Operator — Tower Defense Simulator Guide
Category: DPS
Unlock: 15,000 Coins
Detection: Hidden, Flying
Placement Limit: 16 per player
Tier Rating: A
Total Upgrade Cost: $15,025
Operator is the Evolved version of Scout — instead of buying it outright, you level up a Golden Scout through Evolution Levels (or pay Robux to skip) until it transforms into Operator. Early levels fire in fast bursts, and from Level 5 it switches to steady single-fire with much higher per-hit damage. Its signature mechanic is squad synergy: multiple Operators placed near each other buff each other's damage through Coordination, and at max investment they can share targeting through Shared Optics, letting a whole cluster focus fire.
Operator Stats Per Level
The table below shows all Operator 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 | 300 | 1 | 0.12 | 14 | 2.83 |
| 1 | 325 | 2 | 0.12 | 14 | 5.66 |
| 2 | 700 | 3 | 0.12 | 15.5 | 10.47 |
| 3 | 1250 | 4 | 0.1 | 15.5 | 18.95 |
| 4 | 1950 | 6 | 0.1 | 15.5 | 28.42 |
| 5 | 3500 | 6 | 0.16 | 16 | 37.5 |
| 6 | 7000 | 10 | 0.16 | 17 | 62.5 |
Note: Requires Evolution Level 20 (max). Damage 10, range17, coordination radius 4.75. DPS 62.5 (max level, cumulative cost $15,025).
How to Get Operator
First get and upgrade a Golden Scout, then earn Evolution Levels (up to 20) through normal play until it evolves into Operator, or pay a Robux fee to skip the wait instantly.
Buying the evolved Operator itself costs 15,000 Coins & 4,500 Gems once the evolution requirement is met.
Is Operator Worth It?
Operator rewards running multiple copies together — a cluster of 3-4 Operators with Coordination stacks their damage bonuses and can hit noticeably harder than the same investment spread across other towers.
It lacks Lead detection entirely, so it needs support from another Lead-capable tower to stay useful against Lead-heavy waves.
Its high Gem cost (4,500 Gems) makes it a late-game investment rather than an early unlock, best suited for players who already have a stocked Gem reserve.
Operator Tier Rating by Mode
Best Loadouts With Operator
Works best clustered with other Operators to stack Coordination and Shared Optics rather than spread out solo.
Pair with a Lead-detecting tower (like Golden Scout, Ranger, or Warlock at Level 5) to cover the gap in its own detection.