Intermediate map

Streambed

Info

Streambed is an Intermediate mountain map with a rocky stream bed and old bones that look like dinosaur fossils. It is one of the 21 original maps that shipped with Bloons TD 6 at launch. Like every Intermediate map, it unlocks once you have won games on five different maps.

Layout and path. Streambed has a single lane with one entrance and one exit. The track winds through a mix of wide and tight bends, about 31 red bloon seconds (RBS) long, which is average for the difficulty. With only one lane and several tight corners, most towers can find a spot that covers more than one section of track.

The skull. A large skull sits near the middle of the track. It blocks line of sight for towers behind it and can be removed for $1,000. Clearing it opens up vision across the centre of the map and frees space next to the track.

Water. A good-sized body of water near the bottom of the map holds Monkey Subs, Buccaneers and Mermonkeys, so water towers are available from the first round.

Other details. There is no high ground. Apart from the skull, line-of-sight blockers are limited.

Compared to similar maps. Streambed plays a lot like Cracked: a single winding lane with a central obstacle that costs $1,000. The difference is that Streambed's water is available from the start rather than hidden under the obstacle, so subs can be part of your plan from round 6. That makes it one of the more relaxed Intermediate maps, and a good place to practise CHIMPS before moving on to harder two-lane maps.

How to beat Streambed

Map overview for strategy

Streambed is a straightforward Intermediate map. There is one lane of average length with a mix of wide and tight bends, a pond at the bottom for water towers, and one big obstacle: a skull near the middle that blocks line of sight and costs $1,000 to remove.

How to approach it:

Use the tight bends. Towers at a tight corner see the same bloons twice. Look for spots where two sections of track are within range.
Use the water early. The pond at the bottom is available from round 1, so subs and boats can be part of your opening.
Remove the skull when it matters. If it blocks the view of a key tower, or you want the central space, clear it in the mid game once your defence is stable.

Best towers

Monkey Sub 2-0-4 (First Strike Capability) in the pond. Advanced Intel lets it hit anything your other towers can see.
Ninja Monkey 4-0-1 with an Alchemist 4-2-0 at a tight bend.
Boomerang Monkey 3-2-0 (Glaive Ricochet). Its glaives bounce between bloons on nearby sections of track.
Tack Shooter 4-0-2 (Ring of Fire) at a tight corner.
Mortar Monkey 0-2-4 (Shattering Shells). No line of sight needed, so the skull does not matter.
Glue Gunner 2-0-3 (MOAB Glue) at the start of your main damage zone.
Spike Factory 2-0-4 (Deadly Spikes) near the exit as a cleanup layer.

Best heroes

Obyn Greenfoot. A good partner for Ninjas, Alchemists and Druids on a single lane.
Quincy. Cheap and simple, ideal for learning the map.
Sauda. At a tight bend she covers two sections of track early on.
Admiral Brickell. The pond gives her water towers to boost.

Easy and Medium

Put your hero and two Dart Monkeys at a tight bend near the start. Add a sub in the pond. Get camo before round 24 and lead popping before round 28. A Ballistic Missile sub handles round 40. On Medium, add an Alchemist and a Glaive Ricochet for round 60.

Hard

Hero and Dart Monkeys at a tight bend from round 3, plus a sub in the pond.
Ninja 2-0-1 by round 24 and Heat-tipped Darts or a Mortar by round 28.
The sub to 2-0-3 for round 40.
Bloonjitsu with an Alchemist, a Glaive Ricochet and Shattering Shells by round 63.
Two First Strike subs and MOAB Glue for the ZOMG on round 80.

CHIMPS

CHIMPS starts on round 6 with $650. A realistic plan:

Round 6: Hero (Obyn, Sauda or Quincy) and a Dart Monkey at a tight bend.
Rounds 7–15: A Monkey Sub in the pond at 2-0-0, and a second Dart Monkey.
Rounds 16–23: A Ninja at 2-0-1 for camo before round 24.
By round 27: Heat-tipped Darts on the sub (2-0-2) for round 28.
Rounds 30–39: The sub to 2-0-3 for round 40.
Rounds 40–62: Ninja to 4-0-1 with an Alchemist 4-2-0, a Boomerang to 3-2-0, the sub to 2-0-4 before round 60, and a Mortar 0-2-4 before round 63.
Rounds 63–80: A second First Strike sub, a Glue Gunner 2-0-3 and a Village 0-2-0 for camo support. Remove the skull if you need the space. Have enough MOAB damage for round 80.
Rounds 81–100: A third First Strike sub, Deadly Spikes near the exit and more MOAB Glue. Keep camo coverage for round 95.

Impoppable

Same plan, higher prices and one life. There is room for Banana Farms, and selling lets you tidy up your setup later.

Other modes

Military Only: subs in the pond, Mortars and helis cover the single lane easily.
Magic Monkeys Only: Ninjas, Alchemists, Druids and Wizards at the tight bends.
Half Cash: skip the skull unless it blocks a key tower.

Dangerous rounds on this map

Round 24 (camo green): a Dart Monkey opening has no camo detection.
Round 28 (leads): darts and boomerangs without the right upgrades cannot pop leads.
Round 40 (first MOAB): a Ballistic Missile sub handles it.
Round 63 (75 leads, 122 ceramics): you need area damage that pops leads. Shattering Shells is ideal.
Rounds 76 and 78: regrow ceramics, then a mixed rush with camo ceramics. A Village with Grow Blocker (0-1-0) helps.
Round 95: camo leads and DDTs. Make sure your MOAB damage can hit camo.
Rounds 98 to 100: fortified BFBs, ZOMGs, fortified DDTs and the BAD. MOAB Glue and First Strike subs finish the job.

For a full walkthrough, see our videos on the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.

Frequently asked questions

How much does it cost to remove the skull on Streambed?

$1,000. It blocks line of sight near the middle of the track until removed.

Does Streambed have water?

Yes, a good-sized pond near the bottom of the map, available from the first round.

What is the best hero for Streambed?

Obyn Greenfoot and Sauda are both strong. Quincy is a cheap, beginner-friendly option.

How do you beat Streambed on CHIMPS?

Start at a tight bend with darts and your hero, add a sub in the pond, then build a Ninja, Alchemist, Glaive Ricochet and Shattering Shells Mortar, and finish with First Strike subs.