Splatoon 3 Specials

[Magic8Ball]

One of the largest changes between games is going to be the specials once again, and I’d like to hear people’s ideas of what they think the specials will act like and how they can be utilized.

For the big shield / dome / thing, many players are theorizing that there is some hinderance to being inside the dome. It could be that players can’t move outside the dome, or that players can’t shoot through it. This would be very interesting for something like Splat Zones, where it would ensure a few seconds of having only your team be able to paint the zone. I’m curious what others think of the specials and if they’ll be good or bad.

 

[Cephalobro]

I hope the Octo Shot Replica gets the Zipcaster or whatever that superhero-like special is called.

 

[drwatson]

I didn't think of the implications of the shield/dome making it so only one team can paint zone for a certain time. Seems busted at first but idk, maybe it's just a larger more durable splash wall. And it's small enough to the point where you can just take a different angle, I can't see it covering an entire zone (just from memory of the trailer).

Also, I don't see it being realistic that people inside the dome will have downsides. The dome can't move, so that's the downside; people can just walk away. I think it'd be fine if they can leave the dome and go back, sounds balanced. Like trying to chase someone and then backing out into the dome or something, it sounds irritating to deal with but it's a special ig.

 

[Magic8Ball]

I didn't think of the implications of the shield/dome making it so only one team can paint zone for a certain time. Seems busted at first but idk, maybe it's just a larger more durable splash wall. And it's small enough to the point where you can just take a different angle, I can't see it covering an entire zone (just from memory of the trailer).

Also, I don't see it being realistic that people inside the dome will have downsides. The dome can't move, so that's the downside; people can just walk away. I think it'd be fine if they can leave the dome and go back, sounds balanced. Like trying to chase someone and then backing out into the dome or something, it sounds irritating to deal with but it's a special ig.

I guess it depends on how large the zones are, and if the shield can cover enough of the zone where it can't be neutralized, then that would be crazy, but again this is all speculation. It's definitely gonna be irritating LMAO

 

[Cephalobro]

I just hope Tenta Missiles aren't in this game, because they are so annoying to deal with by those who abuse them to the max.

 

[drwatson]

They could always revert some of the buffs to missiles to make them take longer to fire or just have more of a downside. They didn't always essentially insta fire

 

[Mudcup]

I guess it depends on how large the zones are, and if the shield can cover enough of the zone where it can't be neutralized, then that would be crazy, but again this is all speculation. It's definitely gonna be irritating LMAO

I always saw it as similar to a gibby wall from apex, so the enemy team can enter it, but the person who placed it has advantage by playing from inside it. So that would provide a way to paint zone, but it'd be a major deterrent

 

[Magic8Ball]

I always saw it as similar to a gibby wall from apex, so the enemy team can enter it, but the person who placed it has advantage by playing from inside it. So that would provide a way to paint zone, but it'd be a major deterrent

Right, the approach to getting inside it would be way too treacherous. It also depends on how long it lasts, because if it is a short duration then it isn't even worth approaching and rather just waiting it out would be the play.

 

[Mudcup]

Right, the approach to getting inside it would be way too treacherous. It also depends on how long it lasts, because if it is a short duration then it isn't even worth approaching and rather just waiting it out would be the play.

That and also if it's breakable. The object looks like it may be breakable, so having range try to break it would be cool. It'd give range more reason to be used!

 

[Funky_Eevee]

I always saw it as similar to a gibby wall from apex, so the enemy team can enter it, but the person who placed it has advantage by playing from inside it. So that would provide a way to paint zone, but it'd be a major deterrent

Yeah, I see it sorta like that too, however, someone brought to my attention that the roller flick seemingly did no damage to the undercover's shield while inside the bubble, which would relate them more to Star Wars Battlefront 2's Shields as in nobody can shoot through it but anyone can enter or exit.

I definitely hope it has a duration and a health bar because it could very well turn out like ray and be stupid good or just horrible, either way very hard to patch

 

[Mar$el]

I'm really more curious about the way team coordination will adapt with the new specials and new everything with Splatoon 3. It's interesting to think about how more individualistic (from what we can tell), mechanical specials might be used in a team environment. Of course, it will take everyone a while to deeply understand the potential synergy of the game (I still don't think we have S2 fully nailed down). I'm excited for when they drop the testfire so we can begin theorizing team strategy.

A couple things to think about when we get the chance to do this...
1. How will specials have synergy with each other
2. How will specials have synergy with other weapons/kits
3. How will weapons have synergy with each other (which affects what specials people want to use)
4. How does map design influence all of this

I'm all for Splatoon becoming a more mechanical game (fingers crossed), and also for me a lot of the fun comes in with better understanding teamplay and strategy theory.

 

[Diolass]

One of the largest changes between games is going to be the specials once again, and I’d like to hear people’s ideas of what they think the specials will act like and how they can be utilized.

For the big shield / dome / thing, many players are theorizing that there is some hinderance to being inside the dome. It could be that players can’t move outside the dome, or that players can’t shoot through it. This would be very interesting for something like Splat Zones, where it would ensure a few seconds of having only your team be able to paint the zone. I’m curious what others think of the specials and if they’ll be good or bad.

I think the big dome can be broken if an enemy walks inside of the shield and breaks the center. There's no evidence of it in the trailer, this is just speculation.

 

[SacredWarrior]

I just want a special similar to Inkstrike or Splashdown :) Or Tenta Missles!

As for the big dome from the trailer, it looks like something from Clam Blitz so maybe it's from that?

 

[Setu]

With no armor or i-frames the zipcaster will be terrible imo. I'm really afraid of the new killer whale thing though, that **** is scary. I will say I'm a big fan of specials having a higher skill ceiling than in the 2nd game, but we'll see how spammable they will be. I'm thinking the dome will just be a utility tool for point blank ranged weapons, since it showed a roller and shots probably can't go in or out of it. This could make rollers a little broken but could be a big help for a weapon like dapples.

 

[The Salamander King]

There was a theory (I think Kyo might have proposed it) that the reason the Big Bubbler has the flying part is so that it can't stay on the Tower. The base will move along with the tower and the flying top will not, and when the two pieces separate the Bubbler dissipates. If that's how it is actually going to work, I think that's incredibly smart. I've also heard about how maybe the top of the Bubbler can be shot and destroyed.

I personally think the concept of Big Bubbler is really well designed. It has the invincibility of the original Bubbler, but unlike Ink Armor it only effects a small area and encourages teams to group up more before a push. It rewards good strategy with a stronger special.

I think the Zipcaster is going to be:
Really good at a low level. People aren't good enough to shoot it down.
Really bad at mid level, where people can shoot them down.
Decent at high level, where good players will Zipcast to better spots with more skill/strategy and get shot down less.

How good Killer Wail 5.1 is (In my opinion) is very dependent on how much control you have over the lasers. The more control you have, the stronger the special will be. I am also wondering how they are launched. If you send all of them flying at once I don't think it will be as good because it'll just kind of be a bad Killer Wail (from Splat 1). If you can pick where exactly to send each laser, I can see this being a pretty good special.

I don't have much to say about Trizooka or Crab Tank.

I just hope Tenta Missiles aren't in this game, because they are so annoying to deal with by those who abuse them to the max.

I think Missiles (or something similar) has already been seen in the top left corner of either the first trailer or one of the official screenshots.

 

[frankus]

Personally to execute my ticker-tack-attack in which I circle around the enemy before blasting them I only need to have the L3 Nozzlenose. I don't really use specials so don't care but I hope at least a splash shield or bubble exists. I hate the bubble blower because it sucks. What's the purpose of it?

 

[The Salamander King]

Personally to execute my ticker-tack-attack in which I circle around the enemy before blasting them I only need to have the L3 Nozzlenose. I don't really use specials so don't care but I hope at least a splash shield or bubble exists. I hate the bubble blower because it sucks. What's the purpose of it?

The Bubble Blower is extremely versatile. They can be used as floating shields, giant bombs, and to blunt-force a push.