Monkey Buccaneer

The Monkey Buccaneer is a strong and flexible water tower. It is not the best opener, but from the early 20s onward it can be a damage dealer, a MOAB killer or a money maker. On water maps it is often a better value than land towers in the same spot.

Best crosspaths

0-1-2 or 0-2-2 cheap starter

Grape Shot, plus Crow's Nest for Camo, is a cheap early Buccaneer. Adding Hot Shot (0-2-2) gives Lead popping. It covers both sides of the water it sits on, which is great on maps where the track runs along a lake.

3-2-0 or 3-0-2 Destroyer

Destroyer attacks extremely fast. 3-2-0 adds burning grapes for Lead; 3-0-2 adds Camo and more range. A strong mid-game damage tower.

2-3-0 or 0-3-2 Cannon Ship

The cannon adds explosive damage, which handles Lead and groups. A good stepping stone towards Monkey Pirates.

0-4-2 or 2-4-0 Monkey Pirates

Monkey Pirates adds two more cannons and the MOAB Takedown ability, which harpoons a MOAB-class Bloon and drags it down. It is one of the most efficient MOAB answers for its price. 0-4-2 adds Camo; 2-4-0 adds attack speed.

4-0-2 or 4-2-0 Aircraft Carrier

Aircraft Carrier launches planes that cover a wide area and fire missiles at MOAB-class Bloons. A good all-round mid to late-game tower.

2-0-3 or 0-2-3 Merchantman

Merchantman earns cash at the end of every round. In modes where income is allowed, it is a common early farm. Favored Trades (x-x-4) earns a lot more and raises the sell value of Monkeys in its radius.

5-0-2 Carrier Flagship and 0-5-2 Pirate Lord

The two most used tier 5s. Carrier Flagship lets you place land Monkeys on its decks and speeds up all water Monkeys and Aces. Pirate Lord harpoons several MOAB-class Bloons at once.

Early game

The base Buccaneer is fairly weak until it gets Grape Shot. If you use one early, buy Grape Shot first and place the ship where both sides face the track. Crow's Nest is cheap and covers the camo green on round 24 of CHIMPS.

In income modes, an early 2-0-3 or 0-2-3 Merchantman is a strong farm, especially on water maps where you cannot place Banana Farms close to the action anyway.

Mid game

The Buccaneer's mid game is excellent:

• MOAB rounds: a 0-4-2 Monkey Pirates is one of the cheapest ways to destroy a MOAB or a BFB. Use MOAB Takedown on the most dangerous MOAB-class Bloon.
• General damage: a 3-2-0 Destroyer or a 4-0-2 Aircraft Carrier deals steady damage across a large area.
• Income: in non-CHIMPS modes, Favored Trades gives a big cash boost.

MOAB Takedown is meant for smaller MOAB-class Bloons. It will not drag down BADs or bosses, so plan other damage for the biggest targets.

Placement and targeting

A Buccaneer fires from both sides of the ship, so the ideal spot is a narrow channel or the middle of a lake with track on two sides. Think of coverage rather than range: a ship that sees two stretches of track does twice the work of one that sees only one. Long Range (x-x-1) is cheap and also gives the projectiles more speed and pierce, so it is worth buying on almost every build.

Targeting is worth a second look too. First is fine for most builds, but switching to Strong or Close can line up the side shots better on some maps. For Monkey Pirates, the ability picks a target for you, so focus on timing: use it when the most dangerous MOAB-class Bloon of the round is on screen, not on the first MOAB you see.

Water map priorities

On maps with lots of water, your land space is often limited. That makes the Buccaneer and the Sub more valuable than usual, because they use space nobody else can. A common plan is a Sub for early damage, a Buccaneer for mid-game coverage and MOAB Takedown, and a Carrier Flagship late to move key land towers onto the water.

Late game

Late-game Buccaneers support the rest of your defense:

• Carrier Flagship: place your land towers on its decks to use spots on water, and speed up all water Monkeys and Aces.
• Pirate Lord: strong, repeatable MOAB control.
• Trade Empire: in income modes, boosts every other Merchantman.

The Navarch of the Seas Paragon is a late-game and boss option.

Monkey Buccaneer in CHIMPS

The Buccaneer is a strong mid-game CHIMPS tower on water maps. Merchantman income does not work in CHIMPS, so focus on damage:

1. Open with cheap land towers or a Sub.
2. Add a 0-2-2 Buccaneer for coverage, Lead and Camo.
3. Upgrade to 0-4-2 Monkey Pirates for the MOAB and BFB rounds.
4. In the late game, add Pirate Lord or Carrier Flagship.

For full CHIMPS walkthroughs, see our videos on the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.

Best heroes and tower combos

• Admiral Brickell: the water hero. Naval Tactics speeds up nearby water towers, and she pairs well with Pirate Lord and Destroyers.
• Monkey Sub: Bloontonium Reactor lowers the cooldown of water Monkeys' abilities, which helps MOAB Takedown and the First Strike ability.
• Monkey Ace: Carrier Flagship speeds up Aces.
• Banana Farm or other income: Merchantman pairs well with farms in non-CHIMPS modes.

Tier 5 upgrades: are they worth it?

Carrier Flagship (5-x-x). Worth it on water maps where land space is tight, because it adds placement space and buffs water Monkeys and Aces.

Pirate Lord (x-5-x). One of the best value MOAB control tier 5s. It harpoons several MOAB-class Bloons at once.

Trade Empire (x-x-5). Only for income modes. It is strongest when you already have many Merchantmen.

Common mistakes

• Using Merchantman in CHIMPS. Income does not work there.
• Skipping Grape Shot early. The base Buccaneer is weak without it.
• Wasting MOAB Takedown on a small MOAB when a BFB is coming. Save it for the bigger threat.
• Placing the ship where only one side faces the track. Buccaneers fire from both sides, so use both.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Monkey Buccaneer path?

0-4-2 Monkey Pirates for MOABs, 3-2-0 Destroyer or 4-0-2 Aircraft Carrier for general damage, and 2-0-3 Merchantman for income outside CHIMPS.

Can Monkey Buccaneer see camo?

Yes, with Crow's Nest (x-x-2).

Can Monkey Buccaneer pop lead?

Yes, with Hot Shot (x-2-x). Cannon Ship's bombs also deal with Lead.

Is Merchantman worth it?

In modes with income it is a strong farm, especially on water maps. In CHIMPS it earns nothing.

Is Monkey Pirates good against BFBs?

Yes. MOAB Takedown can drag down a BFB, which makes 0-4-2 one of the cheapest ways to handle the BFB on round 60 and the MOAB-heavy rounds after it.

Can Monkey Buccaneer be placed on land?

No. Like the Monkey Sub, the Buccaneer can only be placed on water.

Can you put towers on a Carrier Flagship?

Yes. Carrier Flagship lets you place other Monkeys on its upper decks.

What is the Monkey Buccaneer Paragon?

Navarch of the Seas, which costs $550,000 on Medium.