Military tower
Mortar Monkey
Launches an exploding mortar shell to a fixed location anywhere on the screen.
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Info
The Mortar Monkey is a Military Monkey that launches explosive shells at a target point you choose anywhere on the map. It costs $600 on Medium, has unlimited range, ignores line-of-sight obstacles and deals Explosion damage. Shells land with some spread, so it is best aimed at a spot where Bloons bunch up, such as a tight bend or a stretch where the track doubles back.
Explosions pop Lead Bloons, but by default the Mortar cannot pop Black or Zebra Bloons. Since version 56, Increased Accuracy (x-x-1) gives it Camo detection, so even a cheap Mortar can deal with Camo.
The three paths
- Top path (Bigger Blast to The Biggest One): bigger explosions. Bloon Buster pops 3 layers at once, Shell Shock stuns Bloons on impact, The Big One pops 7 layers of any Bloon type, and The Biggest One blasts through layers over a huge area.
- Middle path (Faster Reload to Pop and Awe): speed and big-target damage. Heavy Shells deals extra damage to Ceramic, Lead, Fortified and stunned Bloons and can pop Black Bloons, Artillery Battery adds three barrels, bonus BAD and boss damage and the Bombardment ability, and Pop and Awe keeps that speed permanently with a screen-wide ability that stuns Bloons.
- Bottom path (Increased Accuracy to Blooncineration): utility and fire. Increased Accuracy adds Camo detection, Burny Stuff sets Bloons on fire, Signal Flare permanently removes Camo from Bloons it hits, including DDTs, Shattering Shells strips Camo, Regrow and Fortified properties, and Blooncineration burns MOAB-class Bloons with very hot fire.
Camo and Black within its own upgrades
- Camo: Increased Accuracy (x-x-1) sees Camo. Signal Flare (x-x-3) goes further and removes Camo from Bloons for your whole defense.
- Black and Zebra: Heavy Shells (x-3-x) can pop Black Bloons, and The Big One (4-x-x) changes the main explosion to Normal damage that pops every Bloon type.
Paragon
The Mortar Monkey has no Paragon.
Quick summary
- Category: Military
- Base cost: $600 (Medium)
- Damage type: Explosion
- Best at: splash damage anywhere on the map, Camo removal with Signal Flare, Fortified removal with Shattering Shells
- Weak at: precise single-target damage, Black Bloons on the top path below tier 4
Upgrades
Top path
Middle path
Stats
Main attack
- Damage
- 2
- Pierce
- 25
- Attack speed
- 2s
- Range
- 9999999
Monkey Knowledge
Knowledge upgrades that change Mortar Monkey.
All Military Monkeys get a one-off +1000 XP and earn XP in-game 5% faster permanently.
Mortar shattering shells removes Fortification from DDT Bloons.
Requires: 8 Knowledge Points Extra Burny Stuff 250
All Military Monkeys base costs reduced by 5%.
Requires: 14 Knowledge Points Aeronautic Subsidy Door Gunner 1000
How to use Mortar Monkey
The Mortar Monkey is one of the most useful utility towers in Bloons TD 6. It can sit anywhere, hit anything it can aim at, and its bottom path removes Camo and Fortified properties from Bloons for your whole defense. It is also a strong splash damage dealer, and its middle path deals real damage to BADs and bosses.
Best crosspaths
0-2-3 or 2-0-3 Signal Flare
Signal Flare removes Camo from every Bloon its flare hits, including DDTs. This is one of the most popular Camo answers in CHIMPS, because one Mortar lets every other tower hit Camo Bloons. 0-2-3 fires faster; 2-0-3 has bigger explosions.
0-2-4 or 2-0-4 Shattering Shells
Shattering Shells strips Camo and Regrow, and Fortified from all but the largest Bloons, and its fire burns MOAB-class Bloons for extra damage. It is a strong late-game support that makes Fortified rounds much easier.
0-3-2 or 0-4-2 Heavy Shells and Artillery Battery
Heavy Shells adds damage against Ceramic, Lead, Fortified and stunned Bloons and pops Black Bloons. Artillery Battery adds three barrels, bonus BAD and boss damage, and the Bombardment ability. The Burny Stuff crosspath makes the fire much stronger, so 0-4-2 is the usual choice.
4-0-2 or 4-2-0 The Big One
The Big One pops 7 layers of any Bloon type per explosion. 4-0-2 adds Camo and fire damage; 4-2-0 attacks faster. A strong clearer for dense mid-game rounds.
0-5-2 Pop and Awe
Pop and Awe keeps Artillery Battery's rapid fire permanently, boosts the BAD and boss damage of other Artillery Batteries, and adds a screen-wide ability that damages and stuns Bloons. The 0-5-2 crosspath gets much stronger burn damage.
5-0-2 The Biggest One
Huge explosions with powerful fire. A good late-game splash tower.
2-0-5 Blooncineration
Blooncineration burns MOAB-class Bloons with superhot fire and keeps the bottom path's property stripping. It is one of the best value late-game supports.
Early game
The Mortar Monkey is not a common round 1 tower, but it can be. Its unlimited range means you can place it anywhere, then aim it at the densest spot on the track. Buy Increased Accuracy first: since version 56 it gives Camo detection, and the tighter spread means more shells actually land on the Bloons.
Keep in mind that the Mortar cannot pop Black or Zebra Bloons early. If those appear before you have Heavy Shells or a different tower for them, they will leak.
Mid game
Choose the job your defense needs:
- Camo removal: a 0-2-3 or 2-0-3 Signal Flare. Aim it near the start of the track so Bloons lose Camo before they reach your damage.
- Damage: a 4-0-2 The Big One or a 0-4-2 Artillery Battery. Heavy Shells handles Black Bloons too.
- Ceramic rushes: Shell Shock (3-x-x) stuns on impact, and Heavy Shells adds extra damage to stunned Bloons.
Aiming the Mortar
Aim at the spot where Bloons spend the most time or bunch up the most: the inside of a tight bend, a point where two parts of the track overlap, or a corner right after a slowdown from Glue or Ice. Use the "Set target" option whenever the busy part of the track changes. A good aim point can double a Mortar's effective damage.
Burny Stuff and fire damage
Burny Stuff (x-x-2) sets Bloons on fire for a short time after every hit. On its own it is a modest damage boost, but many top and middle path upgrades strengthen it when crosspathed: Shell Shock and The Big One raise its damage, and Heavy Shells, Artillery Battery and Pop and Awe all burn harder with the x-x-2 crosspath. That is why so many popular Mortar builds end in x-x-2 rather than x-x-1, even though Increased Accuracy alone now gives Camo detection.
Late game
In the late game, Mortars usually support:
- Shattering Shells and Blooncineration strip Fortified, Camo and Regrow and burn MOAB-class Bloons. Fortified ZOMGs and DDTs in the 90s become much easier.
- Pop and Awe adds strong ability damage and stuns, and buffs every Artillery Battery against BADs and bosses.
- Several Artillery Batteries are a classic way to add damage against BADs.
The Mortar Monkey has no Paragon, so it stays a support and damage tower in freeplay.
Mortar Monkey in CHIMPS
The Mortar is one of the best CHIMPS support towers:
- Start with cheaper towers.
- Add a Mortar with Increased Accuracy for Camo coverage, or grow it into a 0-2-3 Signal Flare by the time Camo becomes a real problem.
- In the late game, upgrade to Shattering Shells to strip Fortified from DDTs and ZOMGs.
- Consider Artillery Batteries or Pop and Awe for extra BAD damage.
For full CHIMPS walkthroughs, see our videos on the BTD6 Master YouTube channel.
Best heroes and tower combos
- Striker Jones: the explosives hero. He buffs Bomb Shooters and Mortar Monkeys and helps explosions deal with Black Bloons, which fixes the Mortar's biggest weakness.
- Glue Gunner or Ice Monkey: slowed Bloons bunch up where the Mortar is aimed.
- Any main damage tower: Signal Flare and Shattering Shells remove Camo, Regrow and Fortified for everyone else.
- Monkey Village: extra attack speed; the Mortar's range is already unlimited.
Tier 5 upgrades: are they worth it?
The Biggest One (5-x-x). Strong splash damage, but most players prefer the utility of the other two tier 5s.
Pop and Awe (x-5-x). Worth it for BAD and boss damage and its strong ability, especially with several Artillery Batteries around.
Blooncineration (x-x-5). One of the most popular late-game supports thanks to its MOAB burn and property stripping.
Common mistakes
- Never re-aiming the Mortar. Move the target point when the busy part of the track changes.
- Expecting early Mortars to pop Black Bloons. Only Heavy Shells and The Big One fix that.
- Skipping Increased Accuracy. It is cheap, tightens the spread and now gives Camo detection.
- Placing Signal Flare at the end of the track. Remove Camo early so every tower can hit the Bloons.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best Mortar Monkey path?
0-2-3 Signal Flare for Camo removal, 0-2-4 or 2-0-4 Shattering Shells for Fortified removal, and 0-4-2 Artillery Battery for damage.
Can Mortar Monkey see camo?
Yes. Since version 56, Increased Accuracy (x-x-1) gives Camo detection, and Signal Flare (x-x-3) removes Camo permanently.
Can Mortar Monkey pop black bloons?
Not by default. Heavy Shells (x-3-x) and The Big One (4-x-x) let it pop Black Bloons.
Is Mortar Monkey good in CHIMPS?
Yes. Signal Flare and Shattering Shells are some of the most common supports in CHIMPS.
What is the best Mortar for DDTs?
A Signal Flare (x-x-3) or Shattering Shells (x-x-4) removes Camo from DDTs so your other towers can hit them. Shattering Shells also strips Fortified from DDTs and burns them for extra damage.
Does Mortar Monkey need line of sight?
No. It has unlimited range and ignores line-of-sight obstacles.
Does the Mortar Monkey have a Paragon?
No, the Mortar Monkey has no Paragon.
