So, what do you guys think about blasters?

[Snakebite969]

I main the rapid blaster, at first mainly due to the mines. However, now that I actually understand the weapon, I've found that it's actually really good at mid range, plus you can get a few nice double splats.
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[Draayder]

I think the blasters are all very solid in splat zones tho pretty underwhelming in turf wars. I like the regular blaster as a terrifying kill weapon and the rapid blaster as a great support weapon.

 

[JarBear]

I haven't really tried them out, I have just been playing turf war and from the set up, it isn't really a ink spreader.

There is something I noticed, which I could totally be wrong. But to me, it seems the blaster has a homing feature to it. I know the blaster does splash damage, but I am pretty certain I have seen the thing curve towards me. Is that public knowledge and I am out of the loop?

 

[Calden]

I like to give all the weapons a fair crack. After having a frustrating time with the Rapid Blaster to begin with, and giving up on it, I returned to it over the last couple of days. I've been having much more luck with it since trying to keep in mind that it has a perfect range.

It's an odd weapon that does require a different way of thinking. I've found that in turf war I'm beginning to hang back from the initial push. Using the blast to fill in a few patches as I advance behind everyone else, then start adding some scary suppressing fire to the fight. In splat zones I've found you can destroy people sitting in good vantage points, as you can get them even when they think they're safe.

It's a really frustrating weapon to use when someone closes on you though, as your close-range firepower is terrible. The explosion damage if it hits the walls/ground is really bad too. So you have to either break away, or have very good aim, as unlike its big brother you need to have good aim twice!

 

[Hitzel]

I really like the custom Blaster. In my opinion, it's a top tier threat on an organized team.

It's a great spacial control weapon and can 1-shot at close range with skilled shots. Point Sensor and Bubbler instantly make it a good team support weapon, as they are both extremely useful and cover entirely different needs.

Unfortunately it can get out-ranged by many weapons, and it has trouble dealing with more than one enemy at point blank range because firing with it slows the user.

Proper Custom Blaster use should revolve around playing a supportive roll, landing Point Sensors, denying the enemy access to choke points via intelligent spamming, saving teammates from trouble, and unleashing Bubblers at critical moments. Teammates will have to understand the Blaster's roll and when to position themselves in front of or behind the blaster. The user will have to know when to back down and when to keep spamming, which makes me feel that players well versed in zoning-heavy arena shooters such as Unreal Tournament will have a natural gnack for abusing the Custom Blaster.

I don't like the rapid blaster. I don't think it's very good at controlling space because its splash damage is low, and I don't think it's very good at killing because it can't one-shot. That being said, if the OP likes the Rapid Blaster, I think he should make it work at a competitive level, but if and only if he puts effort into learning the Custom Blaster first.

 

[Superjustinbros]

I'm still up for making blasters an entirely different category to the normal Shooter-type weapons, complete with their own team win/lose animations.

 

[Snakebite969]

I don't think it's very good at killing because it can't one-shot.

Personally, I don't think that matters. The reason why I prefer the rapid blaster to normal blasters is all due to range. In the testing zone, normal blasters (Inc. custom blaster) go 2 lines in, and the rapid blaster goes 3. The blast from the normal blaster takes this to 2.5 lines, while the rapid moves it up to about 3.25.

Now, timing, the main selling point of the rapid blaster. If you miss with any blaster, you're pretty vulnerable while charging up.

In 5 seconds, the custom blaster can shoot up to 6 shots, and is almost exactly halfway through charging a 7th, while the rapid blaster can shoot 9, nearly 10.
Admittedly, it's not exactly double, but I prefer it faster. (please note: there are human errors involved here. After 5 tests, it was varying around those 2 areas, so I took an average.)

That's really all I tested, but I guess I just prefer that range. Not sure at all if I could kill inklings hiding behind certain covers that I could reach with the rapid blaster with the custom instead

 

[Hitzel]

Is that range the distance of the bullet or the reach of the splash damage?

 

[Snakebite969]

Is that range the distance of the bullet or the reach of the splash damage?

Distance of the bullet, the smaller splash just means I have to be a little more precise

 

[Hitzel]

Distance of the bullet, the smaller splash just means I have to be a little more precise

Interesting to know that the Rapid Blaster has greater range.

I still think that the Custom Blaster is the stronger option and that the Rapid Blaster is going to have trouble in high levels games, so I still think you should give the Custom Blaster a fair run once the August update comes out and you have teammates to work with. The Rapid Blaster may be easier to use, but I think the Custom Blaster has more potential.

It's not that I think you should use the Custom Blaster though. One of my English professors once told me that good writing comes about by combining what is considered the best with what you think is the best or simply enjoy. I believe that the same applies to videogames. This is one of those cases, so I recommend learning the "right" way, then turning around with the work put in and improving your way. It's what I do when I want to play something that's not considered the best.

This is the build I am working on building by August: Support Blaster
It may not be very standard, but I'm looking forward to seeing how it works in organized matches.

 

[Pivi]

Blasters are very scary to face against because of how destructive they can be.

One direct hit and you're down, two indirect hits? Hit the bricks pal, you're done. It's a weapon you need to respect and work around, but it doesn't spark salt like getting flanked with a Roller does.

 

[SpotterX4]

I gotta be honest, I absolutely love the Luna Blaster. It's the one blaster that practically guarantees a KO with a direct hit, and it clicks with me so well. It may have a much shorter range, but it makes up for it with a bigger blast, making KOs easier at least for me. It's one of my favorite Splat Zone weapons now. Inkzooka's a great super with it too.