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Custom Hydra Splatling gear suggestions

awedry

Full Squid
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
37
Hey everyone.
New user here. Have been enjoying the new Custom Hydra Splatling that came out last week but unsure what gear abiities I should be using. I really like the supportive, defensive playstyle this weapon offers. I've been playing and having some fun and success with:
Tenacity
Thermal Ink
Object Shredder
three subs Special Charge Up
three subs Ink Recovery Up
two subs Ink Saver Main
one sub Bomb Defense.

Thermal Ink seems good on this, but maybe I actually need better aim so I won't need it. The ink efficiency and special charge abilities feel necessary with the painting, ink consumption, and getting armor consistently. I know a lot of people like run speed with their splatlings but I find the effect isn't really noticeable on the Hydra. I also find the biggest nuisances are Tenta Missiles and Sting Ray.

Thanks in advance for any ideas!

~A.
 

ϛ(°³°)/`

Inkling Commander
Joined
Sep 5, 2015
Messages
445
I've also been having a lot of luck with this weapon. When it released in Splatoon 1 and they gave it the ability to 3-hit kill at full charge, I disregarded it because it seemed unnecessary; the length of time between 3 bullets and 4 is only a few frames, and it shouldn't matter. It totally matters, and now that full charge bullets deal 40 damage each, this weapon gets reliable kills even at max range with falloff damage.

With all Splatlings I run 6 subs or 2 mains of run speed, because they need to stay as mobile as possible while charging otherwise they wind up as Charger fodder.

The Ink Mine, despite what some people say, is a fun sub weapon to have - you should put it where you suspect people will try and flank you from. It'll tag them and make them easier for you to take down yourself, or if they opt to retreat then they'll be marked for your teammates to do the dirty work. I would try and run one main of Sub Power up to up the duration of its point sensor effect.

I see less use for Special Power Up on Ink Armour; it may increase the duration, but most of your teammates are going to get hit before it wears off anyway, and activating faster doesn't matter much when you're in a safe spot anyway. I prefer instead to run a main of Special Charge, just to get them sooner. An alternative would be to use Tenacity for the same effect.

Because the Hydra is pretty ink hungry, I also like to run a main of Ink Saver Main and Ink Recovery. This should let you keep pressuring people from a distance with fewer gaps in action.

:ability_specialcharge:|:ability_runspeed::ability_runspeed::ability_runspeed: (or replace with :ability_tenacity:)
:ability_inkrecovery:|:ability_inksavermain::ability_inksavermain::ability_inksavermain:
:ability_bombrange:|:ability_runspeed::ability_runspeed::ability_runspeed:

Other alternatives include substituting your main of Sub Power Up ("bomb range up" on the shoes) with Object Shredder if you're playing Rainmaker, or Ninja Squid on the shirt if you're playing a wide open map like Kelp Dome. I don't really recommend Ninja Squid on a weapon like this, because it inherently has a swim speed penalty on it due to its "Heavy weapon" status, but it can definitely be useful on any weapon that suffers from people rushing in on them. Rapid Blasters and Chargers would be other notable examples.

Having a sub of Bomb Defence is a good idea for this weapon, yes. It'll let you survive two 50 damage Inkjet shots, as well as an additional Tenta Missile near-miss. Thermal Ink shouldn't be necessary on this weapon due to the fantastic rate of fire and 3-hit kill from a full charge, but if it works for you then by all means. And lastly the reason you don't notice much of an effect from Run Speed is because it applies a percentage effect, and the Hydra's base run speed is 0.6x when you start to charge and 0.4x when you've got between 1 and 2 rings of charge. I still recommend Run Speed on all Splatlings.
 

awedry

Full Squid
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
37
Curious if anyone's tried this weapon with the new Main Power Up ability? Curious if it would help with more consistent splats at longest range (with falloff damage)? Thanks.
 

Gameboy224

Inkling Fleet Admiral
Joined
Sep 20, 2015
Messages
549
NNID
Gameboy224
One Main of Main Power Up is likely basically a necessity for a Hydra build. Or whatever the minimum you need to jump that 32 damage to 33.3. That 3.9 increase it damage over 3 hits matter quite a bit.

Not only for consistency with falloff but also cheesing 3 shots on anybody with even the slightest tick of damage.
 

awedry

Full Squid
Joined
Aug 6, 2018
Messages
37
I agree, I really like Main Power Up with the Hydra! Here's the latest loadout I've been trying for the Custom...

https://loadout.ink/en-us/#08056c920a567210842e48c63
(Cold-Blooded stands for Main Power Up.)

I've come to like Swim Speed Up on this to increase survivability (viz. people rushing me, Inkjets, Sting Rays, Tenta Missiles), as well as for coming in faster... especially since it was made a little better with the recent patch. I'm tempted to fit in a sub of Quick Super Jump for the same reason, maybe in place of the Bomb Defense since the Swim Speed is sort of serving the same purpose.

~A.
 

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