How to Increase Bot Buddy Bond in Splatoon Raiders

Why Bot Buddy Bond matters

In Splatoon Raiders, one Deep Cut member—Shiver, Frye, or Big Man—joins every raid as your Bot Buddy inside the Exploration Bot. Bond is the hidden (or easy-to-miss) relationship track that grows when you finish dungeons with that buddy equipped. Higher Bond pays out Briny Scrolls and, after enough ranks, Showstopper upgrades that add damage, area, and status effects.

If you only main one idol for the whole campaign, the other two Showstoppers stay undercooked. This guide explains how Bond progresses, what each buddy gains, which routes farm fastest, and how Bond fits beside weapon and gadget upgrades. For base bot behavior, revisit Getting Started. For party play while farming, see How to Play Co-op.

How Bond actually increases

Bond progress is tied to completed dungeon runs with a specific buddy selected in the equip menu. Key rules players should remember:

• Previously cleared dungeons still count—replay freely.
• Short Dens are usually faster than long story dungeons for pure Bond grinding.
• You need to finish the run; treat completion as the checkpoint that banks progress.
• Sample or compass-only practice spaces that the game flags as non-standard may not grant Bond—stick to real dens and dungeons.
• Swapping buddies between runs does not erase earlier progress on someone else.

When a Bond level completes, the buddy typically flags you with a Hideout Ship conversation. That chat is your confirmation ping—there is not always a giant persistent progress bar in menus, so watch for those scenes.

Showstoppers and Bond payoffs

Each Deep Cut clan technique becomes more decisive as Bond climbs:

• Shiver — Shark Bite — Linear, high-impact strike with Master Mega. Late Bond upgrades expand damage/area and can freeze hit Salmonids, turning messy swarms into controllable packs.
• Frye — Moray Storm — Wide flute-summoned eel assault. Bond upgrades boost coverage and can Ferment enemies caught inside, accelerating follow-up kills.
• Big Man — Manta Dance — Ride an empowered Big Man, slamming through foes while lure shots pull Salmonids into the chaos. Bond investment makes the ride a reset button for bad positioning.

Every Bond level also contributes Briny Scroll collectibles. Completionists should rotate all three buddies even if one Showstopper already feels “good enough.”

Best early farming mindset

Efficiency comes from short clears, not heroic Survivalist marathons:

1. Pick a dense but quick den you can finish consistently on Raider or Tourist.
2. Equip the buddy you want to level.
3. Bring a tank that clears the den’s enemy shape—Power for center clumps, Speed for mobile lesser packs, Tactical for chokepoints. See How to Use Gadgets and Builds.
4. Finish, return to the ship, and repeat until the Bond conversation triggers.
5. Switch buddies and repeat the loop.

Because difficulty only changes enemy strength—not loot—you can drop to Tourist for safer Bond farms without hurting shard income. Confirm that philosophy in the Difficulty Guide and keep shards flowing with How to Farm Spirhalite.

Pair Bond goals with Hideout jobs

Bond is a combat track, but each buddy also anchors a ship facility:

• Shiver — Gadget Workshop crafting and gadget investment.
• Frye — Weapon Stash upgrades and scrapping (see How to Upgrade Weapons).
• Big Man — Cataloging relics, Salmonids, weapons, and gadgets (cross-check Items and Weapons).

A smart session might farm Frye Bond on morning dens, spend Spirhalite at her stash, then swap to Shiver for afternoon gadget part routes. Use the Raid Checklist so Bond nights do not accidentally ignore materials you still need.

Co-op Bond farming

Co-op dens still count as completed dungeons for the buddy you brought. Coordinate so each player farms a different idol if the group cares about Showstopper completion. Avoid stacking four identical Speed kits into a den that wants shield breaks—complementary tanks shorten clears, which means more Bond cycles per hour. Unlock steps remain in How to Play Co-op.

Call for Help can save a failed solo farm, but cooldowns make it a backup, not a primary Bond engine.

Common mistakes

• Ignoring two buddies forever — You miss scrolls and late Showstopper modifiers.
• Only grinding the longest dungeon — Story depth is great for relics; dens win for Bond speed.
• Raising difficulty “for more Bond” — Bond cares about completions, not Survivalist bragging rights.
• Forgetting tank upgrades — Bond does not replace Mechanic’s Shack stats or Frye weapon ranks.
• Never reading the catalog — Big Man’s intel helps you recognize Seasoned variants before they flatten a farm route.

Suggested progression plan

• Hours 1–3: Rotate buddies naturally through story beats from the Walkthrough.
• Mid game: Pick one underleveled Showstopper and run dens until the third major upgrade tier feels online.
• Late game: Finish remaining Bond ranks while targeting Seasoned Salmonid dens; use upgraded Showstoppers as panic buttons rather than openers every fight.
• Ongoing: Recheck Tier List and Guides Hub when new dens change the fastest loop.

Bot Buddy Bond is one of the cleanest power spikes in Splatoon Raiders because it asks for attention, not rare drop luck. Finish short raids on purpose, listen for Hideout conversations, and your Exploration Bot team will start carrying the scariest Spirhalite rooms with style.