Challenge Mode

What is Challenge Mode?
Challenge Mode is a minigame for Idle Monster TD. It was designed to be a true test of skill, planning, optimization, and monster placement strategy. The goal is to survive as long as you can, with 25 HP to start. Each robot that enters the portal in the center, will reduce your HP by 1. The only exception to this is on the first robot that gets through, that's a freebie and will not hurt your HP. When you start the Challenge Mode Mini-Game it will give you a more in-depth list of all the gameplay changes from the regular game.

What's the point of Challenge Mode?
Initially it was just to flex your ability to plan and strategize with a different game style. However as of 4/1/2021 there are now a set of unique rewards tied to "Challenge Mode Points (CM Points)". You earn CM points by playing the Challenge Mode minigame, and the points are driven by how many waves you successfully pass. The CM points can then be spent in the Challenge Map menu (under the Collections Tab). There are similar upgrades such as Game Speed, Critical Hit Damage, and Gold; but then there are unique upgrades such as "Leaderboard Icon" or "Drone Duration" which open up the possibility for more of these upgrades in the future.

Why do the upgrades seem so expensive??
That's because they are. Challenge Mode was meant to add longevity to the game by giving you a game mode that will take a long time to complete, so players who have been here forever can't just rush to the finish line. Just about all players have a fair chance at getting these upgrades as quickly as anyone else. While this may change in the future, so far the points and upgrades are staying the way they are.

How do I setup a layout for Challenge Mode?
Since Challenge Mode is pretty new, and the rewards are even newer, it's hard to get a straight answer on this. People at the top most likely will not want to share their layouts as there is a leaderboard tied to your highest wave. As time progresses and more people are familiar with newer strategies, it's likely layouts will be posted. And if they are, they'll likely be in #challenge-map.

However, there are some general tips we can provide:


 * 1) Focus on 2 DPS - It's similar to the META for the main game.
 * 2) Gold Generation is Key. You need to make sure you are maximizing your gold as much as possible, both in terms of production and spending (2 DPS).
 * 3) Take advantage of Map Layouts. You have 3 layouts, use them! It's important for switching back and forth and moving your monsters across the map. You need to do this to maximize gold production.
 * 4) Take advantage of the early waves! They're a bit slower, and you can guarantee you'll be able to kill the robots with no upgrades, so use this time to move monsters around, ensure you are getting as much gold for kills as possible (use fluffy/fluffier/fluffiest, make sure they die in Nimbus's aura, etc.)
 * 5) TURN OFF 2X SPEED! What're you rushing for??

Do the rewards in Challenge Mode apply to the Challenge Mode gameplay?
Nope! The Challenge Mode rewards are strictly for the Main Game. This keeps the Challenge Mode gameplay as fair as possible for all players.

How do you refill the Challenge Mode charges?
Charges refill 'one charge every hour ' (unless the charges are full at 3/3). Once you use one, and it displays 2/3, the recharge timer is active in the background... you just can't see it. After one full hour has elapsed, you'd see 3/3.

Once you deplete all of your charges, you can see the timer counting down until your next +1 charge. So if you are all out of charges, it would be a max of 3 hours until you are full again, or a max of one hour for a single charge again.