Tier A Medium DPS/Assassin

The Shade

Critical damage specialist with execute mechanics. High risk, high reward playstyle.

Starting Ball

Dark

Passive Ability

10% base critical hit chance, Dark ball instant-kills weakened enemies

Unlock Requirement

Build Mausoleum Blueprint (unlocked by clearing Liminal x Desert biome)

Playstyle Guide

The Shade rewards aggressive play with built-in critical chance and execute mechanics. Dark ball's instant-kill on weakened enemies creates satisfying burst moments. Focus on critical-enhancing evolutions and Dark synergies like Shadow Strike (Dark + Ghost) for massive burst damage. The 10% base crit chance scales well with crit-focused builds. Advanced players can chain executes across multiple weakened enemies. Works exceptionally well with AoE evolutions that benefit from critical hits.

Recommended Evolutions

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

Shadow Strike

View evolution details →

Black Hole

View evolution details →

Assassin

View evolution details →

Holy Laser

View evolution details →

Strategy Tips

Role: DPS/Assassin

Maximize damage output through optimal positioning and evolution timing. Target priority enemies first.

Passive Ability Analysis

**10% Base Critical Hit Chance + Dark Ball Execute** creates a two-phase damage pattern: (1) **Critical Scaling** - The 10% base crit chance applies to ALL balls, not just Dark balls. This means every ball type benefits from potential critical hits, making The Shade synergize well with high-damage evolutions (Holy Laser crits, Black Hole crits deal massive damage). (2) **Execute Mechanic** - Dark ball has 10% chance to instantly kill enemies below 20% HP threshold. This creates satisfying "cleanup" moments where weakened enemies get deleted, speeding up wave clear. The combination rewards aggressive play: chip enemies to 20% HP, let Dark ball executes finish them. However, **balls shoot from the back position** - a significant positioning challenge. Distant enemies are hard to reach because closer enemies block projectiles. This forces The Shade into AoE-focused builds (Holy Laser, area evolutions) to hit through enemy packs. The positioning weakness is why The Shade is A-tier, not S-tier - requires build compensation to overcome inherent disadvantage. Best players leverage the crit chance for burst damage while using AoE to mitigate positioning issues.

Early Game Strategy (Waves 1-10)

**Waves 1-10: AoE Priority for Positioning** The Shade's early game focuses on overcoming the back-position shooting challenge through area damage: **Wave 1-3 (Dark Ball Foundation):** - Starting Dark ball deals solid damage with 10% crit chance + 10% execute chance - **Critical priority: Buy balls for AoE evolutions immediately** - Best early path: Acquire Laser balls (Horizontal/Vertical) for Holy Laser - Alternative: Ghost ball for Assassin (Dark + Ghost) - backstab bonus damage - Avoid single-target builds - positioning makes them ineffective **Wave 3-5 (First Evolution - Assassin or Laser Focus):** - **Primary: Create Assassin (Dark + Ghost)** - Uses starting Dark, adds backstab damage - Assassin deals bonus damage on back hits, synergizes with execute mechanics - **Alternative: Start Laser path** - Acquire both Horizontal and Vertical Laser for Holy Laser - Avoid: Pure damage evolutions without AoE (waste The Shade's potential) - Wave 5 target: Assassin created OR 1-2 Laser balls acquired **Wave 5-10 (Holy Laser Rush):** - Build toward Holy Laser (Laser Horizontal + Laser Vertical, 2.5x, S-tier) - Holy Laser is THE evolution for The Shade - hits entire screen, bypasses positioning weakness - Holy Laser with 10% crit chance = devastating screen clear - Add Radiation Beam (Laser + Poison/Cell) for additional AoE if available - Wave 10 target: Holy Laser created OR Assassin + 2 Laser balls ready, 12-15 total balls **Gold Priority:** 70% Laser ball acquisition (Holy Laser path), 20% Ghost/Poison for utility, 10% ball levels **Positioning:** Stay back (you shoot from back anyway), let AoE evolutions clear forward enemies, focus on execution chains on weakened targets.

Mid Game Strategy (Waves 11-25)

**Waves 11-25: AoE Mastery + Crit Scaling** Mid-game leverages The Shade's crit chance with area damage evolutions: **Wave 11-15 (Holy Laser Dominance):** - Holy Laser (created wave 7-10) becomes your primary DPS with 10% crit chance - Critical Holy Lasers deal 3.75x+ damage (2.5x base × 1.5x crit multiplier) - Add second AoE evolution: Radiation Beam (Laser + Poison) or Magic Staff passive (boosts AoE damage) - **Passive item priority:** Magic Staff (boosts all AoE damage), Ethereal Cloak (piercing), Dynamite (explosions) - Wave 15 difficulty spike: Holy Laser + Assassin/Radiation Beam sufficient **Wave 16-20 (Black Hole Path):** - Start collecting components for Black Hole (Sun + Dark) - You already have Dark balls (starting ball) - need Sun (Burn + Light) - Create Sun (Burn + Light) first, then combine Sun + Dark for Black Hole - **Optimal build:** Holy Laser + Black Hole + Assassin = triple high-damage evolution - Wave 20 boss: Position centrally, Holy Laser + Black Hole clear screen, Dark ball executes finish low-HP adds **Wave 21-25 (Crit Build Completion):** - Stack high-damage evolutions that benefit from 10% crit chance - **S-tier focus:** Black Hole (3.5x, crits become 5.25x+), Holy Laser (2.5x, crits 3.75x+) - Add Frozen Flame (Freeze + Burn) for control + damage hybrid - The Shade can run 2 S-tier evolutions (Holy Laser + Black Hole) by wave 25 with proper planning - Wave 25 target: Holy Laser + Black Hole + 2 utility evolutions (Assassin, Frozen Flame) **Gold Management:** 50% Light/Burn balls for Black Hole path, 30% ball levels (max Holy Laser), 20% passive items (Magic Staff priority) **Character Pairing:** The Empty Nester multiplies primary balls - pairs exceptionally well with The Shade's crit mechanics (more balls = more crits).

Late Game Strategy (Waves 26-40+)

**Waves 26-40+: Execute Chain Master** Late-game The Shade becomes an execute specialist with massive AoE: **Wave 26-30 (Optimization):** - Holy Laser + Black Hole (both with 10% crit chance) create devastating screen clear - Wave 30 enemies have higher HP - execute mechanic (20% HP threshold) becomes more valuable - **Execute strategy:** Holy Laser chips enemies to 20% HP, Dark ball executes instantly kill them - Add third S-tier evolution: Satan (Incubus + Succubus, 3.0x) if Charm balls available - Optimal build: Holy Laser + Black Hole + Assassin + Frozen Flame - Wave 30 boss: Position centrally, let AoE handle screen clear, execute mechanics finish adds **Wave 31-40 (Wave 40 Push):** - Focus on maximizing crit damage and AoE coverage - **Triple S-tier build:** Holy Laser + Black Hole + Satan (all benefit from 10% crit) - Each critical hit on S-tier evolution deals 4.5x-7.5x damage (base × crit multiplier) - The Shade's late-game strength: Mass executes - once enemies drop to 20% HP, Dark ball cleans up instantly - Wave 40 target: 2-3 S-tier evolutions + 2 utility evolutions, all maxed level **Wave 41-50+ (Endgame Execute Chains):** - The Shade struggles slightly at wave 50 compared to S-tier characters (positioning weakness) - **Viable wave 50 build:** Holy Laser + Black Hole + Satan + Frozen Flame + Radiation Beam - Strategy: Stack AoE to overcome positioning, rely on execute chains for cleanup - The Shade's wave 50 limitation: Back-position shooting becomes more punishing when mistakes are lethal - Mitigation: Perfect AoE coverage (3 S-tier evolutions minimum) + Ethereal Cloak for piercing **Gold Management:** 20% new balls (complete builds), 50% ball levels (max all S-tier evolutions), 30% passive items (Magic Staff, Ethereal Cloak, Dynamite) **Advanced Execute Chains:** In waves 35-40, enemies have 1000+ HP. Once Holy Laser chips groups to 200 HP (20% threshold), Dark ball executes can delete 5-10 enemies simultaneously - this "execute chain" is The Shade's unique late-game strength.

Best Evolutions for The Shade

**Top 5 Evolutions for The Shade:** **1. Holy Laser (S-tier, 2.5x damage → 3.75x+ on crits)** - Recipe: Laser (Horizontal) + Laser (Vertical) - Why it works: Horizontal line attack solves The Shade's positioning weakness, hits entire screen from back position - 10% crit chance means 1 in 10 Holy Lasers deal ~3.75x damage (massive burst) - Synergy: Core evolution for The Shade, build entire strategy around this - **Essential evolution - non-negotiable for A-tier performance** **2. Black Hole (S-tier, 3.5x damage → 5.25x+ on crits)** - Recipe: Sun (Burn + Light) + Dark - Why it works: Uses starting Dark ball, ultimate evolution with massive AoE - Critical Black Holes clear entire screens instantly - Synergy: Dark ball component means The Shade creates this easier than most characters - Late-game carry evolution **3. Assassin (A-tier, 2.0x damage + backstab bonus)** - Recipe: Dark + Ghost - Why it works: Uses starting Dark ball, adds backstab damage (bonus on rear hits) - Ghost phase-through + Dark execute = deletes backline priority targets - Synergy: Early evolution (wave 3-5), bridges to Holy Laser/Black Hole - Perfect "first evolution" for The Shade **4. Radiation Beam (A-tier, 2.2x damage + area poison)** - Recipe: Laser (Horizontal/Vertical) + Poison or Cell - Why it works: Laser component for AoE, poison spreads damage over time - Complements Holy Laser (both use Laser balls), creates AoE synergy - Synergy: Dual Laser build - Holy Laser + Radiation Beam cover entire screen **5. Frozen Flame (A-tier, 2.0x damage + crowd control)** - Recipe: Freeze + Burn - Why it works: Hybrid damage/control, freezes enemies while dealing damage - Frozen enemies are easy execute targets (can't dodge, sit at low HP) - Synergy: Control + execute chains - freeze groups, chip to 20% HP, Dark ball deletes them **Evolutions to Avoid:** - **Single-target evolutions (Vampire Lord, Soul Sucker)** - Don't solve positioning weakness - **Maggot** - Multiplication doesn't synergize with crit/execute mechanics - **Defensive evolutions** - The Shade needs AoE damage, not survivability

How to Unlock The Shade

**Unlocking The Shade: Build Mausoleum Blueprint** **Recommended Character:** The Pitling (fast progression to Liminal x Desert) **Strategy (30-45 minutes):** **Phase 1: Reach Liminal x Desert Biome** - Liminal x Desert is a mid-game biome (unlocked after completing early biomes) - Play normal progression with The Pitling - reach wave 15-20 range - Liminal x Desert typically unlocks after completing 3-4 earlier biome combinations - Focus on normal progression, not speedrunning **Phase 2: Clear Liminal x Desert Boss** - Complete the Liminal x Desert biome run (defeat boss at end) - Boss drops Mausoleum Blueprint upon defeat - Blueprint is guaranteed drop for first-time biome completion - Pick up blueprint from boss loot **Phase 3: Build Mausoleum in New Ballbylon** - Return to New Ballbylon hub (main town area) - Access Housing tab in build menu - Select Mausoleum Blueprint - **Resources required:** 30 Stone (moderate cost) - Farm stone through normal runs if needed (harvest mode generates resources) - Place Mausoleum, send workers to construct it (bounce into building) - Once construction complete → The Shade unlocks **Time Investment:** 30-45 minutes (includes reaching biome + resource farming) **Common Mistakes:** - Rushing to Liminal x Desert without proper evolutions (biome is challenging) - Not collecting stone resources before attempting construction - Missing blueprint drop (always check boss loot after defeating Desert boss) **Resource Farming:** If short on stone, run harvest mode with The Pitling for 5-10 minutes to gather 30 stone easily.

Advanced Tips & Tricks

**1. Execute Chain Timing:** Dark ball executes (10% chance on <20% HP enemies) create chain reactions. In dense waves (15-20 enemies), one execute can trigger proximity kills, creating cascading execute chains. Practice identifying the 20% HP threshold visually. **2. Crit Fishing:** With 10% crit chance, every ~10 shots guarantees a critical hit. "Crit fish" by building up 8-9 non-crit shots, then positioning for maximum impact on the 10th (likely crit) shot. **3. Holy Laser Crit Positioning:** Holy Laser crits deal ~3.75x damage across entire horizontal line. Position so Holy Laser passes through maximum enemies - a single crit Holy Laser can clear 10-15 enemies simultaneously. **4. AoE Passive Stacking:** Magic Staff (AoE damage boost) + Ethereal Cloak (piercing) + Dynamite (explosions) create triple AoE synergy. With these three passives, The Shade's Holy Laser becomes screen-delete button. **5. Dark Ball Conservation:** Since Dark ball is needed for Black Hole (Sun + Dark), avoid using Dark balls in early evolutions (Assassin, Shadow Strike). Save 2-3 Dark balls for Black Hole creation by wave 20-25. **6. Back-Position Advantage:** Shooting from back position has ONE advantage: safety. You're furthest from enemies, meaning more reaction time for dodging. Use this to play aggressively with AoE evolutions - you can afford risky positioning because you're already in the safest spot. **7. The Empty Nester Synergy:** In character combo mode (if available), pair The Shade with The Empty Nester. Empty Nester multiplies primary balls - more balls = more 10% crit chances = more crits = more executes. This combination is S-tier level powerful. **8. Wave 40+ Execute Focus:** At wave 40+, enemies have 2000+ HP. The 20% execute threshold = 400 HP, which is substantial. Focus build on chipping enemies to 20% (AoE spam), then let Dark ball executes clean up. This "chip → execute" cycle is faster than killing enemies 100% → 0% manually.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

**1. Building Single-Target Damage:** - Mistake: Creating evolutions like Vampire Lord, single-target focused builds - Why it's bad: Back-position shooting makes single-target ineffective (enemies block shots) - Fix: Build 100% AoE evolutions (Holy Laser, Black Hole, Radiation Beam) to bypass positioning weakness **2. Ignoring the Positioning Weakness:** - Mistake: Playing The Shade like other characters (standard positioning) - Why it's bad: Balls shoot from back - requires different positioning and build strategy - Fix: Accept positioning weakness, compensate with AoE-only builds **3. Not Prioritizing Holy Laser:** - Mistake: Delaying Holy Laser for other evolutions - Why it's bad: Holy Laser is THE solution to The Shade's core weakness - delays this = handicapped gameplay - Fix: Rush Holy Laser by wave 8-10 maximum, no exceptions **4. Using Dark Balls for Early Evolutions:** - Mistake: Creating Shadow Strike or other Dark evolutions before Black Hole - Why it's bad: Dark balls are rare and needed for Black Hole (S-tier) - wasting them on A-tier evolutions delays power spike - Fix: Reserve Dark balls for Black Hole only **5. Expecting Execute Chains Early Game:** - Mistake: Building entire strategy around execute mechanic in waves 1-10 - Why it's bad: Early enemies have low HP (50-100) - 20% threshold is 10-20 HP (negligible). Executes matter in late game (wave 20+) when enemies have 500+ HP - Fix: Focus on crit chance early game, execute chains become valuable wave 15-20+ **6. Neglecting Passive Items:** - Mistake: Skipping Magic Staff, Ethereal Cloak passive items - Why it's bad: These passives multiply The Shade's AoE strength - Magic Staff alone adds 30-40% AoE damage - Fix: Prioritize AoE passive items - Magic Staff > Ethereal Cloak > Dynamite **7. Playing Too Passively:** - Mistake: Kiting and playing defensively despite back-position safety - Why it's bad: The Shade shoots from back = inherently safe position. Playing passively wastes the safety advantage - Fix: Play aggressively - you're already in safest position, spam AoE evolutions, focus on maximum DPS

Frequently Asked Questions

Is The Shade viable for wave 50 attempts?

The Shade can reach wave 50 but is not optimal compared to S-tier characters. The back-position shooting becomes a significant liability at wave 50 where positioning precision matters. Viable wave 50 build: Holy Laser + Black Hole + Satan + 3 AoE support evolutions. Requires near-perfect AoE coverage to compensate for positioning weakness. Success rate: ~60-70% vs S-tier characters at 80-90%.

How does the 10% crit chance compare to other character passives?

The 10% crit chance is MODERATE power - not as universally strong as The Pitling's XP boost or Iron Fool's defense, but stronger than passive-less characters. Critical hits typically deal 1.5x damage, so 10% crit = average 5% damage increase. The value scales with high-damage evolutions (Holy Laser crits are devastating, standard ball crits are mediocre). A-tier rating is justified - strong but not S-tier dominant.

What's the best first evolution for The Shade?

Assassin (Dark + Ghost) is the best first evolution (wave 3-5). Uses starting Dark ball, adds backstab damage, creates early power spike. Alternative: Rush Laser balls for Holy Laser by wave 8-10. Never create Bomb or Magma first - doesn't synergize with The Shade's kit. Assassin bridges early game until Holy Laser comes online.

Should I unlock The Shade before S-tier characters?

No. Recommended unlock order: The Pitling → Iron Fool → Lantern Knight → The Itchy Finger → The Shade. Unlock all S-tier characters before A-tier. The Shade is powerful but requires specific builds (AoE focus) to compensate for positioning weakness. Master S-tier characters first, then branch to A-tier specialists like The Shade.

How do execute chains work with Dark ball?

Execute chains occur when multiple enemies are below 20% HP simultaneously. Dark ball has 10% chance to instant-kill enemies <20% HP. In dense waves with 10-15 enemies all at low HP, each Dark ball shot can trigger 1-2 executes. As enemies die, AoE damage from other evolutions chips remaining enemies to 20%, creating cascading execute chains. Most effective waves 20-30+ when enemy HP pools are large (20% threshold = 200-400 HP).