Rebalancing All Shooters

OnePotWonder

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After several hours of study regarding the shooter class, both through Inkipedia and field research, I have precisely determined how to nerf all of the overtuned shooters, along with which undertuned ones should be buffed.

It's become increasingly clear over the course of my previous shooter posts, the perfect stat to target when nerfing meta shooters is ink efficiency. Every strong short-range shooter can fire continuously for at least ten seconds, which is ridiculous and unnecessary when combined with their other strong stats across the board. This supreme ink efficiency heavily contributes to shooters' overbearing paint and bomb usage, and it removes skill expression by making it so short-range shooters barely ever have to watch their ink tank.
I only see net positives with these nerfs; shooters get to keep their immediate paint power and fast kill times, and only lose out on sustained paint and uptime. Meanwhile everything else doesn't have to deal with a map 70% coated in enemy ink the entire match because the other team had two more short-range shooters than them.

As a final note, this post will be the first in a series covering every weapon class. Next up is rollers, and I definitely have some ideas for them.

Without any further ado, onto the changes:

Sploosh-o-matic/Splash-o-matic
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.8% to 1%

The o-matic twins are both in spots where they could use slap on the wrist nerfs due to using annoying one-note tactics. The ink efficiency nerf wouldn't mean much for the constantly-swimming Splooshes, but it would have a noteworthy impact on Neo Splash's special output.

Splattershot Jr.
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.43% to 0.7%
Ink tank has a custom model to show 110% capacity


To call Splattershot Jr.'s ink efficiency extra doesn't do it justice. This weapon can fire continuously for over twenty seconds straight, thanks to its less than half of a percent ink consumption per shot combined with its large ink tank. It should still be ink efficient for new players, but what it has currently is just ridiculous. Its larger ink tank has regrettably become a staple of the weapon's identity, but since that's the case, it should have a unique model to differentiate it like it had in Splatoon 2.

Aerospray
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.5% to 0.8%
Initial chance to shoot wide decreased from 6% to 1%
Increase in chance to shoot wide per shot changed from 3% to 1% + 0.5% per shot


Aerospray is getting a unique buff to compensate for its ink efficiency nerf. The weapon's initial accuracy would be changed to be roughly equal to Splattershot and Splattershot Pro (bar angle of spread) but its accuracy would decrease severely over time, with an increase in chance to shoot wide (toward the outer reticle) per shot per shot. This gives Aerospray some much-needed fighting power without removing its spray paint.

Splattershot
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.92% to 1.4%

Splattershot is supposed to be a fighting weapon, which is why it's receiving a much more severe ink consumption nerf than other meta shooters. This increase puts Splattershot's ink efficiency more in line with Splattershot Pro's, and puts the weapon in a more reasonable spot.

.52 Gal
Ink consumption per shot increased from 1.3% to 1.9%
Delay between shots increased from 9 frames to 10 frames


We all know the .52 Gal as one of the most oppressive and annoying weapons in the game, which is why it's getting the most severe nerfs out of any weapon in this thread. It would go from the third-most ink efficient shooter to in league with long-range shooters, and it would also receive a fire rate nerf to further reduce its paint and pressure. With these changes, .52 Gal would be effectively kicked out of top tier, and down into high tier where it belongs.

N-ZAP
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.8% to 1.1%
Damage per shot decreased from 30.0 to 26.0
Increase in chance to shoot wide per shot reverted from 0.5% to 1%


N-ZAP is a shooter with a unique gimmick to give it an edge over its support shooter competition: Fast strafe speed. So, pray tell, why does it also have higher DPS and better accuracy falloff than almost every other short-range shooter? N-ZAP received multiple unnecessary buffs while Snipewriter was dominant and all of them should be reverted with the exception of its spread angle buff. The weapon's strafe speed and kits make it clear that it's designed to be a support/skirmisher; I would lower its damage to 26 to clearly shoehorn it into the role.

Splattershot Pro
Ink consumption per shot increased from 2.0% to 2.1%
Range increased by ~3.3%
Strafe speed increased from 0.055 to 0.06 units per frame


Splattershot Pro is already the least ink efficient shooter, but it can still fire for 6.6 seconds straight and generally doesn't need to consider running any Ink Saver (Main), so nerfing its efficiency a bit further still seems fair, especially with the two buffs it would also receive. Switching from short-range to long-range shooter territory, changes will be shifting toward more buffs than nerfs.

.96 Gal
Ink consumption per shot increased from 2.3% to 2.4%
Damage per shot increased from 62.0 to 68.0


.96 Gal is one of the weapons that wasn't compensated for the negative impact of Main Power Up's removal. In Splatoon 2, it could run MPU to buff its damage per shot up to 70 for the sake of combos. A damage buff to get it most of the way there seems like apt compensation for the slight ink efficiency nerf I've given it, keeping it equally strong and marginally less irritating.

Jet Squelcher
Ink consumption per shot increased from 1.6% to 2.0%
End lag increased from 4 frames to 6 frames


Jet Squelcher, the bane of the backline role. This weapon is Snipewriter on steroids, sacrificing range for even more paint spam with no charge time startup. It was so strong at the end of Splatoon 2 that Nintendo intentionally handicapped it with weaker kits in Splatoon 3. In order to release it from kit purgatory, the main weapon will need some nerfs. Ink efficiency is effective as always, and an end lag increase will make the weapon uniquely slower and more vulnerable than the other short- and mid-range members of its class.

Splattershot Nova
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.96% to 1.1%
Maximum chance to shoot wide decreased from 25% to 10%


Nintendo either lied about this weapon or forgot to implement its promised gimmick of having no accuracy falloff. Splattershot Nova's initial chance to shoot wide at 10% was supposed to be compensated by that being the maximum chance to shoot wide, but it instead scales to a 25% chance to shoot wide over a meagre five shots. With its proper accuracy, this weapon could actually function as a unique long-range location support; possibly even in the current meta with how valuable Point Sensor and Killer Wail 5.1 are.

L-3 Nozzlenose
Ink consumption per shot increased from 1.15% to 1.2%
Mid-air shot spread removed; now perfectly accurate while jumping


L-3 Nozzlenose is an interesting case. It's not dead because its main weapon is particularly weak, it's dead because both of its kits are outclassed by multiple stronger weapons; Splash-o-matic, Splat Dualies, Mini Splatling, etc.. The only thing I think the main weapon needs in terms of buffs is perfect mid-air accuracy. In order for the weapon to slot into any meta, Curling Bomb would need to be reworked into a combo sub.

H-3 Nozzlenose
Ink consumption per shot decreased from 2.25% to 2.2%
Delay between bursts decreased from 20 frames to 16 frames


Where's the fun in being realistic? H-3 Nozzlenose is the shooter with the most skill expression by a landslide (bar Squeezer as a close second), it has two decent kits in the current meta and it fills out a much needed midline Tacticooler role. The weapon was gutted in more ways than one in the transition from Splatoon 2 to Splatoon 3; it lost its MPU two-shot, its Suction Bomb, its ability to counter the main meta special, and it never got its post-MPU nerfs reverted. A four frame burst fire rate buff doesn't even seem unjustified.

Squeezer
Ink consumption per spread mode shot increased from 1.08% to 1.2%
Minimum delay between tap shots increased from 8 frames to 9 frames
Tap shot damage increased from 38.0 to 41.0
Maximum angle shots can deviate in spread mode decreased from 8 to 5 degrees


Last but not least, the most powerful shooter in the game for the longest time; Squeezer. It would finally get the 1 frame fire rate nerf that every Splattershot Pro player has been praying for (which would also reduce its mashing requirement), and to compensate its tap shots would deal enough damage to combo with two of its slightly more accurate spread mode shots. This means Squeezer would sacrifice kill time at a distance for kill time up close, which should be a win for everybody.


Thank you for taking the time to read through this post; constructive feedback is appreciated as always.
Hopefully the thread won't explode this time.
Have a wonderful day!
 

L0wded

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SAMICOM

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After several hours of study regarding the shooter class, both through Inkipedia and field research, I have precisely determined how to nerf all of the overtuned shooters, along with which undertuned ones should be buffed.

It's become increasingly clear over the course of my previous shooter posts, the perfect stat to target when nerfing meta shooters is ink efficiency. Every strong short-range shooter can fire continuously for at least ten seconds, which is ridiculous and unnecessary when combined with their other strong stats across the board. This supreme ink efficiency heavily contributes to shooters' overbearing paint and bomb usage, and it removes skill expression by making it so short-range shooters barely ever have to watch their ink tank.
I only see net positives with these nerfs; shooters get to keep their immediate paint power and fast kill times, and only lose out on sustained paint and uptime. Meanwhile everything else doesn't have to deal with a map 70% coated in enemy ink the entire match because the other team had two more short-range shooters than them.

As a final note, this post will be the first in a series covering every weapon class. Next up is rollers, and I definitely have some ideas for them.

Without any further ado, onto the changes:

Sploosh-o-matic/Splash-o-matic
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.8% to 1%

The o-matic twins are both in spots where they could use slap on the wrist nerfs due to using annoying one-note tactics. The ink efficiency nerf wouldn't mean much for the constantly-swimming Splooshes, but it would have a noteworthy impact on Neo Splash's special output.

Splattershot Jr.
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.43% to 0.7%
Ink tank has a custom model to show 110% capacity


To call Splattershot Jr.'s ink efficiency extra doesn't do it justice. This weapon can fire continuously for over twenty seconds straight, thanks to its less than half of a percent ink consumption per shot combined with its large ink tank. It should still be ink efficient for new players, but what it has currently is just ridiculous. Its larger ink tank has regrettably become a staple of the weapon's identity, but since that's the case, it should have a unique model to differentiate it like it had in Splatoon 2.

Aerospray
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.5% to 0.8%
Initial chance to shoot wide decreased from 6% to 1%
Increase in chance to shoot wide per shot changed from 3% to 1% + 0.5% per shot


Aerospray is getting a unique buff to compensate for its ink efficiency nerf. The weapon's initial accuracy would be changed to be roughly equal to Splattershot and Splattershot Pro (bar angle of spread) but its accuracy would decrease severely over time, with an increase in chance to shoot wide (toward the outer reticle) per shot per shot. This gives Aerospray some much-needed fighting power without removing its spray paint.

Splattershot
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.92% to 1.4%

Splattershot is supposed to be a fighting weapon, which is why it's receiving a much more severe ink consumption nerf than other meta shooters. This increase puts Splattershot's ink efficiency more in line with Splattershot Pro's, and puts the weapon in a more reasonable spot.

.52 Gal
Ink consumption per shot increased from 1.3% to 1.9%
Delay between shots increased from 9 frames to 10 frames


We all know the .52 Gal as one of the most oppressive and annoying weapons in the game, which is why it's getting the most severe nerfs out of any weapon in this thread. It would go from the third-most ink efficient shooter to in league with long-range shooters, and it would also receive a fire rate nerf to further reduce its paint and pressure. With these changes, .52 Gal would be effectively kicked out of top tier, and down into high tier where it belongs.

N-ZAP
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.8% to 1.1%
Damage per shot decreased from 30.0 to 26.0
Increase in chance to shoot wide per shot reverted from 0.5% to 1%


N-ZAP is a shooter with a unique gimmick to give it an edge over its support shooter competition: Fast strafe speed. So, pray tell, why does it also have higher DPS and better accuracy falloff than almost every other short-range shooter? N-ZAP received multiple unnecessary buffs while Snipewriter was dominant and all of them should be reverted with the exception of its spread angle buff. The weapon's strafe speed and kits make it clear that it's designed to be a support/skirmisher; I would lower its damage to 26 to clearly shoehorn it into the role.

Splattershot Pro
Ink consumption per shot increased from 2.0% to 2.1%
Range increased by ~3.3%
Strafe speed increased from 0.055 to 0.06 units per frame


Splattershot Pro is already the least ink efficient shooter, but it can still fire for 6.6 seconds straight and generally doesn't need to consider running any Ink Saver (Main), so nerfing its efficiency a bit further still seems fair, especially with the two buffs it would also receive. Switching from short-range to long-range shooter territory, changes will be shifting toward more buffs than nerfs.

.96 Gal
Ink consumption per shot increased from 2.3% to 2.4%
Damage per shot increased from 62.0 to 68.0


.96 Gal is one of the weapons that wasn't compensated for the negative impact of Main Power Up's removal. In Splatoon 2, it could run MPU to buff its damage per shot up to 70 for the sake of combos. A damage buff to get it most of the way there seems like apt compensation for the slight ink efficiency nerf I've given it, keeping it equally strong and marginally less irritating.

Jet Squelcher
Ink consumption per shot increased from 1.6% to 2.0%
End lag increased from 4 frames to 6 frames


Jet Squelcher, the bane of the backline role. This weapon is Snipewriter on steroids, sacrificing range for even more paint spam with no charge time startup. It was so strong at the end of Splatoon 2 that Nintendo intentionally handicapped it with weaker kits in Splatoon 3. In order to release it from kit purgatory, the main weapon will need some nerfs. Ink efficiency is effective as always, and an end lag increase will make the weapon uniquely slower and more vulnerable than the other short- and mid-range members of its class.

Splattershot Nova
Ink consumption per shot increased from 0.96% to 1.1%
Maximum chance to shoot wide decreased from 25% to 10%


Nintendo either lied about this weapon or forgot to implement its promised gimmick of having no accuracy falloff. Splattershot Nova's initial chance to shoot wide at 10% was supposed to be compensated by that being the maximum chance to shoot wide, but it instead scales to a 25% chance to shoot wide over a meagre five shots. With its proper accuracy, this weapon could actually function as a unique long-range location support; possibly even in the current meta with how valuable Point Sensor and Killer Wail 5.1 are.

L-3 Nozzlenose
Ink consumption per shot increased from 1.15% to 1.2%
Mid-air shot spread removed; now perfectly accurate while jumping


L-3 Nozzlenose is an interesting case. It's not dead because its main weapon is particularly weak, it's dead because both of its kits are outclassed by multiple stronger weapons; Splash-o-matic, Splat Dualies, Mini Splatling, etc.. The only thing I think the main weapon needs in terms of buffs is perfect mid-air accuracy. In order for the weapon to slot into any meta, Curling Bomb would need to be reworked into a combo sub.

H-3 Nozzlenose
Ink consumption per shot decreased from 2.25% to 2.2%
Delay between bursts decreased from 20 frames to 16 frames


Where's the fun in being realistic? H-3 Nozzlenose is the shooter with the most skill expression by a landslide (bar Squeezer as a close second), it has two decent kits in the current meta and it fills out a much needed midline Tacticooler role. The weapon was gutted in more ways than one in the transition from Splatoon 2 to Splatoon 3; it lost its MPU two-shot, its Suction Bomb, its ability to counter the main meta special, and it never got its post-MPU nerfs reverted. A four frame burst fire rate buff doesn't even seem unjustified.

Squeezer
Ink consumption per spread mode shot increased from 1.08% to 1.2%
Minimum delay between tap shots increased from 8 frames to 9 frames
Tap shot damage increased from 38.0 to 41.0
Maximum angle shots can deviate in spread mode decreased from 8 to 5 degrees


Last but not least, the most powerful shooter in the game for the longest time; Squeezer. It would finally get the 1 frame fire rate nerf that every Splattershot Pro player has been praying for (which would also reduce its mashing requirement), and to compensate its tap shots would deal enough damage to combo with two of its slightly more accurate spread mode shots. This means Squeezer would sacrifice kill time at a distance for kill time up close, which should be a win for everybody.


Thank you for taking the time to read through this post; constructive feedback is appreciated as always.
Hopefully the thread won't explode this time.
Have a wonderful day!
finally some good ****ing food
 
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I was expecting something out of bounds to reality, but most of this seems reasonable. Great job on the explanations and overview.

Best part: (H-3 gets buffed.)

I have no counter arguments. there is not enough of a niche for painting weapons or weapons supposedly more mobile than shooters, such as dualies. By lowering their effective time to engage (with ink efficiency), you are simultaneously lowering their ability to move and paint as well, which opens up those niches for other weapons.
 

SAMICOM

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I was expecting something out of bounds to reality, but most of this seems reasonable. Great job on the explanations and overview.

Best part: (H-3 gets buffed.)

I have no counter arguments. there is not enough of a niche for painting weapons or weapons supposedly more mobile than shooters, such as dualies. By lowering their effective time to engage (with ink efficiency), you are simultaneously lowering their ability to move and paint as well, which opens up those niches for other weapons.
WE GOT A NEW MEMBER!!!
 

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