If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably spent countless hours in Universal Tower Defense trying to figure out which relics will give your units that extra edge to crush those challenging waves. I’ve been there – staring at my inventory, wondering if I’m making the right choices, and watching other players breeze through stages that leave me struggling. Well, I’m here to tell you that relics are the game-changer you’ve been looking for, and I’m going to share everything I’ve learned through hundreds of hours of gameplay.
Relics are special equipment items that you can equip on your characters to make them significantly stronger. Think of them as armor pieces that not only boost your units’ base stats but also provide powerful set bonuses when you complete a full matching set. Each character can equip three relic pieces at once: one Head piece and two armor pieces (Body and Leg).
What makes relics so fascinating is how they differ from traits. While traits fundamentally change how your character performs during battles, relics give direct stat increases and special effects that stack with your traits. The beauty of this system is that you can have both equipped simultaneously, creating powerful synergies that can turn an average unit into a game-winning powerhouse.
I’ll be honest – when I first started playing Universal Tower Defense, I completely underestimated the importance of relics. I was focused on pulling the best units and getting the right traits, but I kept wondering why other players with similar units were performing so much better than me. That all changed when I decided to dive deep into the relic system.
The moment I equipped my first complete relic set on my Spade unit, I was blown away by the difference. My damage output nearly doubled, and I suddenly found myself clearing stages that had previously seemed impossible. What I love most about the relic system is how it adds another layer of strategy to the game. It’s not just about having the strongest units anymore – it’s about understanding how to optimize them with the right relics for specific situations.
I’ve spent countless hours experimenting with different relic combinations, and I’ve discovered that the right relic setup can make even B-tier units perform like S-tier champions. There’s nothing more satisfying than finding that perfect relic combination that turns the tide of battle in your favor.
Getting relics in Universal Tower Defense is straightforward once you know where to look. Here’s my step-by-step guide to building your relic collection:
The primary way to get relics is by completing Story Mode missions. Each stage in the game has specific relic sets associated with it:
Here’s where it gets interesting – while you get Body and Leg relics from Story missions, the Head pieces come from Virtual Realm matches. This means you need to complete both Story and Virtual Realm to get complete sets.
Based on my experience, the best farming strategy is:
Once you have relics, equip them through your inventory. Each relic can be upgraded using Power Ups, and every three upgrades gives you a chance to unlock new sub-stats. I recommend focusing on upgrading relics that have good main stats first, as those provide the biggest immediate benefits.
After extensive testing and research, I’ve compiled a complete guide to all six relic sets in the game. Here’s everything you need to know about each set:
Theme: Marine Base (One Piece) Head Bonus: -10% Active Ability Cooldown Body & Leg Bonus: +5 Base Damage, -5% Attack Cooldown, +5% Range
This is, without a doubt, the most versatile relic set in the game. I love this set because it works on literally any character without requiring specific conditions. The cooldown reductions help your units use abilities more frequently, while the attack speed and range bonuses improve overall performance. I’ve found this set particularly effective on support units like Lulu, where the reduced cooldowns make a massive difference in battle.
Theme: Hollowed Moon (Bleach) Head Bonus: Refund 5% of Yen spent on upgrading this unit Body & Leg Bonus: +10 Critical Rate, +25% Critical Damage
If you’re running critical-focused units, this set is an absolute game-changer. The +10 critical rate and +25% critical damage bonuses are massive, and while the 5% yen refund might seem small, it adds up over time. I’ve used this set on units like Kriatu with the Duelist trait, and the results have been incredible – critical hits become so frequent and powerful that they can melt through even the toughest enemies.
Theme: Marine Base (One Piece) Head Bonus: After every 6 attacks, gain damage buff equal to unit’s range for 7 seconds (1% damage per 1 Range) Body & Leg Bonus: +5 Base Damage, +10% Light/Water/Ice Damage
This set is deceptively powerful once you understand how to use it. The head bonus scales incredibly well with high-range units, making it perfect for units that you position at the back of your defense. I’ve found this set particularly effective on units like Miku, where the range scaling can provide massive damage boosts. The elemental damage bonuses also make it ideal for Light, Water, and Ice units.
Theme: Hollowed Moon (Bleach) Head Bonus: Every 6th attack deals 20% bonus True Damage, ignoring all Resistance Body & Leg Bonus: +5 Base Damage, +15% Armor Damage
This set is your go-to option when dealing with heavily armored enemies and bosses. The True Damage that ignores all resistance is invaluable in late-game content, and the armor damage bonus makes it even more effective against tough targets. I’ve saved many difficult runs by switching to this set when facing armored waves.
Theme: Ninja Forest (Naruto) Head Bonus: 20% DoT increase for 10 seconds after every 5 attacks Body & Leg Bonus: +5 Base Damage, +10% Dark/Rose/Fire Damage
This set is specifically designed for damage-over-time focused units. If you’re running units like Spade that rely on DoT effects, this set can provide significant damage increases. However, I’ve found that it’s much less effective on units without DoT abilities, making it a situational choice rather than a universal one.
Theme: Ninja Forest (Naruto) Head Bonus: All buffs increased by 1.1x Body & Leg Bonus: +5% Base Damage, +10% Wind Damage
This set is the most situational of all, primarily because the head bonus only works if your character is receiving buffs from teammates. Without buff support, the head bonus does nothing at all. The body and leg bonuses are also the weakest in the game. However, if you’re running a buff-heavy team composition with units like Miku, this set can provide some value.
Understanding the stat system is crucial for optimizing your relics. Here’s my breakdown of how relic stats work:
Every relic has exactly one Main Stat, which provides the biggest bonuses. The important thing to remember is that you cannot change the Main Stat type on a relic – this is determined when the relic drops.
Relics can have multiple Sub Stats, which provide smaller bonuses than Main Stats. The exciting part is that you can unlock more Sub Stats by upgrading relics. Every 3 upgrades gives you a chance to add a new Sub Stat, though this chance can fail, so you might need to upgrade more than 3 times to unlock new stats.
Possible Main Stats: Damage, Crit Damage, Hyper Armour Damage, DoT Possible Sub Stats: Damage, Second Per Attack (SPA), Range, Crit Rate, Crit Damage, DoT, Buff Potency, Effect Res
Possible Main Stats: Damage, Second Per Attack (SPA), Range, Crit Rate Possible Sub Stats: Damage, Second Per Attack (SPA), Range, Crit Rate, Crit Damage, DoT, Buff Potency, Effect Res
Possible Main Stats: Buff Potency, Elemental Damage Possible Sub Stats: Damage, Second Per Attack (SPA), Range, Crit Rate, Crit Damage, DoT, Buff Potency, Effect Res
Through my experience playing Universal Tower Defense, I’ve discovered that different game modes require different relic strategies. Here are my recommendations for each major game mode:
For Story Mode, I recommend focusing on Laughing Captain and Ex-Captain Uraharo sets. These sets provide the most versatility and will help you progress through the story quickly. The cooldown reductions from Laughing Captain are particularly useful for story missions, as they allow you to use abilities more frequently to clear waves faster.
Infinite Mode is where Ex-Captain Uraharo really shines. The critical damage bonuses are essential for the scaling damage needed in longer runs. I also recommend Sun God for high-range units that can take advantage of the range-scaling damage buff.
For Challenge Mode, Laughing Captain is my top recommendation. The reduced cooldowns and attack speed are crucial for completing challenges within time limits. Berserk Shingam I is also excellent here, especially for challenges featuring armored enemies.
Virtual Realm requires a more balanced approach. I typically run Ex-Captain Uraharo on my main DPS units and Laughing Captain on my support units. This combination provides both sustained damage and utility that’s essential for Virtual Realm success.
After testing hundreds of combinations, here are my top relic recommendations for popular units:
Top Choice: Master Ninja Set Why: Spade relies heavily on DoT effects, and the Master Ninja set’s 20% DoT increase significantly boosts his damage output. The Dark/Rose/Fire damage bonuses also complement his elemental attacks perfectly.
Top Choice: Laughing Captain Set
Why: Lulu is all about ability usage, and the -10% active ability cooldown from Laughing Captain is invaluable. The range bonus also helps position his orders more effectively.
Top Choice: Ex-Captain Uraharo Set Why: Kriatu scales incredibly well with critical hits, and the +10 critical rate and +25% critical damage from this set maximize his potential. Pair this with the Duelist trait for devastating results.
Top Choice: Sun God Set Why: Miku typically has high range, making the Sun God’s range-scaling damage buff incredibly effective. The Light/Water/Ice damage bonuses also complement her buffing abilities.
Here are some advanced tips I’ve learned for optimizing your relic farming:
While it’s tempting to farm easier modes for quick relics, I’ve found that Nightmare Mode at 1000% difficulty provides the best return on investment. The drop rates for Mythic and Legendary relics are significantly higher, making it worth the extra effort.
Different stages within the same act can have different drop rates. For Ninja Forest relics, I recommend Act 1 for the best overall drop rates. For Marine Base relics, Act 2 tends to drop more high-rarity pieces.
Don’t waste Power Ups on relics with poor main stats. I recommend focusing your upgrades on relics that have:
Don’t dismantle relic pieces just because you’ve found a “better” set. Different game modes and team compositions require different relic setups. I keep at least two complete sets for each of my main units.
Through my journey, I’ve made plenty of mistakes with relics. Here are the most common ones I see players making:
Many players equip relics based solely on individual stats without considering set bonuses. This is a huge mistake – the set bonuses often provide more value than individual stat differences.
Using the same relic setup for every game mode is inefficient. Different modes require different approaches, and your relic choices should reflect that.
While main stats are important, don’t underestimate the value of good sub stats. A relic with perfect sub stats can outperform one with slightly better main stats but poor sub stats.
Relic upgrades provide significant value over time. Even small improvements add up, so make sure to consistently upgrade your best relics as you acquire Power Ups.
As of December 2025, there haven’t been any major changes to the relic system in Universal Tower Defense. However, the developers have mentioned in their Discord that they’re considering adding new relic sets in future updates, potentially themed around new anime stages. I’ll keep this guide updated as any changes are announced.
A: Yes, you can mix relics from different sets, but you won’t get the powerful set bonuses that come with complete sets. Set bonuses only activate when you equip all three pieces from the same set.
A: Power Ups primarily drop from Virtual Realm matches and special events. I recommend completing daily Virtual Realm runs consistently to build up your Power Up supply.
A: This depends on your current progression. Early game, focus on unit upgrades to unlock basic functionality. Mid to late game, relic upgrades often provide more value per resource spent.
A: Consider your unit’s primary damage type and abilities. For DoT-focused units, choose Master Ninja. For critical-focused units, choose Ex-Captain Uraharo. For support units, Laughing Captain is usually best.
A: Yes! The order in which you equip relics can sometimes affect how their bonuses stack. I recommend equipping the Head piece last to ensure all set bonuses calculate correctly.
Mastering the relic system in Universal Tower Defense has been one of the most rewarding aspects of my gaming journey. What started as confusion and frustration has turned into one of my favorite strategic elements of the game. The right relic combinations can transform your entire gameplay experience, turning challenging stages into manageable ones and impossible runs into achievable victories.
I encourage you to experiment with different relic combinations and find what works best for your playstyle. Don’t be afraid to try unconventional setups – sometimes the most unexpected combinations yield the best results. Remember that relics are meant to complement your units and traits, not replace them, so focus on creating synergies between all three systems.
What relic combinations have worked best for you? Have you discovered any strategies that I haven’t mentioned? I’d love to hear about your experiences in the comments below. Together, we can continue to unravel the mysteries of Universal Tower Defense and help each other become better players.
Happy gaming, and may your relic drops always be legendary!
