The new Clash of Critters 25-wave Horde Invasion can be much harder than the previous version. The biggest change is the shorter run, which means enemies and bosses can start putting pressure on your team much earlier. You cannot spend too much time saving upgrades because weaker units can quickly become a problem once several enemies reach the field.
The good news is that the bosses follow a set order. Once you know which boss appears on each wave and which element counters it, you can prepare your team before the next fight starts. This guide covers the bosses from Wave 1 through Wave 25 and explains what you should expect from each one.
Clash of Critters 25 Wave Boss Order
The boss order is important because it lets you prepare your Tatari lineup ahead of time. For most of the first 17 waves, the elemental pattern follows Lightning, Water, Fire, Grass, and Rock before repeating. After that, the pattern changes slightly and no longer includes Fire in the same way. Here is the full boss order:
- Wave 1: Two-Headed Zoobo
- Wave 2: Gunbo
- Wave 3: Captain Zobo
- Wave 4: Shaman Zoobo
- Wave 5: Roadhog
- Wave 6: Pop Star Zobo
- Wave 7: Hydro Zoobo
- Wave 8: No specific boss mentioned
- Wave 9: Night Zoobo
- Wave 10: Climber’s Elbow
- Wave 11: Shocker Zobo
- Wave 12: Sailor Zoobo
- Wave 13: Chef Zobo
- Wave 14: Botanical Zoobo
- Wave 15: Sandworm
- Wave 16: Harpoon Zoobo
- Wave 17: Part of the repeating elemental cycle
- Wave 18: Pharaoh Zobo
- Wave 19: Cloud Zobo
- Wave 20: Manager’s Elbow
- Wave 21: Totem Zobo
- Wave 22: Garden Zoobo
- Wave 23: Volcano
- Wave 24: Laser Zobo
- Wave 25: Tipso, Sandworm x2, and Botanical Zobo
Knowing this order can make a big difference, especially when you are trying to build a team that covers several elements instead of using the same type repeatedly.
Wave 1 — Two-Headed Zoobo
The first boss is the Two-Headed Zoobo. This is a non-elemental boss, so you do not need to worry about using a specific elemental counter.
This opening fight is fairly simple and mainly gives you time to start building your board. However, the shorter 25-wave format means you should not treat the early waves as a reason to ignore upgrades.
Try to build your team efficiently from the beginning so you do not reach the later waves with several low-star Tatari units.
Wave 2 — Gunbo
Wave 2 brings Gunbo, a Water-type boss that moves between lanes. Because it uses the Water element, Lightning is the recommended counter.
The Unicorn is one of the useful choices for this fight, even after its changes. A Deer can also work if your Unicorn is not developed enough.
Gunbo can move around the battlefield, so positioning is important. Having a strong Lightning Tatari ready before this wave can make the fight much easier.
Wave 3 — Captain Zobo
Captain Zobo is the first major new boss in the 25-wave lineup. It is a Fire-type boss, meaning Water is the element you want to use against it.
Captain Zobo attacks from range and generates gold coins during the fight. When those coins are collected, the boss can recover HP and receive an attack boost before switching to melee attacks.
Some useful Water options include:
- Tidian
- Ceiling
- Fish
Since this boss appears early, it should not be too difficult if your Water Tatari is upgraded properly.
Wave 4 — Shaman Zoobo
Wave 4 features Shaman Zoobo, a Grass-type boss that should be attacked with Fire.
This boss fights at close range and can move directly toward your frontline. One important mechanic is the pair of smaller masked enemies attached to it. While those enemies remain active, Shaman Zoobo receives a shield.
Because of this, do not focus only on the main boss. Take out the smaller enemies first so the shield disappears and you can deal proper damage.
Useful Fire choices include:
- Frog
- Silver Sear
- Fire Fox
- Aurion
Frog can be especially effective in the frontline against this boss.
Wave 5 — Roadhog
Roadhog arrives on Wave 5 and is another close-range threat. This Rock-type boss can move toward your units and deal heavy damage when it gets close.
The correct counter is Grass.
Some options that can work against Roadhog include:
- Mantis
- Panda
- Owl
- Poison-based Tatari
The important thing is to have a Grass attacker strong enough to deal with it before it reaches your more vulnerable units.
Wave 6 — Pop Star Zobo
Wave 6 brings Pop Star Zobo, a Lightning-type boss that can summon Rocker Zoo.
Since it is Lightning, you should use Rock to counter it.
The Dun Beetle is one of the strongest choices for this encounter. Godzilla can also be useful, while Monkey is another option depending on your available Tatari and upgrade levels.
A lower-tier Snake may not perform as well as a properly upgraded Dun Beetle, especially if your Snake is still around Tier 3.
Wave 7 — Hydro Zoobo
Hydro Zoobo appears on Wave 7 and is one of the more annoying bosses in the early section.
It is a Water-type boss, so use Lightning against it.
Hydro Zoobo launches water bombs after losing a certain amount of HP. These attacks can target multiple random units, although later bombs become weaker.
Good counters include:
- Unicorn
- Deer
- Other strong Lightning Tatari
Because Hydro Zoobo can spread damage across your team, try to defeat it quickly instead of allowing the fight to drag on.
Wave 9 — Night Zoobo
Night Zoobo is a fast boss that can quickly reach your frontline. Its movement speed is one of its biggest strengths, and it can continue gaining Haste while moving.
Its first attack can also inflict Stun, followed by heavy damage.
A Frog can work very well against this boss, while Silver Sear, Fire Fox, and Aurion can also be useful choices.
Night Zoobo is not necessarily one of the hardest bosses, but allowing it to reach your frontline too easily can cause problems.
Wave 10 — Climber’s Elbow
Wave 10 features Climber’s Elbow, a Rock-type boss that should be countered with Grass.
This boss can deal area damage, especially when it gets close to your units. However, it is relatively straightforward compared with some of the later bosses.
Useful counters include:
- Panda
- Owl
- Mantis
- Poison-based Tatari
The goal is simple: defeat it before its area attacks start causing serious problems for your team.
Wave 11 — Shocker Zobo
Shocker Zobo is another Lightning boss, so you should bring Rock Tatari.
This is where team composition becomes more important. If you are playing with another player, avoid bringing exactly the same elemental lineup. Having different elements between both teams allows you to cover more bosses.
Dun Beetle is once again a useful choice here.
Shocker Zobo can deal heavy area damage when it gets close, so leaving it alive for too long can quickly destroy your formation.
Wave 12 — Sailor Zoobo
Sailor Zoobo is a Water-type boss, meaning Lightning is the counter.
This boss throws barrels and has an attack range of four, so it can attack from further away than some of the other enemies.
The Unicorn is a strong option for this fight.
One useful positioning trick is to temporarily pull a frontline unit backward. This can encourage Sailor Zoobo to move closer before you place the unit back into position.
The goal is to bring the boss into a better position while keeping your important Tatari units safe.
Wave 13 — Chef Zobo
Wave 13 introduces Chef Zobo, a Fire-type Tatari that should be countered with Water.
Chef Zobo uses skewers to deal small area damage and can season them to increase their range while adding Burn effects.
Do not underestimate this boss because of its appearance. Its attacks can become troublesome if your Water damage is not strong enough.
Some useful Water choices include:
- Tidian
- Ceiling
- Octopus-type options
Having a reliable Water attacker ready before this wave is important.
Wave 14 — Botanical Zoobo
Botanical Zoobo arrives on Wave 14 and is another Grass-type boss.
Use Fire to counter it.
One interesting part of this fight is its multiple attack points. The plant-like heads can be attacked from different lanes, so you do not necessarily need to place your entire team directly in the middle.
Fire Tatari such as Frog can perform well here.
Just remember that Botanical Zoobo has a decent attack range, so you may need to let it move closer before your units can attack effectively.
Wave 15 — Sandworm
Wave 15 brings the Sandworm, and positioning becomes especially important here.
This is a good moment to adjust your formation and decide which units should be pulled forward or kept farther back.
The Sandworm can affect the positioning of units, so try to avoid unnecessary Stun or Sleep effects that could disrupt your setup.
If you want certain enemies to move closer to your formation, use your positioning carefully instead of simply putting every Tatari on the frontline.
Wave 16 — Harpoon Zoobo
Harpoon Zoobo appears on Wave 16 and is another Water-type boss.
It can fire a harpoon straight ahead and later launch another projectile that falls from above, dealing area damage.
Since it is Water, Lightning is the correct counter.
The Unicorn is once again a useful choice. If possible, continue improving it toward higher levels so that it can handle these repeated Water bosses more easily.
Wave 18 — Pharaoh Zobo
Pharaoh Zobo is one of the more dangerous bosses in the later waves.
It is a Rock-type boss, so use Grass to counter it.
The boss has several coffin-like objects around the battlefield and can apply a dangerous Death Curse effect. This repeatedly applies Fragile stacks, which can make your units much easier to defeat.
Try to eliminate Pharaoh Zobo quickly.
You can also position some Tatari on both sides to help control where the boss moves or appears. If one of your units is being targeted, repositioning it may help, but the boss can continue tracking its target.
Wave 19 — Cloud Zobo
Wave 19 features Cloud Zobo.
This boss should be handled with Rock Tatari. The important mechanic happens when its HP drops below around 70%. At that point, Cloud Zobo stops flying and switches to melee attacks using its dual blades.
Because the previous Pharaoh Zobo fight can already consume a lot of attention, make sure you do not completely ignore Cloud Zobo when it appears.
Save enough damage to deal with it once it becomes grounded.
Wave 20 — Manager’s Elbow
Manager’s Elbow arrives on Wave 20 and can become a major problem because of the enemy that comes with it.
The important threat is the Yeti, which can launch a large attack that stuns multiple units and deals heavy area damage.
Manager’s Elbow itself should be handled with Fire, but the Yeti can sometimes be the bigger priority.
Do not become too focused on the boss’s HP bar. Watch the supporting enemy as well, because ignoring it can allow a large AoE attack to destroy your formation.
Wave 21 — Totem Zobo
Wave 21 introduces Totem Zobo, a Grass-type boss.
Use Fire against it.
Totem Zobo deals damage to nearby enemies while also giving nearby Zobos Haste and Defense boosts. It can continue moving until it reaches the edge of the map.
Its movement speed may make it look harmless, but the buffs it provides to other enemies can make the entire wave harder.
Try to remove it before its defensive support becomes a major problem.
Wave 22 — Garden Zoobo
Garden Zoobo is another Grass-type boss, so Fire is again your best counter.
It can shoot seeds that deal damage and throw vines that inflict a Garden Entangled effect.
Compared with some of the other late-game bosses, Garden Zoobo may not feel as dangerous. Still, its crowd-control effect can become annoying if the fight lasts too long.
Keep a strong Fire Tatari ready and try to eliminate it before the vines begin disrupting your formation.
Wave 23 — Volcano
Wave 23 brings the Volcano, one of the bosses that can take several attempts to fully defeat.
Volcano is a Fire-type boss, meaning Water should be used against it.
The tricky part is that killing Volcano does not immediately end the fight. It can return multiple times, making it feel like the boss has several lives.
If the Volcano reaches your formation, you do not always need to force your units to attack it immediately. Depending on your situation, letting it move past your formation can sometimes be a better option than risking your entire team.
Wave 24 — Laser Zobo
The second-to-last wave introduces Laser Zobo.
This boss is a Lightning-type, so use Rock against it.
Laser Zobo periodically generates cogs around the battlefield and can fire a piercing laser. It can also collect the cogs to increase the laser’s duration.
There is another important mechanic: other Zobos can drop cogs when they die while Laser Zobo is active.
This means the battlefield can become increasingly dangerous if several enemies are defeated around it. Dun Beetle and other strong Rock Tatari are useful choices for dealing with this boss.
Wave 25 — Final Boss Wave
The final wave is where the 25-wave challenge becomes especially difficult.
Wave 25 features three bosses:
- Tipso
- Two Sandworms
- Botanical Zobo
Tipso stays toward the back and benefits from its attack range, while having two Sandworms at the same time can seriously disrupt your formation.
Botanical Zobo also returns, meaning you need to deal with another Grass-type boss and should have enough Fire damage available.
This wave is less about defeating one powerful boss and more about surviving several threats at once. Your upgrade levels, Star Levels, positioning, and team composition can make a major difference here.
Best Strategy for the 25 Waves
The biggest lesson from the new 25-wave mode is that you cannot wait too long before upgrading your Tatari.
The previous version had 35 waves, giving players more time to build their team. With only 25 waves now, stronger enemies and multiple bosses arrive much sooner.
Keep these tips in mind:
- Upgrade early instead of saving everything for later.
- Do not leave important Tatari at low Star Levels.
- Watch normal enemies, not only the bosses.
- Small enemies can push your line and cause a loss.
- Prepare counters for the next elemental boss.
- Avoid using the exact same elements as your teammate.
- Try to cover all five elements across your combined teams.
- Pay attention to boss mechanics instead of only attacking.
- Use positioning to control how enemies approach your team.
- Prioritize dangerous supporting enemies when necessary.
The elemental cycle is particularly useful to remember. During the early part of the run, keep Lightning, Water, Fire, Grass, and Rock available so you are not caught without the correct counter.
The new Clash of Critters 25-wave Horde Invasion is shorter than the old 35-wave version, but that does not mean it is easier. In fact, the faster progression forces players to upgrade their Tatari earlier and pay closer attention to both bosses and normal enemies.
Knowing the boss order is one of the easiest ways to improve your runs. Prepare Lightning for Water bosses, Water for Fire, Fire for Grass, Grass for Rock, and Rock for Lightning. More importantly, do not focus so heavily on the boss that you forget about smaller enemies pushing your formation.
As the difficulty increases, your Tier Levels, Star Levels, team composition, and positioning will become even more important. Once you understand the 25-wave pattern and prepare your counters ahead of time, the Horde Invasion should become much easier to manage.