Competitive:Rapid Blaster Pro Deco

Unofficial!

This article discusses content that is not part of the official Splatoon series canon but is part of the community or competitive gaming space.

For information about the Rapid Blaster Pro Deco, see Rapid Blaster Pro Deco.

Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2

Rapid Blaster Pro Deco

Abbreviations	Rapid, Rapid Pro, Armor Rapid
Sub	Splash Wall
Special	Ink Armor
Base damage	17.5 (Splash) 35 (Blast) 85 (Direct hit)
Base duration
Ink consumption	8%
Special points	180p
Special depletion
Role	Support/Anchor Flex
Strengths	Long range, high damage, splash damage, zoning, safe pressure on mid to long ranged weapons
Weaknesses	Requires good accuracy and the ability to lead shots, mediocre turfing, struggles against Ink Armor, other HP object special weapons (e.g. Baller), Tenta Missiles, and high mobility shooters

The Rapid Blaster Pro Deco is the longest-ranged blaster along with its vanilla variant, giving it a defensive playstyle focused on support and poking opponents. Unlike said vanilla variant, this weapon has a kit that can fulfill the roles of being a supportive anchor.

Use

The Rapid Blaster Pro Deco can flex between the support and anchor roles:

• Its direct hit range of 180.852 DU easily exceeds that of short-ranged weapons, such as the Kensa Splattershot (116.99 DU), and barely exceeds that of a few medium-ranged ones, such as the L-3 Nozzlenose (141.36 DU).
  • Factoring in its splash damage radius of 33 DU gives it a splash damage range of 213.852, which is comparable to the ranges of other medium-ranged weapons, such as the Bamboozler (195.64 DU), Foil Squeezer's burst fire (187.39 DU), and Heavy Splatling (178.05-218.37 DU),. However, these weapons have significantly more splatting power and have decent DPS against a Splash Wall, so it is advised to find positions from which these weapons can be safely poked at rather than engage them directly in a one-on-one confrontation.
• Its shots travel slower than those of rapid-firing weapons — 14 units per frame versus 23 units per frame for the Dualie Squelchers, for example. This means that a Rapid Blaster Pro user has to lead their shots in order to be accurate.
• The Rapid Blaster Pro Deco suffers from jump RNG, a problem made worse with its long range - due to shot deviation and the long range, shots fired when jumping can end up farther from the mark than other blasters.
  • Waiting 25 frames – during the descent of a jump – will allow the outer reticle to shrink back and the accuracy to improve for up to 70 more frames.
  • Main Power Up reduces the shot deviation during a jump by up to 50%, in addition to increasing the blast radius by 5.9%.
• The Grim Range Blaster's damage – arguably its greatest asset – widely varies depending on whether a target is hit directly, and if not, how close to the shot's explosion the target is and whether the shot exploded on a solid surface:
  • 125 health points (HP) of damage per direct hit — enough to splat most opponents in one hit
  • 50-70 HP per hit of splash damage if the shot's explosion does not hit a solid surface
  • 25-35 HP per hit of splash damage if the shot's explosion hits a solid surface
  • Thus, when firing up a ledge or around either an obstacle or an opponent's brella shield for splash damage, avoid hitting solid surfaces to maximize damage.
• The Grim Range Blaster suffers a longer lag time after each shot compared to rapid-firing weapons, making it easily punishable after a miss:
  • The interval between firing and either morphing or using a sub weapon is 30 frames — far longer than the 4 frames of the Splattershot Pro.
  • Its firing rate is 60 frames between shots (1 shot per second) – far slower than the Splattershot Pro's 8 frames between shots (7.5 shots per second)
  • Therefore, unless attacking an opponent up a ledge or around either an obstacle or their brella shield, always go for direct hits.
• Besides its long lag after each shot, the Grim Range Blaster suffers from other drawbacks:
  • Its movement speed while firing (0.4 units per frame) is slow compared to most weapons of comparable range. Combined with the long lag after shots, the Grim Range Blaster is rather immobile and vulnerable to attack after each shot, so shots must be fired judiciously.
  • Its poor ink efficiency and turfing make it prone to getting surrounded by opposing ink if fired recklessly. Avoid overextending into the opponents' territory.
    • Burst Bombs and Swim Speed Up can help address some of the mobility issues, while Ink Resistance Up reduces the loss of running speed in opposing ink.
• While not as mobile as other slayer's weapons, the Grim Range Blaster can still be effective at flanking, and its high damage makes it devastating at sharking.
• The Grim Range Blaster operates best in areas and stages that are highly frequented – such as around the Tower – or less open, such as in an alley or beneath a short ledge, where an opponent has less room to avoid shots and outmaneuver the Grim Range Blaster user.

When placed properly, a Splash Wall can provide great utility, even in stages and areas that are more open:

• Splash Wall provides strong protection against opposing fire, allowing its user to safely control space while turfing and farming Booyah Bomb.
• 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, meaning that it can no longer be used to stall the movement of the Tower itself.
  • However, a Splash Wall can still be used to stall opponents pushing ahead of the Tower and limit the opponents' movement around the Tower path.
  • Conversely, 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.)

Ink Armor enables its user's team to either initiate a push, to recapture a Splat Zone for example, or maintain one, such as while locking out the opponent.

• Time the activation of Ink Armor carefully so that you and your teammates receive its protection before engaging the opponent.
• Try to activate Ink Armor when most or all teammates are active. Slayers, who risk getting splatted more often, benefit from Ink Armor more than anchors do.
• Upon activation, Ink Armor will protect its user and their teammates except for those either carrying the Rainmaker or using either Baller or Booyah Bomb.
  • Also, players protected by Ink Armor lose it upon gaining possession of the Rainmaker.
  • A support player, such as a Rapid Blaster Pro Deco in some compositions, is often expected to carry the Rainmaker while their slayer teammates provide protection up front while turfing a path of ink. Therefore, while Ink Armor will not protect the Rainmaker carrier, it will still benefit their teammates, so cast Ink Armor just before picking up the Rainmaker whenever possible.

Synergy

Because blasters are generally poor at turfing, their users will have to rely on their teammates to maintain map control. Not having enough turfing ability – usually from having too many blasters and chargers – presents its own set of problems:

• A team whose composition lacks enough turfing ability can be rendered immobile if the other team dominates map control.
• A lack of turfing also makes it difficult to alter the course of a game, even after wiping out the other team.

The Rapid Blaster Pro Deco has great range and decent poking ability, but is vulnerable to being rushed down. Be sure to include some mobile, shorter-ranged weapons in the team composition. Otherwise, a team with too many longer-ranged weapons will have major drawbacks:

• The lack of mobility will make it difficult for such a team to mount a push.
• The reduced ability to battle in close range will make the team vulnerable to a well-timed flank or a well-positioned shark.

The Rapid Blaster Pro Deco'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:

• 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.

Multiple Ink Armors used by the same team do not stack. Therefore, it would be redundant for a team to have more than two Ink Armor users.

• In general, when two Ink Armor-based weapons are on a team, the user of the more aggressive weapon should activate Ink Armor first, freeing them to engage the opponent without potentially losing both a potential Ink Armor and special gauge progress. Because this weapon is not particularly quick at turfing, they should generally wait for another Ink Armor-equipped teammate to activate their armor first then follow up with their Ink Armor as the first one wears off.

Countermeasures

• To engage an opposing Grim Range Blaster user with a shorter range weapon, try to catch it off guard through either careful flanking or sharking, better positioning, or wise use of bombs. Do not forget that the Grim Range Blaster user also has Burst Bombs as their disposal.
• Even weapons with ranges comparable to that of the Grim Range Blaster should rely on better mobility to get into its blindspot (the area where indirects can't connect) as being inside the blindspot forces the user to either hit a direct or rely on burst bombs - which aren't always accessible - to survive. Both variants of the Dualie Squelchers can easily rush into the Grim Range Blaster's blindspot but may struggle when fighting it outside of it.
• The Splat Brella and Kensa Undercover Brella and their variants cannot sufficiently protect their users from the splash damage of the Grim Range Blaster, but can occasionally predict where a Grim Range Blaster will shoot to move in a way that makes the shot hit the shield instead of going around it and dealing indirect damage.
• Whenever possible, exploit the Grim Range Blaster's poor ink efficiency and turfing by surrounding it with ink. Sub weapons and teammates can help accomplish this.
• It is preferable to engage an opposing Grim Range Blaster in a more open area – where there is more room to outmaneuver it and surround it with ink – than in a closed area. If this is not possible, remain farther back on a ledge or further around a corner to avoid splash damage.
• A long-ranged weapon, such as a charger or most splatlings, can attack an opposing Grim Range Blaster user from long distance with impunity. However, once the Grim Range Blaster user gets close enough, their one-shot-splat can spell the end for their slower firing opponent.
• A competent Grim Range Blaster user is likely capable at both flanking and sharking:
  • 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.
• When pursued by a Grim Range Blaster, using almost any sub weapon (except for Squid Beakons) can either delay their pursuit or deter them from chasing.
• 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.

Ink Recovery Up

As a heavy consumer of ink, the Grim Range Blaster can be fired more often if its user can refill their ink tank at a faster rate. A valuable utility ability for almost any weapon, Ink Recovery Up is invaluable for a Grim Range Blaster user.

• Six ability points, or two subs, decreases the time needed to fully refill an empty ink while submerged in friendly ink from 180 frames, or 3 seconds, to 169 frames, or 2.82 seconds, effectively increasing the refill rate from 33.33%/s (percent per second) to 35.46%/s.
• Ten ability points, or one main, further decreases the time needed to fully refill the ink tank to 161 frames, or 2.68 seconds, effectively increasing the refill rate to 37.31%/s.

Ink Saver (Main)

The Grim Range Blaster uses a large portion of the ink tank per shot. Ink Saver (Main) not only allows it to fire more shots per ink tank but also conserves ink for Burst Bomb use.

• Six ability points, or two subs, of Ink Saver (Main) are enough to increase the number of shots fired with a full ink tank from barely over nine to just under ten.
• Thirteen ability points, or one main and one sub, increases the number of shots fired with a full ink tank to barely under eleven.

Ink Saver (Sub)

Ink Saver (Sub) allows more frequent use of Burst Bombs and conserves more ink for the main weapon. Because Burst Bombs play a large role for a Grim Range Blaster user, conserving ink per Burst Bomb use will be beneficial.

• Just four ability points – achievable with two subs – can reduce the ink consumption per Burst Bomb to 38.98%, which allows the use of two Burst Bombs and two shots from the main weapon.
• Thirteen ability points, or one main and one sub, further reduces the ink consumption per Burst Bomb to 36.93%.

Quick Respawn

Quick Respawn shortens respawn time after getting splatted (under specific conditions). Like other slayer's weapons, the Grim Range Blaster benefits from abilities that promote aggressive play, such as Quick Respawn.

• One main, or 10 ability points, reduces the respawn time by 1.21 seconds.
• Two mains, or 20 ability points, saves 2.21 seconds for respawning.

Stealth Jump

Stealth Jump hides its user's Super Jump landing marker from opponents (and allies) who are not too close to it — about three tile lengths in the middle of Inkblot Art Academy. This encourages its user to Super Jump back to the frontlines more often.

Swim Speed Up

Because a Grim Range Blaster user has trouble turfing and is less mobile as a result, they can greatly benefit from Swim Speed Up, which enables its user to better maintain an optimal distance from an opponent, more quickly respond to an opponents' push, or even escape unfavorable situations.

• 16 ability points – one main and two subs – increase the swim speed from 1.92 DU/f to 2.14 units per frame.