Power Tank Is the Only Choice for Beginners
If you're just starting Splatoon Raiders, the Power Tank is the right call. The game gives you three options early in the Hideout Ship — Power, Speed, and Tactical — but only one of them makes the opening hours feel manageable. The Power Tank offers the best balance of offense, survivability, and gadget synergy, and it unlocks the Tank Surge upgrade that turns you into a real threat once you've collected 50,000 Power eggs.
You can freely switch between tanks at the Hideout Ship, so nothing is permanently locked. But here's the catch: you can only level one tank at a time, and your equipped tank determines which gadgets you can use. The Speed and Tactical tanks have their own gadget trees, and those gadgets are more situational. The Power Tank's starting gadgets — the Splatchet and the Splatellites — are straightforward, powerful, and effective against the enemy types you'll face early.
The Activision comparison fits here: many shooters give you a starter loadout that's deliberately weak to push you toward unlocks. Splatoon Raiders does the opposite. The Power Tank's base kit is strong enough to carry you through the first few sectors, and the upgrade path only makes it stronger. That's a design choice that respects your time, especially when you're still learning enemy attack patterns and stage layouts.
Why the Power Tank Wins Early
Three factors make the Power Tank the obvious first pick. First, the damage output is higher than the other two tanks at base level. Second, the gadgets don't require precise positioning or timing — they work in the chaos of your first few hours. Third, the Tank Surge upgrade is a direct damage multiplier that rewards you for playing aggressively.
Think of it like choosing your first aircraft in Ace Combat. You could pick a nimble fighter or a specialized attacker, but the all-rounder with decent speed and firepower is the one that lets you learn the game without constantly fighting your own equipment. The Power Tank is that all-rounder.
The Speed Tank is faster on the ground and in swim form, which sounds appealing. But speed without killing power means you spend more time kiting enemies and less time clearing rooms. The Tactical Tank offers utility options like deployable shields and enemy marking, but those tools assume you already understand enemy spawn patterns and stage geometry. The Power Tank just asks you to swim forward and slash.
Tank Surge: The Upgrade Worth Grinding For
Once you collect 50,000 Power eggs with the Power Tank equipped, you unlock Tank Surge. This ability increases all damage by 20% for a short time when you exit swim form after being submerged for a set period. A meter appears on screen when you're submerged, letting you know when the surge is ready.
This is where the Power Tank shifts from "good for beginners" to "genuinely powerful." A 20% damage boost on demand changes your breakpoints against mid-game enemies. You'll kill basic squids in one less hit, and you'll shred armored targets much faster. The ability rewards you for staying mobile — you're not standing still and tanking hits; you're diving, repositioning, and emerging at full power.
Where a game like Alan Wake 2 uses its upgrade system to control narrative pacing, Splatoon Raiders uses Tank Surge to encourage aggressive mobility. The best players are the ones who stay in swim form, read the battlefield, and pop up at the right moment. That's a skill you can develop from day one, and Tank Surge gives you a mechanical reason to practice it.
Best Beginner Gadgets: Splatchet and Splatellites
The Power Tank's gadget pool is deep, but you only need two for the early game: the Splatchet and the Splatellites. These two tools cover offense and defense in a way that compensates for the Power Tank's lower mobility.
Splatchet
The Splatchet is a dash-forward melee attack that slashes everything in an arc in front of you. It does heavy damage, and its upgrade path keeps it competitive into the late game. The downside is range — you have to get close, which puts you in danger, and you can't hit distant enemies at all. Pair it with a decent ranged weapon for the times you can't close the gap, and you have a loadout that handles most situations.
Focus your upgrade parts on Cooldown Reduction and Reduce Damage Taken. Cooldown Reduction lets you use the Splatchet more often, which is your main damage source. Reduce Damage Taken is essential because you're constantly in melee range — that extra survivability keeps you alive long enough to land the killing blow.
Splatellites
The Splatellites deploy discs that orbit your character, dealing damage to nearby enemies and inking the ground. This is passive damage that works while you focus on positioning and dodging. It's also a defensive tool — enemies that get close take chip damage, and the inked ground slows pursuers. The Splatellites suffer from the same range problem as the Splatchet, so you're still vulnerable to ranged attackers.
Prioritize Duration, Damage, and Area Up upgrade parts. Duration keeps the discs spinning longer, Damage makes them meaningful against tougher enemies, and Area Up expands the orbit so you hit more targets. With both upgrades active, you can activate the Splatellites, dive into a group of enemies, and use the Splatchet to clean up survivors.
The Counterpoint: Speed and Tactical Aren't Bad
It's worth acknowledging that the Speed Tank and Tactical Tank have their own strengths. The Speed Tank is excellent for players who want to zip through stages quickly, and its gadgets reward hit-and-run tactics. The Tactical Tank shines in co-op play, where marking enemies and deploying utility helps the whole team. If you're a veteran player who knows the game's systems, either of these tanks could be your first pick.
But for a new player, the Power Tank is the one that teaches you the fundamentals without punishing mistakes. You can switch to the other tanks later, once you understand enemy behavior, stage layouts, and upgrade priorities. The Power Tank gives you a solid foundation, and that's worth more than any specialized advantage.
What Comes Next After the Power Tank
Once you've maxed out the Power Tank and unlocked Tank Surge, you have options. You can start leveling the Speed Tank for faster clear times on stages you've already mastered. You can invest in the Tactical Tank if you're moving into co-op content. Or you can double down on the Power Tank, farming upgrade parts to push the Splatchet and Splatellites to their maximum potential.
The smartest move is to stick with the Power Tank until you've completed the main story sectors. By then, you'll have enough resources and game knowledge to make an informed choice about your second tank. The Power Tank isn't just the best starting option — it's the one that sets you up for everything that comes after.
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