Splattling tips anyone?

sloth™

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ffff-anyway now that i'm in the right forum, does anyone have any splattling tips? for the Custom Hydra in particular? So far I'm doing horribly, averaging at 200pts (without win bonus) and 0-5 splats depending on the map.
 

Peaches

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I tend to use it like a charger, like a support weapon, just try and sit somewhere that's important for map control(e.g. on the ledges on bluefin/hills on underpass) and make sure no one gets through. Don't forget your sprinklers if you're struggling to cover turf - honestly splatlings are amazing at covering turf so I don't understand why you're not able to cover much.

Use three main run speed ups too, it's soooo important for splatlings because otherwise it's really hard to dodge attacks and move around. Don't try to charge up fully if someone's coming your way, charge up around 1/4 or 1/2 the way and it'll be enough to splat someone if your aim is good. I don't have many other tips, but remember that heavy splatlings are SUPPORT weapons so you shouldn't really be going up close to people, you have incredible range so take advantage of it and use it so that it intimidates your foes - they'll be very cautious if they know there's a long ranged weapon with eyes on them and they won't want to advance if you've made it hard for them to get close to you(by covering turf).
 

sloth™

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Ahh thank you ;-; and I always forget to use the sprinklers so that might be part of why I score so little on turf
 

Elecmaw

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What limited experience i have with the Hydra is that it's even moreso defensive-oriented than the other splatlings, it's ridiculously immobile but it does have huge range. It's inking capabilities aren't that great compared to the other splatlings, but it can still do it decently.

Have you tried using the regular Heavy Splatlings? They're a lot easier to use and still have decent range, you could maybe give them a try before moving on to the Hydra.
 

Ansible

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Though you can spray and pray with splatlings, they require aim when hitting targets. But don't worry about getting splats for now. At least until you're more accustomed to the weapon. If you have to take out another inkling, make sure they're out of your range, don't wait for a full charge, and keep your aim steady.

When you start out consider yourself less of a one-squid army and more of a roving sentry gun. You're not a frontline fighter. You hang back to mend and defend as needed. Whatever area your team claims, you try to lock it down. Your teammates moving forward, trying to retreat, or trapped? Help out with some suppressing fire!

You are Gandalf with a gat! The other team tries to flank, poke into mid, or claim more territory? Draw a line at their feet and dare them to cross. Deny them from areas, distract them from objectives and your teammates, detour them around the map to waste their time. You can even corral them so your teammates finish them off. Have your shots herd them toward your teammates or spray over their heads and around them so they'll be slowed down, worried about escaping, and a sitting duck for a teammate to splat them.

Remember that whatever perches chargers use are also good for you. And it's okay to use the bubbler for yourself when you get into trouble.

That help any? Let us know how your progress is going.
 

Skoodge

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Here is a video of when I was starting to get good with the Custom Hydra, I have had some other good games recently, but haven't recorded them since I have been busy. This is obviously ranked, but in general I play similarly in all modes. The only difference is I use more run speeds now, almost 4 mains. You want to play support, but since your ink coverage is worse than other splatlings, use the sprinkler to help, and just lock down areas from afar. It is a really nuanced weapon, and you really need a lot of practice with it, or other splatlings. I am going to write a guide for support, that is going to focus on the splatlings, and how to play them, and the Hydras are the hardest, so I have been practicing, finally winning more than 50% of my ranked matches recently.

Knowing how long you need to charge to reach a certain distance takes knowledge and practice, but is extremely important, I often just go to the practice room to work on these spacings, and time to kill.

The exact gear I run now is:
:head_msn000::ability_runspeed:,:ability_runspeed::ability_runspeed::ability_specialsaver:
:clothes_tes001::ability_runspeed:,:ability_inkrecovery::ability_inkrecovery::ability_inkrecovery:
:shoes_sht007::ability_runspeed:,:ability_inkrecovery::ability_specialcharge::ability_specialcharge:

I do like having the special charge ups, they help with the sprinkler to get my bubble faster, and the ink recovery up is very important, since it helps you with the main weapon and sprinkler. The run speed ups really help you against chargers, and in your face weapons, also rainmaker!

If you have any specific questions, be sure to ask them, but my gameplan is generally as follows:

1. Use sprinkler to cover base, move to center
2. Watch for enemy movements, stop their progression if possible
3. Put down ink as effectively as possible
3. Let Teammates take out enemies who you have stuck, or help team take out enemies, only try to splat enemies who are dangerous to self or close teammates
4. Never die, be the rock of your team, act as a beacon

5. Repeat 2-4 for rest of match, move to 6 if enemies are wiped, or out of way, move to 9 if other team is pushing

6. Push objective, suppress enemies, support teammates by putting down ink on the way
7. Use bubble to save team, and continue push
8. After push go back to 2

9. Fall back, get your team back safely and quickly
10. Use bubble to stop push, keep putting down ink, to maintain some map control
11. After push is stopped go back to 2

Hopefully these will win you games! Also this should be a flow chart, but I have already spent too much time on this.
 
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sloth™

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So hang back and be hella defensive, sprinklers are a blessing and get charge times and their ranges down, those are the main deets I need to get down to get better, and to help with all that, the Ink savers and run speed ups are perf, I don't have squat for gear with much for :ability_specialcharge: but i do have plenty of gear with:ability_specialduration::ability_specialduration::ability_specialduration: so maybe I'll try making some use of that gear with it aside from using it for bomb rushes.

And is it safe to assume that Damage/Defense ups and maybe ink saver subs wouldn't be a bad idea for gear setups?
Again Thank you guys for the help, with the weekend coming up I'll have some time to dedicate to the hydra
 

Skoodge

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The amount of defensive vs offensive plays is really dictated by the map, and lines of sight, since the Hydra has very little drop off on bullets, compared to lets say a Gal, which fall rapidly, the Hydra cannot hit many people close by on ledges, so these situations, and lines of sight dictate playstyle. For example, Ancho V, I push way harder at the beginning to catch other people who rush mid, similar on Triggerfish, but on maps like Hammerhead and Blackbelly, I hang back, since there is no reason to push into mid so much.

But in general, play defensive, but aggressive, make the enemy respect you, that is how I won a match against all odds last week on Underpass Splat Zones, where we were against 2 .52s, a .96 Deco, and an Eliter, and we had myself on Custom Hydra, an Ink brush, a Blaster, and a Tentatek. I just stuck to my position, and made them respect me too much, I just shot at their walls, and scared them back, and then they didn't approach me enough. Then at the last second when we were going to lose, I got a triple kill, and we won in overtime, so there is plenty of room for aggression, that is just not the most effective method I have found. Although go and watch someone like ThatSRB2Dude play the Hydra, he is much more directly killing enemies, and being aggressive, that is just not how I play it most of the time.

For abilities you mentioned, defense up is good to counteract/save yourself from certain weapons or situations, and damage ups help to counteract 3 defense ups, or help to break rainmaker shield. Ink saver sub is the weakest of all ink abilities, although it has more benefit for higher ink cost subs, so kind of good, I still think recovery is just better in general.

I was going to record Splat Fest, where I only played Custom Hydra, and got to a vibe of +60, but my capture card was misbehaving. Sorry about that, I intend to stream/capture some Custom Hydra, but I also just play most of the splatlings, so they are all kind of similar anyway.
 

Airi

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I'm a Custom Hydra main so I may be able to offer some helpful advice~ :) The biggest thing with the Hydra is that you need to remember your strengths and your weaknesses. I see far too many Hydras attempting to rush into the heat of battle and you're essentially giving yourself over to the enemy when you do that. The Hydra is a slow weapon. We are not made to be in the dead center of battle. However, don't underestimate the Hydra due to its speed. It's quite the force to be reckoned with once you learn how to use it.

The Hydra is very much like the E-Liter. You need to hang back and be support for your team. It is a little easier to push an assault with the Custom. However, I wouldn't recommend doing such until you are confident that you can aim quickly, react quickly, and dodge most that comes your way. When you're first starting, I would heavily recommend to hang back and find high places. Hydras encounter a lot of danger on the ground and we should best keep the high ground. Platforming is an unspoken skill needed for Hydras as you may be jumping a lot to move or escape haha. :P The best advice I can give is to stick behind and follow your team. Don't stay in one place the entire match. You'll become bored and you won't be helping your team. Know the lay of all maps and follow behind your team, keeping an eye on them and your enemies.

Abilities can differ greatly for the Hydra. I know a lot of people recommend Run Speed Up but I don't think that's absolutely necessary. Half the time, I won't even be running Run Speed and I do just fine~ :) When it comes to abilities, I would recommend giving Ink Saver (Main), Ink Recovery, Run Speed Up, Special Duration Up, and Special Charge some consideration. Quick Respawn could also be useful if you are taken out. You shouldn't be taken out that much but if someone does catch you, the quicker you're back to defending your team, the better it will be for all of you. I'm mainly running Special Duration and Ink Saver for the Hydra along with Ink Resistance and occasionally Cold Blooded.

People are going to rush you from all sides. Make sure to learn how much of a charge you need and how many shots you need. Perfect your aim as well. For example... A direct hit means you won't even need half a charge to kill. However, the more you arc your shot, the more shots it takes to kill. Keep that in mind when aiming. Always keep your range and speed in mind.

In short.... Defend with the Hydra but defend aggressively
 

モモコ

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If you want a better turfing weapon use heavy.

For hydra, it is more defensive, zoning people out and getting splats moreso then covering turf. However because of bubble and sprinkler it is MUCH MUCH better at getting turf then the original hydra. I can't use the original at all but I have a blast with custom hydra and the heavys.

One more video, I'll upload it to YouTube later, a Twitch vod, of some decent Tower Control with the Custom Hydra, with one random Turf Wars match at the beginning.
http://www.twitch.tv/skoodge_/v/50086012
14:35, this is why you might wanna consider a damage up or 2 subs (or maybe 1 main) for splatlings. The person in the video might of not gotten splatted if they had a damage up or two for sub. So just something to keep in mind.
 
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