Competitive:Kensa .52 Gal

Unofficial

Use

 * The high rate of damage, middling firing rate, and moderate mobility of the Kensa .52 Gal make it a slayer's weapon:
 * The 52 health points, or HP, of damage per shot guarantees a two-shot splat as long as it is within its range of maximum damage, as the damage falloff can reduce each shot to just 30 HP of damage.
 * While not as mobile as some other slayer's weapons, it can still be devastating to the opponent when either flanking or sharking, thanks to its high rate of damage.
 * The Kensa .52 Gal has a few notable drawbacks:
 * The large degree of randomness of the weapon's shot trajectory renders it less accurate than other weapons of comparable range. A more careful aim is required with this weapon than with most other weapons.
 * Main Power Up increases accuracy while either on the ground or in mid-air.
 * Swim Speed Up can help close the distance towards an opponent to help mitigate the problems with both damage falloff and high shot spread.
 * Ninja Squid allows its user to swim at full speed undetected to help sneak up to opponents but also reduces the maximum swimming speed.
 * Its slower firing rate leaves it vulnerable at close range to more rapid-firing weapons, such as a Splattershot or Splash-o-matic — especially if the opponent lands the first shot. Always be alert of the opponents' flanking and sharking attempts to avoid being caught.
 * It is outranged by a number of other slayer's weapons – notably the Splattershot Pro, most sloshers, and the Dualie Squelchers – and, unlike slayer's weapons of comparable range, does not have as much mobility.
 * When placed properly, a Splash Wall can provide great utility, even in stages and areas that are more open:
 * 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 a thrown opponent's bomb can instantly splat them.
 * Defensively, it can 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.
 * To ensure safety from attacks, throw a Splash Wall and attack an opponent while being protected by the Splash Wall.
 * 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.)
 * The Booyah Bomb can either turn the tide of a battle or fully tilt it in its user's team's favor, but only if used properly.
 * In general, activate the Booyah Bomb in a relatively safe place, as even a Splattershot Jr. within range can break the Booyah Bomb armor.
 * The Booyah Bomb can force opponents – particularly anchors – to move out of position or delay an opponent's offensive push.
 * The explosion of the Booyah Bomb places enough ink to uncap most Splat Zones and single handedly capture some smaller Splat Zones.
 * When deployed, the Booyah Bomb is capable of protecting oneself and one's teammates from attacks - including bombs - and clearing an area of opponents, whether forcing them to flee or splatting them outright.

Countermeasures

 * Any weapon that outranges the Kensa .52 Gal without sacrificing too much mobility can counter it easily. For example, the Splattershot Pro, the Dualie Squelchers, and their respective variants all counter the Kensa .52 Gal rather well.
 * To successfully confront a Kensa .52 Gal with a weaker or shorter ranged weapon, rely on flanking or sharking to safely approach the opponent, try to land the first shot, and exploit either the opponent's lower firing rate or slower mobility.
 * Any long-ranged weapon, such as a charger or most splatlings, can attack a Kensa .52 Gal from long distance with impunity until the latter gets too close.
 * A Kensa .52 Gal user will likely depend on both flanking and sharking to maximize the use of their weapon:
 * Keep track of all four members of the opposing team – which ones are present, which ones are splatted, and which ones are back at their spawn point.
 * Check the map periodically for opposing ink forming around flanks to anticipate a flanking attack.
 * To prevent sharking, check suspicious puddles of the opponents' ink, preferably with a thrown sub weapon.
 * Weapons that track opponents, such as Point Sensors, temporarily prevent an opponent from sharking and makes them an easier target for long-ranged teammates to pick off.
 * 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.
 * If the Kensa .52 Gal user activates a Booyah Bomb in an unsafe position, try attacking them, particularly with bombs and chargers.
 * Tenta Missiles can splat a Booyah Bomb user in three direct hits.
 * A Splashdown within range can severely damage Booyah Bomb armor if not destroy it outright.

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. Main Power Up reduces the shot spread by 20% while on the ground and by 50% while in mid-air.

Swim Speed Up can help close the distance towards an opponent, more quickly respond to an opponents' push, or escape unfavorable situations.

In competitive play
The Kensa .52 Gal didn't garner much attention upon its release. The main weapon was very lackluster due to poor accuracy, and Booyah Bomb was also weaker as it did not do as much damage as it currently does, the armor not continuing to protect the user for a brief moment after throwing the bomb, and the bomb's slow explosion. When Main Power Up was added to the game in, which was made to remedy the weapon's accuracy, and Booyah Bomb's buffs in , the Kensa Splattershot Pro rose to the top instead, as Main Power Up would make the weapon have a psuedo-two shot, dealing 49.9 damage and having a similar time to splat compared to the Kensa .52 Gal, in addition to having longer range and a lethal bomb. Therefore, many competitive players considered the weapon to be outclassed by the Kensa Splattershot Pro. Throughout the 4.0 patches, the Kensa .52 Gal would be considered a low-mid to mid tier weapon on competitive tier lists, such as those by Chara and Sorin.

Versions and  would bring the Kensa .52 Gal the buffs needed that pushed it to the top. 5.3.0 significantly improved the weapon's accuracy by making the weapon's accuracy reset to normal much quicker, from 55 frames, or just under a second, to 25 frames, or just under half a second. It also now takes 8 shots to reach the lowest accuracy, compared to the original 6, with the weapon's first shot being the most accurate and decreasing the more shots are fired.