You’ve probably spent a few hours staring at the banner in All Star Tower Defense X, wondering if those gems are actually going to pay off. It’s a common feeling. Honestly, the game has changed a lot since the original ASTD, and if you're trying to play the "X" version with the old meta mindset, you're basically shooting yourself in the foot.
The skill trees and traits in ASTDX add layers that didn't exist before. It's not just about who hits the hardest anymore; it's about who scales with the right buffs and which units can actually survive the late-game shield mechanics. This All Star Tower Defense X tier list isn't just a list of names—it’s a breakdown of why some "popular" units are actually traps and why certain sleepers are dominating the January 2026 meta.
The Absolute S-Tier: The Units You Need to Carry
If you don't have at least two of these, Infinite Mode is going to feel like a brick wall. These units aren't just good; they're broken.
Michishibo is arguably the king right now. His bleed and damage-over-time (DOT) scaling is just stupid. While other units struggle with high-health bosses, Michishibo just melts them regardless of their defense. He has some of the highest one-shot damage potential in the game.
Then you have Spider Boss (Chrollo). People love him for the poison, but his real value is the massive AOE. If you're running the harder raids, you need that crowd control. Just a heads up: he’s expensive to fully upgrade, so don’t drop him too early or you’ll leak.
Slayer Mage is your Infinite Mode savior. The range is basically global once you start pumping points into the skill tree. Most players make the mistake of ignoring her SPA (Seconds Per Attack), but even with a longer cooldown, the raw coverage she provides is mandatory for high-level survival.
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- Magma Marine: The burn damage is essential for shield penetration.
- Xero: The best support in the game, hands down. He buffs range and damage for everyone else.
- The Strongest One: Raw DPS. Nothing fancy, just high numbers.
- Dark Wing: Excellent for flying units which are a nightmare in Update 8.
A-Tier: Reliable But Not Game-Breaking
These units are great. You'll use them to clear most of the story and even decent chunks of Infinite. They just lack that "one-man army" feel of the S-Tier.
Venus is a solid pick because her range is massive for an A-tier unit. She's kinda pricey to place, but once she's up, she handles wave clearing effortlessly. Zorro is another fan favorite, though his SPA is a bit annoying. If you can pair him with a speed-buffing trait, he jumps up significantly in value.
Freezer (Final Form) is the utility queen. That freeze effect isn't just for show; it buys your heavy hitters those extra few seconds needed to finish off a tanky wave. I've seen so many players ignore Freezer because her raw damage numbers look lower, but in the Arena, CC (Crowd Control) is king.
B-Tier: The Situationals and Farmers
You’re basically only using these for specific niches or because you haven't pulled anything better yet.
Ramen Grill-Master is a must-have for one reason: money. He’s your primary farm unit. If you aren't bringing a farmer into Infinite, you’re doing it wrong. He doesn't do damage, but he funds the units that do.
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Zaruto (Sage) and Spirit Detective are decent for mid-game players. They’ll get you through the early story chapters, but they start to fall off hard once you hit the later islands like Innovation Island.
Why Traits Are Actually More Important Than the Unit
Here is the thing most people ignore. A B-tier unit with an All Star trait is often better than an S-tier unit with a trash trait like Tank.
The All Star trait is the holy grail. It has a 0.2% drop rate, but it gives a 300% damage boost. If you roll this on someone like Michishibo, the game basically plays itself.
If you can't get All Star, look for Genesis or Bloodlust. Genesis gives you a nice 50% True Damage boost, which ignores elemental rules. It’s a bit risky because it cuts your unit’s health in half, but in a tower defense game, if the enemies are reaching your units, you’ve already lost anyway.
Best Traits for the Current Meta:
- All Star: Massive damage, range, and special moves.
- Genesis: True damage and stat boosts.
- Corrupted: Best for breaking shields.
- Midas: Use this on your Ramen Grill-Master to maximize cash flow.
The Skill Tree Trap
ASTDX introduced the Hidden Potential tree, and it’s where most players mess up their builds. You have three paths: Damage, Range, and Speed.
Once you pick a path, you're locked in. For a unit like Etri, everyone wants to go pure Damage. Don't. Etri actually benefits way more from the Speed tree because his base damage is already high enough to one-shot most mobs, but his slow attack rate lets enemies slip through.
Use your Skill Orbs wisely. You get these from Challenge Mode runs. If you’re struggling to farm them, focus on the "City of Voldstandig" stage—it’s generally the most efficient for orb-per-minute farming.
Actionable Next Steps for Your Team
Stop spending gems on every single banner that pops up. The meta in All Star Tower Defense X moves fast, but the core "meta" units stay relevant for months.
First, check your current roster against the S-tier. If you have Michishibo or Spider Boss, focus all your resources on their skill trees immediately. Don't spread your orbs thin across ten different characters.
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Second, check your traits. If your best attacker has a "D-tier" trait like Zenkai 1, use those Trait Burners you got from the latest codes (like UPDATE7ORISIT8) to reroll. Aim for at least a Tempest or Sharpshooter to keep them viable in the Arena.
Finally, make sure you have a dedicated farm unit. You can't run a team of six heavy hitters. You'll run out of money by wave 15 and get overwhelmed. Keep a Ramen Grill-Master or Tony Stark (for the income/DPS hybrid) in your back pocket.
Mastering the skill tree and matching the right traits to the right S-tier units is the only way to consistently clear the 2026 content.