Splatoon 2 Balance Patch Will Appear on January 8, 2020

Another Splatoon 2 balance update is on the way. January 8, 2020 will mark the debut of a patch designed to make multiplayer a little more fair. 18 weapons are being adjusted, two special weapons are being tweaked, and points needed for specials on 10 weapons will be altered when this download is released.

Here’s the full list of changes coming weapons in January 2020 to Splatoon 2 from the official site. All of them involve multiplayer.

• Bamboozler 14 Mk I – Reduced the effect of the Main Power Up gear ability, changed the amount of gear ability required to deal up to 99.9 damage from 4.1 times to 4.4 times the amount of the primary gear ability, and each secondary gear ability is worth 0.3 of the primary gear ability. Also now needs 200 points for special, rather than 180.
• Bamboozler 14 Mk II – Reduced the effect of the Main Power Up gear ability, changed the amount of gear ability required to deal up to 99.9 damage from 4.1 times to 4.4 times the amount of the primary gear ability, and each secondary gear ability is worth 0.3 of the primary gear ability.
• Bamboozler 14 Mk III – Reduced the effect of the Main Power Up gear ability, changed the amount of gear ability required to deal up to 99.9 damage from 4.1 times to 4.4 times the amount of the primary gear ability, and each secondary gear ability is worth 0.3 of the primary gear ability.
• Enperry Splat Dualies – Now needs 200 points for special, rather than 210.
• Firefin Splat Charger – Slightly narrowed the area covered by ink droplets from fired shots.
• Hero Brush Replica – Now needs 170 points for special, rather than 180.
• Hero Charger Replica – Slightly narrowed the area covered by ink droplets from fired shots.
• Hero Shot Replica – Decreased ink consumption by roughly 8%.
• Kensa Charger – Slightly narrowed the area covered by ink droplets from fired shots.
• Kensa Luna Blaster – Decreased amount of time after firing before being able to take further actions by roughly 4/60 of a second and decreased ink consumption by roughly 17%.
• Kensa L-3 Nozzlenose – Increased ink consumption by roughly 15%, reduced the effect of the Main Power Up gear ability, changed the amount of gear ability required to deal up to 33.3 damage from 1.8 times to 2.4 times the amount of the primary gear ability, and each secondary gear ability is worth 0.3 of the primary gear ability.
• Kensa Splattershot – Decreased ink consumption by roughly 8%.
• L-3 Nozzlenose – Increased ink consumption by roughly 15%, reduced the effect of the Main Power Up gear ability, changed the amount of gear ability required to deal up to 33.3 damage from 1.8 times to 2.4 times the amount of the primary gear ability, and each secondary gear ability is worth 0.3 of the primary gear ability. Also now needs 210 points for special, rather than 190.
• L-3 Nozzlenose D – Increased ink consumption by roughly 15%, reduced the effect of the Main Power Up gear ability, changed the amount of gear ability required to deal up to 33.3 damage from 1.8 times to 2.4 times the amount of the primary gear ability, and each secondary gear ability is worth 0.3 of the primary gear ability. Also now needs 200 points for special, rather than 180.
• Luna Blaster – Decreased amount of time after firing before being able to take further actions by roughly 4/60 of a second and decreased ink consumption by roughly 17%.
• Luna Blaster Neo – Decreased amount of time after firing before being able to take further actions by roughly 4/60 of a second and decreased ink consumption by roughly 17%.
• Octobrush – Now needs 170 points for special, rather than 180.
• Octo Shot Replica – Decreased ink consumption by roughly 8%. Also now needs 200 points for special, rather than 210.
• Soda Slosher: Now needs 210 points for special, rather than 200.
• Splat Charger – Slightly narrowed the area covered by ink droplets from fired shots.
• Splattershot – Decreased ink consumption by roughly 8%.
• Tenta Camo Brella – Now needs 210 points for special, rather than 200.
• Tentatek Splattershot – Decreased ink consumption by roughly 8%. Also now needs 200 points for special, rather than 210.

As for the rebalanced special weapons, here is what will be different.

• Baller

• Decreased duration of active time from roughly 7 to roughly 6 seconds.

• Extended the area within which damage is dealt upward.
• This change makes it easier to deal damage to mid-air opponents from even a moderate distance.
• There is no change to the damage area for opponents standing near but lower than the epicenter of the blast.
• Increased damage dealt to opponent Ballers by roughly 21%.

This isn’t the only Splatoon 2 balance patch in the works. In April 2020, another update is planned.

Splatoon 2 is available for the Nintendo Switch.