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How to Combo (x20): X23 solo by TimeMaster

By TimeMaster

How to get high combos.

How to get x20+ combos for the challenge

x23 solo by TimeMaster

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TimeMaster
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Category: Achievements, Gameplay Basics, Secrets, Walkthroughs

Posted

Updated

3 May @ 4:42pm

25 Sep @ 2:01pm

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Guide Index

Overview

How to Combo

Solid Setup for X20+ Combos

Alternatives considered

Comments

How to Combo

Introduction

Master high-score tactics and rune coin gain with optimized solo combos in Deathtrap!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Sr_xrLBkCw
https://youtu.be/OM_ncV-kmlU
Most of this can also be applied and used in coop for even higher combos.

How to Combo

Combos are a core mechanic in Orcs Must Die: Deathtrap, rewarding you with rune coins, overdrive charge, and score when enemies are hit by multiple sources of damage or status effects before they die.

To get a combo, you need to hit an enemy with at least 3 different damage/status sources in the last 2 seconds before death. The more sources, the bigger the combo!

Example 6x Combo:

Brimstone Burn
Brimstone Fire Damage
Ice Lance Damage
Freeze status
Acid Geyser Damage
Melt status

Combo Timer Note:
The combo timer is paused if the enemy is being launched or ragdolled.

DISCLAIMER

Not the highest theoretical combo setup, focusing on consistency instead

Should work with any War Mage

Solid Setup for X20+ Combos

Solid Setup for X20+ Combos (Max of x23 Solo so far)

You can achieve consistent x20+ combos using the following setup:

Ability Elixir used

Traps Used (All Fully Upgraded):

Molten Gold (x3) – Shiny status + damage + slow status from thread
Acid Geyser (x2) – Melting status + acid damage
Poison Gas Emitter (x2) – Poisoned status + poison damage
Wall Scorcher (x2) – Burning status + fire damage
Shock Zapper (x3) – Electrified status + lightning damage + extra combo from thread
Wall Blades (x3) – Damage + Rend status + Stun status
Minecart Dispenser (x4) – Damage + Launched status + extra combo from explosion from thread + extra combo from thread (Maximilian only)
Ice Lance (x3) – Ice damage + Freeze + damage from thread

Theoretical total from traps: x21 (x22 with Maximilian exclusive thread)

Potential combos of Gabriella:

Primary Attack (x2) – Damage + Pox status
Secondary Attack (x1) – Damage (+ Pox shared with Primary)
Special Ability (x0) – (Launched status shared with physics trap: minecart + Pox from thread shared with Primary)
Overdrive (x0?) – Charm status?
Passive (x1) – Damage from thread

Potential extra combos:

Headshot (x1) – Extra combo from thread
Hazard kill (x1) – Extra combo from thread

Theoretical total from Gabriella + extra: x4 + x2

Theoretical total: x28

Relevant Threads used:

Chain Combo – +1 when Chain Lightning activates
Prolific Lightning
Old Mining Buddy – Minecart hit adds +1 combo
Hazardous Cargo
Go For the Head – Headshots with ranged add +1 combo
Weighed Down – Molten Gold Slow status
Heat Exhaustion – Wall scorcher Slow status
Floor Scorcher
Rending Blades
Stunning Blades
Troll Launcher
Fun With Physics – +1 combo from hazard kills
Frostbite – +1 combo from extra damage
Devious Tactics
Versatility
Superspreader
Collective Punishment
Shockwave

Example setup

Recommended Map Layout:
Any map that allows routing all enemies through a long corridor with ceiling and wall trap space. Preferably a corner where to launch/focus the kills.

Combo Strategy:

Stack damage/status variety rather than high raw damage
Slow enemies with Tar Traps or Web Spinners (or threads if available)
Try to route enemies through as many traps as possible
Avoid overkilling early—let traps do their thing first
Avoid Sentinels (they kill too early and aggro enemies)
Use ragdolling traps sparingly, since they pause the combo timer (careful with overkill, launched status doubles damage received)

Advanced Tips

Make use of the aggro and enrage mechanics to manipulate wave flow. Lure Ogres over barricades to make them sprint across the traps. Hide from ranged enemies to prevent them from not moving through barricades.
For high single combos, make all traps converge to a single point in the killbox and aim to kill enemies within that point. Focus on the enemies with highest health, soften them up if needed shortly before reaching the killing point and then unleash all abilities for max combo.
For high consistent combos, use traps with lingering damage, high uptime and long status-effects. Spread and space the trap variety, redundancy helps consistency. Try hitting as many as possible with abilities and primary attacks.
Threads that add damage to abilities and traps that don't usually deal damage, add combo point too in some cases.
On top of the threads that add a combo point, other threads that shorten cooldown, increase duration of effect/damage and similar also improve the combo consistency.
Ability Elixir is the best for combo consistency, allowing all heroes to use their abilities more often.

Alternatives considered

Should work with any other War Mage, they all have means to add x3 or more combos with their kits

Traps

Soul Snatcher – Potential 3x combo with threads (Slow + Rend) but high damage and slow is already shared by many and not easy to fit in the loadout without losing some non shared combo points.
Seed Spitter – Potential 2x with thread of Stun chance, good for consistency but not possible to fit in the loadout without losing combo points.
Flip Trap / Steam Vent – Discarded due to no extra combo from thread compared to Minecart
Laser / Acid Shower/ Rip Saw – awkward shape/placement (Could be good addition in coop)
Arrow wall / Saw Blade / Pounder / Wall Charger – Less combos than Wallblade (could be good addition in coop for consistency)
Tar / Shiny Tar – Only 1 combo point (shiny already covered by molten gold)
Grinder / Brimstone – Inconsistent and low uptime
Webspinner – Hard to fit in killbox
Poison Flower – It's damage combo point is only the initial hit, long cooldown, inconsistent and low uptime (already apply poison with emitter)
Bee Hive – Potentially bugged, even with threads is only x1 combo ( +1 poison but is shared with emitter)

The list above can be good additions in coop. Other traps either have too high damage or only add a single combo point. Killbox can only fit so many traps. But some like magic orb and ballista could be a decent addition in coop too.

Threads That Add Combo Points directly (complete list)

Fun With Physics – +1 combo from hazard kills
Chain Combo – +1 when Chain Lightning activates
Combo Maker – Rip Saw adds +1 combo
Combo Support – Web Spinner adds +1 combo
Stunning Combos – Max’s Stun Bolt adds +1 combo
Old Mining Buddy – Minecart hit adds +1 combo
Combo Expert – Gravity Blast adds +1 combo
Hit Them Where It Hurts – Melee crits add +1 combo
Go For the Head – Headshots with ranged add +1 combo

Threads That Add Combo Points indirectly (non-complete list)

Parting Gift
Revenge Blast
Gravitational Wave
Shocking Development
Miniature Orc Eater
Razor Web
Migration Season
Threads that add Elements for Weapons (Fire, Ice, Poison, etc)
Threads that add Elements for Traps
Threads that add Status for Traps/Abilities (Rend, Stun, Slow, etc)

Threads That Help with Combo consistency

It's a long list. Any thread that improves any of the following (non-complete list)

Trap/Ability Duration increase
Trap/Ability Cooldown decrease
Status Duration increase
Bigger Area of attack/damage/effect
Trap/Ability additional charges or ammo

Threads to avoid for Combos

It's a long list. Any thread that (non-complete list)

Trap/Ability Damage increase or critical chance increase ( as long as you can still kill enemies fast enough without it)
Trap/Ability Cooldown increase / Status Duration decrease / Smaller Area of attack/damage

Thanks for Reading!

Hope this helped you master the art of Combo farming in Orcs Must Die: Deathtrap!

12 Comments

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TimeMaster [author] 25 Sep @ 1:56pm

Latest traps aren't better for combos. None has any base status effect or element. Only Soul Snatcher has potential x3 combo but...

To avoid, specially in solo:

Void Wall and Orc eater are an insta kill, so barely any combo.
Solar Prism and Soul Snatcher deal very high damage, so also not what you want.

(Soul snatcher does add slow and rend from upgrades, slow is shared by too many already and
in any case it is still inferior to the wallblade due to no stun and might overkill)

Seed Spitter might be decent for consistency, it can add stun with a thread, but would need to be replaced with the wallblade and then figure out another one to have rend... in short, not really viable for solo either, but probably a good addition for coop.

Shuraen 25 Sep @ 1:47pm

Any chance we might see this updated with some of the new traps for a possible higher/easy combo score?

TimeMaster [author] 14 Aug @ 9:21am

It's on the wall above the water, a thread allows to place it on wall/ceiling

Kiwi 13 Aug @ 5:15pm

A bit unrelated, but where is your warp trap at? it looks like its out of the map, if so how to you put it there.

TimeMaster [author] 15 Jun @ 4:07am

Any difficulty works, you wanty a good balance of being able to kill the enemies within the killbox. Enemy HP goes up every mission and difficulty.

If you have full upgrades, diff 5-10 is probably desirable

LoLBit 14 Jun @ 6:33pm

Which difficulty would be the most sensible to achieve this?

graysnotes 15 May @ 5:41am

I followed this and got my X20 with Harlow. The principles and combo breakdown really helped thank you.

TimeMaster [author] 6 May @ 2:01pm

Awesome!

pumkin1988 6 May @ 12:18am

THANK YOU!!
Just did my 20 combo after hours of playing. My previous highest was 13 but following your guide was able to get that darn 20 today. Honestly, wasn't even sure what I was doing. I didn't even think I got it but before logging out it said I earned the Outfit. So just following your suggested trap setup works wonders.

Matzematsche 4 May @ 2:34pm

Thank you very much! It helped me to finally accomplish higher combos :)

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