practice tilting your controller up or down to hit different spots in front of you.
Move around, try to hold the middle, don't rush your enemies' spawn or running round and round particular points in a predictable pattern. These are surefire ways to die often, and the more often you are dead, the more control of the map/tower/rainmaker/splatzone the opposing team can gain. Instead, aim to capture and hold choke points or game mode objectives. Rollers are good at hiding and killing advancing inklings, or rolling over inklings from behind. Use stealth.
Advancing into enemy territory without the support of a shooter is risky, and it's easy to overestimate the KOSR's ink fling range. It's safer to assume the enemy out-ranges you, and while it is okay to be a lone-wolf roller, it's best to build up your combat savvy first. A final thing: It's always tempting to use your special, but turning Kraken towards the very end of a match can lose it for your team if you're not under immediate threat. Sure, you gain invincibility, but your ink coverage is enormously reduced right as everyone else is making their final push. Don't panic, just keep rolling and flinging in those final moments, it will do much more.
Rollers are bad at inking walls. You can waste a lot of time trying to climb a steep face for very little gain. Think carefully about whether or not it's worth the trouble, and if your shooters are smart (which isn't a given), they will create opportunities for you to climb any way.
Oh, and try to get out of the enemy's line of fire before your time as the Kraken ends, or you will probably get splatted. Get some kills quick, then get out and let your shooters secure the area, or get inking up their next front if you're confident it's safe.
Suggested Builds
These are rough archetypes based on what we currently known about gear, and what might be easiest to roll. Tweak them to your preference.
KrakenSpam
Fishfry Visor - 1x Special Charge Up, 3x Ink Saver Sub
Zink LS - 1x Special Duration Up, 3x Quick Super Jump
Blue Biker Boots - 1x Ink Resistance Up, 3x Run Speed Up OR Cherry Kicks - 1x Stealth Jump, 3x Run Speed Up
This load-out supports the KOSR's strengths, offering a quick charge for that powerful special. An effective strategy is to hang back - not too far back, do advance towards the front lines - covering as much terrain as you can to build your special. That coverage provides your shooters with a lot more mobility should they be pushed back from whichever point your team is trying to hold. Once you've built up your first special meter, check the map, and consider planting a few Squid Beakons. If your team is locked in a fire-fight, this is your opportunity to break the enemy in one sudden burst. If you can see a weak spot in your defences, or an enemy breaching an important area, swim there and take them out. The general idea is to ink so much ground that you're are just alternating between support and offense. If you die, that area you neglected around your base at the start of the match, because you were advancing, lets you recharge your special safely.
Blue Biker Boots and Cherry Kicks are always solid choices on any build, it comes down to preference. Ink Resistance means you're not such a sitting duck if an Aerospray user surrounds you with enemy ink, potentially giving you moments to heal, fling, or just escape alive. Stealth Jump lets you jump into the fray with your special charged, possibly take an enemy out (remember you can start a fling as you come down to land), and activate the Kraken to break their lines. Why Run Speed? It can useful for defense - the best response a roller has in many defensive situations is to walk backwards and flick, a faster retreat can be the difference between dying or not. Still, there is lots of room to vary the sub-abilities here.
Krak-Infiltrator
Fishfry Visor - 1x Special Charge Up, 3x Ink Saver Sub
Shrimp-Pink Polo - 1x Ninja Squid, 3x Ink Saver Main OR Sky-Blue Squideye - 1x Cold Blooded, 3x Ink Recovery.
Blue Biker Boots - 1x Ink Resistance Up, 3x Run Speed Up
This one's all about staying relatively undetected, and using the Kraken's speed and ability to push deep into enemy territory to set up strategic camps, and potentially get your team surrounding them. Get lots of beacons up all over the map, giving your team a lot of opportunities to super jump around, just remember to ink up secure the area before you bother with a beacon, or you might just set up a meat grinder for the other team. I have seen teams isolate enemy beacons without destroying them, then camping and splatting anyone stupid enough to use them. Be smart about your paths of infiltration and your beacon placement, and don't rely on your own teammates being smart and not jumping into unsecured areas. Part of being smart in the present Splatoon metagame, where you don't pick your teams, is also about minimising your teammates' opportunities to be stupid. You may need to spam "To Me!"
This set is less effective on certain stages, such as Port Mackerel, due to fact that people spawning in will almost certain notice your Kraken trail and follow you. It can still be more than worth setting Squid Beakons down one or both of the two arms leading from their spawn, but you will need to be vigilant while doing so. Use the map periodically to check you're not being followed. If you are, sometimes it's best to camp and take them out, leaving your team a beacon on the higher ground, without a trail of your team's ink alerting spawning enemies to its presence. Ninja Squid lets you camp effectively and guard your beacons, but you can make the case for Cold Blooded as well, as you won't be on their Ecolocator for so long if they're exploiting that.
Final Burst
Jungle Hat - 1x Last-Ditch Effort, 3x Special Duration Up
Baseball Jersey - 1x Special Charge Up, 3x Ink Saver (Sub)
Orange Lo-Tops - 1x Swim Speed Up, 3x Special Saver
Firstly, don't bother using this set in Ranked Battles. It's effective only in Turf Wars. Say you've been equally matched throughout a whole battle. This set is about using those final 30 seconds to turn the tide in your teams favour, or if your team has dominated just to mop up that last few pixels of ink as gravy.
Defense & Damage Up abilities are also good options here. You could consider building this one tankier, so it has a little more chance of surviving those final moments.
