Horde Season 3 by the Numbers: Energy Budget, Level Costs, Chips and Waves

1. You set a formation of 15 Tatari before the match. During the run, three-card offers are drawn from that pool, and up to 10 can be on the field at once.
2. Two players defend one shared board, but each has a private Energy Candy (Energizer) balance. It has nothing to do with the Candy or pinballs you collect outside.
3. Every unit starts with its usual skill and picks up three bonus Horde skills along the way, unlocking on the odd levels three, five and seven. Lv 7 is the normal cap; a few chips lift it to Lv 8.
4. Each difficulty runs 25 waves.
5. Chip drafts open three times: after the fifth, tenth and fifteenth waves are reached.
6. Units can be moved at any time: to extend reach, pull a threatened unit out, or satisfy a chip's position rule.
7. Every difficulty uses the same enemy line-up: 720 regular Zobos and 30 bosses.
8. The difficulties differ in how hard those enemies hit and how much health they carry (see the scaling table below).

Each player starts with 400. Kills pay both players in full, whoever lands them: a regular Zobo adds 4 to each wallet and a boss adds 100. There is also a passive trickle that starts generous and dries up:

Add it up for a full clear of all 25 waves and each player sees roughly 400 starting, 5,880 from kills and about 1,325 passive, close to 7,600 in total before chip bonuses, death refunds or anything spent. Because the drip stops at 7:30, any run that lasts longer collects all of it; speed changes nothing there.

Two things jump out. First, a single unit at Lv 7 costs 920, so a 7,600 budget covers maybe eight of those with nothing left for anyone else. Decide with your partner which units stop at Lv 3, which go to Lv 5 and which earn Lv 7. Second, the stat rating column shows the even levels add more raw stats than the odd ones, while the odd levels are where skills unlock. A support whose key effect arrives at Lv 3 often deserves energy before a damage dealer's last step.

Refunds only apply when the unit qualifies for one. The Parting Gift chip adds its own payout on top whenever one of your Tatari goes down; the Companion's chip text lists 40, but some patch notes mention a larger figure, so read the in-game description.

The line-up is identical everywhere, but the multipliers are not. At wave 25 the gap is enormous:

These are wave multipliers, not the bosses' real stats. Pressure also climbs unevenly within a run: wave 6 is gentler than wave 5, and wave 11 eases off after the double-boss wave 10, which is a good moment to spend.

(Each name is followed by "Zobo" in game.) Summoned adds and anything that leaks through change the pressure further. For how individual bosses behave, see the Horde boss guide.

1. Wave 1
   • Totem Zobo
2. Wave 2
   • Forge Zobo
3. Wave 3
   • Hydro Zobo
4. Wave 4
   • Manager Zobo
5. Wave 5
   • Laser Zobo
6. Wave 6
   • Chef Zobo
7. Wave 7
   • Climber Zobo
8. Wave 8
   • Driver Zobo
9. Wave 9
   • Harpoon Zobo
10. Wave 10
    • Shaman Zobo
    • Clown Zobo
11. Wave 11
    • Sandworm Zobo
12. Wave 12
    • Brainfreeze Zobo
13. Wave 13
    • Captain Zobo
14. Wave 14
    • Tire Zobo
15. Wave 15
    • Baron Zobo
    • Hammer Zobo
16. Wave 16
    • Golf Zobo
17. Wave 17
    • Yeti Zobo
18. Wave 18
    • Botanical Zobo
19. Wave 19
    • Volcano Zobo
20. Wave 20
    • Sailor Zobo
    • Pharaoh Zobo
21. Wave 21
    • Knight Zobo
22. Wave 22
    • Shocker Zobo
23. Wave 23
    • Tipsy Zobo
24. Wave 24
    • Roadhog Zobo
25. Wave 25
    • Goonch Zobo
    • Popstar Zobo
    • Garden Zobo

The Companion lists 49 chip variants in four categories and three rarity tiers. Grouped by what they do:

Economy. *Photosynthesis I–III* drips 2, 3 or 4 energy every five seconds and unlocks Lv 8 (wave 15 only). *Bounty Hunter I–III* pays 2, 3 or 4 extra per kill for 120 seconds and also unlocks Lv 8. *Roll of Fate I–III* hands you a random chip of matching rarity plus 100, 150 or 200 energy. *AFK* (wave 5 only) forces 40 seconds of auto-battle in exchange for 400 instantly. *New Recruit* adds a deployment slot and 250 energy. *Parting Gift* pays out whenever one of your units falls.

Combat. The five *Form* chips (Water, Fire, Grass, Rock, Lightning) raise that element's damage by 20%, 30% or 40% by tier. *Glass Cannon* trades 10% max HP for 25% attack across your side. *Boss Killer* adds 20% damage against bosses. *Barricade* gives your front two rows 40% more max HP and defence at the cost of 10% damage, and *First-Aid Kit* heals those rows for 12% of missing HP every four seconds. *Rear Guard* speeds up your back two rows' attacks by 30%. *Backend Support* gives 45% damage to units with exactly one of your Tatari directly ahead. *The Exile* gives 35% attack, HP and defence to units with no neighbours. *On the Move* grants a half-minute boost of 20% to both hitting power and swing rate once a unit has been relocated. *Weakest Link* buffs whichever element you have fewest of by 15%. *Underdog* flips a disadvantaged matchup into an advantaged one.

Formation. *Slot Machine 2–4* drops 2, 3 or 4 random units from your pool onto the board, converting any overflow into random upgrades. *Contract Employee* adds a free Lv 3 unit that ignores the cap but cannot level or revive. *Count to Five* promotes your first trio of Lv 4 units to Lv 5. *Patch Upgrade* (waves 10 and 15) swaps everything under Lv 3 for random units two levels higher. *Shuffle* (waves 5 and 10) swaps your deployed units for random ones in the same spots and levels, plus 600 energy. *Equalizer* (wave 15) sets every deployed unit to Lv 4. *Mission Reset* (wave 5) recalls everything for 180 energy apiece.

Battlefield. *Make Waves* cuts a stream across the lanes; Zobos wading through it lose 40% of their speed. *Lawn Care* parks six one-shot mowers at the bottom that each wipe five regular Zobos and take 35% of max HP off bosses. *Center Spotlight* (waves 10 and 15) forces bosses into the two middle columns. All three are exclusive.

• 

  Water Form I–III

  Your Water Tatari get +20% / 30% / 40% damage.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Fire Form I–III

  Your Fire Tatari get +20% / 30% / 40% damage.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Grass Form I–III

  Your Grass Tatari get +20% / 30% / 40% damage.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Rock Form I–III

  Your Rock Tatari get +20% / 30% / 40% damage.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Lightning Form I–III

  Your Lightning Tatari get +20% / 30% / 40% damage.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Photosynthesis I–III

  +2 / 3 / 4 candy every 5 seconds; allows Lv 8.

  Waves 15

• 

  Bounty Hunter I–III

  +2 / 3 / 4 candy per Zobo killed within 120 seconds; allows Lv 8.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Slot Machine 2–4

  Get 2 / 3 / 4 random Tatari from your formation; any over the limit become random upgrades.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Roll of Fate I–III

  Get another random chip of the same rarity, plus 100 / 150 / 200 candy .

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Mission Reset

  Recall all your deployed Tatari for 180 candy each.

  Waves 5

• 

  AFK

  Forced auto-battle for 40 seconds, instantly get 400 candy .

  Waves 5

• 

  Parting Gift

  +40 candy whenever one of your Tatari is knocked down.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Barricade

  Your 2 front rows get +40% max HP and DEF but deal 10% less damage.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  First-Aid Kit

  Your first 2 rows recover 12% of lost HP every 4 seconds.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Glass Cannon

  All your Tatari get +25% ATK and −10% max HP.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Boss Killer

  +20% damage to bosses.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  The Exile

  Units with no adjacent ally get +35% ATK, max HP and DEF.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Rear Guard

  Your last 2 rows get +30% attack speed.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Backend Support

  Units with exactly 1 of your own Tatari in front of them get +45% damage.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Underdog

  When your element is countered, it counts as countering the enemy instead.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Weakest Link

  Your element with the fewest units deployed gets +15% ATK, DEF and attack speed.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  New Recruit

  +1 deployment slot and 250 candy immediately.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Contract Employee

  Summon 1 random Tatari fixed at Lv 3; it doesn't count toward the limit and can't be upgraded or revived.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Patch Upgrade

  Replace all deployed Tatari below Lv 3 with random ones from your formation, upgraded by 2 levels.

  Waves 10, 15

• 

  Shuffle

  Replace your deployed Tatari with random ones from your formation (keeping position and level), plus 600 candy .

  Waves 5, 10

• 

  Make Waves

  Creates a river that slows Zobos by 40% inside it. Exclusive.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Lawn Care

  6 single-use lawnmowers at the bottom; each kills 5 normal Zobos and deals 35% max HP to bosses. Exclusive.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Center Spotlight

  Bosses only appear in the middle 2 columns. Exclusive.

  Waves 10, 15

• 

  Equalizer

  Sets all your deployed Tatari to Lv 4.

  Waves 15

• 

  On the Move

  After being moved, Tatari get +20% ATK and attack speed for 30 seconds.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• 

  Count to Five

  The first time you have 3 Lv 4 Tatari deployed together, all 3 go to Lv 5.

  Waves 5, 10, 15

• When a listing says "wave 5", it refers to the first draft, not to unit level. Something tagged with that draft alone cannot reappear in the later two.
• Exclusive chips are tied to a single member of the pair, picked by chance when the match begins; the other person will never see them in a draft.
• Passing on a chip is permanent for that run. The game tracks every chip each player has been shown.
• Formation chips can undo your investment. Shuffle, Equalizer and Mission Reset all reshape a board you may have paid heavily for, so read them twice after you have bought key skill levels.

• Horde balances everyone to level 500. Your evolution stage, account-wide perks (badges, spa) and the level you buy mid-match are all counted on their own.
• Buying levels mid-match adds one slice to your stats, calculated from growth, a baseline figure and the percentage in the cost table; it never scales the total.
• Element swings are softer than in story: 0.8 when you are countered and 1.2 when you counter, compared with 0.5 and 2 in the campaign. A mismatch hurts, but it will not sink a run.
• The Arena Factor line on skill cards is a PvP-only number. Ignore it when judging Horde damage.

• Agree on roles. Who brings which units, and who grabs the shared damage, tank and support picks when they appear in an offer.
• Split the board. The usual approach is a 3 × 3 block each, left and right, with your units kept together instead of scattered.
• Read the Horde skills, not just the normal one. Range, cooldown and effect can all change across the three Horde skills.
• Keep the layout flexible. Front-row chips, back-row chips, isolation chips and movement chips each want a different layout. Sturdy units up top, hitters and healers further back, is a sensible opening shape, though rarely where you finish.
• Check buff reach. A buff that seems to cover the whole board may stop at your half, so confirm its range in the skill text before planning around it.
• Protect what you paid for. Move a unit out of trouble, or skip a disruptive chip, rather than lose levels you cannot afford to rebuy.

Every number on this page refers to the in-match Energizer currency. Daily and seasonal rewards are shown on the Horde screen in game. The Horde section groups every Horde guide.

The number Fox finds most worth remembering is that a whole run gives only about 7,600 candy, while one Tatari to level 7 costs 920. You can't max everything, so agreeing with your partner on who levels which Tatari, and how far, saves a lot of candy.

Chips only appear at waves 5, 10 and 15, and a skipped chip doesn't come back, so Fox suggests choosing quickly but on purpose. The Season 3 tier list has the chips to take and to avoid, so you can decide fast.