N-ZAP '85

Shooters · Sub: Suction Bomb · Special: Tacticooler

Of the ranked modes, N-ZAP '85 wins most in Clam Blitz in version 11.3, where it is A tier at S–S+2. Its best stages there: Mart. Estimated from stat.ink battle data through November 9, 2026.

Data through November 9, 2026

A nimble, balanced shooter with one of the fastest run speeds while firing of any shooter. It gives up a bit of damage and range to the Splattershot and .52 Gal, but it excels at roaming with its mobility. The N-ZAP '85 can boost the whole team with Tacticooler and has been picked as a support in tournaments. The N-ZAP '89 leans toward paint and scouting with Autobomb and Super Chump.

Strength by modeTier and score (win-rate points vs. an average weapon).

Best stages / Worst stages

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Strengths

• Fastest run speed while firing of any shooter, and it's lightweight, so it swims fast too
• Fast fire rate means a few misses don't hurt your TTK much, and grounded spread is small
• Tacticooler boosts your whole team's movement and respawn speed, making it a great kickoff for a team push
• Suction Bomb can push high-ground and long-range enemies back, and it paints the big walls your main struggles with
• Few glaring weaknesses, so you can switch between painting, splatting, and support as needed

Watch out for

• Its range and per-shot damage are worse than the Splattershot's or .52 Gal's, so fighting head-on the same way tends to go badly
• The main's ink efficiency is a bit poor, and paired with the ink-hungry Suction Bomb, you run dry easily
• Hard to splat enemies that can dodge or block, like Dualies with dodge rolls or Brellas with canopies
• It's versatile, but if your role gets muddled, you end up a weaker version of other weapons
• Longer-range weapons hitting you from outside your reach put you at a one-sided disadvantage

Tips

• At the start, spread paint a bit behind the front line to build Tacticooler, then push hard once it's ready
• Place Tacticooler where backline teammates can grab it too, not on the front line, and use "This way!" to let them know
• While the drink is active you respawn very quickly, so push forward aggressively with your team
• While a teammate's Tacticooler is active, save yours and use it after theirs runs out to keep the boost going

Recent changes

• 11.0.0: System change for all weapons: main weapons get bigger hitboxes against players (the shorter the range, the bigger the boost), squid form gets a smaller hurtbox, and the game adds "Flow Aura" (a temporary power-up when you keep performing well) plus a remaining-health display (source 11)
• 11.2.0: Main weapon: paints under your feet more easily (source 12)