Paintballer — Tower Defense Simulator Guide
Category: DPS
Unlock: 100 Coins
Detection: Hidden
Placement Limit: None (unlimited)
Tier Rating: D
Total Upgrade Cost: $5,975
The Paintballer Tower Defense Simulator tower is a cheap starter splash-damage unit purchasable early in the store. It trades a slower per-hit damage output for a faster firerate than most other splash towers, and its explosions deal flat damage that does not fall off with distance from the blast center. The Paintballer Tower Defense Simulator unit gains Hidden detection at Level 1 but cannot damage Lead enemies at any level, and its overall DPS ceiling stays well below other splash-damage options later in the game.
Paintballer Stats Per Level
The table below shows all Paintballer Tower Defense Simulator upgrade levels and stats. Click any column header to sort. All values are sourced from the TDS Fandom wiki (checked August 3, 2026).
| Level | Upgrade Cost | Damage | Cooldown | Range | DPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | 100 | 1 | 1.7 | 7.5 | 0.59 |
| 1 | 25 | 1 | 1.7 | 9 | 0.59 |
| 2 | 150 | 2 | 1.4 | 9 | 1.43 |
| 3 | 600 | 3 | 0.7 | 9 | 4.29 |
| 4 | 1500 | 8 | 0.7 | 10.5 | 11.43 |
| 5 | 3600 | 20 | 0.7 | 10.5 | 28.57 |
Note: Upgrade: Paintball Champion, Explosion Range 4.5 -> 5, max level
How to Get Paintballer
The Paintballer costs just 100 Coins to unlock from the in-game Store, with no level requirement. It was also formerly obtainable through a redemption code, though that code has since expired and is no longer active.
At 100 Coins, the Paintballer Tower Defense Simulator unlock is one of the cheapest tower purchases in the game, comparable in accessibility to Farm. New players can typically afford it within their first few matches.
Is Paintballer Worth It?
The Paintballer's appeal is almost entirely about early affordability. Placement costs just $100, and its first three upgrade levels (Level 1-3) cost a combined $775, letting players add splash damage and Hidden detection to their loadout for very little cash.
The wiki is direct about its late-game limitations: the Paintballer Tower Defense Simulator tower's highest DPS is much lower than comparable splash towers such as Shotgunner, and it cannot detect or damage Lead or Flying enemies at all, which rules it out against those enemy types regardless of level.
At max level (5), the Paintballer Tower Defense Simulator unit reaches 28.57 single-target DPS for a total investment of $5,975, a reasonable but not exceptional return. It is best understood as a stopgap splash-damage option for the earliest waves rather than a tower worth heavily investing in past the early game.
Paintballer Tier Rating by Mode
Best Loadouts With Paintballer
In the opening waves, a couple of Level 1-2 Paintballer Tower Defense Simulator towers placed near choke points provide early splash coverage and cheap Hidden detection while Farm income builds toward more expensive purchases.
Because its damage ceiling is comparatively low, most players phase the Paintballer Tower Defense Simulator tower out once towers like Demoman or other splash-damage units with Lead detection become affordable, keeping it mainly as a budget option in the earliest part of a match.