Horde Invasion Season 2 in Clash of Critters can become surprisingly difficult once you reach Difficulty 3. The final waves bring out bosses with large amounts of HP, different elemental counters, and enough pressure to overwhelm a team that is not prepared.
One strategy that can make the run much easier is using Mask Fry together with Mantis, Dolphin, BudBo, and the right power-ups. The key is not simply dealing as much damage as possible, but controlling where the bosses fight and keeping your frontline alive.
Best Setup for Difficulty 3
Mask Fry is one of the important Tataris for this strategy. It can help you control boss positioning and survive longer, especially when combined with proper healing and buffs. A strong setup to consider includes:
- Mask Fry
- Mantis
- Dolphin
- BudBo
- Frog
- Turtle
- Cheerie
- Sunflower
- Wave Flutter
Mantis is especially important for the frontline. Instead of allowing bosses to walk directly toward your other units, place Mantis in front of the boss whenever possible.
Focus on Mantis as Your Frontline
The main idea behind this strategy is to use Mantis as your primary frontline damage dealer. Whenever a boss enters your lane, move Mantis directly in front of it.
This works against different types of bosses because Mantis can stand in their path while your other units continue dealing damage from behind. Using two Mantis units is even better when playing with a teammate because both players can control their own side of the battlefield.
Keep moving Mantis when necessary instead of letting several bosses stack in the same area. Your goal is to handle roughly one boss at a time and avoid creating a large group that becomes difficult to control.
Important Skills and Power-Ups
Your skill choices can make a big difference during Difficulty 3. If you see Lawn Mower, it should be one of the first options you consider because of the Grass requirement for one of the later bosses.
If you happen to see all three of these options:
- Underdog
- Glass Cannon
- Boss Killer
A useful priority is Underdog first, followed by Glass Cannon and then Boss Killer. However, the available choices can change from run to run, so you may need to adjust your selection.
If none of those options appear, look for a Grass-related power-up instead. This becomes particularly important toward the end of the run.
Prepare for the Final Three Bosses
The final three bosses are where Difficulty 3 becomes much more dangerous. These bosses have higher HP and require you to pay close attention to their counters.
The Worm is one of the main threats because it requires Grass to counter it effectively. Make sure you have enough Grass available before reaching this part of the run.
The Water boss is another enemy that needs the correct damage type. Dolphin is useful here, and running two Dolphins can give your team additional support while also helping maintain your lanes.
The other late-game boss brings another elemental counter into the fight, so keeping your team balanced is important rather than putting all your resources into one type of damage.
Level Your Frontline Early
Try to get your main frontline units to Level 7 as quickly as possible. Mantis, Turtle, and Frog should be among your main priorities. You should also invest in your support units:
- Cheerie: Level 5
- Sunflower: Level 3
- Wave Flutter: Minimal investment if possible
- Dolphin: Work toward Level 7
- BudBo: Add levels when your economy allows
Cheerie at Level 5 is particularly useful before the Yeti appears. Its effect can provide a short period of invincibility after the Yeti’s scream, which can help your team survive one of the more dangerous moments in the run. Sunflower at Level 3 is also worth having because of the healing it provides to your frontline.
How to Use Mask Fry
Mask Fry is useful because you can use it to help manage boss positioning. If a boss is difficult to pull away, temporarily move your frontline out of the way and allow the boss to approach.
Hold Mask Fry and watch where the boss is moving. Once you know where it will walk, reposition your units so the boss ends up in the area where you want to fight it.
After the boss reaches the correct position, put Mantis back in front of it. This lets you continue dealing damage without allowing the boss to push too far into your formation.
If your Mask Fry is lower level or does not have many stars, keep it closer to your healing and buffing units. Positioning it near Dolphin or Wave Flutter can help it receive the support needed to stay alive.
Keep an Eye on Wave 15
Wave 15 is another point where positioning becomes important. The Frog can move one position, which can create problems if a Digger appears in the wrong lane.
A Digger can move underneath your Frog and continue pushing forward. If you leave a gap in your three rows, the enemy can potentially move through your formation and force you to reposition several units.
Before Wave 15 begins, make sure your three rows are properly filled. This is especially important if you already have your DPS units placed and do not want to spend the next few moments chasing a Digger around the battlefield.
How to Handle Bosses Around Wave 23
The Volcano appears around Wave 23 and requires some careful positioning. When it arrives, pull your Mantis and Mask Fry backward and allow Mantis to deal with some of the mobs first.
The goal is to clear the smaller enemies before trying to drag the boss through your formation. Once the mobs are under control, move Mantis forward again and continue attacking the Volcano.
You can use a similar approach with other bosses. Pull the boss into a position where your Mantis can attack it while your support units continue providing healing and buffs.
Use Double Dolphin for Support
Double Dolphin can work well in a two-player run. Each player can use Dolphin to support their own three lanes, allowing both sides of the team to maintain healing and buffs.
This also gives you more flexibility when moving DPS between lanes. If one player starts struggling against a boss, the other player can help by repositioning their units or adding additional damage.
BudBo is another useful addition because having two BudBos puts more pressure on Grass-related enemies. However, even with multiple Grass counters, the Worm can still take a long time to defeat.
How to Deal With the Worm
The Worm should be one of your biggest priorities during the final section. Make sure you have enough Grass damage available before attempting to pull it through the map.
Once the Worm reaches your frontline, place Mantis directly in front of it. If you are playing with another person, having two Mantis units tanking while two BudBos provide additional Grass pressure can make the fight more manageable.
Do not allow too many smaller enemies to follow the Worm. Clear the mobs first whenever possible, then focus your damage on the boss.
You should also keep checking your remaining hearts. During the final waves, it is easy to become focused on one boss and overlook enemies pushing through another lane.
Boss Pulling Strategy
Boss positioning is one of the biggest parts of this Difficulty 3 strategy. Instead of fighting every boss exactly where it appears, move them toward a controlled position where your team can deal with them.
If a second boss appears in your lane, you can move your units and pull the second boss toward your Mantis. After it is in a better position, move the boss back toward your teammate’s side if necessary.
The idea is to spread the bosses out rather than allowing multiple high-HP bosses to stack together. This gives both players more time to damage each target.
What to Do When Things Get Chaotic
The final waves will eventually become crowded, and you may have multiple bosses and mobs on the field at once. Do not panic and start moving every unit randomly.
Instead, check three things:
- How many hearts your team has remaining.
- Which boss is currently closest to your frontline.
- Whether smaller mobs are following the boss.
If a boss is too far forward, pull it back. If too many mobs are surrounding it, clear those mobs first. If one lane is under pressure, move your DPS or frontline units to help that lane.
This controlled approach is much safer than trying to tank every boss simultaneously.
Recommended Difficulty 3 Game Plan
For a simple progression plan, you can approach the run like this:
- Start by building your Mantis frontline.
- Work toward Level 7 on your main frontline units.
- Get Cheerie to Level 5.
- Get Sunflower to Level 3.
- Build Dolphin toward Level 7.
- Add BudBo levels when possible.
- Look for Lawn Mower or another useful Grass-related power-up.
- Use Mask Fry to control boss positioning.
- Keep three rows filled before dangerous waves.
- Prepare for the Digger around Wave 15.
- Start preparing for the late bosses before Wave 20.
- Handle the Volcano around Wave 23 with careful pulling.
- Keep Grass damage ready for the Worm.
- Use Dolphin against Water-related enemies.
- Keep Mantis in front of bosses whenever possible.
- Avoid stacking several bosses in the same lane.
- Watch your remaining hearts during the final waves.
Difficulty 3 in Horde Invasion Season 2 is mainly about controlling the battlefield rather than simply building the highest possible DPS. Mask Fry can help with positioning, while Mantis gives you a reliable frontline for holding bosses in place.
The late-game bosses are the real test, especially the Worm and its Grass requirement. Having Lawn Mower or another useful Grass power-up, along with BudBo and the right frontline placement, can make a major difference. With proper healing from Cheerie, Sunflower, and Dolphin, you can keep your formation alive while slowly pulling each boss into a position where your team can focus its damage.