Splatoon 2 Metagame Poll

[ThatOneGuy]

Hey, I'm just doing a small poll to see what metagame or what phase of the competitive game was the most enjoyable for you. Just because enjoying the game and playing to whatever you perceive as "balanced" is very important for competitive games to keep living on. Also, try to think of playing against these metas, as opposed to using the most popular tactics at the time.

Also, I'm not going to be asking for 2.3.0 since it's only been out a couple days, and it really hasn't solidified a metagame yet.

Anyway, let me give you some detail before you vote, if you don't know what I'm talking about.

Spoiler: Version 1.0.0 -1.2.0

The version that started off splatoon 2 and had ink armor / inkjet as the premier specials
The most common weapons were

Spoiler: Version 1.3.0

Inkjet and Ink armor get nerfed, and stingray + baller get massive buffs. With Baller being by far the most popular special. Splashdown and Ink storm receive some buffs as well.

The most common weapons were

Spoiler: Version 1.4.0

Baller gets some nerfs, making it not nearly as prevalent as before. Multiple main weapons such as the Splattershot Pro and Splat Brella get quite noticeable buffs. Stingray and Ink Storm become the premier specials. Developing a meta based on gaining chip damage from both stingray and ink storm to secure kills.

The most common weapons were

Spoiler: Version 2.0.0

After a huge patch of new content, the developers patch the game again. Nerfing Inkstorm and giving an indirect nerf to the stingray, as recovery time is reduced to just 1 second instead of 1.5, making chip damage overall less appealing. And after some buffs from 1.4.0, armor becomes popular again, with stingray hanging on. Also the tri slosher gets some of it's buffs reverted.

The most common weapons were

Spoiler: Version 2.1.0 - 2.2.0

This patch marks the release of clam blitz, making players adjust to the game mode and try to find the best strategies to tackle the gamemode. Through testing, the bubble blower was deemed as one of the best specials. As it had a clear boon for clam blitz. The vanilla blaster also recieved an endlag reduction buff. The splat brella and range blaster are nerfed in this patch as well. As a result, ink armor stays as a popular special, along with bubble blower.

The most popular weapons were:

 

[Hero of Lime]

They all have some very frustrating points to them, so it's hard to pick a favorite. I think it's a toss up between 2.0 and 1.4. I felt in both instances that while there were weapons that were the clear meta kings, they could be countered without too much trouble. I may give the edge to 2.0 since people were going all in on the vanilla splattershot. It promoted very reckless aggression that they could survive so long as they had their splashdown. As someone who prefers playing the Tentatek Splattershot, I would lose so many duels because of their burst bombs, and get out of jail free splashdowns.

 

[Dessgeega]

I voted 1.4, ink storm wasn't as ridiculous and the weapon variety was more interesting. I'd sooner take being buried in lasers and rain again over the current meta where you press in the right stick and someone on the enemy team loses a fight.

 

[Elecmaw]

There are different aspects of all patches that I'd like. I really liked Inkjet at launch because it's a pretty cool special but nowadays it's way too risky with the inflated hitbox. But at the same time Stingray was easily the worst special in the game (can you imagine that?), and any weapon that had it was shoved outside of the meta. Likewise short-ranged weapons easily dominated the meta, with anything above splattershot range having no presence at all.

2.0 onwards is by far the most stable as there isn't anything as egregious as the Tri roaming the battlefields, but it's also relentlessly boring. All the meta weapons are low-skill, high-reward with only very few exceptions. Armor spam is still as powerful as ever.

I'm going to be dull and say that it's 1.4 that's my favorite one of the bunch. Mid-range weapons got some much needed buffs, giving some variety in the meta. Brella was also a fun and interesting weapon to use.

 

[AllToonedUp]

I would have to say 1.4. The meta wasn't as crazy at the time oh god how I do not miss the Baller/Tri-slosher meta and the variety of weapons was neat. Plus the weapons listed were dominate by no doubt, but still had realistic counters and the specials weren't extremely overpowering such as 1.3.

I'd rather dodge lasers and sit in the rain vs the "press this button and watch your enemy die" meta we have right now.

 

[Mar$el]

It's a bit hard for me not to say 2.2 or whatever because I've gotten so much better during these times but I think I'm gonna go with 1.4. I miss range blaster... But I really do like the way the game is now (though deactivation time on armor needs a nerf...)

 

[MindWanderer]

I don't remember the vanilla Blaster being meta in 1.4, or the Custom Blaster in 2.1.

In general I feel like each patch has been an improvement on the one before. Ink Armor is still a bit OP, but I wouldn't go back to any previous version.

 

[ThatOneGuy]

I don't remember the vanilla Blaster being meta in 1.4, or the Custom Blaster in 2.1.

In 1.4, the range blaster is displayed there. And I don't know where you got custom blaster for 2.1, that's just the vanilla blaster there.

 

[The Salamander King]

The game right now is decently balanced, will most of the meta weapons having some sort of counter. All we really need is a few small nerfs to Armour, Bubbles, Splashdown, and Blaster along with decent buffs to things like Carbon and Inkbrush to make this game fairly balanced.

 

[Goont]

I don't see a defintive meta. There's a few weapons I can name off the top of my head that are a bit underused competitively- Dyamo, Glooga, and the E-liters. I think all three of weapons either need a damage buff a complete re-work of their identity. They're supposed to be the "Heavy-hitter" of that weapon type, but they all feel very underpowered. (Dynamo at least needs a range buff to make it more like its S1 counterpart) On the bright side, all the major balance issues I need with the game are weapons being underpowered- We don't have a overpowered meta of a weapon. See a really good Sploosh main? Counter that with a more range-focus Splash-o-matic. Really good Charger main? Time to go Dualies Squechlers and take them on range-to-range, or surprise 'em with the tentamissles.

 

[MindWanderer]

In 1.4, the range blaster is displayed there. And I don't know where you got custom blaster for 2.1, that's just the vanilla blaster there.

I'm not good at distinguishing the tiny icons, but the mouseover text is what I said.

 

[RoronoaTREY15]

From a pure hilarity standpoint, it was 1.3. It wasn’t fun to play against, unless you yourself picked it, then it was hillarious.

My favorite is the current meta tho. I feel like the game constantly tries to stay balanced, and although some weapons are superior, I feel as if it is possible to pick a wide variety.