Tower defence basics that beginners always miss

Most people lose their first tower defence run for the same handful of reasons, and none of them are about reaction speed. The genre rewards planning, and once you internalize a few habits your win rate jumps immediately.

First: read the path before you place anything. The longest, most winding stretch of road is where your towers do the most work, because enemies spend the most time inside your range there. Cheap towers on a long curve beat expensive ones on a short straight.

Second: don't over-build one tower type. Armored enemies and fast enemies want different answers, so a mixed lineup saves you when a wave surprises you. I always keep at least one slow or freeze effect running.

Third: hold some cash back. Emptying your bank at wave start feels productive but leaves you helpless when a boss shows up early. Keeping a small reserve lets you plug a leak the moment it appears.

None of this is complicated, but it took me dozens of failed runs to learn it the hard way. Start with these and you'll clear levels that used to wall you.