Competitive:Splattershot Jr.

Unofficial

The Splattershot Jr. is the first available weapon in every game throughout the Splatoon series. Besides having a rapid firing rate and a wide shot spread for quick turfing, its set always has the powerful and versatile Splat Bomb and a protective special weapon. Originally considered a beginner's weapon, the Splattershot Jr. became a more viable competitive weapon in with a new weapon speed type, slightly improved accuracy, and – since Version  – a larger ink tank with 10% more capacity, further improving its already excellent ink efficiency.

Splatoon
As a beginner's weapon, the Splattershot Jr. has the traits and tools to help newcomers ease into the fundamentals of the game. While its quick turfing, Splat Bomb, and Bubbler enable its user to provide support for their teammates, its weak fighting capacity can make it a liability, especially if a match favors offensive team compositions.

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. Editor note: This guide is for all abilities, to avoid conflict and to be more useful for everyone. Please do not remove any ability that was added. You may add reasoning for why other abilities are more strategically desirable. If an opinion is questionable, discuss its content on the talk page. If you believe that an ability is particularly good, it would be best if you added a citation to support your opinion. Citations to Top 500 or tournament winning players are best.

Splatoon 2
The Splattershot Jr., the first available weapon in the game, is a rapid firing weapon that provides turfing and (with its sub and special weapons) support but lacks accuracy and range. Since Version, it now has a larger ink tank with 10% more capacity, further improving its already excellent ink efficiency.

Use
The Splattershot Jr. is capable of various tasks needed to win battles, but its specific traits make it best suited for a support role: The most reliable way a Splattershot Jr. player can engage an opponent is through constant and coordinated use of Splat Bombs: Ink Armor protects its user and all of their active teammates, reducing their chances of getting splatted and allowing them to either initiate a push (e.g., to recapture a Splat Zone) or maintain one, such as while locking out the opponent.
 * The Splattershot Jr. has a wide shot spread, enabling its user to turf large areas quickly, which provides two benefits:
 * Turfing allows the team to either gain or maintain map control. This also enables one to quickly capture zones in Splat Zones.
 * It also builds up Ink Armor very quickly, allowing its user's team to mount a push at a moment's notice. If there are no other urgent tasks, just keep turfing so Ink Armor is ready whenever needed.
 * Maximize the efficiency of your turfing by rocking your aim up and down while strafing sideways.
 * It also has the best ink efficiency in at 0.43%. This low ink cost, combined with a larger ink tank that has 110% capacity of a regular tank, enables its user to continually turf and use their Splat Bombs more liberally with less worry of emptying their tank.
 * The main tradeoff of its wide shot spread is the resulting poor accuracy (12-15 degrees of deviation), which, along with the short range (103.89 DU, or distance units, or a little over two distance lines away in the Shooting Range), makes the Splattershot Jr. a poor main weapon for directly engaging most opponents. For example, the N-ZAP '85 has better accuracy (6-12 degrees of deviation) and a longer range (116.9 DU) than the Splattershot Jr.
 * The Splattershot Jr. is still capable of quickly splatting opponents, provided that its user can catch an opponent by surprise and within its short range. Just be judicious about when to either flank or shark, as playing too aggressively risks depriving your team turfing, Splat Bomb support, and Ink Armor.
 * Otherwise, if a matchup is unfavorable, disengage by dropping a Splat Bomb behind whenever possible and Super Jumping back to the Spawn point if necessary.
 * Fortunately, the Splattershot Jr. is one of the most mobile weapons in the game, partially thanks to its lightweight nature. A Splattershot Jr. user…
 * …runs at 1.04 DU/f, or distance units per frame.
 * …swims at 2.02 DU/f.
 * …runs at 0.72 DU/f while firing.
 * …needs only 2 frames after firing until they can either use a Splat Bomb or morph into squid/octopus form.
 * …can use this high mobility to hastily flee from a pursuing opponent or quickly react on either offense or defense.
 * …will further improve their already high mobility if they practice and master advanced movement techniques, such as sub strafing and ledge canceling.
 * Their one-second detonation timer begins as soon as it contacts any surface. Therefore, rolling the Splat Bomb like a bowling ball will produce the quickest explosion for instant area denial.
 * The damage an exploding Splat Bomb inflicts onto a target depends on the distance between them:
 * Targets within 40 DU – a little under one distance line away in the Shooting Range – will receive 180 damage — more than enough to splat most opponents.
 * Targets between 40 DU and 70 DU – just shy of 1.5 distance lines away – will receive 30 damage, which is sometimes enough to splat weakened opponents.
 * When attacking an opponent's position, try to throw Splat Bombs behind the opponent. This more effectively cuts off the opponent's potential escape routes.
 * Splat Bombs are great at poking at and zoning out opponents during the neutral phase, stalling an opponent's push, or providing cover while fleeing.
 * Carefully lobbing a Splat Bomb at an opposing anchor positioned on their snipe will hinder their ability to control space with their range.
 * A Splat Bomb can damage or destroy an opponent's brella shield, Splash Wall, or Baller or the Rainmaker shield, while detonating on contact.
 * Any opponents caught within the Splat Bomb's explosion will get damaged or splatted.
 * It will also inflate or pop a teammate's bubbles but deflate or diffuse an opponent's bubbles, while still detonating on contact.
 * An opponent's Splashdown, Booyah Bomb, or Ultra Stamp will defuse any Splat Bombs it touches, so hold off using them until after their special weapon finishes.
 * The larger ink tank unique to the Splattershot Jr. allows the player to throw bombs more often.
 * Using any special weapon also provides a free ink tank refill. Therefore, it is possible to throw a bomb or two before and after activating Ink Armor.
 * When beginning a push, especially after activating Ink Armor, throw a Splat Bomb towards the opposing team to provide space to push in.
 * Activate Ink Armor in a safe location, particularly while not under attack. A player activating Ink Armor is locked in place for 30 frames, or 0.5 seconds, and if they get splatted during this time, Ink Armor will not be applied to any of their teammates.
 * Time the activation of Ink Armor carefully; it takes up to two seconds to activate Ink Armor, which lasts for at least six seconds or until its wearer has taken 30 HP of damage. Applying Ink Armor too early might not provide enough protection time, while waiting too long to use it might result in teammates getting splatted before receiving sufficient protection. Count the number of active opponents on the HUD and check your teammates' positions relative to the opponents' turf on the map with to determine whether to activate Ink Armor right away.
 * Teammates who have just been splatted and have not yet respawned will not receive the protection from Ink Armor, so try to activate Ink Armor when most or all teammates are active. Skirmishers and slayers, who risk getting splatted more often, benefit from Ink Armor more than anchors do.
 * Be aware that Ink Armor will make its user and their teammates more visible, particularly within their ink. Therefore, if a teammate has a short-ranged slayer's weapon that relies heavily on sharking (such as a roller or a Sploosh-o-matic), check the map with to see if this teammate is hiding among the opponents.
 * Upon activation, Ink Armor will protect its user and their teammates except for those either carrying the Rainmaker or using either Baller or Booyah Bomb.
 * Also, players protected by Ink Armor lose it upon gaining possession of the Rainmaker.
 * A support player, such as a Splattershot Jr. user, is often expected to carry the Rainmaker while their slayer teammates provide protection up front while turfing a path of ink. Therefore, while Ink Armor will not protect the Rainmaker carrier, it will still benefit their teammates, so remember to activate Ink Armor just before picking up the Rainmaker whenever possible.
 * Any damage onto an armored player that exceeds 100 HP will not only be inflicted onto them – capped at 80 HP of damage – but will also cause significant knockback. Therefore, even while armored, it is still advisable to avoid getting hit by heavily damaging attacks, such as charger fire or bombs — especially when on a ledge or while riding the Tower.

Synergy
The Splattershot Jr. is great at turfing, Splat Bomb support, and building up Ink Armor but poor in splatting and lacking in range. Therefore, its user – compared to users of other support weapons, such as an N-ZAP '85 or a Kensa Undercover Brella – will depend more heavily on their teammates to contest turf and splat opponents. Therefore, a team whose composition includes a Splattershot Jr. user should have at least two capable aggressive players (either two slayers or a slayer and a skirmisher) and at least one user of a medium- to long-ranged weapon. While a team might get away with having one or two users of short-ranged weapons, such as the Splattershot Jr., 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: Multiple Ink Armors used by the same team do not stack. Therefore, it would be redundant for a team to have more than two Ink Armor users. While special weapons used in combination are beneficial in general, the combination of Ink Armor with either Inkjet or Ultra Stamp is particularly invaluable for the user of the latter special, improving their survivability:
 * Turfing while following a teammate builds up Ink Armor and provides friendly turf to which a teammate can retreat whenever needed.
 * Cooperate with the teammate using primarily Splat Bombs when engaging an opponent: attack from different angles, or force the opponent to come within range of the teammate's weapon.
 * If your teammate gets splatted and the opponent(s) is/are still present, then consider retreating instead of risking getting splatted and losing Ink Armor progress.
 * 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.
 * Because the Splattershot Jr. is both arguably the quickest weapon at farming Ink Armor and one of the weakest main weapons, if another Ink Armor user is on the team, it is advised for the other Ink Armor user to be more capable in splatting, such as an N-ZAP '85 or a Tri-Slosher.
 * In general, when two Ink Armor-based weapons are on a team, the user of the more aggressive weapon should activate Ink Armor first, freeing them to engage the opponent without potentially losing both a potential Ink Armor and special gauge progress. Therefore, a Splattershot Jr. user should pay attention to the HUD and refrain from using Ink Armor if their teammate also has Ink Armor ready.
 * Because an Ink Armored player can withstand more damage — especially from an opponent's charger, an armored Inkjet pilot can fly more aggressively.
 * An armored Ultra Stamp user is also more difficult for opponents to splat while swinging the hammer. However, they are easier to spot when submerged in their ink.

Countermeasures

 * Because the Splattershot Jr. is generally a poor main weapon for splatting, almost any weapon with longer range, better accuracy, or higher damage can defeat it in a one-on-one with relative ease. However, watch out for the opposing Splattershot Jr. user's Splat Bombs.
 * Because an opposing Splattershot Jr. user relies heavily on their Splat Bombs, equipping gear with Bomb Defense Up DX – even just one sub, or three ability points – would be wise since it reduces the splash damage from opposing Splat Bombs from 30 HP to 28.6 HP.
 * Seize any easy opportunities to splat an opposing Splattershot Jr. user, as doing so will deprive their team of turfing, Splat Bomb support, and Ink Armor.
 * When using another turfing weapon while engaged in a one-on-one against an opposing Splattershot Jr. user, a prolonged battle usually favors the latter due to their larger ink tank. In general, pursue and try to splat the opposing Splattershot Jr. user while evading their Splat Bombs rather than attempt to out-turf them.
 * An opposing Splattershot Jr. user will most likely assist a teammate armed with a more formidable weapon; that opponent is usually the higher priority. Attempting to engage against both is usually a poor idea, so either find a teammate to assist you or try to lure the opposing Splattershot Jr. user's teammate to stray too far from them to receive assistance.
 * Keep an eye on the HUD to know when an opposing Splattershot Jr. user has Ink Armor ready to use, and both watch and listen for when it is activated.
 * The best way to prevent the opponents from using Ink Armor is to splat their Splattershot Jr. user (or any other Ink Armor-equipped weapon wielder). A charger user can prioritize said opponent when sniping, or a slayer can attempt to pick off a lone Splattershot Jr.
 * Fight fire with fire by having and using Ink Armor to counter the opposing Splattershot Jr. user's Armor. Skirmishes between armored teams will depend on when each Ink Armor was activated, the players' skill and positioning, turf control, and the availability of other specials.
 * Special weapons that contest space, such as Bomb Launcher and Ink Storm, can also stall an opposing Ink Armored push.
 * Ink Armor can negate up to 30 HP of damage, so there are a few main and sub weapons that can remove an opponent's Ink Armor in one hit:
 * For example, all variants of the Splattershot, the Splattershot Pro, and the Tri-Slosher all inflict at least 30 HP of damage per shot and fire relatively rapidly. All variants of the Splash-o-matic and the Dualie Squelchers can also accomplish this with enough Main Power Up.
 * Object Shredder triples damage inflicted onto armored opponents, allowing weapons that cannot otherwise inflict 30 HP of damage to break an opponent's Ink Armor in one hit. Combining Object Shredder with Ink Storm can nearly neutralize armored pushes by the opponent.
 * The splash damage of most bombs will destroy the Ink Armor of opponents who have no Bomb Defense Up DX equipped.
 * Otherwise, focus fire on armored opponents for longer than usual - preferably while ganging up on one opponent at a time - to compensate for their armor.

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. 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. This is a useful ability for almost any player, even a Splattershot Jr. user, who does not directly engage their opponents. Just one sub, or three ability points, offers 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.

Any player, including a Splattershot Jr. user who avoids direct confrontations, 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.

Ink Saver (Sub) allows more frequent use of Splat Bombs and saves ink for the main weapon after each Splat Bomb used. Because a Splattershot Jr. user depends on their sub weapon more than most other weapon users do on both offense and defense, having the ability to more frequently use Splat Bombs is invaluable.
 * 23 ability points, or two mains and one sub, enable a Splattershot Jr. user to throw two consecutive Splat Bombs with a full ink tank, thanks to the larger ink tank.
 * Combining enough ability points of Ink Saver (Sub) with the free ink tank refill from using the Ink Armor can create a pseudo-Splat-Bomb Launcher; a player can throw two Splat Bombs, activate Ink Armor, then throw two more 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: Like other support weapons whose builds include bombs, the Splattershot Jr. can greatly benefit from the reduced ink consumption per Splat Bomb used, allowing its user to spam Splat Bombs during either a crucial defensive stand or a late attempt to reclaim the lead. Last-Ditch Effort reduces the amount of Ink Saver (Sub) required to reach the 23 ability points needed to throw two consecutive Splat Bombs with a full ink tank, depending on the opponents' remaining countdown:
 * 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.

An ability exclusive to shoes, Object Shredder provides a Splattershot Jr. user two specific benefits: Because the Splattershot Jr.'s damage always remains between 14-28 HP (when taking falloff damage into account), Object Shredder provides its user a valuable damage boost against opponents using either Ink Armor or Baller. Its only drawback is that it occupies an entire main ability, reducing the amount of ability points allowed for other potentially important gear abilities, such as Ink Saver (Sub) and Special Charge Up. Fortunately, Last-Ditch Effort can be combined with Object Shredder to reduce dependence on Ink Saver (Sub).
 * It triples the amount of damage inflicted onto armored opponents, allowing them to break an opponent's Ink Armor with one shot from their main weapon.
 * It also enables them to pop the Rainmaker shield more quickly with either their main weapon or Splat Bombs, allowing their team to start or restart a push more quickly while gaining a large amount of turf control in the immediate area.

Quick Super Jump decreases both the "charge" time before and the travel time of a Super Jump. A Splattershot Jr. player will be outmatched by most opponents, and Quick Super Jump can help them escape unfavorable situations more quickly, which avoids getting splatted, maintains a presence on the stage, and preserves precious special gauge progress.
 * One sub, or 3 ability points, of Quick Super Jump decreases the "charge" time by 22 frames, or 0.36 seconds.

Special Charge Up accelerates building up the special gauge for Ink Armor. As arguably the quickest weapon at farming Ink Armor, constantly having Ink Armor available for teammates ensures more successful pushes and counter-pushes.
 * 6 ability points, or two subs, of Special Charge Up are enough to reduce the special gauge requirement from 180p to 171p.
 * 16 ability points, or one main and two subs, are enough to reduce the special gauge requirement to 159p.

When splatted, half of the special gauge progress is lost. For example, a player with 120p of special gauge out of 180p upon getting splatted will lose 60p of the special gauge. Special Saver allows its user to keep more of their special gauge progress whenever they are splatted. This allows a Splattershot Jr. user to more quickly build up Ink Armor after respawning.
 * 6 ability points – two subs – are enough to increase the amount of special gauge progress saved from 50% to 64.6%.

Splatoon 3
The Splattershot Jr. is the first weapon available in, continuing a tradition starting back in the original. Like in the previous two entries of the Splatoon series, it has a rapid firing rate, a wide shot spread to provide turfing, a powerful sub weapon, and a protective special weapon. It also retains the larger ink tank it received in Version, though it looks the same as a regular ink tank. However, it lacks range and accuracy, making it poor at splatting opponents.

Use
The inherent traits of the Splattershot Jr. make it best suited for a support role: The Splattershot Jr. has two weaknesses that reduce its user's effectiveness in combat: The Splat Bomb is a powerful and versatile weapon that boosts a Splattershot Jr. user's survivability and combat capability: If placed carefully, the Big Bubbler can protect you and your team by blocking incoming attacks:
 * Its wide shot spread enables its user to quickly turf large areas, which provides two benefits:
 * Turfing allows the team to either gain or maintain map control. This also enables one to quickly capture zones in Splat Zones.
 * It also fills up the special gauge very quickly to enable use of Big Bubbler. If there are no other urgent tasks, just keep turfing so Big Bubbler is ready at a moment's notice.
 * Maximize the efficiency of your turfing by rocking your aim up and down while strafing sideways.
 * It also has the best ink efficiency in Splatoon 3 at 0.43%. This low ink cost enables its user to continually turf and use their Splat Bombs more liberally with less worry of emptying their tank.
 * The Splattershot Jr. is also one of the most mobile weapons in the game, partially thanks to its lightweight nature. A Splattershot Jr. user…
 * …runs at 1.04 DU/f, or distance units per frame.
 * …swims at 2.02 DU/f.
 * …runs at 0.72 DU/f while firing.
 * …needs only 2 frames after firing until they can either use a Splat Bomb or morph into squid/octopus form.
 * …can use this high mobility to hastily flee from a pursuing opponent or quickly react on either offense or defense.
 * …will further improve their already high mobility if they practice and master advanced movement techniques, such as sub strafing, ledge canceling, Squid Roll, and Squid Surge.
 * The main tradeoff of its wide shot spread is the resulting poor accuracy (12-15 degrees of deviation), which reduces the weapon's ability to reliably hit targets as they get farther.
 * The Splattershot Jr. also has short range (103.89 DU, or a little over two distance lines away in the Shooting Range), which, along with its poor accuracy, makes it a poor main weapon for directly engaging most opponents. For example, the N-ZAP '85 has better accuracy (6-12 degrees of deviation) and a longer range (116.9 DU) than the Splattershot Jr.
 * The Splattershot Jr. is still capable of quickly splatting opponents, provided that its user can catch an opponent by surprise and within its short range. Just be judicious about when to either flank or shark, as playing too aggressively risks depriving your team turfing, Splat Bomb support, and Big Bubbler.
 * Otherwise, if a matchup or situation is unfavorable, disengage by dropping a Splat Bomb behind whenever possible and Super Jumping back to the Spawn point if necessary.
 * Its explosion can inflict chip damage or instantly splat opponents, depending on how close they are to it:
 * The Splat Bomb's one-second detonation timer begins as soon as it contacts any surface. Therefore, its user can exploit this trait in a couple of ways:
 * Simply dropping a Splat Bomb at your feet can provide time and space to flee from an opponent pursuing you, particularly if you are in a disadvantageous position, such as if your team is currently outnumbered and you need to Super Jump back to your spawn point to preserve your special gauge progress.
 * Rolling the Splat Bomb like a bowling ball enables its user to deny space, poke at opponents, or force them to move in a certain direction.
 * Its resulting explosion also turfs any nearby surfaces, helping its user's team gain or maintain map control, capture Splat Zones, and build up their special gauge.
 * Carefully lobbing a Splat Bomb at an opponent who is advantageously positioned (e.g., on their Snipe or another elevated location) can affect their aim and force them to vacate their position — even a brief distraction can help your team push the objective.
 * A Splat 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 Splat Bomb's explosion will get damaged or splatted.
 * Using any special weapon also provides a free ink tank refill, allowing a Splattershot Jr. user to throw a bomb or two before and after using Big Bubbler.
 * It produces a spherical barrier that blocks all of your opponents' attacks until its own health is depleted:
 * However, the Big Bubbler is not a spherical Splash Wall. It will not prevent opponents from physically crossing its barrier, so be certain that no opponents are sharking nearby or flanking your blind side.
 * The less accessible a location is for an opponent to travel, the more difficult it will be for them to directly assault, especially with a Big Bubbler planted on it.
 * While the barrier has a minimum 2400 HP, its generator at the top has only 1200 HP, meaning that opposing attacks directed to the generator will effectively inflict twice the damage of those aimed at the barrier.
 * Be mindful of any ceilings above where you intend to activate Big Bubbler, as the device that rises out of Big Bubbler once activated can hit a ceiling and prevent the barrier from reaching full size.
 * Deploying the Big Bubbler on or near the objective can help your team better secure it:
 * A Big Bubbler planted on or in front of a Splat Zone can prevent opponents from turfing over it and uncapping it.
 * Even though the Big Bubbler cannot move, it can be placed onto the Tower itself and can move as the Tower moves. This tactic can make it easier for a Splattershot Jr. user to clear a checkpoint.
 * Of course, a Big Bubbler can be used to stall an opposing push by protecting defenders in key positions. However, the Tower will destroy any Big Bubbler it comes in contact with, so avoid placing one in the path of the Tower.
 * The Big Bubbler also doubles as a Squid Beakon, allowing its user and their teammates to safely Super Jump back to its location.
 * The Squid Beakon part of the Big Bubbler also doubles as a shield, as standing inside of it will make the user temporarily immune to damage.