Splatoon Raiders builds its whole cast around four figures stranded on the Spirhalite Islands. You control the Mechanic, and the three members of Deep Cut from Splatoon 3 join you as support. Shiver, Frye, and Big Man are not separate playable heroes here. Each one rides along in the Exploration Bot and runs a specific service at your base.
Quick answer: The Mechanic is the only playable character. Shiver, Frye, and Big Man act as Bot Buddies who pilot the Exploration Bot in combat, each with a unique Showstopper, and each handles a different upgrade or catalog job at the Hideout Ship.
The Mechanic: the character you play
The Mechanic is the pilot who flew Deep Cut toward the Spirhalite Islands before the crash. You choose to be either an Inkling or an Octoling, and as in earlier Splatoon games you can switch between your humanoid form and your swimming form. Your home is the Hideout Ship, shared with the band.
Customization runs deeper than looks. You can change hair, skin, and clothes, but the bigger decisions are your loadout. That means picking a weapon, equipping gadgets, assigning relic powers, choosing a tank type, and even styling the Exploration Bot. You raise and improve your tank power at the Mechanic’s Shack.
How Bot Buddies work
Before each raid you pick one member of Deep Cut as your Bot Buddy. That buddy pilots the Exploration Bot alongside you. The bot shoots ink at enemies, follows you around, launches you upward when you jump onto it, drills ore nodes for materials, and helps locate treasure. The signature mask of whichever buddy you bring clips onto the Mechanic’s ink tank.
Each buddy has a Showstopper, a special move that pulls them out of the bot to hit enemies directly. A Bond System sits on top of this. As you raise your bond with a buddy, you unlock more perks, and some Showstoppers grow stronger with a higher bond.
Deep Cut roles at a comparison
| Character | Species | Home Base job | Showstopper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shiver | Octoling (blue hair) | Upgrade gadgets in the Gadget Workshop | Shark Bite |
| Frye | Inkling (yellow hair) | Upgrade or scrap weapons in the Weapons Stash | Morays in the Air |
| Big Man | Manta ray (gray) | Catalog relics, Salmonids, weapons, and gadgets | Manta Dance |
Shiver
Shiver is the blue-haired quasi-leader of Deep Cut and an Octoling. On the islands she is on your side. Bring her along and she fights from the Exploration Bot, and back at the Hideout Ship she helps craft and upgrade your gadgets in the Gadget Workshop.
- Showstopper — Shark Bite: Shiver rides Master Mega in a straight line to strike enemies.
- Briny Scrolls: Three scrolls tied to the Hohojiro Clan.
Frye
Frye is the yellow-haired, high-energy Inkling of the trio. Her value at base is weapon management. In the Weapons Stash she upgrades your weapons or turns them into materials, so she is the buddy you visit when you want to refine or clear out your arsenal.
- Showstopper — Morays in the Air: Frye’s flute summons moray eels to hit a wide area. A stronger bond raises the damage and area, and it Ferments any Salmonids caught inside.
- Briny Scrolls: Three scrolls tied to the Onaga Clan.
Big Man
Big Man is a large gray manta ray and the band’s producer. His strength is knowledge. Interact with him at the Hideout Ship to review everything you have gathered, including your Relic Collection, retrieved Briny Scrolls, Salmonid research, and reference on weapons and gadgets.
- Showstopper — Manta Dance: Ride an invisible Big Man and slam into foes. Fire with L and R to lure in the Salmonids you hit.
- Briny Scrolls: Three scrolls tied to the Manta Clan.
Once you know these four roles, the loop clicks into place. You explore and fight as the Mechanic, swap in the Bot Buddy whose Showstopper fits the fight, then return to the Hideout Ship to upgrade gadgets with Shiver, sort weapons with Frye, and check your findings with Big Man. Raising your bond with each one keeps unlocking more of what they bring to the islands.
