100% Achievements Guide [Orcs Must Die!]

Introduction

Total Achievement Count: 27
Online Achivements: 0
Offline Achievements: 27
DLC required: No
Time: 15-20 hours

Overview:

• Kill a total of 30.000 orcs
  
• Beat the game on Nightmare difficulty
  
• Get 5 skulls on all levels on War Mage Difficulty
  
• Get a 40 killstreak
  
• Other miscellaneous challenges.

Game Completion Achievements

Defender
Complete Act 1



Keepmaster
Complete Act 2



Master War Mage
Complete Act 3

These achievements will unlock during your first playthrough of the game, it is advised that these are done on War Mage difficulty, as it is the standard difficulty and you'll be working towards the "Ultimate War Mage" achievement.

Act 1 starts on "The Hallway" (Level 1) and ends on ''Sludge Hole" (Level 10)

Act 2 starts on "Chaos Chamber" (Level 11) and ends on "Killing Fields" (Level 18)

Act 3 starts on "Rebirth" (Level 19) and ends on "Finale" (Level 24)

During your first playthrough, play around with the many different traps, guardians and weapons, just so you can better understand in which situation they are best used. Otherwise, head to the Nightmare Playthrough section of this guide.

Killstreak Achievements

Perfect 10!
Get a 10 kill streak


Natural 20!
Get a 20 kill streak


What a Mess!
Get a 30 kill streak


Who Wants Some?!
Get a 40 kill streak

Killstreaks are achieved by killing enemies consecutively, your guardians and traps will count towards your current killstreak as well. Your killstreak will be lost if you spend more than a few seconds without killing any enemy.

Thankfully, there is a small glitch that will make getting these achievements a lot easier - Thanks to @Heartview for their guide explaining this glitch

Select the level "Killing Fields" on Apprentice Difficulty and place barricades like so:

On the left side of the map:



On the middle doorway:



On the right of the map:




The orcs will begin to pile up on the barricades on the left side of the map, like so:




Then simply cast one or two fireballs at them and you'll have an exact 40 killstreak
This glitch only works on Apprentice Difficulty

This glitch can also be used to get the achievements "Great Balls of Fire", "Tenderized" and "Pow! Pow!"

For the "Tenderized" Achievement: Place a pounder directly on top of the central barricade on the right side of the map, when the second wave of enemies comes, they'll be pounded.

Miscellaneous and Challenge Achievements

Deck the Halls
Complete the Hallway using only the Arrow Wall trap, Weapons and spells.

Best done on Apprentice Difficulty. Set up the Arrow Wall traps wherever you can in the first chamber. Be sure to get a kill with at least one spell, any spell will work fine.


In Your Face!
Get 100 acid pot kills in one level

Level 3 "The Corner" has two acid pots which cover the main corridor. To use an acid pot, shoot it with your crossbow, after you've spilled all of its contents, the pot will refill itself automatically. Using the Wind Belt to rally up orcs is trivial here, as the level is very short and there are not many enemies.


Lights Out
Get 20 chandelier kills in one level

Level 3 "The Corner" is the earliest instance of chandeliers in the game. Use the Wind Belt to rally up enemies and shoot the chandeliers whenever a large group of enemies walks beneath them.


Who Wants Pancakes?
Get 50 kills with the rolling log in one level

Level 15 "The Tower" has two rolling logs which can be used, kills are cummulative between them. Use the Wind Belt to send spawning enemies back to the bottom gate. Shoot the log when there's a reasonable amount of enemies on the lower ground and stairs. Repeat the process with the second log and the second gate.


Skin of your Teeth
Win a level with 1 rift point left

Can be done easily on any early level on Apprentice Difficulty, except the first one, mainly because the archers will shoot any orcs that try to get past the corridor. On wave 1, let the orcs enter the rift until you've got only 1 rift point left, then rush to set up as many traps as possible and finish the level without allowing any more enemies to get to the rift.


Pow! Pow!
Get 50 kills with explosive barrels on one level

Follow the strategy mentioned in the "Killstreak Achievements" section of this guide.


Great Balls of Fire
Get 300 fireball kills in one level

Follow the strategy mentioned in the "Killstreak Achievements" section of this guide.


No Traps for You!
Win an act 2 or 3 level without using any traps

Level 11 "Chaos Chamber" can be easily completed on Apprentice Difficulty for this achievement. Set up Paladins at the halfway point between the gates and the portals and set up archers right next to the portals. Keep moving between portals to help the guardians out with Hunters and Ogres.


Tunnel Vision
Win an act 2 or 3 level using a single trap type

Level 11 "Chaos Chamber" on Apprentice Difficulty. Use only Pounders (ceiling) as you'll be able to work towards the "Tenderized" Achievement as well. Keep in mind that you can still use weapons, guardians and spells.


Tenderized!
Get 50 pounder kills in one level

Level 11 "Chaos Chamber" has very linear corridors in which you can put tons of pounders on the ceiling. Remember to manually kill the small Kobold enemies as they cannot be hit by pounders.


Ogre Bisque
Kill an Ogre in a lava pit or an acid pit

The only way to get this achievement is using Spring traps then selecting the Steel Weaver (V key) and buying the upgrades Death Augmenter, Oiled Trap Gears and Overcoiled Springs, as the latter will make so Ogres are affected by the Spring Traps. Then, set up a Spring Trap next to a lava or an acid pit and wait for an Ogre to walk over it.


Giblet Storm!
Gib more than 200 enemies on one level

Enemies are gibbed when they're killed by specific traps, those being: Spike, Boom Barrel, Wall Blades, Pounder, Swing Mace, Grinder and Decoy.


SG1
Go through portals 20 times in one level

Simply keep entering portals in any map until the achievement unlocks. Earliest instance of portals is on level 6 "Overpass".

Nightmare playthrough

Legendary Defender
Complete Act 1 on Nightmare Mode


Legendary Keepmaster
Complete Act 2 on Nightmare mode


Legendary War Mage
Complete Act 3 on Nightmare mode

• Player has 50% less health
  
• Amount of rift points is cut in half
  
• Enemies have 20% more health
  
• Enemies deal 20% more damage
  
• All Orc Warriors have shields
  
• Time between waves is only 3 seconds, without any breaks
  
• Killed guardians don't respawn
  
• Many more Ogres

I'll mention all the tips and any information that helped me get through Nightmare mode.

Weapons:

• The Bladestaff (sword) should be avoided altogether, as getting into melee range of enemies will often get you killed
  
  
• The Lightning Ring proved to be one of the biggest assets of my loadout. It's alt. fire (Mouse2 or RMB) casts a cloud in which lightning bursts. Really helpful for managing large orc crowds. Also, its regular attack can be used to quickly dispatch crowds of smaller enemies like Kobolds or small Hellbats and can make small groups of orcs drop their shields at the same time.
  
  
• The Ice Amulet is a must-have for killing Ogres, Armored Ogres and Fire Ogres, as those will take extra damage when frozen.
  
  
• The Flame Bracers are only useful when up against Ice Ogres, so, it should not be equipped in levels where those aren't present
  
  
• It goes without saying that scoring headshots is the best way to deal damage with the crossbow, orc warriors will take at least 2 hits from the crossbow to die (one for the shield and one headshot). The alt. fire in this weapon stuns enemies, including Ogres and Hunters. The stun is the best way to pin down Ice Ogres as they cannot be frozen with the Ice Amulet.

Traps:

• Spike traps should be avoided as they cannot instantly kill regular orc warriors because all of them now have shields, taking at least 2 hits from this trap to be killed, rendering the trap ineffective when compared to others.
  
  
• Tar traps are your best friend, slowing down enemies is great for managing crowds, having easier times with Ogres and Hunters, being able to better control the Kobolds and overall buying you time on the earlier waves.
  
  
• Arrow Wall traps are useful damage bonuses, but shouldn't be the main source of damage from traps, as they are not insta-kill.
  
  
• Boom Barrels can be used to control larger crowds, but are not really necessary.
  
  
• Spring traps are extremely useful. Placing them at the end of corridors that are filled with other traps will ensure that enemies don't get past that point.
  
  
• Barricades are EXTREMELY useful as they allow you to control the paths Orcs take, this means you can make them walk through areas where there are more elaborate trap systems, making it difficult for them to get past. Barricades can also be used to block off alternative pathways.
  
  
• Wall Blades are really useful as they're insta-kill traps, putting Push Traps directly in front of Wall Blades is a great strategy to maximize damage output, specially in tight corridors.
  
  
• Brimstone floor traps are useful, but their high price makes it so they should be mainly used as an additional source of damage on the later waves.
  
  
• Pounders should be avoided because of their slow attack time, in all cases where a pounder might be useful, you'd be better off using Swing Maces.
  
  
• Steam Traps are good for buying you time, but should be avoided since Tar traps do a better job at that.
  
  
• Push Traps are useful for stunning Ogres (Only if the correct upgrades have been bought from the Steel Weaver) and make a good combination with Wall Blades and Grinders.
  
  
• Swing Maces should always be used when there are available places for them on maps, a row of 3 Swing Maces and Tar traps beneath are enough to safely stop any orcs, hunters or Kobolds. Ogres should still receive attention though, simply freezing them a few times when they're under the maces should be enough to take them out.
  
  
• Decoys can be good time buyers as enemies will go for them instead of you, but they aren't a very reliable source of damage, also, they have a pretty high cost for a trap that deals damage only once. They're best used when placed directly in front of other traps, as it'll buy time for the traps to reset and thus, kill more enemies.
  
  
• Autoballistas are a must have on any level that has flying enemies. They should be placed on areas where they can shoot any incoming flying enemy but also shoot ground enemies as they show up.
  
  
• Grinders are useful for taking down Kobolds as they get immediately sucked in when nearby those traps. Additionally, Barricades and Tar traps can be used to greatly enhance the effectiveness of the grinders.
  
  
• Coin Forges should only be used if you expect to have to buy lots of high cost traps in the early waves.
  
  
• Spore Mushrooms can be useful in certain situations, but their extremely high cost makes it so you're better off using other traps.

Enemies:

• Orc Warriors will always be carrying shields, making it so they can take at least two crossbow shots before being taken down, assuming the second shot is a headshot. The Lightning Ring can be used to quickly dispatch many Orcs at the same time, or at least make them drop their shields
  
  
• Crossbow Orcs can be easily killed in a single hit by using the Lightning Ring, as they don't have any armor or shields
  
  
• Kobold Runners are fast enemies that'll get past most traps before they're activated. The best way to deal with them is to have them slowed down by Tar traps and then using the Lightning Ring to take many of them down with a single shot
  
  
• Kobold Sappers are fast enemies that carry explosives on their backs. They will never go for the rift, instead, they'll go for guardians and barricades. This knowledge can be used to heavily predict their movement
  
  
• Hellbats are flying enemies that cast fireballs. They can be taken out with a single crossbow headshot and are best countered by lots Autoballistas
  
  
• Fire Babies, a.k.a the small Hellbats, are flying enemies that cast fireballs. They're faster than the regular Hellbats and also have smaller hitboxes, making them harder to be hit. Autoballistas will often miss their shots on these, so you should make quick work of them by using the Lightning Ring. Keep in mind the short range of the ring
  
  
• Gnoll Hunters are the main nuisance in Nightmare mode, as they usually show up in groups of 2-4 enemies and can easily take the player down with their poison swords. The easiest way to deal with them is by freezing them with the Ice Amulet and then getting consecutive headshots. Keep in mind that Gnoll Hunters will walk right through your barricades and they will never go for the rift, choosing to go for guardians and the player
  
  
• Hobgoblin Shamans should be always prioritized as they can revive other enemies, including Ogres
  
  
• Ogres can easily be taken down by freezing them and getting consecutive headshots, but don't get too close as they have a rush attack that can catch you off-guard
  
  
• Fire Ogres follow the same patterns as the regular Ogre, the difference is that they have more health and are immune to fire damage
  
  
• Ice Ogres are harder to deal with than Fire Ogres because they cannot be frozen using the Ice Amulet. Instead, use the alt. fire (M2) from the Crossbow to stun them, then score consecutive headshots as they're stunned
  
  
• Armored Ogres are the strongest enemies in the game, packing the most health and attack strenght of them all. Can be dealth with by freezing and then scoring headshots with the crossbow. Keep in mind that this enemy has double the health of regular ogres, because of this, it'll take significantly more time to kill
  
  
  

Nightmare mode strategies and powerful trap combinations.

• As a general note, you'll want to buy yourself as much time as possible in the early waves, before you're able to set up a decent trap system
  
  
• Overall, guardians should be avoided as they cannot respawn in Nightmare Difficulty, making it a waste of money if they die
  
  
• Replacing Archers with Autoballistas is a good move and pays off in the endgame waves, as you'll have a constant source of damage that cannot be taken out
  
  
• Adding Spring traps to the end of corridors where there are already many traps set up is a good strategy as well.
  
  
• Make good use of environmental traps such as lava pots, acid pots, chandeliers, lava pits, acid pits and rolling logs, as they are ways to quickly dispatch large groups of enemies.
  
  
• If you need any more tips on specific levels, watch the Nightmare 5 Skull Video Guides on Youtube by @Milennin
  
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfjUOKq4Gzk&list=PL0AF1E5A2A28483C1
  Good Trap Combos:
  
  This combo of a grinder, barricades and a floor trap makes so enemies have to walk by the grinder. Useful for taking out fast enemies like Kobolds.
  
  
  
  This combo of Tar traps and alternating Push traps and Wall Blades is really useful for taking down hordes of Orcs, as they'll either die from the push trap or the Blades and, in case of Ogres, they'll be pushed right into the blades by the Push traps.
  
  
  
  This combo of Wall Blades and Spring traps is useful against any enemy. The enemies will either be gibbed by the lower Blades or be thrown into the upper ones by the Spring trap.
  
  
  
  This combo of Swing Maces and Tar traps is extremely effective and the only enemies that can get past it are Ogres and Gnoll Hunters and, in some extremely rare cases, enemies that walk exactly between the maces, however, this can be solved by adding Arrow Wall traps to the sides.
  
  
  
  
  

Ultimate War Mage Achievement

Ultimate War Mage
Earn 5 skulls on every level on War Mage Difficulty

You receive 5 skulls on a level by finishing the level with as many rift points as you started, under a specific time limit, which is different for every level. Rift points are lost upon an enemy getting to the rift (the amount of points lost depends on the enemy) and by dying. Keep in mind that you can take fall damage if you fall from too great of a height.

All strategies mentioned in the Nightmare mode sections are applicable here.

Orc Kills Achievements

Dead Orc = Good Orc
Kill 1,000 orcs


Droppin' Ten Large
Kill 10,000 orcs


Member: 30k Club
Kill 30,000 orcs

These achievements are cummulative between all levels and game difficulties, should be done before you obtain all other achievements. For comparison's sake, I had a little over 35,000 orc kills when I got the 100%. Level 23 "Stairs of Doom" is great for farming, as the orcs follow paths that can be easily trapped up and being a late-game level, it yields many kills.

Changelog

August 2022 - Minor asthetic changes like better implementation of lists and enhanced achievement titles.

Thank You!

[makelaris]

Thanks for the guide! I cleared the remaining achievements from 10 years ago and 100% the game.

[Traggot Bickle]

thank you so much for this guide, the glitched level for the killstreaks was especially useful

[Zoutje]

Awesome guide mate! Going to use this one for sure.

[xRaiden]

Thank you Brig!

[fokas]

Floor Scorchers combined with Tar Traps and Overcoiled Springs.

[Skoro Svědek]

Thx for the guide!

[Brigg]

@Boboscus Thanks for the heads up, I'll correct these right away.

[Boboscus]

Also the "Ultimate War Mage Achievement" section, you only mentioned skulls being tied to rift lives, which isn't true, only 4 of them are, final one is tied to par time.

[Boboscus]

Final point in "Nightmare playthrough" you made a typo at the end, mentioning regular orcs instead of ogres. Good guide apart from that!

[EdJoJi]

Spore Mushrooms is the best trap, it kills any enemy and even makes it an ally, I used it to make 5 skulls in the last stages on nightmare and the final, it is required in the stages that have hunters
in nightmare