What do you think is the best weapon in Splatoon?

[Award]

Yeah, honestly the disconnects are far too unpredictable and sporadic for me to think it’s (completely) a fault of my own. I know server farms are expensive to maintain, but frankly now that Nintendo is running a good amount of online multiplayer games with growing competitive communities (Splatoon, Smash, Mario Kart, Pokemon), they really should consider it as an investment (which I’m sure they could afford). As for having to make monthly payments, if it were reasonably priced I wouldn’t necessarily mind that, although I’d expect some nice additional / exclusive features in return. I don’t know what the ideal solution is for all parties involved, but as is Nintendo still really needs to work on its online multiplayer in general. At least they've improved from the travesty that was online Brawl.

Fairly true, though Pokemon doesn't need servers. Heck you could run that with an email client. There's a few old PC turn based strategies that actually could email turns back and forth.... Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri I think could do that. Very 90's dialup but it worked. Pokemon bank carries an annual fee, though, so that gives us an idea of how they'd monetize. I wonder if the results would actually be that much better? Distributed serving is the way of the future in general computing, but gamers keep demanding more central data vaults :p

I’d say loads of stages are Luna/Gal central, nowadays lol. ;) Yeah in Zones Ancho-V presents similar problems to Hammerhead…a ghastly comparison, but it’s true. There’s just too much moving crap and oddly positioned obstacles, so if a Luna or Gal has already claimed the center, it’s ridiculously hard to reclaim unless you can pressure them away with a sub or Special. To be honest, I barely play at all when it’s Zones anymore. I’m just so burnt out on the mode and the obnoxious scenarios that can be created by terrible stage/weapon combinations. Blackbelly, Triggerfish, Urchin and Flounder are the main occasional exceptions.

Ugh. Museum is awful, from my experience, in Zones. That giant contraption in the center of the zone I swear makes for absurdly disproportionate turf coverage. There have been SO many times I SWEAR my team should’ve claimed the zone with the amount I’ve drenched, and yet nanoseconds later it goes to the opposing team instead.

I'm kind of annoyed by Gal dominance these days. They just seem so cheap in a lot of ways. I'm still not great with them, I've tried them in TW a few times when I get too frustrated with ranked losing streaks, and I still do better with SSPro, but the gals just seem so invincible so much of the time. Still, they're less boring than tentateks, so if I were to go all meta in my weapon choice, it'd still be a gal. Ancho-V, I think I'm learning to hate this map. It's just too claustrophobic for any mode but TW. I love it in TW. But every ranked mode so far leaves me wishing it were any other map. I think the fan lifts are causing lag issues, too. Piranha has that issue sometimes, but Ancho-V....it seems as I sniper when I'm in ancho-v I miss the majority of my shots. I tend to blame myself for having bad aim and missing too much, but yesterday was ancho-v and piranha, and when it switched to piranha in the same lobby I had no problem hitting anyone. Only in Ancho-V. That's an issue I've sometimes had on Piranha (due to conveyors) but not on other maps. I think I'm NOT missing the shots after all.

Zones has always been my best mode, or at least used to be, maybe it's TC now. Museum I've generally had good luck with. The rotating wall is an issue, definitely, but I try to stay up on the riser with most ranged weapons, or with rollers, including dynamo, just cover the left side from the ground.

Yup yup, it’s such a reliable weapon in that mode, save for some stages where range rules. It really specializes in multi-kills, hugely exploitable when teams cluster together and can’t see you coming. There have been so many times I’ve Ninja’d towards a freed Rainmaker and literally cleared out every opponent swarming in on it. Range disadvantages suck, but it really makes you realize that if you can close in, it’s usually the gunners that have the huge disadvantage. Because they have to aim, they just can’t react quick enough. K/D ratios can be so insane when I’m running this weapon. I’ve absolutely slaughtered with it lol, but it is because as I said they are absolutely killing weapons. Teammates just have to use those opportunities to advance…which, many times, they don’t. Welcome to the brush club! Lol. ;)

It figures that among my bad rounds yesterday my very first round was RM in squads. The enemy team had an octobrush as well. A better one than novice me. But worse, a dmg-up stacked octobrush! I had one main, she had 3 mains and 4 or so subs. So I was completely unable to touch their star player at all. Any direct conflict was a guaranteed loss for me. I had to resort to being a grenadier. We lost badly of course. But otherwise I just love that brush! It's a fun club! I've cursed out octobrushes so many times before :p

Pressure is very important in Rainmaker, but it’s a little frustrating when teammates get caught up in advance-camping into enemy turf as opposed to making any effort to escort the RM. I’ve taken the Rainmaker myself enough times to have a better impression of when it’s time to wait it out, attack or just make a mad solo dash. I don’t always make the right call for sure lol, but it’s interesting what you can do sometimes if you play the Rainmaker attacks correctly. I’ve actually fended opponents off up close by bunny hopping while charging, and sidestepping or swimming up walls in directions they wouldn’t expect. I’ve also noticed it’s hugely important for a Rainmaker holder to know when they should and shouldn’t engage with enemies.

Generally speaking, I don’t worry as much about the tornados “alerting” enemies (although they definitely can), because chances are anyone actually paying attention will know where the Rainmaker is, at least its general vicinity, at any given time. That being said, if a path is cleared in the right direction and the enemies seem preoccupied, there’s absolutely no reason to do anything but beeline for the goal. Usually the only time I wait for backup is if someone’s already in the process of Super Jumping to me and proceeding any further alone is highly likely to be unsafe.

Yeah, I'm definitely not an expert RM carrier, but I've posted the high score with it enough times to feel confident picking it up, too. I'm just not good at fighting with it. And if I have to stop to ink the paths and walls (why are the walls *NEVER* inked when I get there??) i'm guaranteed to lose the RM fast. But one thing I'm good at is platforming. Something I think a lot of Splatoon players used to shooters are not. Been playing playing Mario since it was new :p So I have kind of an instinct for making clean jumps from splotch to splotch and carving good lines to get the RM an extra digit closer :) Those blind runs can be the saving grace some matches. (I disavow Mahi and all my trips to the water while carrying the RM - that level is cursed, :p )

I just wish I were better at fighting with it. It's basically an eliter...how can I possibly suck with it?

Splatlings are a lot of fun, but like chargers they seem to be really crippled by awkward obstacles and walls. I wouldn’t mind trying them again more often, but wouldn’t dare run them on certain stages.

One advantage they have over chargers is they have a firing arc. Chargers need line of sight. That can be used with obstacles.

Yeah, they aren’t my thing because of that. I had some very successful runs on TC with Inkbrush Nouveau, just because its rapid kills, Bubbler and Ink Mines were a nice pairing for the mode, but gawd its range limitations are really terrible in so many scenarios. Ninja Squid and teammate assistance are literally the only options of approach, and they’re too often unreliable. It has its speed, yes. But you have to be a real expert in both stage layout and your own maneuverability to mad dash in plain sight and expect the same kill potential.

The plain sight dashes and daring escapes are the one thing I really did latch onto with it. IT's not as fast but I've been applying that with octobrush as well. Especially the daring escape. I don't see too many octobrushes rolling for some reason, but it's given me safe escape countless times. Sometimes given me the attack too. I liken it to Assassin's Creed 1 - after you make the kill you had to escape the now alerted compound back to your hideout. IMO that was the best of the series - the only one that really lived up to it's "you're an assassin" namesake before becoming an HBO cinedrama. Same thing, you sneak in, make your kill, then when everyone knows you're there you dash out in plain sight.

Generally speaking, I think Bubblers are mostly useless on very long range weapons. Krakens at least have a more feasible method of approach and speed up your attack option, but a charger or Hydra activating a Bubbler from a million miles away doesn’t do much good. Chargers and Hydras generally need locator or AOE Specials, imo. Rushdown Specials are just so awkward on them. I get it’s to aim for versatility, but the reality is if you try to rushdown as a Squiffer or Hydra, you’re a giant squatting target the second the Special ends. I actually saw someone retreat to spawn AS a Kraken the other day, because of that fear, I’m sure. But it was hilarious….I’d never seen a Kraken Super Jump animation before. XD

Yeah. Actually on CHydra, it's not the MOST useful sub but it's not bad either. Chydra is used as a map control anchor mostly. The bubbler is purely defensive there, if you're getting overrun, sitting on a full charge, just pop up the bubbler and hold your ground. It's saved me a few times when they moved into awkward positions. More useful than vanilla's echo which takes a million days to charge with the awful turfing on that thing. But it doesn't allow the Jr.s aggression. SJ'ing krakens...now that one's funny :)

Ink Resistance was honestly one of the best abilities in the game before the nerf. Made maneuverability SO much easier. But afterwards, the difference felt minimal to me, too minimal to warrant a main slot. I can try running it again, since I will say with zero resistance enemy ink does feel like freaking hot glue, and that has been a problem for me multiple times. Ah, the days of moving at full speed through enemy ink while Dynamo flinging or even launching my Inkstrike…long gone lol. It also kinda sucks that it’s one of the “exclusive” abilities, so it’s only available on shoes (which I’m currently using for Attack Up) and can’t be stacked…so that one boost is all you get. I get excessive stacking could become a problem quick on that ability, but given what quicksand-tar enemy ink is normally, a tad more of that option could work

Personally I still think it's too useful to do without on MOST weapons. It's not as good as it was, and it may have been broken before (that's a huge advantage for wearing one of the 5 shoes with it versus anyone that chooses not to) But it's still better than being glued. The weapons that don't need it are the fast firing, great turfing weapons that can ink their own escape well, carbon/splat rollers don't need the maneuverability so much, and chargers shouldn't be in harms way so much. Hydras need it because by the time you have to abandon your post, they've been shooting at you and inking you for a while. Brushes need to cross enemy ink directly sometimes, and dynamos need the movement for a quick retreat if the fling misses and/or to get the jump-fling while they ink under you. Personally I think maybe they should just make ink resistance the NORMAL ink effect and get rid of the ability. It doesn't serve a purpose other than unfair disadvantage if you choose not to use it.

I have to admit, after our conversations and hearing your point of view, I’m a little more empathetic towards charger users and have a better comprehension of their real pros and cons. I’ve actually started observing more closely not only when their shots hit, but when they don’t, and I’ve realized how hard they have it in instances of lag, especially against speedy foes. I’ve always had respect for people who can use chargers well (without over-abusing certain mechanics), but I rage against them less following a closer assessment of your explanations, as well as the hard realization that they are just my main’s primary counter, which I suppose makes sense, and that’s just something I’ll have to incorporate into my strategy.

That's good to hear! :) Yeah, sometimes....you walk away from a match thinking "I dunno, maybe I should just main shooters..." :) It can be rough...but when it goes well it goes very well! I can usually tell on the first shot. If I get out, get a perch, see an enemy take a shot and nail him, it sets a good mode for a match. Maybe not a win, but I'll do well. If I get to my perch and find a slosher parked under it when I get there, or the first enemy zips by me and every shot misses and they have an n-zap non-stop harassing me, I know this isn't going to go well. Some matches like that one in Ancho-V, 5 minutes, probably 50 shots, maybe 6 hit. or at least hit and killed. Those are frustrating. And yeah, they're the only thing that can reliably touch a dynamo. I'll say that being an eliter first and a dynamo second helps me keep my dynamo out of sniper sight. I'll be one of the more evasive dynamos out there for the snipers to hit ;)

My issue remaining with stacking is that it allows players to fit a circle into a square…essentially, buff a weapon that is/would/should be a very poor fit for a certain rotation to the point that it’s suddenly a huge unexpected threat in nearly all stages. This is frustrating mainly because that option isn’t available to every kit-quite the opposite in fact. Burst Bombs should be for pressure, not devastating damage, point blank. They’re far too fast to inflict the latter. Burst-canceling I have another issue with in and of itself, because again it can open up debatably broken rapid damage output in some scenarios. But again, this is really all debatable and I understand that from the charger perspective there can just be too many unfavorable scenarios without ability buffs to rely on. CQC weapons and snipers may never really fully understand each other’s woes lol, aside from rare players like you who have managed to main a little of both. ;)

Haha, yeah, fitting a square peg in a round hole is part of it... but it's also the catch that some maps/modes would be impossible for enitre weapon classes. Which is particularly difficult if they're a high skill floor class that you really have to spend a lot of time to learn. Like my stacking for the bombs for eliter in mackerel zones. The nature of the map means you have no choice but to be confronted at CQC. There are no real perches (the trucks and boxes are bad angles for watching the zones) so you have to stare down the aisles. You can ohko someone coming straight down, but only a horrible player would come straight down with a charger there. So you'll get flanked. Alternately you can't help your team push if you stay back where it's safe. And you probably can't deffend one zone all alone either like a hydra can. Splatterscopes get splat bombs to help. They ohko. They're easier to use than burst bombs for zoning/killing. But their shorter range means you can't really ink the zone without putting yourself in prime "flank me now" position :) Funny thing with me is although I've ranged at damaged stacked burst bomb main eliters even when I'm using custom eliter, I can't have sympathy for my burst bomb victims. I'm Custom eliter trained....I use the main gun first. I fall back and try to use the main gun again. If I fail again as I retreat and they try to run me down, they had it coming. I gave them every chance to run away :D And I'm a bad enough burst bomb aim that they really had to be running at me :p Especially zones....you don't get a chance to try again if you don't take them out fast. I dislike the playstyle some snipers have that are true "burst bomb mains" and use the burst bombs as their main weapon, right in the fray. In reality they're just bad snipers most of the time. Burst bombs are HORRIBLY ink inefficient, using the same ink as a full charge. Throw 2-3 bombs and you're helpless with no hope to pressure. I still like Custom better for modes that allow it. Burst bombs are crude, and the maneuverability of beacons is amazing for a sniping purist. But zones is zones. It's as close as Splatoon gets to Team Deathmatch. :D

Funny thing is, people used to gripe at how useless burst bombs are. And how useless chargers are. And how useless brushes are.

 

[Award]

(Split message again due to forum size limits - split out replies to HyperNovaSoul and everyone else, and it fortunately fits!)

I meant hard as in fast. Haha, whoops.

I know that inkbrush has its advantages over octo, but octo is almost always considered to be more viable. As @Award mentioned, octobrush excels in less predictible situations whereas inkbrush is fairly limited to more scripted roles which are difficult to coordinate in random matches.

I'm also quite weak with brushes, but I have just personally had more success with inkbrush... but since octo is considered more viable by the majority of the competitive community I am sure there must be something I'm not doing right with them. I can never get kills xD

You're just used to the GenieShot Jr. There's no GenieBrush to match. You cant duct tape your ZR button down and press the R stick for victory! ;):p

Seriously though I'm thinking maybe you're mashing TOO fast. Inkbrush can kill faster because it can swish faster, but each flick does less damage than octo. Octo should be 2-3 hit kill with dmg up. But I wonder if overdoing it messes up the rhythm. I"m thinking L3 Nozzlenose theory might apply here. L3's all about rhythm. Maybe octo uses the same logic?

with the squiffer's not-particularly-impressive range for having the charge time it does, the bubbler is mostly a way i can combat whiffed shots, ninjas, and MMFFING bubbling jrs.

i think a good way to change bubblers is to increase its traction when fired at but give it some lag on deployment and possibly die even faster when shared. squiffer becomes nearly useless when in a bubble if your opponent is using a shooter weapon. getting shoved around makes it much harder to aim and also tends to get you stuck against a wall or pushed off the stage since we can't put on the same pressure shooters can. if we had more traction like when splatoon first came out, at least we could use the bubble effectively... then to keep it from being OP, the lag on deployment would mean you can't use it to escape from certain death at the last second after taking 1 or 2 hits from an opponent who outplayed you. you'd have to play smarter and pre-determine when to use it.

Oh heck no, the last thing the bubbler needs is MORE lag :p My foes don't always use bubblers, but when they do, it's after I've ohko'd them. Almost EVERY time I see a bubbler or kraken, if it's not pre-bubbled Jr's leading an assoult, the bubbler pops up after they were supposed to be dead but inexplicably aren't. Then "bling" bubbler/kraken.

LOL, no, I know what you mean, and I agree 100%, I think that would fix a lot of bubbler's problems. Other than that Jr. charges it too fast. Splash wall has a huge delay. Wail & strike announce their approach. Echo reveals the users location for a moment. Bubbler has no weakness other than short duration and ability for SHOOTERS to bounce it around (but chargers and rollers can't!) In addition to more traction, I do think they need the high power low speed weapons to affect bubblers more. It's not fair that a charger can't knock them off a tower, or that a dynamo can get killed by a bubbler mid-swing when they wouldn't have approached if it were known to be a bubbler. Especially with the net lag often revealing the bubbler AFTER you've taken your shot.

 

[sammich]

(Split message again due to forum size limits - split out replies to HyperNovaSoul and everyone else, and it fortunately fits!)



You're just used to the GenieShot Jr. There's no GenieBrush to match. You cant duct tape your ZR button down and press the R stick for victory! ;):p

Seriously though I'm thinking maybe you're mashing TOO fast. Inkbrush can kill faster because it can swish faster, but each flick does less damage than octo. Octo should be 2-3 hit kill with dmg up. But I wonder if overdoing it messes up the rhythm. I"m thinking L3 Nozzlenose theory might apply here. L3's all about rhythm. Maybe octo uses the same logic?



Oh heck no, the last thing the bubbler needs is MORE lag :p My foes don't always use bubblers, but when they do, it's after I've ohko'd them. Almost EVERY time I see a bubbler or kraken, if it's not pre-bubbled Jr's leading an assoult, the bubbler pops up after they were supposed to be dead but inexplicably aren't. Then "bling" bubbler/kraken.

LOL, no, I know what you mean, and I agree 100%, I think that would fix a lot of bubbler's problems. Other than that Jr. charges it too fast. Splash wall has a huge delay. Wail & strike announce their approach. Echo reveals the users location for a moment. Bubbler has no weakness other than short duration and ability for SHOOTERS to bounce it around (but chargers and rollers can't!) In addition to more traction, I do think they need the high power low speed weapons to affect bubblers more. It's not fair that a charger can't knock them off a tower, or that a dynamo can get killed by a bubbler mid-swing when they wouldn't have approached if it were known to be a bubbler. Especially with the net lag often revealing the bubbler AFTER you've taken your shot.

giving slow fire rate weapons more knockback against bubbles (and krakens) would be a dream. it can be tough especially when multiple opponents have bubbler or kraken and nearly every encounter results in my death...:x

 

[モモコ]

giving slow fire rate weapons more knockback against bubbles (and krakens) would be a dream. it can be tough especially when multiple opponents have bubbler or kraken and nearly every encounter results in my death...:x

they do... ever get hit by a dynamo, full charge charger, or inkzuka? of curse you doing it has little effect because lag... but on you? you fly XD

 

[sammich]

they do... ever get hit by a dynamo, full charge charger, or inkzuka? of curse you doing it has little effect because lag... but on you? you fly XD

inkzooka does a hefty amount of knockback. dynamo gives some, but not powerful enough given the lag it has after a swing. i have actually, as a squiffer, rushed a jumping dynamo, whiffed my shot with them reaching the apex of their jump, pulled out the bubbler just in time to block the hit, and dashed in with a fully charged shot for the splat before the dynamo could move.
remember, that's WITH a whiffed charge shot.

inkzooka has nice knockback. something close to that would be nice. basically enough that you can react and make a difference.

 

[モモコ]

inkzooka does a hefty amount of knockback. dynamo gives some, but not powerful enough given the lag it has after a swing. i have actually, as a squiffer, rushed a jumping dynamo, whiffed my shot with them reaching the apex of their jump, pulled out the bubbler just in time to block the hit, and dashed in with a fully charged shot for the splat before the dynamo could move.
remember, that's WITH a whiffed charge shot.

inkzooka has nice knockback. something close to that would be nice. basically enough that you can react and make a difference.

i was a kraken before and i could not get to a dynamo before because the push was too big each time.

i also got pushed off tc by all those i list too

 

[Award]

i was a kraken before and i could not get to a dynamo before because the push was too big each time.

i also got pushed off tc by all those i list too

A charged eliter shot definitely does not knock a kraken/bubbler off the tower, much to my dismay. And recharges are too slow that if you can't knock them off in one hit, you don't get two. They simply re-position before the next one. It's a serious problem that if a kraken or bubbler is on the tower I'm incapable of removing them, yet if I kraken and get on the tower, their shooters can bounce me off rapidly.

 

[DraconicPsycho]

i love all rollers. i like the chargers as well

 

[HypernovaSoul]

Fairly true, though Pokemon doesn't need servers. Heck you could run that with an email client. There's a few old PC turn based strategies that actually could email turns back and forth.... Sid Meier's Alpha Centauri I think could do that. Very 90's dialup but it worked. Pokemon bank carries an annual fee, though, so that gives us an idea of how they'd monetize. I wonder if the results would actually be that much better? Distributed serving is the way of the future in general computing, but gamers keep demanding more central data vaults :p

Yeah, I mainly just brought Pokemon up as an example of Nintendo’s online multiplayer communities and their need for support and investment. Nintendo made nearly zero effort in this area honestly all the way up until Wii U, but they really need to realize it’s where a huge portion of their audience lies in modern gaming. Pokemon Bank as a comparison is so ridiculously cheap (tiny fee only charged annually), so that’s something I don’t mind at all although I feel like a subscription for server-based online multiplayer support would probably be pricier. Idk, hard to say. I just know what’s going on now isn’t ideal.

I'm kind of annoyed by Gal dominance these days. They just seem so cheap in a lot of ways. I'm still not great with them, I've tried them in TW a few times when I get too frustrated with ranked losing streaks, and I still do better with SSPro, but the gals just seem so invincible so much of the time. Still, they're less boring than tentateks, so if I were to go all meta in my weapon choice, it'd still be a gal. Ancho-V, I think I'm learning to hate this map. It's just too claustrophobic for any mode but TW. I love it in TW. But every ranked mode so far leaves me wishing it were any other map. I think the fan lifts are causing lag issues, too. Piranha has that issue sometimes, but Ancho-V....it seems as I sniper when I'm in ancho-v I miss the majority of my shots. I tend to blame myself for having bad aim and missing too much, but yesterday was ancho-v and piranha, and when it switched to piranha in the same lobby I had no problem hitting anyone. Only in Ancho-V. That's an issue I've sometimes had on Piranha (due to conveyors) but not on other maps. I think I'm NOT missing the shots after all.

I would say a majority of Splatoon players are probably fed up with the dominance of Gals lol. Along with a small handful of others, they seem among the most hated weapons to play against. Honestly it’s primarily their kit that sends them into broken territory. They really should not have gotten Splash Walls. Splatlings getting Splash Walls, it’s understandable. They’re much slower and need the defense. But giving them to Gals is a little absurd (let alone multiple variants of Gals…ugh). They have a slow-ish rate of fire, I guess, but they inflict such insane damage over an impressive distance, and given they’re 2HKO weapons, giving them a massive defense boost on top of that…it’s too much. And adding a Kraken, which was already a much-debated over Special before its nerf, behind the protection of a freaking Splash Wall? It’s like…come on, Nintendo. Think harder about these kits. o_O

Frankly though as I’ve mentioned to you before, I personally think Splash Walls are a bit overpowered in general. Given how quickly Sprinklers are destroyed (and how much less of an imminent threat they present), Splash Walls really should not be able to absorb as much damage as they seem to. 2 DYNAMO flings to break it sometimes…? Like…seriously? But again, the problem would be fixed largely by just not including it in certain kits. It should be used defensively. Weapons that inflict heavy damage and kill quickly shouldn't have it. I give the Slosher Deco a pass only because Sloshers have less range and are generally easier to see coming.

It figures that among my bad rounds yesterday my very first round was RM in squads. The enemy team had an octobrush as well. A better one than novice me. But worse, a dmg-up stacked octobrush! I had one main, she had 3 mains and 4 or so subs. So I was completely unable to touch their star player at all. Any direct conflict was a guaranteed loss for me. I had to resort to being a grenadier. We lost badly of course. But otherwise I just love that brush! It's a fun club! I've cursed out octobrushes so many times before :p

Going up against a brush user with a brush yourself is always interesting lol, it can go one of two ways. Yeahhh damage stacked Octos can be very deadly. Again…an area where I wouldn’t mind a lower Damage Up cap, and on a weapon that I use myself. ;) It all goes back to just promoting scumming, which is lame. But yes, they really are one of the flat out most fun weapons to use in the game. :)

Yeah, I'm definitely not an expert RM carrier, but I've posted the high score with it enough times to feel confident picking it up, too. I'm just not good at fighting with it. And if I have to stop to ink the paths and walls (why are the walls *NEVER* inked when I get there??) i'm guaranteed to lose the RM fast. But one thing I'm good at is platforming. Something I think a lot of Splatoon players used to shooters are not. Been playing playing Mario since it was new :p So I have kind of an instinct for making clean jumps from splotch to splotch and carving good lines to get the RM an extra digit closer :) Those blind runs can be the saving grace some matches. (I disavow Mahi and all my trips to the water while carrying the RM - that level is cursed, :p )

I just wish I were better at fighting with it. It's basically an eliter...how can I possibly suck with it?

It’s funny, I feel like in lower ranks everyone’s paranoid to claim the Rainmaker themselves, yet in higher tier sometimes everyone lunges for it at once lol, which can be good or bad. The times when some random scrub grabs it and proceeds to meander uselessly, ignoring a path cleanly laid out for them…seriously…I’m like, if you don’t know what to do with it…don’t freaking take it, people.

And yup, I’m a platformer lover too! :) I agree those skills really come in handy for well-timed jumps and other maneuvers. And ugh…yeah, Mahi can be fun, but some of its oddly placed water holes (and random differences between modes) can be hard to traverse.

In terms of attacking with the Rainmaker, I’ve noticed you actually have to treat it like a combination between a charger and an Inkzooka. Its line of fire is actually almost identical to an Inkzooka’s, I’d say. Which means that like Inkzookas, you’ll want to take advantage of cases where enemies think they’re safe hiding behind low walls (which we all know for some god forsaken reason, Inkzooka shots pass right through lol. As do RM tornadoes). Players can underestimate what a threat the actual Rainmaker attack is, despite its slowness. Because of this, it can be easier to predict how foes will try to approach (from the side, same as Inkzookas). If you can anticipate this you can really screw over the enemy. But we all make mistakes with it lol. As with all slow weapons, sometimes you just won’t be fast enough.

The plain sight dashes and daring escapes are the one thing I really did latch onto with it. IT's not as fast but I've been applying that with octobrush as well. Especially the daring escape. I don't see too many octobrushes rolling for some reason, but it's given me safe escape countless times. Sometimes given me the attack too. I liken it to Assassin's Creed 1 - after you make the kill you had to escape the now alerted compound back to your hideout. IMO that was the best of the series - the only one that really lived up to it's "you're an assassin" namesake before becoming an HBO cinedrama. Same thing, you sneak in, make your kill, then when everyone knows you're there you dash out in plain sight.

Maybe it’s because I’m so reliant on Ninja Squid, but my play style with the Octo tends to stick to, if I’m in the fray, I’ll want to be in plain sight as little as possible unless I’ve closed in for a safe attack. Brush users need to essentially be ninjas, after all lol. :D This obviously isn’t always possible depending on the stage and situation, but I usually only paint-dash in brief spurts to relocate back into hiding, or approach when I have no other option. I like keeping the opponent guessing where I could possibly be, because it can cause them to panic/shoot where they assume I've gone and that opens up my opportunity to resurface safely and attack. It’s of course a different story if you’re nowhere near enemy territory/your team has the huge advantage. Also a different story if there's absolute zero turf coverage from your teammates.

Personally I still think it's too useful to do without on MOST weapons. It's not as good as it was, and it may have been broken before (that's a huge advantage for wearing one of the 5 shoes with it versus anyone that chooses not to) But it's still better than being glued. The weapons that don't need it are the fast firing, great turfing weapons that can ink their own escape well, carbon/splat rollers don't need the maneuverability so much, and chargers shouldn't be in harms way so much. Hydras need it because by the time you have to abandon your post, they've been shooting at you and inking you for a while. Brushes need to cross enemy ink directly sometimes, and dynamos need the movement for a quick retreat if the fling misses and/or to get the jump-fling while they ink under you. Personally I think maybe they should just make ink resistance the NORMAL ink effect and get rid of the ability. It doesn't serve a purpose other than unfair disadvantage if you choose not to use it.

I remember when it was useful, it was ridiculously useful. Maybe just because I had used it for so long beforehand, I really noticed the impact of the nerf. It’s very nice to have on Dynamo from a defensive standpoint, brushes as well. I don’t recall if I have Damage Up on my shoes or cap…if it’s on the shoes, it’ll be an easy switch for Dynamo, but not so much for my Octobrush (since I want Damage Up there). If I ever do reincorporate it, may take some rearranging.

That's good to hear! :) Yeah, sometimes....you walk away from a match thinking "I dunno, maybe I should just main shooters..." :) It can be rough...but when it goes well it goes very well! I can usually tell on the first shot. If I get out, get a perch, see an enemy take a shot and nail him, it sets a good mode for a match. Maybe not a win, but I'll do well. If I get to my perch and find a slosher parked under it when I get there, or the first enemy zips by me and every shot misses and they have an n-zap non-stop harassing me, I know this isn't going to go well. Some matches like that one in Ancho-V, 5 minutes, probably 50 shots, maybe 6 hit. or at least hit and killed. Those are frustrating. And yeah, they're the only thing that can reliably touch a dynamo. I'll say that being an eliter first and a dynamo second helps me keep my dynamo out of sniper sight. I'll be one of the more evasive dynamos out there for the snipers to hit ;)

Lol, honestly given the fact that a solid 85%+ of upper tier players use shooters….yes, it’s depressingly easy to have that thought. :p Also definitely get what you mean about the first few moments/events of a match setting the mood. What I need to realize as a Dynamo when there’s an E-Liter present is that I really shouldn’t beeline for perches or take the immediate “rain of terror” pressure approach, which can really suck in certain scenarios, but it’s just the safest option. I’m sure playing both has proven a very unique, and beneficial, experience! Haha. ;)

I dislike the playstyle some snipers have that are true "burst bomb mains" and use the burst bombs as their main weapon, right in the fray. In reality they're just bad snipers most of the time. Burst bombs are HORRIBLY ink inefficient, using the same ink as a full charge. Throw 2-3 bombs and you're helpless with no hope to pressure. I still like Custom better for modes that allow it. Burst bombs are crude, and the maneuverability of beacons is amazing for a sniping purist. But zones is zones. It's as close as Splatoon gets to Team Deathmatch. :D

Funny thing is, people used to gripe at how useless burst bombs are. And how useless chargers are. And how useless brushes are.

I don’t know if I can ever recall anyone that knows squat about Splatoon saying chargers are useless, but maybe that’s just me lol. :p That they’re very difficult to pick-up-and-play, yes definitely. As for Burst Bomb and brush hate (claiming they’re useless), yes, I absolutely look back at that and laugh. :D

The way I look at it is, especially once more stages were added with wild variances in layout and amounts/types of obstacles, pretty much every weapon class has at least 1…if not a good handful…of stages in which they have a natural disadvantage. So the player essentially has to make the decision of adapting to this disadvantage or just opting for a different weapon. Ability stacking/scumming opens up a third option which, as I said, isn’t available to all kits. This is where the frustration lies. But similarly, different weapons have different issues they have to adapt to in general, so I guess it just is what it is. :P

I have seen some more strategic ability stacking which I actually commend because it comes from a place of legit strategy, not mechanic-abusing, and the results are impactful but don’t feel broken. As an example…the other day I came across a player who was able to completely zone the standard center perch of Moray with a stream of perfectly placed Suction Bombs….I went to check them out, and was surprised to see they were yards away, over by their fenced platforms. Turns out she was running a stack of Bomb Range Ups that allowed her ideal sub distances, which was a fantastic strategy to run on Moray because it safely zoned out the dreaded charger perch on the stage and kept us pressured from pretty incredible distances. It didn’t feel broken because it didn’t directly lead to very sudden/unexpected kills and she wasn’t running an entire build full of them, so I couldn’t suspect scumming was involved.

As for true Burst Bomb mains…which I’ve absolutely come across…they really rely on mounds of Damage Up stacking for the entirety of their strategy, and it just makes them stupidly difficult to touch. As you said, it does also tie into how people play. The abusable mechanics are there, but some people just choose to be trolls on top of that and it’s that combination that sends these comparatively small problems into really obnoxious territory. But I suppose absolutely every game is bound to have its trolls, lol.

 

[Award]

Yeah, I mainly just brought Pokemon up as an example of Nintendo’s online multiplayer communities and their need for support and investment. Nintendo made nearly zero effort in this area honestly all the way up until Wii U, but they really need to realize it’s where a huge portion of their audience lies in modern gaming. Pokemon Bank as a comparison is so ridiculously cheap (tiny fee only charged annually), so that’s something I don’t mind at all although I feel like a subscription for server-based online multiplayer support would probably be pricier. Idk, hard to say. I just know what’s going on now isn’t ideal.

On the other hand EVERY game would be played with Japan-lag. Regional servers other games have wouldn't work since they need global play due to smaller player bases. Japan lag is bad everywhere but here in the US East it's horrible. We have bad lag just to the US Pacific. Then it has to go out to Japan from there....and then all the way back. And if the Transpac Express is clogged, it goes out through the Atlantic, through EUROPE, and then to Japan. EVERY Japanese player teleports here :) I don't want to know what all-Japan servers would feel like :p

I would say a majority of Splatoon players are probably fed up with the dominance of Gals lol. Along with a small handful of others, they seem among the most hated weapons to play against. Honestly it’s primarily their kit that sends them into broken territory. They really should not have gotten Splash Walls. Splatlings getting Splash Walls, it’s understandable. They’re much slower and need the defense. But giving them to Gals is a little absurd (let alone multiple variants of Gals…ugh). They have a slow-ish rate of fire, I guess, but they inflict such insane damage over an impressive distance, and given they’re 2HKO weapons, giving them a massive defense boost on top of that…it’s too much. And adding a Kraken, which was already a much-debated over Special before its nerf, behind the protection of a freaking Splash Wall? It’s like…come on, Nintendo. Think harder about these kits. o_O

The kraken I don't mind so much. Post nerf, they're not so bad if you don't have two of them. But the wall is just excessive. I think they kind of pictured the .96 as a defensive mounted turret kind of weapon and never imagined people using it offensively like an SSPro. .96 is actually a TERRIBLE weapon. It was a complete joke until it got a wall and somehow became invincible. I can almost see the 52 having a wall because it can be hard to use well...short range means it's hard to hit anyone through the wall - it becomes defensive. But the fact that .96D can just turtle the whole match and reach most enemies....it's so broken. Granted I'm killed by more 52's than 96's.

Frankly though as I’ve mentioned to you before, I personally think Splash Walls are a bit overpowered in general. Given how quickly Sprinklers are destroyed (and how much less of an imminent threat they present), Splash Walls really should not be able to absorb as much damage as they seem to. 2 DYNAMO flings to break it sometimes…? Like…seriously? But again, the problem would be fixed largely by just not including it in certain kits. It should be used defensively. Weapons that inflict heavy damage and kill quickly shouldn't have it. I give the Slosher Deco a pass only because Sloshers have less range and are generally easier to see coming.

The only weapon I've fond that can really go up against a wall like it's nothing is the Hydra. If nothing else, Hydra is the splash wall buster. Wind up, and you can take out the wall and whatever's behind it. Surprises a lot of wall reliant gal users ;) It's annoying as a charger though. It takes so long to charge up, and by the time I do, they have a wall.....I waste the shot on the wall to weaken it, but it still doesn't break. And 2 shots charged are the duration of the wall anyway. Annoying as a brush too but with that I can flank at least.

It’s funny, I feel like in lower ranks everyone’s paranoid to claim the Rainmaker themselves, yet in higher tier sometimes everyone lunges for it at once lol, which can be good or bad. The times when some random scrub grabs it and proceeds to meander uselessly, ignoring a path cleanly laid out for them…seriously…I’m like, if you don’t know what to do with it…don’t freaking take it, people.

You know that used to be the case, but more and more in the upper ranks I'm seeing players all race out to POP the shield.....then they leave the unshielded RM just sitting there while they all fight around it. At first I assume it's a strategy to clear the area before picking it up so I go work on trailblazing. Then time goes by and I realize it STILL has not been claimed! So I grab it and move it to about 87, and then the actual game starts :p A few times I DIDN'T grab it, thinking maybe I was messing up the strategy. The enemy team grabbed it and walked it right into our base concontested. I often accidentally pick up the RM because it was just sitting in a hallway unprotected, unshielded, entirely ignored. Other times I pick it up just to get myself shot with it so it gets its shield back so the enemy doesn't pick it up while it sits unattended :P I think the new meta at high rank is "pop the shield for victory!" :D

In terms of attacking with the Rainmaker, I’ve noticed you actually have to treat it like a combination between a charger and an Inkzooka. Its line of fire is actually almost identical to an Inkzooka’s, I’d say. Which means that like Inkzookas, you’ll want to take advantage of cases where enemies think they’re safe hiding behind low walls (which we all know for some god forsaken reason, Inkzooka shots pass right through lol. As do RM tornadoes). Players can underestimate what a threat the actual Rainmaker attack is, despite its slowness. Because of this, it can be easier to predict how foes will try to approach (from the side, same as Inkzookas). If you can anticipate this you can really screw over the enemy. But we all make mistakes with it lol. As with all slow weapons, sometimes you just won’t be fast enough.

Trouble is, at least for me, if I try to stand back and battle with it, it's not going to go well. I won't make much progress. If I try to put numbers on the board, I'll be CQC with the foe and unable to get a charged shot at them. Uncharged shots should really do more damage. And somehow, like inkzooka, when I shoot it the enemy misses getting hit by half an inch. If the enemy shoots it at me the ENTIRE MAP is the hitbox including around the corner!

Maybe it’s because I’m so reliant on Ninja Squid, but my play style with the Octo tends to stick to, if I’m in the fray, I’ll want to be in plain sight as little as possible unless I’ve closed in for a safe attack. Brush users need to essentially be ninjas, after all lol. :D This obviously isn’t always possible depending on the stage and situation, but I usually only paint-dash in brief spurts to relocate back into hiding, or approach when I have no other option. I like keeping the opponent guessing where I could possibly be, because it can cause them to panic/shoot where they assume I've gone and that opens up my opportunity to resurface safely and attack. It’s of course a different story if you’re nowhere near enemy territory/your team has the huge advantage. Also a different story if there's absolute zero turf coverage from your teammates.

Yeah, I'm playing with my gear set there. Hard choices. I've opted for NS and it makes sense. BUT I'm wondering if it's as practical for brush as roller. Roller can create their own "clean" turf to hide in easily. Brush, not so much. As a result there's usually only mall splotchy areas of ink to maneuver in. Pockmarked with enemy ink and bare ground. Even with NS, this reveals your position. So I'm wondering how effective it is at least with the back and forth of RM. Cold Blooded needs the same slot, and Echolocators can be big trouble for brushes too. More reliably so since wall climbs and splotchy ground reveal ninjas. I'm not sure which is more useful. But then, ink resistance can be useful...especially in RM as I have to get through enemy splotches a lot. But STR up and swim speed are also hugely beneficial. My NS buiild WITH ink resistance feels so slow, and maybe a little undamaging. I haven't found an ideal gear set yet :( And a part of me wonders about a QR build for it. Trades are a part of close weapons...and QR allows endless pressuring and an ability to really get a jump on them after a turnaround. And I often go kamikaze against RM carriers right into the fray. It doesn't make you look like a hero on the stat board....but I sometimes wonder if that's an incredible brush build. The brush is out there....ALWAYS...somewhere...

My biggest bad habit is probably trying to paint and turf. Which probably means my teammates are NOT turfing. But I think I spend more of the match trying to cover turf than actually stalking foes :(

I remember when it was useful, it was ridiculously useful. Maybe just because I had used it for so long beforehand, I really noticed the impact of the nerf. It’s very nice to have on Dynamo from a defensive standpoint, brushes as well. I don’t recall if I have Damage Up on my shoes or cap…if it’s on the shoes, it’ll be an easy switch for Dynamo, but not so much for my Octobrush (since I want Damage Up there). If I ever do reincorporate it, may take some rearranging.

Yeah that's my problem too. Hhave dmg and speed shoes and cap. if I do NS or cold blooded on the shirt, I NEED those....but also need ink resist...maybe? :) OR scrap ninja and go for a damage/QR or speed/QR build.

Lol, honestly given the fact that a solid 85%+ of upper tier players use shooters….yes, it’s depressingly easy to have that thought. :p Also definitely get what you mean about the first few moments/events of a match setting the mood. What I need to realize as a Dynamo when there’s an E-Liter present is that I really shouldn’t beeline for perches or take the immediate “rain of terror” pressure approach, which can really suck in certain scenarios, but it’s just the safest option. I’m sure playing both has proven a very unique, and beneficial, experience! Haha. ;)

I'm out of dynamo practice. No zones for days, and when zones was in yesterday it was mackerel again, which calls for burstbomb eliter (or hydra.) But yeah, honestly I haven't found I use perches much with dynamo. It's much safer on the floor in most maps. You can melee carbon style better, and snipers have a harder counter-snipe visibility of you. But that's me bringing my carbon background into the dynamo ;)

I don’t know if I can ever recall anyone that knows squat about Splatoon saying chargers are useless, but maybe that’s just me lol. :p That they’re very difficult to pick-up-and-play, yes definitely. As for Burst Bomb and brush hate (claiming they’re useless), yes, I absolutely look back at that and laugh. :D

You'd be surprised. I didn't believe it myself until someone showed me a reddit thread on griefers who intentionally harass chargers on their team to get them to leave the lobby because chargers (and rollers and brushes!) are useless and don't push the objective. We're talking S ranks here. I have NO idea how they're in S rank and don't see the value of these weapons, but there it is :p Fine, I'll take my INVINCIBLE GIANT SQUID back to spawn and let YOU guys ride the tower. Good luck with that inkzooka thingie. :p

I have seen some more strategic ability stacking which I actually commend because it comes from a place of legit strategy, not mechanic-abusing, and the results are impactful but don’t feel broken. As an example…the other day I came across a player who was able to completely zone the standard center perch of Moray with a stream of perfectly placed Suction Bombs….I went to check them out, and was surprised to see they were yards away, over by their fenced platforms. Turns out she was running a stack of Bomb Range Ups that allowed her ideal sub distances, which was a fantastic strategy to run on Moray because it safely zoned out the dreaded charger perch on the stage and kept us pressured from pretty incredible distances. It didn’t feel broken because it didn’t directly lead to very sudden/unexpected kills and she wasn’t running an entire build full of them, so I couldn’t suspect scumming was involved.

Yeah strategy kits like that are a whole different thing. And it wasn't a scum stack which makes it a lot less salt inducing. I was raging one time in Zones in Warehouse. An nzap threw a sprinkler onto the CEILING with BR up above the zone. We lost, and could NOT claim the zone because the sprinkler kept raining down over the zone. We did have a splatterscope that could have shot it, but he hadn't notcied it. The rest of us were incapable of stopping the sprinkler. And of course the wielder of it just sat back from a safe distance. That's kind of broken, IMO. If you can put a sprinkler a place where most opponents can't shoot it it probably should be banned.

As for true Burst Bomb mains…which I’ve absolutely come across…they really rely on mounds of Damage Up stacking for the entirety of their strategy, and it just makes them stupidly difficult to touch. As you said, it does also tie into how people play. The abusable mechanics are there, but some people just choose to be trolls on top of that and it’s that combination that sends these comparatively small problems into really obnoxious territory. But I suppose absolutely every game is bound to have its trolls, lol.

Yeah, they're soo annoying. Even with my stack of 3 dmg mains and 2-3 subs most bomb runs are 3 bomb hits (and require a nearly full ink tank - no whiffed sniper shots leading up to it) to pull off. Lag sometimes requires a 4th. But the players that have an extra 5-6 subs on top of that?!? I definitely prefer the main gun to the bombs. Bomb's are reserved for the "uh oh I'm screwed" moments. Half the time I throw them too late and get splatted anyway (or a trade), I'll also go with bombs if, like in mackerel, they come out from between crates when I thought the lanes were clear, there's no hope of a sniper shot charge. Or when they base raid our rotator on museum. But those players that seem to use bombs MORE than the main gun as a fast blaster....why not just play blasters. Luna plays the same, has a bigger AoE, and is far more ink friendly? I don't get it. Why the rifle at all?

 

[HypernovaSoul]

On the other hand EVERY game would be played with Japan-lag. Regional servers other games have wouldn't work since they need global play due to smaller player bases. Japan lag is bad everywhere but here in the US East it's horrible. We have bad lag just to the US Pacific. Then it has to go out to Japan from there....and then all the way back. And if the Transpac Express is clogged, it goes out through the Atlantic, through EUROPE, and then to Japan. EVERY Japanese player teleports here :) I don't want to know what all-Japan servers would feel like :p

When you put it like that…yeah, if they’d insist on Japan-based servers (which yeah..I guess Nintendo would) maybe it wouldn’t be a great idea lol. But I wouldn’t mind Nintendo expanding into more than just marketing & publishing into the U.S. lol, for multiple reasons. :D

The kraken I don't mind so much. Post nerf, they're not so bad if you don't have two of them. But the wall is just excessive. I think they kind of pictured the .96 as a defensive mounted turret kind of weapon and never imagined people using it offensively like an SSPro. .96 is actually a TERRIBLE weapon. It was a complete joke until it got a wall and somehow became invincible. I can almost see the 52 having a wall because it can be hard to use well...short range means it's hard to hit anyone through the wall - it becomes defensive. But the fact that .96D can just turtle the whole match and reach most enemies....it's so broken. Granted I'm killed by more 52's than 96's.

Krakens on their own I’m fine with, after the nerf they’re actually very useful but pretty balanced Specials (though I think they still need heavier charger, brush and slosher knockback. As do Bubblers. It’s lame that only specific weapons have a real chance at fending them off). It’s more the combination of massive Gal damage/range+Splash Wall+Kraken that’s kind of overwhelming as a whole. Like I said it’s the kit that really sends the Gals into broken territory.

The .96 was the Gal I ran at one point, and I had trouble with its rate of fire and maneuverability initially, but I didn’t really make proper use of the Walls. I don’t know if I agree they’d be terrible without Splash Walls, they still inflict huge damage over a big range. But yeah in general the issue came from people treating Splash Walls like offensive pressuring tools rather than defensive barricades (which I think was the intention). This goes back to the root of the sub’s problem, it’s too sturdy and absorbs too much damage (and doesn’t belong in certain kits). With the amount of damage Gals can inflict, unless you can circle to flank or have a firing arc, there is no way you’ll get close enough to destroy it AND deal enough damage to kill in time. As you said, it's even a hot mess for chargers to deal with. One fully charged charger shot or one Dynamo splash should destroy it, instantly. >_>

The only weapon I've fond that can really go up against a wall like it's nothing is the Hydra. If nothing else, Hydra is the splash wall buster. Wind up, and you can take out the wall and whatever's behind it. Surprises a lot of wall reliant gal users ;) It's annoying as a charger though. It takes so long to charge up, and by the time I do, they have a wall.....I waste the shot on the wall to weaken it, but it still doesn't break. And 2 shots charged are the duration of the wall anyway. Annoying as a brush too but with that I can flank at least.

Oh man haha. I need you on my team even more then! ;) Lol my weapons almost ALL have issues dealing with Splash Walls. The flank options are there but they’re just SO obnoxious. Especially on straightaways…ugh…almost impossible to deal with in CQC.

You know that used to be the case, but more and more in the upper ranks I'm seeing players all race out to POP the shield.....then they leave the unshielded RM just sitting there while they all fight around it. At first I assume it's a strategy to clear the area before picking it up so I go work on trailblazing. Then time goes by and I realize it STILL has not been claimed! So I grab it and move it to about 87, and then the actual game starts :p A few times I DIDN'T grab it, thinking maybe I was messing up the strategy. The enemy team grabbed it and walked it right into our base concontested. I often accidentally pick up the RM because it was just sitting in a hallway unprotected, unshielded, entirely ignored. Other times I pick it up just to get myself shot with it so it gets its shield back so the enemy doesn't pick it up while it sits unattended :p I think the new meta at high rank is "pop the shield for victory!" :D

That does happen a good amount, but yeah like you mentioned I always hope to assume it’s because it isn’t safe to proceed yet. But yes, I’ve definitely seen scenarios where it just feels like they’re stalling and I’m like…you know those enemies you killed are respawning as we speak, right? But I’m definitely the type of player who will lunge for the Rainmaker if it seems safe and no one has gone for it. I try not to be overly brash, but so many people fail to realize you really do not want it in enemy hands, period. “Pop the shield for victory”…lmao, yes, that mindset definitely seems to exist. XD

Trouble is, at least for me, if I try to stand back and battle with it, it's not going to go well. I won't make much progress. If I try to put numbers on the board, I'll be CQC with the foe and unable to get a charged shot at them. Uncharged shots should really do more damage. And somehow, like inkzooka, when I shoot it the enemy misses getting hit by half an inch. If the enemy shoots it at me the ENTIRE MAP is the hitbox including around the corner!

I always say, Rainmaker deals very heavily with risk assessment. Generally speaking though, players unwilling to take necessary risks will lose more often than not. But that’s part of why it’s my favorite mode, it’s strategic and so fast-paced. Sometimes you’ll really need your team, sometimes you’ll be the hero lol. I really like all those possibilities.

The Rainmaker attack itself I use generally only if I’m confident I have the time to use it/I have to use it to proceed/I have a high likelihood of taking out multiple or especially problematic opponents. It’s great for scaring chargers off their perches, making sure some portion of a path is clear, and preventing sneak attacks from behind lower walls. But yeah…its hitbox can feel unpredictable sometimes, even more so thanks to the ever-awful instances of lag.

Yeah, I'm playing with my gear set there. Hard choices. I've opted for NS and it makes sense. BUT I'm wondering if it's as practical for brush as roller. Roller can create their own "clean" turf to hide in easily. Brush, not so much. As a result there's usually only mall splotchy areas of ink to maneuver in. Pockmarked with enemy ink and bare ground. Even with NS, this reveals your position. So I'm wondering how effective it is at least with the back and forth of RM. Cold Blooded needs the same slot, and Echolocators can be big trouble for brushes too. More reliably so since wall climbs and splotchy ground reveal ninjas. I'm not sure which is more useful. But then, ink resistance can be useful...especially in RM as I have to get through enemy splotches a lot. But STR up and swim speed are also hugely beneficial. My NS buiild WITH ink resistance feels so slow, and maybe a little undamaging. I haven't found an ideal gear set yet :( And a part of me wonders about a QR build for it. Trades are a part of close weapons...and QR allows endless pressuring and an ability to really get a jump on them after a turnaround. And I often go kamikaze against RM carriers right into the fray. It doesn't make you look like a hero on the stat board....but I sometimes wonder if that's an incredible brush build. The brush is out there....ALWAYS...somewhere...

Honestly I’ve found Ninja Squid hugely useful in a majority of situations, but that plays heavily into my personal play style and safety nets I’ve come to rely on. It’s actually probably least useful on Tri-Slosher only because it’s the least “quick-kill” of my weapons and isn’t generally structured for sneak attacks, and of course can’t 1HKO. But even being able to spread a wide, though not necessarily long, path (which Dynamo and Tri-Slosher can both do) and then completely vanish into it has proved invaluable to me.

Ugh Echolocators and Point Sensors have caused me so many problems as Octo that I have considered running Cold Blooded. But I think there has been a slow realization that turf coverage is more important in Ranked, because I’m seeing a steady uprise in A/S teammates inking paths ahead, which makes my Ninja Octo doubly effective. I think I’ve just gotten comfortable enough with the Octo’s mobility that I’m able to splatter and paint-run in situations where there is no clear path already. I would say honestly a majority of my Octo kills are Ninja Squid flanks, so it’s too useful of a combination for me to give up overall.

Thing about rollers is, they’re slower than brushes and generally larger/more noticeable targets, so I’m more comfortable speed-inking in plain sight than rolling in plain sight just for the sake of laying a path of approach. Quick Respawn I have definitely considered as well, combined with Quick Super Jump you can basically constantly be out on the field. Problem is that takes too much investment from my end on abilities I’m unwilling to give up.

My biggest bad habit is probably trying to paint and turf. Which probably means my teammates are NOT turfing. But I think I spend more of the match trying to cover turf than actually stalking foes :(

Based on the strategy you’re describing, that’s definitely not a bad thing but it probably means you’re more used to the strengths of your slower weapons. Although I keep in mind brushes aren’t turf coverage tools, that doesn’t stop me from splattering when it’s necessary. You actually build meter way quicker (and cover turf in the process) by splatter-jumping (splatter, swim, repeat) towards the center of the stage as opposed to paint-dashing. It takes a little extra time, but in some scenarios I’ve almost fully loaded my Inkzooka by the time the team’s advanced. Usually never fully…because of course Inkzooka takes roughly a small ocean’s worth of ink to fully charge.

Yeah that's my problem too. Hhave dmg and speed shoes and cap. if I do NS or cold blooded on the shirt, I NEED those....but also need ink resist...maybe? :) OR scrap ninja and go for a damage/QR or speed/QR build.

I’ve noticed the most beneficial builds factor in not only your weapon type, but your general strategy and play style. Because I’m almost always a stealthy CQC player, I base my build around that. Dynamo’s different, but the abilities factor into its strategy differently. Damage Up is the main one I should probably swap there. I am thinking Quick Respawn, Defense Up or Cold Blooded would be the likeliest candidates.

I'm out of dynamo practice. No zones for days, and when zones was in yesterday it was mackerel again, which calls for burstbomb eliter (or hydra.) But yeah, honestly I haven't found I use perches much with dynamo. It's much safer on the floor in most maps. You can melee carbon style better, and snipers have a harder counter-snipe visibility of you. But that's me bringing my carbon background into the dynamo ;)

Lol, ironically up until last night, I feel like Zones was ALL I saw in rotation every time I checked, for days and days. Perches are basically entirely useless for Dynamo if there’s an enemy E-Liter, but for Zones it can be situationally very ideal. As I’ve said before, claiming the center tower in Blackbelly as Dynamo can make for a really devastating rain of terror for the enemy to deal with. Generally speaking though, I’ve found it’s safer as Dynamo to claim some sort of higher ground. The floor, you’re a much easier target for shooters, and it’s bad news for a floored Dynamo to get surrounded. But on perches, you’re an easier target for chargers. If you’ve got teammate support, it can make for nice pressure-advancement to be on the ground. So it really depends on the scenario.

You'd be surprised. I didn't believe it myself until someone showed me a reddit thread on griefers who intentionally harass chargers on their team to get them to leave the lobby because chargers (and rollers and brushes!) are useless and don't push the objective. We're talking S ranks here. I have NO idea how they're in S rank and don't see the value of these weapons, but there it is :p Fine, I'll take my INVINCIBLE GIANT SQUID back to spawn and let YOU guys ride the tower. Good luck with that inkzooka thingie. :p

Dang. Those are definitely ignorant players. That’s especially surprising considering chargers are extremely common in Ranked. But with any “private” squads, teams, I guess there are always those random people who have lame expectations/restrictions based on their own very singular experiences. Some S players, man. No idea how they made it there lol.

Yeah strategy kits like that are a whole different thing. And it wasn't a scum stack which makes it a lot less salt inducing. I was raging one time in Zones in Warehouse. An nzap threw a sprinkler onto the CEILING with BR up above the zone. We lost, and could NOT claim the zone because the sprinkler kept raining down over the zone. We did have a splatterscope that could have shot it, but he hadn't notcied it. The rest of us were incapable of stopping the sprinkler. And of course the wielder of it just sat back from a safe distance. That's kind of broken, IMO. If you can put a sprinkler a place where most opponents can't shoot it it probably should be banned.

I don’t know if I’ve ever been in a situation of considering Sprinklers broken, but I could definitely see how that would be a hugely frustrating scenario. I assume you’d have to have excellent aim to pull that off though. And Sprinklers are destroyed once the person who tossed it is splatted, so worst case if it ends up in an especially obnoxious location, you just have to go for the player instead. Though chasing down an NZAP can prove equally annoying lol. Regardless, yes, they really need to make sure that those types of subs have SOME method of reach.

Yeah, they're soo annoying. Even with my stack of 3 dmg mains and 2-3 subs most bomb runs are 3 bomb hits (and require a nearly full ink tank - no whiffed sniper shots leading up to it) to pull off. Lag sometimes requires a 4th. But the players that have an extra 5-6 subs on top of that?!? I definitely prefer the main gun to the bombs. Bomb's are reserved for the "uh oh I'm screwed" moments. Half the time I throw them too late and get splatted anyway (or a trade), I'll also go with bombs if, like in mackerel, they come out from between crates when I thought the lanes were clear, there's no hope of a sniper shot charge. Or when they base raid our rotator on museum. But those players that seem to use bombs MORE than the main gun as a fast blaster....why not just play blasters. Luna plays the same, has a bigger AoE, and is far more ink friendly? I don't get it. Why the rifle at all?

Burst Bombs are such interesting subs in general, because I feel like they can make for stupidly sudden, unexpected kills (usually through those instances of excessive stacking), and yet sometimes when you expect to rely on them yourself they just feel weak and unwieldy. For the longest time I didn’t understand why they were given to the vanilla Slosher, it just felt like a useless combination. But I came to realize that using them the way E-Liters do (to instantly lay down a splotch for safe submerging/recovery on a tower, or wherever else) made them much more useful, since the vanilla Slosher isn’t really fast enough in that category. What’s funny is in some instances they’re more useful for distanced pressure (Carbon), but also make up for CQC issues on slow weapons (E-Liter, Slosher). They’re actually quite versatile. It's just lame how some people use 'em.

 

[GearWax]

Now, I know that each weapon had it's own ups and downs, but I was just wondering what the majority would consider the "best weapon" to be.

Like I'd probably say the Gals or even the Blasters.

ALL four of the squelcher. Insane range for its fire rate. It's a little slow at kills but it has such a long range that it doesn't matter. It can snipe AND cover turf fast, as long as you can strafe because the spread isn't that great. Out of the 4, regular squelcher is best, followed by custom dual, then dual, then custom jet.

 

[Joetip 123]

Why is it whenever a "best weapons" question shows up, nobody ever seems to bring up Splattershot Pro/Forge Pro? It has a pretty fast TTK, 3hko is no worse than 52 gal (and it shoots faster I believe), has incredible range for a regular shooter, is way more accurate than 96 gal, and very mobile. It has pretty awful ink efficiency, but the turfing pattern on it does create some thick lines... It just requires some accuracy. But for whatever reason it never seems to make "best" threads!

If there is one problem with the splatershot pro, it is the ink consuption. If that was improved I would use it more.

 

[Award]

If there is one problem with the splatershot pro, it is the ink consuption. If that was improved I would use it more.

After the sheldon's picks related patches, the Pro got pretty fierce regardless of it's ink consumption, though.

OTOH, my answer is obsolete. Splat Duelies. Always Spalt Duelies. Forever Splat Duelies.