Universal Tower Defense Relics Tier List (December 2025) Ultimate Guide
Welcome to the most comprehensive Universal Tower Defense Relics tier list available! I’ve spent countless hours testing every relic set, analyzing their performance across different game modes, and consulting with top players to bring you this definitive ranking. Whether you’re struggling with Virtual Realm, trying to conquer Infinite mode, or just want to optimize your Story progression, this guide will show you exactly which relic sets to prioritize and why.
Universal Tower Defense Relics Tier List
| Tier | Relic Sets | Best For | Overall Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| S Tier | Laughing Captain, Ex-Captain Uraharo | All game modes, most units | Exceptional |
| A Tier | Sun God, Berserk Shingam I | Specific builds, armored enemies | Very Strong |
| B Tier | Master Ninja | DoT-focused characters | Good |
| C Tier | Junior Ninja | Buff-reliant compositions | Situational |
Universal Tower Defense Relics Tier List
After extensive testing and analysis across all game modes—including Nightmare, Infinite, Challenges, and Virtual Realm—I’ve ranked every relic set based on their versatility, power scaling, and overall impact on your units’ performance. This tier list reflects the current meta as of December 2025 and considers factors like SPA optimization, elemental synergies, and game mode-specific requirements.
S Tier – Best Relic Sets
These relic sets dominate the current meta and work exceptionally well on almost any unit. If you’re lucky enough to get these, prioritize upgrading them immediately as they’ll carry you through all content.
Laughing Captain
Set Bonuses:
- Head: -10% Active Ability Cooldown
- Body/Leg: +5 Base Damage, -5% Attack Cooldown, +5% Range
Why S Tier: Laughing Captain is unanimously considered the best all-around relic set in Universal Tower Defense, and for good reason. The combination of cooldown reductions on both abilities and basic attacks creates a multiplicative effect that significantly increases your unit’s DPS output. The range bonus is particularly valuable for positioning and safety, allowing your units to attack from safer distances.
What makes this set truly exceptional is its universal applicability. Unlike other sets that require specific conditions or unit types, Laughing Captain enhances every unit regardless of their role or elemental affinity. I’ve found it particularly devastating on support units like Lulu, where the reduced ability cooldown allows for more frequent stuns and crowd control effects.
Best Units For: Literally everyone, but especially supports and ability-reliant units Game Modes: Excels in all modes, particularly strong in Challenges and Virtual Realm
Ex-Captain Uraharo
Set Bonuses:
- Head: Refund 5% Yen spent on upgrades
- Body/Leg: +10 Critical Rate, +25% Critical Damage
Why S Tier: Ex-Captain Uraharo is the premier choice for critical damage-focused builds. The +10% critical rate combined with +25% critical damage creates an explosive damage potential that can shred through even the toughest enemies. While the 5% yen refund might seem minor, it actually adds up significantly over long grinding sessions.
This set truly shines on units that already have good critical rate scaling or those that benefit from burst damage. I’ve seen incredible results when pairing this with units that have critical rate-boosting traits or abilities. The true damage potential from critical hits can often bypass enemy defenses that would normally mitigate your damage.
Best Units For: Critical-focused DPS units, burst damage dealers Game Modes: Dominates in Virtual Realm and Infinite mode
A Tier – Very Good Relic Sets
These relic sets are powerful but require more specific conditions to reach their full potential. When used correctly, they can approach S Tier performance, but they lack the universal applicability of the top sets.
Sun God
Set Bonuses:
- Head: After every 6 attacks, gain damage buff equal to unit’s Range for 7 seconds
- Body/Leg: +5 Base Damage, +10% Light/Water/Ice Damage
Why A Tier: Sun God offers incredible scaling potential on high-range units. The damage buff equal to your unit’s range can become massive, especially on units that naturally have high range or can be built for it. However, this set requires investment in range stats to maximize effectiveness, which makes it less flexible than S Tier options.
The elemental damage bonus is a nice touch for Light, Water, and Ice characters, providing additional synergy for team compositions focused on these elements. I’ve found this set particularly effective on units that can stack range through various means, turning them into absolute damage monsters.
Best Units For: High-range units, Light/Water/Ice elemental characters Game Modes: Excellent in Virtual Realm and Challenge modes
Berserk Shingam I
Set Bonuses:
- Head: Every 6th attack deals 20% bonus True Damage ignoring all Resistance
- Body/Leg: +5 Base Damage, +15% Armor Damage
Why A Tier: Berserk Shingam I is the ultimate answer to armored enemies and bosses. The true damage component ignores all resistances, making it invaluable against enemies with high defense or damage reduction. The additional armor damage bonus makes this set even more effective against heavily armored targets.
However, this set’s effectiveness drops significantly against regular enemies without armor, making it more situational than S Tier options. I recommend keeping a set of Berserk Shingam I relics specifically for boss fights and armored enemy stages, while using more universal sets for general content.
Best Units For: Anti-armor builds, boss-focused compositions Game Modes: Essential for Challenge modes with armored enemies, strong in Virtual Realm
B Tier – Good Relic Set
This relic set has clear strengths but also significant limitations that prevent it from reaching higher tiers. Use it when it specifically synergizes with your units, but don’t prioritize it over higher-tier options.
Master Ninja
Set Bonuses:
- Head: Every 5 attacks, DoT damage increases by 20% for 10 seconds
- Body/Leg: +5 Base Damage, +10% Dark/Rose/Fire Damage
Why B Tier: Master Ninja is a specialist set that excels with damage-over-time focused characters. The 20% DoT increase every 5 attacks can create massive sustained damage output on units that have strong DoT abilities. The elemental bonuses for Dark, Rose, and Fire characters provide additional synergy for these specific elements.
The major limitation is that this set provides almost no value to units without DoT effects. If your character doesn’t have poison, burn, or other damage-over-time abilities, you’re essentially only getting the base damage and elemental bonuses, which is significantly weaker than other sets.
Best Units For: DoT-focused characters, Dark/Rose/Fire elemental units Game Modes: Good for Story progression, decent in Infinite mode with proper team composition
C Tier – Situational Relic Set
This relic set has very specific use cases and generally underperforms compared to other options. Only use it if you have a very specific strategy built around its mechanics.
Junior Ninja
Set Bonuses:
- Head: All buffs increased by 1.1x
- Body/Leg: +5% Base Damage, +10% Wind Damage
Why C Tier: Junior Ninja is the most situational relic set in Universal Tower Defense. The 1.1x buff multiplier sounds good in theory, but it requires your character to receive buffs from teammates to be effective. Without buff support, the head bonus does literally nothing, making it the weakest set in solo play or with non-support team compositions.
Even when you do have buff support, the 10% increase is often not worth the opportunity cost of using a more powerful set. The body and leg bonuses are also the weakest in the game, with only a 5% base damage increase compared to the 5% flat damage other sets provide.
Best Units For: Buff-reliant compositions, Wind elemental characters Game Modes: Very limited use cases, generally not recommended
Relic Mechanics and Advanced Strategies
Understanding how relics work beyond just their set bonuses is crucial for maximizing their effectiveness. Here are the advanced mechanics every serious player needs to know:
Relic Acquisition and Progression
How to Get Relics:
- Body and Leg Relics: Obtained by completing Story missions
- Head Relics: Earned from Virtual Realm matches
- Set Completion: Need all three pieces (Head, Body, Leg) to activate set bonuses
Relic Upgrading System:
- Use Power Ups to upgrade your relics
- Every 3 Power Ups gives you a chance to unlock a new sub-stat
- Upgrades can fail, so there’s an element of luck involved
- Focus on getting good Main Stats first, then work on sub-stats
Main Stats vs Sub Stats
Main Stats (Most Important):
- Limited to one per relic piece
- Provide the most significant stat increases
- Priority: Damage > Crit Damage > SPA > Range > Crit Rate
Sub Stats (Additional Bonuses):
- Can be stacked multiple times on rare relics
- Provide smaller but still valuable bonuses
- Good sub-stats to look for: SPA, Crit Rate, Elemental Damage
SPA Optimization: The Hidden Meta
One of the most important insights I’ve discovered is that SPA (Second Per Attack) is often the best stat to prioritize. Here’s why:
- Set Bonus Synergy: Most relic set bonuses trigger on every 5th or 6th attack. Faster attack speed means more frequent trigger of these powerful effects.
- DPS Multiplication: SPA scales multiplicatively with damage increases, making it more valuable than raw damage at higher levels.
- Ability Scaling: Many unit abilities scale with attack speed, making SPA even more valuable for ability-reliant units.
When upgrading relics, prioritize SPA sub-stats whenever possible, especially on units with set bonuses that trigger on attack count.
Game Mode-Specific Relic Strategies
Different game modes in Universal Tower Defense require different approaches to relic optimization. Here’s how to adapt your relic strategy for each mode:
Virtual Realm Optimization
Virtual Realm is where the most competitive players test their skills, and relic optimization is crucial for success:
Top Tier Virtual Realm Relics:
- Laughing Captain – Universal effectiveness
- Ex-Captain Uraharo – Critical damage scaling
- Sun God – Range stacking potential
Virtual Realm Strategy:
- Prioritize SPA optimization for faster set bonus triggers
- Focus on relics that scale well with long fights
- Consider enemy composition when choosing between damage types
Infinite Mode Success
Infinite mode tests your endurance and scaling potential:
Best Infinite Mode Relics:
- Ex-Captain Uraharo – Critical damage for scaling
- Laughing Captain – Consistent performance
- Master Ninja – DoT stacking for sustained damage
Infinite Mode Tips:
- Critical damage builds scale best in extended fights
- DoT effects become increasingly valuable over time
- Don’t neglect survivability stats for longer runs
Challenge Mode Domination
Challenge modes often have specific enemy compositions that favor certain relic types:
Challenge Mode Relic Priorities:
- Berserk Shingam I – Essential for armored enemies
- Laughing Captain – Versatile performance
- Sun God – Strong against specific enemy types
Challenge Strategy:
- Analyze enemy types before selecting relics
- Keep multiple relic sets for different challenge types
- Focus on burst damage for timed challenges
Relic Farming and Resource Management
Efficient relic farming is crucial for long-term success. Here’s how to optimize your farming strategy:
Optimal Farming Routes
Story Mode Farming:
- Focus on stages that drop the relic pieces you need
- Farm stages with high drop rates for Body/Leg pieces
- Use energy refills during bonus drop rate events
Virtual Realm Farming:
- Prioritize Head relic acquisition
- Focus on difficulty levels you can consistently clear
- Join groups for more efficient Virtual Realm clears
Resource Allocation
Power Up Management:
- Save Power Ups for S and A tier relics
- Don’t waste resources on C tier relics unless necessary
- Consider the long-term potential of each relic before investing
Economy Optimization:
- The 5% yen refund from Ex-Captain Uraharo adds up significantly
- Balance between upgrading relics and buying new units
- Take advantage of bonus events and promotions
Common Mistakes to Avoid
After helping countless players optimize their relic setups, I’ve identified several common mistakes that hold players back:
1. Ignoring SPA Optimization
Many players focus solely on damage stats while neglecting SPA. Remember that faster attack speed means more frequent set bonus triggers, which often provides more value than raw damage increases.
2. Overlooking Elemental Synergies
Each relic set has elemental damage bonuses that can significantly boost performance when paired with the right units. Don’t ignore these synergies when building your teams.
3. Spreading Resources Too Thin
It’s better to have one fully optimized S tier relic set than multiple partially upgraded sets. Focus your resources on your best relics first.
4. Not Adapting to Game Modes
Using the same relic setup for every game mode is suboptimal. Adapt your relic choices based on the specific challenges and enemy types you’ll face.
Future-Proofing Your Relic Strategy
The Universal Tower Defense meta evolves with updates, but certain principles remain constant. Here’s how to build a relic collection that will remain valuable:
Investment Principles
Prioritize Versatile Sets:
- Laughing Captain will likely remain valuable due to its universal applicability
- Critical damage sets tend to scale well with power creep
- Avoid over-investing in overly specialized sets
Keep Multiple Options:
- Maintain at least two different optimized relic sets
- Have options for different enemy types and game modes
- Stay flexible for meta shifts
Stay Updated
The meta can change with balance updates, so it’s important to:
- Follow official Universal Tower Defense social media for patch notes
- Join the community Discord for real-time meta discussions
- Be ready to adapt your strategy when needed
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best relic set in Universal Tower Defense?
Based on extensive testing and community consensus, Laughing Captain is considered the best all-around relic set in Universal Tower Defense. Its universal applicability and strong bonuses make it valuable for virtually any unit and game mode.
How do I get relic sets in Universal Tower Defense?
Relic sets are obtained through different methods:
- Body and Leg pieces: Complete Story missions
- Head pieces: Earned from Virtual Realm matches
- Complete sets: Need all three pieces to activate set bonuses
What does SPA mean in Universal Tower Defense?
SPA stands for “Second Per Attack” and refers to attack speed. It’s one of the most important stats for relic optimization because faster attack speed triggers set bonuses more frequently and increases overall DPS.
How do I upgrade relics in Universal Tower Defense?
Upgrade relics using Power Ups from your inventory. Every third upgrade has a chance to add a new sub-stat, though upgrades can fail. Focus on upgrading S and A tier relics first for maximum efficiency.
Which relic set is best for Virtual Realm?
For Virtual Realm, the top relic sets are:
- Laughing Captain – Universal effectiveness
- Ex-Captain Uraharo – Critical damage scaling
- Sun God – Range stacking potential
How many relic sets are there in Universal Tower Defense?
There are currently six relic sets in Universal Tower Defense, with two sets available for each of the three main stages (Naruto Ninja Forest, One Piece Marine Base, and Bleach Hollowed Moon).
What’s the difference between Main Stats and Sub Stats?
Main Stats are limited to one per relic and provide the most significant bonuses. Sub Stats can be stacked multiple times and provide smaller but still valuable additional bonuses. Prioritize getting good Main Stats before focusing on Sub Stats.
Is it worth upgrading C tier relics?
Generally, no. It’s better to save your Power Ups for S and A tier relics. Only upgrade C tier relics if you have a very specific strategy built around them or if you have excess resources.
How do I activate relic set bonuses?
Set bonuses are automatically activated when you equip all three pieces of a relic set (Head, Body, and Leg) on the same unit. The bonuses will then apply to that unit.
What’s the best relic set for beginners?
For beginners, Laughing Captain is the best choice due to its universal applicability. It works well on most units and doesn’t require specific conditions or synergies to be effective.
Final Thoughts
Mastering the Universal Tower Defense relic system is one of the most rewarding aspects of the game. The right relic choices can transform mediocre units into powerhouses and help you overcome seemingly impossible challenges. Remember that while this tier list provides excellent guidance, the best relic for your specific situation may vary based on your units, team composition, and current goals.
I recommend bookmarking this guide and checking back regularly, as I’ll keep it updated with the latest meta shifts and balance changes. The Universal Tower Defense landscape is always evolving, and staying informed is key to maintaining your competitive edge.
Happy relic hunting, and may your pulls be ever in your favor!
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