Competitive:Splat Brella

Unofficial!

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

For information about the Splat Brella, see Splat Brella.

Splatoon 2

Splatoon 2

Splat Brella

Abbreviations	Brella
Sub	Sprinkler
Special	Ink Storm
Base damage	16.2 per pellet (cap: 81) 30 (contact)
Base duration
Ink consumption	6.35% 30% (launch)
Special points	200p
Special depletion
Role	Support
Strengths	Survivability, zoning, difficult to fight one-on-one
Weaknesses	low DPS, short range, weak against blasters

The Splat Brella – along with the Hero Brella Replica – is the first weapon of the brella class introduced in Splatoon 2. Compared to weapons from other classes, its mechanics are very different, requiring its user to adopt a unique playstyle. However, once its nuances are fully understood, it can assist its user's team and hinder opponents in ways that more typical weapons cannot.

Use

The Splat Brella is a zoning support weapon, which – unlike traditional support weapons, such as the Splattershot Jr. and the N-ZAP '85 – controls space and aids its user's team through means other than turfing and special weapon farming.

• The weapon has a shotgun-like blast, firing six pellets of ink per tap of :
  • Each ink pellet can inflict up to 16.2 HP of damage. However, only up to five pellets can damage an opponent per shot, capping the maximum damage per shot to 81 HP and preventing the Splat Brella from having a one-shot-splat against most opponents.
  • The Splat Brella has a range of 111.04 DU — shorter than that of most other weapons, meaning that its user cannot challenge their opponents by simply charging head-on.
  • Its fire rate is 16 frames between shots — slower than that of automatic shooters and dualies (4-12 frames). This means that a Splat Brella user will have to be even more accurate and precise with their aim than would users of automatically firing weapons, as any missed shot would leave them wide open to attack before the brella shield is up.
  • While its shot spread is thorough at turfing, a Splat Brella is not as quick or efficient at turfing as are more conventional support weapons.
• The weapon also has a shield-like canopy, which is opened by holding down :
  • The shield takes 12 frames (0.2 seconds) to open, on top of the 8 to 16 frames (0.133 to 0.267 seconds) needed to fire a shot, for a total of 20 to 28 frames (0.333 to 0.467 seconds). Give yourself enough time and distance from the opponent to open up the shield.
  • It can withstand 500 HP of damage before it is destroyed. However, it has different incoming damage multipliers for each weapon type. It takes…
    • …only 70% of damage from automatic and semiautomatic firing weapons — such as shooters, dualies, and splatlings,…
    • …150% of damage from swung (but not rolled) rollers and brushes,…
    • …200% of damage from sloshers and the explosion of all bombs,…
    • …and 300% of damage from all chargers.
    • Object Shredder does not affect any damage inflicted onto a brella shield.
    • Sting Ray and Ink Storm ignore the brella shield, dealing direct damage to the brella's user.
    • A launched brella shield will be instantly destroyed upon contact with another brella shield, a Splash Wall, or the Rainmaker shield.
    • Opponents' bombs will instantly detonate upon contact with the Splat Brella's shield, splatting any teammates who happen to be in front of it. Therefore, do not raise the brella shield whenever a teammate is in front of you.
    • An open brella shield can provide its user good temporary protection whenever strafing is not an option, such as in a narrow passage or on the Tower.
  • While holding the Splat Brella open, its user's run speed is 0.55 DU/f – even slower than while firing the weapon (0.65 DU/f) – and jumping height is reduced.
    • A Splat Brella user can jump then fire and open the shield in midair to reach their normal jumping height. This can be a useful tactic against opposing blaster users who fire above the brella shield.
  • The shield – whether attached or launched – can damage opponents on contact for 30 HP. This technique (with an attached shield) can be used in combos with the weapon's shots to quickly splat opponents who charge toward you.
  • Holding down for 122 frames, or 2.03 seconds, launches the shield forward. Keep this in mind to avoid accidentally launching the shield.
    • Launching the Splat Brella shield requires 30% of the ink tank, on top of the 6.35% used to fire a shot, for a total of 36.35%.
    • A launched Splat Brella shield travels at 1.32 DU/f, takes half the normal damage from opponents' attacks, and remains on the stage for up to five seconds.
  • If the shield is launched or destroyed, it will take 390 frames, or 6.5 seconds, to regenerate. Main Power Up can shorten the regeneration time to as low as 210 frames, or 3.5 seconds. Before launching your brella shield, make sure you can survive without it during the regeneration time.
• The addition of a shield gives a Splat Brella user more options when facing an opponent. Mastering all of them is essential to winning or prolonging various one-on-one matchups:
  • The most basic of these is simply alternating between shooting and shielding. Shielding allows a Splat Brella user to either close in on a longer-ranged opponent – such as an opposing Kensa Splattershot Pro user – or zone out a shorter-ranged one – like an opposing Sploosh-o-matic 7 user. However, just shooting and shielding keeps the Splat Brella's strafing speed low (0.55-0.65 DU/f) and their patterns predictable.
  • Swimming after either shooting or shielding makes a Splat Brella user more mobile — especially when sub strafing. This enables them to reposition themselves for a better angle, more quickly pursue a weakened opponent, or more readily retreat from an unfavorable matchup.
  • While launching the brella shield carries some risk of getting caught without it, there are a couple of practical applications:
    • Launching the brella shield before retreating around an obstacle leaves a pursuing opponent an obstruction that they must either destroy or travel around.
    • A launched brella shield can provide some protection for either its user or one of their teammates running or swimming just behind of it — particularly in a narrow passage, where there is less room for an opponent to flank around.

The Sprinkler can be used in a variety of ways to help its user:

• They can used to turf areas that are either out of reach or unsafe to approach.
• They can help maintain turf onto highly contested areas, such as on the Tower. A Sprinkler placed high on a wall or ceiling can also be a distraction for an opponent.
• They can also act as a light shield in a pinch. Sprinklers have 120 hit points but are easily destroyed by opponents armed with Object Shredder.

Ink Storm is an area of effect (AoE) special weapon that can alter the battle if activated in the right location and direction:

• Immediately upon activating the special, its user will be holding the Ink Storm device and be vulnerable to attack. Therefore, do not activate the special while being attacked, and make sure to throw it onto a surface before an opponent gets the opportunity to splat you.
• Slower, less mobile opponents – especially Rainmaker carriers – are the most adversely affected by Ink Storm since they are less capable of escaping its AoE.
• Its gradual damage makes it a good counter against Ink Armor, especially when paired with Object Shredder.
• Ink Storm's damage on the opponent becomes more effective whenever the opponent has less space to maneuver around, such as in an alley or on the Tower.
• Defensively, Ink Storm can slow or disrupt the opponents' push by either altering their intended attack routes or weakening any opponents within the storm.
• Offensively, Ink Storm can soften opposing defenses by forcing opponents out of optimal positions and inflicting chip damage onto those caught in the ink rain.
• Besides potentially damaging opponents, Ink Storm also gradually turfs any non-vertical surface it travels over:
  • The damaging and turfing effects of Ink Storm are slower and more gradual than those of a Bomb Launcher but are automatic and does not require its user to risk endangering themselves.
• An Ink Storm above the Rainmaker can either weaken its shield to pop it or prevent the opponent from popping it.

Synergy

Besides having unique mechanics, the Splat Brella also demands a different mindset and playstyle from other weapons. Its user controls space not by constantly turfing – as a traditional support weapon would – but by restraining the movement of their opponents, particularly slayers armed with shooters or dualies. Survivability is a Splat Brella's greatest asset against these weapons, so instead of attempting to quickly win one-on-one matchups against them, a Splat Brella user should aim to prolong battles and distract the opponents away from the objective, which your teammates can then push.

• Use the Splat Brella's shield and your movement – whether swimming, sub strafing, or shield strafing – to repel and avoid attacks to prolong a one-on-one battle until another opponent engages you, at which point you should strongly consider retreating (via Super Jumping if necessary).
• If a teammate is engaged in a one-on-one with an opponent, offer to help by joining the fray and providing protection for your teammate. Just remember to not open the brella shield until you are either in front of your teammate or engaging the opponent from a different angle.

While a team might get away with having one or two users of short-ranged weapons, such as the Splat Brella, 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:

• 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.

The Splat Brella'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.

Ink Storm is intended for either contesting territory, such as Splat Zones, or stalling opponents' pushes but is not as reliable at splatting opponents who actively avoid the Storm. Therefore, it is advised to have other special weapons available to complement Ink Storm, as having too many users of any combination of Ink Storm and Bomb Launcher (no more than two) in a team composition will limit a team's arsenal of weapons:

• Ink Storm provides no direct means of protection, meaning that opponents can still fire or throw sub weapons into the Storm.
• Other special weapons, such as Inkjet or Sting Ray, are intended for splatting opponents and more capable at this than is Ink Storm.

Countermeasures

• If an opponent's Sprinkler is present nearby, make sure that no opponents are hiding nearby before attempting to destroy it.
• When facing an opposing Ink Storm, assess where is a safe place to either reroute an attack or reposition on defense:
  • In general, avoid getting caught under an opponent's Ink Storm for an extended time, but also be wary of opponents waiting to pick off anyone fleeing the Storm.
  • If you must travel under an opponent's Ink Storm, avoid moving in the same direction that the Storm is traveling to minimize damage.
  • Even while avoiding an opponent's Ink Storm, it is still possible to turf or otherwise influence the area underneath. Long-ranged weapons, thrown sub weapons, and other special weapons (such as a counter-Ink Storm or Bomb Launcher) can splat opponents or dissuade them from occupying the turf underneath.

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.