Last verified: November 8, 2026. Tower stats and unlock costs were checked against the Tower Defense Simulator wiki; the newest store tower on it is the Pulse Trooper, added in version 2.10.0 on September 11, 2026. Roblox games update often, so we refresh this list every few months.
Tower Defense Simulator has 44 towers you can unlock from the store, by player level, or by evolving a tower you already own, plus event-exclusive and Golden towers on top. Tier lists for it disagree a lot, sometimes by four tiers on the same tower. So instead of adding one more opinion, this list combines three recent tier lists into a consensus ranking, then adds what the wiki says about each tower's cost, limits and hidden detection, so you can see why a tower sits where it does.
The short version
- The five towers every list puts in its top tier: Accelerator, Engineer, Commander, DJ Booth and Farm.
- Best buys with coins only: Farm (2,000), Commander (4,000) and DJ Booth (5,000). Ranger (12,000) is the best coin-bought damage tower, if the map has cliffs.
- Best gem (Hardcore) towers: Engineer and Accelerator, then Hacker.
- Cheapest hidden detection: Paintballer and Militant see hidden enemies from Level 1; Trapper and Turret from Level 0.
- Where the lists disagree most: Shotgunner, ranked everything from D to the very top tier.
How This TDS Tier List Was Built
We compared the three most recently updated tier lists we could find, all from the second half of 2026: Technerdiness (updated September 17, 2026), Techwiser (October 20, 2026) and Bloxodes (August 26, 2026). Technerdiness and Techwiser both say they rank towers on usefulness across a whole match, from early game to late, rather than on rarity or price. Then we applied one simple rule:
- A tower's tier is the middle of its three placements. If one list says S, one A and one B, the tower is A. Techwiser's top tier is "SS", which we count as S.
- If only two lists rank a tower and they disagree, we take the lower tier. That keeps a single enthusiastic list from inflating a tower.
- Towers no list ranks yet get no tier. That currently means only the Pulse Trooper.
The "Lists" column in the table shows the three placements in the order Technerdiness / Techwiser / Bloxodes, with a dash where a list leaves the tower out. Costs, unlock requirements, placement limits and hidden detection come from each tower's page on the TDS wiki. We left out Robux prices, because different wiki pages list different amounts for the same tower.
"Hidden" is the game's word for invisible enemies, which most towers cannot target until a certain upgrade level. "Placement cost" is the in-match cash price listed on the wiki.
Tower Defense Simulator Tier List (All 44 Towers)
| Tier | Tower | Lists | How to unlock | Placement cost | Hidden detection |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| S | Accelerator | S / S / S | 2,500 gems, level 50 | $7,500 | Level 1+ |
| S | Engineer | S / S / S | 4,500 gems, level 50 | $600 | Level 2+ |
| S | Commander | S / S / S | 4,000 coins | $650 | Level 2+ |
| S | DJ Booth | S / S / S | 5,000 coins | $850 | No (pulses hit indirectly from Level 3) |
| S | Farm | S / S / S | 2,000 coins | $300 | No (does not attack) |
| S | Hacker | – / S / S | 5,500 gems | $900 | Level 2+ |
| S | Juggernaut | – / S / S | Evolve Minigunner, then 6,000 gems + 15,000 coins | $10,000 | Level 2+ |
| S | Ranger | A / S / S | 12,000 coins | $4,500 | Never |
| A | Turret | A / S / A | Reach level 50 | $7,750 | Level 0+ |
| A | Kingpin | A / S / A | Evolve Crook Boss, then 5,500 gems + 15,000 coins | $3,600 | Units only |
| A | Mortar | A / S / A | Reach level 75 | $1,000 | No (splash only) |
| A | Gatling Gun | A / A / A | 35,000 coins, level 175 | $5,250 | Level 3+ |
| A | Electroshocker | A / A / A | 2,500 coins | $650 | Level 2+ |
| A | Necromancer | B / S / A | 2,250 gems, level 50 | $4,200 | Level 2+ |
| A | Brawler | B / S / A | 1,250 gems, level 50 | $300 | Level 3+ |
| A | Mercenary Base | C / A / A | Reach level 150 | $2,750 | Level 3+ (some units) |
| A | Pyromancer | B / A / A | 1,250 coins | $900 | Level 1+ |
| A | Shotgunner | D / S / A | 850 coins | $1,500 | Level 1+ |
| A | Pursuit | – / A / A | 15,000 coins, level 100 | $5,000 | Level 4B+ |
| A | Tesla | – / A / A | 6,000 coins | $5,750 | No (chains hit indirectly) |
| A | Enforcer | – / A / A | Evolve Shotgunner, then 4,750 gems + 15,000 coins | $3,000 | Level 2+ |
| A | Saboteur | – / A / A | 7,500 coins (after beating Polluted Wasteland II) | $775 | Level 1+ |
| A | Cowboy | – / A / A | 4,000 coins | $550 | Level 3+ |
| B | Freezer | B / S / B | 650 coins | $450 | Level 2+ |
| B | Medic | C / S / B | 2,000 coins | $400 | No |
| B | Rocketeer | C / S / B | 2,500 coins | $2,000 | Level 2+ |
| B | Hunter | B / A / B | 1,000 coins | $1,625 | Level 3+ |
| B | Military Base | C / A / B | 4,000 coins | $400 | Level 3+ |
| B | Ace Pilot | A / B / B | 1,500 coins | $500 | Level 4+ |
| B | Militant | B / C / B | 800 coins | $600 | Level 1+ |
| B | Boomerang | D / B / B | 300 coins | $550 | No (arcs hit indirectly) |
| B | Minigunner | – / B / A | 8,000 coins | $1,850 | Level 1+ |
| B | Crook Boss | – / A / B | Reach level 30 | $2,250 | Level 2+ |
| B | Warden | – / A / B | 4,000 coins | $1,850 | Level 1+ |
| B | Operator | – / B / B | Evolve Scout, then 4,500 gems + 15,000 coins | $300 | Level 1+ |
| B | Slime Trooper | – / B / B | 300 coins | $500 | Level 2+ |
| C | Trapper | C / C / B | 3,000 coins | $500 | Level 0+ |
| C | Sniper | B / C / C | Free | $450 | Level 2+ |
| C | Soldier | D / C / C | 350 coins | $400 | Level 2+ |
| C | Demoman | C / D / C | 200 coins | $700 | Level 2+ |
| C | Assassin | – / A / C | 800 coins | $300 | Level 2+ |
| D | Scout | D / D / D | Free | $125 | Level 2+ |
| D | Paintballer | D / D / D | 100 coins | $100 | Level 1+ |
| New | Pulse Trooper | – / – / – | 3,250 coins | $2,100 | No (pulses hit indirectly) |
S S-Tier Towers
Accelerator charges up its plasma gun, then fires a burst of high damage at one target before overheating and cooling down. The wiki describes it as an expensive late-game tower with great single-target damage, range and DPS. At $7,500 to place it is not an opener, but it is the damage tower all three lists agree on, and it sees hidden enemies from Level 1.
Engineer fires a rebar launcher and builds sentries inside its placement range, so one tower becomes a small defensive line. The wiki notes it takes time to ramp up while the sentries are built. It is cheap to place at $600, which is why it shows up in so many top loadouts.
Commander barely fights. It gives towers in its range a 10% fire-rate boost, and from Level 2 its Call to Arms ability adds another 10% for ten seconds, according to the wiki. Put it next to your strongest damage towers and every one of them gets better.
DJ Booth plays one of three tracks, each a different buff for nearby towers: purple for range (12.5%, rising to 25%), green for a discount (5%, rising to 15%) and, from Level 2, red for damage (10%, rising to 20%). Its Drop the Beat ability unlocks at Level 3. You can only place one, so the question is where, not whether.
Farm never attacks. It pays cash at the start of every wave: $60 at Level 0, rising to $1,500 per wave at Level 5, according to the wiki's income table. The earlier you place it, the more waves it has to pay you back, which is why every list treats it as the backbone of a late-game build.
Hacker hacks the enemies it hits, applying effects that start with Unit Conversion at Level 0, and the game's own description says it slows its targets. Both lists that rank it put it in the top tier. With a limit of two, it is a specialist you build around rather than spam.
Juggernaut is the evolved Minigunner: a massive tower that fires high-damage shots quickly and splits into two upgrade paths at Level 4. Getting it takes a Level 20 Minigunner plus 6,000 gems and 15,000 coins, and its $10,000 placement cost makes it a late-game piece.
Ranger is a cliff tower with very long range, high damage and a slow fire rate. It can hit flying enemies, damages lead from Level 2, ignores stuns, and from Level 2 gives nearby towers a 10% range buff at the start of every wave. Its one hard limit: the wiki says it cannot detect hidden enemies at any level, so pair it with something that can. Technerdiness ranks it one tier lower than the other two lists.
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Browse Free Tower Defense GamesA A-Tier Towers
Turret unlocks for free at level 50 and sees hidden enemies from Level 0. It has long range and high single-target damage, but costs $7,750 to place and has a placement limit of three.
Kingpin is the evolved Crook Boss (Level 20 Crook Boss, then 5,500 gems and 15,000 coins), a single-target tower whose units handle hidden enemies.
Mortar unlocks at level 75. It is a cliff tower with dependable splash damage that later fires cluster bombs, and it hits flying enemies from Level 0.
Gatling Gun needs level 175 and 35,000 coins, and you can place only one. It fires within a cone, can sit on ground or cliffs, and its ability lets you aim it yourself. All three lists rank it A.
Electroshocker is the best value in this tier at 2,500 coins. Its lightning chains between enemies, damages lead from Level 0, and at later levels stuns enemies and lowers their defense, which is why all three lists agree on A.
Necromancer (2,250 gems, level 50) fires piercing magic that leaves tombstones, which you trigger to summon skeleton minions. Placements range from B to the very top.
Brawler (1,250 gems, level 50) is a cheap melee tower at $300 that knocks enemies back, gains a three-hit combo at Level 2, and can relocate anywhere on the map.
Mercenary Base unlocks at level 150 and spawns an endless stream of units onto the path, starting with Riflemen and adding Grenadiers at Level 1.
Pyromancer (1,250 coins) sprays fire at close range, melts enemy defense and burns enemies over time, and sees hidden enemies from Level 1.
Shotgunner (850 coins) is the most disputed tower in the game: one list puts it in D, another in its very top tier. Its close-range spread pierces multiple enemies. It is also the base for the evolved Enforcer, which is reason enough to own it.
Pursuit (15,000 coins, level 100) is an air-based tower you can order to patrol parts of the map, with high damage and occasional area rockets. It only targets hidden enemies directly from its Level 4B path.
Tesla (6,000 coins) fires chain lightning that stuns every enemy it hits; bosses and stun-immune enemies are slowed instead. You can place two.
Enforcer is the evolved Shotgunner, unlocked with a Level 20 Shotgunner plus 4,750 gems and 15,000 coins.
Saboteur fires poison shots in a spread, like a Shotgunner. It costs 7,500 coins, but only after you beat Polluted Wasteland II.
Cowboy (4,000 coins) has solid range, low damage and a twist: it earns you extra cash every time it reloads, so it doubles as a small economy tower.
B B-Tier Towers
Freezer (650 coins) slows and freezes enemies, and Slime Trooper (300 coins) slows them by 15%, rising to 22.5% at Level 4. Both are cheap ways to buy your damage towers more time.
Medic (2,000 coins) heals your base at the start of each wave and can attach its medi gun to a nearby tower for a shield and a cooldown boost. One list ranks it S; the other two lower it.
Rocketeer (2,500 coins) is a mid-game splash tower that locks onto multiple enemies for a missile barrage at max level. Hunter (1,000 coins) is a long-range, slow-firing tower built for high-health enemies.
Military Base (4,000 coins) and Crook Boss (level 30) both spawn units: Humvees and tanks, plus air strikes later, for the Military Base, and goons for the Crook Boss, which also evolves into the A-tier Kingpin.
Minigunner (8,000 coins) is a reliable, fast-firing damage tower with no placement limit in normal games. On its own it is B tier, but levelling it to 20 unlocks the S-tier Juggernaut.
Militant (800 coins) has high fire rate and great range, and sees both hidden and flying enemies from Level 1, which makes it one of the best early buys. Ace Pilot (1,500 coins) flies in a circle or figure-eight above the path; Warden (4,000 coins) is a melee tower that stuns and lands a critical hit every third hit; Boomerang (300 coins) throws an arcing boomerang that pierces a line of enemies; and Operator is the evolved Scout.
C C and D Tiers
Trapper (3,000 coins) lays traps and is notable for seeing hidden enemies from Level 0. Sniper (free) is a cheap cliff tower for single big targets. Soldier, Demoman and Assassin are cheap early towers that fall off quickly.
Scout (free) and Paintballer (100 coins) sit in D on all three lists. They are fine for your first few matches, and the Scout is the base for the evolved Operator, but replace them as soon as you can.
New Not Ranked Yet: Pulse Trooper
The Pulse Trooper was added in version 2.10.0 on September 11, 2026, according to its wiki page. It costs 3,250 coins, fires a piercing pulse in a full 360-degree circle, and damages lead enemies from Level 2. None of the three lists rank it yet, so we have left it out of the tiers rather than guess.
Best TDS Towers by Role
Tiers tell you what is strong; roles tell you what your loadout is missing. A balanced loadout usually covers economy, a buff, main damage and hidden detection.
| Role | Best picks | Budget pick |
|---|---|---|
| Economy | Farm | Cowboy (extra cash on every reload) |
| Buffs | Commander, DJ Booth | Medic |
| Main damage | Accelerator, Engineer, Juggernaut, Ranger | Electroshocker, Pyromancer |
| Crowd control | Tesla, Hacker | Freezer, Slime Trooper |
| Hidden detection | Turret, Accelerator (Level 1+) | Militant, Paintballer (Level 1+), Trapper (Level 0+) |
| Cliff slots | Ranger, Mortar | Sniper |
Coins, Gems and Evolved Towers: How Unlocking Works
Most towers cost coins. The five Hardcore towers, Brawler, Necromancer, Accelerator, Engineer and Hacker, cost gems, and Brawler, Necromancer, Accelerator and Engineer also require player level 50. A few towers are rewards for reaching a player level: Crook Boss at 30, Turret at 50, Mortar at 75 and Mercenary Base at 150, while Pursuit and Gatling Gun need levels 100 and 175 on top of their coin price.
Evolved towers are upgraded versions of towers you already own. According to the wiki, you first level the base tower to Level 20, either by earning its experience or by paying to skip, and then buy the evolved version for gems plus 15,000 coins:
- Operator, from Scout: 4,500 gems
- Enforcer, from Shotgunner: 4,750 gems
- Kingpin, from Crook Boss: 5,500 gems
- Juggernaut, from Minigunner: 6,000 gems
If you are spending coins only, a sensible order is Militant early for hidden and flying coverage, then Farm, Commander and DJ Booth, then a coin-bought damage tower such as Electroshocker or Ranger. That path gets you four of the eight S-tier towers without spending a single gem.
Golden Perks and Event-Exclusive Towers
The 44 towers above are the ones anyone can unlock. TDS also has Golden Perks, golden versions of eight towers such as the Golden Scout, Golden Minigunner and Golden Crook Boss, and 22 exclusive towers that come from specific events, maps or quests rather than the store, such as the Archer, Commando and Frost Blaster. The wiki's tower page notes that Golden Perks and exclusive towers cannot be equipped in PVP mode. Two of the three lists put the Golden Scout in their top tier, so if you own it, use it; if you don't, nothing in this list depends on it.
Want more Roblox tower defense? Our ranking of the best Roblox tower defense games puts TDS first and covers eleven alternatives, and our best co-op tower defense games list includes TDS among the free picks. If you also play Ninja Kiwi's monkeys, our BTD6 tier list ranks every hero and tower the same way, with costs and sources. New to the genre? Start with our beginner's guide to tower defense.
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