Tier S Hard AOE/Status Effect Specialist

The Makeshift Sisyphus

Pure AOE specialist. Cannot deal direct ball damage but AOE and status effects are 4x stronger.

Starting Ball

Earthquake

Passive Ability

No direct damage; AOE and status effects deal 4x damage

Unlock Requirement

Build Rocky Hill blueprint

Playstyle Guide

The Makeshift Sisyphus trades direct damage for massive AOE and status effect power (4x multiplier). Earthquake starting ball provides foundation for AOE-focused builds. Must rely entirely on evolutions like Swamp, Overgrowth, and Sandstorm for damage.

Recommended Evolutions

These evolutions synergize best with The Makeshift Sisyphus's abilities and playstyle:

Swamp

View evolution details →

Overgrowth

View evolution details →

Sandstorm

View evolution details →

Magma

View evolution details →

Strategy Tips

⭐

S-Tier Character

The Makeshift Sisyphus is considered one of the strongest characters in the game. Master this character for top-tier performance.

⚠

Advanced Character

The Makeshift Sisyphus requires good understanding of game mechanics and careful execution. Practice with easier characters before attempting mastery.

Role: AOE/Status Effect Specialist

Why S-Tier?

The Makeshift Sisyphus achieves S-tier through **4x AOE/status effect multiplier that transforms support evolutions into devastating primary damage sources**. Both Dexerto and TheGamer rate S-tier, reflecting universal consensus on late-game dominance. The passive eliminates all direct ball damage (balls deal 0 damage on hit) but compensates with 4× multiplier on AOE explosions, status effects, and damage-over-time. This transforms normally weak support evolutions like Poison (standard 10 DPS → 40 DPS with 4×) and Burn (15 DPS → 60 DPS) into primary killers. Starting Earthquake ball provides immediate AOE foundation—standard Earthquake hits 5-6 enemies, 4× multiplier enables 20-25 enemy hits from single activation. The core build revolves around Swamp evolution (Earthquake + Poison): 4× Earthquake AoE + 4× Poison DoT creates screen-wide persistent damage zones that clear waves passively. Community testing reveals Sun + Overgrowth combination is "super broken"—Overgrowth spreads healing zones, 4× multiplier converts healing into damage, Sun explosions trigger Overgrowth spread infinitely. Late-game scaling surpasses all characters: stack 5-6 AOE/status evolutions, each with 4× multiplier, for compounding devastation. S-tier reflects unmatched late-game power ceiling despite challenging early game (zero direct damage creates waves 1-5 struggle).

Passive Ability Analysis

**Zero Direct Damage + 4× AOE/Status Multiplier** creates inverted damage paradigm: (1) **No Direct Ball Damage** - All balls deal 0 damage on collision. Hitting enemies directly does nothing—balls bounce harmlessly. This eliminates standard damage sources entirely, requiring 100% reliance on evolutions, AOE effects, and status damage. (2) **4× AOE Multiplier** - All area-of-effect damage multiplied by 4. Earthquake explosion (standard 100 damage) becomes 400 damage. Nuclear Bomb (standard 300 damage) becomes 1,200 damage. This transforms AOE evolutions into primary killers. (3) **4× Status Effect Multiplier** - All damage-over-time effects multiplied by 4. Poison DoT (10 DPS) becomes 40 DPS. Burn (15 DPS) becomes 60 DPS. Status effects become more potent than direct hits from other characters. (4) **Earthquake Starting Ball Advantage** - Starting with Earthquake provides immediate AOE scaling. First ball creates ground-shake zones hitting 5-6 enemies simultaneously. 4× multiplier enables 20-25 enemy hits from single Earthquake activation. (5) **Evolution Dependency** - Early game (waves 1-5) extremely challenging: no direct damage means slow clear speeds until first AOE evolution acquired. Late game (waves 30+) unstoppable: stacking AOE/status evolutions with 4× multipliers creates screen-wide devastation. Hard difficulty reflects early-game struggle and evolution-dependent scaling.

Early Game Strategy (Waves 1-10)

**Waves 1-10: Survival Mode & Swamp Evolution Rush** The Makeshift Sisyphus's early game is the hardest in the game due to zero direct damage: **Wave 1-3 (Earthquake Survival):** - Starting Earthquake deals 0 direct damage—must rely on ground-shake AOE effect only - Earthquake AOE hits 5-6 enemies in small radius (standard 100 damage → 400 damage with 4× multiplier) - **Critical challenge:** Waves 1-3 are slowest clear speed in game—no direct damage means waiting for Earthquake AOE to kill enemies - Buy Poison ball immediately (wave 2-3) for Swamp evolution (Earthquake + Poison) - Gold priority: 100% Poison ball acquisition—this is survival requirement - Positioning: Center-screen, let enemies cluster around you, trigger Earthquake AOE on clusters (4-5 enemies per activation) **Wave 3-5 (Swamp Evolution - Critical Power Spike):** - Complete Swamp (Earthquake + Poison) by wave 3-5 - **The Makeshift Sisyphus transforms here:** Swamp combines 4× Earthquake AOE + 4× Poison DoT = persistent damage zones - Swamp creates poison ground that damages enemies continuously—40 DPS × 5-6 enemies = 200-240 total DPS - This is the character's first major power spike—pre-Swamp is extreme struggle, post-Swamp is smooth scaling - Focus on triggering Swamp zones in enemy spawn paths—poison lingers for 5-8 seconds, killing waves passively **Wave 5-10 (Second AOE Evolution):** - Add second AOE evolution: Sandstorm (Earthquake + Burn) OR Magma (Burn + Earthquake) - With 2 AOE evolutions (both 4× multiplied), clear speed accelerates dramatically - Wave 10 target: Swamp evolution + Sandstorm/Magma, understand AOE zone positioning - Gold priority: 50% new AOE balls (Burn, Light for Sun builds), 30% Earthquake upgrades, 20% AOE size increases - **Critical insight:** Stack AOE evolutions only—direct damage evolutions (Lightning, Iron) do nothing for The Makeshift Sisyphus **Positioning Strategy:** Center-screen positioning until wave 10. Let enemies come to you, trigger AOE zones on clusters. Avoid chasing enemies—AOE zones do the killing.

Mid Game Strategy (Waves 11-25)

**Waves 11-25: AOE Evolution Stacking & Zone Control** Mid-game focuses on stacking multiple 4× AOE evolutions for screen coverage: **Wave 11-15 (Triple AOE Build):** - Add third AOE evolution: Overgrowth (requires testing, likely involves Earthquake + Nature/Heal) - **The Makeshift Sisyphus advantage:** 3 AOE evolutions × 4× multiplier each = 12× effective damage vs standard characters - Swamp (Earthquake + Poison) + Sandstorm (Earthquake + Burn) + Overgrowth creates layered damage zones - Each zone deals 4× damage independently—stacking all 3 zones = 12× multiplied persistent AOE - Position AOE zones in enemy spawn paths: place Swamp zones at spawn points, let enemies walk into 4× poison damage **Wave 16-20 (Sun + Overgrowth 'Super Broken' Combo):** - Community reports Sun + Overgrowth combination is "super broken" - Sun evolution (Light + Burn) creates explosive AOE—4× multiplier makes Sun explosions devastate 15-20 enemies per proc - Overgrowth spreads persistent zones—4× multiplier converts spreading zones into instant-kill fields - **Wave 20 boss strategy:** Layer AOE zones around boss spawn, let 4× multiplied zones kill boss passively while avoiding attacks - Boss positioning: Back-screen positioning, place AOE zones between you and boss, let boss walk into zones **Wave 21-25 (Four AOE Evolution Build):** - Build toward fourth AOE evolution: Magma (Burn + Earthquake) OR Nuclear Bomb (Bomb + Poison, if Bomb has AOE) - The Makeshift Sisyphus excels with pure AOE stacking: 4-5 AOE evolutions × 4× multiplier = screen-wide devastation - Wave 25 target: Swamp + Sun + Overgrowth + Magma, master AOE zone layering - Each zone persists 5-8 seconds—layering 4 zones creates permanent damage fields that kill everything automatically - Gameplay becomes zone placement strategy: position zones optimally, let passive damage clear waves **Gold Management:** 40% AOE ball acquisition (Burn, Light, Nature), 30% AOE size/duration upgrades, 30% zone damage multipliers

Late Game Strategy (Waves 26-40+)

**Waves 26-40+: Screen-Wide AOE Dominance** Late-game The Makeshift Sisyphus achieves highest sustained DPS in game: **Wave 26-30 (Five AOE Evolution Stack):** - Goal: Stack 5+ AOE/status evolutions for maximum zone coverage - Priority evolutions: Swamp + Sun + Overgrowth + Magma + Nuclear Bomb (if AOE-based) - With 5 AOE evolutions × 4× multiplier, each zone deals 20× effective damage vs baseline - **Wave 30 boss:** Layer 5 AOE zones around boss spawn point, boss dies within 3-5 seconds from passive zone damage - Optimal build creates persistent damage screen: entire battlefield covered in 4× multiplied AOE zones - Positioning: Back-center, place zones forward covering 80%+ of screen, avoid entering own zones if damaging **Wave 31-40 (Wave 40 Push):** - The Makeshift Sisyphus's strength at wave 40: AOE zones scale infinitely with stacking and multipliers - **Build path:** Swamp (wave 5) + Sun (wave 12) + Overgrowth (wave 18) + Magma (wave 22) + Nuclear Bomb (wave 30) - Wave 40 boss: 5-6 layered AOE zones with 4× multipliers kill boss swarms automatically—no active aiming required - Each zone: 4× damage × 5-8 second duration × 6 zones = 120× effective sustained DPS vs standard characters - Weakness: Zero direct damage means single-target focus is impossible—must rely on AOE spread - Mitigation: Irrelevant at wave 40—enemy density makes AOE zones hit 20-30 targets simultaneously **Wave 41-50 (Wave 50 Dominance):** - The Makeshift Sisyphus is arguably best wave 50 character in game due to scaling - **Ultimate build:** Swamp + Sun + Overgrowth + Magma + Nuclear Bomb + Sandstorm (6 AOE evolutions) - This gives: 6 zones × 4× multiplier each = 24× base damage, stacked zones = 50-100× effective DPS - Wave 50 strategy: Layer all 6 AOE zones in central screen area, create "kill zone" that instantly destroys all enemies entering - Boss hordes cannot survive—walking into 6× stacked 4× multiplied zones = instant death (2,000-3,000 damage per second) - S-tier dominance: No other character achieves this sustained DPS without active aiming/positioning - Positioning: Center-back, place zones forward and sides, create 360-degree AOE coverage **Gold Management:** 20% final AOE balls (complete 6-7 evolution suite), 60% AOE zone size/duration/damage, 20% status effect duration

Best Evolutions for The Makeshift Sisyphus

**Top 5 Evolutions for The Makeshift Sisyphus:** **1. Swamp (A-tier, 1.8x base damage, 4× = 7.2x effective)** - Recipe: Earthquake + Poison - Why it works: Uses starting Earthquake ball, combines 4× AOE + 4× Poison DoT - Swamp creates persistent poison ground—40 DPS DoT × 8 enemies = 320 total DPS from single zone - Synergy: Core evolution, earliest power spike (wave 3-5), enables mid-game scaling - **Best evolution for The Makeshift Sisyphus** - foundation of entire build **2. Sun (A-tier, 2.8x base damage, 4× = 11.2x effective)** - Recipe: Light + Burn - Why it works: 4× multiplier makes Sun explosions devastate 15-20 enemies per proc (standard Sun hits 5-6) - "Super broken" with Overgrowth according to community—Sun triggers Overgrowth spread infinitely - Synergy: Pairs with Overgrowth for broken combo, achievable wave 10-15 with Light acquisition **3. Overgrowth (B-tier, 1.5x base damage, 4× = 6.0x effective)** - Recipe: Unknown (likely Earthquake + Nature or Heal-related) - Why it works: Spreads persistent zones that deal 4× damage, "super broken" with Sun - Community reports Overgrowth + Sun creates infinite spreading damage zones - Synergy: Broken combo with Sun, achievable wave 15-20 depending on recipe **4. Magma (A-tier, 2.0x base damage, 4× = 8.0x effective)** - Recipe: Burn + Earthquake - Why it works: Uses starting Earthquake ball, combines 4× Burn DoT + 4× Earthquake AOE - Magma creates burning ground zones—60 DPS × 6 enemies = 360 total DPS per zone - Synergy: Pairs with Swamp for dual persistent zone coverage (poison + fire) **5. Sandstorm (A-tier, 1.9x base damage, 4× = 7.6x effective)** - Recipe: Earthquake + Wind (or Burn, sources vary) - Why it works: Creates spreading wind zones with 4× damage, covers large screen areas - Sandstorm zones persist and spread—4× multiplier makes spreading zones instant-kill fields - Synergy: Late-game addition for maximum screen coverage (5-6 AOE evolution build) **Evolutions to AVOID:** - **ANY direct damage evolution** - Lightning, Iron, Ghost phase-through, Laser beams do ZERO damage (no direct damage passive) - **Baby ball evolutions** - Maggot, Egg Sac babies deal direct damage (blocked by passive) - **Single-target evolutions** - Focus 100% on AOE and status effect evolutions only

How to Unlock The Makeshift Sisyphus

**Unlocking The Makeshift Sisyphus: Build Rocky Hill Blueprint** **Recommended Character:** The Itchy Finger (fast fire rate) OR The Lantern Knight (balanced) **Strategy (30-45 minutes - late-game unlock):** **Phase 1: Progress to Mid-Game (Waves 1-25)** - The Makeshift Sisyphus is late-game unlock—Rocky Hill blueprint requires significant progression - Play strong character (The Itchy Finger, Lantern Knight), reach wave 20-30 for higher blueprint drop rates - Rocky Hill blueprint rarely drops early—expect wave 25+ boss encounters for drop - Alternative: Progress city construction in Harvest Mode to unlock blueprint purchase in shop **Phase 2: Find Rocky Hill Blueprint (Waves 20-35)** - Continue wave progression, target boss encounters (wave 20, 25, 30, 35) - Rocky Hill blueprint drop rate increases at higher waves—wave 30+ bosses have higher drop chances - Keep playing until blueprint drops (RNG-based, may take 5-8 boss kills) - Shop alternative: Rocky Hill blueprint costs 1,200-1,500 gold when available (late-game pricing) **Phase 3: Build Rocky Hill in New Ballbylon (Harvest Mode)** - After obtaining blueprint, enter Harvest Mode - Place Rocky Hill structure in New Ballbylon city - Construction requires: Multiple workers bouncing balls over extended time (rocky terrain is difficult to build) - Rocky Hill takes 4-6 harvest cycles (~15-20 minutes) due to terrain complexity - Visual confirmation: Rocky terrain fully renders with detailed stone texture when complete **Phase 4: The Makeshift Sisyphus Unlocks** - Once Rocky Hill construction completes → The Makeshift Sisyphus unlocks - Character becomes available in roster (late-game character) - Select from character select screen **Time Investment:** 30-45 minutes total (longest unlock in game due to late-game blueprint + complex construction) **Common Mistakes:** - Expecting early unlock (Rocky Hill is late-game—requires wave 25+ progression) - Not reaching wave 30+ for higher drop rates (early waves rarely drop Rocky Hill) - Rushing construction (Rocky Hill takes 2-3× longer than standard structures) **Optimization:** Play Fast Mode + S-tier character (The Itchy Finger) for fastest wave 30+ access

Advanced Tips & Tricks

**1. AOE Zone Layering:** Stack multiple AOE zones in same location for multiplicative damage. 3 zones (Swamp + Magma + Sandstorm) in one spot = 12× base damage from stacking. Enemies entering die instantly. **2. Sun + Overgrowth Exploitation:** Community-confirmed "super broken" combo. Sun explosions trigger Overgrowth zone spread, Overgrowth spread triggers more Sun explosions = infinite chain reaction. Position Sun near Overgrowth zones for perpetual spreading devastation. **3. Enemy Path Prediction:** Place AOE zones in enemy spawn paths before waves start. Enemies walk into pre-placed 4× zones = instant kills before reaching center screen. Wave starts, 80% enemies dead within 2 seconds from pathing through zones. **4. Zero Direct Damage Acceptance:** Don't try to hit enemies directly—balls do 0 damage on collision. Focus 100% on positioning AOE zones, let zones do all killing. Direct hits are wasted effort. **5. AOE Size Maximization:** Prioritize AOE size upgrades over damage upgrades. 4× multiplier already provides massive damage—larger zones cover more enemies = more effective killing. Target: 50%+ larger zones by wave 30. **6. Persistent Zone Duration:** Max zone duration upgrades. Swamp/Magma/Sandstorm zones persist 5-8 seconds baseline—duration upgrades extend to 10-15 seconds = permanent damage fields with overlapping placement. **7. Early Game Gold Conservation:** Waves 1-5 are slow—don't waste gold on direct damage upgrades (useless for you). Save 100% gold for Poison ball acquisition (wave 2-3) for Swamp rush. This is survival requirement. **8. Boss Zone Trapping:** Pre-place 5-6 AOE zones around boss spawn point before boss wave. Boss spawns directly into 6× layered 4× zones = dies in 3-5 seconds without you firing additional shots. Ultimate lazy boss strategy.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

**1. Trying to Hit Enemies Directly:** - Mistake: Aiming balls at enemies for direct collision damage - Why it's bad: Passive blocks ALL direct damage—balls do 0 damage on hit, complete waste of effort - Fix: Ignore direct hits entirely. Focus 100% on positioning AOE zones via ball bounces and evolution triggers. **2. Building Direct Damage Evolutions:** - Mistake: Creating Lightning, Iron, Laser, or other direct-damage evolutions - Why it's bad: These evolutions rely on direct ball damage (blocked by passive)—provide zero value - Fix: Build ONLY AOE and status effect evolutions: Swamp, Sun, Overgrowth, Magma, Sandstorm, Nuclear Bomb. **3. Not Rushing Swamp Evolution:** - Mistake: Delaying Poison ball acquisition, creating other evolutions first - Why it's bad: Waves 1-5 are nearly unplayable without Swamp—slowest clear speed in game - Fix: Buy Poison ball wave 2-3, rush Swamp (Earthquake + Poison) by wave 3-5. This is survival requirement, not optimization. **4. Poor Zone Placement:** - Mistake: Placing AOE zones randomly or near edges of screen - Why it's bad: Enemies spawn center-screen and spread outward—edge zones hit fewer enemies - Fix: Place zones in center-screen and enemy spawn paths. Predict enemy movement, pre-place zones for walking kills. **5. Ignoring AOE Size Upgrades:** - Mistake: Prioritizing damage upgrades over AOE size/duration upgrades - Why it's bad: 4× multiplier already provides massive damage—larger zones hit more enemies = better scaling - Fix: Prioritize: AOE size > zone duration > damage upgrades. Coverage beats raw damage at 4× multiplier. **6. Single Evolution Focus:** - Mistake: Maxing one evolution (Swamp only) instead of stacking multiple AOE evolutions - Why it's bad: The Makeshift Sisyphus scales through evolution stacking (4-6 evolutions with 4× each) - Fix: Build 4-6 AOE evolutions by wave 30. Don't max single evolution—spread across multiple for compounding zones. **7. Aggressive Positioning:** - Mistake: Positioning front-screen near enemy spawns - Why it's bad: No direct damage means no point in close positioning—AOE zones do killing regardless of distance - Fix: Back-center positioning. Place zones forward, let enemies walk into zones. Safe positioning since zones do all work.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Makeshift Sisyphus beginner-friendly?

No—hard difficulty, not recommended for beginners. Zero direct damage creates extremely challenging waves 1-5 (slowest clear speed in game). Requires understanding AOE mechanics, zone placement, and evolution synergies. Recommended for experienced players who have mastered other characters. Late-game unlock reinforces advanced-player targeting.

How do I survive waves 1-5 with zero direct damage?

Rush Swamp evolution immediately. Buy Poison ball wave 2-3, combine with starting Earthquake for Swamp (Earthquake + Poison) by wave 3-5. Swamp provides first persistent damage zone with 4× multiplier—enables wave clear. Pre-Swamp: center-screen positioning, let enemies cluster, trigger Earthquake AOE on clusters (only damage source). Waves 1-5 are slowest in game—expect 2-3× longer clear times than standard characters.

What's the ideal build path for The Makeshift Sisyphus?

Optimal build: Swamp (wave 5) → Sun (wave 12) → Overgrowth (wave 18) → Magma (wave 22) → Sandstorm (wave 28) → Nuclear Bomb (wave 35). Rush Swamp first for survival, add Sun + Overgrowth for 'super broken' combo, stack additional AOE evolutions late-game. Final build: 6 AOE evolutions with 4× multipliers each = screen-wide persistent damage zones killing everything automatically.

Can The Makeshift Sisyphus beat wave 50?

Yes—arguably best wave 50 character in game. Late-game scaling surpasses all other characters: 6 AOE evolutions × 4× multiplier each = 24× base damage, stacked zones create 50-100× effective DPS. Wave 50 strategy: Layer all 6 zones in center screen, create permanent kill field. Bosses cannot survive 2,000-3,000 DPS from stacked zones. S-tier dominance at wave 50 due to passive sustained DPS without active aiming.

Why S-tier despite challenging early game?

S-tier reflects late-game dominance that outweighs early struggle. Waves 1-5 are hardest in game (zero direct damage), but waves 30-50 are strongest in game (4× AOE stacking). Dexerto and TheGamer both rate S-tier due to unmatched scaling: 6× stacked 4× multiplied zones achieve DPS impossible for other characters. Early-game challenge prevents casual play, but late-game ceiling justifies S-tier rating for skilled players who survive to wave 20+.