Psi

Psi is the hero you pick for the late game. Before level 14 Psi needs a lot of support; after level 16 and especially at level 20, Psi can single-handedly wipe rounds that break most defences.

When to pick Psi

Pick Psi when:

• You can survive the early and mid game with towers. Psi helps, but does not carry the first 40 rounds.
• The map has line-of-sight blockers or many lanes. Unlimited range and no line-of-sight restrictions mean placement barely matters.
• You want camo coverage from the start. Psi sees camo at level 1.
• You want a late game finisher. Level 20 Psionic Scream destroys everything below a BAD on screen, and a max-level Psi can even solo round 98 with it.

Skip Psi when you need a cheap early carry, or when you cannot afford to support a hero that only targets Ceramics from level 7 and MOABs from level 14.

Leveling and power spikes

Psi's XP scale is moderately slow (1.5x), and most of the power is in high levels, so leveling speed matters more than for almost any other hero.

1. Level 3: Psychic Blast, an early stun that buys time.
2. Level 6 to 8: Lead and Ceramic targeting, double Psychic Blast, Destructive Resonance.
3. Level 9 to 11: two attacks at once, Psionic Scream and Purple targeting.
4. Level 12 to 13: triple Psychic Blast and faster destruction.
5. Level 14: MOAB targeting. Psi can now help with blimp rounds.
6. Level 16 to 17: BFB targeting and a third attack.
7. Level 19 to 20: 10-damage Destructive Resonance, ZOMG and DDT targeting and the full-power Psionic Scream.

How to level Psi faster:

• Place Psi as early as possible.
• Keep Psi in an Energizer's radius (Monkey Sub 5-0-0) for 50% faster XP. Psi's unlimited attack range means the hero can sit anywhere, including right next to the Sub.
• Use Monkey Education, Self Taught Heroes, Monkeys Together Strong and Empowered Heroes.
• Heroes earn XP faster on harder maps, so Psi naturally levels quicker on advanced and expert maps.
• Buy levels with cash to hit 14 and 16 before the big blimp rounds.

Best tower combos

• Monkey Village Monkey Intelligence Bureau (x-3-x). Lets Psi target Lead and Purple before levels 6 and 11. It does not unlock Ceramics.
• Energizer (Monkey Sub 5-0-0). Faster leveling is Psi's biggest need.
• Pierce buffs such as Alchemist Berserker Brew (3-x-x). Extra pierce lets Psi's contagious blast hit more bloons.
• Strong ceramic and MOAB damage early. Since Psi cannot touch Ceramics until 7 and blimps until 14, pair Psi with towers that cover those rounds, such as Bomb Shooters, MOAB Maulers or Sniper Monkeys.
• Area damage that benefits from stuns. Psychic Blast holds groups in place for 6 seconds, a great window for area towers.

Best maps

• Maps with heavy line-of-sight blockers such as Dark Path, Midnight Mansion and Ravine, where other heroes lose value.
• Multi-lane maps such as Quad, Dark Castle and #Ouch, since Psi reaches every lane.
• Expert maps in general, where heroes earn more XP per round.

Psychic Blast does have a limited radius (60), so put Psi near the part of the track where a stun matters most. A good habit is to place Psi where the track is densest near your main area damage, next to an Energizer if you have one, and never waste a prime tower spot on Psi, since the main attack works from anywhere.

Psi in CHIMPS

Psi costs $1,080 on Hard, so comes down after your opener.

In the early rounds Psi plays much like a Sniper Monkey: excellent against spaced-out bloons and strong single bloons, and the first camo round (24) is easy because Psi sees camo from the start. Each attack destroys a whole bloon, children included, so one hit on a Rainbow Bloon removes the entire layer stack, just more slowly than on a Red. That is also the weakness: Psi handles a few bloons at a time, so dense early rounds still need area damage from your other towers. The early game is about protecting Psi's levels: build towers that handle Lead, Ceramic and MOAB rounds on their own, and use Psi to clean up camo and leakers anywhere on the map. Psychic Blast stuns help on dense ceramic rounds.

With no Monkey Knowledge in CHIMPS, Psi levels even more slowly, so plan for Psi to reach level 14 around the mid game rather than early. In the late game, Psionic Scream is a huge round-clearing tool.

Psi in Impoppable and boss events

In Impoppable Psi costs $1,200, but Monkey Knowledge helps a lot with leveling, and unlimited range is great insurance against single leaks.

In Boss Events, Psi's main attack never targets BADs, so treat Psi as support: clear the normal rounds and the boss's MOAB-class minions anywhere on the map while your main towers focus on the boss.

Abilities: when to use them

Psychic Blast (level 3). A shockwave around Psi stuns up to 200 bloons within 60 range for 6 seconds (1.5 seconds on blimps). From level 7 it pulses twice, and from level 12 three times, 2 seconds apart. Cooldown is 40 seconds. Use it when a dense group is inside the radius and your area towers are ready to punish it.

Psionic Scream (level 10). Up to 2,000 bloons Psi can target are either destroyed or blown back 50 to 300 units, at a 50/50 chance each. At level 20 every affected bloon is destroyed. Cooldown is 60 seconds. Use it on the densest rounds when most of the bloons are on screen, and remember it only affects types Psi can already target, so Psionic Scream before level 14 does nothing to MOABs.

Skins

Psi's skins are cosmetic only and do not change stats.

Common mistakes

• Expecting early blimp damage. Psi cannot target MOABs until level 14.
• Ignoring Ceramics before level 7.
• Placing Psi late. Psi's value is in high levels.
• Using Psionic Scream too early in a round. Wait until the round is mostly on screen.
• Relying on Psi for BADs. Psi never targets them.

For Psi late game runs, see our videos on the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions

Is Psi good in CHIMPS?

Yes for experienced players. Psi's late game is excellent, but the early and mid game need strong support, especially for Ceramics and MOABs.

When can Psi target MOABs?

MOABs from level 14, BFBs from level 16, and ZOMGs and DDTs at level 20. Psi never targets BADs.

Does Psi have camo detection?

Yes, from level 1.

Can Psi pop Lead and Purple Bloons?

Lead from level 6 and Purple from level 11. A Monkey Intelligence Bureau Village allows both earlier.

What does Psionic Scream do at level 20?

It destroys every bloon on screen that Psi can target, which at level 20 means everything below a BAD.

What range does Psi have?

Psi's main attack has unlimited range and ignores line of sight. Psychic Blast only reaches 60 units around Psi.