| Waves | 45 |
| Level Requirement | Level 50 |
| Starting Cash |
Solo: $900 ($1,000 with Group Bonus) Duo: $750 ($850 with Group Bonus) Trio: $600 ($700 with Group Bonus) |
| Estimated Match Time | 40:00 |
| Triumph Rewards | 400 Gems, 400 EXP & 350 Tower EXP |
Hardcore is one of the hardest regular modes in the game. It's only accessible through the left or right Hardcore Elevators, or the Hardcore Matchmaking button, and requires being at least Level 50 to play. Unlike the other modes, Hardcore rewards Gems instead of Coins. Beating it unlocks Voidcore mode.
Cash is only granted when an enemy is killed or damaged enough, and it's split between players rather than based on who dealt the damage: in Duo each player gets 50% of the solo cash value, in Trio each gets 33%. Consumables are disabled entirely in this mode, and Shrines start appearing from Wave 11 onward, then every 10 waves after that.
Hardcore introduces all three major detection types well before the halfway point, so building a balanced roster early matters more here than in most other modes. Here's the wave each attribute first shows up, and every enemy of that type that follows:
| Attribute | First Wave |
|---|---|
| Hidden | 10 |
| Flying | 12 |
| Lead | 14 |
In short: have Hidden detection ready by Wave 10, Flying detection by Wave 12, and Lead detection by Wave 14. Missing any one of these means several waves of enemies your towers simply cannot damage.
Open one of the Hardcore-compatible maps in the mapper and start placing your towers.
Open Wrecked Battlefield in the Mapper →