Ink

Ink is the main projectile used in Splatoon, and a way to get around. It comes in a variety of team-based colors that are randomized with each battle. Walls and ground alike can be covered with Ink, but it goes through grates and cannot be applied to Ink-resistant surfaces such as glass, mats, and the inflatable barriers present in some stages. It allows players a degree of stealthiness, as Inklings in squid form can hide in their own Ink and ambush enemies.

Purposes
Ink can be used in a variety of ways, including as a projectile. Being hit by enemy Ink causes Inklings to take damage and become visible to their opponents on. After taking enough damage, Inklings will be splatted and eventually respawn. When attempting to swim or walk through enemy Ink, Inklings take damage, though this alone cannot splat them. Their movements also become very slow, and if they are in squid form, they will be forced back into humanoid form. Equipping gear with the Ink Resistance Up ability helps to reduce the effects of being in enemy Ink, and Defense Up reduces damage taken from being hit by it.

Ink can also be fired at various ink-able surfaces. Once a surface is coated in Ink, Inkings in squid form can swim through it, allowing them to move more quickly and climb up walls. When staying still in their own Ink, Inklings in squid form can hide and ambush enemies, and when moving they will only create small ripples. Equipping gear with the Ninja Squid ability hides these ripples, further improving the wearer's ability to move undetected.

Main Weapons and Sub Weapons both require Ink, with the specific amount needed varying between different weapons. Ink requirements can be reduced by equipping the Ink Saver (Main), Ink Saver (Sub), Last-Ditch Effort, and Comeback abilities. If Inklings do not have enough Ink to use a weapon, they will be warned of it and their Ink Tank will flash with a large red "X". Ink will slowly refill automatically, but swimming one's own Ink in squid form will refill it much faster. Ink Recovery Up will increase the speed at which Ink is regained.

In Octo Valley, Ink is used in even more ways. Inkrails exist for transportation, as Inklings in squid form can use them to get to otherwise inaccessible areas. Sponge Blocks, when squirted with Ink, will expand and then can be used as a platform. Splat-Switches, when covered with Ink, will cause objects to move. Ink can also be used to spin Propellers, which power the movement of various platforms.

Color Sets
Neutral color values are used for objects such as barriers and the small dummies in the Testing Area and can help with identifying a set. However, some sets seem to use different values for some objects.

Color sets used in-game include the following:[Note]

Regular Battle

 * Pink vs. Green ( Neutral)
 * Pink vs. Turquoise ( Neutral)
 * Pink vs. Orange ( Neutral)
 * Orange vs. Blue ( Neutral)
 * Green vs. Purple ( Neutral)
 * Turquoise vs. Orange ( Neutral)
 * Light Blue vs. Orange[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Light Blue vs. Yellow ( Neutral)
 * Blue[Note] vs. Orange ( Neutral)
 * Blue vs. Lime ( Neutral)

Ranked Battle

 * Yellow vs. Lilac ( Neutral)
 * Light Green vs. Blue ( Neutral)
 * Green vs. Magenta[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Lumigreen vs. Purple ( Neutral)
 * Soda vs. Purple[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Green vs. Orange ( Neutral)
 * Dark Blue vs. Yellow[Note] ( Neutral)

Octo Valley

 * Orange vs. Dark Fuchsia[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Night Marigold vs. Dark Fuchsia[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Marigold vs. Dark Fuchsia[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Yellow[Note] vs. Dark Fuchsia[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Green[Note] vs. Dark Fuchsia[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Green vs. Dark Fuchsia[Note] ( Neutral)
 * LumiGreen vs. Dark Fuchsia[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Night LumiGreen vs. Dark Fuchsia[Note] ( Neutral)
 * MothGreen<sup title="Unused" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] vs. Dark Fuchsia<sup title="The Octarian colors are unnamed in the game's data" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Soda vs. Dark Fuchsia<sup title="The Octarian colors are unnamed in the game's data" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Turquoise vs. Dark Fuchsia<sup title="The Octarian colors are unnamed in the game's data" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Lilac vs. Dark Fuchsia<sup title="The Octarian colors are unnamed in the game's data" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Dark Blue vs. Dark Fuchsia<sup title="The Octarian colors are unnamed in the game's data" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] ( Neutral)

Splatfest

 * Barbarian vs. Ninja
 * Naughty vs. Nice
 * Marshmallows vs. Hot Dogs ( Neutral)
 * Cats vs. Dogs
 * Messy vs. Tidy
 * Lemon Tea vs. Milk Tea
 * North Pole vs. South Pole ( Neutral)

Other

 * Yellow<sup title="Color Lock set for Octo Valley" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] vs. Dark Fuchsia<sup title="The Octarian colors are unnamed in the game's data" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] ( Neutral)
 * Blue<sup title="Color Lock set for online battles" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] vs. Orange ( Neutral)
 * Dark Fuchsia<sup title="Enemy color for the tutorial" style="font-size: 35%;" class="explain">[Note] ( Neutral)



Trivia

 * According to Sunken Scroll 7 and Callie and Marie, ink vanishes after every game.
 * Splatoon is capable of rendering any color of ink. NWPlayer123 replaced the colors for certain Octo Valley missions to experiment with new ink colors.

Gallery
===Multiplayer Ink ===