Drone Defense 2 tessa: Stats, Obtainment & Upgrade Guide

Tessa is an Uncommon unit associated with the human characters in the Drone Defense series. Her unit profile presents her as a straightforward damage dealer with a short upgrade path, moderate range, and improving attack speed as she levels up.

Her most important role is consistent lane coverage during ordinary waves. Tessa does not appear to specialize in cloaked targets, so she works best when paired with another unit that can cover that weakness. She is also easier to evaluate than units with complicated abilities because her listed stats focus on damage, cooldown, range, and Oil costs.

The profile lists Tessa’s appearance as a black silhouette with white eyes. She has black hair arranged in downward twin tails, with a hair band at the lower end of each side, plus a black bow. Her in-game quote is:

“This is a citizen's murder!”

The quote appears when Tessa is selected in the Units tab, giving her a distinct identity beyond her battlefield statistics.

Tessa can be obtained from Summon Units. The documented profile gives her a 30% pull chance, making the summon system the central route for adding her to your collection.

Because summon results are chance-based, the best approach is to check your available resources before spending them. Avoid treating one unsuccessful attempt as evidence that the unit has become unavailable. A pull chance describes the listed probability for the summon system, not a guarantee that Tessa will appear within a fixed number of attempts.

Follow this process when working toward Tessa:

A 30% chance is comparatively visible for a summon target, but it still does not remove the need for resource planning. Keep enough Oil available for upgrades after obtaining her, especially if you want to test all three listed stages rather than leaving her at the first level.

Tessa’s listed statistics show a clear cooldown improvement across the three upgrades. Her initial damage rises from 12 to 16 at Upgrade 2, while range increases from 7.5 to 9. The final listed damage value is 15, which is lower than the Upgrade 2 entry, so players should record the numbers as documented rather than assuming every stat rises in a perfectly linear order.

The following table keeps the displayed values intact:

The cost pattern is also worth noting. Upgrade 2 requires the largest listed upgrade payment at 400 Oil, while Upgrade 3 is listed at 300 Oil. The sell values increase from 100 Oil to 450 Oil across the table, although selling a unit should be considered a strategic decision rather than a default part of progression.

The most dependable improvement is attack frequency. A cooldown of 2 at Upgrade 3 is the fastest listed value, while the range increase to 9 gives Tessa more room to contribute before enemies move beyond her coverage. Damage should be assessed together with cooldown and positioning instead of viewed in isolation.

Tessa’s range grows from 7.5 to 9, so placement becomes more flexible after upgrading. Early placement should prioritize a path segment where enemies remain in her attack area for as long as possible. This makes her basic damage and cooldown more valuable without requiring unlisted abilities or special effects.

Use these principles when positioning her:

• Place Tessa near a route intersection when the map allows enemies to remain within range.
• Favor locations that support repeated attacks against the same lane.
• Avoid relying on her to reveal or damage cloaked enemies.
• Consider upgrading her before replacing her if she already covers a useful section of the map.
• Compare her Oil cost with the value of adding another unit to a different lane.

Tessa’s lack of listed cloaked detection is her clearest team-building limitation. She can still contribute to normal enemy pressure, but another unit should handle targets that require special detection. This creates a simple two-part defensive structure: Tessa supplies direct coverage, while a complementary unit handles the enemies she cannot target.

A balanced Tessa setup does not require every available resource to be spent immediately. If a wave is already under control, saving Oil for a more important placement or complementary unit may be better than rushing the next upgrade. If enemies are consistently reaching the end of the route, Upgrade 2 or Upgrade 3 can improve her repeated attack potential.

Use this checklist to organize your collection and upgrade goals:

The checklist separates acquisition from optimization. Obtaining Tessa is only the first milestone; deciding how far to upgrade her depends on the Oil available, the lane layout, and the role of your other units.

When comparing Tessa with other units, focus on the role she actually fills: direct lane damage with improving cooldown and range. Her Uncommon rarity and 30% listed summon chance make her a practical target, while her lack of cloaked detection means she is strongest as part of a wider defense rather than as a single-unit solution.