Competitive:Kensa .52 Gal

Unofficial

Splatoon 2
Introduced in the Version update, the Kensa .52 Gal – like its previous Vanilla and Deco variants – has a threatening quick two-shot splat and – ever since the Version  update – good turfing ability, which is augmented by its range, which exceeds that of many other shooters. Unlike its other variants, the Kensa .52 Gal has a kit that emphasizes survivability, zoning, and area denial.

Use
The kit and high rate of damage of the Kensa .52 Gal make it both a tank and support weapon: The Kensa .52 Gal has a few notable drawbacks: When placed properly, a Splash Wall can provide great utility, even in stages and areas that are more open: The Booyah Bomb can either turn the tide of a battle or fully tilt it in its user's team's favor, but only if used properly.
 * The 52 health points, or HP, of damage per shot guarantees a two-shot splat as long as it is within its range of maximum damage, as the damage falloff can reduce each shot to just 30 HP of damage.
 * Its range of 124.944 DU is slightly longer than that of a Splattershot or an N-ZAP (both 116.99 DU).
 * Both the high damage and higher than average range – when used in conjunction with a Splash Wall (see below) – enable its user to zone out many opposing users of short-ranged weapons.
 * The large degree of randomness of the weapon's shot trajectory renders it less accurate than other weapons of comparable range. The first few shots are accurate, but it quickly gets worse the more shots are fired, becoming least accurate after 8 shots. Not shooting will cause the weapon to regain its accuracy after a brief period of time - 25 frames, or a little under half a second. Therefore, a strategy could be to fire a few shots, swim and reposition, and continue firing.
 * Its slower firing rate leaves it vulnerable at close range to more rapid-firing weapons, such as a Splattershot or Splash-o-matic — especially if the opponent lands the first shot. Always be alert of the opponents' flanking and sharking attempts to avoid being caught.
 * It is outranged by a number of other slayer's weapons – notably the Splattershot Pro, most sloshers, and the Dualie Squelchers – and, unlike slayer's weapons of comparable range, does not have as much mobility. However, these weapons have poor DPS (damage per second) against its Splash Wall,
 * Splash Wall provides strong protection against enemy fire, allowing the Kensa .52 Gal to stand behind it and control space by constantly pumping out its threatening two-shot, and can make up for the weapon's accuracy by giving the user more time to fire in hopes of landing shots.
 * Any bombs thrown by an opponent that hit a Splash Wall will instantly explode, potentially splatting the Splash Wall's user or their teammates.
 * Refrain from either showering in or rushing through the wall until it is certain that the opponent has no bombs available in the area.
 * Do not throw a Splash Wall behind a teammate, as a thrown opponent's bomb can instantly splat them.
 * Defensively, it can hinder the opponents' push, blocking both their movement and their fire.
 * Offensively, a Splash Wall can restrain the opponents' movement, allowing its user and their teammates to push forward or gain map control.
 * Throwing a Splash Wall behind an opponent can prevent them from fleeing.
 * A Splash Wall can nullify a Brella shield — even a Tenta Brella shield.
 * If an opposing Brella user launches their shield, dropping a Splash Wall in front of it will cause both to negate one another, potentially denying a Rainmaker or Power Clam push.
 * At maximum, it takes 36-41% of the ink tank to launch a Brella shield and 60% to drop a Splash Wall. However, the Splash Wall can be deployed far more quickly, allowing its owner more time to reload ink or reposition themselves to a more favorable location.
 * In Splatoon 2, the Tower will destroy any Splash Wall it collides into. However, a Splash Wall may be placed onto the Tower to protect its user or their teammate while riding it. (Once again, watch out for the opponents' bombs.)
 * In general, activate the Booyah Bomb in a relatively safe place, as even a Splattershot Jr. within range can break the Booyah Bomb armor.
 * The Booyah Bomb can force opponents – particularly anchors – to move out of position or delay an opponent's offensive push.
 * The explosion of the Booyah Bomb places enough ink to uncap most Splat Zones and single-handedly capture some smaller Splat Zones.
 * Often, a Booyah Bomb will not be enough to fully capture a zone. Coordinating with teammates and their specials, such as Bomb Launcher and Baller, can better ensure capturing a zone.
 * When deployed, the Booyah Bomb is capable of protecting oneself and one's teammates from attacks - including bombs - and clearing an area of opponents, whether forcing them to flee or splatting them outright.
 * Because the Booyah Bomb can nullify an opponent's bombs, it serves as a great counter to an opponent's Bomb Launcher, particularly when maintaining control over a zone.
 * When aimed at the Tower in Tower Control, the Booyah Bomb covers a large area around its point of detonation for a brief amount of time, as opposed to the Sting Ray, which fires a narrow line for a more sustained period. There are situations where a Booyah Bomb is preferable over a Sting Ray in stopping or slowing down the Tower and other situations where a Sting Ray is more effective.
 * Since special weapons are also free ink tank refills, a Kensa .52 Gal user can use its Booyah Bomb to stay alive and throw down another Splash Wall after throwing the Booyah Bomb, keeping up the pressure for a longer amount of time. Due to the weapon's solid painting, a Kensa .52 Gal user will often have a Booyah Bomb at their disposal.

Synergy
While a team might get away with having one or two users of short-ranged weapons, such as the Kensa .52 Gal, 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: The Kensa .52 Gal's lack of lethal bombs – particularly either Splat or Suction Bombs – generally necessitates its user's teammates to equip weapons that include them. Lethal bombs provide their user's team a couple advantages over another team that has no lethal bombs in its composition: The Booyah Bomb is a unique special weapon that enables its user's teammates to directly assist in powering it up. However, some considerations need to be taken regarding this trait:
 * 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.
 * 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.
 * If you are advanced into the opponents' territory or are either flanking or sharking, refrain from charging a teammate's Booyah Bomb to avoid exposing your position to the opponent.
 * It is also generally advised to refrain from charging a teammate's Booyah Bomb while in the middle of a confrontation with an opponent.

Countermeasures

 * Tenta Missiles will be a team's main method of removing a Kensa .52 Gal from an area.
 * Any weapon that outranges the Kensa .52 Gal and has good DPS against Splash Walls or Booyah Bomb counter it easily.
 * To successfully confront a Kensa .52 Gal with a weaker or shorter ranged weapon, rely on flanking or sharking to safely approach the opponent, try to land the first shot, and exploit either the opponent's lower firing rate or slower mobility.
 * Any long-ranged weapon, such as a charger or most splatlings, can attack a Kensa .52 Gal from long distance with impunity until the latter gets too close.
 * A Kensa .52 Gal user will likely depend on both flanking and sharking to maximize the use of their weapon:
 * 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.
 * An opponent's Splash Wall is often a hindrance, but it can be worked around:
 * Lethal bombs are generally the most efficient means to damage and destroy opposing Splash Walls. Their explosions can also splat opponents who either stay too close to the Splash Wall or attempt to rush through it.
 * If wielding a Brella, refrain from launching the shield at an opposing Kensa .52 Gal user unless it is to clear out a planted Splash Wall.
 * An Ultra Stamp will easily destroy a Splash Wall, breaking through any chokepoints the opponent may be defending. The Ultra Stamp wielder can then proceed to splat or chase out opponents while teammates follow behind to either mount or continue a push.
 * If the Kensa .52 Gal user activates a Booyah Bomb in an unsafe position, try attacking them, particularly with bombs and chargers.
 * Tenta Missiles can splat a Booyah Bomb user in three direct hits.
 * A Splashdown within range can severely damage Booyah Bomb armor if not destroy it outright.

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. Because the Kensa .52 Gal 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 short-ranged weapon like the Kensa .52 Gal has the chances of coming 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:

Main Power Up reduces the shot spread by up to 20% while on the ground and by up to 50% when jumping, making the weapon more accurate.
 * 6 ability points, or two subs, reduces shot spread on the ground by 7.53% and shot spread in the air by 18.83%.
 * 13 ability points, or one main and one sub, reduces shot spread on the ground by 11.41% and shot spread in the air by 28.54%.

Quick Super Jump decreases both the "charge" time before and the travel time of a Super Jump. Kensa .52 Gal users who include this ability 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.

A self-explanatory ability, Swim Speed Up enables a Kensa .52 Gal user to more rapidly 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 to 2.01 units per frame.
 * 16 ability points – one main and two subs – increase the swim speed from 1.92 to 2.14 units per frame.
 * Swim Speed Up can reduce the swim speed penalty from Ninja Squid. However, it takes at least 19 ability points – one main and three subs – of Swim Speed Up for a Kensa .52 Gal user to roughly offset the swimming speed penalty of Ninja Squid.
 * Therefore, a Kensa .52 Gal user with Ninja Squid will have to decide between either having fewer ability points available for other abilites or swimming at less than the base maximum speed.

In competitive play
The Kensa .52 Gal didn't garner much attention upon its release. The main weapon was very lackluster due to poor accuracy, and Booyah Bomb was also weaker as it did not do as much damage as it currently does, the armor not continuing to protect the user for a brief moment after throwing the bomb, and the bomb's slow explosion. When Main Power Up was added to the game in, which was made to remedy the weapon's accuracy, and Booyah Bomb's buffs in , the Kensa Splattershot Pro rose to the top instead, as Main Power Up would make the weapon have a psuedo-two shot, dealing 49.9 damage and having a similar time to splat compared to the Kensa .52 Gal, in addition to having longer range and a lethal bomb. Therefore, many competitive players considered the weapon to be outclassed by the Kensa Splattershot Pro. Throughout the 4.0 patches, the Kensa .52 Gal would be considered a low-mid to mid tier weapon on competitive tier lists, such as those by Chara and Sorin.

Versions and  would bring the Kensa .52 Gal the buffs needed that pushed it to the top. 5.3.0 significantly improved the weapon's accuracy by making the weapon's accuracy reset to normal much quicker, from 55 frames, or just under a second, to 25 frames, or just under half a second. It also now takes 8 shots to reach the lowest accuracy, compared to the original 6, with the weapon's first shot being the most accurate and decreasing the more shots are fired. Additionally, 5.4.0 gave it a major buff to its painting ability at the end of its range, allowing it to more safely paint for Booyah Bomb, increasing its survivability. These buffs, combined with nerfs to previous top tiers like the Dualie Squelchers and Sorella Brella, made the weapon rise up to the top, only receiving a slap on the wrist nerf in version that barely reduced its painting capability and slightly increased its special gauge from 180p to 190p. Chara in his 5.5.0 tier list stated that the weapon is meta-defining, where specific team compositions have to be ran to counter this weapon - with the easiest method being spamming Tenta Missiles. The weapon's rise also invalidated several weapons, which lack the DPS needed to contest its Splash Wall or Booyah Bomb, or do not have ink efficiency to throw bombs at it to break the wall easily and follow up. Such weapons include sloshers and blasters.