Beat Nightmare Mode 203 With No Revives In Heroes vs. Hordes

TLDR;

• Don't listen to people: 203 is still hard if you don't have Heroic Warlord gear.
• You can use the Werebeast in combination with Wizard Gear and 4* Arcane Forge to create the Werewizard build.
• Werewizard can clear 201, 203-240 without revives, consistently.
• Tips and tricks below

Background

Hey heroes, it's Kolz! I'm back with my journey through Nightmare Day Four. If you haven't seen my Day Three video, go back and give it a watch. I was emotionally wrecked for days after that one.

Day Three was brutal. I cleared 202 and then moved on to 203, thinking, "Okay, 202 was impossible. Everyone says 203 is hard but not as hard as 202." As soon as I loaded into 203, I started dying all over again.

Turns out, 203 is exactly the same as 201, so I knew I could beat it. But after three failed attempts, I realized I needed a new strategy. If I couldn't start beating 203, all the effort on 202 would have been for nothing.

That's when I developed the Werewizard Build, a game-changing setup that allows you to clear 201, 203, and everything from 203 to 241—hopefully. Let's dive into the details.

The Big Build Discovery

Some players complained that I used gems in all my runs. Fair enough. If you're a high-level player, you shouldn't need gems. So I went back, figured it out, and created the Werewizard, the best build for completing Nightmare Mode at my level.

I had used this build for fun before, but now it was essential. The key transformation? Turning the Werebeast into the Werewizard by utilizing wizard gear and the four-star Arcane Staff forge. This gives a 90% snare—crucial for handling the relentless wave twos across these brutal levels.

Breaking Down the Werewizard Build

Note: This build only works with 4* Arcane Staff Forge.

Weapon Priority

• Armor
• Evolve Ice Wand
• Evolve Arcance Staff
• 1 Point in Crossbow
• Divine AuraM
• Duplicator Tome
• Evasion Tome

Gear Setup

• 4 pieces of Wizard Gear
• 2 pieces of Knight Gear (boosts health, which scales the shield effectiveness)

The Werebeast's shield is based on percent health, so stacking health is key. You also want double Snail pets to further increase HP.

I found that the Tier 1 Forge Sentry Specialist offers 200 health, so I took that as well.

The one missing piece? Three-star Werebeast. If I had it, I'd be nearly invincible—the shield would scale from 20% to 30% of my health.

Jewel Setup

• Vulnerability (Essential for clearing hordes and leveling up in Wave 1.)
• Regeneration
• Area of Effect
• Evasion
• High HP jewel
• No Ultimate jewels (You won't be using the ultimate.)

Wave By Wave Priorities

Wave 1 Strategy

Leveling up fast in Wave 1 is critical. The goal is to hit level 22 or 23, ensuring you have maxed-out Ice Wand and Arcane Staff before Wave 2.

Wave 2 - The Real Challenge

203 Wave 2 is hard, but you actually gain XP in Wave 1, so you can build up before facing the turtle hordes.

Here are the priorities:

• Max Ice Wand & Arcane Staff to combine damage, snare, and crowd control.
• Trust in the Werebeast's tankiness + snare stacking to control the battlefield.
• Kiting pattern: Kite right, up, left, up, avoiding swarms while maximizing stuns.
• Beware of Flock of Seagulls. They will still hit you, but as long as you keep moving, you'll be fine.

Wave 3 - The Final Push

Like in 202, Wave 3 is easier than Wave 2. By this point, you've endured the worst.

Just keep an eye out for seagulls.

Tips & Tricks

• Basilisk Ultimate + Crossbow: The 1-point Crossbow lets you apply Basilisk Ultimate to
everything, making you temporarily invincible.
• Werebeast tankiness: You'll take hits, but between health regen and shielding, you can survive.
• Night Boots in 203 & 201: These are crucial since those stages include slows.

Why The Werebeast Wins

Shield Warden? Basically useless now. You get hit too often for the shield to regenerate properly, so it doesn't get its old health bonuses. Right now, Werebeast is the only viable option for clearing Nightmare at this level.

Unless, of course, you have the Warlord. He's the only one that can possibly clear 202.

I don't believe anyone cleared 202 with Clockwork Mage without using a ton of gems. Until I see video proof, I'm sticking with that belief.

Clearing 203 Without Revives

After multiple painful attempts, I finally cleared 203 without using a single revive. Now, even the haters have to respect the Werewizard build.

And just like that, the Werewizard is born. Spread the word and I hope it helps you conquer Nightmare Mode.