Hull Rupture Wave 10: Beat the Boss Check
The wave 10 boss is a burst check. Put your strongest single-target or penetrating weapons on the longest line it must cross, hold it there with slow or vulnerability, and keep direct burst damage in the plan. Patch v1.0.15 reduced its health and healing, but it can still end a run that lets it reach the Despot's Chamber.
Quick answer
The wave 10 boss is a burst check, not a slow-attrition fight. It is fast, has a large health pool, and can heal quickly enough to walk through a defense that was handling ordinary waves.
The risk is not only the boss’s raw health. A divided defense gives it time to regenerate while it closes on the Despot’s Chamber. If it reaches the chamber with enough health, the run can end immediately.
What changed in v1.0.15
Patch v1.0.15 reduced the boss’s health and healing, while waves 8 and 9 became slightly tougher. That makes the boss less oppressive, not harmless. Prepare for wave 10 as if it is still the run’s first major failure point.
Build the kill zone
Put your strongest single-target or penetrating weapons on the longest clear line the boss must cross. Support them with slowing and vulnerability so the boss spends more time inside the damage window.
Stacking every turret at the boss spawn can work in a burst, but it is fragile if the boss is accompanied by other enemies or if the lane is interrupted. A better general plan is a prepared corridor with overlapping fire and a second layer at the Airlock.
- Pick the longest lane the boss must cross.
- Put direct burst damage on that lane.
- Add slow or vulnerability at the entrance.
- Keep a second layer at the Airlock.
- Upgrade the main damage line before expanding the hull.
Do not rely on damage over time alone
A poison or damage-over-time build can be poorly equipped for this check because the boss’s regeneration can outpace the damage. Keep direct burst damage in the plan, and use the damage-over-time effect as a supplement.
The same rule applies to a single sniper turret. One high-range weapon can do the job, but players report that it is close and often needs a second turret or an upgrade. Do not assume a long-range turret will automatically focus the boss either; put enough redundant damage in the kill zone that the boss cannot walk through while the turret is distracted.
Watch for the bonus encounter
If the boss appears as a bonus enemy during an Interceptor attack before wave 10, treat that route as a high-risk detour unless your defenses are already strong. A player reported this happening as early as wave 7 while visiting a turret market. Patch v1.0.15 reduced the boss’s health and healing but did not announce a removal of that encounter.
After the kill
You have succeeded when the boss dies before it reaches and destroys the Despot’s Chamber. After the kill, spend the shop reward on restoring the weakest part of the defense rather than expanding the ship for its own sake.