How did the reef-lux get a bad rep

[9DB]

So I'm still looking for a main weapon and I found that I like the reef-lux a lot. Everyone I ask though just groans and says it's no-skill. Why is that? It is pretty hard to learn

 

[Cephalobro]

Personally, I don't think it's bad, I have used it before and it can be used as a way to plow right through defenses, it's especially useful in Salmon Run as a way to plow right through common Salmonids and can even bypass the Steel Eel as well.

I think it got a bad rep due to how it takes a little longer for it to be activated once used, but honestly, it's actually a lot more balanced that way.

EDIT: Nevermind, I mistakenly thought you were talking about the Reefslider.

 

[TOD13]

i don't really have much of a problem with it; i think the reason why people hate is because it has tenta missiles as it's special. it's really easy to farm special points with reef-lux and if you have special charge up you can launch tenta missiles around eight times in one match, though i don't remember where i got that info so it might not be true.

 

[Forma]

Its reputation from the game's launch lingers today, and I doubt the vanilla kit will ever be looked at differently.
As you probably know, the REEF-LUX excels at turf coverage and can get its special really quickly. At launch, Tenta Missiles functioned like they did in 2 and instantly depleted your special gauge once used, Because it could gain and use its special so quickly, it wasn't uncommon to see REEF-LUX users with double digit special use counts at the end of a match. Until the last major update, the REEF-LUX's full charge was unreliable, too, and nobody was using it for curling bombs, that's for sure. As a result of all of this, it gained its reputation as the weapon you use if you want to main Tenta Missiles. The nerf to Tenta Missiles is almost entirely BECAUSE of the REEF-LUX.
If we don't see another set with Tenta Missiles next season, I think it's pretty safe to conclude that they're soft retiring the special like they did with the Sting Ray in Splatoon 2, and that won't exactly help the stigma surrounding it. It's a strong main weapon in the right hands, especially since now its full charge lands more consistently, but it can't escape being used more often than not just for quick Tenta Missiles.

 

[Dessgeega]

Forma put it well, though the nerf was kinda inevitable I feel - it made no sense that tenta missiles could begin charging again immediately while other specials had to wait until it was over to start charging, missiles were just kinda brought in line. Splatoon 2 traumatized players by having missiles dropped on their heads every 20 seconds, and then those players latched onto the Reef-Lux because of it's kit. The weapon itself is fine but it REALLY needs a different kit for people to take it seriously, something that actually rewards the weapon's high skill ceiling.

Also, curling bombs are just kinda sad.

 

[Octmari]

The reef-lux is a fine weapon, and you should try not to mind anyone who gets on you for using it.
It's a very skillful tool if you actually attempt to use the main weapon.

It was used in a special-spammy way in the beginning, but I wouldn't say that's even it's optimum use.

 

[*Buster*]

It's not that bad, especially because of its new 3.1.0 buff, but it was/is hated for its missile spam.

 

[Octmari]

I'd really say that the missile spam is an inefficient strategy from it's past when nobody knew exactly how to use it. It's bad rep now is entirely a relic, and if you want to play reef-lux I say go for it.

who knows, 9DB, you could be the player that turns the weapon's reputation around!

 

[9DB]

I'd really say that the missile spam is an inefficient strategy from it's past when nobody knew exactly how to use it. It's bad rep now is entirely a relic, and if you want to play reef-lux I say go for it.

who knows, 9DB, you could be the player that turns the weapon's reputation around!

I dunno about that...