Frost Mode
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<infobox>
<title source="title1"><default>Frost Mode</default></title>
<image source="image1"></image> <label>Map</label> <label>Waves</label> <label>Level Requirement</label> <label>Starting Cash</label> <label>Shared Cash</label> <label>Max Base Health</label> <label>Health Scaling</label> <label>Estimated Match Time</label> <label>Suggested Towers</label> <label>Triumph Rewards</label> <label>Modifiers</label> <group> <header>Timeline</header> <label>Chapter</label> <group row-items="2"> <label>Previous Mission</label> <label>Next Mission</label> </group> </group> <group collapse="closed"> <header>Star Requirements</header> <label>3 Star Health</label> <label>3 Star Time</label> <label>2 Star Health</label> <label>2 Star Time</label> </group> <group collapse="closed"> <header>Music</header>
</group> </infobox>
- "For a frosty experience."
- ―Gamemode Description
Description
Frost mode is one of the six main survival modes. Frost mode has 40 waves. It is named after snow and frost-themed enemies in said mode.
Cash is only gained if an enemy is killed, or in some cases, damaged by a specific amount of health. Additionally, the amount gained is a set amount of cash, which is not always equal to the enemy's health. It uses a slightly different method of distributing cash between players, as enemies split their cash between players, regardless of how much damage the player dealt to it. If, in a duo, one player does all the damage to an enemy, both players will receive 50% of the cash the enemy would normally give in solo. This means that in solo, you receive 100% of the cash when an enemy is killed, or it is damaged enough. With each additional player, this is reduced to 50% in duo, 33% in trio and 25% in quad. If it is a decimal, it gets rounded up or down depending on the decimal value. If it is at least 0.5, it gets rounded up. If it is less than 0.5, it gets rounded down.
The health of enemies in this mode scales with the player count, starting at two players. The increase 30% in duo, 45% in trio and 60% in quad. It is applied after attributes, like Bloated, meaning they can affect the health of an enemy. The increase is not always the stated amount.
Rewards
The game calculates how many Error creating thumbnail: File missing Coins and Error creating thumbnail: File missing EXP you receive based on how many waves you survived and if you won a match. During periods of 100% more Error creating thumbnail: File missing EXP (Friday – Sunday), any Error creating thumbnail: File missing EXP earned is multiplied by 2x through the XP Boost modifier. The VIP gamepass also multiplies any Error creating thumbnail: File missing EXP earned by 1.25x through the VIP Boost modifier. These two boosts are additive. Some maps like Mason Arch can also increase all rewards by a specific amount. Regular Error creating thumbnail: File missing EXP boosts are multiplicative with other modifiers.
Any rewards that end in a decimal point is rounded down, no matter the first figure of the leading decimal.
Rewards are calculated as:
| Coins Reward | Gem Reward | EXP Reward | Tower EXP Reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| Error creating thumbnail: File missing 800 ÷ (1 + [(40 ÷ Current Wave) - 1]^2.4) + Error creating thumbnail: File missing 1,200 (Triumph Bonus) | Error creating thumbnail: File missing 45 (Triumph Bonus) | Error creating thumbnail: File missing 200 EXP ÷ (1 + [(40 ÷ Current Wave) - 1]^2) + Error creating thumbnail: File missing 100 EXP (Triumph Bonus) | Error creating thumbnail: File missing 85 EXP ÷ (1 + [(40 ÷ Current Wave) - 1]) + Error creating thumbnail: File missing 110 EXP (Triumph Bonus) |
Triumphing Frost mode can give out an additional reward, which can be a crate, consumable or ticket. They are meant to be guaranteed, though due to a bug this does not always happen. Beach Crate, Scuba Ops Crate and Patriotic Crate are also part of this, though it is not known which rarity they are in. These items are:
- Common (31.25%)
- Time Scale Ticket Time Scale Ticket (2-4)
- Error creating thumbnail: File missing Revive Ticket (2-3)
- Spin Ticket Spin Ticket (2-3)
- Low Grade Crate
- Barricade (2-4)
- Supply Drop (2-4)
- Easter Egg (2-4)
- Uncommon (26.79%)
- Cooldown Flag (2-4)
- Range Flag (2-4)
- Damage Flag (2-4)
- Mid Grade Crate
- Ducky Squad (2-4)
- Rare (26.79%)
- High Grade Crate
- Napalm Strike (2-3)
- Blizzard Bomb (2-3)
- Epic (13.39%)
- TBA
- Legendary (1.79%)
Badges/Achievements
There are badges and achievements that you can or could obtain when playing this mode, which may have additional rewards alongside them. These are:
Rewards:
Error creating thumbnail: File missing 500, 1x Spin Ticket Spin Ticket, 1x Time Scale Ticket Time Scale Ticket, 1x Showtime Crate
Seasons
During some Passes, the Frost mode could give currency rewards that you used to progress through a season. Rewards for all the seasons were calculated as:
| Season | Rewards |
|---|---|
| The Final Act Battle Pass | Error creating thumbnail: File missing 16 per wave |
| Spring Frenzy Battle Pass | Error creating thumbnail: File missing 16 per wave |
Enemies
Wave Structure
Currently, Frost mode has two wave bonuses, based on the current wave. Between waves 1 to 30, the wave bonus is calculated as:
- Error creating thumbnail: File missing$325 + ([Waves Completed - 1] × Error creating thumbnail: File missing$80)^1.03
Between waves 31 and 40, it is calculated as:
- Error creating thumbnail: File missing$325 + ([Waves Completed - 1] × Error creating thumbnail: File missing$80)^1.07
Depending on player count, the wave bonus is reduced using multipliers. These multipliers are:
| Players | Reduction per Player | Total Reduction |
|---|---|---|
| Solo | 0% | 0% |
| Duo | 15% | 30% |
| Trio | 13% | 39% |
| Quad | 10% | 40% |
The wave clear bonus appears when every enemy from that wave was killed and no damage was dealt to the base health. It is 7.5% of the wave bonus in solo, while for duo, trio and quad it is 5%.
The waves in Frost mode follow these timings:
| Waves | Wave Timer | Skip Time[13] |
|---|---|---|
| 1-5 | 0:30 | 0:10[14] |
| 6-24 | 0:50 | 0:16[15] |
| 25 | 2:00 | 0:40[16] |
| 26-28 | 1:50 | 0:36[17] |
| 29 | 1:00 | 0:20[18] |
| 30-31 | 1:50 | 0:36[17] |
| 32 | 1:30 | 0:30[19] |
| 33 | 3:00 | 1:00[20] |
| 34 | 1:30 | 0:30[19] |
| 35 | 2:30 | 0:50[21] |
| 36 | 1:30 | 0:30[19] |
| 37 | 2:00 | 0:40[16] |
| 38 | 2:30 | 0:50[21] |
| 39 | 2:00 | 0:40[16] |
| 40 | ∞ | N/A |
Bolded names indicates an enemy type's debut.
The total of enemies in Frost Mode excluding summoned enemies is 821 enemies. Number includes summons from the naturally spawned Frostbane, Frost Mystery and Mega Frost Mystery as while a lot of them summon in a random enemy from a list, they will always spawn a specific number of enemies on death, making them consistent. Other forms of summoning are not accounted due to them being inconsistent.
Soundtracks
Wave 1-9 & 10-15
These soundtracks can be randomly chosen to play between these waves.
Wave 16 - 22 & 23 - 29
These soundtracks can be randomly chosen to play between these waves.
Wave 30-34 & 35-39
These soundtracks can be randomly chosen to play between these waves.
Final Wave
This soundtrack is played on the final wave.
Gallery
Icons
-
Former Frost Mode Icon
Trivia
- Frost mode is a returning mode derived from Pre-MEGA Insane Mode.
- Frost mode is the first main gamemode to feature Dispatcher and Professor V.
- Wave 39 is likely a reference to the Wave 68 of Insane Mode.
- The Frost Hero, Deep Freeze and Frozens spawn three, four and 8 times on Wave 39 respectively. This is the same as Wave 68, where three Frost Heroes, four Deep Freezes and eight Frozens spawn.
- Three Mega Frost Mysteries also spawn. While such enemies did not exist back then, the number spawned does matched the amount of Rusted that spawn on Wave 68, that being three.
- Frost mode is not canon in the game's story, as mentioned by the developers multiple times.[22]
- Frost mode is currently the only Survival mode without any permanent Achievements.
Update History
- 3 December 2025 - v1.82.0
- Frost mode added.
- Bug: Wave 1 deliberately loses the match if the player is in elevators.
- Bug: Professor V animations do not work.
- Bug: Frost mode cannot be chosen in Sandbox mode.
- 9 December 2025 - v1.82.0e
- Bugfix: Professor V animations now play.
- 20 December 2025 - v1.83.0
- Updated bonus triumph rewards.
- Sandcastle and Heatwave removed from the reward pool.
- Common rewards now include the Present Cluster Bomb (2-4) and Fruit Cake (2-4). Chance also increased from 34.82% to 35%.
- Uncommon rewards now include the Santa's Air Strike (2-4) and Festive Tree (2-4). Chance also increased from 29.85% to 30%.
- Rare chance increased from 29.85% to 30%.
- Epic rarity added. Has a chance of 3% and gives either a Showtime Crate or Christmas 2025 Crate.
- Legendary rewards now include Molten Monster and Holy Hand Grenade. Chance decreased from 4.97% to 2%.
- Custom rarity removed.
- Updated bonus triumph rewards.
- 21 December 2025 - v1.83.2
- Updated bonus triumph rewards.
- Common chance decreased from 35% to 31.25%.
- Uncommon chance decreased from 30% to 26.79%.
- Rare chance decreased from 30% to 26.79%.
- Epic chance increased from 3% to 13.39%.
- Legendary chance decreased from 2% to 1.79%.
- Updated bonus triumph rewards.
- 28 January 2026 - v1.84.0
- Wave structure changed.
- Health scaling changed.
- Duo health scaling decreased from 20% to 15%.
- Trio health scaling decreased from 40% to 25%.
- Quad health scaling decreased from 50% to 40%.
- 11 February 2026 - v1.85.0
- Removed the Christmas 2025 Crate from the reward pool.
- Removed 0.7 Molten Warlords from Wave 40.
- Bugfix: The game no longer ends in an instant loss when in elevators.
- 3 April 2026 - v1.88.0
- Updated bonus triumph rewards.
- Present Cluster Bomb, Fruit Cake, Festive Tree and Santa's Air Strike removed from the reward pool.
- Common rewards now also include the Easter Egg (2-4).
- Uncommon rewards now also include the Ducky Squad (2-4).
- Updated bonus triumph rewards.
- 5 June 2026 - v2.0.0
- Wave skip now appears after one third of the wave has passed instead of after 20 seconds.
- Reduced Error creating thumbnail: File missing Gem reward from Error creating thumbnail: File missing 75 to Error creating thumbnail: File missing 30.
- Now gives tower experience, with a Error creating thumbnail: File missing 85 EXP base reward and an Error creating thumbnail: File missing 110 EXP triumph bonus.
- 17 July 2026 - v2.3.0
- Updated reward equations.
- Triumph bonus increased from Error creating thumbnail: File missing 500 to Error creating thumbnail: File missing 750.
- Coins exponential value increased from 1.3 to 2.4.
- Gem reward increased from Error creating thumbnail: File missing 30 to Error creating thumbnail: File missing 45.
- Exp exponential value increased from 1 to 2.
- Updated reward equations.
- 28 February 2026 - v2.8.0
- Wave structure changed.
Notes
- ↑ Number is based on natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Frost Mystery and Snow Golem.
- ↑ Number is based on natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Frost Mystery and how many Frostbanes spawn.
- ↑ Number is based on natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Mega Frost Mystery.
- ↑ Number is based on natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Frost Mystery.
- ↑ Does not appear naturally. Can only be spawned by the Frost Mystery and how many Blizzard Wizards spawn.
- ↑ Number is based on natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Mega Frost Mystery.
- ↑ Number is based on natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Mega Frost Mystery and Frost Spirit.
- ↑ Number is based on natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Mega Frost Mystery.
- ↑ Number is natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Frost Necromancer.
- ↑ Number is natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Mega Frost Mystery and Frost Spirit.
- ↑ Number is natural spawns. This number can be exceeded if spawned by the Mega Frost Mystery and Frost Spirit.
- ↑ Does not appear naturally. Can only be spawned by the Frost Spirit.
- ↑ How long you have to wait before you can skip.
- ↑ Skip at 0:20.
- ↑ Skip at 0:34.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Skip at 1:20.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Skip at 1:14.
- ↑ Skip at 0:40.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 Skip at 1:00.
- ↑ Skip at 2:00.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 Skip at 1:40.
- ↑ "📕New Story: Non-canon storyline created for this mode." ― v1.82.0 In-Game Update Log
https://x.com/paradoxum_games/status/1996309694495727632
https://x.com/AWritingKiwi/status/1996325266180698390
https://discord.com/channels/587355301083349002/664997359071002637/1445867404256215110
| Gamemodes | |
|---|---|
| Survival | Easy Mode • Casual Mode • Intermediate Mode • Molten Mode • Fallen Mode (Hidden Wave) • Frost Mode • Challenge Trials |
| Hardcore | Hardcore Mode • Voidcore Mode |
| Special Maps | Polluted Wasteland II • Badlands II • Pizza Party |
| Sandbox Only | Sandbox Mode • Legacy Molten Mode • Golden Mode • Legacy Fallen Mode |
| Other | Tutorial • Story Mode • PVP |
| Removed | Versus • Pre-MEGA Modes • Legacy Hidden Wave • PVP Test |
| Waves | |
|---|---|
| Survival | Easy Mode • Casual Mode • Intermediate Mode • Molten Mode • Fallen Mode • Frost Mode • Challenge Trials |
| Hardcore | Hardcore Mode • Voidcore Mode |
| Sandbox Only | Golden Mode |
| Special Maps | Polluted Wasteland II • Pizza Party |
| Removed | Pre-MEGA Modes • PVP Test |
| Rewards | |
|---|---|
| Survival | Easy Mode • Casual Mode • Intermediate Mode • Molten Mode • Fallen Mode • Frost Mode |
| Hardcore | Hardcore Mode • Voidcore Mode |
| Special Maps | Polluted Wasteland II • Badlands II • Pizza Party |