Competitive:Firefin Splat Charger

Unofficial

Splatoon 2
With its long range and ability to splat opponents in one hit, the Firefin Splat Charger fills a very similar role as that of its Vanilla variant, the Splat Charger. However, its different kit changes how it is played.

Use
Like most other chargers, the Firefin Splat Charger is an anchor's weapon: When placed properly, a Splash Wall can provide great utility, even in stages and areas that are more open: When used at the right time, the Suction-Bomb Launcher can turn the tide of a battle:
 * Most chargers, including the Firefin Splat Charger, can fire three different types of shots:
 * Tap shots are the quickest but weakest and shortest-ranged shots available. These are best used for quickly turfing and splatting weakened opponents.
 * Partially charged shots have slightly more damage, longer range, and more turf than tap shots. If forced to fight in close quarters without enough ink to use a Splash Wall, partially charged shots are preferred over tap shots.
 * Fully charged shots provide both the longest range and the most damage, making them ideal for use while sniping or turfing long lines to travel along.
 * The charging rate slows down to 33.33% of its usual charging speed whenever either the ink tank is empty or one is airborne while charging. Stay on the ground while charging and watch the ink tank.
 * The range of the Firefin Splat Charger depends on how long it is charged. Note that range is measured from the end of its long muzzle :
 * Tap shots only have a range of about 90 DU, or distance units. This is shorter than the ranges of many short- to medium-ranged weapons, such as the Splattershot (116.99 DU ), the Tri-Slosher (about 120 DU), and the Dark Tetra Dualies (132.5 DU ).
 * Partially charged shots have a range between 90 DU and 240 DU based on how long each shot is charged. For example, charging for 0.25 seconds should increase the range by about 37.5 DU for a total of about 127.5 DU. Combined with the longer muzzle, this should outrange most short-ranged weapons.
 * The fully charged range of the Firefin Splat Charger, measured at 240.37 DU, is one of the longest in the game, exceeding that of Dynamo Rollers, Exploshers, and most splatlings.
 * Damage from the Firefin Splat Charger also increases as charge time increases:
 * Tap shots only inflict 40 HP of damage, while partially charged shots range from 40 HP to 80 HP of damage depending on how long they are charged. Charging for at least 0.25 seconds inflicts at least 50 HP of damage, which is enough to splat most opponents in two shots.
 * While Main Power Up can increase damage, it cannot increase the damage of shots below full charge to 100.0 HP, unlike how Damage Up could in.
 * A fully charged shot not only delivers 160 HP of damage but can also pierce targets, allowing one to splat multiple targets in a straight line.
 * Remember to use peeking to more effectively snipe targets whenever possible:
 * Because all Inklings and Octolings are right-handed, right-side peeking is generally more effective than left-side peeking.
 * Like other chargers lacking a scope (except the Bamboozler 14 Mk I), the Firefin Splat Charger can store a full charge while submerged in ink:
 * This provides it more mobility than scoped chargers, allowing it to travel between sniping locations with a shot ready, more easily snipe during a jump, and play more aggressively overall.
 * To hold a charge longer than the 1.25 seconds limit, reemerge from the ink in a safe location. Then, submerge again to reset the timer.
 * The ability to store a charge makes left-side peeking more viable in.
 * Like most chargers, the Firefin Splat Charger has a few notable drawbacks besides its poor turfing and weak close-combat capabilities:
 * While the Firefin Splat Charger's middleweight nature provides average running (0.96 DU/f, or distance units per frame) and swimming speed (1.92 DU/f ), its user is very immobile while charging a shot (0.2 DU/f ). Remember to push forward with your teammates whenever your team has a significant numbers advantage. Conversely, always be ready to retreat – via Super Jumping if necessary – should the opponents gain the advantage or come uncomfortably close.
 * The Firefin Splat Charger consumes plenty of ink per fully charged shot (18% of the ink tank). To avoid getting caught with an empty tank, watch your ink consumption, avoid the opponent's ink and Toxic Mist, and remain nearby friendly ink in which you can hide, reload, and retreat if necessary.
 * Using a charger can cause players to have tunnel vision as they focus on potential targets to snipe. Checking the map with for the opponents' positions and movement patterns is important for any player, but it is very essential for an anchor, such as a Firefin Splat Charger wielder, to watch for any flanking attempts by the opponent, as getting flanked and splatted often leaves a gaping hole in their team's defenses.
 * Any bombs thrown by an opponent that hit a Splash Wall will instantly explode, potentially splatting the Splash Wall's user or their teammates.
 * Refrain from either showering in or rushing through the wall until it is certain that the opponent has no bombs available in the area.
 * Do not throw a Splash Wall behind a teammate, as an opponent's bomb thrown into the wall can instantly splat them.
 * Defensively, it can allow its user to evade a pursuing opponent or hinder the opponents' push, blocking both their movement and their fire.
 * Offensively, a Splash Wall can restrain the opponents' movement, allowing its user and their teammates to push forward or gain map control.
 * Throwing a Splash Wall behind an opponent can prevent them from fleeing.
 * A Splash Wall can nullify a Brella shield — even a Tenta Brella shield.
 * If an opposing Brella user launches their shield, dropping a Splash Wall in front of it will cause both to negate one another, potentially denying a Rainmaker or Power Clam push.
 * At maximum, it takes 36-41% of the ink tank to launch a Brella shield and 60% to drop a Splash Wall. However, the Splash Wall can be deployed far more quickly, allowing its owner more time to reload ink or reposition themselves to a more favorable location.
 * In Splatoon 2, the Tower will destroy any Splash Wall it collides into. However, a Splash Wall may be placed onto the Tower to protect its user or their teammate while riding it. (Once again, watch out for the opponents' bombs.)
 * Placing a Splash Wall in front of yourself before activating the Suction-Bomb Launcher (see below) provides frontal protection during the special weapon's duration.
 * Do not forget to place a Splash Wall in front of you before activating the special since the sub weapon is unavailable while the special weapon is active.
 * Using any Bomb Launcher too close to an opponent will leave its user vulnerable to attack, so activate it outside the opponents' range.
 * Suction-Bomb Launcher can either capture or hold onto a zone or another important area of the map, such as around the opponents' clam basket.
 * It can also stall or stop an opponent's Tower push in a more direct manner than Sting Ray does. Note that attempting to stop the Tower in this manner forces you to be closer to the Tower, whereas Sting Ray can be used from a further, safer distance.
 * Suction-Bomb Launcher can quickly pop the Rainmaker shield to instantly start or restart a Rainmaker push.
 * An opponent's Splashdown or Booyah Bomb will defuse any Suction Bombs it comes in contact with. If possible, hold off activating Suction-Bomb Launcher until after the opponents have exhausted their special weapons first.

Synergy
The Firefin Splat Charger's long range and high damage allow it to provide support fire and help maintain maintain spatial control, despite its lack of turfing compared to most of the other weapons of a team's composition. Therefore, it is generally redundant to have more than one long-ranged weapon on a team for a few reasons: Because the Firefin Splat Charger is inefficient at turfing, its user will have to rely on their teammates to maintain map control. Not having enough turfing ability – usually from having too many blasters and chargers – presents its own set of problems:
 * A team with too many long-ranged weapons will have fewer mobile weapons that can more quickly capture turf and wrest control of the objective, hindering its ability to begin an effective push into the opponents' territory. Such a team will also have difficulty breaking out of an opponent's spawn camp.
 * Longer-ranged weapons, including the Firefin Splat Charger, are generally less effective at close range, so a team with too many long-ranged weapons is more prone to getting flanked and sharked by the opponent than usual.
 * A team whose composition lacks enough turfing ability can be rendered immobile if the other team dominates map control.
 * A lack of turfing also makes it difficult to alter the course of a game, even after wiping out the other team.

Countermeasures

 * Users of other anchor's weapons each have to confront a Firefin Splat Charger differently:
 * Duels between chargers often boil down to skill, positioning, turf control, and the presence of other teammates. However, note the differences between different chargers and play to your weapon's strengths:
 * The Firefin Splatterscope has more range than the unscoped Firefin Splat Charger, but the Firefin Splat Charger is more mobile.
 * The E-liter 4K has longer range than the Firefin Splat Charger but is less mobile and takes longer to charge. The Squiffer and Bamboozler 14 Mk I are more mobile, but each one lacks either range or damage output.
 * The Custom Jet Squelcher has a shorter effective range (212.64 DU ) than that of the Firefin Splat Charger but is more mobile and slightly more competent in a close-quarters battle. However, instead of trying to flank or shark a Firefin Splat Charger, it might be easier to simply farm Sting Ray and use it to constantly harass them, disrupting their ability to snipe your teammates.
 * The Dynamo Roller, Explosher, and most splatlings are outranged by the Firefin Splat Charger and lack the mobility to effectively challenge them:
 * Focus more on turfing and providing support fire for your teammates while keeping an eye on the opposing Firefin Splat Charger user's position.
 * Only challenge the opposing Firefin Splat Charger user if your position is more advantageous or if you need to distract them from sniping an important teammate, such as the Tower rider or Rainmaker carrier.
 * The Hydra Splatling is the only splatling that can outrange a Firefin Splat Charger with a maximum range of 257.68 DU, but it is very immobile and requires a longer charge time. Rely on cover and zone out the opposing Firefin Splat Charger user.
 * Unless a Firefin Splat Charger user is caught charging, approaching one directly with a shorter ranged weapon usually results in getting splatted instantly. Rely on flanking or sharking to get within range of an opposing Firefin Splat Charger user. However, be wary of the Splash Wall they might drop.
 * Throwing bombs or Toxic Mist at an opposing Firefin Splat Charger user can briefly force them out of position and throw off their aim. While Toxic Mist does not damage the opponent, it drains their ink tank and cripples their movement, making them more vulnerable to a direct assault.
 * An opponent's Splash Wall is often a hindrance, but it can be worked around:
 * Lethal bombs are generally the most efficient means to damage and destroy opposing Splash Walls. Their explosions can also splat opponents who either stay too close to the Splash Wall or attempt to rush through it.
 * If wielding a Brella, refrain from launching the shield at an opposing Kensa .52 Gal user unless it is to clear out a planted Splash Wall.
 * An Ultra Stamp will easily destroy a Splash Wall, breaking through any chokepoints the opponent may be defending. The Ultra Stamp wielder can then proceed to splat or chase out opponents while teammates follow behind to either mount or continue a push.
 * Splashdown and Booyah Bomb, if timed properly, can negate the Suction Bombs of a Suction-Bomb Launcher.
 * A counter Bomb Launcher can nullify the effects of Suction-Bomb Launcher, preventing its user's team from either capping a zone or continuing a push.

Gear abilities
Gear abilities provide different effects in battle that benefit the player with their equipped weapon. This is a guide to gear abilities in relation to the weapon. Strategy, synergy, viability, and purpose may be written here. Even though a Firefin Splat Charger user is not expected to come in close contact with the opponent very often, they can still expect to come in contact with opposing ink on various surfaces, particularly while swimming from one sniping location to another while storing a charge. While in contact with the opponent's ink, Ink Resistance Up both delays the damage taken and partially offsets reduction in running speed — including while charging a shot.
 * Just three ability points – or one sub – delays the damage taken from opposing ink by 10 frames, reduces the damage taken from 0.3 HP/f (health points per frame) to 0.2 HP/f, and increases the normal running speed in opposing ink from 0.24 DU/f to 0.33 DU/f.

The Firefin Splat Charger needs to consume a large amount of ink (18% of the ink tank) to fully charge its shots. Ink Saver (Main) not only allows it to fire more fully charged shots per ink tank but also conserves ink for a potential Splash Wall, in case an opponent gets too close.
 * Six ability points – two subs – of Ink Saver (Main) are enough to increase the number of fully charged shots fired with a full ink tank from five to six.

Main Power Up increases the damage output of all of the Firefin Splat Charger's shots – tap shots, partially charged shots, and fully charged shots – by up to 20%. While it cannot increase the damage of a non-fully charged shot to 100.0 (unlike Damage Up in ), there are other benefits to having extra damage, from reducing the charge time for a two-shot splat in close quarters to destroying most brella shields in one hit.
 * Nine ability points – three subs – increase the damage output of the Firefin Splat Charger by 105.5%, allowing it to destroy a Splat Brella shield (500 HP, takes three times the damage from chargers in one hit – 160 HP × 1.055 × 3 = 506.4 HP > 500 HP – and reach 50 HP of damage in just under 0.185 seconds of charge time.

Quick Super Jump decreases both the "charge" time before and the travel time of a Super Jump, allowing its user to escape more quickly. A Firefin Splat Charger wielder is usually vulnerable in close quarters and would also have an incentive to maintain valuable special gauge progress for their Suction-Bomb Launcher.
 * Six ability points, or two subs, of Quick Super Jump decreases the "charge" time by 30 frames, or 0.5 seconds.

Special Charge Up accelerates building up the special gauge for Suction-Bomb Launcher, which has a number of uses but is mostly used for objective control, especially for capturing a zone or stopping or slowing down the Tower. Because of its very high special gauge requirement for Suction-Bomb Launcher (220p), a Firefin Splat Charger will require a large investment of ability points into Special Charge Up to even match the farming rate of other Suction-Bomb Launcher-based weapons, but it can be the difference between having Suction-Bomb Launcher available on defense and not having it.
 * Twelve ability points – achievable with either four subs or one main and one sub – reduce the special gauge requirement to below 199p.
 * Nineteen ability points – reached with either one main and three subs or two mains – reduce the special gauge requirement to below 190p.

When splatted, half of the special gauge progress is lost. For example, a player with 180p of special gauge out of 220p upon getting splatted will lose 90p of the special gauge. While a Firefin Splat Charger user is not as prone to getting splatted as often as a shorter-ranged weapon, doing so can be devastating to their team. Having some Special Saver equipped allows them to preserve more of their special gauge progress in case they ever get splatted.
 * 6 ability points – two subs – are enough to increase the amount of special gauge progress saved from 50% to 64.6%.