Competitive:Kensa Luna Blaster

Unofficial

Splatoon 2
Similar to its Vanilla and Neo variant, the Kensa Luna Blaster is a Blaster having a faster fire rate and large blast radius. The kit, Fizzy Bomb and Ink Storm, allows the user to play more supportively, allowing it to turf more than the other variants.

Use
The Kensa Luna Blaster, like its Vanilla and Neo variants, is a one-shot Blaster that has a fast fire rate and a large blast size.
 * Its shots travel slower than those of rapid-firing weapons — 8.7 units per frame versus 22 units per frame for the Tentatek Splattershot, for example. This means that a Kensa Luna Blaster user has to lead their shots in order to be accurate.
 * The Kensa Luna Blaster becomes less accurate (by 8 degrees) immediately after jumping. This is however a minor difference compared to other blasters such as the Rapid Blaster Pro and Range Blaster.
 * Waiting 25 frames – during the descent of a jump – will allow the outer reticle to shrink back and the accuracy to improve for up to 70 more frames.
 * Main Power Up reduces the shot deviation during a jump by up to 40%.
 * The Kensa Luna Blaster's damage – arguably its greatest asset – widely varies depending on whether a target is hit directly, and if not, how close to the shot's explosion the target is and whether the shot exploded on a solid surface:
 * 125 health points (HP) of damage per direct hit — instantly splats opponents that don't have some form of armor (i.e Ink Armor, Booyah Bomb armor, etc.)
 * 50-70 HP per hit of splash damage if the shot's explosion does not hit a solid surface
 * 25-35 HP per hit of splash damage if the shot's explosion hits a solid surface
 * Thus, when firing up a ledge or around either an obstacle or an opponent's brella shield for splash damage, avoid hitting solid surfaces to maximize damage.
 * The Kensa Luna Blaster suffers a longer lag time after each shot compared to rapid-firing weapons, making it easily punishable after a miss:
 * The interval between firing and either morphing or using a sub weapon is 26 frames — far longer than the 4 frames of Tentatek Splattershot.
 * Its firing rate is 40 frames between shots (1.5 shots per second) – far slower than the Tentatek Splattershot's 6 frames between shots (10 shots per second)
 * Therefore, unless attacking an opponent up a ledge or around either an obstacle or their brella shield, always go for direct hits.
 * While not as mobile as other slayer's weapons, the Kensa Luna Blaster can still be effective at flanking, and its high damage makes it devastating at sharking.
 * The Kensa Luna Blaster operates best in areas and stages that are less open, such as in an alley or beneath a short ledge, where an opponent has less room to avoid shots and outmaneuver the Blaster user. Walleye Warehouse and Camp Triggerfish are just a couple stages well suited for a Kensa Luna Blaster.
 * Besides its long lag after each shot, the Blaster suffers from other drawbacks:
 * Its range puts the user at a disadvantage against longer ranged opponents, with many weapons being able to outrange it without entering into the blast radius.
 * Its poor ink efficiency and turfing make it prone to getting surrounded by opposing ink if fired recklessly. Avoid overextending into the opponents' territory.
 * Swim Speed Up can help relieve some of the mobility issues, while Ink Resistance Up reduces the loss of running speed in opposing ink.

Fizzy Bombs can provide great coverage and pressure with splash hits, even in stages and areas that are more open: The Ink Storm is an area of effect (AoE) special weapon that can alter the battle if activated in the right location and direction:
 * The Fizzy Bomb can create combos of splash damage with the hits from the main weapon.
 * The Fizzy Bomb can explode multiple times, making it easier to explode Bubbles or inflate them.
 * Defensively, it can provide great pressure on the objective or onto opponents trying to take control over areas. It can also provide distance between a rushing opponent when thrown towards the ground.
 * Offensively, it can create paths with its ink trail that lead to up and tight close confrontations.
 * Ink Saver (Sub) or Last-Ditch Effort can reduce the ink consumption needed to throw a Fizzy Bomb to below half of a full ink tank, making it possible to throw two Fizzy Bombs one after the other. This provides great pressure through ink coverage and splash damage hits.
 * You can combine this with an Ink Storm. Using special weapons instantly refills your ink tank, so you can throw two Fizzy Bombs, and Ink Storm, and two more Fizzy Bombs, which would force opponents out of an area and ink the ground really well, allowing map control if used right.
 * Immediately upon activating the special, its user will be holding the Ink Storm device and be vulnerable to attack. Therefore, do not activate the special while being attacked, and make sure to throw it onto a surface before an opponent gets the opportunity to splat you.
 * Slower, less mobile opponents – especially Rainmaker carriers – are less capable of escaping Ink Storm's area of effect and, thus, are more adversely affected.
 * Its gradual damage makes it a good counter against Ink Armor, especially when paired with Object Shredder.
 * Ink Storm's damage on the opponent becomes more effective whenever the opponent has less space to maneuver around, such as in an alley or on the Tower.
 * Defensively, Ink Storm can slow or disrupt the opponents' push by either altering their intended attack routes or weakening any opponents within the storm.
 * Offensively, Ink Storm can soften opposing defenses by forcing opponents out of optimal positions and inflicting chip damage onto those caught in the ink rain.
 * Besides potentially damaging opponents, Ink Storm also gradually turfs any non-vertical surface it travels over:
 * The damaging and turfing effects of Ink Storm are slower and more gradual than those of a Bomb Launcher but are automatic and does not require its user to risk endangering themselves.
 * An Ink Storm above the Rainmaker can either weaken its shield to pop it or prevent the opponent from popping it.
 * Special weapons are also free ink tank refills, allowing a Kensa Luna Blaster user to launch Ink Storm and immediately attack opponents fleeing it.
 * The Ink Storm can also deal enough damage to the opponent so that an indirect hit from the Luna Blaster can splat the opponent.

Synergy
While a team might get away with having one or two users of short-ranged weapons, such as the Kensa Luna Blaster, having a team composition with too many short-ranged weapons and no longer-ranged weapons to provide support fire is often disadvantageous for a number of reasons: Ink Storm is intended for either contesting territory, such as Splat Zones, or stalling opponents' pushes but is not as reliable at splatting opponents who actively avoid the Storm. Therefore, it is advised to have other special weapons available to complement Ink Storm, as having too many users of any combination of Ink Storm and Bomb Launcher (no more than two) in a team composition will limit a team's arsenal of weapons: Combining Ink Storm with other specials can bolster a team's ability to either make a push or counter the opponents' push:
 * An opponent with a long-ranged weapon can more aggressively position themselves to zone out the entire shorter-ranged team.
 * The opposing slayers can play more aggressively, knowing that there is no long-ranged threat to pick them off from afar.
 * Ink Storm provides no direct means of protection, meaning that opponents can still fire or throw sub weapons into the Storm.
 * Other special weapons, such as Inkjet or Sting Ray, are intended for splatting opponents and more capable at this than is Ink Storm.
 * Ink Armor and other protective special weapons, such as Baller and Bubble Blower, can increase the survivability of a team as they push into contested territory.
 * After launching Ink Storm, a teammate who is using a special weapon designed for splat opponents, such as Sting Ray or Inkjet, can further limit the opponents' escape options or splat them as they scatter.

Countermeasures

 * Any weapon that has a combination of longer range, better mobility, or higher rate of fire without sacrificing too much damage can counter a Kensa Luna Blaster. For example, both the Splattershot Pro and Dualie Squelchers and their respective variants meet all of these requirements.
 * The Splat Brella and Undercover Brella and their variants cannot sufficiently protect their users from the splash damage of the Kensa Luna Blaster.
 * Whenever possible, exploit the Kensa Luna Blaster's poor ink efficiency and turfing by surrounding it with ink. Sub weapons and teammates can help accomplish this.
 * It is preferable to engage an opposing Kensa Luna Blaster in a more open area – where there is more room to avoid its shots, outmaneuver it, and surround it with ink – than in a closed area. If this is not possible, remain farther back on a ledge or further around a corner to avoid splash damage.
 * A long-ranged weapon, such as a charger or most splatlings, can attack a Kensa Luna Blaster from long distance with impunity. But if the Blaster user gets close, it can easily splat its slower firing opponents.
 * A competent Kensa Luna Blaster 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 makes them an easier target for long-ranged teammates to pick off.
 * When pursued by a Kensa Luna Blaster, using almost any sub weapon (except for Squid Beakons) can either delay their pursuit or deter them from chasing.

An opponent's Fizzy Bomb is often a hindrance, but it can be worked around:
 * Shaking Fizzy Bombs for multiple explosions takes time and effort that makes the Kensa Luna Blaster user busy, exploiting that time to engage the opponent can be tricky but can be rewarding if approached successfully or from an unnoticed direction.
 * Fizzy Bombs prevent pathways with their splash damage hits, taking different route or higher platforms to engage can help break choke points or bomb spam.
 * Fizzy Bomb takes 60% ink consumption from the ink tank (when used without Ink Saver (Sub)), paying attention to when one or two were thrown can help ease battles against the Kensa Luna Blaster user when they are low on ink and unable to respond.

When facing an opposing Ink Storm, assess where is a safe place to either reroute an attack or reposition on defense: When facing a team who possesses both Ink Storm and main weapons whose damage is increased with Main Power Up, pay extra attention to where the Main Power Up-boosted opponents are at whenever they launch their Ink Storm.
 * In general, avoid getting caught under an opponent's Ink Storm for an extended time, but also be wary of opponents waiting to pick off anyone fleeing the Storm.
 * If you must travel under an opponent's Ink Storm, avoid moving in the same direction that the Storm is traveling to minimize damage.
 * Even while avoiding an opponent's Ink Storm, it is still possible to turf or otherwise influence the area underneath. Long-ranged weapons, thrown sub weapons, and other special weapons (such as a counter-Ink Storm or Bomb Launcher) can splat opponents or dissuade them from occupying the turf underneath.

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.

Just 21 AP, (1 main and 4 subs or 7 subs) of Ink Saver (Sub) can decrease the ink consumption of the Fizzy Bomb to 60% of the ink tank to less than 50%, making it easier to spam Fizzy Bombs.

Last-Ditch Effort is a Headgear-exclusive ability that, under specific conditions, grants its user 1 to 24 ability points each of the following abilities: These abilities only begin to take effect under either of the following conditions: Due to both its relatively high ink consumption and Fizzy Bombs, the Kensa Luna Blaster can greatly benefit from the reduced ink consumption of both the main and sub weapon, reducing the chance that its user runs out of ink during either a crucial defensive stand or a late attempt to reclaim the lead.
 * There are at most 30 seconds remaining on the game clock, or Overtime has begun in a Ranked Battle, at which the maximum 24 ability points will be granted for each of the above abilities.
 * In a Ranked Battle, the opposing team's countdown has at most 50 points remaining. The effects of Last-Ditch Effort increase as the opposing team's countdown decreases from 50 to 30 points remaining, starting with 1 ability point for each ability and maxing out to 24 ability points.

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. Because the Kensa Luna Blaster is a powerful short-ranged weapon, its user can greatly benefit from reducing the damage taken from their opponents' bombs. 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.

A Kensa Luna Blaster 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 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.
 * …increases the normal running speed in opposing ink to 0.39 DU/f.
 * …increases the jumping height in opposing ink to 0.888.