Help from any Snipers?

[Mendax]

All was going well. I'd won several matches in a row, and ended up increasing my rank...
...yet the second I touched A-, it seemed like everything went down the drain. I was dying far more frequently, I had a harder time getting kills, and I felt like my Sniping had taken a massive leap back.
I'm well aware that the issue lies with me, rather than my team-mates, but I'm not too sure how to improve. I tend to go defensive, and stay in nests closer to base, but that also means I'm not a massive help during battles.
As for the advice I'm seeking:
I'd much rather have a tough time that will help me immensely in the long run, compared to an easy time that's situational but will help me here and now.
(EG: I'd like to avoid the old, "3 Damage Ups, E-Liter, spam Burst Bombs." I view that as an "easy way out", so to speak.)
if it helps, I am currently using both scoped and un-scoped Splat Chargers, (Both Kelp and Standard) and tend not to use Damage Ups.
(I only normally use one, if any.)
I also have a habit of using a music playlist in lieu of the In-Game Soundtrack, which seems to keep me calm at the expense of not hearing any sound effects.
(aaand, just ranked back down. Guess that's why I need improving, heheh...)

Any advice for improving?

 

[Silverflame]

well here my advice for you
if you using scoped chargers then what u should practice doing is check the game pad screen to see if anyone is trying to come from behind. also you may not wanna be in the same place all the time or the other team will know to take you out first. possibly change your sensitivity to maybe 1-3 practice in turf you will adapt to it. then you can possibly check around you faster and take people out faster. It also depends on the mode rainmaker-offense support your team when moving: tower control-if u moved it to a good place you can be defensive or push which would be offense again: splatzones- u wanna move around they will some around back to get the zone you can play either one defense,offense, or attack. and just a btw usually in ranked the snipers are always gonna be targeted first because of the large range

 

[Mendax]

good advice there, @Silverflame! shall try that out, especially checking the map more often and higher sensitivity.

(oh, baby: Ranked back to A thanks to you! I owe you one, mate!)

 

[Alpha359]

I myself am trying to learn how to be a charger, I'm at the okay level right now. However since I don't use snipers in ranked because of my limited skill with them I can't say that I have too much advice for you. My primary suggestion is when aiming, aim your cross-hair at the ground or otherwise out of your opponents field of vision. This will make it much easier for you to snipe them without them running away. Here's a good video on Squidkids that covers the basics of a charger:

Good Luck!

 

[Skoodge]

I think everything in the poll is useful to focus on, except for maybe trying to get splats over everything else. You want to get splats, but except for the other sniper, don't try to only focus only on splats. I play Custom E-Liter Scope, and I mainly focus on team work, so splatting those who threaten myself or the team, and to trap enemies to help teammates.

I would say the most important is positioning and aiming. Try not to think of perches too much, try to find any place on the map with good peeking positions, and are relatively safe. There are a ton of these spots, and combine these with predicting enemies, to get safe efficient splats. Like the little ramp before mid on triggerfish, you can jump shot from it. This means you do have to focus on aiming a lot, you need to be able to make these easily, so focus on jump shots, and snapping your shots. I just practice in the test area, or in Turf Wars.

Another suggestion is don't hold a charge too long. You are useless if you aren't shooting. Obviously don't let go of an obvious splat, but damage ups help you to fire more frequently, since partial charges can be used instead. This also lets you play mental games with your opponents, sometimes I pretend I lost their position, shooting in another direction, then charge and snap to their position.

There are too many suggestions to make for chargers, but in general everything you put on the poll should be your focus at some point in the matches.

Edit: I also meant to mention that I only listen to music when I play Splatoon. I die sometimes to inkstrikes, but besides that it doesn't seem to hurt me too often, it probably helps me more, since it keeps me calmer.

 

[Ansible]

Breathe!

Always breathe. Don't ever hold your breath.

If you can, time your shots to your exhale. This helps me make sure my shots are almost always fully charged, and hopefully on target when I get the rushdown treatment or being attacked when aiming at the tower rider/rainmaker bearer.

Thanks for making this topic by the way, going through a much the same trouble myself in trying to progress through rank with chargers as one of my heavy use weapons (I so wish this blasted game had bgm & sfx sliders!).

One of the things I've been working on with using chargers is being mobile. And not just Batmaning it from perch to perch. I'm on the perch. I ride the tower. I run in front or bring up the rear for the rainmaker bearer. I shoot from underneath while they have the high ground. I'm just behind a teammate rushing into new territory. I'm chilling in an empty lane. I use my subs to trailblaze in bad ink or droplets to camp like a roller.

I try to be all over the map like a joyous romance.

Every now and then I get to play with a few people on discord--I'm the only charger among them--and my mobility and evasion habits have provided no end of salty fun ("Where's the sniper? I don't see him up here." "Dammit Ansible! Where's he at? I'm gonna kill him." "Screw being in the lead, I'm gonna kill you dead!").

And dodge! Work on those evasion skills! You will make players salty as a match goes on. Especially if you're shutting down the other team's progress. Some players, such as those in the gamefaqs community, despise chargers. And other players will specifically target you because you're a primary threat on the field (More than once I've been spawncamped in rank! Not my team. Me!). And finally there are the other chargers--you both have an idea what the other is capable of so you both try and put a stop to the other.

 

[Skoodge]

One of the things I've been working on with using chargers is being mobile

I am pretty bad at being mobile, but I did get to S+ on my second account using Custom E-Liter Scope yesterday. Here is a video of the stream, and check out 39:45-42:15, where I am much more mobile than the other matches.

Most of my success was just from consistent aiming, and awareness of where enemies were. Sometimes I just secured kills for my team, by shooting behind an enemy, so if they tried to swim back, they would get stuck, and my teammates could just take them out. Also it might be a bad habit, but I pretty much jump shot all the time, it helps me in the same way Ansible uses breathing.

 

[stitchedwithlove]

Kelp Splatterscope user here. A lot of very good tips have been mentioned, so I'll try to be brief:

- IIRC, my gear for the Kelp Splatterscope is: () + ()+ (); main abilities of course would beconsequently . I don't like to overdo the Damage Ups because whilst having that extra Damage can be a lifesaver it's just as important recovering ink. I ink turf quite a bit because I'm usually the eye in the sky, the one keeping watch over everything that's happening. I ink paths to stop enemy progression and to help out stuck teammates, for example; thus, why I like a lot of Ink Recovery Up. The Quick Super Jump is if I get into a pickle and believe me, it's saved my butt a number of times. Damage Up is still very, very useful, so don't completely remove it from your gear. I've managed with two (sometimes one) Damage Up just fine.

- Don't underestimate the power of the Sprinkler. It's excellent as bait and for annoying enemies. The general sniper area in Moray Towers is always a hotspot for flanks, so I like to put Sprinklers where enemies climb so they can get hit and I have time to find higher ground and snipe them whilst they try to take the Sprinkler down. I also use it to protect myself from enemy snipers as their crosshair will usually lock onto that instead, so I have time to try and take them out.

- My sensitivity is also low, around -5 I believe. It's such a breeze moving around and it makes snapping snipes easier, imo. Find a sensitivity which appeals to you and makes you feel comfortable.

Well, so much for keeping it brief lol. But I hope that helps a little. Good luck, and let us know how you go. :)

 

[Либра]

- Don't underestimate the power of the Sprinkler. It's excellent as bait and for annoying enemies. The general sniper area in Moray Towers is always a hotspot for flanks, so I like to put Sprinklers where enemies climb so they can get hit and I have time to find higher ground and snipe them whilst they try to take the Sprinkler down. I also use it to protect myself from enemy snipers as their crosshair will usually lock onto that instead, so I have time to try and take them out.

^
Can't stress this enough if you ever pick up the Kelp Splat Charger or Kelp Splatterscope. Sprinklers are an amazing strategical tool that are easily underestimated. Putting 'em on higher ground to secure ink coverage for your teammates and/or annoy the enemy team, using 'em as a stopper for enemies who managed to sneak past your laser and are on their way up to you, the possibilities are endless. Mind you though, the throwing range of sprinklers is not affected by the bomb range up ability. Sadness.

Ahem..moving on.

If you're more into the classical Splat Charger/Splatterscope, be careful about your timing with your special. If used too soon, you'll be out of ink at the worst possible moment and it'll cost you greatly. If used randomly, it's wasted time. Splat bombs in general are a great tool to lure out hiding enemies or throw behind walls to surprise enemy snipers / campers. (think Arowana)

Other than that, I can't add anything else. Adjust your sensitivity if necessary, see which camera angle suits your needs best. People hold gamepads differently, I for one keep it rather flat so I can have a quick glance on the mini-map whenever I need it. The way you hold your gamepad is crucial to your average aiming skill especially with motion controls turned on. The more uncomfortable you are in the long run, the quicker you're gonna deviate from your standard.

In terms of overall behaviour, watch out for your team. As a sniper, no matter if you're a Squiffer, a Splat Charger, Splatterscope, E-Litre 3K or w/e, you are in a supporting role. Making paths for your teammates, clearing / covering crucial areas, you've to be very flexible depending on the map and the situation. Sometimes there's gonna be enemy snipers who outrange you (unless you're using the E-Litre 3K Scope yourself) and are real good and it might turn out to be your job to take care of him. Sometimes your team will manage, sometimes they won't. Just, don't put kills over anything else. Like, there's matches where you might only snipe 2 people and you've been more helpful than if you just ran off and went for a hunt, ultimately dying a lot.
On the other hand it certainly helps if you add some mobility to your overall playing style. There's situations which require you to stay behind (e.g. Splat Zones on Arowana) and there's maps and modes which force you to be agile.

And most importantly....
Don't panic.