Ability chunk

Ability chunks are a type of currency in Splatoon 2 and Splatoon 3. They are used to add specific types of abilities to gear.

Use

Ability chunks are a more reliable method for acquiring secondary gear abilities than rerolling gear or using probability-influencing drinks from the Crust Bucket. Due to this, they are often used for getting or stacking abilities that are unlikely to appear in a re-roll.

In Splatoon 3, applying ability chunks is the only way to replace the main ability of a gear item.

Splatoon 2

Obtaining chunks

Ability chunks can be obtained from green capsules that are rewarded in Salmon Run. Ordinary green capsules have a 40% chance to contain two ability chunks and a 10% to yield four, while shiny green capsules guarantee four chunks. Gear rewards can also be exchanged for the abilities present on the given gear, turning those secondary gear abilities into chunks.

Murch has the option to scrub any gear the player has, where the secondary abilities are "scrubbed" off and turned into chunks that the player obtains with the cost of  20,000 cash (or  2,000 cash when scrubbing the Splatfest Tee). The player also gains chunks when rerolling gear, where the previous secondary abilities are turned into 1 chunk each.

As of Version 4.0.0, the player was able to earn ability chunks from the Splatfest Tee if all the slots were already filled out, as the shirt continued filling in experience points, which awarded a random ability chunk every 7500 points. This only occurred during the Splatfest and not in the period of time following its announcement.

Adding abilities

In Splatoon 2, ability chunks can only be used to add or overwrite secondary gear abilities.

The price of one secondary ability depends on the number of the same secondary ability already present on the gear item, ignoring its gear brand, star count, and primary ability. The amounts are:

• 10 chunks for the first copy;
• 20 chunks for the second copy; and
• 30 chunks for the third copy.

For example, a gear with three secondary ability slots has one Run Speed Up and one Swim Speed Up as its secondary abilities.

• 20 Run Speed Up chunks are needed to apply Run Speed Up to the empty third secondary slot since one sub of Run Speed Up is already present on the gear.
• 10 Special Saver chunks are needed to apply Special Saver to the empty third secondary slot since no sub of Special Saver is already present on the gear.
• 20 Swim Speed Up chunks are needed to replace Run Speed Up on the first secondary slot with Swim Speed Up since one sub of Swim Speed Up is already present on the gear.

Overwriting a secondary gear ability with ability chunks grants 1 chunk of the old ability.

Splatoon 3

In addition to adding secondary abilities with chunks (with the same rules as the previous game), Splatoon 3 introduces the ability to replace the primary ability of a gear item with ability chunks, once again done via Murch. It requires 45 ability chunks of the desired primary ability and after replacement 6 chunks of the old ability are refunded. The cost is unaffected by the item's gear brand, star power, or secondary abilities.

For primary slot-only abilities, their installation requires 15 chunks of three specific abilities (for a total of 45 chunks) and when overwritten they refund 2 chunks of said component abilities (for a total of 6 chunks). The primary slot-only abilities that can be applied with chunks and their component chunks are listed below.

For the Splatfest Tee, the primary ability installation only requires 6 chunks (for non-exclusive abilities) or 2 chunks of three component abilities (for primary slot-only abilities; with a total of 6 chunks). The amount of refunded chunks is the same as any other gear item.

Ability Doubler is exclusive to the Splatfest Tee, cannot be applied with ability chunks, and when overwritten will not refund any chunks.

Alongside the same methods as in Splatoon 2, ability chunks can also be obtained by continuing to obtain experience on a gear item after its secondary slots are filled (even if it has less than three secondary slots), giving a chunk of a randomly rolled ability, and as rewards from the Shell-Out Machine.

Name	Description	Gear	Component chunks
Opening Gambit	Boosts your speed while moving for the first 30 seconds of battle.	Headgear	Run Speed Up Swim Speed Up Ink Resistance Up
Last-Ditch Effort	Boosts ink-recovery rate and weapon-ink efficiency for the last 30 seconds of battle.	Headgear	Ink Saver (Main) Ink Saver (Sub) Ink Recovery Up
Tenacity	Fills special gauge automatically if your team has fewer active players than the enemy.	Headgear	Special Charge Up Special Saver Special Power Up
Comeback	Boosts some of your abilities for a short time after respawning.	Headgear	Run Speed Up Swim Speed Up Special Charge Up
Ninja Squid	Leaves no trace when swimming in inked ground but slightly reduces swim speed.	Clothing	Ink Recovery Up Run Speed Up Swim Speed Up
Haunt	Once you've respawned, reveals the position of the players who splatted you.	Clothing	Quick Respawn Sub Power Up Ink Resistance Up
Thermal Ink	Allows you to track distant players hit with shots from your main weapon.	Clothing	Ink Saver (Main) Ink Saver (Sub) Intensify Action
Respawn Punisher	Increases respawn time and special-gauge spawn penalty for you and any player you splat.	Clothing	Special Saver Quick Respawn Sub Resistance Up
Stealth Jump	Hides your Super Jump landing point from distant players.	Shoes	Quick Super Jump Sub Resistance Up Intensify Action
Object Shredder	Increases damage dealt to all nonplayer targets.	Shoes	Ink Recovery Up Special Power Up Sub Power Up
Drop Roller	Tilting the Left Stick during a Super Jump lets you perform a roll in that direction when landing.	Shoes	Quick Super Jump Ink Resistance Up Intensify Action

Gallery

Splatoon 2

• 

  Murch scrubbing a pair of Yellow-Mesh Sneakers.

• 

  An official image advertising Murch's ability scrubbing service.

• 

  Gear Ability Tips thumbnail from the Nintendo Switch News menu.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	ギアパワーのかけら Gia Pawā no Kakera	Fragment of Gear Power
Dutch	Effectfragment	Effect fragment
French	Fragment de bonus d'équipement	Equipment Bonus Fragment
German	Effekt-Fragment	Effect fragment
Italian	Frammento abilità	Ability fragment
Russian	Б/у свойства B/u svojstva	Used abilities
Spanish	Fragmento de potenciador	Strengthener shared
Chinese (Simplified)	装备能力碎片 zhuāngbèi nénglì suìpiàn (Mandarin)	Equipment Ability Fragment
Chinese (Traditional)	裝備能力碎片 zhuāngbèi nénglì suìpiàn (Mandarin)	Equipment Ability Fragment
Korean	기어 파워 파편 gieo pawo papyeon	Gear Power Fragment