[Essay] The Evolution of the Splattershot

The Splattershot is dead! Long live the Splattershot!

At least the version with Burst Bomb subweapon. Splatoon 3 marks the first time the Splattershot appears without its Burst Bombs, and it's probably for the better. The pairing made sense in the past: join a basic easy to use weapon with the iconic water balloon sub. But from a gameplay standpoint, it turned a short range all-purpose weapon into an offensive powerhouse able to initiate offense from well outside its range with fast direct damage!

Yet it never really caught on at higher levels of play compared to its Tentatek cousin. Whether with Suction Bomb and the fearsome Inkzooka in Splatoon 1 or the dual punch of Splat Bombs and Inkjet, the tactical applications of the alternate set overshadowed the sheer offensive power of the vanilla set. Probably because vanilla forced you to commit to Burst Bomb based offense and was prone to overextending.

Overall, the Splattershot received plenty of buffs in its timeline, mostly around the late stage development of Splatoon 2. With many tweaks to speed, shot spread and the return to its original 36 damage per shot, the intent seemed to make the Splattershot the baseline of offense. It's still a multipurpose short ranged assault unit, but an emphasis has been made towards direct combat.

It is now Splatoon 3 and both Splattershots come with tactical bombs! The vanilla set bears area clearing Suction Bombs and the combat oriented Trizooka whereas the Tentatek offers versatile combat Splat Bombs and the area clearing... Triple Inkstrike. Like mirror versions of each other. So what's the point? Why make two different sets with the utility reversed?

Why make two sets for any weapon in the first place? Probably for someone who mains the weapon to have the appropriate loadout for the right ranked mode. Since Splatoon 2, I wrote about which set works best for which ranked mode and I believe this "feature" transfered to Splatoon 3. Furthermore, I believe understanding which set works best on which ranked mode shows true understanding of your weapon role. So let's look at ranked.

Splat Zones: Tentatek set

As with many assault weapons, the Splattershot's priority in Splat Zones is not to paint but to attack opposing painting units. However, due to lack of slaying power, your gameplan might better be described as staying on the Zones and preventing any takeovers.

When even the impact of a Suction Bomb can be overturned in a second, bring Splat Bombs for combat instead. Splat Bomb + Main is your quickest path to a kill. That said, know when to retreat, building meter for a Triple Inkstrike takeover. Don't focus on splats, but do focus on keeping any enemy engaged with fighting you.

Tower Control: Vanilla set

Suction Bomb on the tower! But seriously, you play the role of "guide": painting ahead, looking for enemies and taking them down from their high perches with Suction Bombs. Splatoon 2 Splattershots were wild, often rushing for the backline with Burst Bombs trying to get the early kill. There's a bit more "reserve" in your strategy nowadays.

Trizooka is what it is: one of the best specials in the game and an equalizer against any other match up. It changes your gameplan from making sure everyone is on a level playing field to dominating the field. Suction Bombs become an integral tool to remove fighting space from the defending team, turning it into meter for your big gun.

Rainmaker: Tentatek set

Which would you rather have? More damage on the Rainmaker barrier, or better combat options? Your answer should always be the latter. It's always better to kill than free the Rainmaker, only to find out you used up all of your ink. Be aggressive against anyone targeting the barrier, keeping Splat Bombs handy as a backup option.

In the event you do free the Rainmaker, don't pick it up. Rather than being a bodyguard, consider yourself a fighting proxy for the Rainmaker carrier. Another reason to bring Splat Bombs. Here, Triple Inkstrike serves as a siege breaker, or as a push stopper when on defense. No time to think and aim, flood the field with ink and push through!

Clam Blitz: Vanilla set

You're not so much a fighter as much as a clam gatherer that secures its location before plundering. Until you spot a clam spawn, paint as much of the stage as possible. Once you see a spawn, look for opponents: your Suction Bombs are there to secure the location and buy as much time before you're forced out.

This tactic extends to situations where you're expected to reclaim a power clam from enemy possession. Or if you need extra power to defend a dropped power clam. Trizooka extends this strategy of "long distance power", with better opportunities to net a direct splat. It's especially useful when trying to break a basket line.

So yeah: tactical bomb use leads to tactical choices. And I believe all the weapons have their preferred sets for each ranked mode. I might even write on them in the future. Tell me what you think and I'll see if there's a future in this.

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