The Definition of Maining a Weapon (and also Defining the Secondary and Tertiary Weapon)

[HappyBear801]

So, Splatoon's been out for about two months, and much has been developed about the game's ever growing meta. Weapons are abundant and diverse within the game, with more and more being added every week. People have diversified themselves into many different playstyles, characterized most by the weapon or weapons they play most, and many are already describing themselves as a mainer of certain weapons, with others being secondary and/or tertiary weapons on the side.

So what defines maining a weapon in this game, and what about the weapon or weapon makes you have that as yours? What defines the side weapons versus the main ones? What are the stages that favor certain weapons over others, and why? How is each niche decided and how do they balsnce each other? And, most importantly, how will the decision of which weapon(s) to main affect the players niche on one's team and therefore, affect the meta?

In this thread, leave your comment below about your main weapon(s), any secondary/tertiary/beyond that (quarternary and quintinary I suppose) weapon(s) you use, what differenciates them from the main ones, how you use them and why so, which stages do you think play best for them, why you choose them over other weapons, and how the way you play with them affects your team and yourself in the match.

 

[Blue24]

Maining a weapon, is a weapon you use the most or prefer to use. Secodary/side is the weapon that you like to use the second most.

In Turf War for me its pretty simple. I main the Aerospray RG. My secondary is the Ink Brush. My tertiaries is a group consisting of N-Zap89, Splattershot Jr., SoM, Neo SoM, and Octobrush. Basically, if its Splatfest or if Kelp Dome/Triggerfish is in the Turf War rotation, I use my main or secondary. Otherwise, I will use any of the weapons I posted.

In Ranked...it varies depending on the Stage and Mode. I am leaning towards the .96 Gal Deco as a main, but I just picked it up. Outside of that, I will use what I believe is best for me on what I have to play which is a large list:

.96 Gal
.96 Gal Deco
Forge Splattershot Pro
SoM
Neo SoM
Tentatek Splattershot

Again, for me its teh combination of Maps/mode that makes me decide what weapons I will try. But usually the Deco is the weapon I lean on the most.

I generally do not use Blasters, Chargers, and pure Rollers in any mode.

 

[PK21]

I main the Inkbrush for Turf Wars because:
-I do well with it.
-It helps my team.
-I enjoy using it.
-I use it more than any other weapon.
Secondary is probably .96 Gal since I needed to use SONETHING before the Ibkbrush came out. Tertiary is probably a wide mix from the Hero Roller Replica to the Sploosh-O-Matic to the Hero Shot Replica, there's too many to list

Ranked battles I rarely play, but the Hero Charger Replica is pretty much all I ever use, but sometimes I go to the .96 Gal. But absolutely nothing else.

 

[jpmrocks]

I main Gold Dynamo, got 600,000p to prove it to, side weps being Aerospray RG and Dual Squelcher

 

[Drluigi]

In Ranked Battles, I main the N Zap 89 because I like to use fast weapons. I also like the fact that its sub weapon is the sprinkler and the Inkstrike because in Splat Zones, I like putting sprinklers in huge spots of unclaimed turf so I can charge up my special quickly while still staying close to help my team. I like the inkstrike because in most cases, it covers all of if not most of the splat zone, depending on the map. In Tower Control, I like putting sprinklers on the pole thing on the tower to help keep it inked.

In Turf War, on the other hand, I prefer to use the Carbon Roller, simply because it's a fast weapon that covers a lot of ground.

 

[doritos29]

I main the E-liter 3k scope and the L-3 Nozzlenose. I have over 700k points with the Nozzlenose, so I guess that's my true main. Both of these weapons take considerable skill to use because of how the shots go in a straight line. The Nozzlenose is a very underrated weapon and few people use it even though it's not like the other guns with fully automatic fire.

As a secondary I use the Sploosh-o-Matic. I really only use this weapon in Tower control and sometimes in Turf wars. It just destroys enemies in close range. It gets killer wail fast so it is a good pick for Tower control.

My tertiary weapon would be the Inkbrush. I used to use this thing all the time until the Nozzlenose came out. It's really good for just going in the enemy base and running past everyone. I think this weapon should have gotten squid beakons instead of the Octobrush because of how fast it can infiltrate the enemy base and place them everywhere.

 

[HappyBear801]

I'll go now. Go as in go with my turn to speak. XD

My two mains are the Carbon Roller and the E-Liter 3K. I use them for both modes and they both have their effectiveness in each. I'm quite OCD so the way that these two ink in nice lines always satifies me.

I use the E-Liter 3K over other Chargers because I love its long range despite the slow charge, and even the spam of uncharged shots leaves a large amount of ink. I tried to use the other two Chargers but I discovered that range is what I need. Burst Bombs are great for the close range option (and some baiting tactics too) and the Echolocator makes sure I can pin my snipes down. I prefer this over the Custom E-Liter 3K because although Squid Beakons are a great and tactical choice for this weapon, the Kraken simply does not work on a Charger in my opinion, forcing the player to come down from a perch and leaving the player vulnerable afterward. My niche for my team with this weapon is making the starting push with its range, inkling linearly where other weapons cannot do so as efficiently, and of course, laying down both ink and kills from a high perch. My best stages for this weapon and my favorite ones to play on for this stage are Saltspray Rig, Camp Triggerfish, Arowana Mall, Moray Towers, and Bluefin Depot.

I chose the Carbon Roller over the other Rollers because in a sense, it does the same thing as the E-Liter for me, inking far and efficiently. It's handling and speed ensure that I get every patch of Turf that my teamates miss. The Burst Bombs are great for a midrange option and the Inkzooka makes up for the power and range that this setup otherwise lacks. Since it hasn't come out at the time of me writing this, this isn't confirmed, but I believe I will continue to use this over the Carbon Roller Deco, since Seekers seem unneeded giving the speed and handling of this weapon, although they do kill in one shot a lot easier. Seeker Rush looks fun (although this will be its first appearence in multiplayer and it isn't available to play there now, so I don't know) but I think I will stick with my Inkzooka anyway, because it has a consistent amount of range. My niche with this weapon is to ink everything quickly and efficiently, getting everything that my team misses before going to the middle. My best stages for this weapon tent to be ones with designated pathways instead of open areas, being Saltspray Rig, Port Mackerel, Moray Towers, Camp Triggerfish, and Urchin Underpass.

My secondary is the Rapid Blaster Deco, one of the most underrated weapons in the game. Sure, it takes two shots to kill, but those shots come out fast enough to where I can get plenty of kills anyway. If I still don't get the second shot, I make up for it with Suction Bombs, which are a great mid-long range option and are a powerful 1-hit KO. I must also compliment the range on this weapon, because although it's thin, I can, again, ink the linear areas quickly and efficiently and get what I can't reach with the Suction Bombs. Suction Bomb Rush is also deliciously chaotic, being able to throw them on any surface and hearing them explode one by one after a match ends. It seems to work so well with this weapon too, and I don't catch too much vulnerability with it after the special wears off. My niche with this weapon is mostly support with rapid linear inkage and a surprising kill when someone's distracted, but I can carry my team too, especially when Suction Bomb Rush is on my side. My favorite stages for this weapon are the ones that have plenty of variable surface in which Suction Bombs have the advantage, being Kelp Dome, Bluefin Depot, Urchin Underpass, and Walleye Warehouse. However, I don't usually use this weapon unless these maps are in rotation, which is why it's my secondary.

 

[Ars Nova]

My mains are the Dual Squelcher and Splash-o-matic. The Dual Squelcher is my preferred long range weapon over the Jet Squelchers due to the fire rate. It has gotten me far in both turf and ranked. The Splash-o-matic for when I want to play aggressive and manually take out the opponents plus suction bomb rush is a hoot to those not expecting it.

My secondary is the N-Zap 89 because it has a great firing rate at the expense of range which is why I prefer the Dual Squelcher but I switch out for the awesome sub and special weapons the N-Zap 89 provides.

 

[E-Liter Elite]

I would define a main weapon as the one you prefer to use and the one you are most comfortable with. For me, that's the E-Liter 3K Scope.

I would define secondary weapons as ones that you're just as comfortable with as your main, but they lend to a platstyle you're not as inclined towards. For me, this would be the Krak-On Splat Roller (I know it sucks but I like the handling better than Carbon or Dynamo) and the Tentatek Splattershot. Note, this covers all three basic weapon classes for me - meaning secondary weapons try to round out what maps and metas you can adapt to.

Tertiary weapons, then, I would say are ones that you're interested in. You like their platstyle or capabilities but don't have the experience or natural skill to use them well yet. For me, this would be Blasters. I'd love to use one, try to every now and then, but I'm not quite at a point where I'd use one in ranked. I've been trying to get to a point with the Luna Blaster that I can bring it to Tower Control if there are too many other Charger players online but... :/ I just can't get it down.

 

[xXDR.SWOOCEXx]

My mains are in my signature but I think that I would have to place the DS as my main for Splat Zones and the Krak-On as the secondary. I would agree with @E-Liter Elite and say that a main should be comfortable and feel natural as the Dual Squelcher is to me. I personally don't see a point in a tertiary weapon because after number 1 and 2 it's basically whatever I feel like playing after that.

 

[ILikeKirbys]

I suppose your main weapon is the one you're most comfortable with, secondaries would be ones you can use, but don't like as much (whether it's because they don't quite gel with your playstyle like the main does, or they're very different weapons you pull out when you think it's time for a change of pace), and tertiaries would just be other weapons you dust off on occasion.
For me, the only thing I can choose as my main is the Octobrush. It just works really well with my playstyle; I like to attack aggressively, and the Octobrush's decent range, respectable power and great movement speed make it exceptional for me. I can engage enemies and win fairly consistently, Squid Beakons are good to drop when I have a moment to myself so I can jump back in when I get splatted, and the Kraken is good for running away or performing ambushes (though it's not a good attack special, it doesn't have the range for that). It doesn't have any way to attack beyond swing range, but other than that it doesn't have much in the way of flaws. It's a very balanced weapon, though one that lends itself to my kind of playstyle.
For secondaries, there are a few.
First, the Splat Roller. I love how versatile it is, it's like a Tentatek Splattershot in Roller form (and without Inkzooka, but Killer Wail is good). It's not as fast as the Octobrush, which is my main problem with it, and its range isn't as much as the Dynamo Roller's, though Suction Bombs can help with that, but it brings good midrange swings (though a Damage Up feels necessary to get splats near the edge of my range), a wide inkpath when I roll with it, decent long range attack ability through Suction Bombs, and a full-stage-long GTFO in the Killer Wail, which makes it fairly solid for any situation. I'm not as used to using it as I used to be, but it's making a comeback lately.
Second, the Gold Dynamo Roller. A longer-ranged alternative to the Splat Roller, packing HUGESWINGS for great mid-long-ish-range attacks, Splat Bombs for when I don't have a second to wind up (or want to throw it over a wall, or up to a higher area), and Inkstrike to hit anywhere (THERE IS NO ESCAPE. THE INKNADO WILL FIND YOU). However, its attacks are slow, making rolling near useless and close combat undesirable, basically the opposite of other Rollers. Still, it's good, but I'm still learning it (and I'm not as good at throwing Splat Bombsas I could be). I find myself thinking I'm using a Charger when I use this Roller; is that weird?
Speaking of Chargers, my third secondary is the E-Liter 3K Scope. It seems a bit odd to play aggressively with a Charger... and it is. I try to sit back and snipe when I can, and the Scope's extra range is nice for that, but enemies inevitably reach me, or I try going after them, which is where the real reason I use the E-Liter comes into play: Burst Bombs. I always put on a Damage Up or two so these will do a lot of damage with each hit, letting me be decently threatening in close combat (where I inevitably end up, either because enemies found me or I jumped down into the fray). Echolocator is also alright, primarily for the instant refill. I still don't feel comfortable playing a Charger (my instincts keep telling me to go closer, but sniping is best done from a distance where I won't get wrecked for missing), and my aim is shaky at times, but I still like the E-Liter.
Fourth is the N-Zap '89. I wrecked everyone during Splatfest with it, but after that I mostly forgot about it in favor of other weapons. However, I picked it back up today, and I'm really feeling it again! Sprinkler/Inkstrike with a Special Charge Up or two is an amazing loadout for getting lots of useful Inkstrikes, and the range on it's pretty neat too. Its rapid-fire is a bit linear (seriously, it's practically a straight line), which isn't good when your aim is as shaky as mine is, but other than that (and rusty-ness, it's been a while since I kinda dropped it) it's a good weapon.
And finally, the .52 Gal Deco. I used to love this thing; it has power, range, Seekers for getting around fairly quickly (or shooting at faraway enemies like you're supposed to) and Inkstrikes, which are always nice, but it fires fairly slowly. Over time, I switched over to other weapons, leaving the Deco behind, but I've come back to it and it's still good. Still kinda rusty with it though.
As for tertiaries, I suppose the Tentatek Splattershot (it's good, I just don't like how it feels), Krak-On Splat Roller (Octobrush pretty much has it beat to me, but occasionally I retry it), Splash-O-Matic (it's alright, mostly for Suction Bomb Rush, used to like it more), Inkbrush (Sprinkler/Inkstrike with SONIC SPEED, but not a good weapon for attacking because it has no range (requiring me to get up in people's faces to hurt them so I don't use it much), Splatterscope (I like Splat Bomb Rush, but other than that I feel like I'm playing a faster-charging E-Liter with a bit less range and worse close-range options), Aerospray RG (it feels nice, especially in Turf War, and is surprisingly decent in Ranked, but I hate the lack of range (fire speed mitigates its low power to me) and am not a big fan of Ink Mines), Splattershot Jr. (I like its well-roundedness, but the short range and low power hurts it for me) and Carbon Roller (it's like a slower Inkbrush that has Roller power and ranged attacks, but it's still not quite quick enough and its short range means the Splat and Gold Dynamo Rollers leave it in the dust).

 

[smittythesquid]

I main the Aerospray RG because of how rapid fire it is, plus it comes with my favourite special, the Inkstrike. I actually don't have a secondary weapon, mainly just a group of tertiary weapons that I use on occasion: the Aerospray MG, Nozzelnose, Splattershot Jr., Tenatek Splattershot, and the Krak-On Splat Roller.