Competitive:Bamboozler 14 Mk I

Unofficial

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. Damage Up increases the amount of damage per shot for uncharged, partially charged, and fully charged shots. While the damage of the Bamboozler 14 Mk I can never reach 100 HP, it is capable of getting very close to it with enough Damage Up.
 * 36 ability points – three mains and two subs – enable a Bamboozler 14 Mk I to inflict 99.9 HP of damage per fully charged hit.

Splatoon 2
The Bamboozler 14 Mk I lacks the range and damage of other, more conventional chargers, but it has better mobility and a quicker charge time, providing it the flexibility to be included in a wider variety of team compositions with less worry of being rushed down by opponents.

Use
Despite its differences from most other chargers, the Bamboozler 14 Mk I is still an anchor's weapon: While the Curling Bomb is not as versatile as other bombs, it still has a couple practical uses for the Bamboozler 14 Mk I user: Tenta Missiles can be used to pressure opponents and force them out of position without having to commit too far forward:
 * Like other chargers, the Bamboozler 14 Mk I can fire tap shots, partially charged shots, and fully charged shots:
 * It requires 20 frames, or 0.33 seconds, to fully charge — one third of the time required by the Splat Charger. This enables a Bamboozler 14 Mk I user to fire at their opponents more quickly, which can come in handy whenever an opponent is rushing towards you.
 * The charging rate slows down to 20% of its usual charging speed (for a charge time of 100 frames, or 1.67 seconds) whenever the ink tank is empty and to 40% (for 50 frames, or 0.83 seconds, of charge time) whenever one is airborne while charging. Stay on the ground while charging and watch the ink tank.
 * Without any Main Power Up equipped, its damage ranges from 30 HP to 85 HP without any sudden rise in damage, unlike with most other chargers.
 * While Main Power Up can increase damage, it cannot increase the damage of shots to 100.0 HP. To guarantee a splat, fire two shots – a fully charged shot followed by a tap shot – at an opponent. Both shots have the same range (see below) and should reach an opponent within the Bamboozler 14 Mk I's range.
 * Unlike more powerful chargers, the Bamboozler 14 Mk I cannot pierce targets, meaning only one target can be hit at a time.
 * Also unlike other chargers, the range of the Bamboozler 14 Mk I remains at a constant 195.64 DU, regardless of the charge time.
 * This constant range enables the Bamboozler 14 Mk I to turf more quickly than more conventional chargers can.
 * However, most other chargers, such as the Splat Charger (240.37 DU), the Splatterscope (260.37 DU) , and the E-liter 4K (290.5 DU), outrange the Bamboozler 14 Mk I.
 * The Bamboozler 14 Mk I also fires slightly bigger bullets than other chargers (radius of two DU rather than the typical one DU), allowing it to hit shots slightly easier.
 * The Bamboozler 14 Mk I's lightweight nature provides above average running (1.04 DU/f, or distance units per frame) and swimming speed (2.02 DU/f), and its user is more mobile while charging a shot (0.6 DU/f) compared to users of more traditional chargers.
 * 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.
 * Unlike other chargers lacking a scope, the Bamboozler 14 Mk I cannot store a full charge while submerged in ink.
 * The Bamboozler 14 Mk I still has a few charger-related drawbacks:
 * While it is more ink-efficient than traditional chargers, it still consumes a sizable amount of ink per fully charged shot (8.4%), particularly since Version . 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 Bamboozler 14 Mk I user, to watch for any flanking attempts by the opponent, as getting flanked and splatted often leaves a gaping hole in their team's defenses.
 * When charged, or "cooked" long enough, it can be used to lay insidious bomb traps to hold off pursuers or flush out sharks.
 * Particularly in narrow or closed areas, a Curling Bomb ricocheting off of walls can be a useful distraction to force an opponent to move in a certain direction.
 * While it can pave a trail of ink to either turf the ground or pave an escape route, simply firing the main weapon does the same job at a fraction of the cost in ink.
 * 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.
 * After activating the Tenta Missiles, use its tracking phase as a pseudo-Echolocator to determine the opponents' locations and maximize the number of targets.
 * Being lethal upon a direct hit, Tenta Missiles force opponents to move out of position. Launching them just before a push can cause opponents to scatter, giving your team opportunities to pick off any opponents caught fleeing the Missiles.
 * Because the Bamboozler 14 Mk I user is usually at a disadvantage against traditional charger and longer-ranged splatling users, Tenta Missiles are often their most reliable means of forcing these opponents to cede their ground.
 * 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
Like other, more conventional chargers, the Bamboozler 14 Mk I can provide support fire and help maintain maintain spatial control, and its mobility allows its user to more easily either push forward with the rest of the team or retreat from an advancing opponent. Nevertheless, it can still be redundant to have one or two more long-ranged weapons on a team for a few reasons: Although the Bamboozler 14 Mk I is better at turfing than traditional chargers, it is still less efficient at turfing than other weapons, due to its meddling ink efficiency and 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 Bamboozler 14 Mk I, 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

 * Ink Resistance Up, already a valuable utility ability, increases in value when facing opponents whose weapons' damage is augmented by Main Power Up. It reduces the chance of getting splatted in one shot from a Bamboozler 14 Mk I due to the brief invincibility frames it provides when touching opposing ink on various surfaces.
 * Users of other anchor's weapons each have to confront an opposing Bamboozler 14 Mk I user differently:
 * Traditional chargers – such as the Splat Charger, the Splatterscope, and the E-liter 4K – and longer-range splatlings – namely, the Ballpoint Splatling (225.04-237.094 DU) and the Hydra Splatling (203.92-257.68 DU) – clearly outrange the Bamboozler 14 Mk I and can simply zone out an opposing Bamboozler user. However, be prepared to dodge any Tenta Missiles they launch.
 * While the Dynamo Roller (two-hit range of 200 DU), Explosher (200 DU), and the Heavy Splatling (178.05-218.37 DU) each can outrange the Bamboozler 14 Mk I, they only barely do so, and the Bamboozler's quicker, more powerful shots prevent a user of any of the former three weapons from fully zoning out an opposing Bamboozler user.
 * Focus more on turfing and providing support fire for your teammates while keeping an eye on the opposing Bamboozler user's position.
 * Only challenge the opposing Bamboozler 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.
 * While the Custom Jet Squelcher (212.64 DU) can also outrange the Bamboozler 14 Mk I, it might be easier to simply farm Sting Ray and use it to harass the opposing Bamboozler user.
 * Thanks to charge storing, both the Classic Squiffer (167.65 DU) and the Competitive:Nautilus 79 (165 DU) are more mobile than the Bamboozler 14 Mk I to compensate for their relative lack of range.
 * The quick, powerful shots of the Bamboozler 14 Mk I effectively prohibit shorter-ranged weapon users from rushing an opposing Bamboozler user. Rely on flanking or sharking to get within range of an opposing Bamboozler user. However, be wary of any cooked Curling Bombs they might drop.
 * Throwing bombs or Toxic Mist at an opposing Bamboozler 14 Mk I 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.
 * 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
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. Link most anchors, a Bamboozler 14 Mk I user generally keeps their distance from the opponent. However, their improved mobility allows them to move about the stage more often, meaning they can expect to come in contact with opposing ink on various surfaces, especially due to ink not always forming below the user's feet with each shot. While in contact with opposing ink, Ink Resistance Up both delays and reduces 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, lowers the limit on the amount of damage opposing ink on surfaces can inflict from 40 HP to 38 HP, and increases the normal running speed in opposing ink from 0.24 DU/f to 0.33 DU/f.
 * Six ability points – 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, and increases the normal running speed in opposing ink to 0.39 DU/f.

Although the Bamboozler 14 Mk I is more ink efficient than more conventional chargers, it still consumes a sizable amount, especially ever since Version 5.3.0. Ink Saver (Main) allows it to fire more fully charged shots and turf more before needing to refill the ink tank.
 * Just three ability points, or one sub, of Ink Saver (Main) increases the number of fully charged shots fired with a full ink tank from eleven to twelve.
 * Six ability points, or two subs, are enough to further increase the number of fully charged shots to thirteen.

Ever since its introduction in Version, Main Power Up has made the Bamboozler 14 Mk I a more viable option for an anchor. It increases the damage output of all of the Bamboozler 14 Mk I's shots – tap shots, partially charged shots, and fully charged shots – by up to 20%. However, the damage of any shot cannot be increased above 99.9 HP — preventing the Bamboozler 14 Mk I from having a true one-hit-splat, and the amount of Main Power Up needed to reach this value ever since Version – 44 ability points, achievable with either two mains and seven subs or three mains and five subs – is excessively high.

Fortunately, some slightly smaller amounts of ability points can be enough to optimize the damage output of the Bamboozler 14 Mk I, depending on how much Ink Resistance Up an opponent is equipped with. For example, an opponent equipped with ten ability points, or one main of Ink Resistance Up, delays the damage taken from your team's ink on surfaces by 20 frames, or 0.33 seconds, and reduces the damage taken from 0.3 HP/f (health points per frame) to 0.2 HP/f.
 * 30 ability points – equal to three mains – of Main Power Up increase the damage per shot of the Bamboozler 14 Mk I to 97 HP, which is enough to splat the above opponent if they have been in contact with your team's ink for at least 35 frames, or 0.583 seconds.
 * 36 ability points – three mains and two subs – increase the damage per shot to 98.4, which is enough to splat said opponent if they have touched your team's ink for at least 28 frames, or 0.467 seconds.
 * 42 ability points – three mains and four subs – increase the damage to 99.6 — enough to splat the above opponent if they have touched your team's ink for 22 frames, or 0.367 seconds. This amount has been recommended by multiple sources, since it provides a high amount of damage while leaving just enough gear slots for other important abilities.

Quick Super Jump decreases both the "charge" time before and the travel time of a Super Jump, allowing its user to escape more quickly. While a Bamboozler 14 Mk I user has more mobility than users of most other anchor's weapons, they can still benefit from the ability to more quickly escape from rushing opponents and maintain valuable special gauge progress for their Tenta Missiles.
 * Just three ability points, or one sub, of Quick Super Jump decreases the "charge" time by 22 frames, or 0.367 seconds.
 * Six ability points, or two subs, further decreases the "charge" time by 30 frames, or 0.5 seconds.