As a longtime Garden Tower Defense fan, I’ve always enjoyed experimenting with team setups that push the limits of strategy and creativity. Recently, I decided to take on a fun challenge: creating a team of enemies inspired by Arc Raiders. The goal wasn’t just to have a thematic setup—it was to test how well these units could handle one of the game’s toughest maps: Toxic Facility on Impossible mode. Here’s a breakdown of my approach, some insights, and tips for players who might want to try something similar.

Picking the Right Units

When crafting this Arc Raiders-themed team, I wanted to focus on units that could represent mechanical or futuristic enemies, even if the game didn’t officially include them. For example, Prism Leaf was my starter pick. Although not a mech, its laser attacks fit the high-tech theme of Arc Raiders and provided excellent early-game coverage. One thing I’ve noticed is that Prism Leaf’s range feels massive, even though it maxes out at 35. It’s deceptively strong for a starter and can carry your early waves with minimal effort.

Next, I brought in Grave Crawler as a four-legged drone analog. While not a perfect match, its mobility and damage output make it feel like a viable stand-in for Arc Raiders’ runners. These improvisations are part of the fun when blending two game universes.

For heavy hitters, I absolutely recommend Seedmech. It’s a bit pricey to place—3,000 coins per unit—but with a range of 40 and high DPS, it becomes a cornerstone of any defensive setup. Placing multiple Seedmechs fully upgraded transforms them into a nearly unstoppable wall, capable of handling bosses and swarms alike.

Expanding Your Roster

If you’re still missing units to complete your team, there are reliable ways to buy GTD units. This can save a lot of grinding time and allows you to experiment with combinations you might not normally have access to. Personally, I used it to quickly acquire the rarer units I wanted for this challenge, which let me focus on testing strategy instead of endlessly farming for resources.

Structuring Your Team for Maximum Effect

After picking individual units, the next step is team composition. For this Arc Raiders-inspired challenge, I arranged units to maximize coverage and DPS efficiency:

Prism Leaf and Seedmech handled ranged attacks.

Nomadic Saw and Robo Flower filled in as mid-range robot units with decent crowd control.

Golem acted as a sentinel, soaking damage and providing strong area attacks.

UFO Seedling and Grave Crawler added mobility, ensuring no gaps in the defense.

One trick I found useful is staggering placements. For example, placing Seedmechs slightly apart allows their overlapping ranges to cover almost every path, while Robo Flowers and Nomadic Saws fill blind spots. This avoids wasted DPS and ensures the team can handle even high-health bosses.

Interestingly, even units that seem weaker on paper, like Grave Crawler, shine in specific scenarios. It can walk through enemy units and dish out consistent damage, which is perfect for dealing with large swarms. Don’t underestimate the smaller units—they often carry their weight in synergy.

If you want to expand your collection further, platforms like U4GM are great for acquiring rare Garden Tower Defense units quickly. It’s especially useful if you’re experimenting with themed teams or trying out crossover setups like this one.

Facing Toxic Facility on Impossible Mode

Once the team was assembled, I ran them through Toxic Facility, one of the trickiest maps. The key here is understanding unit limits and upgrade priorities. For instance, Seedmech can be upgraded to level 4 or 5 for peak efficiency, but it’s expensive, so I made sure to balance placement with upgrading early starters like Prism Leaf. By wave 19, the team was already holding strong against mid-tier bosses.

A personal tip: always keep one or two spaces open for flexible placement. During the run, I found myself swapping Prism Leaf out for Golem in certain spots because the higher durability and damage output made a noticeable difference against late-game bosses. Flexibility in placement is often more valuable than maxing every unit immediately.

Observations and Key Takeaways

Range matters more than raw DPS for some units: Units like Seedmech outperform shorter-ranged units even if their base damage is lower because they can engage enemies earlier and consistently.

Mixing mobility with sentinels is crucial: Fast-moving units like Grave Crawler or UFO Seedling fill gaps left by slower but stronger units like Golem.

Unit diversity keeps things fun: Blending different types—robots, mech-like units, and unconventional picks—makes your setup feel alive and dynamic, not just a static damage wall.

Resource management is key: Upgrading a few high-impact units (Seedmech, Nomadic Saw) tends to outperform spreading upgrades too thin across every unit.

Building an Arc Raiders-inspired team in Garden Tower Defense is both a creative and strategic exercise. From improvising unit roles to optimizing placement for maximum coverage, this challenge highlights how versatile the game’s mechanics can be. Prioritize high-range units, balance upgrades with placement flexibility, and use mobility to cover weak points. With the right composition, even Impossible mode maps like Toxic Facility can be handled efficiently, making this a satisfying experiment for both casual and competitive players.