Splatoon 2 Subs n' Specials

[SP3CT3R]

god i miss seekers

I just want to get better about using my sub and special weapons, given that they're maybe 2/5 of a weapon's makeup. I generally don't use subs to the chance of running out of ink in the middle of a firefight. The exception is Suction Bombs, which I spam the tower with in its respective game mode. Or used to, seeing as I recently hit B ranks and I assume that it becomes a lot less effective the higher you go.

As for specials, I use them, but inconsistently. I try to land Tenta Missiles from across the map (it makes it easier to hit multiple targets and is safer) in situations where the enemy is grouped together, but I'm no good with the others.

So yeah, I'm looking for tips regarding how to get better about using the secondary features of the weapons. Weapon-specific, map-specific, and mode-specific advice is welcome, as long as it pertains to subs and/or specials.

 

[Hype]

with suction bombs when people are chasing you place one on a wall where the people chasing you are coming threw they will either get killed or stop chasing you this especially works well with port mackrel

 

[Dark Sage Walker]

On the chasing note, dropping s Splat Bomb at your feet as you're retreating will often accomplish the same thing. :D

As for the Tenta Missiles, one thing I think is overlooked when you have the Missiles active is that they are tracking your opponents. If you are communicating with a team or with friends, you can call out enemy positions with a fair amount of accuracy that way. Instead of just firing of the missiles as fast as possible, use it to track people.

If you like, I can go into all sorts of uses for the various subs and specials. These are the things that make the different variants of a weapon different and often enough so to make them feel like completely different weapons!

 

[AllToonedUp]

Subs:

• Burst Bombs are used to increase the chance of killing someone quickly and to ink the ground quickly in case of emergencies
• Curling Bombs are generally used for rushing or holding down the sub button to "cook" the bomb so you can kill someone trying to chase you
• Splat Bombs are mostly used to get people to move a certain way (Ex. you toss the bomb to the left and you quickly try to hit the person to the right)
• Auto Bombs are similar to Splat bombs in terms of use but they're better for rushing since autos chase you
• Beakons are used to help your teammates (and yourself) reach to a certain area of the stage faster to save time
• Splash Walls are used blocking people from reaching you or an area of the stage such as the narrow paths in Port Mackerel (Tip: don't stand too close to the wall since if a person throws a bomb at you, the explosion will instantly kill you)
• Toxic Mist are for area control and to prevent people from going to a certain point like the tower in Tower Control since it slows you down severely
• Sprinklers are to help build your special gauge faster and to ink turf while you're doing whatever
• Point sensors are for tracking your enemy so you and your team will know where they are and it forces them to play more defensively since their location is visible
• Ink Mines are traps that function as a Point sensor as well and sometimes you can trade kills if your opponent is badly damaged

Specials:

• Inkjet is a "glass cannon" made for getting kills easier and you can even use it to get someone camping on a higher ground or places such as the walls in Kelp Dome to get the enemy easier. (Drop Roller can also help with this special so you're less likely in getting killed when you jump back)
• Sting Ray is used for killing at long distances but it requires predicting the enemy team's movements and you can't use your sub while using it
• Ink Armor is used for pushing and to make you less likely to die (Unless if you get hit by certain weapons such as E-Liter that is)
• Tenta Missiles are to harrass the enemy team and force them to scatter to avoid getting hit. (Also can be used for pushing if you sit back far enough)
• Ink Storm is for trading kills and for controlling the area since you'll die if you stay in the rain for too long
• Bomb Launcher is to ink turf easier or to unleash a barrage of bombs that can be hard to avoid
• Baller for pushing and playing aggressively while the trade-off is that you're very likely to die when the special gets popped but you could stack Special Power Ups to make the shield stronger
• Bubble Blower is kind of a mix between scaring your opponents and controlling the area if you can pop the bubbles and it can be hard to avoid the explosion especially if they stack Special Power Ups

 

[Flopps]

Subs:

• Burst Bombs are used to increase the chance of killing someone quickly and to ink the ground quickly in case of emergencies
• Curling Bombs are generally used for rushing or holding down the sub button to "cook" the bomb so you can kill someone trying to chase you
• Splat Bombs are mostly used to get people to move a certain way (Ex. you toss the bomb to the left and you quickly try to hit the person to the right)
• Auto Bombs are similar to Splat bombs in terms of use but they're better for rushing since autos chase you
• Beakons are used to help your teammates (and yourself) reach to a certain area of the stage faster to save time
• Splash Walls are used blocking people from reaching you or an area of the stage such as the narrow paths in Port Mackerel (Tip: don't stand too close to the wall since if a person throws a bomb at you, the explosion will instantly kill you)
• Toxic Mist are for area control and to prevent people from going to a certain point like the tower in Tower Control since it slows you down severely
• Sprinklers are to help build your special gauge faster and to ink turf while you're doing whatever
• Point sensors are for tracking your enemy so you and your team will know where they are and it forces them to play more defensively since their location is visible
• Ink Mines are traps that function as a Point sensor as well and sometimes you can trade kills if your opponent is badly damaged

Specials:

• Inkjet is a "glass cannon" made for getting kills easier and you can even use it to get someone camping on a higher ground or places such as the walls in Kelp Dome to get the easier. (Drop Roller can also help with this special so you're less likely in getting killed when you jump back)
• Sting Ray is used for killing at long distances but it requires predicting the enemy team's movements and you can't use your sub while using it
• Ink Armor is used for pushing and to make you less likely to die (Unless if you get hit by certain weapons such as E-Liter that is)
• Tenta Missiles are to harrass the enemy team and force them to scatter to avoid getting hit. (Also can be used for pushing if you sit back far enough)
• Ink Storm is for trading kills and for controlling the area since you'll die if you stay in the rain for too long
• Bomb Launcher is to ink turf easier or to unleash a barrage of bombs that can be hard to avoid
• Baller for pushing and playing aggressively while the trade-off is that you're very likely to die when the special gets popped but you could stack Special Power Ups to make the shield stronger
• Bubble Blower is kind of a mix between scaring your opponents and controlling the area if you can pop the bubbles and it can be hard to avoid the explosion especially if they stack Special Power Ups

What about Splashdown?

 

[AllToonedUp]

What about Splashdown?

Oh oops my mistake lol. Splashdown is most used for as an invincible "get the hell away from me" tactic and sometimes it's better to wait slightly before you hit the ground so people will think you're super jumping normally and it's great for surprise kills especially with Special Power Up.

 

[Dark Sage Walker]

Yeah, that's about the case of it with Splashdown. Here's some other things to consider:

Try using Burst Bombs to quickly paint a wall. This works well on weapons that don't necessarily do wall inking all that well and can lead to some quick escapes when you are in a bind.

Auto Bombs aren't just for forcing movement. They can also act as a pseudo Point Sensor. Throw one out and wait a bit. If it starts tracking someone then you know that there is danger ahead and you can react accordingly!

Another use for Curling Bombs is to sow some chaos and uncertainty. Throw one at an angle and let it just bounce its way down a corridor. Works great in most choke points and about 80% of Port Mackerel!

Saving time with Squid Beakons is all well and good, but how about you try hiding one or two in the enemy base? This is a more offensive infiltrator tactic that is risky, but can pay back dividends with some good guerrilla tactics at your side!

This is rare, but did you know that a Splash Wall will instantly splat an enemy if it deploys right on top of them? It doesn't happen often but it is something to think about when you are being chased.

Try using Sprinklers creatively. Stick one high up on a wall or on a ceiling if you can reach it. Throw one on top of certain objects to make them harder to reach. With proper placement, these can create artificial choke points that you can use to your advantage!

Here's something to try with Toxic Mist. Wait for a Charger or a Splatling to fire a few shots/volleys and then tag them with the mist. Because it prevents ink recovery they will be a sitting duck while they are trying to retreat from the mist!

The Inkjet has an interesting secondary use. Try using it to escape enemy fire. If nothing else they will have to take some time to adjust their aim and that can give you time to either make a clutch play or beat a hasty retreat. You can also take squid form while using it to hide in the ink and then pop up with a surprise low altitude shot!

As I mentioned earlier, Tenta Missiles allow for tracking that can go a long way if you can communicate with your team. In solo queue you still have some ability to see enemy locations for yourself and that can still be quite helpful!

Aside from making aggressive pushes, The Baller has an interesting property where if you hold against a wall you will climb up it. Use this to get to hard to reach sniping points and hit that pesky sniper where it hurts! Their face, obviously.

Bubbles make for a great team based offense for sure, but when you have the Bubble Blower another good tactic is to use it as a series of mobile shields. Use the Bubbles as a supplement to an advance and hide within them to get into enemy territory so you can tear things up!