Master Tower Defense Guide: Getting started with Pistoler
About
OverviewMaster Tower Defense is a Roblox tower defense game developed by Team G-Topaz, packed with 2 core game modes, 12 side game modes, 30+ maps, and 39 towers. This guide covers how to get started, which towers to prioritize, how to earn money during a run, and how to take down the final boss. If you ever get confused while playing, open the guide tab in-game or click the orange button next to any tower for an explanation.
What is on this page
Contents
Getting started with Pistoler
Step
Every player starts with Pistoler at no cost. It costs $200 to place and deals 2 base damage, which is enough to hold off the first waves. Once you open the shop and unlock something stronger, Pistoler falls behind quickly. That said, dealing 10 million total damage with it unlocks a sixth level that pushes its DPS to 72, giving it some life in the mid-game.
- Pistoler can solo-carry up to wave 29, so do not panic if you are short on cash early.
- Keep grinding with Pistoler if you want the level 6 unlock 10 million damage unlocks the additional level.
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Tower shop unlock order
Table
Every tower costs Credits to unlock from the shop and Cash to place in a match. The table below shows the player level required to unlock each shop tower and what tier the game places it in.
| Tower | Unlock Level | Placement Cost | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pistoler | 0 (free) | $200 | Beginner |
| Gunner | 3 | $350 | Beginner |
| Miner | 8 | $300 | All |
| Freezer | 17 | $650 | Intermediate |
| Plasm | 35 | $3000 | Expert |
| Flamethrower | Burnt Mode clear | $900 | Exclusive |
| Grave | TvZ Mode clear (The Lawn) | $750 | Exclusive |
Economy towers — Miner and Thief
Tips
Miner and Thief are the only two towers that generate Cash during a match rather than dealing damage. Miner pays out every time a wave changes. Thief produces more money than Miner overall, but neither one fights, so you need damage towers alongside them. One important catch: the more players in your lobby, the less each Miner earns per wave.
- A level 1 Miner covers its $300 placement cost within 6 waves.
- A level 5 Miner earns $880 per wave.
- In crowded lobbies your Miners earn less, so do not rely on them as heavily when the room is full.
- Thief earns more than Miner.
High-damage towers worth aiming for
TipsAs you level up, three towers stand out as strong damage options at different points in your progression. Gunner is cheap and spammable early. Plasm is the gold standard for mid-to-late game. Flamethrower is a mode-unlock reward that punches above its placement cost at close range.
- Gunner — costs $350 to place, fires rapidly, and scales into mid-game with a level 6 that hits 180 DPS.
- Plasm — costs $3000, locks onto one enemy, and doubles its damage when fully charged, reaching 700 DPS at max level.
- Flamethrower — costs $900, has short range of 14, but delivers 180 DPS at max level and is unlocked by beating Burnt Mode.
- Plasm charge resets if the target moves out of range or dies.
- Gunner's level 6 unlocks after 10 million damage.
Using Freezer without wasting it
Warn
Freezer is the game's first support tower, available at player level 17 for $650. It slows enemies in an area by up to 45% for up to 9 seconds at max level. All major bosses are immune to its slowdown.
Beating the final boss — Destroyer
Step
Destroyer is the final major boss of Standard mode. It spawns on wave 40 with 200,000 HP, uses three abilities, and enters a faster Rage mode during the fight.
- Pick a long-path map Underground Suburb is specifically noted as an easier option.
- Stock high-DPS towers Robot, Repulsor, and Chainer are recommended damage sources for the boss fight.
- Deploy all your support towers Master, Pyramid, and Musician together provide a strong backing layer.
- Coordinate roles with your teammates.
- Destroyer speeds up in Rage mode.
Towers unlocked by completing modes
CheckSome of the game's strongest or most unusual towers are locked behind mode completions rather than player level.
- Flamethrower beat Burnt Mode to unlock it; costs $900 to place.
- Grave beat TvZ Mode on the map The Lawn; it is a spawner tower that summons waves of zombies, from basic Zombies up to Gargantuars at level 5.
- Baller beat the Hidden Wave, which can only trigger after you finish the game within 10 minutes, with the chance depending on map difficulty.
- Secret unlocked by earning a specific badge; noted as excellent for speedruns and harder maps.
- Hidden Wave also rewards a skin for Secret called 'Baller' that gives a 20% damage buff to Secret.
Glossary
Glossary- DPS
- Damage per second — the higher the number, the faster a tower kills enemies.
- Cash
- The in-match currency used to place and upgrade towers during a game.
- Credits
- The currency used to unlock towers from the shop between matches.
- Charge
- A mechanic specific to Plasm — it builds as Plasm keeps hitting the same enemy, and when full it doubles Plasm's damage.
- Hidden Wave
- A special wave that has a chance to trigger after finishing the game in under 10 minutes, with the probability set by map difficulty.
- Rage mode
- A phase Destroyer enters during the wave 40 fight that increases its movement speed.
- Slow immunity
- A property held by all major bosses that makes Freezer's slowdown effect do nothing to them.
- Economy tower
- A tower such as Miner or Thief that earns Cash during the match instead of attacking enemies.
Common questions
FAQHow do I unlock the level 6 upgrade for Pistoler or Gunner?
Deal 10 million total damage with that tower across your matches. The upgrade unlocks automatically once you hit the threshold. Pistoler reaches 72 DPS and Gunner reaches 180 DPS at level 6.
How do I trigger the Hidden Wave?
Clear the game in under 10 minutes. After that, the Hidden Wave has a chance to start, and the probability depends on how difficult your chosen map is.
Does Freezer work on bosses?
No — the wave 20 Giant, wave 30 Rusher Boss, wave 40 Rusher Boss, and Burnt Mode Soul enemies are all immune to Freezer's slow.
Where can I read how something in the game works?
Open the guide tab in-game, or click the orange button next to any tower for its details. You can also go to Settings and then Information for additional explanations.
Why is my Miner earning less money in a busy server?
The game reduces each Miner's income as more players join the lobby.
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