This guide discusses combat, enemy waves, and fortress defense. Skill values and unlock requirements can change with future patches.
Fast answer
The answer before the background
The strongest all-purpose Cataclismo build starts with Bowman: Menelaus Shot and Lobber: Powder Ball, adds Captor: Pearl Web and Cannoneer: Volatile Cannonball in the mid game, then finishes with Hunter: Execution and Ballista: Cluster Bomb. Pair that army with Fire Arrows or Hell Arrows for basic-attack damage, use Captors to slow or stun threats, and choose Iris skills according to the map: Sunderbolt for concentrated burst, Tempest for broad wave clearing, and Enfeebling Aura for late-game boss or elite damage. These are recommendations rather than an official tier list; Cataclismo has no developer-published universal ranking.
Quick verdict
The best general-purpose build
Cataclismo does not use a traditional character-class system. Its practical builds come from Book of Insight skills, unit composition, Iris abilities, tactical pieces, and the order in which Prosperity unlocks new military buildings. The Book of Insight skills can be refunded, so campaign players can adapt between missions instead of permanently committing to one route. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
For a dependable build, establish a Bowman and Lobber core first. Menelaus Shot lets a Bowman attack three Horrors at once, while Powder Ball increases Lobber area of effect. Add Captors when you need control and Cannoneers when clustered enemies begin overwhelming narrow entrances. This recommendation follows the documented unit roles: Captors slow enemies, while Cannoneers deliver broad explosive damage. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
- Early: Menelaus Shot, Powder Ball, Advanced Stone Pieces I.
- Mid: Pearl Web, Volatile Cannonball, Fire Arrows, and a chosen Iris damage or defense branch.
- Late: Cluster Bomb, Execution, Mistfuel Grenade, and Enfeebling Aura.
- Use Ballistae for long lanes, Hunters for high-value targets, and Partisans when armor removal or flexible-height attacks matter.
| Role | Recommended choice | Why it works |
|---|---|---|
| Wave clear | Bowman: Menelaus Shot | Three-target attacks improve early defense against groups. |
| Area damage | Cannoneer: Volatile Cannonball | Larger area complements chokepoints and dense waves. |
| Control | Captor: Pearl Web | Stuns Horrors and adds time for every other unit to fire. |
| Elite finishing | Hunter: Execution | Instantly kills low-health enemies, making focus fire more efficient. |
| Long lane damage | Ballista: Cluster Bomb | Combines long range and improved area damage. |
| Armor pressure | Partisan: Mistfuel Grenade | Adds an area attack that removes enamel. |
The game’s official documentation lists effects and unlock requirements, but it does not rank skills. The ordering above is an evidence-led recommendation based on area damage, control, range, and how well each option fits the game’s chokepoint defenses.
Progression
Best skills by stage
At Bookworm level, take the skills that immediately improve your first defensive line. Menelaus Shot is usually the best first military pick because Bowmen are available from the Barracks and gain high-height benefits. Powder Ball is the safer alternative when your layout forces Lobbers to fire into tightly packed groups. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
The same early tier also contains Advanced Stone Pieces I and mounted Fire Arrows, Poison, Hell Arrows, and Hell Poison access. Stone upgrades are especially valuable when you expect repeated attacks on one wall, while Fire Arrows are a straightforward damage boost for Bowmen, Hunters, and Partisans. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
At Prodigy, Pearl Web and Volatile Cannonball are the standout combat choices. Choose Pearl Web if fast Horrors are reaching the wall; choose Volatile Cannonball if the problem is density. Iris can take Leather Undershirt for safer frontline play, or select Healing Veil or Pounding Veil depending on whether preserving structures or damaging enemies is the priority. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
At Master and Sage, the best choices become more situational. Cluster Bomb is strongest along long approach lanes, Execution rewards concentrated fire against weakened targets, and Mistfuel Grenade is useful when enamel is stopping your normal damage. Enfeebling Aura is a late-game Iris passive that increases damage taken by nearby Horrors, making it a strong choice when Iris can safely remain near the main engagement. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
- Early campaign: unlock the first military skill before spending heavily on luxury structure options.
- Mid campaign: reach Cannoneers and use Volatile Cannonball if most attacks happen at one breach.
- Late campaign: use Cluster Bomb for lanes, Execution for elites, and Mistfuel Grenade against enamel-heavy threats.
- Refund skills between missions when the objective changes; this is explicitly supported by the Book of Insight.
| Stage | Priority | Best alternative |
|---|---|---|
| Bookworm | Menelaus Shot | Powder Ball |
| Prodigy | Pearl Web or Volatile Cannonball | Healing Veil or Pounding Veil |
| Master | Cluster Bomb or Execution | Sunderbolt II or Tempest II |
| Sage | Enfeebling Aura or Mistfuel Grenade | Echo skill for a specific campaign plan |
Level II, called Prodigy, requires five Knowledge Points, while Level III, called Master, requires ten. The official page also lists Sage-tier options, but the precise route to every later skill should be checked in your current game because the interface and progression may change.
Mode builds
Best builds for Campaign, Skirmish, Survival, and the Old Kingdom
Campaign missions vary substantially: city-building missions use resources, Prosperity, and day-night cycles; expeditions provide limited units and pieces; tower-defense missions give a fixed force and do not make Iris playable. There is therefore no single campaign loadout. Use economy and durable stone in city missions, mobility and broad coverage in expeditions, and burst damage in tower defense. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
Skirmish starts with everything unlocked, but units and structures still depend on Prosperity and Military Capacity. The best practical setup is a compact Bowman-Lobber-Captor core that reaches Cannoneers quickly, followed by Ballistae or Hunters once Prosperity IV is available. This is strongest on handcrafted maps where you can deliberately build a firing lane. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
Survival starts with only basic options and uses points to unlock units, skills, and Military Capacity. Waves become progressively harder and offer three random rewards after each wave, so a safe recommendation is to buy consistency first: early ranged coverage, then control, then area damage. Do not plan around a specific reward appearing every run. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
The Old Kingdom DLC adds a strategic mode built around multiple citadels, supply lines, convoys, turn-based realm expansion, and separate defensive fronts. The safest current recommendation is to value flexible armies and reserve forces over a single all-in fortress build. However, the official DLC description does not yet provide enough detail to verify a dedicated best-skill route for its new technologies, so treat this section as provisional. (store.steampowered.com )
- Campaign city building: Stone walls, Captors at threatened breaches, and Cannoneers behind protected firing positions.
- Campaign expedition: Hunters and Ballistae for range, plus Iris mobility or damage; preserve every limited unit.
- Tower defense: Favor immediate area damage and lane coverage because Iris is unavailable.
- Skirmish: Use banners and specialist boosts around the main firing platform; add Tactician’s Nook when available to reduce special-skill cooldowns.
- Survival: Spend early points on skills that help every wave rather than a late unit you may not unlock in time.
- Old Kingdom: Build two complementary armies and keep one capable of reinforcing another citadel; exact DLC meta remains unverified.
| Mode or goal | Recommended build | Main adjustment |
|---|---|---|
| Campaign progression | Bowmen, Lobbers, Captors, then Cannoneers | Refund Iris skills per mission type. |
| Skirmish win | Captor-Cannoneer core with Ballista support | Exploit planned chokepoints and banners. |
| Survival high wave | Early Bowmen plus Lobbers; add Captors and Cannoneers | Prioritize dependable unlocks over greed. |
| Fast elite kills | Hunters, Ballistae, Execution, Enfeebling Aura | Focus fire weakened targets. |
| Fortress safety | Stone pieces, Merlons, Healing Veil, Captors | Protect structural supports and repair priority walls. |
| Old Kingdom conquest | Flexible mixed army with reserves | Cover multiple citadels and supply routes. |
Wetlands rain can make units miss unless they are sheltered, so roofs are part of the build rather than decoration. Depths greatly reduce sight range, making lantern placement and controlled firing zones more important than simply adding more units. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
Execution
How to put the build together
Start each defensive day by identifying the approach that will receive the most pressure. Build a supported stone firing platform, leave safe movement routes, and place units at their preferred heights where possible. All units have height preferences, and the official unit data records different ideal elevations for Bowmen, Ballistae, Hunters, and other troops. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
Use Merlons to extend range and banners to boost adjacent units. Specialist boosts affect basic attacks rather than unit skills, so place them around the units that will fire most often; do not assume Fire Arrows or Bomber’s Spark will improve every activated ability. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
Finally, avoid expanding the army faster than the economy can support. Units consume Oxygen maintenance, and higher difficulties increase maintenance while reducing unit health. On Hard and Extreme, units also do not automatically heal, making Captor control, sheltered firing positions, and conservative recruitment more valuable. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
- Before night: confirm every firing platform has support underneath it.
- During night: pause, retarget Hunters and Ballistae, and move Iris away from collapse zones.
- After unlocking a new tier: compare the next skill against the mission objective instead of buying automatically.
- If a build fails: refund the Book of Insight route and replace damage with control, or control with area damage, depending on the failure.
If you want one build without studying the map, use Menelaus Shot, Powder Ball, Pearl Web, Volatile Cannonball, Cluster Bomb, and Enfeebling Aura. It covers groups, slows dangerous targets, scales into late waves, and does not depend on a single fragile damage type.
FAQ
Common questions
What are the best Cataclismo skills for beginners?
Start with Bowman: Menelaus Shot and Lobber: Powder Ball. They improve early wave clear without requiring the late-game military buildings. Add Captor: Pearl Web when enemies begin reaching your walls.
Is Sunderbolt or Tempest better for Iris?
Neither is universally superior. Sunderbolt is the better recommendation for one large burst and, at its higher tier, adds Stunned and Burning. Tempest is better when several enemies are spread across a broad area because it performs multiple attacks. Both effects are documented, but the ranking is a situational recommendation. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
Should I unlock Hunters or Ballistae first?
Choose Ballistae for long lanes and repeated line attacks; choose Hunters for high-value targets and low-health executions. Their documented ranges and attack patterns support those roles. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
Do banners improve skill attacks?
Banners increase the attack damage of adjacent units, while specialist boosts are specifically documented as affecting basic attacks and not unit skills. Do not assume every bonus multiplies an activated ability. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
What is the best Survival build?
Use a low-risk progression: Bowmen and Lobbers first, Captors for control, then Cannoneers for area damage. Survival unlocks are point-based and post-wave rewards are random, so a flexible route is more reliable than building around one late reward. (wiki.hoodedhorse.com )
Sources
What we checked
Official listings establish current availability and product facts. Community pages are used for mechanics and build history, then labeled separately.