Special Weapon Rework Idea: Reefslider Neo

[OnePotWonder]

Let's just face the facts. While Reefslider's balance is absolutely horrendous, its visual design is brilliant, and its name isn't getting any better. I've come up with a re-envisioning of the special to turn it from a goofy instantly die and/or splat half the enemy team button into an actual functioning rush special with some real skill expression. Allow me to introduce Reefslider Neo:

Reefslider Neo

When activated, this special gives the user an explosive inflatable shark floaty to ride around the stage for up to three seconds. The special looks similar to Reefslider, but its color scheme is darker overall, and its muzzle is made of metal instead of plastic. The Slider has two short guide rails in front of it that direct its movement and ink the area in front of it while it's moving. Hitting an enemy directly with the special deals between 70 and 220 damage depending on how fast it's moving.

The user can partly steer the special while riding it, using the rails in front of it to direct its movement. When traveling in a straight line, the special moves extremely fast, the same speed as current Reefslider. When turning at an angle less than 45 degrees, the special moves slightly faster than default swim speed with a middleweight weapon. When rounding a corner wider than 45 degrees (up to 90 degrees for the minimum turning radius), the special slows down considerably to the default run speed of a middleweight weapon. The special cannot stop moving under any circumstances.

If the special reaches its full three second duration, or the special user presses ZR at any time during the special, the guide rails will angle upward to create a ramp, and the special will dive forward, creating an explosion on landing. Both the direct and indirect radii of this explosion are roughly two thirds the size of current Reefslider's. After the explosion, the special user faces 30 frames of end lag with 20 frames of invulnerability.

Unlike current Reefslider, the Reefslider Neo can be damaged and destroyed. The floaty has 300 HP (with similar damage modifiers to Booyah Bomb) and harmlessly bursts if destroyed, though it's invulnerable for the special's startup and explosion dive. The special has the same startup as current Reefslider, with the user becoming invulnerable 30 frames after the special's activation. If the special is destroyed, the user faces the same end lag and invulnerability as if it had exploded.

This, I think, is a masterpiece. It keeps many good aspects of Reefslider's current design intact (including its inherent awesomeness) while giving it more freedom of movement, more skill expression, more back-and-forth, and even more risk-reward. And yes, the special clearly wasn't combined with Triple Splashdown for this rework. If you think about it, it's more in-line with Kraken Royale as a melee rush-down special to disrupt formations or chase a single enemy, at the cost of (or with the strength of, depending on how you look at it,) much lower duration.

Here are the example kits:

Splattershot
Burst Bomb + Reefslider Neo

Dread Wringer
Torpedo + Reefslider Neo

Tetra Dualies
Autobomb + Reefslider Neo

REEF-LUX 450
Angle Shooter + Reefslider Neo

Next up will be either the Triple Splashdown rework or the Tri-Zooka rework (they might be the same thing, if I'm insane enough).

Thank you, those reading this, for your continued attention and support what with how many of these I've made.
Any and all feedback is as always appreciated.
Make sure you have a wonderful day.

 

[OnePotWonder]

Those who voted for Reefslider as the next rework:
@sevenleaf
@youre_a_squib_now

 

[Algae]

Would the special have a recall if there's a ramp (so you can't enter inaccessible spawn)? Or should the player dismount the shark once it jumps?

 

[OnePotWonder]

Would the special have a recall if there's a ramp (so you can't enter inaccessible spawn)? Or should the player dismount the shark once it jumps?

The jump doesn’t quite go high enough to clear a ledge. To be fair, “dive” does make it sound like it goes higher. Especially with the connotation to Flipper Floppers. No, it’s more like a low hop. It would be cool if it could go higher but the cheese prevention is tedious.

 

[QuagSass]

To be fair, “dive” does make it sound like it goes higher. Especially with the connotation to Flipper Floppers. No, it’s more like a low hop.

ok, but is the low hop still high enough to get the slider up little blocks? Cause that could be really cool (and annoying for an enemy hiding behind a block)

 

[OnePotWonder]

ok, but is the low hop still high enough to get the slider up little blocks? Cause that could be really cool (and annoying for an enemy hiding behind a block)

It most certainly can.