Weapon-specific sub/special tier lists

[Catloafman]

Bit surprised by your Torpedo placement. If you ask me, it would be very useful for the weapon, letting it paint its feet and locate enemies, while distracting them at the same time.

I mean it works ig but its SO ink hungry for not being a lethal bomb

 

[Smash Arena]

I don't know how to use this tier-list maker thing a lot of people use these days, but I can give my top 3 for each:

Subs:

1. Torpedo
2. Splat Bomb
3. Beakon

Specials:

1. Triple Inkstrike
2. Booyah Bomb
3. Killer Wail 5.1


Those are generally what I enjoy using the most. Honorable mention is the Point Sensor and Triple Splashdown, which can be quite useful as well.

 

[youre_a_squib_now]

I don't know how to use this tier-list maker thing a lot of people use these days, but I can give my top 3 for each:

Subs:

1. Torpedo
2. Splat Bomb
3. Beakon

Specials:

1. Triple Inkstrike
2. Booyah Bomb
3. Killer Wail 5.1


Those are generally what I enjoy using the most. Honorable mention is the Point Sensor and Triple Splashdown, which can be quite useful as well.

What weapon is this for?

 

[Smash Arena]

What weapon is this for?

Oh, I must have misread, was just saying my favorite sub/specials in general for Splatoon 3.

 

[nocoffei]

I'm gonna throw my hat in the ring here with Aerospray. I'm not that good at this video game but I have four starred both variants in S3 so I feel like that's enough to justify at least an attempt?

I'm not super confident about the subs so let's start there.

- Fizzy Bomb is fantastic on Aerospray. Aerospray is a weapon that wants to be a pest, running around and painting everything while avoiding enemies since it can't fight, with the ultimate goal of spamming special. Throw Fizzy over and over again to get in paint and chip damage everywhere. For this reason I also feel that Autobomb and Torp are good picks especially since they help it locate enemies to avoid. Splat Bomb is less fantastic since you don't get as much paint out of it and unlike the other two you don't get a lock on nearby enemies, making it harder to avoid them.
- Utility subs can contribute more by indirectly helping Aerospray paint. Toxic Mist helps it escape bad situations, and Point Sensor helps it flush out areas it knows are safe to paint.
- Sprinkler is a bad sub weapon, but it does help you paint. I don't think Aerospray really needs more paint honestly but hey it's a quicker special. Curling Bomb consumes a lot of ink but also gives you a lot of paint in return.
- Despite Burst Bomb being busted on many weapons, I don't think it really helps Aerospray that much. Aerospray basically IS a Burst Bomb as the main weapon, it doesn't need another as the sub. Suction Bomb consumes too much ink that you could be using firing the main weapon for too little paint in return.
- Splash Wall would be used on Aerospray to do what the above subs would do, but worse. Marker is a bad sub that also doesn't paint. I can see no way for Ink Mine or Beakons to be useful.

Now for specials.

- Can you IMAGINE Cooler on Aerospray? lmao. As I understand it, the whole meta right now revolves around weapons that can get Cooler as often as possible... And Aerospray is a weapon that lives to get special. It wouldn't be outright game-breaking because Aerospray, but it would be nuts to watch.
- Aerospray RG is a kit that lives for Booyah Bomb. I think we all know how this one plays out for this weapon already.
- Tri-Strike and Chumps basically play the same role-- paint even more-- but Chumps has a cooldown.
- Zooka would be very funny on a weapon that has zero offensive firepower. "Surprise, I can now kill you from halfway across the map." Given Aerosprays high mobility this could lead to some funny things.
- I actually think Kraken would play well with Aerospray. It gives it a serious approach option to lend its team some offensive firepower that Aerospray pays the opportunity cost of. And given how often you get special you'd see Kraken pretty often. Unfortunately the startup and cooldown times make it hard to position yourself correctly for.
- Missiles on a weapon that lives to spam special. Need I say more?
- Ink Storm would be great for disrupting enemies and painting more, but it lasts a long time that Aerospray can't charge another special for.
- The three burst disruption specials do well. Aerospray likes a panic button when it gets cornered, since it can't fight back normally. I actually like Reefslider on Aerospray MG. It's a bad special but has good synergy. I've gotten some exceptionally cheesy kills with it lol.
- Crab does not play where Aerospray likes to play. Aerospray wants to be everywhere. Crab needs to retreat to the back lines to use effectively.
- Bubbler gives Aerospray a relatively safe place to work from on the battlefield, something it could really take advantage of.
- Inkjet... I dunno about Inkjet. It might actually be better. I just don't have a good understanding of how it works. My gut says it doesn't really play well with Aerospray.
- Wail doesn't play well, I don't think. Screen is a special with a large cooldown that doesn't really do Aerospray any favors.
- Wave Breaker doesn't play well except for a free ink refill. What would you even do with Vac or Zipcaster on Aerospray?

Let me know what you all think-- I'm definitely not a competitive player but I do find this game fun ^^

 

[isaac4]

This took a long time with a lot of experimentation playing other backline weapons to finish but I'm finally done with my Explo sub/special tier list.
I'm not sure if this will be the last weapon I make a tier list like this for since I'm done with all the sloshers but I could try doing RB and S-Blast.
I don't think I will though but we'll see.

• I probably don't have to explain why Sprinkler is at the top but I'll do it anyway. There's the obvious benefits like the passive paint output and being able to block some shots but most importantly, having Sprinkler on Explo gives it a way to move around faster. Explo gets rushed down easily because of how slow it is, if it doesn't already have paint around to work with then escaping from a special like Inkjet or Zip becomes significantly harder. Even outside of using it to swim away from any players rushing you, it's just amazing for letting Explo reposition itself much faster than it's able to currently. The weapon plays a lot closer than other backline options like E-Liter or Hydra so it's important that it's able to move forward with its team. I mentioned this already as well but the passive paint output is actually really good for getting your special faster and painting parts of the map that you won't currently be focused on (Explosher focuses on chip damage more than anything else and it can't just easily switch to painting with its slow fire rate and poor ink consumption). There's a bit more I could say but those were the main reasons for why I decided to place it at the top.
• I was really conflicted on whether or not Burst was good enough to be at the top but I decided against it. Regardless, it's still an amazing sub for Explosher since you'll now have a direct way to challenge anyone getting close to you. It's cheap, improves your mobility like Sprinkler, and it's much more reliable up close. It would make it very hard to challenge Explo and the only reason it's not at the top is because I don't think what the sub provides in terms of combat is what the weapon needs. Unless you hit a 90, it's not going to be a very consistent option for a damage combo and Explosher is still a very ink hungry weapon so it's not going to be using Burst often when it needs to focus on getting in chip damage with the main weapon.
• Beakon on Explo sounds like such an interesting and good idea for a main/sub combination. I've said this already but Explo moves a lot closer with the rest of its team compared to other backlines. That does bring some issues though since you're not always at a safe spot for your team to jump into but having Beakons would let Explo move forward while not having to worry as much about providing jumps. It'll also help for giving the whole team different positions to play from when they jump back in which will be very important when dealing with weapons like E-Liter that can keep everyone locked out of entering mid. I would place it higher but Explo is a very slow and ink hungry weapon so it's not going to be able to place them around as fast as some other weapons could but it'll still be in better positions to do so over something like Dread D.
• My opinion on Splash Wall has gotten a bit higher since cExplo was first revealed. I still think most of the praise it gets is from Splash Wall itself being really strong, not that the main/sub combo itself is amazing but it's definitely better than I gave it credit for. I don't feel like saying anything else about it since cExplo has already been talked about a lot.

• I originally had Zooka at the top spot but the more I thought about Crab the more it just made sense to me that it had to be the best special for supporting how Explo wants to play while also helping with some of the weaknesses of the main weapon. It does take away the main weapon for a while but in exchange you get to contest and hold down areas of the map for your team even against other backline weapons that Explo usually struggles against. It also doesn't lose the ability to provide aoe chip damage for its team so it can still play very similarly to how it usually does if it wants to. Crabs fire rate is also very good for dealing with HP specials or popping RM shield which isn't something Explo itself is good at. Lastly, Crabs ball form is perfect protecting yourself, something that the main weapon desperately needs. I could probably go on for longer but I think mostly everyone here would get why Crab is such an amazing special for Explosher.
• I've talked about how good I think Zooka would be on Explo before but it's been a while since then so I'll repeat some of the same points here. The most obvious use of Zooka here would be to deal with other backlines or midlines, either killing them or at least forcing them to move which gives Explo and its team the opportunity to push in. Explo can also follow up on the aoe damage of Zooka with a potential 90 or 55 damage from one shot. Even if it's not able to, the weapon can still trap any weakened players to let its team quickly finish them off. Explo could also try using Zooka to finish off anyone who's gotten out of its range and quickly pop it if it gets rushed by any enemy players. It's also the best backline option for Zooka as it usually plays in the right positions for it and already has a focus on getting in chip damage for its team. My only two issues are that it's not a great answer for protecting you against most specials and it's not as reliable as something like Crab but it still synergizes well with the role that Explo has to play.
• Do I even have to say anything for Cooler? It's the best support special and makes Explo's slower mobility and poor defense when getting targeted almost a non-issue. Now you get to play closer with your team without being as worried about dying and your team gets to rush in and take advantage of your chip damage while not having to care about getting traded out. Explosher's paint output is also pretty great so you'll definitely be getting a good amount of Coolers even if it's a 210p special.
• Similar to Splash Wall, my opinion on TSD on Explo has gotten a bit higher. I still don't think it's great or really fits the weapon but it's good at what it's supposed to do which is forcing or potentially killing anyone getting close to Explo. It's also quick and doesn't force it to move anywhere so Explo can continue painting and getting in chip damage right after.
• Of course Reefslider is at the bottom again. I really hate this special.

 

[Yeenom]

My hopes for Luna's 3rd kit (THEY'RE HAPPENING THEY'RE HAPPENING WE WILL GET 3RD KITS YOU'RE JUST NOT BELIEVING HARD ENOUGH)

Basically:
Burst is good on any weapon, Torp can combo - Inkjet is an entry tool and TSplashdown is a good "get off me" tool

Curling is an entry tool (I wanted Fizzy but the Neo kit took that) - Cooler, Zooka and Tri-Strike are good on anything but boring

Suction is good but it's boring, Mist would be top tier... if it actually worked and Beacon could work and no Blaster has it but it's also kinda boring - Big Bubbler is good but we don't need another slayer with it, Booyah is good but Nintendo basically slaps it on anything because it's literally the safest option for any weapon, Crab is good but Luna doesn't need it and even though it's my favorite special, Luna doesn't really need Kraken

Auto is good but it's significantly slower than Torp - Reef certainly exists and everything else is just "why would they put this on it"

Both subs and specials would suck on Luna

 

[DzNutsKong]

Figured I'd update now that I have more time on the weapon...

I still think they hit the nail on the head for specials, still can't think of a better special it could have than Inkjet. Booyah Bomb and Trizooka would both be fantastic for it though. Trizooka is something that, sadly, you can quickly panic if you get run at which is helpful for this weapon and it also helps hit stuff that outranges it, which is nice. This thing would love a good continuation special and Inkjet already can kinda be used for that but Booyah Bomb is the gold standard for something like this, it's a nice special for basically everything but it fits what Decav wants super well in my opinion.

Crab Tank is...Crab Tank. Again, nothing would hate it, but this is a case where the special being a good fit for Decav entirely hinges on how good the special itself is. This weapon doesn't find itself in the positions to use it super often so it would be a little more awkward than most other choices. Still would love to see it. Any amount of chip damage can do wonders for your 80 damage hitbox which is why Ink Storm and Killer Wail 5.1 are here. Ink Storm's healing and displacement and Killer Wail's location and quick refill are also great. Kraken lets you easily get past enemy lines and Decav isn't the kind of weapon that most teams mind losing for ten seconds and Triple Splashdown is another quick panic button that can hit over some ledges where you struggle and also activate faster than any of your attacking options.

I was VERY temped to put Super Chump up with Ink Storm and Killer Wail for similar reasons but the displacement is way weaker and overall this special just isn't in the best spot. A good Super Chump is a great fit but a middling one isn't. Tenta Missiles is also similar to Killer Wail but isn't an instant ink tank refill and doesn't play nearly as strongly off of chip so it's just not as good. Screen is kind of a question mark, probably relies a lot on team support and knowing where enemies are despite the screen being in your way which I'm not used to playing around yet.

Ink Vac is basically a bad Booyah Bomb for the purposes of this weapon. Wave Breaker seems like a weird fit for this weapon, maybe I'm underselling this one a little bit but nothing stuck out to me about this one that doesn't apply to and also fail when paired with other weapons. The ink tank refill and combo damage might be nice in theory but you could say that about a number of other weapons that don't care. Triple Inkstrike has the same issue it does with Slosher and a Decav kit with it would probably just not be worth using over it. I used to love the idea of Tacticooler on this weapon and I could see a world where it works, I've definitely had pretty good special output with this weapon even in some games where I die a bunch, but that really never feels consistent and that's a huge flaw in a role like this.

Ultra Stamp and Reefslider are sad cases of bad specials that would suit the weapon great if they didn't suck. The main weapon needs to be really strong to carry them up and I don't think Decav is quite on the level of like a Wiper, Dread Wringer or Tetra Dualie. Zipcaster is a good special that would still be horrid on this weapon thanks to its high ink consumption, low range, and slow attacking speed.

For subs, Burst Bomb, Fizzy Bomb, and Torpedo would all be fantastic for damage combos, quick attacking options, poking at a distance or behind walls and ledges, and faster movement, all of which this weapon would really appreciate. Fizzy Bomb is probably the best of these three here. Splash Wall I've gone on about enough on this forum but tl;dr it lets you skirmish super well and lets you challenge the midlines you'd usually struggle against the most if caught in the open.

I think Curling Bomb is the next best subweapon for it but could see that being a hot take. The movement is just way too nice for this kind of weapon in a similar way as it is for the Splat Roller. I was tempted to put Autobomb a tier down because while it's very nice to have a cheap way to get people out from behind cover...

...bombs in general aren't the absolute best for this weapon. They're very good of course, but this weapon uses them a lot less than other weapons with similar range and can play without them for sure. This weapon just plays to sharking a lot and can poke behind more corners than other weapons with its dash even if poking high ground can be nice sometimes and holding out choke points is always good. Splat vs Suction probably depends on kit but I think Splat Bomb would be better for it most of the time.

Angle Shooter combos and the fast attack and movement would be nice but it's Angle Shooter. You know how many weapons could say all of those things in theory but just don't work out that way in practice because Angle Shooter sucks? The rest of these I don't have much to say about. Kits with these could be fine but it'd entirely hinge on how good of a special it gets as opposed to the higher subweapons where a slightly worse special might work out.

Toxic Mist has zero synergy and also sucks. What else is there to say with it?


That's about it lmao

 

[SAMICOM]

I mean it works ig but its SO ink hungry for not being a lethal bomb

goo tuber tierlist

 

[Algae]

Was wondering when these two would show up. Subs and specials are assumed to be better-balanced, but I say listing my own stuff is too much trouble.

also would you give curling or burst to the nautilus 78