Splatanas are one of two new weapon types to grace Splatoon 3, and like its bow-like cousin, ends up being one of the harder weapon types to grasp. Splatanas, as the name would suggest, are sword-like paint flingers that excel up close, and are heavily focused on performing devilishly quick-killing combos.
Being a new weapon to the series, you won’t have too many to pick from, although the two on offer at launch provide enough variety to tailor to multiple playstyles. The Splatana Wiper is fast and nimble, whilst the Splatana Stamper is much more focused on powering through the opposition. Let’s dive right in.
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What Are Splatanas?
Splatanas are powerful close-range weapons that excel at killing enemies quickly through the use of combos. Similar to the stringer, the Splatana has access to both vertical and horizontal slashes, giving it some degree of utility. On top of that, Splatanas can charge their blade to unleash devastating attacks that can, in some cases, instantly splat an opponent.
Throw in some mobility utility with a step slash and some hidden tech, and Splatanas are an exciting addition to the mix.
How To Use Splatanas In Splatoon 3
To perform a basic horizontal swing, all you have to do is press or tap ZR. This will fling Ink in a wave pattern in front of you. Both the Ink and the Splatanna have a hitbox, increasing your damage substantially if you can land both portions of your swing on an enemy. The downside to this attack, regardless of Splatana, is range.
Holding ZR will prime your charge slash, which will be unleashed as a powerful vertical slash. This will launch paint in a line, dealing heavy damage. If both the blade and the ink hit an enemy at once, they will be instantly splatted. To make this even easier, if you hold forward on the Left Stick, you will dash a short distance forward before swinging your Splatana. This is excellent for closing the distance.
The charge slash has a much higher range than your standard slash, giving the Splatana a means to deal with enemies further away. Due to the arcing nature of the ink, you can also use the Splatana to quickly swim up vertical surfaces and lob paint over ledges.
As a general rule, Splatana users want to constantly be looking for combos when in a fight. Your attacks are fast, and you have some powerful tools at your disposal, but relying purely on a stepping charge slash for the OHK is a recipe for disaster. Splatana users should therefore learn to combo their ranged attacks (both basic and charged) into Subs, Specials, or other attacks. When played well, you can splat opponents (once in range) before they can react.
How To Use The Splatana Wiper
The Splatana Wiper is the first Splatana you will gain access to in Splatoon 3, and it is the most well-rounded of the two. The Splatana Wiper is fast, can OHK with its charge slash, and has access to a great loadout that rewards players who are aggressive and know their kit.
The Splatana Wiper can kill in many ways, but it’s important to note that it is not a melee weapon – not really. The Splatana Wiper is much more suited to engaging in mid to close-range combat, and its OHK potential is more of a back pocket pull than the crux of its gameplay.
The Splatana Wiper can kill enemies very quickly by doing some of the following combos:
- Melee-hit charge slash
- Charge slash into melee-range basic slash
- Torpedo into Charge Slash
- Torpedo into melee-range basic slash
Being able to quickly move in to engage enemies (remember your charge slash leaves a very hand trail!) and deliver a devastating killing blow before they can react is always satisfying.
Sub Weapon
The Torpedo is an excellent Sub that, whilst not lethal, deals a hefty chunk of damage that perfectly combos into just about everything the Splatana wants to do. Throwing this out and landing damage can quickly result in a splat from a follow-up basic slash or charge slash.
Not only that, but the Torpedo is excellent at forcing enemies out of entrenched positions. The homing nature of the Torpedo means enemies can’t afford to stick around. This can be used to dislodge powerful anchors, like Splatlings, or force players to step into the open during a firefight.
The Torpedo can be shot down before it deals its damage, however. This makes the damage less reliable than other Subs, but there is still a silver lining. If the enemy is shooting the Torpedo, they are not shooting/paying attention to you or your team.
Special Weapon
The Splatana Wiper’s ideal range fits perfectly with its Special, the Ultra Stamp. This thing, whilst nerfed after its dominating appearance in earlier entries, is still a force to be reckoned with. Its hammer throw can, in theory, be combo’d into our Splatana Wipers swings, and even if you are just slamming the hammer down on a rampage, the damage and disruption this Special causes makes it fantastic.
Just be warned, it is a bit unwieldy so get some practice in at the Practice Range.
How To Use The Splatana Stamper
The Splatana Stamper is less of a sword and more of a chainsaw. This is noticeably slower than its Wiper counterpart but makes up for that with an increase in damage and range. Do note, however, that the Splatana Stamper is still a combo-based weapon, and expecting its damage bump to change, will leave you disappointed.
In fact, the Splatana Stamper is arguably more effective at dishing out combos as it can cancel into its Sub much more effectively due to the instant nature of the Burst Bomb. For effective kills, try out some of the following combos:
- Melee-range charge slash for a OHK
- Charge Slash into basic slash
- Charge Slash into Burst Bomb (you can cancel the recover animation resulting in an almost immediate Burst Bomb throw)
- Basis Slash x2 into Burst Bomb.
- Zipcaster into basic slash, charge slash, or burst bomb
In addition to all of this, the Splatana Stamper’s charge slash has a seriously impressive range advantage over the Splatana Wiper, and frankly, many other weapons. You should use it to make an ink trail to close distance and simply to poke enemies. The damage, even without landing the blade itself, is high enough that it can deter just about anyone.
The biggest downside to the Splatana Stamper is its slow speed. This is both swing speed and charge speed. Enemies who get close to you can quickly take you out since your tools struggle to be effective if you are on the back foot. This makes the Splatana Stamper a bit harder to use than the Wiper.
Sub Weapon
The Burst Bomb is the glue that holds this weapon together. Without it, the Splatana Stamper would struggle to find any relevance. Because the throw is so quick, it can cancel recover animations, and the damage is on impact, you can very quickly combo your attacks into a Burst Bomb for a near-instant splat.
It’s also very cheap, consuming less than half of your Ink tank, giving you plenty of Ink to follow up with basic swings if you miss.
Special Weapon
The Zipcaster is very good for closing the distance and can help the Splatana Stamper get into the thick of things without having to rely on charge slashes and burst bombs. This is more of a utility tool than anything else, but it can do AOE damage if manage to land your Zipcaster on an enemy. This can be followed up with just about anything for an instant splat, giving you a very effective close-range engagement tool.
It’s also worth noting that like with every Special in Splatoon 3, your Ink refills on activation, letting you stay in the thick of a battle for longer.
That’s all we have on the Splatanas of Splatoon 3. We have more weapon guides on the way, so keep an eye out for them. Happy splatting!
