Gear ability

Gear abilities, or simply abilities, are special attributes that are placed on wearable gear in Splatoon and Splatoon 2. They provide different effects depending on the ability present and their strength is based around the number of copies if they are stackable. Each piece of gear has a specific main ability which cannot be changed.

Secondary abilities

All gear has slots for secondary abilities (also called subs), which have weaker effects than stackable abilities. The effect is exactly three-tenths of a main ability. Certain abilities, due to how their effects work, such as Tenacity or Ninja Squid, are only present on a specific type of gear and cannot be rolled as subs. Secondary abilities are randomly chosen whenever a gear levels up, which happens when its bar is filled through battling; the points earned in the match go towards leveling it up. Higher rarity pieces of gear take more points and are longer to level up, even on the first secondary abilities. The amount of subs that can be present on a single piece of gear depends on the rarity (amount of stars) of the gear. The more stars there are, the more secondary abilities it comes with. Up to three secondary abilities can be present, meaning that the highest rarity is 3 stars. Many brands make getting specific abilities either more common or less common.

Subs are rolled using random number generation (RNG).

There are 14 rollable abilities in both Splatoon games. Brands that affect roll probability have a 5× chance of rolling a favored ability, and a 1/2× chance of rolling an unfavored ability. So, there is a 2/35 chance of rolling each of the 12 neutral abilities, a 1/35 chance of rolling the one unfavored ability, and a 10/35 chance of rolling the one favored ability. Brands that do not affect roll probability have a 1/14 chance of rolling each of the 14 abilities.

Probability of rolling multiple abilities of the same kind

Amount	Favoring brand			Non-favoring brand
	Favored ability	Unfavored ability	Neutral ability	Any ability
One	2/7	1/35	2/35	1/14
Two	4/49	1/1225	4/1225	1/196
Three (perfect triple)	8/343	1/42875	8/42875	1/2744

Stacking

An overview of a few stackable abilities in Splatoon 2. Note the diminishing returns as more of the same ability is used.

Stacked abilities have diminishing returns, meaning that each additional ability of the same type will have a slightly smaller effect than the previous. Diminishing returns make it impossible for players to gain over-powered stats, and make it undesirable to stack too much of the same ability. Diminishing returns may be more noticeable on some abilities than on others; abilities that have a small maximum effect or a small base stat being modified may feel especially ineffective to stack. For example, Swim Speed Up has a small maximum effect of 25%, so diminishing returns may seem severe relative to the other abilities. A player may not even perceive an improvement past a certain point, like after 3 main ability slots of Swim Speed Up.

This encourages players to wear a variety of different abilities, rather than focusing on one ability.

Notes

Judd's Advice

Meow! (Each piece of gear has a main ability and some unlockable abilities. The diffurence in purrformance can be pawsitively huge! When choosing your gear, consider the main ability first... and then take any additional abilities into account. Peace meowt!)

Splatoon

Spyke, who can be found in an alleyway in Inkopolis Plaza, will offer to re-roll secondary abilities or increase the gear's slots in exchange for Super Sea Snails or 30,000 Cash.

In Splatoon, some abilities are ineffective with certain Sub Weapons and Special Weapons, offering no improvements.

• Bomb Range Up has no effect on non-throwable Sub Weapons: the Ink Mine, the Seeker, the Splash Wall, and the Squid Beakon. It also provides no improvement for one throwable weapon, the Sprinkler.
• Damage Up offers no further improvements after it causes a weapon to reach its damage cap.
• Run Speed Up has no effect on the run speed while pushing a Roller.
• Quick Respawn has no effect on respawn time after drowning or falling, unless the player uses more than four subs worth of the ability.

Mutual exclusivity

Some abilities can only be used in the main ability slot of certain types of gear, preventing the user from having more than one ability exclusive to that gear type. For instance, if a player equips Tenacity, they cannot also have Comeback because both abilities are only available in the main ability slot of headgear items. The groups of mutually exclusive abilities are as follows:

• Headgear:
• Clothing:
  • • Because the File:Splatoon Gear Splatfest Tee White Headband.png White Headband has to be worn during Splatfest, only can be used in Splatfest Battles.
• Shoes:

List of abilities

Name	Description	Gear	Favored by	Unfavored by
	Makes thrown Sub Weapons travel farther.	Any
	Enemy Sub Weapons within a certain distance appear on-screen as skull icons and non-lethal damage from them is reduced.	Shoes
	Shortens the duration of position trackers.	Clothing
	Improves Ink usage and recovery, swim and run speed, and Special Weapon charge rate for 20 seconds after respawning.	Headgear
	Increases damage done with all weapons.	Any	[[File:SquidForce_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Inkline_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Decreases damage taken from all attacks.	Any	[[File:Inkline_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Krak-On_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Tracks the enemy that splats the user and increases damage, defense, and run speed when the user themselves is tracked.	Clothing
	Increases Ink Tank refill rate while in squid form.	Any	[[File:Tentatek_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Firefin_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Decreases damage, speed, and jump penalties when standing in enemy Ink.	Shoes
	Decreases Main Weapon Ink usage.	Any	[[File:Splash Mob_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:SquidForce_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Decreases Sub Weapon Ink usage.	Any	[[File:Firefin_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Forge_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Improves Ink usage and recovery as well as respawn time towards the end of a battle.	Headgear
	The user is invisible when swimming, but has reduced swim speed.	Clothing
	Increases swim and run speed for the first 30 seconds of a battle.	Headgear
	Decreases respawn delay.	Any	[[File:Skalop_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Zink_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Increases Super Jump speed.	Any	[[File:Zink_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Tentatek_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Opponents and their weapons are seen on while standing on one's Spawn Point and for 3.5 seconds after leaving it.	Clothing
	Increases movement speed in humanoid form.	Any	[[File:Rockenberg_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Splash Mob_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Increases the rate at which the Special Gauge fills.	Any	[[File:Takoroka_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Zekko_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Increases the duration of Special Weapons and gives the Inkstrike and Killer Wail shorter cooldown times.	Any	[[File:Forge_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Takoroka_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Decreases Special Gauge loss after being splatted.	Any	[[File:Zekko_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Skalop_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Hides the Super Jump target but decreases the speed of the jump.	Shoes
	Increases movement speed while swimming in squid form.	Any	[[File:Krak-On_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Rockenberg_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Slowly fills the user's Special Gauge when their team has fewer players than the opposing team.	Headgear

Splatoon 2

Mutual exclusivity

Some abilities can only be used in the main ability slot of certain types of gear, preventing the user from having more than one ability exclusive to that gear type. For instance, if a player equips Tenacity, they cannot also have Comeback because both abilities are only available in the main ability slot of headgear items. The groups of mutually exclusive abilities are as follows:

• Headgear:
• Clothing:
  • • Because the File:Splatoon 2 Gear Splatfest Tee White Headband.png White Headband has to be worn during Splatfest, only Ability Doubler can be used in Splatfest Battles.
• Shoes:

List of abilities

Name	Description	Gear	Favored by	Unfavored by
	Doubles the effect of other abilities attached to that gear piece.	Clothing
	Reduces damage taken by blasts from sub weapons or special weapons.	Any	[[File:Inkline_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Krak-On_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Shortens the duration of position trackers.	Any	[[File:Annaki_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]] [[File:Toni Kensa_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Inkline_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Improves ink management and mobility stats for 20 seconds after respawning.	Headgear
	Tilting the L stick during a Super Jump allows the player to perform a directional roll upon landing.	Shoes
	Tracks the enemy that splats the user.	Clothing
	Increases Ink Tank refill rate while in squid form.	Any	[[File:Tentatek_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Firefin_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Decreases damage, speed, and jump penalties when standing in enemy Ink.	Any	[[File:SquidForce_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Enperry_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Decreases Main Weapon Ink usage.	Any	[[File:Splash Mob_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:SquidForce_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Decreases Sub Weapon Ink usage.	Any	[[File:Firefin_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Forge_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Improves Ink usage and recovery as well as respawn time towards the end of a battle.	Headgear
	The user is invisible when swimming, but has reduced swim speed.	Clothing
	Increases damage dealt to non-player targets.	Shoes
	Increases swim and run speed for the first 30 seconds of a battle.	Headgear
	Decreases respawn delay.	Any	[[File:Skalop_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Zink_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Increases Super Jump speed.	Any	[[File:Zink_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Tentatek_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Increases respawn time and special gauge spawn penalty for the player and any enemy they splat.	Clothing
	Increases movement speed in humanoid form.	Any	[[File:Rockenberg_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Splash Mob_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Increases the rate at which the Special Gauge fills.	Any	[[File:Takoroka_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Zekko_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Raises performance of Special Weapons.	Any	[[File:Forge_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Takoroka_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Decreases Special Gauge loss after being splatted.	Any	[[File:Zekko_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Annaki_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]] [[File:Skalop_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Hides the Super Jump landing marker.	Shoes
	Increases performance of Sub Weapons.	Any	[[File:Enperry_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Toni Kensa_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Increases movement speed while swimming in squid form.	Any	[[File:Krak-On_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]	[[File:Rockenberg_Brand_{{{2}}}.png|24px|{{{2}}}|link=SquidForce]] [[{{{2}}}|{{{2}}}]]
	Slowly fills the user's Special Gauge when their team has fewer players than the opposing team.	Headgear
	Allows the player to track distant players hit with shots from the main weapon.	Clothing

Gallery

• File:Splatoon Abilities&Brands Chart.png

  Chart of Abilities & Brands in Splatoon.

• File:Splatoon 2 Abilities Promo.jpg

  Promo image of the abilities in Splatoon 2.

External Links

• Splatoon ability calculator
• Splatoon 2 ability calculator