Dart Monkey

The Dart Monkey is the tower almost every good CHIMPS run starts with. You will rarely see it carry a game to round 100, but cheap Dart crosspaths handle the first 40 rounds on most maps, and a few of its tier 4 and 5 upgrades are genuinely strong for their price.

Best crosspaths

0-0-0 (multiple Dart Monkeys)

Two or three plain Dart Monkeys placed on a corner are the classic answer to the first rounds of CHIMPS. Each costs only $200, and the 2 pierce per dart is enough to clean up early reds, blues and greens. Place them where the track loops past so each dart covers as much path as possible.

0-2-3 or 0-3-2 Crossbow / Triple Shot

These are the bread-and-butter early-game Dart Monkeys. 0-2-3 gives a long-range Crossbow with Camo detection and faster attacks. 0-3-2 trades crossbow damage for Triple Shot and still sees Camo through Enhanced Eyesight. Both comfortably defend through the early 20s and are a cheap way to cover the camo green that shows up in round 24 of CHIMPS.

2-0-3 Crossbow

The top path crosspath gives the Crossbow a large pierce boost. Pick it over 0-2-3 when you are hitting dense groups of Bloons on a straight line rather than spread-out rushes.

4-0-2 Juggernaut

This is the most important Dart crosspath for the mid game. Juggernaut balls deal Normal damage, so they pop Lead, deal extra damage to Ceramic and Fortified Bloons, and bounce off obstacles. The bottom path crosspath adds Camo detection and stronger knockback against normal Bloons. On maps with walls or tight corners, a 4-0-2 can handle a surprising number of ceramic rounds on its own.

0-2-4 Sharp Shooter

Sharp Shooter attacks faster than Crossbow and lands a critical hit every few shots. It is a solid single-target tower that also has decent range, and it is a natural stepping stone if you plan to buy Crossbow Master later.

2-4-0 Super Monkey Fan Club

Super Monkey Fan Club turns up to 10 Dart Monkeys within range into Super Monkeys for 15 seconds. Surround it with a few cheap Dart Monkeys and save the ability for the hardest moments of a round. It shines on multi-lane maps because the converted monkeys can sit on different lanes.

0-2-5 Crossbow Master

Crossbow Master is one of the cheapest tier 5 upgrades in the game. Since version 57 it fires two parallel bolts but attacks at a slower rate than before, which keeps it strong in the 50s to 70s and in Deflation, but it is not meant to scale into the very late game.

Early game

In CHIMPS and other no-income modes, open with two or three 0-0-0 Dart Monkeys on the best corner of the map. Cover the inside of a curve so darts that miss still travel across another part of the track. Upgrade Long Range Darts and Quick Shots when you need more coverage, because both are very cheap.

By the late teens, start working towards a 0-2-3 or 0-3-2. Do not skip Camo detection: round 24 in CHIMPS has a camo green Bloon, and leaking it costs you the run.

Mid game

From round 28 onward you need an answer to Lead Bloons. If you are already using Dart Monkeys, buying Spike-o-pult and Juggernaut on a 0-0-2 base gives you a 4-0-2 that pops Lead and Ceramics. Spike-o-pult alone still cannot pop Lead, so do not stop at tier 3 for this job.

Dart Monkeys have no strong anti-MOAB tool of their own. When round 40 brings the first MOAB, a 4-0-2 can chip at it, but most players add a dedicated MOAB tower at this point. 0-2-4 Sharp Shooter can help with its crits, and Super Monkey Fan Club is a strong burst if you have saved enough Dart Monkeys nearby.

Late game

Past round 80, plain Dart Monkey crosspaths fall off. The upgrades that still matter late are:

• Ultra-Juggernaut (5-x-x): splits into smaller Juggernaut balls and keeps shredding Ceramics, including the super Ceramics from round 81 onward.
• Plasma Monkey Fan Club (x-5-x): a powerful ability burst, best on maps where you can fit many Dart Monkeys inside its radius.
• Apex Plasma Master: the Paragon. It is affordable compared with other Paragons and makes a real difference against bosses and late freeplay.

Dart Monkey in CHIMPS

Dart Monkey is arguably the most used opener in CHIMPS. A typical plan looks like this:

1. Two or three 0-0-0 Dart Monkeys for the first rounds.
2. Upgrade one into a 0-2-3 or 0-3-2 before round 24 for Camo.
3. Upgrade one into a 4-0-2 Juggernaut for Leads and early Ceramics if your main damage tower cannot handle them yet.
4. Sell or leave them as support when your main defense takes over.

Avoid relying on Dart Monkeys alone from round 40, and avoid long-range Crossbows on maps where line of sight is blocked. For full CHIMPS walkthroughs, see our videos on the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.

Best heroes and tower combos

Dart Monkeys do not have a hero built around them, so pick the hero that suits the map. Cheap early heroes that help the first rounds pair well with a Dart start. The strongest synergies come from towers:

• Monkey Village: Primary Training and the top path Village upgrades buff Primary Monkeys, and a 0-2-0 Village can give camo detection to Juggernauts or Fan Club monkeys that lack it.
• Alchemist: a Berserker Brew boosts damage, pierce and attack speed, which works well with fast-attacking Crossbows and Juggernauts.
• Glue Gunner or Ice Monkey: slowing Bloons gives Juggernaut balls and crossbow bolts more time to hit.
• Dedicated MOAB damage: Dart Monkeys need help against MOAB-class Bloons, so pair them with a strong anti-MOAB tower.

Tier 5 upgrades: are they worth it?

Ultra-Juggernaut (5-x-x). Yes, if your problem is Ceramics and Lead. It is one of the cheaper tier 5 upgrades and stays useful well into the 80s, but it still needs a separate MOAB answer.

Plasma Monkey Fan Club (x-5-x). Worth it on maps where you can pack many Dart Monkeys into its range. Without extra Dart Monkeys nearby, much of its value is wasted.

Crossbow Master (x-x-5). Great value for the money and strong in the mid game and in Deflation. After version 57 it fires two bolts but more slowly, so treat it as a mid-game carry rather than a late-game solution.

Common mistakes

• Waiting too long for Camo. Get Enhanced Eyesight before round 24 in CHIMPS.
• Expecting Spike-o-pult to pop Lead. Only Juggernaut and above pops Lead.
• Placing Crossbows behind obstacles. Their range is wasted if line of sight is blocked. Juggernaut is the better choice on maps full of walls.
• Buying Super Monkey Fan Club with no Dart Monkeys nearby. The ability only converts Dart Monkeys in its radius.
• Relying on Dart Monkeys for MOABs. Plan a real MOAB answer before round 40.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Dart Monkey path?

For the early game, 0-2-3 or 0-3-2 for cheap range and Camo. For the mid game, 4-0-2 Juggernaut is the most useful crosspath because it pops Lead, crushes Ceramics and sees Camo.

Can Dart Monkey pop camo bloons?

Yes, once you buy Enhanced Eyesight (x-x-2). Without it, a Dart Monkey cannot target Camo Bloons.

Can Dart Monkey pop lead bloons?

Only with Juggernaut (4-x-x) or Ultra-Juggernaut. Every other Dart upgrade deals Sharp damage, which bounces off Lead.

Is Dart Monkey good in CHIMPS?

Yes. Two or three 0-0-0 Dart Monkeys are one of the most common CHIMPS openers, and 0-2-3 or 4-0-2 crosspaths carry many runs through the early and mid game.

Is Crossbow Master still good?

It is a strong, cheap tier 5 for the mid game and Deflation. Since version 57 it fires two bolts at a slower rate, so it is less of a late-game carry.

How much does the Dart Monkey Paragon cost?

Apex Plasma Master costs $150,000 on Medium, which makes it the cheapest Paragon in the game.