Competitive:Splat Dualies

Unofficial

Splatoon 2
The Splat Dualies, along with the Hero Dualie Replicas, are a player's introduction to the Dualie class of weapons in Splatoon 2. Similarly to the Splattershot, the Splat Dualies are a slayer, primarily designed to splat opponents. However, the Splat Dualies offer a handful of differing traits to distinguish it from a typical Splattershot.

Use
The primary unique trait of the Dualie class is the ability to dodge roll: Similarly to a Splattershot, the Splat Dualies offer a fast fire rate, splatting capabilities, decent turfing ability, and the same range. However, there are some key differences. Burst Bombs provide good utility for the Splat Dualies but function differently from Splat Bombs. In addition, due to the Splat Dualies' high ink consumption when rolling, they require more careful use than normal: Tenta Missiles can be used to locate and pressure opponents and force them out of position without having to commit too far forward:
 * Dodge rolls are performed by pressing and holding a direction with  while firing. Doing this causes your character to quickly roll in the direction you hold on . These rolls are handy for dodging shots fired by opponents and explosions from bombs, hence the name.
 * Note that you cannot shoot while rolling.
 * After performing a dodge roll, you will be forced into a crouch where you are unable to move for a short time. However, you can roll one more time, for a total of two rolls, before this happens.
 * You can remain in this crouched state as long as you like by not tilting in any direction. However, running out of ink will force you to stand again.
 * If dodge rolls are performed in the air, you will be sent quickly downward towards the ground at an angle, determined by the direction you hold in. This is useful to avoid fire, but also to get down from ledges quickly, such as when heading to the center of the stage in Moray Towers.
 * Rolling is not only an evasive maneuver; these are also useful for setting up splats. Entering the crouch state, which is typically known as turret mode, will increase the fire rate, bullet size, and accuracy.
 * Note that dodge rolls will use a sizable chunk of the ink tank - 7%. While rolling around can be fun, make sure to watch the ink tank while doing so.
 * Since the button to perform dodge rolls is the same button used to jump, if you wish to jump with the Splat Dualies, you can do one of these methods:
 * Release, then jump. If you want to shoot while jumping, just press once you have started the jump.
 * Release, then jump. Doing so allows you to shoot while jumping, but you will only be able to jump straight up. However, once the jump begins, you can hold a direction on again.
 * Note that jumping will lower your weapon's accuracy while you are in the air. Therefore, in combat, this should only be used sparingly as a mix-up option.
 * The Splat Dualies, along with other weapons in the Dualie class, have two aiming reticles instead of the typical one reticle. This makes it slightly more difficult to land all the shots needed to splat an opponent, but also improves the weapon's painting.
 * Turret mode causes the two reticles to merge into one.
 * This weapon does 30 damage instead of a Splattershot's 36. This means that it will take four shots to splat, rather than three. Coupled with having two reticles, this makes splatting opponents a bit harder.
 * The Splat Dualies have a slightly higher fire rate than a Splattershot (bullets are fired every 5 frames, rather than 6), but being a four-shot splat means this weapon splats slightly slower without using turret mode.
 * Turret mode improves the fire rate to 4 frames between shots, causing the Splat Dualies to splat faster than a Splattershot.
 * In general, the Splat Dualies are more mobile than a Splattershot, both due to dodge rolls and improved strafing speed while firing. (0.8 DU/f compared to 0.72 DU/f).
 * They instantly explode upon contact with any surface – such as a wall or floor – or another player — whether a teammate or an opponent. This provides two advantages over Splat Bombs:
 * They can more quickly damage opponents, which makes them suitable for either leading off attacks or finishing off injured opponents who attempt to flee.
 * They instantly turf inkable surfaces, permitting either a fast pursuit of an opponent or a rapid retreat from an unfavorable situation.
 * Opponents hit by Burst Bombs will be surrounded by your team's ink, further crippling their health and mobility.
 * However, their resulting explosion is both weaker and smaller than those of Splat Bombs:
 * Only direct hits will inflict 60 HP of damage, while splash damage will only deliver 25-35 HP. Always go for direct hits whenever possible.
 * Their blast radius is only 30 DU — equal to the lethal blast radius of Splat Bombs. Targets within 25 DU to the Burst Bomb's explosion will take 35 HP of damage, while farther ones will take 25 HP.
 * While Burst Bombs are less effective at area denial than Splat Bombs, their reduced ink consumption (40% of the ink tank per use versus 70%) makes them more readily available to poke at and zone out opponents during the neutral phase or provide cover while fleeing.
 * When you activate Tenta Missiles, a large aiming reticle appears, allowing you to lock onto up to five targets and launch with.
 * Depending on the number of targets you lock onto, the special will fire varying amounts of homing missiles:
 * One target: ten missiles
 * Two targets: five missiles each
 * Three to five targets: four missiles each, firing time increasing as number of targets increases
 * It is recommended to only activate the Tenta Missiles at a safe distance from opponents, not only because a Tenta Missile user is vulnerable to close-range attacks but also because opponents who are further back are easier to track and home missiles on.
 * Sometimes, it may be more beneficial to target a specific opponent or two instead of all of them, based on their weapons, location, and situation:
 * Opponents wielding heavy, slow firing weapons will have a harder time escaping the missiles.
 * Opponents who are bunched together are more likely to cause their teammates to receive collateral damage than those who are spread apart.
 * Tenta Missiles are also a reliable means of forcing opposing anchors to cede their ground and lose focus while aiming. Sometimes, this is the only reliable means to push back into a zone or another important area of the stage.
 * Tenta Missiles can counter an opponent's Sting Ray or Booyah Bomb if anticipated early enough; an opponent will be forced to either delay or interrupt it to avoid getting splatted by the missiles, throwing off their aim.

Synergy
While the Splat Dualies' Burst Bombs are versatile, they lack certain advantages offered by lethal bombs — particularly either Splat or Suction Bombs, which provide their user's team a couple advantages over another team that has no lethal bombs in its composition: While having multiple players on the same team launching Tenta Missiles might seem like a fun and easy means to cause opponents to scramble for cover, having too many players equipped with them – no more than one or two – can reduce the effectiveness of a team composition: Coordinating with your teammates can greatly increase the Tenta Missiles' effect during a battle:
 * Their one-hit-splat offers its user's team chances of instantly gaining a numbers advantage, from which a game-winning push can arise.
 * Their lethal explosion provides space for its user's team to either push into an area held by the opponent or stall an opponent's push.
 * Other special weapons, such as Inkjet or Sting Ray, are intended for splatting opponents and more capable at this than are Tenta Missiles.
 * Tenta Missles cannot reliably turf highly contested areas of the stage as well as certain other special weapons, such as Bomb Launcher or Ink Storm.
 * Launching Tenta Missiles just before a push can cause opponents to scatter, giving your team opportunities to pick off any opponents caught fleeing the Missiles.
 * Firing Tenta Missiles on defense can help stall an opponent's push, but make sure that your teammates are nearby the front lines to follow the Missiles up.
 * Launching Tenta Missiles while a teammate is using a special designed to splat opponents, such as Sting Ray or Inkjet, can limit the opponents' escape options and even prevent them from Super Jumping to safety.

Countermeasures

 * Matchups between Splat Dualies on opposing teams are determined by each player's skill, positioning, turf control, and the presence of any teammates.
 * Any weapon that has a combination of longer range, better accuracy, or higher damage output without sacrificing too much mobility can counter the Splat Dualies. For example, both the Kensa Splattershot Pro and L-3 Nozzlenose and their respective variants meet all of these requirements.
 * Whenever the Splat Dualies dodge roll, they are likely to briefly touch enemy ink, accumulating small amounts of damage. Weapons that use Main Power Up, such as the Kensa Splattershot Pro, Custom Dualie Squelchers, and the Bamboozler 14 Mk I not only have a range advantage, but can splat the Splat Dualies faster than the Splat Dualies can splat them.
 * Users of long-ranged weapons, such as chargers and other splatlings, outrange an opposing Splat Dualies user and can fire upon them with impunity. Chargers can also predict where a Splat Dualies user will be after a roll and splat them before they can fire. However, once the Splat Dualies gets close, it can outmaneuver and outdraw its less mobile, slower firing opponent.
 * A competent Splat Dualies user is likely capable at both flanking and sharking:
 * 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 make them an easier target for long-ranged teammates to pick off.
 * When pursued by a Splat Dualies user, using almost any sub weapon (except for Squid Beakons) can either delay their pursuit or deter them from chasing.
 * Be mindful of both when the opponent has Tenta Missiles ready and when the missiles are launched:
 * If an opponent attempts to launch them when nearby you, splat them quickly to reduce or even cancel their deployment.
 * When the opponent deploys their Tenta Missiles, avoid getting close to teammates - even when not targeted, as a targeted player crossing paths with a teammate might cause the other to get injured or splatted.
 * Whenever targeted by opposing Tenta Missles, unless actively engaging an opponent, only move enough to avoid damage and reduce the amount of turfing by the Missiles.

Gear abilities
A Splat Dualies user in a slayer role generally gets close enough to the opponent and their bombs. Ever since its introduction in Version, Bomb Defense Up DX will not only reduce the damage taken from opposing sub and special weapons that are not one-hit-splat but will also reduce the duration of the tracking effects of certain opponent's sub and special weapons, such as Point Sensors and Ink Mines, allowing the user of this ability to evade detection more easily. Just three ability points, or one sub, offer plenty of utility:
 * The splash damage of most bombs is reduced from 30 HP to 28.6 HP. This reduction in damage provides two benefits:
 * It prevents its user from being exposed on their opponents' map by the splash damage of most single bombs.
 * Ink Armor will not break due to splash damage from a single bomb whose splash damage normally inflicts 30 HP of damage.
 * The splash damage of near-misses from either Tenta Missiles or Inkjet, the minimum splash damage of bubbles, and the collision damage from Baller are all reduced from 50 HP to 48.3 HP, enabling one to survive two hits from any of these specific means of special weapon damage.

Unless a Splat Dualies user is on an extended splatting streak, they can expect to get splatted often. When equipped, Comeback grants 10 ability points of six different stackable abilities for twenty seconds after respawning from getting splatted by an opponent: The three ink efficiency-related abilities and Swim Speed Up are the most useful for the Splat Dualies wielder, allowing them to throw Burst Bombs more often, recover ink faster, use less ink per dodge roll, and more quickly pursue and pressure the opponent upon returning from spawn.

Any good slayer like a Splat Dualies user is expected to come in contact with the opponent's ink on various surfaces, which can both be damaging and reduce mobility. Ink Resistance Up not only partially offsets the reduction in mobility but also delays the damage taken from contact with opposing ink.
 * 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.
 * …lowers the limit on the amount of damage opposing ink on surfaces can inflict from 40 HP to 38 HP.
 * …increases the normal running speed in opposing ink from 0.24 DU/f to 0.33 DU/f.
 * …increases the jumping height in opposing ink from 0.8 to 0.854.
 * Six ability point, or two subs,…
 * …delays the damage taken from opposing ink by 15 frames.
 * …reduces the damage taken to 0.2 HP/f.
 * …lowers the damage limit of opposing ink to 36.2 HP.
 * …increases the normal running speed in opposing ink to 0.39 DU/f.
 * …increases the jumping height in opposing ink to 0.888.

Main Power Up increases the damage output for the Splat Dualies.
 * 32 ability points, achieved with either three mains and one sub, or two mains and four subs, increases the damage of the Splat Dualies to 33.3, allowing it to potentially have a three-shot splat if an opponent briefly touches your team's ink on the floor.
 * Players will have to decide between either using Main Power Up or Quick Respawn in their builds, as it would be difficult to fit in both abilities while also having space for other useful abilities.

Quick Respawn shortens respawn time after getting splatted (under specific conditions), encouraging a Splat Dualies user to remain aggressive even after getting splatted.
 * 16 ability points – one main and two subs – are enough to reduce the respawn time from 8.5 seconds to 6.67 seconds.
 * 26 ability points – two mains and two subs – is enough to reduce the respawn time from 8.5 seconds to 5.8 seconds.

Quick Super Jump decreases both the "charge" time before and the travel time of a Super Jump. Both aggressive and supportive Splat Dualies users will benefit since Quick Super Jump allows them to both return to the front lines more quickly and escape unfavorable situations more easily to preserve special gauge progress.
 * One sub, or 3 ability points, of Quick Super Jump decreases the "charge" time by 22 frames, or 0.36 seconds.

As a short-ranged weapon that excels at flanking, the Splat Dualies greatly benefits if it is able to swim faster. Swim Speed Up enables its user to more quickly close the distance towards an opponent, more quickly respond to an opponents' push, or even escape unfavorable situations.
 * 6 ability points - two subs - increase the swim speed from 1.92 DU/f to 2.01 DU/f, which is roughly the same default swimming speed for lightweight weapons.
 * 16 ability points – one main and two subs – increase the swim speed from 1.92 DU/f to 2.14 DU/f.

Super Jumping to a teammate after respawning carries the risk of getting splatted upon landing, due to the appearance of a Super Jump indicator. When equipped, Stealth Jump better covers this indicator from long-distance opponents, allowing its user to more safely return to the front lines and maintain pressure on the opponent.

Splatoon 3
The Splat Dualies return in, with the same role as previously, a slayer made to dodge around and get splats, along with the ability to become supportive in necessary situations. While the Splash-o-matic is still seen as the better Crab Tank option, the Splat Dualies still has some unique strengths that gives the weapon some advantages the Splash-o-matic doesn't have.

Use
Suction Bombs can be used in a similar fashion to Splat Bombs, with a few differences:
 * They can attach to surfaces, which both allows more room for error when aiming and enables the planting of craftier traps, such as underneath a grate.
 * They take two seconds after attaching to a surface to detonate, as opposed to one second for a Splat Bomb, so plant Suction Bombs earlier than usual.
 * They have a larger overall radius of damage (80 DU).
 * They can be thrown to lead a push into a Splat Zone or any other important area of the stage, such as the opponents' street or platform.
 * They can also flush out opposing anchors from perches and clear other critical areas, such as the Tower.
 * They can also be used to poke at and zone out opponents during the neutral phase, stall an opponent's push, or provide space to escape.
 * A Suction Bomb can damage or destroy an opponent's brella shield, Splash Wall, or Big Bubbler or the Rainmaker shield, while detonating on contact.
 * Any opponents caught within the Suction Bomb's explosion will get damaged or splatted.
 * An opponent's Triple Inkstrike or Ultra Stamp will defuse any Suction Bombs it touches, so hold off throwing them until after the special weapon finishes.

A Crab Tank, when used properly, can stop a push, or help a team push forward:
 * Use a Crab Tank close to the frontlines. The Crab Tank is very slow in movement and will usually stay in the one area it is activated
 * Crab Tank has two modes of fire that each give the user versatility against opponents:
 * Its normal fire mode can normally splat the opponent while also increasing its fire rate as long as the user keeps firing. This mode is best against normally splatting opponents or deal damage to objects such as the Big Bubbler shield or the Booyah Bomb.
 * The second fire mode shoots balls of ink similarly to the Explosher. While not the main mode of attacking, this should be used as a way to finish off opponents who go behind cover.
 * The range of all modes is close to that of the E-liter 4K allowing the user to threaten large amounts of area with its range.
 * The Crab Tank has no endlag after it finishes or even when destroyed. If the Crab Tank is almost destroyed, be ready for a follow up attack on the enemy.

Countermeasures
While very strong, there are ways to deal with a Crab Tank user:
 * When chasing a Splat Dualie user, be wary of any Suction Bomb traps the user may have planted around the corner.
 * Some weapons, most notably the Splatana Stamper and the Nautilus 47 can break a Crab Tank from a reasonable distance without putting themselves in too much danger. Higher DPS weapons can focus on destroying a Crab Tank when popped.
 * Whenever a Crab Tank user is shooting, the opponent will be vulnerable from the back.
 * Chargers, such as the E-liter 4K can splat the opponent from its range without too much risk.
 * Other shorter ranged chargers cannot do this as the user will be in full view of the Crab Tank user.
 * Shorter ranged weapons can sneak behind the Crab Tank and splat them or stall them out, although be careful of any opponents.
 * A Crab Tank user cannot quickly turn to their sides to deal with opponents on their sides or behind them. If confronting a Crab Tank user, be more on the sides or behind them.
 * Specials such as Booyah Bomb or Triple Inkstrike can force a Crab Tank user to move or break the Crab Tank.

Gear abilities
Any good slayer like a Splat Dualies user is expected to come in contact with the opponent's ink on various surfaces, which can both be damaging and reduce mobility. This becomes especially true for Dualie class weapons as they frequently roll through enemy ink. Ink Resistance Up not only partially offsets the reduction in mobility but also delays the damage taken from contact with opposing ink.
 * 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.
 * …lowers the limit on the amount of damage opposing ink on surfaces can inflict from 40 HP to 38 HP.
 * …increases the normal running speed in opposing ink from 0.24 DU/f to 0.33 DU/f.
 * …increases the jumping height in opposing ink from 0.8 to 0.854.
 * Six ability point, or two subs,…
 * …delays the damage taken from opposing ink by 15 frames.
 * …reduces the damage taken to 0.2 HP/f.
 * …lowers the damage limit of opposing ink to 36.2 HP.
 * …increases the normal running speed in opposing ink to 0.39 DU/f.
 * …increases the jumping height in opposing ink to 0.888.

Quick Respawn shortens respawn time after getting splatted (under specific conditions), encouraging a Splat Dualies user to remain aggressive even after getting splatted.
 * 16 ability points – one main and two subs – are enough to reduce the respawn time from 8.5 seconds to 6.67 seconds.
 * 26 ability points – two mains and two subs – is enough to reduce the respawn time from 8.5 seconds to 5.8 seconds.

Quick Super Jump decreases both the "charge" time before and the travel time of a Super Jump. Both aggressive and supportive Splat Dualies users will benefit since Quick Super Jump allows them to both return to the front lines more quickly and escape unfavorable situations more easily to preserve special gauge progress.
 * One sub, or 3 ability points, of Quick Super Jump decreases the "charge" time by 22 frames, or 0.36 seconds.

Super Jumping to a teammate after respawning carries the risk of getting splatted upon landing, due to the appearance of a Super Jump indicator. When equipped, Stealth Jump better covers this indicator from long-distance opponents, allowing its user to more safely return to the front lines and maintain pressure on the opponent.

In competitive play
The Splat Dualies have an aggressive kit similar to that of the Kensa Splat Dualies in. The main difference being the Crab Tank, instead of the  Baller. Generally it runs a lot of, and plays aggressively.