Jr. Becoming More Popular?

[Calamari]

I dunno if it's just me, but I've been seeing a sudden burst in popularity in the Jr. lately. At least one in every game, to be honest. Anyone else?

 

[Ber]

Haven't really paid attention but I don't think I've seen more that 4 Jr. in my last 20 games

 

[redacteddd]

Jr. has always been popular live and learn

 

[Calamari]

Jr. has always been popular live and learn

Maybe I haven't been playing enough Turf War as of late, so when I did I just saw a lot.

 

[Gameboy224]

Jr. have always been a pretty popular weapon for Turf Wars especially since they are legitimately really good in Turf Wars for their constant spray, easy mobility, and good diverse set-up.

 

[Hero of Lime]

They are common enough to notice. Not just with newer players either, it's not uncommon to see level 40s and 50 using a Jr., and putting in some serious work with it too.

 

[HappyBear801]

I've been seeing a bit of a rise in the Custom Splattershot Jr., now that you mention it. Might be because how good that weapon is with Defense Up, and how much more useful Defense Up has gotten after the patch.

 

[ILikeKirbys]

The Splattershot Jr. and its Custom variant are weapons I've noticed in Ranked (mostly the former, but I saw a Custom tonight), mostly for how frustrating they can be sometimes. As for why they're popular...

Well, they're available very early. The regular Splattershot Jr. is the first weapon you're allowed to use; in fact, it's the only weapon you can use until you level up once (and purchase other weapons from Sheldon). The Custom variant is unlocked very early on in Octo Valley, and can be purchased at level 2, so it's also able to be used shortly after you start playing Splatoon. Since they're both available very early, players can get used to Splatoon's mechanics with them (I think the Jr. is fairly well-made for this purpose), and may wind up sticking with them because those are the weapons they have the most experience with.

Or maybe it's because people try out the other weapons, but come back to the Splattershot Jr. due to how well-rounded it is.
Its Splat Bombs let it handle combat outside of its main shot range (and okayish longish-range ability with a Bomb Range Up or a handful), and Bubbler gives you the ability to not die, which is nice on a shorter-range shooter. Additionally, while its main shot is shortish-ranged and has a fairly wide spread (not Aerospray wide, but still fairly wide), it covers turf very quickly and fires at a good speed, allowing it to get kills somewhat quickly and charge Bubbler very quickly. Yeah, its range isn't great (Splat Bombs can help with this, but only so much), and it's fairly weak, but if the pros outweigh the cons for you, it's fairly easy to make it work.

As for the Custom Jr, it's a fairly simple support weapon. Its Disruptors (which I'm pretty sure is affected by Bomb Range Ups) are fairly inexpensive (I want to say around 60% of a tank before Ink Saver Subs) and can slow the movement and ink recovery speeds of enemies, effectively crippling them for a bit so you or a teammate can splat them. Echolocator is very useful, and the Custom Jr. builds it fairly quickly, so you can get them off fairly often if you can stay alive. Of course, staying alive can be a problem, since your main shot still has the Jr's only-okay range and low damage and the Custom lacks Bubbler to prevent untimely deaths from enemies noticing you. It's a bit trickier than the regular Jr (mostly because it lacks Bubbler, holy carp does that thing make life easier), but it can be quite effective as a support tool (not so much for combat, you're limited to ambushes and finishing off Disruptor'd foes, though to be fair its Disruptor/Echolocator loadout gives you the tools to do these things).

Alternatively, maybe people just get curious about weapons they haven't used in a while, such as the Jrs, and hop on Ranked with them to try them out. I know I do that, so maybe other people do as well.

I've been seeing a bit of a rise in the Custom Splattershot Jr., now that you mention it. Might be because how good that weapon is with Defense Up, and how much more useful Defense Up has gotten after the patch.

Ah, how is Defense Up good with the Custom Jr? And how did Defense Up get better post-patch?

 

[HappyBear801]

The Splattershot Jr. and its Custom variant are weapons I've noticed in Ranked (mostly the former, but I saw a Custom tonight), mostly for how frustrating they can be sometimes. As for why they're popular...

Well, they're available very early. The regular Splattershot Jr. is the first weapon you're allowed to use; in fact, it's the only weapon you can use until you level up once (and purchase other weapons from Sheldon). The Custom variant is unlocked very early on in Octo Valley, and can be purchased at level 2, so it's also able to be used shortly after you start playing Splatoon. Since they're both available very early, players can get used to Splatoon's mechanics with them (I think the Jr. is fairly well-made for this purpose), and may wind up sticking with them because those are the weapons they have the most experience with.

Or maybe it's because people try out the other weapons, but come back to the Splattershot Jr. due to how well-rounded it is.
Its Splat Bombs let it handle combat outside of its main shot range (and okayish longish-range ability with a Bomb Range Up or a handful), and Bubbler gives you the ability to not die, which is nice on a shorter-range shooter. Additionally, while its main shot is shortish-ranged and has a fairly wide spread (not Aerospray wide, but still fairly wide), it covers turf very quickly and fires at a good speed, allowing it to get kills somewhat quickly and charge Bubbler very quickly. Yeah, its range isn't great (Splat Bombs can help with this, but only so much), and it's fairly weak, but if the pros outweigh the cons for you, it's fairly easy to make it work.

As for the Custom Jr, it's a fairly simple support weapon. Its Disruptors (which I'm pretty sure is affected by Bomb Range Ups) are fairly inexpensive (I want to say around 60% of a tank before Ink Saver Subs) and can slow the movement and ink recovery speeds of enemies, effectively crippling them for a bit so you or a teammate can splat them. Echolocator is very useful, and the Custom Jr. builds it fairly quickly, so you can get them off fairly often if you can stay alive. Of course, staying alive can be a problem, since your main shot still has the Jr's only-okay range and low damage and the Custom lacks Bubbler to prevent untimely deaths from enemies noticing you. It's a bit trickier than the regular Jr (mostly because it lacks Bubbler, holy carp does that thing make life easier), but it can be quite effective as a support tool (not so much for combat, you're limited to ambushes and finishing off Disruptor'd foes, though to be fair its Disruptor/Echolocator loadout gives you the tools to do these things).

Alternatively, maybe people just get curious about weapons they haven't used in a while, such as the Jrs, and hop on Ranked with them to try them out. I know I do that, so maybe other people do as well.


Ah, how is Defense Up good with the Custom Jr? And how did Defense Up get better post-patch?

Defense Up just mot more important because now it prevents E-Liters from one-shotting without a full charge, and it helps one-shot Blasters to not kill with the side of the blast. Ink Resistance Up helps too in that case.

 

[crunchgames]

The Splattershot Jr is great for putting pressure on the enemies and you can play defense with it as well.

 

[C.A.]

The Jr. has always been popular, both in Ranked and (obviously) Turf War. I've seen Japanese teams in which all members run the Jr. and coordinate their bubbles amongst themselves for aggressive pushes. It's a weapon you will see more often in Squads than solo queue, but I have always encountered them, even during the pre-August patch days.

 

[Blue24]

The Splattershot Jr. and its Custom variant are weapons I've noticed in Ranked (mostly the former, but I saw a Custom tonight), mostly for how frustrating they can be sometimes. As for why they're popular...

Well, they're available very early. The regular Splattershot Jr. is the first weapon you're allowed to use; in fact, it's the only weapon you can use until you level up once (and purchase other weapons from Sheldon). The Custom variant is unlocked very early on in Octo Valley, and can be purchased at level 2, so it's also able to be used shortly after you start playing Splatoon. Since they're both available very early, players can get used to Splatoon's mechanics with them (I think the Jr. is fairly well-made for this purpose), and may wind up sticking with them because those are the weapons they have the most experience with.

Or maybe it's because people try out the other weapons, but come back to the Splattershot Jr. due to how well-rounded it is.
Its Splat Bombs let it handle combat outside of its main shot range (and okayish longish-range ability with a Bomb Range Up or a handful), and Bubbler gives you the ability to not die, which is nice on a shorter-range shooter. Additionally, while its main shot is shortish-ranged and has a fairly wide spread (not Aerospray wide, but still fairly wide), it covers turf very quickly and fires at a good speed, allowing it to get kills somewhat quickly and charge Bubbler very quickly. Yeah, its range isn't great (Splat Bombs can help with this, but only so much), and it's fairly weak, but if the pros outweigh the cons for you, it's fairly easy to make it work.

As for the Custom Jr, it's a fairly simple support weapon. Its Disruptors (which I'm pretty sure is affected by Bomb Range Ups) are fairly inexpensive (I want to say around 60% of a tank before Ink Saver Subs) and can slow the movement and ink recovery speeds of enemies, effectively crippling them for a bit so you or a teammate can splat them. Echolocator is very useful, and the Custom Jr. builds it fairly quickly, so you can get them off fairly often if you can stay alive. Of course, staying alive can be a problem, since your main shot still has the Jr's only-okay range and low damage and the Custom lacks Bubbler to prevent untimely deaths from enemies noticing you. It's a bit trickier than the regular Jr (mostly because it lacks Bubbler, holy carp does that thing make life easier), but it can be quite effective as a support tool (not so much for combat, you're limited to ambushes and finishing off Disruptor'd foes, though to be fair its Disruptor/Echolocator loadout gives you the tools to do these things).

Alternatively, maybe people just get curious about weapons they haven't used in a while, such as the Jrs, and hop on Ranked with them to try them out. I know I do that, so maybe other people do as well.


Ah, how is Defense Up good with the Custom Jr? And how did Defense Up get better post-patch?

A WIP writeup i wrote for my squad out of boredom regarding defense up and why some may see it as important: https://docs.google.com/document/d/...xCbbpCzjIA5FAbg6YJoSF7I/edit?usp=docslist_api

 

[dbrandts]

The Jr. is my go-to weapon for turf war. The only weakness for me are chargers, but those are far and few in turf wars.

 

[blu]

The Jr. is my go-to weapon for turf war. The only weakness for me are chargers, but those are far and few in turf wars.

you can close the gap with a bomb range up main which will allow you to reach those perchs with minimum effort. I find that it is easier to throw one at chargers in places like moray towers and Ancho-V, and for those slightly out of reach, just get a good running start to give it more reach.

 

[dbrandts]

Thank you! I will entertain this bomb range up ability to my current set.

 

[RamenNoodles]

IMG_0440.JPG
This is the most Jr"s I have seen in a match.

 

[Cake or Death]

The Jr is great for Turf War, there's no doubt. I've been able to sway the tide of battle in the last ten seconds by quickly spraying down a map's mid section.

However I think the Jr is subpar in ranked. Maybe it's my lack of skill at the game, or I need more games to really get used to the Jr and discover its role in a team, but it just seems to get outclassed by everything. It's hard to counter Chargers and your Inkling is reduced to atoms in close range by Blasters or the all too common .52 or .96 Deco. Being slaughtered at long ranges is forgivable but it's really hard to see a gun as viable in ranked when there are guns that fire at a similar range to the Jr that just run circles around it.

Sadly the only way I can see the Jr being really useful in ranked (take this with a pinch of salt because I am in no way an expert at this game, so tell me if I'm wrong) is for Nintendo to buff it to make the Jr a three shot kill. But I think that would make it OP.

The Jr's one saving grace is the bubble shield. I tried the Jr on Tower Control, with three Defense-Up Mains, and you're able to tank some damage while sitting on the tower. Not into bombs as a subweapon though. I think the Jr would be a much better support weapon in ranked if it had the Splash Wall. Imagine a Splash Wall + Bubbler! That'd be awesome.

Just my opinion though guys. What do you think?

 

[Dessgeega]

The entire Splattershot family is the Mario of this game, to varying degrees. As such, they will eternally be popular to one degree or another.

 

[Cake or Death]

The entire Splattershot family is the Mario of this game, to varying degrees. As such, they will eternally be popular to one degree or another.

Is the Splattershot Jr Toad? :D

 

[Hikaru54]

The only reeason people use the Jr. is because of it's set. And if the splash o matic with splat bombs and bubbler is real, then no one will use the Jr, because the splash, is exactly the same, but with more accuracy and range.