Which gadget tank should you pick in Splatoon Raiders?

You’re asked to pick a gadget tank in Splatoon Raiders after your first few treasure raids. It seems like a big decision, and it kind of is. You’re not locked into your choice, as you can swap tanks later. But only one of the three tanks gives you enough freedom to experiment and create your own play styles without getting into too much danger.

Below, we explain which gadget tank you should pick in Splatoon Raiders to start with and what makes it the better choice.

Should you pick the speed, power, or technical gadget tank in Splatoon Raiders?

All three tanks have some excellent gadgets, but we recommend going with the technical gadget tank. Its starting gadget is the Shot Pot, a turret that lobs ink globs at the nearest enemy. It lingers on the field for several seconds while the cooldown timer ticks, and by the time the Shot Pot vanishes, you can use it again. That alone makes it worth using, since the other tanks’ starting gadgets are single-use with long cooldowns.

However, it’s also just more practical. The power tank’s Splatter Hatchet sees you charge forward in a line and slice with the hatchet, dealing heavy damage to any enemy in your path. If you aim poorly or more enemies start rushing in, you won’t be in a safe position. The speed tank starts with the Blast Boot, which lets you do a big jump and stomp down, damaging nearby enemies. Its range is rather limited, though, so it can’t make a big dent in the approaching Salmonid hordes.

The Shot Pot lets you strategically cover areas you can’t reach with your weapon, effectively acting like a (slightly underpowered) second player covering your back. Use it to create room to escape or just pick off the weaker Salmonids while you focus on bigger ones.

The pattern of usefulness remains largely the same even as you unlock newer gadgets. The power tank’s Splatellites and Spinwheel make for a potent combination, but they just don’t have the control coverage and support you get from the technical tank. For example, you can scatter the technical tank’s Bombloons around, link them together, and splat them to detonate, covering a large area in a giant ink explosion without ever putting yourself in danger.

How to change gadget tanks in Splatoon Raiders

Image: Nintendo EPD/Nintendo via Polygon

If you’re ready to try something different, open the gear menu by pressing the Plus button. Select “tanks” and then choose whichever other tank you want to use. Like with weapons, you can only change tanks and gadgets at the ship base between missions. You can’t make changes once a raid begins.

Upgrades you make to gadget tanks via spending skill points apply to all your tanks, even if you’ve never used them. However, experience points aren’t divided between them. You’ll need to hoard Salmonid eggs all over again to level new tanks up from scratch. If you want to do that fast, repeat dungeon stages that let you stack multipliers and shatter multiple crystals before the level ends.