Match strategy guide/Weapons

Weapon rings change the shot type fired, providing extra firepower over the basic red ring. Proper usage of the weapons in the situations where they give an advantage can greatly tip the odds of the fight.

Automatic

Automatic Rings allow players to fire rings at a much more rapid rate than normal.

• Fire rings in short bursts. Holding fire disrupts the view onscreen and doesn't really provide that much more advantage in hitting the opponent. Be careful not to burst down to zero rings, too.
• Automatic uses lots of rings and ammo. Make sure to keep a high stock while using it. With less than 20 rings and ammo, it's generally a good idea to switch to another weapon. The Attraction Shield is great for keeping large quantities of rings, but make sure not to run out of ammo while spamming.
• Fire along the ground, sweeping horizontally. The sheer amount of rings that can be released can cause opponents at all ranges to be hit by a single volley.
• Automatic is also a very effective method for damaging players who have gone Super. Unload into them as they come at you for a massive amount of damage.
• Remember that Knuckles fires all rings at a much faster rate of fire than the other characters. This will quickly drain your ammo, but will make even quicker and easier work of Super players.

Bounce

Bounce Rings bounce off walls, especially in closed quarters. Otherwise they act nearly exactly the same as red rings, just with a slightly lower firing rate.

• Bounce is most effective in cramped quarters. Small rooms, cramped passages, and anywhere the player is restrained in movement by the walls are great for Bounce.
• Fire horizontally along the ground. When Bounce Rings go up and down, not only are they not where the player is most likely to be standing, but they also hit the floor and ceiling to bounce, decreasing how long they stay around.
• Make sure to fire a lot. Bounce is indiscriminate and doesn't really require aim while in a cramped room. Just fire away and avoid getting hit by someone else's fire and anyone who walks into the room is just asking to get hit.

Scatter

Scatter Rings launch a cross of five rings forward, spreading out horizontally and vertically. The knockback on this weapon is inversely proportional to the distance between the user and the target, so a point-blank shot will send your opponent literally flying across the map.

• Don't worry too much about accuracy. The spread of the shot makes the Scatter hit consistently even when the shot would have missed normally. Firing in the general area is just fine.
• Get close! The less distance the Scatter flies, the farther the opponent goes flying when hit. At point-blank, the opponent flies so far that their weapons and emeralds will be easy to take unopposed.
• At medium range, the Scatter makes a good area denial weapon, firing repetitively into a long hallway to fill the hall with bullets. Any long enclosed space works great for this tactic.
• Be especially careful against the Force Shield. When firing at point-blank, the reflection is basically unavoidable. Stand back a bit or use another weapon for better results.

Grenade

Grenade Rings are small mines that can be launched in an arc, bounce and explode after a certain period of time. Unlike in SRB2 v2.0 where they can be thrown farther by holding the fire button down, they're launched at full speed and can hit an enemy without causing an explosion just by touching it. The knockback depends on current speed of the thrown Grenade ring.

• Grenade Rings are effective for area denial. Throw Grenades in places players are expected to run, like narrow hallways or on top of weapon panels or other good items.
• Grenades are a great weapon to fire while retreating. If the opponent gives chase, they have to slow down and avoid the mines or be hit.
• Avoid getting into a firefight with Grenades, but with no better weapons, try throwing them around and dodging to try to get the opponent to step on one. Note that the secondary fire is very helpful here; throwing red rings along with the grenades can cause the opponent to make a mistake.
• Knuckles can climb as high as possible and glide while throwing Grenade Rings. This tactic is especially useful for chucking grenades all over the level or a certain area that gets visited often, without fear of retribution from the people on the ground.
• Grenade Rings, like Bounce Rings, can be useful to hit opponents that are not in a direct sight. Due to high speed, bouncy nature and flying in the arc, there's a chance that they can hit opponents, especially when they are in a cramped room.

Explosion

Explosion Rings slow down the player's rate of fire, but produce an explosion that damages players in a small radius. The explosion generates a very significant amount of knockback, sending players hit by the explosion flying back.

• Don't aim directly at the opponent with Explosion. Instead, aim for the floor next to the player, the wall, or even ceiling in the case of Tails. The explosion area of effect will hit the opponent if the shot misses.
• Explosion is most effective at short to medium range. Throwing it at the opponent's feet is only really practical when in close range, and the extra knockback is most useful for taking their stuff at close range.
• Don't use Explosion in large open areas, or against Tails flying in the air. Unless there is a wall for the shot to hit, Explosion is just a slow-firing red ring.
• Explosion's area of effect is not blocked by line of sight. If an opponent is hiding behind a ledge, window, or skinny wall, firing at the wall next to them will go through the floor or wall and hit them. This can be very helpful on some stages.

Rail

Arguably the most powerful weapon in the game, the Rail Ring instantly hits the first target in its path. Rail packs an insane punch, and will cause significant knockback when struck.

• With the Rail Ring, there is no need to aim in front of opponents due to the fact that these rings instantly hit the first target in their path. However, they will still need to be aimed slightly ahead if there is any kind of latency.
• Attack from long range. Rail Rings are best in large, open areas or long hallways, where there is a lot of distance from the target. In long hallways, it's a good idea to use the mouselook key to look straight ahead, and strafe until the crosshair lines up.
• Take advantage of opponents who use springs. Because the Rail Ring strikes instantaneously, opponents who lose any kind of control over their character (springs, zoom tubes, spindashing) can be instantly taken advantage of for easy points. Tails is also a good target while flying because of his low speed while in midair.
• Rail is a good way to neutralize the Armageddon Shield from a safe distance, far out of range from the explosion to hit back.