Strategies: Onslaught

This page lists recommended builds for use in Onslaught. For information about the game mode itself, see Onslaught.

In the Campaign, the game recommends you use blockades to prevent enemies from reaching your core. This works throughout most of the game and in all Chaos tiers, but Onslaught mode (and Prime Incursions) can feature enemies much stronger than your defenses are used to. This can result in your defenses being overwhelmed very quickly. It's not common for blockades to get destroyed in seconds when you're on a higher level floor, essentially defeating the sole purpose of your blockade.

Because of this, many defenses used in Onslaught differ heavily than those of other game modes; this, sadly, also means that you're more limited on what you can use to defend a lane.

Despite the limitations, there are plenty of different builds you can use, which are listed below. Many of these builds use Shards and Mods - and some builds may even require specific ones to be used.

Poison Dart Tower + Earthshatter Tower

This build can be used very early on, as you already have access to Petrify without the need for any shards or mods. You first want to poison enemies with the Poison Dart Tower (PDT), and then petrify them with the Earthshatter Tower (ES).

Strengths:

• This build has no required shards or mods, and can be used anytime.
• The PDT and ES have the longest ranges in the game, which is what separates this build from other Onslaught builds.
• Cannot be stunned by Cyborks.

Weaknesses:

• Both the PDT and ES are towers, which means enemies can destroy them if placed improperly. This also makes the build highly vulnerable to EMP fliers.
• The PDT's darts can be blocked by Vanguards and/or Geodes (a piercer servo can fix this issue).
• Can be overwhelmed by large hordes of enemies.

Mods:

No mods are required, but a shatterquake servo can apply continuous earth damage to a single area, which allows PDTs to instantly petrify enemies in the area of effect.

Defense Range servos can augment the already-impressive range of both towers, so it's highly recommended.

Shards:

No shards are required. Defense Rate and Deadly Strikes, however, are great augments for any tower, and the PDT and ES are no exceptions.

Earth Toss is a highly recommended shard for your ES. The knock-up provided isn't necessary since you're already petrifying enemies, but this shard also increases the AOE radius of each earth spike, which makes it much easier to petrify a group of enemies. Alternatively, since the ES has the longest range of any defense in the game, stacking Vicious Strikes with Deadly Strikes can make this tower a perfect sniper.

Destruction may seem like a good choice your your PDT's last shard, but you will probably get more benefit from increasing poison damage instead. If you have a spare Vicious Strikes hyper shard, you can stack it with Deadly Strikes to achieve massive range on your PDT if extra suits you more, but you will need 155 stars in Mastery mode to obtain this shard (will be available soon in Prime Incursions).

Reflect Beam + Proton Beam or Weapon Manufacturer

This build can be difficult to prepare, but carries multiple benefits with it when used properly as well as being able to Petrify enemies just as effectively. This is a very common build for players in the hundreds in Onslaught. As such, it is also capable of holding its ground in Prime Incursions.

Strengths:

• Cannot be damaged by enemies.
• Can distract Kobold Fliers and encourage them to dive-bomb to no avail (doesn't work with Kobolts).
• Using the proper shards/mods can allow this build to defeat Cyborks before giving them the chance to disable anything.
• Can be adjusted to provide multiple ways to Stun or Slow enemies, and even stack them. This also essentially allows this build to laugh at most lane mutators, like Controlled Burn.

Weaknesses:

• Can be disabled by Cyborks, even when using decent shards and mods (though using them will make the build less likely to be disabled).
• Cannot tackle every lane mutator. For example, this build suffers heavily against Cursi-kaze.
• Berserker Orcs can charge through this build.