Backline matchups

[youre_a_squib_now]

I'm working on a longer thread about chargers and I need help understanding something. Usually I ask about stuff like this on discord but this will be much easier to look back at both while I'm writing the thread and after that.

It's a pretty simple question. Why do chargers do so well into other backlines? And are they still better if you ignore the matchup? why?

 

[DzNutsKong]

I'm no backline player but I think it mostly boils down to range and a technically immediate time-to-kill except for Pencil which has good mobility that other Chargers don't. Maybe Tri-Stringer would be looked at similarly if it weren't so inconsistent or had a real kit but no other anchors come close to them.

 

[QuagSass]

can one-shot unlike other backlines and also massively outrange everything else is the main thing.
I'd say that they are fine outside of that and it kinda depends on the meta. The main thing holding chargers back is their lack of paint support. If getting splats is important, then chargers are generally better since they're better at that. But if farming specials and having paint support is more important then things like Jet Squelcher and Splatlings rise up.

Which is why pencil is such an issue, it both farms special and outranges almost every other weapon. Liter actually saw use sometimes specifically as a counter to pencil during the height of Zooka meta.

Honestly barring pencil, I was quite happy with backline balance. One day I'll write up my thoughts on the charger/splatling matchup again.

 

[OnePotWonder]

A combination of range, burst damage, and consistent value. If a charger hits its target, it definitely splats them if it's a Charger or E-Liter, or definitely deals 68 damage if it's a Pencil. If a Tri-Stringer hits, there's no telling exactly how much damage it will do. Then splatlings have to maintain their aim long enough for four shots to hit the target.

You can also think about it like this: Chargers are built to be backlines and only backlines, while splatlings are more of an all-rounder class that can defend themselves up-close with partial charges, and Tri Stringer can wall out space and dish out chip damage with explosives. Chargers have good matchups into other backlines because they're intentionally the best at backlining.

 

[solz]

Charges have the added bonus of being very accurate And making it very obvious to see if you will hit Unlike Bows Which are more focused on dealing chip damage Or Like a splatLing Which is based on multiple hits to kill

 

[C-53]

I think @QuagSass ’s point on the pencil being able to both zone and snipe is a big one, because I find the other backline chargers are much easier to approach with things like blasters and sloshers. When using something like an Explo or Wellstring, I tend to be able to more easily get into my own range much more easily against an Eliter than a Pencil.

Charge speed may also be a talking point (aside from Jet and Explo, at least). Outside of Eliter, the chargers all feel insanely fast to charge when I am playing them, as someone who plays stringers and splatting more often. I know about the relative value of the partial charges of a splatling versus a charger or stringer, but Splat Charger still feels like it charges faster than it should, to me.

 

[QuagSass]

Charge speed may also be a talking point (aside from Jet and Explo, at least). Outside of Eliter, the chargers all feel insanely fast to charge when I am playing them, as someone who plays stringers and splatting more often. I know about the relative value of the partial charges of a splatling versus a charger or stringer, but Splat Charger still feels like it charges faster than it should, to me.

Charge speed is something I've thought about myself. But at least with Chargers I feel like they're in a good spot. Yes, Splat Charger charges really fast, I agree. but I think it has to, not just because it has the one singular shot, but also because it lets the weapon be a bit more aggressive. Slow charge speeds means the weapon has to play more safe to get it's shot, like E-Liter. Splat Charger charges slow enough to allow short-ranged weapons to approach it a bit, while also charging fast enough for particularly skilled and confident Charger players to go more aggro. That kind of versatility is important to make the weapon fun to play with and againts. Not all Charger players like the highly specilized sniper role of the Liter.
This is also why it was so important for the Squiffer to get the mid-air charging charge speed buff back in the day. It made it actually realistic for the weapon to play more in the midlines like it wanted to. And it's partially why Goo Tuber is kinda bad.

Not to say that charge speed isn't something that shouldn't see some experimental tweaking. The Snipewriter could maaaaybe get a slight nerf to it's charging speed. It's only barely slower than Splat Charger, which doesn't mean much when the weapon gets 5 times the shots. Though it is pretty ink-hungry as is, so maybe it's fine? Ahh, but it has pretty good uptime. Hmm. Hm.
It's an interesting topic. I think you could have a differing opinion from mine and be completely correct.