The "Spawn Camp" Strategy
Key ConceptWhy Spawn Camping Works
In Story Mode, units that wait for enemies to walk to them are too slow. The optimal strategy is to place units directly at the enemy spawn portal.
- Result — Enemies take damage frame 1 of spawning
- Efficiency — Clears maps 50% faster than base defense
- Requirement — Needs units with massive AOE (Ace/Dragon Guy)
Meta Unit Spotlights
Top Picks
SSS TIER
Ichigo Winter
Nuke / Boss Killer
The fastest way to clear Story Mode. His nuke insta-kills bosses, skipping phases entirely. Mandatory for speedruns.
Trait: Reaper
Relic: Demonic Essence
SSS TIER
Dragon Guy — The Controller
Crowd Control / Nuke
Necessary for Nightmare Mode where enemies have "Speedy" modifiers. His freeze stops them instantly.
Trait: Ruler / Sacred
Relic: Laughing Captain
Synergy: Kyito (bleed)
SSS TIER
Ace — The Camper
Spawn Kill
His burn hits the entire map. You place him, upgrade him, and win. Simple as that.
Trait: Astral (Higher burn)
Relic: Master Ninja
Complete Tier List
Updated Jan 2026| Tier | Unit | Role | Meta Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| SSS | Ichigo Winter | Nuke DPS | Instantly clears boss waves. Speedrun essential. |
| SSS | Dragon Guy | Controller | Speedy Enemy Counter (Instant Freeze). |
| SS | Junglu Winter | Crit / Heal | High damage + healing utility. |
| SSS | Ace | Spawn Camp | Full Map Burn. Fastest clear times. |
| SS | Sung Jin-Woo | AFK Clear | Summons do the work for you. Lazy clearing. |
| SS | Kriatu | Ground Nuke | Highest DPS for Ground-only stages. |
| S | Spade | Air DPS | Best Anti-Air for Story/Raid. |
| S | Miku | Buffer | Range buff extends Ace's reach to 100% of map. |
| A | Sasku | Budget Burn | Good DOT, smaller range than Ace. |
| A | Shunks | Stun | Decent stun, but outclassed by Dragon Guy. |
| B | Zora | Range | Good starter unit. |
Nightmare Tactics
Advanced1
Handling Fast Ninjas
In Nightmare, Ninjas move faster than most projectiles can track.
- Do: Use Hitscan/Instant AOE units (Dragon Guy, Ace).
- Don't: Use slow projectile units (Ragna). They will miss.
2
Boss Phase Nuke
Story Bosses don't have Hyper Armor, just lots of HP.
- Save your cooldowns (Lelouch/Time Stop) for the final wave.
- Use Kriatu for ground bosses to melt them instantly.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which free unit is best for Story?
Ragna. He has the highest base stats of any non-Mythic unit and can solo the
first 3 chapters easily.
Do I need a farm unit for Story?
No. Story missions are too short for farms to pay off. Focus on cheap DPS units
instead.