Snatcher
Snatchers are a type of Lesser Salmonid that appear in Salmon Run in Splatoon 2 and Salmon Run Next Wave in Splatoon 3.
Description
If a Golden Egg stays on the ground for a short period of time, a Snatcher spawns. After spawning, it starts to go towards Golden Eggs and attempts to pick them up and run away with them. Each Snatcher can pick up a maximum of three Golden Eggs. Players can splat them to get them to drop the eggs, but new ones will reappear unless the egg is claimed. After it takes the eggs, it lets off a distinct giggle that serves as an audio warning.
In Splatoon 2, a single Snatcher is assigned to each "drop" of Golden Eggs (normally, the three eggs that are dropped from one Boss Salmonid), and do not take eggs from other "drops". For example, if two bosses were splatted, and the players took two Golden Eggs of the three that each one dropped, two Snatchers will appear, and neither of the Snatchers will try to get the other Golden Egg. If a Snatcher is splatted, another spawns after a while and targets the same Golden Eggs until either the wave ends or the players or Snatcher collects all remaining Golden Eggs. If all three eggs have been collected, the Snatcher turns back and returns to the ocean without collecting any Golden Eggs.
During Mothership waves, a "drop" consists of the single egg dropped when splatting a Chinook. During Goldie Seeking waves, a "drop" is a single egg that falls off the Goldie. In these two Known Occurrences, Snatchers only ever carry a single Golden Egg.
Snatchers are almost identical in appearance to Chums. The only differences are that Snatchers have a blue mohawk and blue eyes instead of red ones, making them easier to spot among other Salmonids.
In Splatoon 3, the Snatchers have been equipped with nets and small aircrafts which appear to be Octocopter helmets, allowing them to steal Golden Eggs in locations they would not have been able to reach in Splatoon 2 and reducing the time it takes for them to escape after picking up Golden Eggs. Additionally, Snatchers no longer have the "drop" system they had in Splatoon 2 and also can pick up to eight eggs at once. If a player takes a Golden Egg that a Snatcher was attempting to grab, and there are no other Golden Eggs nearby, it will simply fly away. They do not appear during the Giant Tornado Known Occurrence.
Quotes
The following text is quoted from the Salmonid Field Guide.
- Basic Information
- Tasked with procuring Golden Eggs, Snatchers will emerge from the sea when Golden Eggs are present, and try to seize them and return them to the depths.
- Any snatched Golden Eggs can be retrieved by defeating this Salmonid before it returns to the water.
- Attack Behavior
- Not known to attack directly.
- Elimination
- Can be neutralized relatively easy with a direct hit of ink.
- Supporting Information
- New recruits usually start as Snatchers to give them a taste of the battlefield.
- Provided they demonstrate sufficient aptitude at collecting Golden Eggs, they will be allowed to join the front lines.
- In recent years, aircraft have also been brought in to improve their egg-collection rates. (Splatoon 3 only)
Statistics
- See also: Salmon Run data, Salmon Run Next Wave data
| Game | HP | Damage | Attack/Defeat/Total  |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Splatoon 2 | 100 | N/A | 3 / 3 / 6 | up to 3 |
| Splatoon 3 | 100 | N/A | 3 / 3 / 6 | up to 8 |
Player optimization
A Snatcher's path after picking up Golden Eggs can sometimes result in them bringing Golden Eggs closer to the basket. Most notable of these are on Marooner's Bay during High Tide and Spawning Grounds during a Mothership wave on Low Tide.
It is also possible to splat a Snatcher after they jump back into the water, allowing eggs picked up by a Snatcher to be dropped closer to the basket, usually Low Tide or High Tide wave. Players can splat Snatchers in the water with a Drizzler's torpedo, a cannon during Cohock Charge, a Steelhead explosion near the shore, an Explosher's explosion, or a well-placed Splat Bomb in specific areas.
Snatchers splatted in the water from a Splat Bomb on the back right of Lost Outpost can have its Golden Eggs fall right next to the basket, making it easier to turn them in.
The aircraft used by Snatchers in Splatoon 3 make most of these techniques impossible, as they will simply try to fly back to the ocean after picking up Golden Eggs. However, certain Snatchers still can fly near the egg basket when they're returning to the water.
Gallery
Splatoon 2
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3D artwork of a Snatcher with Golden Eggs
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A Snatcher
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A Snatcher holding two Golden Eggs
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A view of a Snatcher head-on
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A Snatcher in the middle of jumping into the water, showing the full length of its body
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Multiple Snatchers going after individual eggs during The Mothership event
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The Salmonid Field Guide entry for the Snatcher
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The illustration in the field guide
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Unofficial render of the Snatcher's game model from Splatoon 2
Splatoon 3
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The Salmonid Field Guide entry for the Snatcher.
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The Salmonid Field Guide entry for the Snatcher.
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The illustration in the field guide, updated to include a net and aircraft.
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Screenshot of a Snatcher stealing three Golden Eggs.
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Unofficial render of the Snatcher's game model from Splatoon 3.
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The Snatcher locker decoration.
Trivia
- The Snatcher's aircraft as depicted in the Salmonid Field Guide resembles the Clown Car in the Super Mario series.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
タマヒロイ Tama-hiroi |
Ball picker |
 Dutch |
Zammel | From zalm ("salmon") and verzamelen ("to collect") |
 French |
Barboteur | Splasher |
 German |
Samko | From sammeln ("to collect") |
 Italian |
Razziatore | Raider |
 Russian |
Умыкумжа Umykumzha |
From умыкнуть umyknut ("to steal, to snatch") and кумжа kumzha ("brown trout") |
 Spanish (NOA) |
Hurtón | From hurtar ("to steal") |
 Spanish (NOE) |
Rastrerone | Trawler |
 Chinese (Simplified) |
拾蛋鱼 shí dàn yú (Mandarin) |
Pick up Egg Fish |
 Chinese (Traditional) |
拾蛋魚 shí dàn yú (Mandarin) |
Pick up Egg Fish |
 Korean |
알주어 aljueo |
Egg picker |
 Internal |
SakeFlyBagman [1] |
