Wizard Monkey

The Wizard Monkey is one of the best-value towers in Bloons TD 6. A cheap Wall of Fire Wizard is a classic early-game tower, Shimmer removes Camo for your whole defense, and Archmage and Prince of Darkness are both strong late-game carries. The main thing to watch is Purple Bloons.

Best crosspaths

0-2-0 to 0-2-2 Wall of Fire

Wall of Fire places a burning wall on the track that pops everything passing through it, including Lead. It is very strong for its price in the early game. Adding Monkey Sense (0-2-2) gives Camo detection for the main bolt.

0-2-3 Shimmer

Shimmer periodically removes Camo from every Bloon near the Wizard. Paired with Wall of Fire, this is a cheap and popular Camo answer for the whole defense in CHIMPS.

0-2-4 or 2-0-4 Necromancer: Unpopped Army

The Necromancer raises popped Bloons as undead servants that travel back along the track and pop Bloons they meet. The undead pop Purple Bloons, which makes this the Wizard's best Purple answer. 0-2-4 adds Wall of Fire; 2-0-4 makes the undead last longer.

4-2-0 or 4-0-2 Arcane Spike

Arcane Spike doubles attack speed, deals big MOAB damage and lets the bolts pop Lead. 4-2-0 adds Fireball and Wall of Fire; 4-0-2 adds Camo.

5-2-0 or 5-1-0 Archmage

Archmage gets Dragon's Breath and Shimmer on top of its arcane bolts, and the middle path crosspath adds triple Fireballs and a stronger Wall of Fire. A strong late-game carry.

0-4-2 or 2-4-0 Summon Phoenix

Summon Phoenix adds an ability that summons a phoenix for 20 seconds. Strong burst damage for hard rounds.

0-2-5 or 2-0-5 Prince of Darkness

Raises stronger undead Bloons and buffs all other Necromancers. A powerful late-game tower, especially on long tracks.

Early game

A 0-0-0 Wizard costs less than a Dart Monkey with one upgrade, and Wall of Fire comes cheap. On many maps, a 0-2-0 Wizard aimed at a long stretch of track can hold the early rounds on its own, and the fire pops Lead too.

Placement is everything for Wall of Fire. The Wizard drops the wall on the track inside its range, so place it next to a long stretch where Bloons pass in a line, not at a crossroads where the wall might land on a short segment. On multi-lane maps, one Wizard per lane often beats a single stronger tower in the middle.

Plan Camo before round 24. Monkey Sense (x-x-2) is cheap, and a 0-2-3 Shimmer later removes Camo for every tower nearby.

Mid game

From the 30s onward, choose a role:

• Camo support: 0-2-3 Shimmer near the start of your defense.
• Damage: 4-2-0 Arcane Spike for MOAB damage, Lead popping and Ceramics.
• Purple Bloons and long tracks: 0-2-4 Necromancer. Its undead Bloons pop Purples and travel back along the track.

Watch for Purple Bloons. They ignore Energy, fire and Plasma, so a Wizard without Necromancer cannot pop them at all. Add a Sharp or Normal damage tower if your Wizard is not a Necromancer.

How the Necromancer works

Necromancer: Unpopped Army keeps a graveyard counter that fills as Bloons are popped near the Wizard. It spends that counter to summon groups of undead Bloons that walk backwards along the track, dealing Normal damage to anything they meet, which is why they can pop Purple Bloons. When the graveyard is full, the Wizard attacks faster and deals more damage with all of its attacks. Place a Necromancer where many Bloons are popped nearby, ideally near your main damage, so its graveyard stays full. It also gets a targeting option that lets you choose where the undead are deployed.

Late game

Late-game Wizards are carries:

• Archmage (5-x-x): strong bolts plus Dragon's Breath and Shimmer, with bonus MOAB damage.
• Wizard Lord Phoenix (x-5-x): a permanent phoenix and a Lava Phoenix transformation.
• Prince of Darkness (x-x-5): strong undead Bloons and buffs to other Necromancers.

The Magus Perfectus Paragon is a late-game and boss option.

Wizard Monkey in CHIMPS

The Wizard is a very common CHIMPS tower:

1. Open with Dart Monkeys or a hero, then add a 0-2-0 Wall of Fire Wizard.
2. Upgrade to 0-2-3 Shimmer for Camo coverage.
3. Add a Necromancer or Arcane Spike for the mid game, depending on whether you need Purple answers or MOAB damage.
4. Finish with Archmage or Prince of Darkness.

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

Best heroes and tower combos

• Obyn Greenfoot: the Magic hero. From level 11 he buffs every Magic Monkey in his range, including Wizards.
• Monkey Village: range and attack speed help Wall of Fire and Archmage.
• Sharp or Normal damage towers: cover Purple Bloons for non-Necromancer Wizards.
• Glue Gunner: slowed Bloons spend longer in the Wall of Fire.

Tier 5 upgrades: are they worth it?

Archmage (5-x-x). Strong late-game carry with built-in Camo removal and good MOAB damage. Worth it in most late-game setups.

Wizard Lord Phoenix (x-5-x). Strong damage with a permanent phoenix, but fire cannot pop Purple Bloons. Good if your Purple answer is elsewhere.

Prince of Darkness (x-x-5). Very strong on long tracks and against Purple Bloons. One of the cheaper Magic tier 5s.

Common mistakes

• Ignoring Purple Bloons. Only Necromancer's undead pop them within the Wizard's own tree.
• Placing Wall of Fire on a short track section. Place the Wizard so the wall covers a long stretch where Bloons pass.
• Skipping Monkey Sense. It is cheap and gives Camo detection.
• Using Summon Phoenix on easy waves. Save the ability for the hardest moments.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Wizard Monkey path?

0-2-3 Shimmer for Camo, 0-2-4 Necromancer for Purples and long tracks, 4-2-0 Arcane Spike for damage, and 5-2-0 Archmage as a late-game carry.

Can Wizard Monkey pop camo?

Yes, with Monkey Sense (x-x-2). Shimmer (x-x-3) also removes Camo from Bloons around the Wizard.

Can Wizard Monkey pop lead?

Yes, with Fireball or Wall of Fire, or with Arcane Spike (4-x-x) for the main bolt.

Can Wizard Monkey pop purple bloons?

Only with Necromancer: Unpopped Army (x-x-4) and above, through its undead Bloons.

Is Archmage worth it?

Yes, in most late-game setups. It is a strong carry on its own, removes Camo with Shimmer, and its MOAB damage got several buffs in recent updates. It still cannot pop Purple Bloons with fire, so keep another answer for them.

Does Wall of Fire pop lead?

Yes. Wall of Fire is a fire attack, so it pops Lead Bloons. It cannot pop Purple Bloons, and the wall disappears early if it touches one.

Is Wizard Monkey good in CHIMPS?

Yes. Wall of Fire, Shimmer and Necromancer are all common CHIMPS picks.

What is the Wizard Monkey Paragon?

Magus Perfectus, which costs $800,000 on Medium.