Tesla, also known as the Magnetic Expert, is a UR Missile Vehicle Attack hero in Last War: Survival. He deals Energy Damage and is especially dangerous because his Tactics skill attacks three enemy back-row units instead of spending the entire fight hitting the frontline.
For most players using Tesla as a main Missile damage dealer, the priorities are simple: upgrade Electric Grid Lockdown first, build his Gun/Railgun before his other gear, keep him in the back row, and work toward his Exclusive Weapon if Missile is one of your main formations. On Season 6 servers, Tesla also gains access to the Hero Awakening system.
★Quick Take: Tesla is a back-row Missile carry. Prioritize Electric Grid Lockdown, then Lightning Chain, give him your strongest offensive Gun/Railgun and Chip, and protect him with a durable frontline. His Exclusive Weapon becomes increasingly important at Levels 10, 20, and 30, while Season 6 Awakening adds another late-game progression path.
Tesla Hero Overview
| Category | Tesla |
|---|---|
| Rarity | UR |
| Hero Type | Missile Vehicle |
| Role | Attack / Damage Dealer |
| Damage Type | Energy Damage |
| Title | Magnetic Expert |
| Recommended Position | Back row |
| Later Progression | Exclusive Weapon and Season 6 Awakening |
Tesla’s documented reference profile lists 24.4K Attack, 383.8K HP, 2.8K Defense, and 350 March Size. These numbers should not be used as universal account targets because hero stats change with level, gear, research, buildings, star progression, and other bonuses.
What matters more is Tesla’s role: he is an offensive Missile hero who needs enough frontline protection to keep attacking. Relevant upgrades from the Last War Missile Center also contribute to the development of Tesla and the rest of a Missile-focused formation.
Tesla Skills Explained
Tesla’s normal kit combines Energy Damage with back-row targeting. His Exclusive Weapon later adds Inductive Current, turning repeated attacks into a stacking mechanic that further strengthens his damage.
Lightning Chain
- Type: Auto Attack
- Cooldown: 1.35 seconds
- Damage Type: Energy Damage
- Documented effect: Deals Energy Damage equal to 408.11% of Tesla’s Attack before later Exclusive Weapon improvements.
Lightning Chain supplies Tesla’s consistent damage between Tactics activations. Because it fires frequently, improving the auto attack produces value throughout the entire battle rather than only during one burst window.
For an Attack hero, that makes Lightning Chain a strong second Skill Medal priority after Electric Grid Lockdown.
Electric Power Boost
- Type: Passive
- Cooldown: Not applicable
- Documented effect: Increases Tesla’s Energy Damage by 30% in battle, with additional improvements from star progression.
Electric Power Boost improves the damage type used by Tesla’s offensive kit. It is useful throughout the battle, but established Attack-hero Skill Medal priorities generally place the auto attack ahead of the passive after the main Tactics skill has been developed.
Priority: Third among Tesla’s normal Skill Medal targets.
Electric Grid Lockdown
- Type: Tactics
- Cooldown: 10 seconds
- Targets: Three enemy back-row units
- Documented effect: Deals Energy Damage equal to 1127.02% of Tesla’s Attack before Exclusive Weapon improvements.
Electric Grid Lockdown is Tesla’s defining skill. Most attackers must work through the enemy frontline before threatening protected damage dealers, but Tesla can apply a large burst directly to three back-row heroes.
That is particularly useful in PvP, where the enemy’s strongest attackers and support heroes are often positioned behind two defenders.
Priority: Upgrade Electric Grid Lockdown first.
Super Sensing
- Type: Expertise
- Cooldown: Not applicable
- Effect: Increases Tesla’s HP, Attack, and Defense by 20% and skill cooldown rate by 10%.
Super Sensing supports both damage and survivability. The Attack bonus improves Tesla’s scaling, while the HP and Defense increases reduce the risk of losing him before he completes enough skill cycles.
On Season 6 servers where Tesla Awakening is available, his Awakening progression eventually replaces the Expertise skill while retaining its original effects.
Best Tesla Skill Upgrade Priority
For the normal skills competing for Skill Medals, Tesla follows the standard Attack-hero priority:
| Priority | Skill | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Electric Grid Lockdown | Main Tactics burst and Tesla’s valuable three-target back-row attack. |
| 2 | Lightning Chain | Frequent auto-attack damage that contributes throughout the fight. |
| 3 | Electric Power Boost | Raises Tesla’s Energy Damage but is generally less urgent than improving his direct attacks. |
Super Sensing is Tesla’s Expertise skill, so it should not be treated as simply a fourth normal Skill Medal target in the same way as the three skills above.
✓Recommendation: F2P and low-spend players should avoid leveling Tesla’s three normal skills evenly. Push Electric Grid Lockdown first, keep Lightning Chain reasonably close behind it, and then improve Electric Power Boost. Concentrating Skill Medals on your main squad produces more value than spreading them across several unfinished teams.
For broader Skill Medal planning across defenders, attackers, and supports, see the Last War hero skill upgrade guide.
Tesla Exclusive Weapon Guide
Tesla’s Exclusive Weapon becomes part of his progression during Season 1. Activating it requires Tesla at 5 stars and 50 Tesla Exclusive Weapon Shards. After activation, Universal Exclusive Weapon Shards can also be used toward further weapon levels.
The weapon can reach Level 30 and improves Tesla’s HP, Attack, Defense, All-Damage Resistance, and skill-level ceiling. More importantly, major weapon milestones change how his combat kit works.
| Weapon Level | Unlocked Effect |
|---|---|
| 1 | Lightning Chain 2 |
| 10 | Electric Grid Lockdown 2 |
| 20 | Missile Specialist troop-type boost |
| 30 | EM Induction Tactics boost |
!Important: Tesla’s weapon progression is milestone-based. Level 1 starts the Inductive Current mechanic, Level 10 upgrades Electric Grid Lockdown, Level 20 adds a Missile-wide stat bonus, and Level 30 completes the stacking interaction with EM Induction. Do not describe these as generic weapon “stages 1–4.”
Lightning Chain 2 — Exclusive Weapon Level 1
Lightning Chain 2 upgrades Tesla’s auto attack and applies one stack of Inductive Current to the target. This is the first step in the Exclusive Weapon mechanic that eventually strengthens his Tactics damage.
Electric Grid Lockdown 2 — Exclusive Weapon Level 10
At Exclusive Weapon Level 10, Electric Grid Lockdown is upgraded. It continues targeting three enemy back-row units, deals more Energy Damage than the original skill, and applies two stacks of Inductive Current.
This is an important weapon breakpoint because both Tesla’s frequent auto attack and his main Tactics skill now contribute directly to the stacking mechanic.
Missile Specialist — Exclusive Weapon Level 20
Missile Specialist increases the Attack, Defense, and HP of all your Missile Vehicle heroes by 7.50% during battle.
This milestone makes Tesla more than an individual damage dealer. In a dedicated Missile formation, his Exclusive Weapon begins improving the other Missile heroes around him as well.
Level 20 also matters for another reason on older servers: it is an important prerequisite for Tesla’s Season 6 Awakening.
EM Induction — Exclusive Weapon Level 30
EM Induction completes Tesla’s Exclusive Weapon interaction. His auto attacks add an extra Inductive Current stack to a random enemy back-row unit, while Tesla’s Tactics damage increases by 1% for each Inductive Current stack on the target, up to 15%.
This is why Exclusive Weapon Level 30 has more strategic value than a simple stat increase: it directly connects Tesla’s repeated auto attacks to the burst damage of Electric Grid Lockdown.
How Inductive Current Works
Inductive Current is not part of Tesla’s untouched base kit. It enters his combat loop through his Exclusive Weapon milestones.
- Exclusive Weapon Level 1: Lightning Chain 2 applies one Inductive Current stack.
- Exclusive Weapon Level 10: Electric Grid Lockdown 2 applies two stacks while damaging the enemy back row.
- Exclusive Weapon Level 30: EM Induction adds another stack to a random back-row enemy when Tesla auto-attacks.
- At Level 30: Tesla’s Tactics damage gains 1% per Inductive Current stack on its target, up to a 15% increase.
The practical result is that Tesla benefits from staying alive. The more opportunities he has to attack and distribute stacks, the more value he can extract from the completed Exclusive Weapon mechanic.
Tesla Awakening in Season 6
Tesla is one of the selected heroes that gains access to the Hero Awakening system in Season 6, alongside one hero from each of the other major troop types.
Current Awakening requirements include:
- Tesla at 5 stars
- Tesla’s Exclusive Weapon at Level 20 or higher
- 50 Tesla-specific Awakening Shards for the initial unlock
- The Tesla Awakening event being available on your server
Once awakened, Tesla’s Awakening Skill replaces Super Sensing while inheriting the original Expertise effects. Awakening then has its own progression beyond the initial unlock.
Because Season 6 resources are expensive, Missile players should generally prepare Tesla’s Exclusive Weapon Level 20 requirement before attempting to split Awakening materials across heroes from multiple troop types. If Missile is not your primary squad, awakening a different main carry may provide more immediate account value.
Best Gear for Tesla
Tesla uses four normal gear slots: Gun/Railgun, Data Chip, Armor, and Radar. As a back-row DPS hero, his gear priority is offensive.
| Priority | Gear | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Gun / Railgun | Raises Tesla’s Attack and directly improves the base used by his damage skills. |
| 2 | Data Chip | Adds offensive and critical-hit scaling to complement his upgraded Gun. |
| 3 | Radar | Useful when Tesla is dying to Energy or skill-heavy burst before completing enough attacks. |
| 4 | Armor | Rounds out physical survivability once his main offensive pieces are established. |
At the squad level, you should not blindly finish all four Tesla pieces before helping your frontline. A strong Tesla cannot deal damage if Adam or your other front-row heroes collapse immediately. A common progression pattern is to build Tesla’s Gun, improve the frontline’s key defensive gear, and then return to Tesla’s Chip and remaining pieces.
For crafting and promotion planning, see the Last War gear upgrade and promotion guide.
Best Tesla Team and Position
Tesla belongs in the back row. His job is to survive behind tougher heroes and repeatedly pressure enemy damage dealers with Electric Grid Lockdown.
A Missile-focused formation can use a structure such as:
| Position | Example Hero | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Front Row | Adam | Main defensive anchor |
| Front Row | McGregor or another developed frontline option | Secondary front-row protection |
| Back Row | Tesla | Energy Damage carry and back-row pressure |
| Back Row | Fiona | Additional Missile damage |
| Back Row | Swift or another developed Missile hero | Additional damage or utility |
This is a framework, not a mandatory lineup. Your best formation depends on star levels, Exclusive Weapons, Awakening progress, gear, and which heroes are actually developed on your account.
A full same-type formation can also benefit from the game’s troop-type formation bonuses. Tesla’s Level 20 Missile Specialist Exclusive Weapon effect provides an additional reason to surround him with Missile Vehicle heroes when your roster is ready.
Matchups Matter
Missile formations are particularly useful against Aircraft teams, while Tank formations are the matchup Missile players need to approach more carefully. Scout opposing squads instead of judging a battle only by displayed power.
How to Get Tesla
Hero availability changes as a server progresses, so Tesla should not be assumed to be available from recruitment tickets immediately on every new server.
To verify his current availability, open the Heroes recruitment screen and check the information panel showing which heroes or shards are included in the current pool and their listed probabilities. If Tesla is not shown, spending more tickets will not make him appear in that pool.
Once obtained, Tesla’s long-term development can require:
- Hero shards for star progression
- Skill Medals
- Offensive gear and promotion materials
- Missile Center progression
- Exclusive Weapon Shards
- Awakening materials on eligible Season 6 servers
For a broader explanation of hero-related chest rewards and roster progression, see the Last War Legendary Hero Chest guide.
Is Tesla Worth Upgrading?
Tesla is worth substantial investment when Missile is your main formation or when you are deliberately developing a Missile squad to counter Aircraft-heavy opponents. His back-row targeting gives him a clear tactical purpose even before his later progression systems are complete.
His investment value rises further once the Exclusive Weapon reaches its major breakpoints. Level 10 improves his main Tactics skill, Level 20 adds Missile-wide stats and prepares him for Awakening, and Level 30 completes the Inductive Current damage interaction.
| Player Situation | Tesla Priority |
|---|---|
| Main Missile squad | High — prioritize skills, Gun, Chip, stars, and Exclusive Weapon progression. |
| Building a Missile counter squad | Moderate to high once the rest of the Missile formation can support him. |
| Early F2P Tank main | Lower — avoid weakening your first squad to rush an incomplete Missile team. |
| Older Season 6 Missile account | Very high if Tesla is your chosen Awakening carry. |
| Secondary undeveloped Missile squad | Moderate or low until your main formation is secure. |
For players who prefer to start from an account with more of the hero and gear progression already completed, browsing Last War accounts for sale is an optional route. Check the exact Tesla stars, Exclusive Weapon level, Awakening progress, gear, squad composition, and server details shown on each individual listing.
Tesla in PvP and PvE
PvP and Arena
PvP is where Electric Grid Lockdown’s targeting is easiest to appreciate. Tesla can damage three protected back-row heroes instead of waiting for both enemy defenders to fall first.
His effectiveness still depends on survival and matchup. A poorly protected Tesla may be eliminated before the Inductive Current mechanic has time to produce its full value.
Campaign and Formation-Based PvE
Against multi-hero formations, Tesla’s combination of Energy Damage and back-row targeting remains useful. Keeping his frontline alive is important on stages where enemy damage quickly reaches the rear positions.
Single-Target and Boss Content
Tesla can still contribute damage, but the special value of hitting three separate back-row heroes is less relevant when the encounter does not provide several meaningful targets. Judge his performance by the specific event rather than assuming every PvE mode rewards the same build equally.
Common Tesla Build Mistakes
Upgrading Electric Power Boost Before Lightning Chain
For a standard Attack hero, the normal priority after the Tactics skill is the auto attack, followed by the passive. Electric Grid Lockdown should lead, with Lightning Chain ahead of Electric Power Boost when Skill Medals are limited.
Building Defensive Gear Before Tesla’s Gun
Tesla is a DPS hero. His Gun/Railgun is normally his most important personal gear investment. Radar becomes more urgent only when survivability is clearly preventing him from dealing meaningful damage.
Ignoring Exclusive Weapon Breakpoints
Tesla’s weapon is not just a steady stat increase. Levels 1, 10, 20, and 30 unlock different parts of his advanced kit, so stopping immediately before an important milestone can leave significant value unrealized.
Assuming Inductive Current Is in Tesla’s Base Kit
The stacking mechanic comes from his Exclusive Weapon upgrades. A Tesla without those weapon milestones does not have the same Inductive Current loop as a fully developed version.
Rushing a Missile Squad Too Early
F2P players often gain more from completing their strongest established formation than abandoning it for a half-built Missile team. Tesla becomes a better investment as the heroes, gear, and Missile-specific progression around him catch up.
FAQs
Is Tesla good in Last War?
Yes. Tesla is a strong UR Missile Vehicle attacker whose main advantage is high Energy Damage combined with a Tactics skill that attacks three enemy back-row units. He becomes significantly stronger with his Exclusive Weapon and later Awakening progression.
Which Tesla skill should I upgrade first?
Upgrade Electric Grid Lockdown first. For normal Skill Medal spending, Lightning Chain should generally come second and Electric Power Boost third.
What is the best gear for Tesla?
Prioritize Tesla’s Gun or Railgun first and Data Chip second. Radar and Armor are secondary unless Tesla is dying too quickly to deliver his damage.
How does Tesla’s Inductive Current work?
Inductive Current comes from Tesla’s Exclusive Weapon. Lightning Chain 2 applies a stack at Level 1, Electric Grid Lockdown 2 adds stacks at Level 10, and the Level 30 EM Induction upgrade adds extra stacking while increasing Tactics damage by 1% per stack on the target, up to 15%.
What Exclusive Weapon level should Tesla reach?
Each major breakpoint matters. Level 10 upgrades Electric Grid Lockdown, Level 20 adds Missile Specialist and is important for Season 6 Awakening eligibility, while Level 30 completes Tesla’s Inductive Current damage interaction. How far you push depends on whether Tesla is a main-squad carry.
Can Tesla be awakened?
Yes. Tesla is one of the Season 6 Awakening heroes. Current requirements include 5-star Tesla, his Exclusive Weapon at Level 20 or higher, the required Tesla-specific Awakening Shards, and the Awakening event being available on your server.
Conclusion
Tesla is a high-value Missile carry built around Energy Damage and direct pressure on the enemy back row. Prioritize Electric Grid Lockdown, develop his Gun/Railgun and Chip, keep him protected behind a capable frontline, and plan Exclusive Weapon Levels 10, 20, and 30 around your available resources. On Season 6 servers, Awakening gives dedicated Missile players another reason to continue investing in him.
For more hero builds, formation advice, event strategies, and progression guides, browse the Last War Survival guides on Heaven Guardian.
