How to Beat Bosses Like the Kraken and Lich King

Giant bosses are the exam questions of Sozo Tower Defense. The Kraken lives in the Sunken Depths, the Lich King rules Necropolis, and there are more besides, all with shields included, as the game puts it. A Sozo Tower Defense boss strategy isn't about a trick; it's about arriving prepared. Here's a checklist.

What you know about bosses

From the game's own description: bosses are giant, and they have shields. The game doesn't give numbers or phases, so don't trust anyone who lists exact stats; instead, prepare for something large, durable and probably accompanied by the realm's usual monsters.

Step 1: scout with a safe difficulty

You can choose from five modes: Casual, Normal, Hard, Super Hard and Ultra. On an easier mode, watch the boss wave once to see how it moves, what escorts come with it, and where it ends up when your towers fire. The knowledge is worth more than a streak of stubborn defeats. See our difficulty guide.

Step 2: build for tough targets

Toughness calls for focused damage:

• Prism Laser: focused energy beams that melt even the toughest monsters.
• Arcane Obelisk: arcane power for when nothing else gets through.
• Upgraded Ballistas: precise physical bolts as the backbone.

Pick one or two and upgrade them before adding more. Our Prism Laser guide has placement advice.

Step 3: buy time

The longer a boss stays in range, the more damage it takes. The Frost Spire slows the wave and buys your other towers time. Place it so that the boss spends its longest stretch inside the overlapping ranges of your heavy hitters.

Step 4: handle the escorts

Bosses don't arrive alone. The wave around it may include swarms, armored brutes or flyers. Make sure your area towers (Cannon, Tesla Coil) and anti-air (Missile Battery) are doing their work so that your heavy hitters aren't distracted.

Step 5: plan your powers

• Stasis: freezes the battlefield for a moment. Use it to fix a problem or line up your shots.
• Overcharge: push your towers past their limits while the boss is in the heart of your defense.
• Meteor: hits the thickest part of the wave; useful when the boss is in the middle of its escort.

Decide in advance which power you'll cast and at what moment. Powers cast in panic are worth less than powers cast on purpose.

Step 6: respect the realm twist

The twist doesn't disappear for the boss:

• Sunken Depths: monsters heal each other. Burst the escorts so the boss cannot be healed.
• Necropolis: the dead rise again, once. Keep depth in your defense.
• Neon Overdrive: EMPs on death knock out your towers. Distance and redundancy.
• Frostbite Reach / Ember Wastes: chills and puddles near the death zone.

Step 7: leave a last line

If the boss survives your main layers, you need something near the Core Crystal. Review the layered defense plan.

After a defeat

Ask three questions: where did the boss end up when your towers ran out of damage? What was escorting it? Which power would have changed the outcome? Change one thing and retry.

Mindset

Bosses are meant to be difficult. If you lose several times, it isn't a failure of skill; it's the game asking for a better build. Lowering the difficulty for a moment is perfectly reasonable. The game is available through the Sozo Tower Defense page.

Reading a boss wave before it arrives

Bosses rarely appear without warning in a level, so use the waves before them as a rehearsal. Watch how quickly your defense deals with the regular enemies that come just ahead of the boss. If those enemies already leak, the boss will make it worse, because its escorts and shields will soak up the damage your towers should be spending on it. Fix the regular waves first, then think about the boss. It also helps to remember which realm you are in: the Kraken belongs to Sunken Depths, where monsters heal each other, and the Lich King belongs to Necropolis, where the dead rise again once. Each realm's twist shapes the whole boss fight, not just the early waves.

FAQ

Which bosses are in Sozo Tower Defense?

The game names the Kraken and the Lich King, with shields included, among the giant bosses.

What tower is best against bosses?

Focused-damage towers such as the Prism Laser, supported by slows and upgraded backbone towers.

Should I save powers for bosses?

Usually yes. Plan which power to use and when.

Can I lower the difficulty for a boss level?

Yes, five difficulty modes are available, from Casual to Ultra.