Dive Hopping -

Hello, and thanks for taking the time to read this guide I put together. I enjoy analyzing meta-games pretty often, and I usually spend more time doing so than even playing the game. Theorycrafting is fun and putting that data to use helps meta's evolve and stay dynamic. It's important to attempt counter strategies as much as possible so that no dominant techniques stagnate the competitive scene.



Dive Hopping is a trick used to optimize the range of a weapons shots, avoid enemy fire, and gain a height advantage.



The technique can be used to spread ink behind an opponent to cut off escapes, and to avoid being splatted by inaccurate weapons. When coupled with Motion Controls active and mastered, it allows for the user to accurately aim while gaining these advantages.



For these reasons, it's a popular strategy when going up against a superior weapon IE: Gal Vs Aerospray. It's also an avoidance strategy against chargers, and can completely throw off chargers like the Squiffer. It also gives blasters an edge due to it's area of effect splash damage.



The technique itself is done like so --- Hold ZL - While holding ZL, press the fire button ZR - As soon as you emerge hit the jump button. This gives you much further reach with your ranged attacks, and rollers benefit immensely from this. If done while gaining a small amount of momentum you can strafe slightly in mid air as well. The advantage is again - Much greater height than simply pressing jump.



The technique does not work for chargers, and seems to be most useful on powerful splash type weapons such as rollers, and blasters, though it's also used by aerosprays.



This strategy is very popular at higher ranked play. A rank players usually use this much more often than the B or lower... as it's currently a technique that grants a superior edge in one on one firefights, and allows the cut off of escape points.



Is it overpowered? What if I don't like motion controls?

No it's not really OP. It is a standard at the moment however, due to it giving the user a distinctive edge. Motion controls are currently the only way to effectively counter the strategy, as the technique makes it difficult to track opponents with the touchy stick controls. The same goes for its execution. To be able to accurately aim and hop, you need to be able to move your camera while pressing the jump button. It makes the high level meta much harder to deal with for those who don't like the motion controls but would still like to keep up. That said, the motion controls are good, but preferences and even physical disabilities keep some from being able to use this and keep up.

Counter Strategies -

There are effective counter strategies I've found that can limit dive hopping, and at the very least limit the opponent's use of it. The first of which is weapons effectively limit the successfulness of its execution. Blasters and Squelchers work to take the opponent down in mid air due to the range of the Squelcher and splash damage of the Blaster, however they require a fair amount of skill to aim with, and generally need to be accompanied by motion controls.



The number 1# strategy to taking this on however is a sub weapon that completely shuts it down.



Disruptors. The disruptor not only impedes movement, fire rate, and makes them glow when submerged, it also impedes jump ability... This completely gimps the strategy of dive hopping, or even SPLATTER HOPPING a mobility technique similar to Dive Hopping.



There are 3 weapons that come with disruptors at the moment.

Custom Splattershot Jr. - Which I also have made a guide for.

Nozzlenose - which is a new weapon being released at 7pmPT 6/16

Blaster - which benefits from using the dive hopping strategy itself.

Not a lot of options to choose from but they work. Supporting your team with disruptors (which are cheap to use) will shut down spamming of the strategy. This isn't to say the strategy is useless. The amount of weapons that counter it are very limited, but they are good weapons, and a threat to the strategy. If successful at the start of a match when seen, the enemy may think twice about rushing with this strategy in mind, and attempt a counter strategy of their own.