Vigilant Sentries

Vigilant Sentries makes every sentry built by an Engineer Monkey last 5 seconds longer. Normal sentries, Sentry Expert sentries and Sentry Champion sentries last 30 seconds instead of 25, and the modified sentry paragons of the Master Builder last 24 seconds instead of 19. It is a third-row Support knowledge that needs 3 points in Support plus One More Spike, and it costs one Knowledge Point with no Monkey Money.

How it changes the game

A Sentry Gun Engineer (1-0-0 and up) builds a sentry every 10 seconds (faster with Faster Engineering), and each one only lives for a limited time. Longer lifespan means more sentries alive at once. With the base Sentry Gun, an Engineer usually has two or three sentries out; with 30 seconds of life, that average goes up, which is more total damage from the same tower.

The bigger the sentry, the more the 5 seconds matters. Sentry Expert builds several sentry types (including crushing, boom, cold and energy sentries), and Sentry Champion's plasma sentries are strong damage dealers that explode when their time runs out. Every extra second they stay on the track is extra damage, and on the Champion it also delays the explosion. In freeplay, a fully buffed Sentry Champion with longer-lived sentries is a respectable source of BAD damage.

Early game, Vigilant Sentries adds a little uptime to a 1-0-0 or 2-0-0 Engineer in an opening, which can help hold the first few camo or grouped rounds. It does nothing for Engineers on the middle or bottom path.

Is it worth it?

Priority: situational. If you rarely use the Sentry path of the Engineer, the knowledge itself does little. Its main value is as a stepping stone: it is the only route to Thicker Foams and Big Traps, and every point spent here counts toward the 8 and 14 points the deeper Support knowledge needs.

Compared with First Last Line of Defense, the other knowledge under One More Spike, pick Vigilant Sentries first if you play Engineers more than Spike Factories. Players who use Sentry Champion in late game or Boss Events should take it early.

Where it works

Vigilant Sentries is active wherever Monkey Knowledge is enabled, including Impoppable and Boss Events. It is off in CHIMPS, so sentries there last the normal 25 seconds. Challenges with MK disabled and Rogue Legends also use the base lifespan.

Frequently asked questions

How long do sentries last with Vigilant Sentries?

30 seconds instead of 25 for normal, Sentry Expert and Sentry Champion sentries.

Does Vigilant Sentries affect Sentry Champion?

Yes. Champion sentries also last 30 seconds, which means more plasma damage before they explode.

Does it work on the Master Builder paragon?

Yes. Its modified sentry paragons last 24 seconds instead of 19.

Is Vigilant Sentries worth it?

Only if you use the Engineer's top path, or as the required step toward Thicker Foams and Big Traps.