Inferno

Tier A

Burn × Wind = Inferno

Effect

Applies 1 stack of burn per second to all enemies in 2-tile radius (max 5 stacks)

Damage Multiplier

1.5x

How to Unlock

Level Burn ball to Level 3
Level Wind ball to Level 3
Collect a rainbow orb (XP level-up reward)
Select "Evolution" option from the menu
Choose Burn + Wind combination

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Special Unlock Requirement

Requires two Burn balls at Level 3

Strategy & Tips

Same-type evolution. Double burn creates more intense fire. Fast DoT ticks for rapid damage.

Why Inferno is Top-Tier

🟢 Verified mechanic: Inferno applies 1 stack of burn every second to all enemies within a 2-tile radius. Each burn stack deals 3-7 damage per second for 6 seconds, with a maximum of 5 stacks per enemy (30-35 damage/second at max stacks)—automatic application requires no targeting or activation.🟡 General strategy: Inferno creates a passive 'death zone' around your character that punishes melee enemies and weakens ranged threats before they close distance—the 2-tile radius covers most choke points completely.🟡 General strategy: During wave encounters, standing near spawn zones lets Inferno pre-stack burns on 5-10 enemies simultaneously, softening entire waves before firing a single shot—this makes wave clear 20-30% faster.🟡 General strategy: Inferno's A-tier rating reflects its exceptional area control and consistent passive damage—works immediately with no ramp-up period once evolved.

Strategic Tips & Synergies

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🟡 General strategy: Stand in choke points, doorways, or narrow passages where Inferno's 2-tile radius covers the entire width—enemies pushing through automatically take 12-18 damage (2-3 stacks) before reaching you.

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🟡 General strategy: Position near enemy spawn points during wave modes so Inferno begins stacking burns immediately on spawn—this reduces early wave pressure by 30-40%.

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🟡 General strategy: With mobility upgrades (dash, speed boost), run circles around large enemy groups—Inferno continuously applies burns while you maintain safe distance, often dealing more DPS than your weapon at 5 stacks.

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🟢 Verified mechanic: Burn stacks last 6 seconds, so leaving radius briefly doesn't reset progress—you only need 5 seconds of proximity for maximum damage (5 stacks × 6-7 damage/stack = 30-35 DPS).

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🟡 General strategy: Rotate through enemy groups every 5-6 seconds rather than camping single targets—once enemies reach 5 stacks, additional proximity provides no benefit, so 'touch and go' maximizes total damage output.

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🟡 General strategy: Prioritize mobility upgrades (dash cooldown, movement speed) over pure damage upgrades—Inferno's damage is fixed, so more mobility = more enemies in radius = multiplied total DPS.

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🟡 General strategy: During boss fights, position near the boss during attack cooldowns to maximize burn uptime—over a 30-second fight, Inferno contributes 500-900 passive damage while you focus on dodging.

Best Character Pairings

These characters create exceptional synergies with Inferno:

🟡 S-tier pairing: The Shieldbearer—Inferno complements shield bash's knockback perfectly by creating a 'burn-stun-burn' loop (bash enemies backward → burns tick during stun → bash again before recovery).

🟡 S-tier pairing: Iron Fool—Compensates for low mobility with area denial, forcing enemies to choose between closing distance (taking burns) or staying at range (where armor shines), creating a second defensive layer.

🟡 S-tier pairing: The Shade—Synergizes with dodge-focused playstyle (dodge through enemies → Inferno applies burns during invincibility frames → reposition while damage ticks).

🟡 A-tier pairing: The Itchy Finger—High fire rate keeps enemies staggered while Inferno applies burns, good for 'spray and kite' strategies, though glass cannon nature makes close positioning risky.

🟡 A-tier pairing: Rusted Monarch—Summons 'tank' while you maintain close positioning for burns, creating defensive perimeter where summons block pathing and Inferno punishes breakthrough attempts.

🟡 B-tier pairing: Lantern Knight / The Pitling—Works but these characters prefer ranged/hybrid playstyles that don't maximize Inferno's close-range requirements, though still valuable for emergency defense.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

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🟡 Common mistake: Standing next to 10+ enemies for maximum coverage—better to position near 3-5 enemies while maintaining escape routes, as Inferno isn't armor and you still take damage.

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🟡 Common mistake: Taking pure damage upgrades to 'scale Inferno's burns'—Inferno's damage is fixed, prioritize mobility upgrades instead as they multiply effective DPS by letting you reposition between enemy clusters.

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🟡 Common mistake: Staying near the same 2-3 enemies for 10+ seconds—once enemies reach 5 stacks (5 seconds proximity), additional time provides no benefit, rotate to new targets instead.

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🟡 Common mistake: Thinking 2-tile radius requires touching enemies—radius is roughly 1 full character width in all directions, so standing 1 character width away is sufficient and reduces incoming damage.

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🟡 Common mistake: Rushing Inferno at Level 3-4 before scaling health/damage foundation—Inferno's close-range nature requires survivability, build defensive stats first before adding Inferno at Level 5-7.

Advanced Strategy

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Expert-Level Optimization

🟡 Advanced tactic: Pre-stack burns on Wave 1 stragglers right before Wave 2 spawns for 12-18 'free' damage on Wave 2 enemies immediately—chain this across waves for 20-30% faster clear times.🟡 Advanced tactic: Pair Inferno with Lightning (instant + DoT coverage), Bleed (double DoT), or Vampire (lifesteal on burn ticks for passive healing during close positioning).🟡 Advanced tactic: Against bosses with adds, position so Inferno burns both boss and adds simultaneously—over 60-second encounters this contributes 1,500-2,500 total damage (30-40% of boss health).🟡 Advanced tactic: Speedrunners use Inferno for 'no-stop' runs where you sprint through levels without pausing—Inferno automatically kills weak enemies during pass-through, eliminating need to turn and shoot.🟡 Advanced tactic: Understand damage breakpoints: 1 enemy at 5 stacks = 30-35 DPS, 5 enemies at 5 stacks = 150-175 DPS, 10 enemies at 3 stacks = 180-210 DPS—sometimes hitting 10 enemies at partial stacks beats 5 at max.🟡 Advanced tactic: Consider Inferno as gateway evolution—Inferno + X combinations often unlock second-tier evolutions, check evolution tree for Inferno-based endgame options.🟡 Endgame viability: Remains relevant at Levels 15+ because damage scales with enemy count not stats—as enemy density increases in harder difficulties, Inferno gains value while direct damage evolutions plateau.