Competitive:Mini Splatling

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.

Splatoon 2
Like its bigger sibling, the Heavy Splatling, the Mini Splatling is a charging weapon that possesses good firepower and thorough turfing capability. However, it trades the long range and some firepower of the Heavy Splatling for a shorter charge time and improved mobility, particularly while strafing.

Use
With medium range and incredible turfing, the Mini Splatling is a support weapon: The instant explosion and good ink efficiency of Burst Bombs offer a Mini Splatling user plenty of uses: Tenta Missiles can be used to locate and pressure opponents and force them out of position without having to commit too far forward:
 * Like other splatlings, the Mini Splatling needs to charge before it can fire:
 * Charging takes 20 frames (about 0.33 seconds) to reach the first full level and an additional 10 frames (about 0.17 seconds) to reach the second level.
 * Even with a shorter charging time than those of other splatlings, the Mini Splatling is still vulnerable to attack while charging, so it is generally advised to remain out of sight from the opponent (e.g. behind an obstacle) and not too close to opposing ink while charging.
 * Its range varies from 130.1 DU to 154.1 DU depending on the amount of charge time. This enables the Mini Splatling to outrange shorter-ranged weapons, such as the Neo Splash-o-matic (110.03 DU), the Kensa Splattershot, the N-ZAP '85 (both 116.99 DU), and the Kensa .52 Gal (124.944 DU).
 * Partly charging a Mini Splatling will reduce its range but also allow it to fire more quickly – especially in a tight situation.
 * Once charged, the Mini Splatling's high fire rate (4 frames between shots, or 15 shots per second), moderate damage (32 health points, or HP), and medium range allow it to mow down opponents:
 * While the Mini Splatling's firepower is devastating up close, it is still recommended to keep more mobile, shorter ranged opponents from getting too close, where their fast shot velocity and high DPS will allow them to either trade or win a confrontation outright.
 * The Mini Splatling has a slower initial shot velocity (15 DU/f) than other weapons of comparable range, such as the Splattershot Pro (38.3 DU/f) and the Dualie Squelchers (23 DU/f). Therefore, a Mini Splatling user should lead their shots to hit their targets.
 * The Mini Splatling's high firing rate and excellent ink coverage give it an advantage over its counterparts in terms of turfing:
 * The Mini Splatling can more easily either gain or maintain map control and capture or hold Splat Zones.
 * It can also more quickly build up its special gauge more quickly to make up for its slightly high special gauge requirement.
 * Besides its firepower and turfing, the Mini Splatling's greatest advantage is its amazing mobility:
 * Despite being a middleweight weapon, it provides its user high running speed (0.86 DU/f while firing, 0.72 DU/f while charging) compared to users of other weapons (e.g. Dualie Squelchers at 0.72 DU/f). However, the time spent charging and firing requires its user to remain in humanoid form for a longer amount of time than users of most other weapon classes.
 * Both Run Speed Up and Ink Resistance Up can improve mobility during charging and firing, particularly while strafing.
 * Their quick damage makes them suitable for leading off attacks, breaking opponents' Ink Armor, or finishing off injured opponents who attempt to flee. The Mini Splatling is capable of performing a quick combo with Burst Bombs, whether before or after firing the main weapon.
 * They instantly turf inkable surfaces, further increasing the Mini Splatling user's already high mobility, permitting either a fast pursuit of an opponent or a rapid retreat from an unfavorable situation.
 * Opponents hit by Burst Bombs will be surrounded by your team's ink, further crippling their health and mobility.
 * Direct hits will inflict 60 HP of damage, while splash damage will only deliver 25-35 HP. Always go for direct hits whenever possible.
 * Although less powerful than other bombs, a Burst Bomb can still damage or even destroy an opponent's brella shield, Splash Wall, or Baller or the Rainmaker shield, while detonating on contact.
 * Any opponents caught within the Burst 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 or Booyah Bomb will defuse any Burst Bombs it comes in contact with, so hold off throwing them until after the special weapon finishes.
 * 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.
 * Sometimes, it may be more beneficial to target a specific opponent or two instead of all of them, based on their weapons, location, and situation:
 * Opponents wielding heavy, slow firing weapons will have a harder time escaping the missiles.
 * Opponents who are bunched together are more likely to cause their teammates to receive collateral damage than those who are spread apart.
 * Tenta Missiles are also a reliable means of forcing opposing anchors to cede their ground and lose focus while aiming. Sometimes, this is the only reliable means to push back into a zone or another important area of the stage.
 * 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
The Mini Splatling's thorough turfing and medium range make it a good complement to a teammate with a short- to medium-ranged weapon that has difficulty turfing, such as a Splattershot Pro or a blaster. While the Mini Splatling's Burst Bombs are versatile, they lack certain advantages offered by lethal bombs — particularly either Splat or Suction Bombs, which provide their user's team a couple advantages over another team that has no lethal bombs in its composition: While having multiple players on the same team launching Tenta Missiles might seem like a fun and easy means to cause opponents to scramble for cover, having too many players equipped with them – no more than one or two – can reduce the effectiveness of a team composition: Coordinating with your teammates can greatly increase the Tenta Missiles' effect during a battle:
 * Turfing while following a teammate builds up Tenta Missiles and provides friendly turf to which a teammate can retreat whenever needed.
 * Cooperate with the teammate using both the main weapon and Burst 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 an opponent is still present, then quickly determine whether to continue the battle based on the situation and remaining opponent(s). If the circumstances are unfavorable, then consider retreating – via Super Jumping if necessary – to preserve the special gauge for Tenta Missiles.
 * 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.
 * Other special weapons, such as Inkjet or Sting Ray, are intended for splatting opponents and more capable at this than are Tenta Missiles.
 * Tenta Missles cannot reliably turf highly contested areas of the stage as well as certain other special weapons, such as Bomb Launcher or Ink Storm.
 * Launching Tenta Missiles just before a push can cause opponents to scatter, giving your team opportunities to pick off any opponents caught fleeing the Missiles.
 * Firing Tenta Missiles on defense can help stall an opponent's push, but make sure that your teammates are nearby the front lines to follow the Missiles up.
 * Launching Tenta Missiles while a teammate is using a special designed to splat opponents, such as Sting Ray or Inkjet, can limit the opponents' escape options and even prevent them from Super Jumping to safety.

Countermeasures

 * A few weapons, notably the Dualie Squelchers (155.396 DU) and the Squeezer (187.39 for burst fire), outrange the Mini Splatling without sacrificing too much mobility.
 * The Splattershot Pro, the H-3 Nozzlenose, and the .96 Gal outdamage and outrange (all with 160.396 DU) the Mini Splatling but are all significantly less mobile.
 * Unless a Mini Splatling user is caught charging, approaching one directly with a shorter ranged weapon usually results in getting splatted. Rely on flanking or sharking to get within range of an opponent wielding a Mini Splatling. However, watch out for any Burst Bombs the opposing Mini Splatling user might throw.
 * Users of long-ranged weapons, such as chargers and other splatlings, outrange an opposing Mini Splatling user and can fire upon them with impunity.
 * 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.

Upon contacting opposing ink on any surface, damage is taken, and the movement speed of a Mini Splatling user is reduced to 0.24 units per frame. Ink Resistance Up both delays and reduces the damage taken and increases the running speed while in opposing ink.
 * Six ability points, or two subs,…
 * …delays the damage taken from opposing ink by 15 frames.
 * …reduces the damage taken from 0.3 HP/f (health points per frame) to 0.2 HP/f.
 * …lowers the damage limit of opposing ink from 40 HP to 36.2 HP.
 * …increases the normal running speed in opposing ink from 0.24 DU/f to 0.39 DU/f.
 * …increases the jumping height in opposing ink from 0.8 to 0.888.
 * Ten ability points, or one main,…
 * …delays the damage taken from opposing ink by 20 frames.
 * …reduces the damage taken to 0.2 HP/f.
 * …lowers the limit on the amount of damage opposing ink on surfaces can inflict to 33.9 HP.
 * …increases the normal running speed in opposing ink to 0.46 DU/f.
 * …increases the jumping height in opposing ink to 0.924.

Main Power Up increases the amount of shots fired for the same amount of time charged without increasing the amount of ink used. This effectively reduces the amount of ink used per shot fired.
 * 3 ability points - one sub - effectively increases the amount of time spent firing in a full charge from 72 frames of firing (18 shots) to 81 frames of firing (20 shots) with a full charge or 12.5%. This not only allows for slightly more ink bullets for the same amount of time spent charging, but also increases the ink efficiency of the main weapon by the same factor.

Quick Super Jump decreases both the "charge" time before and the travel time of a Super Jump, helping its user escape unfavorable situations more quickly. As a support player, a Mini Splatling user would have a strong incentive to include Quick Super Jump in their gear to preserve the ability to use Tenta Missiles more readily.
 * One sub, or 3 ability points, of Quick Super Jump decreases the "charge" time by 22 frames, or 0.36 seconds.

Because a Mini Splatling user spends comparatively more time in humanoid form charging and firing their weapon, they can be easier targets for opponents to splat. Run Speed Up increases the running speed of a Mini Splatling user, including while charging and firing.
 * 16 ability points, or one main and two subs, are enough to increase both the run speed while firing from 0.96 DU/f to 1.02 DU/f and the run speed while charging from 0.72 DU/f to 0.853 DU/f.
 * 23 ability points, or two mains and one sub, increase both the run speed while firing to 1.07 DU/f and the run speed while charging to 0.898 DU/f.

Special Charge Up accelerates building up the special gauge for Tenta Missiles, which can help initiate a push or disrupt an opponent's Sting Ray or Booyah Bomb.
 * Just six ability points, or two subs, effectively reduce the special gauge requirement to below 199p.
 * 16 ability points, or one main and two subs, effectively reduce the special gauge requirement to below 185p.

When splatted, half of the special gauge progress is lost. For example, a player with 180p of special gauge out of 210p upon getting splatted will lose 90p of the special gauge. Special Saver allows its user to keep more of their special gauge progress whenever they are splatted. This allows a Mini Splatling user to more quickly build up Tenta Missiles after respawning.
 * 6 ability points – two subs – are enough to increase the amount of special gauge progress saved from 50% to 64.6%.