Wave Checkpoints Guide

Checkpoint Progression Overview

Be The Final Boss paces difficulty through hero wave checkpoints rather than discrete levels. Community testing identifies Wave 25, 50, 75, 100, and 125 as the major reset points where your army composition should evolve. Early runs are meant to fail — each checkpoint teaches whether you need more Souls for minions, Coins for skills and weapons, or population slots from the skill tree.

This guide maps unit swaps validated after Update 1 and updated for Update 2's Doomfist carry. Pair it with the best team guide, skill tree guide, and the minion tier list for current rankings. Redeem all fourteen active codes before pushing past Wave 25 to afford your first major formation change.

Starter Army to Wave 25

Your opening formation relies on cheap units like Imp Bomber (two-slot backline damage) and Shiny Skeleton Archer as ranged filler behind any melee you can afford. Before Wave 25, invest Coins in Auto Battle, Coin Income, population slots, Unit Damage, Unit Health, Boss Health, and Boss Attack — the foundational scaling package.

Wave 25 is the first major reset. Shiny Lava Imp becomes your carry-style backline while Bone Guard or early melee bulk holds the front. Soul Harness on the skill tree matters once you start farming Souls for upgrades instead of tiny stat bumps. If heroes leak here, prioritize Unit Health and an extra minion before weapon vanity purchases.

• Wave 1–24: Imp Bomber, Skeleton Archer, basic frontline — focus Coin Income and slots
• Wave 25 reset: Add Shiny Lava Imp + sturdier melee (Bone Guard)
• Key skill: Soul Harness once Gargoyle farming begins

Wave 50 to 75 — Gargoyle Wall

From Wave 50 through 75, Bloody Gargoyle should anchor the front line with Shiny Lava Imp behind for sustained damage. Phantom Cleave on your boss weapon cleans leaks once elite heroes survive the first clash — budget Coins for this weapon breakpoint during the Wave 50 push.

Population slots remain the silent bottleneck because two-slot units like Imp Bomber consume roster space. If you cannot field Gargoyle plus backline plus support, buy slot increases before rolling for shiny units. Luck and Summon Luck nodes help only after your formation survives long enough to use better Soul rolls.

Wave 100 — Barbarian Pivot

Near Wave 100, Shiny Barbarian becomes the reasonable high-cost melee target when premium pulls remain out of reach. Test Soul Collector for the soul mark support buff — keep it only if kills justify the slot. Cut Soul Eater if it does not carry its cost.

Shiny Deathlock summoner skeletons need protected backline placement. Do not expose Deathlock ahead of Gargoyles or Barbarians. Boss Health and Boss Attack skills turn your villain into a real backup plan when minions falter at this tier.

Wave 125 — Demon Butcher Push

Demon Butcher is the primary late Early Access push unit once Barbarians and support experiments stop advancing your personal best. Pivot hard into Butcher recruitment when Wave 100–120 stalls despite optimized Gargoyle/Lava Imp cores.

Update 1 added three new units and the Demonic mutation — check the mutations wiki and patch notes because new units may shift these checkpoints after balance passes. Weekly updates from Apparently Champions mean revisit this guide after major patches.