How should Nintendo buff the Inkstrike?

[Lonely_Dolphin]

Like the title says! Here's what I think they should do: First the Inkstrike should definitely have it's point requirement dropped to 160. Surprised they didn't atleast do that in the last update, makes no sense to have an inferior special cost more than the Killer Wail. Next, while not really a big deal, I'd like it if there's no delay before your special charge can start building up again. Simply have the ink from the Inkstrike not count towards it and leave it at that. Now for the Inkstrike's function itself, they can simply remove all end delay, having the inkstrike fire and movement n shooting returned simultaneous with selecting a target. Basically as soon as you touch the gamepad, you can freely move and shoot again. This would allow you to actually take advantage of it's zoning capability as you wont have to hide 100 miles away, heck it could almost be used in a firefight with how fast you'd be able to get it off. Also less time in between selecting a target and reaching the target can only increase it's effectiveness. So yeah that's how I hope they do it, I believe it'd make it a pretty good special that I wouldn't resent having on my Slosher. :L

 

[Elecmaw]

I'd only make the animation after firing it a lot shorter so the user won't be vulnerable firing it. I think if that's fixed, Inkstrike would work way better because you don't have to go away from combat to fire it unlike other specials.
I'm fearing if you add any more buffs to that Inkstrike would get too powerful.

 

[Lonely_Dolphin]

I'd only make the animation after firing it a lot shorter so the user won't be vulnerable firing it. I think if that's fixed, Inkstrike would work way better because you don't have to go away from combat to fire it unlike other specials.
I'm fearing if you add any more buffs to that Inkstrike would get too powerful.

The effect is pretty much still the same, not that powerful compared to every other special, so I think getting it a bit more frequently is a fair counterbalance.

 

[WeirdChillFever]

Bigger radius would be great.

 

[Reila]

I don't think they should buff the inkstrike.

 

[redacteddd]

From what I can tell, nintendo wants the inkstrike to have some offensive potential, so maybe decreasing the time it takes for the inkstrike to hit would be good (you can't really splat someone with it).

Otherwise, the inkstrike is fine as it is.

 

[Of Moose & Men]

Yes, if they cut down on the end lag, it'd be reliable. Especially if it's paired with a Splash wall. As you can see here I expressed a trick I use to getting off an Inkstrike safely. Too often does the opponent catch me while shooting it off, and while doing so takes down my wall just to splat me. If that end lag did not exist, I'd be able to turn around and take out that punk. Especially now with the Splash Wall nerf, if there's an enemy behind you while you shoot off your Inkstrike, you're going to get splatted, and I for one, hate it.

 

[SquiliamTentacles]

At a minimum, it should not prevent you from charging special for a few seconds, but honestly all of these ideas sound good.

 

[Rael]

I think Inkstrike is designed for Turf Wars... just like Aerosprays. Not only is the only point scorer special aside from Bomb Rush, but you can throw it after the match ends. And this can give you the win on an equal game. I don't see it on the buff radar, especially as it never received an update (I think?).

I'd say that to make it better on ranked it should have some more impactful effect. A longer lasting tornado, more damage on the sides and yes, bigger overall. Atm Inkstrike may only work on Splat Zones imo, and if at least one of the opposing team's member is right there, he can shoot over it istantly making it rather useless anyway.

 

[Chocolil]

Give it a suction effect perhaps? Like an implosion?
Ink Mines could use that too.

 

[curry time]

Give it a suction effect perhaps? Like an implosion?
Ink Mines could use that too.

Neat idea in concept, but I feel a vortex effect would create a lot of unneeded grief for people who just happen to be standing near the Inkstrike. The purpose of Inkstrike is to get enemies to reposition themselves, not to score team wipes. Players, meanwhile, are supposed to train themselves to look out for the BIG SPINNING GRAPHIC AND THE LOUD INKSTRIKE NOISE so they can get out of the way in time. Heck, the octostrike missions in story mode teach you exactly this. Being killed by an Inkstrike that you saw coming but sucked you in anyway (launched by someone halfway across the map who possibly didn't even know you were there, no less) would just be plain frustrating.

Personally, I'd prefer specials to be means to a momentum shift, rather than causing the momentum shift itself *coughkrakencough*. So I'm in support of the OP's suggestion, since it allows players to better use the Inkstrike to cover their movements and help deny areas alongside regular weaponry.

 

[Vitezen]

I don't think you can really change the inkstrike too much without making it fundamentally not the inkstrike. For pure area control, the wail is way better. The inkstrike excels in getting a ton of ink down fast without risk of failure. That's why it's used in turf wars and splat zones. I suppose you could make it bigger to try to compete with the wail, but they already have different functions. I suppose if you wanted to improve it for splat zones, make it so you can't shoot into it to negate the ink until it's done. It works for bombs, it should work for guns too.

Or here's an interesting idea. Make it larger, stay up longer, and can't be inked inside until done, but enemy players can shorten the duration by shooting at it. That way it can work more as a distraction tool since it's both more threatening but it can be weakened by the enemy. Basically turn it into a giant splash wall.

 

[Lonely_Dolphin]

Not only is the only point scorer special aside from Bomb Rush,

This is exactly why it needs a buff, it's completely outclassed by bomb rush (namely the suction n splat versions) in both zoning and turf spreading. Even the whole ink spreading after time expires in Turf war can be done with bomb rush so it doesn't even have that niche. There's really no reason to use this over any other special so it's gotta be improved.

Give it a suction effect perhaps? Like an implosion?
Ink Mines could use that too.

Naw the trade off for it's essentially infinite range is it's relatively avoidable like the Killer Wail.

I don't think you can really change the inkstrike too much without making it fundamentally not the inkstrike. For pure area control, the wail is way better. The inkstrike excels in getting a ton of ink down fast without risk of failure. That's why it's used in turf wars and splat zones. I suppose you could make it bigger to try to compete with the wail, but they already have different functions. I suppose if you wanted to improve it for splat zones, make it so you can't shoot into it to negate the ink until it's done. It works for bombs, it should work for guns too.

Or here's an interesting idea. Make it larger, stay up longer, and can't be inked inside until done, but enemy players can shorten the duration by shooting at it. That way it can work more as a distraction tool since it's both more threatening but it can be weakened by the enemy. Basically turn it into a giant splash wall.

It already only last 2 seconds so not sure about that, especially if you don't remove the end delay since you really wouldn't be able to take advantage of it then.

 

[LMG]

I don't really think that the Inkstrike needs a buff. While rare, seeing a team full of weapons with Inkstrikes in Turf Wars pretty much spells doom for the other team more often than not (during the Splatfest I got to see a match end followed by 4 enemy Inkstrikes on our base; we literally lost the whole base and we couldn't do anything about it). One thing I never understood is the reason why so many think the Inkstrike is useless; if it's not good at Splatting enemies maybe it wasn't meant to be. It's the only Special that reliably covers a decent amount of Turf anywhere on the map; I've splatted more enemies with bomb rush active than Inkstrikes, and even then they usually get to launch the missile anyways

 

[RascalTC]

Hopefully this will be a rather nuanced post...

I think the reason why Echo and Inkzooka (especially Inkzooka) had their points-to-activate increased was so that you couldn't come into mid at that start of a match and basically have one ready to go. So that is to say, you have to win "the neutral" (as a Smash player would call it) first to be able to get the chance to use it, rather than using it to win the neutral. As for Kraken, I think the points increase was them running out of ideas on how to nerf it without making it crap.

So with that logic in mind... If I had to guess why Inkstrike didn't get its points-needed decreased unlike Killer Wail, it's probably because they didn't want people to get to the closest zone in a dual-zones Splatzones match, take it and then fire an Inkstrike onto the other zone for an instant "we took the lead!" (Even though the other team would likely take the closest zone right back? I dunno lol.) You could also apply this to Rainmaker. If someone wants to Inkstrike the Rainmaker's shield first thing of the match, they should be forced to sit around and farm for a bit instead of getting their special pretty much ready as soon as they reach the middle of the map. I'm not sure if anything I've said so far is the case, I'm just speculating. For all I know the reason they left it at 180p was because they thought to themselves "Oooooooh no mister, the RG, Inkbrush and 89 are already throwing Inkstrikes left and right as it is!"

I really couldn't see any harm in shaving off some of that vulnerability though. It's stupid how you have to GTFO of the action just to use it (and Splatoon is quite the fast-paced game when it wants to be).

 

[Lonely_Dolphin]

I don't really think that the Inkstrike needs a buff. While rare, seeing a team full of weapons with Inkstrikes in Turf Wars pretty much spells doom for the other team more often than not (during the Splatfest I got to see a match end followed by 4 enemy Inkstrikes on our base; we literally lost the whole base and we couldn't do anything about it). One thing I never understood is the reason why so many think the Inkstrike is useless; if it's not good at Splatting enemies maybe it wasn't meant to be. It's the only Special that reliably covers a decent amount of Turf anywhere on the map; I've splatted more enemies with bomb rush active than Inkstrikes, and even then they usually get to launch the missile anyways

I somewhat explained why in the post above yours, no not why it's useless, no one ever said that I don't think, just why it's underwhelming and outclassed. That's assuming it's being used correctly of course. Using it just to spread ink is borderline useless as your main weapon can spread the same amount of ink in the same or less amount of time. Even bomb rushes I wouldn't use purely to gain map control with, much better off saving them for their zoning capabilitys even in Turf War.

Now yeah the Inkstrike does have infinite range, and I see by your underlined part that you're making it out to be an advantage over the bomb rush for turf coverage, but it actually isn't. The range is more for it's zoning than it's ink spread, because outside of the last couple seconds in Turf War, there's no point laying ink down way out of your reach. You can't possibly hope to defend n hold that ink you put right next to their spawn, and it boggles my mind that I still see people in Turf War doing it constantly. All it does is give the enemy free special charge.

Additionally, due to the long delay which forces you hide away so you don't die, it's hard to take advantage of the turf spread before the enemy just inks over it, whereas with Bomb Rush you can be right there adding on to the pressure. So okay, the Inkstrike still outranges Bomb Rush, but then, the Killer Wail exist. If ya want zoning + ink coverage, theres Bomb Rush, pure long range zoning, go Killer Wail. The Inkstrike was probably supposed to be a mesh of the two where it's effect is weaker than both at what they do, but still can do both their jobs making it more versatile, but as said in the beginning of this paragraph, it kinda fails at fulfilling Bomb Rushes roles. The buffs I suggested would fix all that though.

I've killed way more inklings using Inkstrike than Bomb Rush, especially this past Splatfest, but regardless the fact is Bomb Rush does not hinder your survivability whereas Inkstrike does, and launching the missle definitely doesn't make up for dying.

 

[Lonely_Dolphin]

Hopefully this will be a rather nuanced post...

I think the reason why Echo and Inkzooka (especially Inkzooka) had their points-to-activate increased was so that you couldn't come into mid at that start of a match and basically have one ready to go. So that is to say, you have to win "the neutral" (as a Smash player would call it) first to be able to get the chance to use it, rather than using it to win the neutral. As for Kraken, I think the points increase was them running out of ideas on how to nerf it without making it crap.

So with that logic in mind... If I had to guess why Inkstrike didn't get its points-needed decreased unlike Killer Wail, it's probably because they didn't want people to get to the closest zone in a dual-zones Splatzones match, take it and then fire an Inkstrike onto the other zone for an instant "we took the lead!" (Even though the other team would likely take the closest zone right back? I dunno lol.) You could also apply this to Rainmaker. If someone wants to Inkstrike the Rainmaker's shield first thing of the match, they should be forced to sit around and farm for a bit instead of getting their special pretty much ready as soon as they reach the middle of the map. I'm not sure if anything I've said so far is the case, I'm just speculating. For all I know the reason they left it at 180p was because they thought to themselves "Oooooooh no mister, the RG, Inkbrush and 89 are already throwing Inkstrikes left and right as it is!"

I really couldn't see any harm in shaving off some of that vulnerability though. It's stupid how you have to GTFO of the action just to use it (and Splatoon is quite the fast-paced game when it wants to be).

Possibly, but we know for sure it simply boils down to those specials being uber good and heavily used since they were singled out. Killer Wail buff I feel was because it's always on the less popular variant of the weapons it comes with. Krak-On Roller is definitely more used than the vanilla, vanilla Dual Squelcher more so than the Custom, Custom Blaster more than vanilla, Splat Charger more than Kelp (though both are used a lot), only exception is the .52 Gal, and guess what special it's alternate has! So I thought for sure thought for sure they'd decrease the Inkstrikes point requirement since it's pretty much always on the least popular varia-, ...oh right, all those Aerospray and N-Zap 89 nubs. So help me if they're the reason it hasn't been buffed!

 

[Zombie Aladdin]

Now yeah the Inkstrike does have infinite range, and I see by your underlined part that you're making it out to be an advantage over the bomb rush for turf coverage, but it actually isn't. The range is more for it's zoning than it's ink spread, because outside of the last couple seconds in Turf War, there's no point laying ink down way out of your reach. You can't possibly hope to defend n hold that ink you put right next to their spawn, and it boggles my mind that I still see people in Turf War doing it constantly. All it does is give the enemy free special charge.

They can still be useful for slowing down and distracting opponents. The next person to get splatted on the opponent's team will most likely have to go and clean that up, losing valuable time on top of the time spent waiting to respawn and the time spent actually respawning. It's why teams sometimes win Turf Wars matches by rushing over to the opposing side and laying a bunch of ink, then returning to their own side to cover ground, with one or two people remaining on the far side: It keeps the enemy team busy on their own side. I observed this happening a lot in the Pirates vs. Ninjas Splatfest, especially in Camp Triggerfish.

"Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted." -Sun Tzu

 

[Lonely_Dolphin]

They can still be useful for slowing down and distracting opponents. The next person to get splatted on the opponent's team will most likely have to go and clean that up, losing valuable time on top of the time spent waiting to respawn and the time spent actually respawning. It's why teams sometimes win Turf Wars matches by rushing over to the opposing side and laying a bunch of ink, then returning to their own side to cover ground, with one or two people remaining on the far side: It keeps the enemy team busy on their own side. I observed this happening a lot in the Pirates vs. Ninjas Splatfest, especially in Camp Triggerfish.

"Whoever is first in the field and awaits the coming of the enemy, will be fresh for the fight; whoever is second in the field and has to hasten to battle will arrive exhausted." -Sun Tzu

Except you're also slowing yourself down by using it, and you lose your special while the opponent adds to theirs, so definitely not a favorable trade off. Regardless, that usage of is it win-moar, you still have to actually get into a winning position for that to do the very little it does. It'll have a much greater impact using it to help send opponent's back to spawn in the first place.

 

[Hero of Lime]

Does special duration do anything for the inkstrike? If not, that would be a good place to start. Other than that, I would agree to either having the inkstrike land quicker, or making the launching animation shorter. However, I've rarely been killed while using an inkstrike, I always head to a secluded area to use it, or even just move slightly away from a firefight to unleash it if I need to do so quickly.

It definitely needs a buff in some way. Even if it is nice in turf wars, it can take just a few seconds for the enemy team to clean up the mess it makes if they have a weapon with decent ink output. The same goes for Splatzones. If one team has the zone under control, the inkstrike may get them to lose control, but they can get it right back if there is little to no resistance from the other team.