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Boss Encounters

By ScotUpdated

Tactical Quick Answer

Bosses arrive at the end of every third mission, so a boss wave is always on a schedule you can see coming. Ignore the Lich while your defenses grind its skeletons down, because the less you damage it the less it summons. Keep a reserve force near the center of town so surprise portals behind your line never reach your economy.

Bosses test the absolute limits of your town's defenses. A standard wave of enemies pushes your front line, but a boss breaks it. They appear at the end of every third mission, on the X-3 stages, so you always know when one is coming.

The Lich Encounter​

The Lich is a major hurdle in the mid game, waiting on stage 3-3. It summons skeletons through portals, and the summoning responds to how hard you hit the boss: the less you attack the Lich, the less it spawns.

That inverts the usual instinct. Let your static defenses weather the swarm instead of focusing the boss down, and use Purification Towers to clear skeletons while the portals exhaust themselves. Community reports put the total skeleton count around 900. Once the portals are gone, redirect everything into the Lich.

One escalation to plan for: the Lich summons Golden Skeletons after dying twice, so the fight has more phases than a single health bar suggests.

The Mushmother​

You meet the Mushmother at stage 4-3, and Area 4 is where the cold biome begins. Her signature mechanic is what makes the fight awkward: on death she splits into giant mushrooms, so killing her starts the next problem instead of ending the fight. Hold damage in reserve for the split instead of spending everything on the main body.

The Goblin King and Orc Hero​

These entities serve as mid-tier progression blockers, testing the structural integrity of your frontline walls.

The Orc Hero's actual threat is summoning: he calls in orcs, and the developers have since reduced how many he brings. Note that he does not have a charge attack. Charge belongs to the Orc Cavalry, a regular enemy unit whose charge bonuses were fixed in a patch. Do not build your wall placement around a boss ability that does not exist.

The Demon Eye (Level 5-3)​

The Demon Eye is a two-phase fight with a large area attack, and the wave around it includes Bats alongside Ghosts and Frost Ghosts. Static towers alone struggle against that mix.

The documented counter is massed upgraded Fairies, which intercept the swarm dynamically instead of waiting for it to path into your kill zone. Upgraded Repair Huts are also heavily recommended on this stage, since sustained damage is what breaks defensive lines here.

The Final Boss​

Beyond these, the campaign ends with a final boss known as the Vessel of the Evil God. Treat everything before it as preparation for a fight where every system you have built gets tested at once.

Portal Management​

Bosses often manipulate the portals they spawn from. They might open secondary portals behind your defensive line or increase the spawn rate of minor enemies. Pay close attention to the map when a boss wave begins. If a new portal appears near your housing district, you must react instantly.

Keep a reserve force of troops near the center of your town specifically for this scenario. Do not commit every single unit to the main chokepoint. A rapid response team intercepts surprise spawns before they destroy your economy. Use your caravan to buy cheap traps and drop them directly on top of new portals to buy time for your troops to arrive.

Adapting Your Deck for Bosses​

Bosses land on every X-3 stage, so you always know one is coming. Prepare your deck in advance. Start cycling the caravan for high-impact Battle cards. You need upgraded towers and traps. Stop buying Development cards when a boss is one turn away, since an extra Farmland does not stop a siege.

Hold onto powerful event cards instead of playing them early. A card that heals your entire army or temporarily boosts tower damage makes the difference between holding the line and losing the run. Save your best cards for the hardest fight.

Frequently Asked Questions​

How do you beat the Lich in Border Pioneer?

Ignore it at first, because the less you damage the Lich the less it summons. Let your static defenses and Purification Towers grind the skeletons down until the portals stop, then focus it. Community reports put the total skeleton count near 900, and the Lich summons Golden Skeletons after dying twice.

Where do you fight the Mushmother?

At stage 4-3, where the cold biome begins. Her signature mechanic is splitting into giant mushrooms when she dies, so hold damage in reserve for the split instead of spending everything on the main body.

Does the Orc Hero have a charge attack?

No. The Orc Hero summons orcs, and the developers have reduced how many he brings. Charge belongs to the Orc Cavalry, a regular enemy unit, so do not plan your walls around a boss ability that does not exist.

How do you clear Level 5-3 and the Demon Eye?

The Demon Eye is a two-phase fight with a large area attack, backed by Bats, Ghosts, and Frost Ghosts. Mass upgraded Fairies to intercept the swarm dynamically, and upgrade your Repair Huts, which players treat as essential on this stage.

What should you buy before a boss wave?

Stop buying Development cards once a boss is one turn away and cycle the caravan for high-impact Battle cards, meaning upgraded single-target towers and heavy traps. Hold powerful event cards for the fight itself and never play them early.