Pokepath TD looks simple at first, but a lot of early progress comes down to smart setup decisions and not wasting resources. If you play it like a normal tower defense and rush maps without preparation, you will hit a wall very quickly. This guide is meant to help you avoid that and build a strong foundation from day one.
Pokepath Td Beginner Guide Wiki
Before even worrying about Pokémon or maps, the settings menu matters more than most players realize.
Until you own at least 10 Pokémon, you should enable “Stop Before Invisible”. Invisible waves will instantly end your run if you are not prepared, and this setting gives you time to swap in anti-invisible Pokémon instead of losing progress.
Set Auto-Reset to Retry. This allows failed runs to restart automatically, saving time and making overnight farming and long sessions much smoother. The rest of the settings are mostly preference-based and won’t heavily affect progression.
Early Game Progress Rules
Pokepath TD rewards patience more than speed. Following these rules early will save you a lot of wasted currency.
Only use x10 upgrades. Single upgrades are inefficient and slow your progress significantly over time.
Only buy an egg if its cost is lower than a x10 upgrade. Eggs are tempting, but upgrades scale your entire team, while eggs are a gamble. Early on, upgrades are simply more reliable.
Do not try to force-complete every map. Some maps are meant to be returned to later with better Pokémon, levels, and synergy. Pushing too hard usually just drains resources.
Do not attempt to fully clear Map 1-1 until you have 9 Pokémon. The difficulty jump is real, and trying earlier almost never works out.
Once you unlock Articuno, the game changes completely. At this point, you should leave the game running overnight with two Persians. This setup generates massive money over time and allows you to push your best Pokémon to level 100 without active grinding. From there, most maps become manageable by following proper strategy instead of brute force.
Targeting Settings Explained
Every Pokémon can have its targeting priority changed. Many beginners ignore this, but correct targeting is what makes runs consistent instead of chaotic.
Here are the recommended targeting rules and why they work:
Armor Breaker should always target High Armor enemies, otherwise the ability is wasted.
Slow effects should target enemies that are Not Slowed, so you spread control instead of stacking it uselessly.
Stun should target Not Stunned enemies for the same reason.
Poison works best against High HP enemies, where damage over time actually matters.
Burn should target Not Burned enemies to maximize coverage.
Frisk must target Invisible enemies, otherwise it completely misses its purpose.
Focus Pokémon usually perform best on High HP or First, depending on the map layout.
Curse users should target Curseable enemies only.
Skeledirge should always be set to Cursed, since its kit revolves around curse interactions.
Gardevoir is flexible and extremely strong. Its targeting depends on what your run needs most: Nightmare’d, Stunned, Slowed, or Poisoned all work in different situations.
If a Pokémon doesn’t clearly benefit from a special condition, setting it to First is perfectly fine and works reliably.
Pokémon Category System
Pokepath TD is built around roles, not raw power. A Pokémon being strong does not mean it fits every team or every map. Categories help you understand what each Pokémon actually contributes to a run.
Some Pokémon naturally belong to two or even three categories. This is intentional. For example, Ampharos clearly fits both AoE DPS and Slow/Stun because of how its abilities function.
This category list is meant to support Wave 1–99 progression across all routes, not endgame min-maxing.
And to be clear:
This is not a tier list. Within each category, stronger and more reliable Pokémon are generally listed first, but the goal is clarity, not ranking.
Core Pokémon Categories
Single-Target DPS
These Pokémon excel at deleting tanky enemies and bosses. They are essential on maps with high-HP or high-armor threats that AoE damage cannot handle efficiently.
AoE DPS
AoE Pokémon control large enemy waves and prevent you from being overwhelmed. Most early and mid-game runs rely heavily on good AoE coverage.
Slow / Stun Control
These Pokémon don’t always deal huge damage, but they give your DPS time to work. Without control, many waves become impossible regardless of damage output.
Poison / Burn Damage Over Time
These shine against enemies with massive HP pools. Damage over time scales extremely well into later waves.
Curse & Debuff Specialists
Curse-based Pokémon enable powerful synergies and amplify damage from other units. These are often misunderstood but become game-changing once used correctly.
Utility / Economy Pokémon
Persian is the most obvious example. These Pokémon don’t win waves directly, but they accelerate everything else you do.
Anti-Invisible Pokémon
Mandatory for specific waves. Ignoring this category is one of the most common beginner mistakes.
Pokepath TD rewards smart planning far more than luck. If you focus on upgrades, respect targeting rules, and build balanced teams instead of chasing shiny new eggs, the game becomes much smoother and more enjoyable.
Route 1-1: W100
You don’t need levels to beat this one, just spam poison, burn and stun and you will beat it easily. DPS are also an option but need levels.
Route 1-1: Gold Farm (W100)
Only Persian is needed! (+Ditto recommended). We can optimize gold/h with comfee and stun. (Articuno resist slow). Absolutely activate Auto Reset to retry in your setting!!
Route 1-2: W100
Zapdos can be slowed, so take advantage of that and he’s weak to poison and burn so abuse that too! DPS are also a good option because he’s so frail.
Route 1-2: Gold Farm (W100)
Only Persian is needed! (+Ditto recommended) We can optimize gold/h with slow. (Zapdos resist stun) Absolutely activate Auto Reset to retry in your setting!!
Route 1-3: W100
Moltres for once is immune to poison and burn! So you need to DPS it fast enough, thankfully it can be slowed and stun!
Route 2-1: W100
Raikou is annoying since he can take 2 different path and is pretty fast so poison or burn doesn’t work as well. DPS and slow are king here.
Route 2-2: W100
Entei is a really weak boss. Abuse slow, stun and poison against him and you should win easily. DPS or Inteleon are also extremely good against him.
Route 2-3: W100
Suicune is invisible so you need something to reveal it. He’s also super fast and cannot be slowed, stun and DPS will be your only way to take it down.
Route 3-2: W100
Regice has only 1Hp rendering poison and burn useless and has a lot of shields. Armor breaker and DPS in tandem of slow/stun is your best bet to take it down!
Experiment with different towers, learn why certain Pokémon work together, and don’t rush progression. Once your economy is stable and your core Pokémon hit level 100, most routes from W1–99 become about strategy, not brute force.