Choosing your first Tank in Splatoon Raiders has a major impact on your early-game progression. While you can eventually unlock and level every Tank, you’ll only gain experience and upgrade materials for the one you currently have equipped.

If you’re just starting out, the Power Tank offers the smoothest progression thanks to its strong upgrade path and beginner-friendly gadgets.

Best Starting Tank

At the start of the game, you can choose between three Tank types:

Tank Playstyle Power Tank High damage and beginner-friendly Speed Tank Fast movement and mobility Tactical Tank Utility and support-focused

For most players, Power Tank is the best first choice.

Although you can swap Tanks at the Hideout Ship, only your equipped Tank gains experience and unlocks upgrades. Because of this, focusing on a single Tank early on helps you unlock powerful abilities more quickly.

The Power Tank also grants access to some of the strongest early-game gadgets, making combat significantly easier during the opening hours.

Why the Power Tank Is the Best Choice

The Power Tank excels because it offers:

  • High early-game damage.
  • Straightforward gameplay.
  • Excellent gadget synergy.
  • Strong upgrade rewards.

Keeping the Power Tank equipped also ensures all earned Power Egg progress contributes toward unlocking its exclusive upgrades.

Power Tank Upgrade: Tank Surge

One of the first major milestones for the Power Tank is Tank Surge.

How to Unlock Tank Surge

You’ll unlock the upgrade after collecting:

Requirement Amount Power Eggs 50,000

Only Power Eggs collected while the Power Tank is equipped count toward this total.

Tank Surge Effect

Tank Surge increases your damage by 20% for a short time after exiting swim form, provided you’ve remained submerged long enough beforehand.

This damage boost helps defeat enemies much faster and is one of the strongest reasons to stick with the Power Tank during the early game.

Best Beginner Gadgets

The Splatchet and Splatellites are the best gadgets to pair with the Power Tank.

Splatchet

The Splatchet is an aggressive melee gadget that lets you dash forward and slash everything in front of you.

Strengths

  • High burst damage.
  • Easy to use.
  • Scales well with upgrades.
  • Excellent against groups of nearby enemies.

Weaknesses

  • Requires close-range combat.
  • Struggles to hit distant enemies.

For the best results, pair the Splatchet with a reliable ranged weapon to cover encounters where melee attacks aren’t practical.

Recommended Splatchet Upgrades

Prioritize these upgrade parts:

  • Cooldown Reduction
  • Reduce Damage Taken

These upgrades improve survivability while allowing you to use the gadget more frequently.

Splatellites

The Splatellites summon rotating discs that circle your character, damaging nearby enemies while inking the ground.

Because they deal passive damage automatically, they’re an excellent companion to the Splatchet.

Strengths

  • Continuous damage around your character.
  • Provides extra protection while fighting up close.
  • Helps control space by spreading ink.

Weaknesses

  • Limited range.
  • Ineffective against enemies that stay at a distance.

When combined with the Splatchet, Splatellites make it much easier to clear groups of enemies without constantly relying on your primary weapon.

Recommended Splatellites Upgrades

Focus on these upgrade parts:

  • Duration
  • Damage
  • Area Up

These upgrades increase both the gadget’s damage output and the amount of time it remains active.

Best Beginner Loadout

For new players, this combination provides the smoothest progression:

Slot Recommendation Tank Power Tank Primary Gadget Splatchet Secondary Gadget Splatellites

This setup offers excellent damage, strong survivability, and straightforward gameplay while you learn Splatoon Raiders’ combat systems. As you unlock additional Tanks and gadgets later in the game, you’ll have more opportunities to experiment with different builds, but the Power Tank remains one of the strongest starting options for early progression.