Strategy:Alchemist (BTD6)

This article was last updated for: version 47.0

The Alchemist is a tower primarily used for support purposes. Its main draw are the buffs that the top path can provide that can significantly improve a player's defenses.

Base

The base (0-0-0) Alchemist can be useful as a way to deal with early-game leads (rounds 28 and 30) as it is more reliable than other cheap options such as 0-0-0 Bomb Shooter. Its cost ($595 on Hard) is more than the Bomb Shooter, meaning it is less useful on game modes where cash is important (Half Cash, Impoppable and CHIMPS).

Upgrades

Path 1

The top path Alchemist is incredibly versatile and can improve almost any strategy.

• 2-x-x Acidic Mixture Dip can be useful for cheap lead popping power in a pinch. It is one of the few lower-tier upgrades that is still useful late-game, as it can be very helpful against DDTs.
• 3-x-x Berserker Brew and 4-x-x Stronger Stimulant are cost-effective ways to buff almost any tower.
• 5-x-x Permanent Brew is usually worse than simply having multiple Stronger Stimulants, as it is less cost-effective.
• Perma-Brew can be moved around the map using a Support Chinook; this allows it to give permanent buffs to all your towers. Useful in freeplay rounds.
• The best crosspath depends on the situation: x-2-x Perishing Potions gives the buff a longer duration, and should be used if the Alchemist is only buffing a few towers. When buffing a large number of towers, use x-x-1 Faster Throwing as it allows the Alchemist to throw the buff potion faster. x-x-2 Acid Pool is almost always redundant.
• Do not use the top path Alchemist when fighting Lych: Lych will remove the buff from your towers and heal itself in the process.

Path 2

• x-3-x Unstable Concoction is useful for blimp-heavy rounds like 57, 62, and 71, where there are plenty of other Bloons that can be damaged by the explosion.
• x-4-x Transforming Tonic is very underwhelming, and requires support to be even remotely usable.
• x-5-x Total Transformation is expensive, but can be useful in specific strategies with Shinobis or Druids of Wrath (the latter being buffed with Poplusts). Total Transformation also pairs well with Plasma Monkey Fan Club as the two abilities can be combined for 100% uptime.
• Unstable Concoction should be crosspathed with x-x-1 Faster Throwing; x-4-x and x-5-x do not benefit from crosspaths.

Path 3

• x-x-4 Rubber to Gold can be useful as a cheap money maker, as its effects stack with Monkey Town and other buffs.
• x-x-5 Bloon Master Alchemist (BMA) can be deadly with proper support, but falls off past Round 100 due to its inability to hit BADs. The BMA also suffers from the same issues as Benjamin's bloon trojan; it severely affects income as its shrink potion does not give any cash.