Defend Mode is a secondary gameplay type available as an option in Quick Play or Custom games, and is the capstone event of any Evacuation campaign. This mode takes place during the final evacuation of Shear colony, in which the hunters must help a colony ship to refuel and evacuate before the monster can destroy it.
Goals
The monsters objective is to Destroy the two power generators guarding the evacuation ship, then Destroy the Evacuation Ship. Killing the hunters will not win the game.
The hunters objective is to Protect the Evacuation ship until time runs out, or Kill the monster.
Gameplay
The monster starts the game at Stage 3, with full health and armor, and two Stage 1 Goliath minions who charge automatically towards the nearest objective. Minions will continue to spawn every few minutes, although a maximum of two are available at all times. If the minions are blocked from the main objective, they will reprioritize the hunters.
The hunters start by the first of the three defendable objectives, a power generator guarded by two heavy machine gun turrets. When the generator is destroyed, the force field to the next area will drop and minions will begin to spawn there. This process is repeated until the monster gets to the third area, which contains the refueling tower for the Evacuation ship and four additional turrets placed in a square around it.
If the hunters die, they are returned as reinforcements on a dropship with NO strikes against their health. The monster cannot win by killing the hunters, although it will help his cause.
Permanent Progress
While the hunters still have the option of wearing down the monsters health bar (similar to Hunt mode), their best ally is the clock. Killing minions and keeping the turrets alive will keep the generator up, and if the monster cannot destroy a generator in a timely manner, the game will end. Destroying a generator will add a set amount to the clock.
The monster, on the other hand, can no longer rely on weakening hunters permanently through health strikes, although that will help. Instead, he has two forms of permanent progress: the turrets guarding the generators, and the generators themselves.
Strategy and Tips
Hunters
- Dealing with the minions quickly prevents permanent damage to the relay and allows you to bring your machinegun turrets to full bear against the monster. Try to separate the monster from its minions whenever possible, unless doing so leaves one alone with an undefended generator.
- Use your deployables! You have a place to defend, make sure the welcome mat is laid out.
- If you plant a dome so that the generator is outside of it, you will have to deal with the minions but you will cost the monster precious time. Minions are fairly bad at dodging and pathing, jump from high place to high place as you target their heads.
- You can also hold the dome and throw it when the Monster retreats to try to kill it outright.
- Harrassing the monster while it feeds can force it into unpleasant engagements, but don't get too distracted and forget the minions.
Monsters
- Prioritize Turrets first. Losing the turrets will force the hunters to divide their focus between you and the minions, giving you a huge leg up to complete your objective or decimate the hunters. They will go down to two ability casts from most monsters.
- The two in the back of the refueling tower don't matter as much, but they'll still give you some breathing room to kite around if they are gone.
- Always enter the fight with your minions if you can. Spread the hunters focus - don't face them and their turrets alone.
- Don't burn health unless you can make solid gains. Once your minions are gone and your armor is low, consider retreating.
- Leaving a hunter incapped rather than dead can be handy, as reviving him by hand will force a strike and give better opportunities later.
- Monsters with good ranged abilities like Goliath and Kraken are excellent at this mode due to their ability to siege turrets without taking heavy damage.
- If a dome traps you and your minions together, take this opportunity to kill as many hunters as possible. The minions will help.
Defend Mode Specific Maps
King's Fort
Videos
Evolve Defend Gameplay (Kraken)
Evolve Tutorial Defend