Splatoon Raiders Raid Checklist

Most failed raids in Splatoon Raiders are not mysteries. Someone launched on the wrong difficulty, kept yesterday’s Speed gadgets after swapping to Power, forgot a Relic, or invited friends before anyone checked weapon roles. This page is a practical pre-flight board for the Hideout Ship.

Use the interactive checklist below on every progression spike, Spicy node, or co-op night. For easy material farms you can run a shorter mental list—but when a dungeon matters, externalize the checks.

How to use this tool

1. Open the checklist on the ship before you pick the dungeon.
2. Tick items as you verify them in the real menus.
3. Reset after a successful clear if you want a clean slate for the next goal.
4. If a box keeps staying empty, stop and fix that system using the linked guides instead of launching anyway.

Pair this tool with the Builds Hub, Best Weapons, Hideout Ship upgrades, and the Dungeons guide so every tick maps to a concrete menu.

Interactive raid loadout checklist

Why each check matters

Difficulty

Tourist, Raider, and Survivalist change enemy strength, not loot tiers. That means Survivalist is never “required for better drops.” It is a skill and pressure choice. Tick this box only after you confirm the mode matches the group’s comfort. Many wipe stacks happen because one player raised difficulty for pride and forgot the loot math does not reward the struggle.

Read the Difficulty Guide if your squad argues about this every session.

Tank and gadgets

Gadgets are locked to Power, Speed, or Tactical tanks. Swapping tanks without re-equipping L/R gadgets is the classic “why is nothing off cooldown useful” failure. Confirm:

• The tank matches the dungeon plan (crowd delete, mobility, or area control)
• Both gadget slots are filled for the current tank
• You remember the cooldown plan for the first fight, not only the boss

Deep pairings live on Power Tank Builds, Speed Tank Builds, Tactical Tank Builds, and the Gadgets Overview. Ranked opinions sit on the Gadget Tier List.

Primary weapon

A high-star weapon you cannot pilot under a floor timer is worse than a mid-star weapon you already upgraded. Tick the weapon box when:

• The class matches the dungeon spacing (charger on open crystal paths, roller or blaster on dense dens)
• You spent Spirhalite Shards on this keeper recently, or consciously chose not to
• You have a backup kit if the drop RNG hands you a bad first room

See How to Upgrade Weapons and How to Get Weapons before you dump shards into duplicates.

Bot Buddy bond plan

Shiver, Frye, and Big Man are not cosmetic pilots. Bond progress unlocks Briny Scrolls and Showstopper upgrades. Tick this box when you know which buddy is coming and whether tonight’s goal is bond farming or story push. Sampler / compass challenges often do not advance bond the same way—keep that rule in mind.

Full process: How to Increase Bot Buddy Bond.

Relics and inventory

Relics change combat identity more than fashion. Empty Relic slots on a hard dungeon are free difficulty. Also confirm you have inventory space for Spirhalite Shards and gadget parts so you are not forced to abandon loot mid-run. Material priorities are covered in Materials and Relics.

Hideout Ship follow-up

A raid is not finished when the treasure chest opens. Tick the ship box when you already know which construction or workshop queue you will fund after returning—Weapon Stash, Gadget Workshop, or base upgrades. That habit stops the “rich in junk, poor in progression” spiral.

Co-op readiness

If you are hosting, unlock and use the dock radio correctly. Confirm passcode or keyword plans before friends spam join. Local wireless and online both support up to four players after the early unlock. Details: How to Play Co-op.

If you are solo, still tick the co-op box as “N/A tonight” mentally—or leave it unchecked and use Call for Help only as a planned tool, not a panic button after a bad loadout.

Suggested pre-raid scripts

Story progression night

• Tourist or Raider only if the island is new
• Tank you already understand
• One upgraded main weapon
• Bot Buddy you want to bond or whose Showstopper counters the boss type
• Relics that favor survival on first clears

Farm night

• Comfort difficulty
• Weapon/class that clears the dens you are repeating
• Inventory space prioritized
• Ship upgrade goal decided before launch

Co-op night

• Shared dungeon type announced
• Role coverage (crowd clear + objective pressure)
• Same difficulty confirmed by host
• Keyword/passcode ready

Common mistakes this checklist catches

• Launching Survivalist “for loot” (loot does not change)
• Bringing Speed gadgets on a Power tank
• Upgrading five weapons one level instead of one weapon properly
• Ignoring Bot Buddy bond for twenty hours, then wondering why Showstoppers feel weak
• Hosting co-op with empty Relic slots and mismatched dungeon goals

Related pages after you clear

Spend shards with How to Farm Spirhalite, compare keepers on the Weapon Tier List, and track collectibles on Collectibles. When you want a broader opinion of the game loop, read the Review.

Treat this checklist as part of gearing. The players who clear Spicy dens consistently are rarely the ones with the rarest screenshots—they are the ones who stop launching half-ready.