E3 2018 Splatoon 2 World Championship Meta Report
The E3 2018 Splatoon 2 Championships stands at an interesting crossroads in the competitive meta developed in recent months. Past threats have been tamed while a new popular pick has been making waves in the scene. But above all the current meta is the most varied in terms of weapon viability. What will make the difference in the tournament is how much flexibility we will see in the teams competing after having over a month of practice and familiarity with the patch.
A lot of conversation about the Splatoon meta comes down to differentiating between Eastern (Japanese) and Western (NA/Europe/Australia) weapon composition picks. One big difference in the current scene is found in their respective frontline picks: the Enperry Splat Dualies or the Tentatek Splattershot. These two weapons came into vogue recently due to the recent patches culminating in patch 3.0.0.
The major change was not so much a buff or nerf, but rather a change in how Splashdown was dealt with. Prior to this, Splashdown was a notorious WiFi Special where latency made it hard to kill the user before they landed. Now with this interaction no longer being tied to internet connection as of 3.0.0, it has become a lot easier to snipe Splashdown midair. And while this trait doesn’t quite affect LAN events as much as it does online, the very fact that people are now more able to take on Splashdown users has decreased its overall usage in the competitive scene.
This change coincides with the many slight buffs that Inkjet received after its huge nerf back in 1.3.0, where its damage output and vulnerability changes did actually cripple its usage in competitive play. Slowly but surely, the Inkjet has been making a return, starting with the 2.0.0 patch that increased shot speed and decreased its hurtbox. Then with the 2.3.0, it received maneuverability buffs as well. These changes on their own did not suddenly spring the Inkjet to action as it still suffered from damage issues, but 3.0.0 brought an interesting change to a different Special that led to the Inkjet’s increased usage.
With these changes in mind, it can be easy to see how the Tentatek Splattershot and Enperry Splat Dualies became as popular as they are now. Both weapons have very strong kits that allow them to zone enemies and build special meter quickly to get the Inkjet running. The biggest difference in its usage disparity between Japan and the West comes down to the faith in the Enperry’s maneuverability.
Previously only used by specialist players (ku from Haranbanjou is one example) or on specific maps (Port Mackerel), the Enperry Splat Dualies had become a staple in the scene even before the 3.0.0 patch dropped. The weapon itself had been receiving multiple buffs including range, damage, accuracy, and endlag, making the base weapon itself powerful.
Curling bomb as the sub weapon only adds to the Enperry’s maneuverability and Special gain. However, one of its perceived drawbacks came with a nerf to the Curling Bomb’s damage, where the explosion size and damage without charging it was greatly reduced. This along with the weapon’s general higher skill floor may have contributed to its perceived weakness.
What’s really interesting about about Japan’s Enperry usage rates is that the uptick in its usage began even before the eventual patches landed. In fact, a lot of the meta shifts that occurred throughout Splatoon 2’s lifespan (and even in Splatoon 1) were done before major patch changes occurred. From looking at recent composition trends between the two communities, Japanese players were far more likely to experiment with competitive viability. If a single player’s performance is strong enough, it can influence the entire scene.
The Tentatek, on the other hand, is a staple weapon going back all the way to Splatoon 1 and is also one of the earliest weapons that is unlocked in Splatoon 2. Thus, comfort picks become a lot more prevalent when choosing a frontlining weapon, especially for one that players have practiced with for three years. There is a slight disadvantage towards Special building, however, as the Tentatek currently requires more points than the Enperry to build Inkjet.
The Tentatek Splattershot and Enperry Splat Dualies are not the only weapons riding on the coattails of the Inkjet’s revival, however. The Custom Blaster has replaced the vanilla Blaster as the go-to Blaster weapon in lieu of the Splashdown-to-Inkjet meta changes. The Rapid Blaster Deco is also seeing rises in picks, making it a viable mid-to-long range pick if Inkjet pressure is required. In compositions that do not run double shooter, the usual Inkjet weapon decisions come down to Custom Blaster versus Rapid Blaster Deco when paired with Tentatek or Enperry regionally.
The Slosher Deco had its heyday after the 2.3.0 patch dropped thanks to a simple buff to the Baller that increased its maneuverability. Even before this patch, certain Japanese players were already utilizing the weapon in maps with stratified verticality, allowing the Slosher Deco to dominate perches, ledges, and choke points. The weapon was considered to be strong due to its high appearance in the Splatoon Koshien. When March came, very quickly it became a dominant weapon in the meta.
What had helped Slosher Deco rise to the top was its ability to build Special meter fast thanks to the combination of the Slosher and Sprinker’s turfing power, giving it a Baller that can be used to pressure opponents or provide an easy escape. Combined with a consistent 2-hit kill and a few buffs to its endlag made it a fierce weapon.
Or has it? Despite these changes, the Slosher Deco still maintains strong pickrates in current compositions. Two things are keeping this weapon alive and healthy, maybe even healthier than during its dominance.
Japan has continued to use the weapon, so much so that its pickrate has outnumbered that of the Enperry Splat Dualies’. Many players still value the weapon’s range and killing power, and Baller is still a useful pressure tool. For many players, it is a comfort weapon pick for heavily vertically stratified maps like The Reef and Arowana Mall.
The second reason for the Slosher Deco’s continued usage comes from Clam Blitz, a mode whose own meta has required the use of armored Specials (Ink Armor, Baller, Bubble Blower) to deliver the Power Clam safely to the goal. This mode is also responsible for keeping Bubble Blower weapons alive (Heavy Splatling Deco, Forge Splattershot Pro) and even allowing weapons with recent buffs like Foil Squeezer, Custom E-Liter 4K, Glooga Dualies Deco, and Tenta Brella to enter the competitive scene.
Backline weapons are probably in the healthiest position they have ever been inr. The Heavy Splatling and Custom Jet Squelcher were strong mainstays since the 2.3.0 patch, but with that came the rise of the Double Sting Ray compositions, especially on Tower Control and Rainmaker maps. Now, with Sting Ray’s damage output nerfed and other backline weapons receiving significant enough buffs, the backline has become a lot more varied, especially in the Japanese scene.
Weapons like Splat Charger, E-Liter 4K, Foil Squeezer, Dynamo Roller, and Hydra Splatling have started to become more common in the competitive scene. While most are still delegated to niche picks (Hydra on Shellendorf Institute), three weapons in particular have started their rise into relevance.
Charger players in Splatoon 2 are probably the most stubborn when it comes to their usage. They have dropped from their glory days in Splatoon 1, with few OG Charger mains returning to the weapon for the sequel (Pyon, Nekura, Latias, and Echo to name a few). However, the few that have stubbornly stuck to the Charger are starting to see their practice come to fruition. With Inkjets especially becoming ever more popular, it becomes important to have a weapon that is able to control the Inkjet’s movement. Splashdowns suffer even moreso in recent days, helping to contribute to its decreased usage. Even the E-Liter 4K and Scoped variants, which has long been considered to be the inferior Charger, are picking up in high level play.
The Squeezer was an odd weapon on its release as the .96 Gal Deco, Forge Splattershot Pro, and H-3 Nozzlenose could perform many of its roles better. The 3.0 patch would give the Squeezer much needed range and ink efficiency to allow it to transition quickly into a mid-long range option. But much of the Squeezer’s rise in usage has been due to Foil variant, released with a powerful kit in the form of Splat Bombs and Bubble Blower. This trend is only seen in recent Japanese matches, as the western scene has yet to pick it up in full. And even in Japan, its usage is currently spearheaded by a sole player, Etona.
The return of the Dynamo Roller is a definite welcome to many that previously mained the weapon in the past. While it still has a good number of issues against faster weapons (the Brella weapons in particular give it a hard time), it has become a strong alternative pick for certain older Dynamo mains. Of note have been its gradual range and ink coverage buffs from recent patches, allowing it to once again become a turfing monster. While not quite at the level it was in Splatoon 1, it has become strong enough to challenge any map control the opponents throw at it.
One weapon family that has escaped attention from any significant major patch changes is the Rapid Blaster and its variants. The regular and Pro variants of the weapon all have strong kits to contest turf and lock down opponents’ positions. They also have Specials that are excellent for zoning and turf control (Suction-Bomb Rush on vanilla, Ink Storm on Pro, Bubble Blower on Pro Deco) or provide excellent support in teamfights (Inkjet on Deco). Even the vanilla Rapid Blaster, which received a Special-gain nerf early on in the game’s lifespan, is still a terrifying anchor.
What makes the backline meta so interesting in this patch is how flexible their roles are now. In the past, backliners were pure anchors with Sting Ray or Bomb Rush, where their viability usually dropped whenever faced up against other players in melee range. Even before the Heavy Splatling and Custom Jet Squelcher were popular, the most backline weapon that many comps ran was the Sloshing Machine. But now, with the rise of weapons like Dynamo and Squeezer, backliners have the ability to contest direct fights. Furthermore, the spread of pure anchor weapons to Charger have given many traditional backliners more flexibility in weapon picks depending on map/mode combination.
The Data used in this article was collected by ganbawoomy spanning across the following tournaments and events:
- Splat Japan League Season 0
- United States & Canada Inkling Open (Top 8)
- Squidboards Splat Series May (Top 8)
- Splat Japan League Season 1
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