Salmon Run is one of the most popular co-op modes in Splatoon 3. In this intense mode, you and three other players battle waves of Salmonid enemies while collecting Golden Eggs. It’s chaotic but rewarding fun. But does participating in Salmon Run also help you gain XP (experience points) to level up your character? Let’s break it down.
Overview of Salmon Run XP Rewards
The short answer is yes, Salmon Run provides decent XP rewards to help you progress. Here’s a summary of the XP you can earn:
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300 XP – You get 300 base XP for completing each wave So finishing all 3 waves awards 900 XP
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400 XP – Defeating the super tough Cohozuna mid-boss nets you an extra 400 XP.
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1200 XP – Therefore, a full 3 wave run plus Cohozuna will total 1200 XP.
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1600-2500 XP – Using a 15x or 2x XP ticket doubles or triples your earnings
So in a typical Salmon Run shift you can expect to earn 1000-2000 XP depending on your performance. Let’s see how this compares to Splatoon 3’s other modes.
Salmon Run XP vs Other Modes
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Turf War – Awards 1000-1400 XP per match.
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Anarchy Battles – Earns 1500-4000+ XP per match depending on mode.
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Salmon Run – Gives a consistent 1000-2000 XP per shift with XP tickets.
Salmon Run sits comfortably between Turf War and Anarchy Battles for XP gains. It can’t match the high ceiling of Anarchy, but provides more reliable XP than Turf War. Overall it’s a great way to level up at a steady pace.
Tips to Maximize Salmon Run XP
Here are some tips to optimize your XP earnings from Salmon Run:
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Use 1.5x or 2x XP tickets to double or triple rewards.
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Finish all 3 waves consistently to maximize XP over time.
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Team up to take down the Cohozuna boss for bonus XP.
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Revive teammates quickly to maintain egg collecting potential.
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Collect as many Golden Eggs as possible to clear waves faster.
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Play during 2x bonus XP events that occasionally run.
Salmon Run’s Role in Splatoon 3 Progression
Beyond just XP, Salmon Run provides other rewards that aid your overall progression:
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Gear ability chunks – Cashed in to upgrade your gear.
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Cash – Used to buy weapons, clothing, and locker expansions.
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Gear – Salmon Run exclusives like Grizzco outfits.
So while the XP is nice, earning cash and ability chunks is almost more valuable. Salmon Run complements the other modes nicely in terms of rewards.
Focus on Having Fun!
At the end of the day, Salmon Run is just immensely fun. Working with your team to stay alive and collect eggs is exhilarating chaos. Don’t worry too much about min-maxing XP gains. Just focus on enjoying Splatoon 3’s inventive take on co-op horde mode! The progression will come naturally.
Rare weapon wildcard rotation
Every few months, a wildcard rotation has golden question marks instead of the normal green ones. This signifies that the supplied weapons are all rare, but still randomly loaned. Each player is equally likely to receive any of the four rare weapons. The first such rotation took place on and was announced in a Tweet citing a message from Mr. Grizz saying he could not get the standard weapons ready on time, so the shift would take place using only his personal belongings.[3] Like other random rotations, Frantic Aspic replaces Deluge Dirge during normal waves.
Wildcard rotation
There are two types of standard wildcard rotation: all-random wildcard rotations (displayed as in the Salmon Run schedule) and partial wildcard rotations (displayed as three standard weapons and one in the schedule). Players assigned the wildcard weapon slot ( ) at the start of a wave receive a random weapon, which is not revealed until loaned; this wildcard weapon slot has a chance to loan players the one rare weapon that is assigned to appear in the specific rotation. In all-random wildcard rotations, work crews are loaned exclusively random weapons. In partial wildcard rotations, three weapons are preset, similar to non-wildcard rotations, while the last weapon is random. Wildcard rotations typically take place twice per month.
In all-random wildcard rotations, there are no limits to how many players may be loaned the same weapon in a wave, and it is possible for players to receive the same weapon multiple times in the same shift. This phenomenon extends to rare weapons as well as repeats of the preset weapons in partial wildcard rotations.
As of version 4.0.0, a song called Frantic Aspic by ω-3 plays in place of Deluge Dirge during these rotations.
For a history of wildcard rotations, see Salmon Run data.
How to Beat Cohozuna in Salmon Run (Chill 2023)
FAQ
How much Catalog XP do you get from a Salmon Run?
Winning a battle such as a Turf War or completing a shift in Salmon Run Next Wave for the first time in a day will award 7,500 Catalog Points.
What is the point of Salmon Run Splatoon 3?
Completion of a round of Salmon Run grants players Grizzco Points, which they can redeem for bonus prizes at the window outside Grizzco. The reward amount is based on the number of Golden Eggs and Power Eggs collected and the player’s current pay grade.
How to get rewards from Salmon Run?
Comments Section Before entering salmon run, go to the left of the entrance and there is this machine that will give you your rewards. When you’re looking at the entrance of the salmon run, look left and there is a small window. There you can select the “A” button and collect all your sweet rewards!
What rewards do you get in salmon run?
Capsules are the primary reward you’ll earn in Salmon Run, with most capsules containing Cash or Food and Drink Tickets. It’s also possible to earn Rare Capsules indicated by a sparkle, and often contain double the amount of regular capsules!
How do I earn rare capsules in salmon run?
It’s also possible to earn Rare Capsules indicated by a sparkle, and often contain double the amount of regular capsules! You can also redeem cosmetics such as new Slopsuits and decorations using Fish Scales, with new rewards available after increasing your rank in Salmon Run.
What happens if I don’t clear a salmon run?
Even if you didn’t successfully clear a Salmon Run, the points you earned still contributes to the Bonus Meter’s progress. You can redeem your rewards from your recent Salmon Runs at the Reception Desk right next to Mr. Grizz’s phone.
Can you play salmon run online?
Salmon Run is not always playable online, as the Grizzco Industries building can sometimes be closed. It opens in an irregular pattern but can be expected to be available every other day. Each Salmon Run rotation features one random stage and four random weapons to be assigned to players.
What weapons can you use in salmon run?
Despite there being multiple main weapons and special weapons that players can receive, the only sub weapon a player can use while in Salmon Run is the Splat Bomb. Main weapons and some special weapons loaned to players have different stats than their standard multiplayer counterparts.
Why is salmon run a Nintendo Switch game?
According to producer Hisashi Nogami, Salmon Run was created to take advantage of the portability of the Nintendo Switch console, and to provide smaller groups of players with an engaging local multiplayer experience, given the relatively large number of players (eight) required for other game modes.