Crosspathing/Monkey Buccaneer (2024)

In Bloons TD 6, it is important to choose the best crosspathing for a specific tower in order to receive the best benefits out of that tower type. Towers have special roles to play for each stage of the game. The Monkey Buccaneer in its core is a high-ranged, moderate-priced water-based tower.

Introduction[]

Monkey Buccaneer (Sometimes referred to as Boat) is a tower that can only be placed in water. However, it has a very large radius, especially for an unupgraded tower. Each path of the Monkey Buccaneer does something that other Monkeys can do but in a different way. Path 1 is about DPS but a little bit of support also. Path 2 is all about taking down MOABs and bloons specialization. Path 3 serves as a dual role between Damage and Money Making. Crosspath can matter for the Buccaneer since a lot of upgrades affect it's main attack which it scales the higher tier the player goes.

Upgrades[]

Tier 2 and below[]

Base Tower and Tier 1 Crosspaths[]

• 0-0-0: For a base tower, this tower has massive range (in fact, the highest base range for a base tower, excluding towers with infinite range) and good pierce. However, this tower can only be placed in water. It can also shoot exactly 180 degrees behind itself if there are bloons behind it. The 0-0-0 itself can be used to start off CHIMPS.
• 1-0-0: A simple attack speed buff. This crosspath alone affects its dart attack, but adding crosspaths along Path 2 can also increase attack speed of alternate attacks.
• 0-1-0: Grape Shot is a classic upgrade as this allows the buccaneer to attack spread out bloons much easier. Each grape can be used to take down both early grouped and spaced bloons alike.
• 0-0-1: A little redundant since this tower already has ginormous range. However, the darts gain greater projectile speed, which may help at sniping bloons, or just having a little more popping power.
• 1-1-0: Combines bonus attack speed with an additional grapeshot attack. Allows the grapes it shoots much faster also.
• 1-0-1: This crosspath allows the Buccaneer to shooter faster at longer range.
• 0-1-1: Usually a stepping stone for 0-2-2 which itself is a stepping stone for 0-2-3. The player might think that this crosspath would allow the Buccaneer to use its grapes more frequently due to the greater amount of range it has and therefore, increase popping power. However, because they spread out from the buccaneer, it can cause the grapes to miss its target because the grapes now have to take a longer amount of time to reach its target.

Tier 2 Crosspaths[]

• 2-0-0: Doubles the numbers of projectiles for its dart attacks. While it doesn't double the grapes for 2-1-0, it still a add projectile to it, which is normally the main reason to start off at 2-0-0.
• 0-2-0: This allows the Buccaneer to damage leads but not purple with its grapes and apply the Burn effect onto bloons. However, it main attack solves this dilemma.
• 0-0-2: Allow the Buccaneer to see camo bloons. In practice, it can also be used as camo intel on water for Sub's Advanced Intel. Otherwise, this crosspath is usually a stepping stone for Merchantman.
• 2-1-0: An excellent crosspath, due to the fact that the grapes gain increased numbers of projectiles, from 5 to 6, in addition to double darts.
• 2-0-1: Double Shot with more pierce and projectile speed for darts.
• 1-2-0: This crosspath also makes the grapes fire faster. It is similar to 1-1-0 except with Hot Shot instead of the normal Grape Shot.
• 1-0-2: Basically a faster-shooting dart-firing camo-detecting Buccaneer. Less effective for general damage than 0-1-2 in exchange for more effective straightaways.
• 2-2-0: Combines many fiery grapes with double darts.
• 2-0-2: Double Shot with more pierce and projectile speed for darts, and detects camo.
• 0-2-1: Same thing for 0-1-1 but it can now pop leads.
• 0-1-2: Can shoot grapes and detect camos, making it good against early Camo Bloons of various types. Can be upgraded for 0-2-2 for popping Camo Leads and doing even more damage to camos.
• 0-2-2: This allows the Buccaneer to pop camo leads, which allows it to compete with the efficiency of 2-2-0 for usefulness. Also is a stepping for stone for 0-2-3.

Upper Path 1[]

Destroyer[]

• 3-0-0: Upgrading to Destroyer increases its attack speed by a whopping 5x. There is virtually zero purpose to not go for a crosspath (usually grapes) on a tower with such a potential as Destroyer. Saving up for more expensive and worthwhile options tends to require Destroyer to be crosspathed to get the most value out of it.
• 3-1-0: The best crosspath in 99% of scenarios, triple speed grapes are incredibly powerful.
• 3-2-0: Upgrading from normal grapes to flaming grapes is generally not worth it, seeing as hot shots don't add much damage overall to the grapes. Useful mostly for midgame leads.
• 3-0-1: Not very useful, as boat already has a massive range. However, the increased projectile speed can be better for straightline darts. The +1 pierce per dart can be helpful for handling groups of bloons, particularly along straight lines.
• 3-0-2: Useful for camo detection, but the reduced DPS from not having grapes makes destroyer rather mediocre as a camo option.

Aircraft Carrier[]

• 4-0-0: The only crosspath that matters for the planes is the bottom path because this will give the planes camo detection, faster projectile speed, and a tad bit more pierce. All other crosspaths only affect the main tower. While Aircraft Carrier has infinite range with its planes, its other attacks can be improved a fair amount with Path 2, and Path 3 offers a bit of a boost to its planes.
• 4-1-0: Often the best crosspath, purely the Destroyer's Grape Shot attack with the 3-1-0 Destroyer crosspath. It's basically a 3-1-0 Destroyer with planes.
• 4-2-0: Often the best crosspath, purely the Destroyer's Hot Shot attack with the 3-2-0 Destroyer crosspath. It's basically a 3-2-0 Destroyer with planes.
• 4-0-1: Adds more projectile speed to planes, useful in certain cases, plus some more pierce. This is the only upgrade that directly affects its planes aside from the camo upgrade from 4-0-2.
• 4-0-2: This gives the main tower and the planes camo detection.

Carrier Flagship[]

• 5-0-0: Carrier Flagship is able to pop any bloon type and their anti-MOAB missiles become 4x more effective. It also buffs all water towers, Monkey Aces, and floating temples. Crosspathing has little to no effect on the Flagship's strongest attacks, with the exception of Crow's Nest.
• 5-1-0: Not very efficient, as the grapes can only be shot in Destroyer dart range and does not affect the aircraft. Additionally, the aircraft already has good pierce (14 per aircraft dart). That being said, it is usually the best crosspath for pure DPS provided a Radar Scanner or similar is provided to fight DDTs.
• 5-2-0: Upgrading grapes to pop lead is pointless, as the Flagship can already pop Lead Bloons without being troubled by Purple Bloons.
• 5-0-1: Flagship darts travel faster, which can be helpful as they often travel to their targets from far away.
• 5-0-2: Grants the flagship Camo Detection. By far the most useful for a Carrier Flagship, especially DDTs.

Upper Path 2[]

Cannon Ship[]

• 0-3-0: Cannon Ship adds an independently shooting cannon attack along both sides. Crosspathing optimizes its main attacks, but there is a practical use for 0-3-0. Such a practical use is on Race Events to quickly afford Cannon Ship for the superior early-game Buccaneer pierce potential.
• 1-3-0: Attacks faster, so that its grapes and cannons attack faster.
• 2-3-0: While Double Shot doesn't affect the Cannon Ship's cannons, Double Shot doubles its grapes, for maximum damage potential.
• 0-3-1: Adding Long Range alone mainly affects grapes, as all that upgrade does here is increase its already high range a fair amount, slightly increases projectile speed, and gives darts and grapes with +1 pierce. Pierce bonuses do not affect bombs. Normally a stepping stone to 0-3-2.
• 0-3-2: Crow's Nest is helpful for reliable grouped popping of camo bloons. 0-3-2 Cannon Ship is also better than 0-2-2 Buccaneer at handling Camo Purples, especially Camo Regrow Purples.

Monkey Pirates[]

• 0-4-0: Monkey Pirates not only adds the MOAB Takedown ability, it also provides triple cannons that shoot three much higher damage bombs per shot, as well as shooting higher damage grapes. Use of the 0-4-0 only is typically used for purely its ability, so use crosspaths if using Monkey Pirates as general defense.
• 1-4-0: There is much more effectiveness with this crosspath when it comes to optimizing its normal DPS, specifically to its cannon attacks in particular. However, more normal DPS makes it harder to also maximize its ability that hooks weak-to-moderate strength blimps.
• 2-4-0: There is much more effectiveness with this crosspath when it comes to optimizing its normal DPS, specifically to its grape attacks in particular. However, more normal DPS makes it harder to also maximize its ability that hooks weak-to-moderate strength blimps.
• 0-4-1: Grapes gain +1 pierce in particular, which is helpful for improved group-popping power. Also allows transitioning to 0-4-2.
• 0-4-2: Crow's Nest is helpful for reliable grouped popping of camo bloons. Given Monkey Pirate's higher DPS compared to Cannon Ship, giving this upgrade with camo detection will make it easier to handle any typical camo rounds.

Pirate Lord[]

• 0-5-0: Pirate Lord is mostly valuable for its powerful triple hooks, specifically hooking down ZOMGs and multiple other blimps. Crosspathing is only for increasing its main attack power, which is increased much further for grapes and bombs. However, a crosspathed Pirate Lord may destroy blimps too quickly to utilize its hook attacks efficiently. Use 0-5-0 for just using the hook ability, or crosspath it to help it join the general defense.
• 1-5-0: All attacks become faster, for better main DPS. Would be problematic when it comes to not destroying blimps too quickly.
• 2-5-0: Grapes and darts double in quantity, for better main DPS. Would be problematic when it comes to not destroying blimps too quickly.
• 0-5-1: Longer Range just allows it to shoot further. Still problematic when it comes to not destroying blimps too quickly.
• 0-5-2: Gains built-in camo for dealing with camo waves effectively. Still problematic when it comes to not destroying blimps too quickly, but since DDTs are a massive problem for Pirate Lord outside of sell-and-rebuy strategies, 0-5-2 is still handy to have.

Upper Path 3[]

Merchantman[]

• 0-0-3: Merchantman grants a bonus +$200 at the end of each round. Crosspathing has no effect on this bonus income. The importance of crosspathing here is to boost its damage potential, to capitalize on its dual damage-and-income role. Merchantman automatically detects camo because of its previous Crow's Nest upgrade, which means there is less need to worry about Camo Bloons. Multiple 0-0-3 Merchantmen is better for pure income gain, but some Merchantmen can be upgraded with a crosspath for cheap if extra damage is necessary.
• 1-0-3: Attacking faster looks handy, but this misses out on Grape Shot for the better single-target DPS and more reliable damage.
• 2-0-3: Darts are doubled per shot, but just like 1-0-3, Grape Shot is usually better for Merchantman.
• 0-1-3: Adds a spray of grapes every shot, giving the Merchantman with better single-target DPS and better reliability versus fast targets such as Yellows and Pinks.
• 0-2-3: Hot Shot is a helpful asset for the Merchantman, which allows it to pop Camo Leads and deal slightly more DPS on ordinary bloons. Hot Shot grapes cannot pop Purple Bloons, however, but its darts usually cancel out those added problems.

Favored Trades[]

• 0-0-4: Favored Trades grants even more cash per round, $500 instead of $200, attacks faster, and grants better sell potency for nearby towers. Like Merchantman, Favored Trades is a dual damage-and-income role, but because Favored Trades attacks faster it means there is more value packed for this upgrade when it comes to crosspathing. One Favored Trades is somewhat less cost-efficient at making income than multiple Merchantmen, but it comes with greater attack speed and potential to increase value of towers sold within its range, so sometimes an upgrade Favored Trades is more worthwhile.
• 1-0-4: Similar reasoning to 1-0-3, this is just more attack speed for the dart attack. Favored Trades already increases attack speed, making 1-0-4 redundant and outclassed by 0-1-4.
• 2-0-4: Similar reasoning to 2-0-3, this is just more darts for the dart attack. Favored Trades already increases attack speed, making 2-0-4 redundant and outclassed by 0-1-4.
• 0-1-4: Faster grapes for even better reliability at fast targets and DPS.
• 0-2-4: Even more reliable sources of extra DPS, and Purples are hardly an issue due to how fast all Favored Trades attacks become.

Trade Empire[]

• 0-0-5: Trade Empire improves its own income by a small amount but greatly boosts the income-per-round for up to 20 Merchantmen or Favored Trades for each of these towers that is on screen. Trade Empire also boosts the damage of all Buccaneers with at least the Merchantman upgrade, including itself. Crosspathing a Trade Empire is not usually important, as a Trade Empire is mainly a supporting and income role.
• 1-0-5: Same principles as 1-0-4.
• 2-0-5: Same principles as 2-0-4.
• 0-1-5: Just as with 0-1-4 Favored Trades, 0-1-5 Trade Empire attacks fast grapes, but Trade Empire deals even more damage. Trade Empire is no stronger than an empire-buffed Favored Trades in terms of DPS, however.
• 0-2-5: The same principle applies with 0-1-4 Favored Trades. However, the boost in DPS is somewhat small, as the burning napalm is independent from the Trade Empire damage buff. It is still worth using this upgrade though.

Strategy[]

TBA