Universal Tower Defense X Units Tier List (May 2026)

Tier methodology

Each unit was evaluated against three criteria: (1) raw DPS at max level, (2) role necessity in the wave band where it excels, and (3) run data from 47 wave-50 tests and 30 wave-100 attempts. An S tier unit meets all three: highest or near-highest DPS in its role category, irreplaceable in its peak wave band, and demonstrated as the deciding variable in recorded runs.

Where this list diverges from community consensus, the reason is data. Nutaru sits at A tier, not S: in 47 runs its 4.2-second cooldown produced fewer effective cycles per boss encounter than Ancient Shinobi on six of eight tested maps. Water God sits at S tier, not A: it was the single placement variable that determined whether the Wave 100 boss encounter cleared. Screenshots do not capture those distinctions; run data does.

The best-builds page explains how these tiers combine into role-complete compositions. The reroll timing calculator helps plan the spend path to your next target tier unit.

Interactive units tier table

Filter by role or sort by column to find the unit that fills your current build gap. Use the filter chips to narrow by DPS, Support, or CC roles. Click any column header to sort.

S tier unit breakdown

First Emperor has the highest sustained DPS at max level: 676 at Level 5 with a 2.2-second attack cycle that fires often enough to cover boss contact windows fully. On Wano Bridge and Void Court, First Emperor plus Water God slow is the combination that cleared Wave 100 on attempt 27 in the wave-100-guide test log.

Water God earns S tier despite lower raw DPS because it is the deciding variable in Wave 100 survivability. In the 30-attempt log, the boss cleared every time Water God was placed at the first-bend entry and failed every time it was not. That kind of mechanical determinism earns S tier regardless of the DPS number. See the wave 100 guide for the placement details.

Alpha Devil and The Strongest in History round out S tier as high-burst carries for endgame maps. Both require stable farm income to reach: target them after Water God is at Level 4 and a Wave 50 farm loop is consistent. The best-builds page has the endgame composition using these units.

A tier unit breakdown

Ice Empress is the most important A tier unit for accounts that do not yet have Water God. Its slower cooldown (3.5s versus Water God's 3.0s) and shorter slow radius mean it cannot replicate Wave 100 Water God coverage, but it handles Wave 50 and below consistently. Two Ice Empress units at the first-bend entry are the verified F2P substitute for one Water God in the Wave 100 attempt log.

Ancient Shinobi rose from the B/A border to solid A tier after a May 1 cooldown buff reduced its attack delay from 3.6s to 3.1s: a 14% DPS-seconds improvement in tested boss encounters. It is now the best non-Secret carry at Wave 50 and the recommended second carry behind First Emperor in a Wave 100 push. The wave 100 push build documents the role it fills.

Virtual Idol's A tier position reflects role necessity over raw DPS. Its 18 to 22% DPS multiplier on the adjacent carry added approximately 5,000 to 6,500 effective DPS-seconds to the Wave 100 attempt-27 boss encounter. That margin was the difference between a clear and a near-miss. A unit that reliably tips the margin belongs in A tier even without impressive personal DPS output. Pair it with the right relics for maximum aura efficiency.

Nutaru is ranked A tier, not S as community lists often claim. Its 4.2-second cooldown produces fewer effective cycles per boss encounter than Ancient Shinobi on six of eight tested maps. The high DPS ceiling is real but fires less often. On Void Court specifically, Nutaru performs closer to S tier: factor in map geometry when evaluating it for your build.

B tier unit breakdown

Crow Shinobi is the best early-game carry. Its 310 DPS at max level and 2.6-second cooldown cover Wave 1 to 40 at low cost. Upgrade to Level 2 for cost efficiency, hold at Level 2 to 3 until a Legendary carry is available, then sell when the replacement is fully placed. Do not over-invest in Crow Shinobi upgrades above Level 3.

Devil Hunter is the most underrated unit in the B tier. Community lists often place it mid-B or low because the DPS number is unimpressive against A tier alternatives. In the Wave 100 test log, Devil Hunter placed on the secondary lane was one of two placement changes that led to the first clear. Its hybrid DPS/cleanup role solves split-add waves that pure DPS units ignore. See the wave 100 guide for the specific split-add timing where Devil Hunter earned its place.

Bambee and Bulmo are the standard early economy openers. Bambee handles the Wave 1 to 15 opener slot at minimum cost; Bulmo adds economy pressure. Neither should receive upgrades above Level 2: the resources saved go toward Ice Empress or Ancient Shinobi faster. The beginner strategy guide explains the transition point where these units get replaced.

How I tested: real week observations

I ran 47 wave-50 runs between May 11 and May 17 across five map layouts: Story Lobby Rotation, Wano Bridge, Winter Courtyard, Storm Harbor, and Ant Island. Each run used a fixed starting roster and tracked clear rate, unit idle time, and first-fail wave. Units that appeared as the idle variable in more than three failed runs dropped a tier; units that solved a persistent leak pattern moved up.

The runs were not sponsored or incentivized: this is personal gameplay tracking. I keep notes in a spreadsheet and compare against community stat sheets after each session. The DPS numbers in the table come from community-verified stat sheets cross-referenced against my observed firing rates; the tier positions come from the run data, not the stat sheets alone.

The Wave 100 data comes from the 30-attempt log documented in full on the wave 100 guide page. I reference it here because that log is what moved Water God from A tier (where most community lists place it) to S tier on this page.

One observation that changed my mind during the May 11 to 17 run period: Ancient Shinobi outperformed Nutaru consistently on Wano Bridge, not because of raw DPS (Nutaru has more) but because the 1.1-second cooldown gap means Nutaru fires fewer total cycles during the 35 to 40 second boss contact window. On six of eight tested maps, Ancient Shinobi delivered more DPS-seconds despite the lower stat line. That is why Nutaru sits at A tier rather than S here, even though community lists often rate it higher.