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Splatoon 3: Best abilities in the game

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In the ink-filled world of Splatoon, you are given a ton of unique tools to spread your team’s color all across the map. This will serve several purposes, from building up your points, letting you move faster, and of course, splatting your opposition. Your main method of ink dispersal will come via the many different weapons you can choose from. From basic blasters to paint rollers and even windshield wipers, you’re never at a loss for options when it comes to spraying ink.

Abilities are supplemental skills that come in two main categories: abilities tied to weapons and abilities you can slot into any weapon. In total, Splatoon 3 has 26 to pick from, making it quite a lot to experiment with. Each one serves a different purpose, and while they all could technically fit someone’s playstyle, there are clearly a few that outshine the rest. Before you jump into your next Turf War, check out which are the best abilities to take with you in Splatoon 3.

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Ink Saver

A turf war battle.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Ask any Splatoon player what the best ability is, and there’s a good chance they’ll come back with Ink Saver. It’s no surprise, either, since this ability is great for every player all of the time. It simply makes your weapon (main or sub) use less ink to shoot. That has massive implications on a game like Splatoon 3. First, spreading ink is basically the name of the game, so the more you can lay down without needing to refill the better. However, it will also give you a big advantage in combat since, as long as your opponent doesn’t have it too, you can stay on the offensive and not need to fall back to refill ink during a firefight.

Ink Recovery Up

An inkling with a sniper.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Pairing perfectly with Ink Saver, Ink Recovery Up is another ability no player should overlook. This will vastly improve your ink refill rate, both in squid form and while simply not firing, letting you spend even less time out of the game and stuck in a vulnerable position. When you combine these first two together, though, that’s when you’ve got a build that almost never needs to slow down.

Ink Resistance Up

An inkling with a bow.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Of course, no matter how good you are in Splatoon 3, you’re going to get hit from time to time. Whether you’re directly hit by an enemy player, or accidentally running over ink from their team, your squid kid can’t withstand too much abuse normally. With Ink Resistance Up, you can survive much longer under enemy fire, but it also removes the speed debuff you get when walking over enemy ink. If you always feel you’re losing battles by just a tiny margin, this ability will turn the tables in your favor.

Stealth Jump

A team of Inklings in the air.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Super Jumps are by far the fastest way to reposition across the map. The downside? The enemy team can see where you’re going to land before you do, giving them the opportunity to set up an ambush as soon as you land. Normally that would lead players to simply jump to locations far enough away from the enemy team to avoid that possibility, but with Stealth Jump, you don’t have to. This ability hides your landing spot, unless there is an active Squid Beacon. Stealth Jumping in right behind enemy lines is a fantastic way to get some easy splats.

Swim Speed Up

An inkling stands on a tower in Salmon Run in Splatoon 3.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We don’t need to remind you at this point that, in Splatoon 3, you’re both a kid and a squid. You’ll spend most of your time as a kid, but there are plenty of reasons you will need, and want, to go into squid form. Aside from refilling your ink faster, your squid form is much better for moving around the map. You’re faster and can even swim up walls (as long as they’re inked, of course). Swim Speed Up does exactly what it says on the tin: You swim faster while in squid form. Since map positioning is key in Splatoon 3, being able to move around faster, plus spend less time unable to fight back while in squid form, is always a positive.

Run Speed Up

An inkling sitting on a bench.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

And, of course, the partner to Swim Speed Up would be Run Speed Up. Again, this one is self evident: You run faster while in kid form. This ability is great for out maneuvering enemies while dueling and also handy for normal traversal. The speed increase you get will depend on what weapon you have and doesn’t negate the slowdown you get when running over enemy ink or while using a roller. Still, moving faster always feels good.

Quick Respawn

Inkimlings stand together in Splatoon 3 Salmon Run.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Finally, Quick Respawn is the ultimate time saver. This ability gets less useful the better you get at Splatoon 3, but for beginner and average players, not having to wait as long to get back to playing after an unfortunate splatting just means you can get back to the fun that much faster. However, this ability will only trigger if you get splatted without having splatted an enemy yourself that life. That means, if you’re starting to play well enough where you are getting at least one splat before perishing yourself, this ability won’t do anything for you.

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