I'm finding this game really hard... any tips?

[PestNerd]

I've only played a couple hours, but already I feel like I've hit a wall, and I can't seem to get past any more levels. I've completed about 5-6 levels already, and my options are currently "Lost Royals", "Tunnels", and "Ore Storage".

I almost passed Lost Royals, but that was without using any runes at all - and not using runes just makes it more difficult for myself in the long run, since I'll get less XP (and I don't fancy having to grind levels that I've already completed for XP).

I like the amount of strategy in the game, and I like some level difficulty, but I'm finding it way too hard at the moment to be fun. Is there some trick to the game that I'm not getting?

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Edit: Managed to pass a couple more levels (by turning runes off) and got the harpoon. It's still a bit too hard for me, though. Maybe I'm being weak here but I wish there was an easy mode or some sort of cheats.

If I were able to set the towers' priorities (i.e. strong/first/last etc.) that'd be something... or if the towers actually hit each time they fired - a lot of the time, a push block/spike trap will fire prematurely, or two harpoons will aim for the same target, and they let several enemies past before they can fire again.

[PestNerd]

I've unlocked the Breeze rune now so it's a little better... although the runes don't seem to make much sense - if I use the Breeze rune/don't use the other runes, I make the game harder for myself in the long term...

[Killcreek2]

Ursprünglich geschrieben von Pesto:

I've unlocked the Breeze rune now so it's a little better... although the runes don't seem to make much sense - if I use the Breeze rune/don't use the other runes, I make the game harder for myself in the long term...

How so? You can replay previous levels at any time, with other rune combos. If you beat your previous score, you get rewarded equal to the difference between them. So it doesnt matter if you play a level once with 8 runes, or 8 times working up from breeze ~ you will earn the same rewards, for the same high score.

When placing traps, consider choke points alongside trap strengths & weaknesses, in addition to the enemy units. Fast-firing / slow-down traps are best for the fast / numerous units [eg dart trap / sticky slime], whereas slower firing but higher damage traps are better for tougher / armoured enemies [eg bolt traps]. Pushing into lava / pits is insta-kill, regardless of HP.

[Horoai]

Most maps have a "hidden" strategy to them that conist of a special combination of traps or a special location on the map which gives you a distinc advantage. It's comparably easy to figure which trap is involved during early levels because most of the time, it's the new trap you unlock for playing that map that you're supposed to use.

One hint for "Lost Royals": You can defend the top lane with just snare traps.

It's also important that you learn how to counter different types of units thrown at you. At the start of each level, you can go through all the waves and see what the dominant spawn is.

Finally, try to figure a way to create a single path for the waves (choke point) with minimal effort.

[Der Liebe Frankie]

You can experiment with which traps give the most damage/second, or other ways they give advantages, and whether it's worth putting points into them so they can be leveled up.

Sometimes it takes many different tries before you find something that works. It's not always just trap placement. There are some levels that don't open up new traps, they just give gem rewards.

You can beat most of the levels that open traps without doing any of the gem reward levels and without ever using the breeze rune, although that might be harder. Go back to levels if you think you can beat them with more runes and get more XP out of them.

[Mashee]

Pesto are you:

• using Consumables at every opportunity?? (Snare, Bomb etc.. )
  
• staggering your consumables in a line after your traps, or at the exits to catch stragglers?
  
• using your Gems to upgrade various traps and/or consumables at the trap selection screen?
  
• zooming out the playfield with the wheel mouse?
  
• clicking the exit portal (repeatedly) to get a better feel for the paths at the start of each level?
  
• actually upgrading your traps during the level?
  
• conscious of AOE vs Single-Target traps?

Your posts don't mention your "setup" which is specifically causing problems/failures.

[Der Liebe Frankie]

As Mashee brings up, consumables can make a big difference. It's also a very big difference if they are leveled up (and have a higher spawn rate). I like the firebats the most because they can form an army on one square if you keep adding an egg after the previous one hatched.

Also if you place traps along the paths the enemy units are dumb and still follow their path. Taking advantage of this can lead to more efficient trap placement.

[BigSilverHotdog]

A single group of firebats can be "one shot" by dwarves, so massing them in a single tile isn't terribly useful for most pro strategies. Certainly not for endless.

Creating a restrictive choke point with fire and tons of knockback darts (Spinblade unique darts also have knockback) and then spamming Fear Totem, on the other hand...