Splatoon Raiders reimagines the beloved turf-war franchise with a bold new PvE structure, but its most significant departure from tradition lies in its radical overhaul of the weapon and sub-weapon system. In this new title, sub-weapons are no longer tethered to specific primary weapons. Instead, players are free to mix and match gadgets—called from specialized tanks—with any main weapon they choose, creating an unprecedented level of customization. This fundamental change, combined with the introduction of a robotic companion and a relentless focus on horde-based combat against the Salmonid hordes, demands a fresh approach to strategy. Whether you are a seasoned Inkling or a newcomer to the chaos, adapting to these new rules is essential for survival. This guide provides ten essential beginner tips designed to help you master the battlefield, optimize your loadout, and start collecting treasure with confidence.
Mastering Your Gadgets: The Key to Controlling the Chaos
Early in your adventure, you will unlock specialized tanks that allow you to equip gadgets, which function as the game’s version of sub-weapons. The most critical piece of advice for any beginner is to use your gadget the moment a skirmish begins and then deploy it again every time its cooldown resets until the fight is over. This is not optional; it is the foundation of effective play. Gadgets are your primary tool for battlefield control. They can mark enemies for focused fire, distract aggressive Salmonids, eliminate weaker foes from a distance, or create an opening for you to retreat to a safer position while still dealing damage. While this strategy is slightly less critical when playing with friends who can cover your downtime, it is absolutely essential in solo mode. There, every second of cooldown wasted is a missed opportunity to tip the scales in your favor.
Ink the Ground for Superior Mobility and Defense
Although Splatoon Raiders is not a traditional Turf War, the importance of covering the ground in your ink cannot be overstated. Swimming through your own ink is significantly faster than running on foot, and in the chaotic, later-stage battles against the Salmonid hordes, this speed advantage is the difference between survival and getting splatted. The same principle applies to enemy ink. Salmonid ink is a hazard that slows your movement and gradually depletes your health. Your top priority should be to either avoid these patches or actively spray your own color over them to neutralize the threat. A clean, well-inked floor is your best defense, providing a safe haven for rapid repositioning and recovery.
Your Companion Bot: More Than Just a Sidekick
Even when playing solo, you are never truly alone. One of the idol members—Shiver, Frye, or Big Man—will accompany you in the team’s treasure bot. This robot acts independently, doing a surprisingly effective job of picking off enemies with its own ink launcher. However, its most valuable feature is the ability to summon it for immediate assistance. By pressing X, you can call the bot to your location. It will crash down from above, dealing damage to any nearby enemies and drawing their aggro. This provides a quick and easy way to relieve pressure when you are surrounded. Be mindful, though, that the bot can become overwhelmed after taking a set amount of damage, temporarily going out of commission for a few crucial seconds.
Using the Bot as a Tactical Launchpad
The treasure bot has a secondary function that is easy to overlook but incredibly powerful: it can be used as a launchpad. While the game encourages you to use this ability to reach high platforms for exploration, it is equally effective in combat. Launching yourself above the fray allows you to target specific, high-threat enemies with precision. More importantly, the slow, controlled float back down to the ground gives you extended airtime, during which you can continue to ink Salmonids from a position of safety. This repositioning tool can turn a desperate retreat into an offensive advantage, letting you survey the battlefield and plan your next move from above.
Weapon Adaptation: Playing to Your Strengths
Just as in the mainline Splatoon games, each weapon category in Splatoon Raiders is designed for a specific playstyle. Shooters and Dualies, with their high rate of fire, excel at close- to mid-range combat, allowing you to be aggressive and mobile. In contrast, Sloshers and Chargers are much slower and require a more deliberate, evasive approach. Charging into the middle of a group of enemies with a long-range weapon is a recipe for disaster. Instead, you must learn to position yourself strategically and, crucially, select a gadget that complements your primary weapon’s function. A fast, close-range weapon pairs well with a disruptive or defensive gadget, while a slow, powerful weapon benefits from those that provide area denial or crowd control.
Embrace Experimentation Without Penalty
There is no penalty in Splatoon Raiders for swapping weapons or changing your gadget tanks. While you may need to grind for mods if you want to customize your new loadout, the act of trying a new combination is free and encouraged. The game’s design is built around discovery and flexibility. Do not be afraid to try every weapon and gadget you unlock. The path to finding your optimal build is paved with experimentation, and the game’s systems reward you for being adaptable.
Never Fear Missing Loot or Exploration
One of the most player-friendly design choices in Splatoon Raiders is that you will never miss out on excellent gear. If you are unable to reach a weapon crate or simply do not have time to explore a side path during a raid, the game automatically adds any missed loot to your haul at the end of the run. This eliminates the pressure to explore every nook and cranny, allowing you to focus on the primary objective: survival and treasure collection.
Spending Skill Points Smartly on Your Gadget Tanks
As you progress, you will earn skill points that can be spent on upgrading your gadget tanks, such as adding more mod slots. It is tempting to hoard these points, worried you might waste them on a tank you will later abandon. However, you can spend them freely. Upgrades applied to any single tank are universal; they will automatically apply to all your gadget tanks without requiring you to spend another skill point. This system ensures that any investment you make into your tank’s capabilities is permanent and benefits your entire arsenal.
Review Your Loadout After Every Raid
After each successful raid, you will be rewarded with a substantial amount of new gear, including weapons and upgrade mods for your tanks. It is crucial to develop the habit of reviewing every new item. A mod that offers a 10% increase in reach or a boost to damage may seem minor on paper, but in the heat of battle against dozens of raging Salmonids, these incremental improvements can be the deciding factor in your survival. Regularly optimizing your build is a low-effort, high-reward practice.
Let the Game Optimize Your Mods When in Doubt
During the early stages of Splatoon Raiders, tank mods trickle in slowly. But as you progress, you will quickly accumulate a large selection, and the decision between range, power, or incremental percentage increases can become overwhelming. For players who find the number-crunching tedious, the game offers a convenient solution. You can let the game auto-pick your mods. This system is surprisingly well-optimized and will produce a balanced and effective loadout. There is no shame in sparing yourself the extra decision-making and trusting the game’s automated system to do the heavy lifting, allowing you to focus on what matters most: the action on the battlefield.
