RelicsUpdated: 7/10/2026

Universal Tower Defense Z BiS Relics for DPS — Best-in-Slot Recommendations by Unit Role

Complete UTDZ BiS relic guide for DPS units. Best-in-slot relics for Hybrid, Hill, Ground, and Boss DPS units with main stat priorities, substat targets, and set combinations.

Equipping the best-in-slot (BiS) relics on your DPS units is the final optimization step after traits and etherealization. While relics are additive rather than multiplicative, they provide 30-50% more effective output when properly optimized. The difference between random relics and BiS relics on a fully etherealized Joyful Captain with Ruler trait can be thousands of DPS — enough to clear content seconds faster. This guide provides specific BiS recommendations for every DPS unit type, main stat priorities, substat targets, and optimal set combinations.

BiS Relics by DPS Role

RoleBest SetTop Slot PriorityBottom Slot PriorityAccessory PrioritySet Bonus Value
Hybrid DPSFused WarriorRangeCD > Damage > Crit RateElemental DMG-7.5% CD + 15% Range
Hill DPSFused WarriorRange > HPCD > Damage > Crit RateElemental DMG-7.5% CD + 15% Range
Ground DPSFused WarriorHP > RangeCD > Damage > Crit RateElemental DMG-7.5% CD + 15% Range
Boss SpecialistWarlordRangeBoss DMG > Crit DMGBoss DMG+20% Boss DMG + 10% Crit DMG

Fused Warrior is the universal BiS for general DPS. Warlord only outperforms Fused Warrior in Raid boss encounters.

BiS for S-Tier Units

Joyful Captain (Hybrid DPS)

SlotBiS RelicMain Stat TargetSubstat PriorityWhy
TopFused Warrior TopRange (12%+)Range, HP, Crit RateExtends AoE coverage
BottomFused Warrior BottomCD (-7%+)CD, Damage, Crit RateReduces SPA for more attacks
AccessoryFused Warrior AccessoryElemental DMG (8%+)Elemental DMG, CD, CritBoosts AoE damage type

Joyful Captain benefits most from the Fused Warrior 3-piece set because its AoE attacks gain the most from range extension and cooldown reduction. The extra 15% range means its AoE hits a wider area per attack.

Ancient Mage (Hill DPS)

SlotBiS RelicMain Stat TargetSubstat PriorityWhy
TopFused Warrior TopRange (12%+)Range, HP, Crit RateAlready longest range — extends further
BottomFused Warrior BottomDamage (10%+)Damage, CD, Crit RateBurst damage scaling
AccessoryFused Warrior AccessoryElemental DMG (8%+)Elemental DMG, DamageBurst type enhancement

Ancient Mage's 15-tile base range makes it the biggest beneficiary of range bonuses. Each 1% range on Ancient Mage covers more ground than on any other unit.

Pirate King (Ground DPS)

SlotBiS RelicMain Stat TargetSubstat PriorityWhy
TopFused Warrior TopHP (10%+)HP, Range, Crit RateSurvivability at close range
BottomFused Warrior BottomCD (-7%+)CD, Damage, Crit RateFastest possible SPA
AccessoryWarlord AccessoryBoss DMG (8%+)Boss DMG, Crit DMGDuelist synergy for Raids

Pirate King has the highest single-target DPS, making it the ideal candidate for Warlord set pieces when used as a Raid specialist. For general content, stick with Fused Warrior.

BiS for A-Tier Units

UnitBest SetKey Difference from S-TierAlternative
Super RokuFused WarriorSame build, lower absolute valueWarlord for Raid niche
UltiorraFused WarriorPrioritize Range over CDGuardian if survival needed
ShunksFused WarriorPrioritize Damage over CDWarlord for boss content

A-tier units use the same Fused Warrior BiS as S-tier units. The only difference is that you should not invest Stat Locks or premium substats in A-tier units if you plan to upgrade to S-tier units later.

Main Stat Ranges by Difficulty

StatNormal Raid RangeHard Raid RangeNightmare Raid RangeTarget (BiS)
Range (Top)5-8%8-12%12-15%12%+
CD (Bottom)-3 to -5%-5 to -7%-7 to -10%-7%+
Damage (Bottom)5-8%8-12%12-15%10%+
Crit Rate (Bottom)3-6%6-10%10-15%8%+
Elemental DMG (Accessory)3-6%6-10%10-15%8%+

Nightmare Raid relics have significantly higher stat ranges. Farm the highest difficulty you can consistently clear for the best main stats. See our relic farming guide for drop rate details.

Substat Optimization Priority

SubstatValueTargetPriority
CDReduces SPA = more attacks-7% or higher★★★★★
DamageDirect DPS increase10%+★★★★★
Crit RateIncreases burst frequency8%+★★★★
RangeExtends attack coverage12%+ (Top only)★★★★
HPSurvivability10%+★★★
Elemental DMGType-specific boost8%+ (Accessory only)★★★

Use Stat Rerolls to optimize substats, but only on relics with good main stats. Stat Locks protect your best substats while rerolling the worst ones. See our stat reroll guide for the complete optimization strategy.

Warlord vs Fused Warrior — When Each Wins

ScenarioFused Warrior (3pc)Warlord (3pc)Winner
Story Mode farming-7.5% CD + 15% Range+20% Boss + 10% Crit DMGFused Warrior
Raid boss fight-7.5% CD + 15% Range+20% Boss + 10% Crit DMGWarlord (marginal)
Challenge mode-7.5% CD + 15% Range+20% Boss + 10% Crit DMGFused Warrior
Infinite Mode AFK-7.5% CD + 15% Range+20% Boss + 10% Crit DMGFused Warrior

Warlord only wins in Raid boss encounters, and even then the margin is small. Fused Warrior is the better general-purpose set. Consider keeping a second Warlord set for your Raid DPS if you run Raids extensively.

Relic Stat Ranges and Substats

Each relic slot has specific main stat ranges and substat pools. Understanding these ranges helps you evaluate whether a relic is worth keeping or rerolling:

Main Stat Ranges by Slot

SlotPossible Main StatsMin ValueMax ValueIdeal for DPSIdeal for Support
TopHP, Range+500 HP / +2 Range+5000 HP / +8 RangeRangeHP
BottomCD, Damage, Crit Rate-5% CD / +5% DMG / +5% Crit-15% CD / +25% DMG / +20% Crit-CD or +DMG+Crit or +DMG
AccessoryElemental DMG, HP+5% Ele DMG / +500 HP+25% Ele DMG / +3000 HP+Ele DMG+HP

Substat Tiers

Each relic can have up to 4 substats. The quality of substats determines the relic's overall value:

Substat TierExample SubstatsValue RatingKeep or Reroll
SCrit Rate + Crit DMG + Range + CD★★★★★Keep — extremely rare
ACrit Rate + DMG + any 2 useful stats★★★★Keep — great relic
BDMG + any 2 useful stats★★★Keep if main stat is ideal
C2 useful + 2 useless stats★★Consider rerolling
D3-4 useless substatsReroll or salvage

Best-in-Slot (BiS) Relic Analysis

BiS for S-Tier DPS Units

UnitTop SlotBottom SlotAccessory SlotSet Bonus Target
Joyful CaptainRangeCD or DamageElemental DMGFused Warrior (2pc)
Ancient MageRangeCDElemental DMGFused Warrior (2pc) + Warlord (1pc)
Pirate KingRangeDamageElemental DMGWarlord (2pc) + Fused Warrior (1pc)

BiS for Support Units

UnitTop SlotBottom SlotAccessory SlotSet Bonus Target
Support unitsHPCrit RateHPAny defensive set

BiS for Farm Units

UnitTop SlotBottom SlotAccessory SlotSet Bonus Target
Farm unitsHPAnyAnyNo set bonus needed — use any decent relic

Relic Set Bonus Calculations

Set2-Piece Bonus3-Piece BonusTotal ValueBest Units
Fused Warrior-5% CD-7.5% CD + 15% Range★★★★★All DPS units
Warlord+10% Crit Rate+15% Crit DMG★★★★Crit-based DPS
Defender+10% HP+20% HP★★★Support and Farm
Elementalist+10% Ele DMG+15% Ele DMG★★★Elemental DPS

Set Bonus vs Individual Stats

ScenarioSet Bonus ValueIndividual Stats NeededWhich is Better
Fused Warrior 3pc-7.5% CD + 15% RangeNeed -10% CD and +15% Range on substatsSet is usually better
Warlord 3pc+15% Crit DMGNeed +20% Crit Rate and +15% Crit DMGDepends on unit's base crit
2 mixed sets2 partial bonusesNeed strong substats to compensateSubstats > partial sets if relics are premium

Relic Farming and Reroll Strategy

Farming Priority by Difficulty

Raid TierRelic Drop QualityShard DropTime Per RunRecommended Runs/Week
Low TierCommon-UncommonMythic5-10 min5-7
Mid TierUncommon-RareExclusive10-15 min3-5
High TierRare-EpicSecret15-25 min2-3

Stat Reroll Strategy

Stat LockCostWhen to UsePriority
1 stat locked1 Stat LockLock the most valuable substatFirst lock on any relic
2 stats locked3 Stat LocksLock 2 premium substatsOnly on S-tier relics
3 stats locked6 Stat LocksOverkill — usually not worth itNever on non-BiS relics

Stat Locks are precious resources. Only use them on relics with an ideal main stat and at least 1 premium substat. Never lock more than 2 stats on any relic — the cost is too high for marginal improvement.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I equip incomplete Fused Warrior or full Warlord? Full Warlord beats incomplete Fused Warrior. Set bonuses provide more value than individual stats. Always prioritize completing a set, even if the individual pieces are not ideal.

How many Stat Rerolls should I spend on one relic? Spend up to 10 Stat Rerolls on a relic with good main stats. If you cannot get 2+ good substats after 10 attempts, move on to a different relic. Stat Rerolls are limited and should be invested wisely.

Can I use Fused Warrior on Support units? Guardian set is better for Support units (provides HP and Range). However, if you lack Guardian pieces, Fused Warrior is an acceptable alternative that provides range and CD benefits. See our relic set bonuses guide for all set options.