Splatoon Raiders Primo vs Standard Weapons: Which Should You Invest In?

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After reaching Splatoon Raiders‘ endgame, many players start wondering whether Primo weapons are worth chasing or if upgraded standard weapons are good enough. While both versions share the same core weapon mechanics, testing from experienced players shows that Primo variants provide a noticeable performance advantage, especially in the Bottomless Buffet mode where defeating powerful Salmonid bosses within strict time limits is the main challenge.

Quick Overview	Details
Best Weapon Type	Primo weapons
Best Stat	Firing Rate
Recommended Game Mode	Bottomless Buffet
Resources to Save	Spiralite, Gems
Upgrade Advice	Invest mainly in Primo weapons
Worth Upgrading Standard Weapons?	Only as temporary options

Why Primo weapons are considered better

Primo weapons are enhanced versions of existing weapons rather than entirely new equipment. Their biggest advantage comes from significantly improved stat bonuses, allowing them to perform better without introducing major disadvantages.

Testing shows that Primo versions receive roughly double the bonus values compared to standard weapons. Since their base damage remains similar, the extra performance comes primarily from increased attack speed and more efficient damage output.

For players aiming to complete the toughest endgame activities, this translates into consistently faster boss eliminations and smoother runs.

Understanding the three weapon stat categories

Weapons in Splatoon Raiders generally roll bonuses that fall into three major categories.

Stat Category	Purpose	Endgame Value
Ink Efficiency	Reduces ink consumption	Low
Ink Coverage	Paints more area	Low
Firing Rate	Shoots faster	Very High

Ink efficiency becomes less important

During early progression, conserving ink can make a noticeable difference because players have limited gadgets and upgrades.

However, once you reach the Bottomless Buffet, most builds include gadgets that greatly reduce or eliminate ink management problems. As a result, additional ink efficiency offers very little practical benefit.

Ink coverage loses value

Similarly, covering large areas with ink becomes less important during endgame combat.

Bottomless Buffet focuses heavily on surviving waves and defeating powerful bosses before the timer expires. Since players spend much more time attacking than painting terrain, extra coverage provides only marginal improvements.

Firing rate becomes the best stat

The most valuable weapon bonus in endgame content is firing rate.

Higher firing speed means:

• More projectiles fired every second.
• Higher overall DPS.
• Faster boss eliminations.
• Better chances of clearing difficult waves within the 90-second limit.

Because bosses have extremely large health pools, maximizing damage output becomes the highest priority.

Performance comparison between standard and Primo weapons

Testing highlights just how large the performance gap can become.

Weapon	Approximate Performance
Base Butane Blaster	Fires around 10 shots during the test period
Primo Butane Blaster	Fires around 17 shots in the same amount of time

Frame analysis also showed a major improvement.

Weapon	Frames Per Shot
Standard Oil Blaster	Around 50 frames
Primo Butane Blaster	Around 30 frames

Reducing the delay between shots dramatically increases total damage over the course of a battle, especially during lengthy boss encounters.

How to prioritize your weapon upgrades

1. Continue using standard weapons while progressing through the main game and early post-game content.
2. Avoid spending excessive Spiralite and Gems upgrading regular weapons beyond approximately Level 50 unless absolutely necessary.
3. Start collecting Primo weapons whenever they become available.
4. Save your rare resources specifically for Primo upgrades instead of spreading them across multiple standard weapons.
5. Build your endgame loadout around the Primo weapon that best matches your preferred playstyle.

Why saving resources matters

One of the biggest mistakes players make is fully upgrading weapons that will eventually be replaced.

Resources such as Spiralite and Gems become increasingly valuable later in the game. Fully upgrading a standard weapon can leave you without enough materials when you finally obtain its Primo counterpart.

Since Primo weapons provide better long-term performance, saving upgrade materials helps prevent wasted investment.

Resource	Recommended Use
Spiralite	Primo weapon upgrades
Gems	Primo enhancements
Standard Weapon Materials	Temporary progression only

How Bottomless Buffet changes weapon priorities

The Bottomless Buffet is designed around defeating increasingly powerful enemies before the timer expires.

Unlike earlier content, success depends far less on conserving ink and much more on maintaining consistent damage output. The overall objective revolves around filling the Power Egg meter by defeating enemies as efficiently as possible.

Because of this design, every increase in firing speed directly improves your ability to clear encounters and defeat boss Salmonids before time runs out.

This shift in gameplay is why firing-rate-focused Primo weapons consistently outperform standard versions in the highest difficulty content.

Should you wait for Primo weapons?

If you’re still progressing through the campaign, regular weapons remain perfectly viable and can comfortably carry you through most content.

However, players planning to spend significant time farming the Bottomless Buffet or pushing difficult endgame activities should consider standard weapons as temporary investments. Once Primo versions become available, they offer a clear upgrade path with stronger stat bonuses and substantially better damage potential.

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Primo weapons currently stand out as the strongest long-term choice for Splatoon Raiders’ endgame. Their superior firing-rate bonuses, faster attack speed, and improved overall damage make them the preferred option for tackling Bottomless Buffet and other high-level challenges. While regular weapons remain useful during progression, conserving valuable upgrade resources for Primo equipment is the most efficient strategy if you plan to invest heavily in the game’s endgame systems.