- All Star Tower Defense characters fill distinct combat roles: damage, economy, support, and crowd control.
- Team composition matters more than raw rarity—balance DPS with cash generation and slows.
- Economy units like Jeff (CEO) and Bellma are essential for funding expensive late-wave upgrades.
- Evolution paths transform base units into significantly stronger 6-star and 7-star variants.
- Orbs provide specialized stat boosts that can elevate older units into endgame viability.
Understanding Character Roles in ASTD
In All Star Tower Defense, characters are categorized by the jobs they perform during a match. A well-constructed team does not simply stack the highest-damage units; it combines complementary roles to handle wave clearing, single-target boss damage, cash generation, and enemy manipulation. Understanding these core roles is the first step to building effective lineups for any game mode.
Damage Dealers
- Primary DPS
- Single-target or AoE
- Scales with upgrades
- Core for boss waves
Economy Units
- Cash generation
- Funds expensive upgrades
- Non-combat placement
- Essential for long matches
Support / CC
- Slows and debuffs
- Extends attack windows
- Buffs allied units
- Crucial for Infinite Mode
Hybrid Utility
- Mixed damage and utility
- Flexible placement
- Adapts to wave types
- Fills team gaps
Never fill your entire team with pure damage dealers. Most successful ASTD teams run at least one economy unit and one crowd-control unit to sustain long waves and maximize damage uptime.
Top All Star Tower Defense Characters by Tier
Not all units perform equally across different modes. The following tier rankings evaluate characters based on their overall utility, damage output, economy value, and performance in challenging content like Infinite Mode and Raids. These rankings prioritize practical usefulness over rarity alone.
| Tier | Character | Role | Best For | Key Strengths |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Jeff (CEO) | Economy | Story, Infinite, expensive setups | Generates additional battle cash for costly placements |
| S | Bellma (SUPER Money Corp) | Economy | Long matches, high-cost teams | Dedicated money-generation that scales with upgrades |
| S | Black Stache (Timeskip) | Support / CC | Infinite, difficult enemy waves | Powerful slow effect giving damage dealers more time |
| A | Star Boy (Requiem) | Damage / Utility | General progression, mixed teams | Combines offensive pressure with useful abilities |
| A | Koku Black Pink | Damage | Story mode, wave clearing | Consistent ranged damage across progressing waves |
| A | Stampede (100%) | AoE Damage | Dense waves, Infinite Mode | Powerful area damage against grouped enemies |
| B | The Pharaoh | Damage | General team compositions | Offensive coverage but outclassed by specialized units |
Combat tier rankings measure how effectively a unit defeats enemies. Trading value is driven by scarcity and collector demand. A unit can be low on the combat tier list but hold extremely high trade value due to limited availability.
Character Evolution Paths and Materials
Evolution is a core progression system that transforms base units into significantly stronger versions. Most high-tier All Star Tower Defense characters are not obtained directly from summons but are instead evolved from lower-rarity base units using specific materials earned through Story stages, Raids, and special events.
| Character | Base Form | Role | Evolution Materials | Evolution Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black Stache (Timeskip) | Black Stache | Support / Damage | Unit-specific evolution materials from progression | Enhanced slow effect and improved damage scaling |
| Bellma (Money Corp) | Bellma | Economy | Corresponding Bellma progression path resources | Increased cash generation per wave |
| Koku (Higher Variants) | Koku | Damage | Unit-specific Story evolution units | Multiple stronger Koku variants with improved attacks |
| Zaruto (Higher Forms) | Zaruto | Damage | Matching evolution units from progression | Significantly improved combat performance forms |
| Kovegu | Component units | High Damage | Specified fusion units and progression resources | Fusion-style unit built for high offensive output |
| Mysterious X | Base Mysterious X | Damage / Utility | Corresponding base form and evolution resources | Strong late-game scaling with upgraded forms |
| Star Boy (Requiem) | Star Boy | Damage | Preceding Star Boy form plus specific materials | Increasingly powerful forms for advanced content |
Some characters like Kovegu are obtained through fusion systems rather than standard evolution. These units require specific component units and progression resources, making them distinct from the typical evolution path.
How to Build and Upgrade Characters
Building a strong roster requires more than summoning rare units. Efficient progression involves managing resources, choosing which units to invest in, and understanding when to place versus when to upgrade during battle.
Summon Strategically
Check the current Summon Banner before spending Gems. Standard single summons cost 50 Gems, while 10x summons cost 450 Gems—a saving of 50 Gems. Wait for banners featuring units that fill gaps in your team rather than spending randomly.
Identify Your Core Damage Dealer
Choose one or two reliable damage units to serve as your primary wave clearers. Prioritize units with strong upgrade scaling and attack patterns suited to the content you are progressing through.
Add Economy Support
Deploy units like Jeff (CEO) or Bellma (SUPER Money Corp) early in the match. Their cash generation funds expensive mid- and late-game upgrades that determine whether you survive difficult waves.
Incorporate Crowd Control
Add support units such as Black Stache (Timeskip) to slow enemies. Slows extend the window your damage dealers have to attack before enemies reach the base, which becomes critical in Infinite Mode.
Upgrade at Choke Points
Place units at corners and overlapping paths where enemies remain in range longest. Compare the cost of placing a new unit against upgrading an existing one—important upgrades can change attack patterns and dramatically increase damage.
Focus on upgrading your primary damage carry and economy units first. Support units often function adequately at lower upgrade levels since their main contribution is utility rather than raw damage.
Best Characters for Each Game Mode
Different modes demand different team compositions. Story Mode rewards balanced teams with steady progression, while Infinite Mode and Raids require specialized lineups built around scaling damage, economy, and crowd control.
| Mode | Recommended Roles | Key Characters | Strategy Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| Story Mode | Economy + AoE Damage + Carry | Jeff (CEO), Koku Black Pink, Stampede (100%) | Steady progression, first-time clear rewards, learning enemy paths |
| Infinite Mode | Economy + Scaling DPS + CC | Bellma, Black Stache (Timeskip), Star Boy (Requiem) | Long-term scaling, wave milestone rewards, sustained survivability |
| Raids | High DPS + AoE + Support | Mysterious X, Kovegu, Black Stache (Timeskip) | Sustained damage, coordinated team play, raid-specific materials |
| Trials | Burst DPS + Utility | Star Boy (Requiem), Koku variants | Specialized encounters, high enemy difficulty, advanced rewards |
| Challenges | Flexible Roster | Multiple damage types and support | Adapting to restrictions, special mechanics, limited rewards |
| Material Farming | Fast Clear Units | Low-cost placement, efficient attackers | Speed-running repeated stages for evolution resources |
Avoid using a single team for every mode. Challenge stages and Trials often impose restrictions or feature enemy types that punish generic compositions. Adapt your lineup to each mode's requirements.
Orb Synergies for Key Characters
The Orb system adds another layer of character customization. Orbs provide stat bonuses and specialized enhancements that can significantly improve a unit's performance. Some Orbs are universally useful, while others are designed for specific characters or unit families.
| Orb | Type | Effect | Best Character Match |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost Orb | Utility | Reduces deployment cash cost | Expensive opening units needing faster setup |
| Blue Eye Orb | Range Utility | Improves effective attack range | Units benefiting from covering more map area |
| Universal Reduction Orb | Attack-Speed | Reduces SPA for faster attacks | Damage dealers scaling heavily with attack speed |
| Fire Rage Orb | Specialized | Major unit-specific improvement | Specific compatible unit setups |
| Demon M Orb | Unit-Specific | Enhances associated compatible unit | Players building around the supported unit |
| Prey Eye Orb | Unit-Specific | Specialized improvement to intended unit | Dedicated builds using the linked unit |
| Moon Orb | Unit-Specific | Strengthens associated unit | Late-game builds centered on compatible unit |
| Rose Orb | Unit-Specific | Upgrades effectiveness of target unit | Specialized team compositions |
Match Orbs to your team's weakest link. If your damage dealer struggles with range, use Blue Eye Orb. If deployment cost delays your setup, Cost Orb on an expensive unit can accelerate your early-wave economy.
Character Progression Checklist
Use this checklist to track your roster development and ensure your account is progressing efficiently across all ASTD content.
Character Development Milestones:
- Obtain at least one S-tier economy unit (Jeff CEO or Bellma)
- Build a primary damage dealer with full upgrade path
- Acquire a crowd-control unit like Black Stache (Timeskip)
- Complete at least one major character evolution
- Equip Orbs on your core damage and economy units
- Clear all available Story Mode stages for evolution materials
- Reach wave 50+ in Infinite Mode with a balanced team
- Build a specialized team for Raid content
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What are the best All Star Tower Defense characters for beginners?
Beginners should prioritize economy units like Jeff (CEO) or Bellma (SUPER Money Corp) alongside a reliable damage dealer such as Koku or Star Boy. These characters provide a strong foundation for clearing Story Mode and earning Gems for future summons.
Q: How do I evolve characters in ASTD?
Evolution requires the base unit plus specific evolution materials earned through Story stages, Raids, and progression content. Open the evolution menu, select the target unit, and ensure you have all required materials and prerequisite units before confirming the evolution.
Q: Should I spend Gems on every Summon banner?
No. Save Gems for banners featuring units that fill a missing role in your team. A standard 10x summon costs 450 Gems, and the pity system prevents long streaks without 5-star units, so committing to a valuable banner is more efficient than spreading spending across multiple rotations.
Q: What is the difference between combat tier list and trading value?
The combat tier list ranks units by how effectively they perform in battle, considering damage, utility, and economy. Trading value reflects scarcity, collector demand, and limited availability. A unit like Death may have very high trading value but not appear at the top of a combat tier list.
Q: Which Orbs should I prioritize for my characters?
Prioritize Orbs that address your team's weaknesses. Cost Orb helps with expensive deployments, Blue Eye Orb extends range, and Universal Reduction Orb improves attack speed. Unit-specific Orbs like Moon Orb or Rose Orb should be used when building around their compatible characters.