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Back to Basics

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CHALLENGE
WAVES
Back to Basics
Challenge • Modifier
Sandbox Only Content

Back to Basics (Challenge) was previously removed on the 24th of September 2025, though it has been made available through the Sandbox mode later.
It is not accessible anywhere else in the game. This page will attempt to include information about both the version before removal and its re-added version.

Players are given a loadout of basic towers.
―In-Game Description

Description

Back to Basics is a challenge map. It uses a modified version of Fallen mode. Triumphing on this map rewards the player with Gem125, Experience400 EXP, Time Scale Ticket3 and three High Grade Crates. Like with other challenges, rewards can only be obtained once a week.

Changes

The main change in this challenge is all players start with a preset loadout, with the towers being the Scout, Demoman, Sniper, Soldier and Hunter. These towers use default skins, unless you have the mentioned towers equipped. The golden perk cannot be applied. The wave structure is also altered, making it harder while multiple enemies are made weaker or stronger. There are also two other minor changes, first being the starting cash being increased and the second being towers giving a full refund when sold, though this does not work.

Enemies

This map uses the wave structure of legacy Fallen mode, with Wave 1 specifically being directly copied from modern Fallen mode. Every enemy uses its modern variant if it exists. Some enemies are replaced with enemies from other modes.

A few enemies are also completely replaced:

Any enemies that do not have their health altered in any way by the challenge or modifiers present on this map are affected by Fallen mode's health scaling.

Wave Structure

Bolded names indicate an enemy type's debut.

Wave Enemy Type & Amount
1 5x Abnormal
2 1x Quick, 4x Abnormal, 1x Quick
3 1x Abnormal (Tank), 5x Abnormal, 3x Quick
4 1x Abnormal (Tank), 10x Abnormal, 1x Abnormal (Tank)
5 10x Quick, 2x Abnormal (Tank)
6 4x Quick, 7x Abnormal
7 5x Heavy (Nimble), 5x Heavy
8 6x Quick (Nimble), 6x Heavy, 4x Abnormal (Bloated)
9 6x Heavy, 10x Abnormal (Bloated), 7x Quick (Bloated)
10 12x Abnormal (Bloated), 6x Heavy, 1x Normal Boss
11 8x Heavy (Bloated), 8x Abnormal (Bloated), 8x Quick (Tank)
12 1x Normal Boss (Bloated), 8x Abnormal (Tank)
13 10x Hidden
14 12x Heavy (Bloated), 2x Normal Boss (Bloated)
15 20x Hidden
16 8x Breaker2
17 6x Heavy (Bloated), 7x Breaker2
18 14x Breaker2
19 4x Heavy (Bloated), 6x Quick (Tank), 4x Hidden, 3x Breaker2, 2x Normal Boss (Bloated), 1x Fallen Necromancer
20 4x Fallen, 1x Normal Boss (Bloated)
21 7x Breaker2 (Nimble), 5x Fallen, 2x Normal Boss (Bloated), 8x Heavy (Bloated), 4x Hidden
22 8x Heavy (Bloated), 4x Hidden, 8x Breaker2, 2x Normal Boss (Bloated), 1x Fallen Giant
23 6x Fallen, 1x Fallen Giant, 8x Breaker2, 1x Fallen Necromancer
24 6x Fallen (Slime), 8x Breaker2, 1x Hidden Boss
25 12x Fallen (Slime), 4x Heavy, 6x Breaker2, 4x Fallen Necromancer
26 12x Bolt
27 10x Bolt, 8x Fallen, 8x Breaker2, 4x Normal Boss
28 13x Hazmat, 2x Fallen Giant, 10x Breaker2 (Bloated), 10x Bolt
29 1x Fallen Giant, 10x Breaker2, 12x Bolt, 12x Fallen, 4x Hazmat
30 5x Fallen, 4x Hazmat, 4x Normal Boss, 2x Hidden Boss, 10x Breaker2, 9x Bolt, 1x Fallen Tank, 10x Breaker2
31 5x Fallen Giant, 13x Hazmat, 10x Fallen, 1x Fallen Necromancer
32 3x Fallen Giant, 8x Breaker2, 1x Fallen Tank, 10x Breaker4
33 6x Fallen Giant, 24x Bolt, 10x Breaker2, 12x Breaker4, 1x Fallen Necromancer, 3x Hidden Boss
34 8x Fallen Giant, 1x Boomer, 8x Bolt, 6x Breaker2, 6x Hazmat, 8x Fallen, 14x Breaker4
35 1x Warden, 5x Hazmat, 20x Breaker4
36 8x Fallen Giant, 1x Boomer, 8x Bolt, 1x Fallen Tank, 8x Fallen Rusher, 1x Fallen Summoner
37 1x Boomer, 10x Bolt, 6x Fallen Rusher, 6x Fallen Giant, 2x Hidden Boss, 6x Hazmat, 6x Fallen Rusher, 6x Fallen, 1x Warden, 2x Fallen Summoner
38 8x Fallen Giant, 3x Fallen Rusher, 1x Warden, 10x Hazmat, 9x Fallen Rusher, 15x Breaker4, 1x Fallen Tank, 8x Fallen Giant, 9x Fallen Rusher
39 1x Fallen Tank, 2x Boomer, 1x Fallen Tank, 6x Fallen Rusher, 10x Bolt, 1x Warden, 10x Hazmat, 2x Fallen Rusher, 15x Fallen, 9x Fallen Rusher, 7x Fallen Hero, 5x Fallen, 1x Fallen Summoner, 9x Fallen Rusher
40 3x Fallen Hero, 1x Warden, 6x Bolt, 9x Fallen Rusher, 10x Fallen, 5x Fallen Giant, 6x Fallen Rusher, 4x Fallen Guardian, 1x Fallen King, 2x Fallen Hero, 4x Fallen Giant, 7x Breaker4, 1x Fallen Rusher
Lose Dialogue
One icon and dialogue is randomly chosen upon defeat:

•We're toast!
•OOF!
•Mission Failed, we'll get em' next time.
•Not enough numbers!
•Mistakes are just part of the journey..
•We're overrun chief!
•We'll get them next time!
•Don't give up!
•We need back up sergeant!
•We just had our grave dug..
•We have to fall back soldier!
•Oops! Try again!
•The enemies got to the base!
•Strategy is key!

Cash

Starting cash in this challenge is increased by Cash$200, making it Cash$700 (Cash$800 if in the Paradoxum Games group). Additionally, it is meant to change the sell cost of towers to be the same as the cash spent, but this does not work.

Strategy

  • Out of all the towers you are given, the Hunter and the Demoman have the highest DPS compared to the other three.
    • The Demoman can be useful for early game and dealing with crowds of enemies.
    • While these towers have higher damage, they have slow firerate, meaning that the Soldier can still be useful, especially against tank enemies.

Challenge History

Update History


Challenges Back to Basics • Boss Rush • Jailed Towers • Juggernaut • Legion • Oops! All slimes! • Vanguard
Wave Structure Back to Basics • Jailed Towers


Retrieved from "https://tds.wiki/w/Back_to_Basics_(Challenge)?oldid=679397"
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