Algae
Pro Squid
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I can't make a meaningful intro as I ramble about this system, so we'll start off with the worst-designed ability in Splatoon 3: Respawn Punisher. It's literally detrimental unless you're using a long-range one-shot charger (they say the only workable means of surviving gun-combat is to stay far out of reach), where the given advantage just slows the game's pace. For the main "value/utility secondaries":
- Sub Resistance contains the function of reducing sub weapon damage. What harm could a "damage defense" ability do, if it doesn't increase the number of shots a weapon needs and just makes you need less heal time in your ink? "Just a simple mathematics game": it'll actually nullify many comboes, particularly many bomb-based ones before Splatoon 3's later metagames. For example, reducing a sub weapon's damage anything below 30 lets you survive 70 damage, like from a Slosher. Sometimes the only HP you need to not get splatted is the last 0.1. Better than the ol' Defense Up ability, though.
- Ink Resistance and Quick Super Jump. Both of these improve your movement in scramble situations (and the former gives 10-20 frames before an MPU bamboozler one-shots). Though even a second sub of QSJ makes you leap discernably sooner. Something to do with quick movements being effective and sense-pleasing in action games; "don't make players wait"; "mobility is dopamine". (Neat that Intensify Action uses Splatoon 3's movement mechanics to be more versatile!)
- Last is Special Saver... which increases the special charge kept when splatted from 50% to 60-70%. It's been suggested that the ability be eschewed for the latter sort of value to be a constant, for specials to be a better comeback mechanic. (This is similar to suggesting a weaker Stealth Jump effect to be default.)
Some abilities have common uses, such as Swim Speed letting you go places faster, and Quick Respawn's use for anyone who contributes to the front line more than just getting picks from outside. These are pretty neat for the game, but there's quite a few we'd be hard-pressed for a reason to have more of or none of. (I put three different utility subs on my Swim Speed shoes; good luck making use of Object Shredder with limited chunks in Splat 2!) Besides, some abilities do need work in the "diminishing returns" (i.e. 3AP is fair, 10AP is enough to justify the primary slot, 30+AP isn't incentivized at all, even if impressive) department, like Run Speed Up on splatlings or Sub Power Up on Squid Beakon. Would like to see Bomb Range Up applied to all sub weapons, though.
On the topic of abilities from past games, I'd really love stackable Cold-Blooded back, where it affects any marking and silhouette tracking (maybe a bit of map tracking for more versatility). That'll have its niche with weapons that favor hiding outside plain sight. But I think altering any damage is out of the question (MPU is either Main Ink Coverage, Intensify Action, reducing falloff's effectiveness to increase rollers' effective range, or breaking Bamboozler in half). Recon was kinda weird in that opponent positions change swiftly, are already hinted at by enemy ink, and the ability is most useful with callouts. Bomb Sniffer would make an interesting comeback as a shoes item. Would probably have to use circular indicators of sub weapon radii, albeit balanced in a way that you'd have to be very close to said radii to see them.
Lemme know what ya think of these. I'm curious in particular about those two S1 abilities I just mentioned; its ability roster is otherwise more similar to the newer games' than I thought. What ideas for PVP abilities do you have? Conversely, which ones would you remove from the game?
- Sub Resistance contains the function of reducing sub weapon damage. What harm could a "damage defense" ability do, if it doesn't increase the number of shots a weapon needs and just makes you need less heal time in your ink? "Just a simple mathematics game": it'll actually nullify many comboes, particularly many bomb-based ones before Splatoon 3's later metagames. For example, reducing a sub weapon's damage anything below 30 lets you survive 70 damage, like from a Slosher. Sometimes the only HP you need to not get splatted is the last 0.1. Better than the ol' Defense Up ability, though.
- Ink Resistance and Quick Super Jump. Both of these improve your movement in scramble situations (and the former gives 10-20 frames before an MPU bamboozler one-shots). Though even a second sub of QSJ makes you leap discernably sooner. Something to do with quick movements being effective and sense-pleasing in action games; "don't make players wait"; "mobility is dopamine". (Neat that Intensify Action uses Splatoon 3's movement mechanics to be more versatile!)
- Last is Special Saver... which increases the special charge kept when splatted from 50% to 60-70%. It's been suggested that the ability be eschewed for the latter sort of value to be a constant, for specials to be a better comeback mechanic. (This is similar to suggesting a weaker Stealth Jump effect to be default.)
Some abilities have common uses, such as Swim Speed letting you go places faster, and Quick Respawn's use for anyone who contributes to the front line more than just getting picks from outside. These are pretty neat for the game, but there's quite a few we'd be hard-pressed for a reason to have more of or none of. (I put three different utility subs on my Swim Speed shoes; good luck making use of Object Shredder with limited chunks in Splat 2!) Besides, some abilities do need work in the "diminishing returns" (i.e. 3AP is fair, 10AP is enough to justify the primary slot, 30+AP isn't incentivized at all, even if impressive) department, like Run Speed Up on splatlings or Sub Power Up on Squid Beakon. Would like to see Bomb Range Up applied to all sub weapons, though.
On the topic of abilities from past games, I'd really love stackable Cold-Blooded back, where it affects any marking and silhouette tracking (maybe a bit of map tracking for more versatility). That'll have its niche with weapons that favor hiding outside plain sight. But I think altering any damage is out of the question (MPU is either Main Ink Coverage, Intensify Action, reducing falloff's effectiveness to increase rollers' effective range, or breaking Bamboozler in half). Recon was kinda weird in that opponent positions change swiftly, are already hinted at by enemy ink, and the ability is most useful with callouts. Bomb Sniffer would make an interesting comeback as a shoes item. Would probably have to use circular indicators of sub weapon radii, albeit balanced in a way that you'd have to be very close to said radii to see them.
Lemme know what ya think of these. I'm curious in particular about those two S1 abilities I just mentioned; its ability roster is otherwise more similar to the newer games' than I thought. What ideas for PVP abilities do you have? Conversely, which ones would you remove from the game?
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