Splatoon 3 has a deceptively high skill ceiling, and many of its most powerful techniques are hidden behind subtle mechanics and lesser-known tricks. Whether you’re new to the game or looking to level up, mastering these techniques can dramatically change the way you move, shoot, and dominate the battlefield. This guide breaks down some of the most important advanced tech, from universal mechanics to weapon-specific tricks and even special weapon synergies.

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Core Movement Tech

1. Sub Strafing
When turning in squid form, there’s a brief input delay that can slow you down. Sub strafing reduces this delay by holding the sub weapon button (usually R) while you swim and change direction. It’s simple once practiced, and gives you much tighter and faster movement, especially when dodging bombs or juking in fights. This works for all weapons except the Rainmaker.

2. Char Strafing (Rainmaker Exclusive)
Rainmaker users can fake a shot by canceling the charge with squid form. This lets you dodge and reposition instead of committing to a slow shot and getting picked off.

3. Stealth Swimming Without Ninja Squid
You can stealth swim without the Ninja Squid ability by barely tilting the stick forward. This reduces your ink trail and eliminates visible ripples, perfect for sneaky approaches or holding a position without alerting enemies.

4. Ledge Climbing Optimization
When climbing a wall, avoid mashing jump. Instead, let go of the wall as you crest the top, then quickly repress squid form on the surface. This gets you on top and moving faster than if you had jumped over.

5. Squid Surge Canceling
You can cancel a squid surge (the wall vault) by shooting, throwing a sub, jumping off the wall, or leaving squid form. This avoids getting punished mid-surge and lets you fake movements to throw off opponents.

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Weapon-Specific Tech

Shooters

• Accuracy Resetting: Shooters become less accurate the longer they shoot without going into squid form. Briefly ducking into ink resets the RNG, especially for weapons like the .96 Gal or Splattershot.
• Efficient Painting: Strafing diagonally while shooting paints more effectively than moving sideways. Use vertical + lateral inputs to maximize special charge.

Rollers

• Rail Flicks: You can horizontal flick off an ink rail without leaving it by letting go of ZL and jumping. This is ideal for weapons like Dynamo.
• Squid Roll Flicks: Perform a horizontal flick while squid rolling for added momentum.
• Vertical Flick Damage: Aim lower for vertical flicks to hit consistent max damage.
• Wall Paint Efficiency: Flick while descending toward a wall to paint it faster.
• Rail Maintenance: Roll in circles on an ink rail to paint it instantly.

Dualies

• Sub Between Rolls: Don’t wait until both rolls are used—throw your sub in between for pressure or setup.
• Turret Mode Left Peek: While most weapons are right-shouldered, Dualies in turret mode can peek left due to offset firing.
• Dapple/Gluga Slide Jump: Let go of the left stick after a slide to jump while retaining accuracy, creating unexpected angles.

Chargers

• Charge Hold Jump Snipes: Jump while holding a charge to get extra vertical reach.
• Scope Advantage: Scoped Chargers provide better precision on narrow-angle shots due to first-person aiming.
• Shot Timing in Air: Delay your shot until your descent for more accurate hits due to better stability.

Splatana

• Dash Slash Aiming: After a dash, you can aim your slash independently for optimized hits.

Torpedo

• Bounce Mode: If a Torpedo doesn’t lock onto a target, it acts more like a powerful burst bomb.

Splat Bomb

• Roll for Timing: Rolling it delays detonation based on contact duration.

Splash Wall

• Throw Distance Control: Adjust your throw distance by looking higher or lower before release.

Sprinkler

• Rainmaker Shield Burst: Place a sprinkler near the shield to inflate it for quick pops.

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Special Weapon Tech

Zipcaster

• Grate Canceling: Aim near a grated surface, zip, and jump into squid form to pass through.
• Momentum Recalls: Zipcaster (and Inkjet) recalls to your take-off point unless you touch the ground. Use ink rails or wall jumps to land somewhere else but recall safely.

Inkjet

• Recall Control: Same as Zipcaster—start it from a rail or wall, and you’ll recall to that point instead of wherever you land.

Ultra Stamp

• Momentum Cancel with Jump: Jumping during a rush cancels momentum. Useful for popping Rainmaker or avoiding overextension.

Reefslider

• Ledge Desync: Use a diagonal launch near a ledge to misalign your actual position and catch opponents off guard.

Killer Wail 5.1

• Parallel Firing: Avoid locking on. Fire parallel to the ground (with jump timing) to cover ground floors or narrow paths fully.

Crab Tank

• One-Shot Combo: Hit an enemy with the AOE shot and immediately follow up with rapid fire for an instant splat.
• Dual Firing: The standard shot doesn’t interrupt AOE fire. You can alternate for continuous pressure.

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Universal Tips and Passive Mechanics

1. 180 Quick Turn (Low Sensitivity Fix)
On lower sensitivity, a fast turn is difficult. Holding a direction and pressing Y (camera reset) executes a clean 180 instantly.

2. Forward Squid Roll
It’s possible to roll directly forward by flicking the stick slightly off-center and snapping forward. This adds a unique movement option in tight corridors.

3. Sound Cues for Sharking
You can hear opponents in ink if you listen closely. The sound is subtle but noticeable—especially in Recon mode.

4. Ink Tank Refills on Special Use
Activating any special automatically refills your ink tank. Always use a sub (bomb, beacon, etc.) right before activating to maximize value.

5. Passive Special Charge from Objectives
You passively charge your special based on the objective in every ranked mode. Control the tower, hold the Rainmaker, or stay near the zone for a free charge over time.

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Final Thoughts

Mastering these techniques doesn’t require frame-perfect inputs—they just take practice and awareness. Even learning a few of these will noticeably elevate your play. Whether you’re landing flicks with a roller, playing peek wars with Dualies, or outmaneuvering enemies with sub strafing, these tricks can give you the edge you need to control the match.

Experiment, practice in Recon, and use these techniques one at a time until they become second nature. Good luck out there—and make your ink count!