Every weapon type (and the best Primo pick)
There are well over 50 weapons split into ten classes. You don't need to master them all — most players settle on one main plus a ranged fallback. The "Primo" column is the rare 5-star version of that class worth upgrading long-term.
| Class | What it does | Best Primo pick |
|---|---|---|
| Shooters | High fire rate, easy coverage, safe dive-to-ink. The starter class. | Primo Plastic-Bottle Splattershot |
| Rollers | Heavy ink coverage and strong close-range swings against hordes. | Primo Shrimp Roller |
| Chargers | Snipers. Charge for a long, powerful line of ink. | Primo Unleaded 4K |
| Sloshers | Bucket flings that do big AoE coverage. | Primo Shichirin Pow Slosher |
| Splatlings | Gatling-style barrage. Vulnerable while charging, big payoff. | Primo Gas-Can Splatling |
| Dualies | Dual-wield, dodge-roll for mobility and a damage bump. | Primo Sippy-Cup Dualies |
| Brellas | Umbrella that blocks attacks and can be launched. | Primo Thermal Brella |
| Blasters | Slow fire, huge exploding shots. Best early AoE. | Primo Steam Blaster |
| Brushes | Melee swipe, very fast movement and inking. | Primo Touring Brush |
| Stringers | Big bow firing five shots, strong vs grouped enemies. | Primo Racket Stringer |
| Splatanas | Returning from Splatoon 3. Swipe fast or charge for heavy hits. | Primo Plastic Splatana |
What Primo weapons are (and why they matter late)
Every class has a rare Primo variant — the 5-star version of that weapon. The key difference is the upgrade ceiling:
- Standard weapons cap at level 5. Fine for early game, but they plateau.
- Primo weapons go to level 10. That extra headroom is what makes them worth pouring your best Spirhalite Shards into once you hit post-game.
How to get more weapons
Weapons are random drops, not fixed stage rewards. Two reliable sources per raid:
- Defeated Salmonids — every enemy you splat has a chance to drop one.
- Breakable crates — smash every normal and blue crate you pass.
Higher-difficulty raids (Spicy and above) tend to drop stronger and rarer weapons. And on solo runs you keep everything you picked up even if the raid ends in defeat, so there's no penalty for pushing deeper to grab loot before you go down.
Upgrading and scrapping at Frye's Weapon Stash
- Return to the Hideout Ship after a raid and open the Weapon Stash.
- Select the weapon you want to improve to see its current level.
- Spend Spirhalite Shards plus the required Salmonid materials to raise its level.
- Once you progress far enough, scrap duplicates you don't need there to recover a stack of Shards.
Standard weapons cap at five upgrade levels; Primo five-star weapons go to ten. Those are the ones worth your best materials.
Which weapon to start with
For a new player, the safe answer is damage + crowd control over precision. Blasters (Steam or Oil) lead early thanks to AoE and easy ammo management. Shooters like the Soap-Bottle Splattershot are the easiest to learn and let you dive to safety any time. Splatanas carry most fights once charged, while the Shrimp Roller and Sippy-Cup Dualies are versatile, safer fallbacks. Pick one main to pour Shards into, keep a fast ranged option in reserve, and recycle everything else through Frye.
Get the game
Splatoon Raiders is a Switch 2 exclusive. If you don't own it yet, grab a copy to start building your arsenal:
Frequently asked questions
What are Primo weapons in Splatoon Raiders?
Primo weapons are the rare 5-star versions of each weapon. A standard weapon caps at upgrade level 5, but a Primo weapon can be upgraded all the way to level 10, so they are the ones worth spending your best Spirhalite Shards on.
How do you get more weapons in Splatoon Raiders?
Weapons drop randomly from defeated Salmonids and from breakable crates in every raid. There is no fixed reward per stage. On solo runs you keep everything you pick up even if the raid ends in defeat, so push for loot before you go down.
Can you upgrade weapons?
Yes. Frye runs the Weapon Stash on the Hideout Ship. Speak to her, choose a weapon, and spend Spirhalite Shards plus specific Salmonid materials. Later you can scrap duplicate weapons there to recover Shards.
Which weapon is best for beginners?
Blasters (Steam or Oil) for easy AoE, or a Shooter like the Soap-Bottle Splattershot for the safest learning curve. Favor damage and crowd control over precision early on.
Next: want a ranked shortlist instead of the full list? See the best weapons tier list, or pair your pick with a build in the best build guide.