Tier 5 upgrade
M.A.D
M.A.D fires mega missiles with +450 MOAB damage, one of the best anti-blimp tier 5s. Crosspath, CHIMPS timing, boss use and limits.
Moab Assured Destroyer. Slower firing mega missiles do extreme damage to MOAB-class Bloons.
Daily challenges
Dartling Gunner tier 5s
Ability
M.A.D. Rocket Storm
Stats
Main attack – Projectile
- Damage
- 0
- Pierce
- 20
- Attack speed
- 0.396s
- Range
- 9999999
Main attack – Explosion
- Damage
- 3
- Pierce
- 8
- Attack speed
- 0.396s
- Range
- 9999999
How to use M.A.D
M.A.D turns the Dartling into a dedicated blimp killer. It fires huge missiles from alternating arms. Each missile that directly hits a MOAB-class bloon deals +450 damage. The attack is three times slower (0.132 to 0.396 seconds), but each explosion deals 3 damage instead of 2, and missile pierce goes from 8 to 20, allowing up to ten explosions per missile. Explosions still have 8 pierce, or 10 with Powerful Darts.
The Rocket Storm ability also improves: each ability explosion has 18 pierce instead of 8, plus +5 ceramic and +250 MOAB-class damage. M.A.D has its own ability button, separate from other Rocket Storm abilities.
When to buy it
M.A.D costs $65,000 on Medium. In CHIMPS it is usually not affordable until around round 90, so build a cheap Rocket Storm defense first and save from there.
The crosspath is 2-5-0. Focused Firing's accuracy is important so the missiles hit blimps directly, and Laser Shock adds a bit of extra damage. Unlike earlier middle-path upgrades, M.A.D prefers this over 0-5-2.
Strengths and limits
Against MOAB-class bloons, M.A.D is outstanding: a single missile strips a MOAB or DDT outer layer before freeplay scaling, and it shreds BFBs, ZOMGs and even BADs quickly. Against regular bloons, especially super ceramics, it is weak, even weaker than Hydra Rocket Pods. Pair it with strong ceramic and crowd damage, such as Prince of Darkness, The Biggest One or Ray of Doom.
Late game and bosses
In boss events, M.A.D is usually the best Dartling choice, outclassing Ray of Doom against single big targets. It is also a common pick for faster round 100 runs because of its constant high MOAB damage without relying on an ability.
Is it worth it?
Yes, if your defense lacks blimp damage. It is one of the best anti-MOAB tier 5s in the game, but never rely on it alone.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best crosspath for M.A.D?
2-5-0. Focused Firing's accuracy makes the missiles hit blimps directly.
Is M.A.D good against ceramics?
No. It is weak against regular bloons and super ceramics, so pair it with crowd damage.
How much does M.A.D cost?
It costs $65,000 on Medium. Prices for every difficulty are on this page.
All Dartling Gunner upgrades
Top path
Middle path
