Bubbler

The Bubbler is a Special Weapon in Splatoon that temporarily protects the user from all damage.

Description
For a short period of time, the Bubbler will absorb all attacks while making the user much more susceptible to knockback. A Bubbler can be extended to one's teammates by touching them, though all Bubblers spread in this way will end at the same time as the original one. Its base duration is four and a half seconds and can be extended with Special Duration Up.

Tips

 * The Bubbler's duration is quite short, and every moment must be used wisely. Splatting nearby enemies or moving through dangerous areas should be done quickly if the user is to take full advantage of it.
 * The Bubbler reaches its full potential when used cooperatively; shared among teammates, it can turn the tide of battle significantly.
 * The Bubbler is very useful in Splat Zones, allowing an entire team to make a powerful attack on (or a powerful defense of) a zone.
 * Like the Kraken, the Bubbler can be used in Tower Control to sit on the tower without taking damage. However, the increased knockback can make it difficult to stay on if enemies hit from the right angle.

Countering

 * It is important to keep in mind that a player using a Bubbler is still limited by their Main and Sub weapons: an Inkbrush Nouveau can still be outranged, a Custom Blaster can still be outmaneuvered, and so on.
 * A Bubbler that is about to expire will flash, signaling that the user will be unprotected very soon. If they are not paying attention to their remaining time, this can be taken advantage of for an easy splat.
 * Despite the invulnerability to weapons, players using a Bubbler can still be splatted by falling into water or out of bounds. The increased knockback makes this even more likely; pushing the Bubbler user into such pitfalls is a viable option, especially in stages like Moray Towers and Mahi-Mahi Resort.
 * Some Bubbler users may quickly activate it when engaged by an enemy, rather than as a strategic move. Caution must be used when dealing with these players. Though they may seem vulnerable in one moment, they can easily use their Bubbler to splat would-be attackers in the next.

Trivia

 * The Bubbler was originally called "Barrier" in Splatoon, as seen in an image from before Splatoon's release.