Arctic Knight

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Old Timey MOAB-class Bloons icon This article or section is outdated and needs to be updated to reflect recent updates or newly available information. You can help out by editing this article.
The editor who added this notice elaborates: Arctic Knight ice jet strategy, arctic knight proj speed and lifespan reworks
Arctic Knight
Portrait of Arctic Knight
Icon of Arctic KnightTridents grow in power faster. Ice Jet ability: Launches a barrage of bouncing ice balls following target priority, or targeted point.
Tower Mermonkey — Path 2 — Tier 4
XP cost 16,000
Cash cost $6,800 — Easy
$8,000 — Medium
$8,640 — Hard
$9,600 — Impoppable

Arctic Knight is the Mermonkey's path 2 tier 4 upgrade in Bloons TD 6. In addition to the Ice Jet ability, tridents deal base 8 damage instead of 4, deal double base damage to MOAB-class, and grow in power faster (75% instead of 50%). Wavelets also do 8 damage instead of 4.

The Ice Jet ability stops the trident attack, instead rapidly throwing ice balls for 3 seconds, with 45 seconds ability cooldown. By default, they attack targets anywhere on screen based on targeting priority. A targeting reticle can be placed anywhere on screen to only aim towards a specific point.

Mechanics

Trident

This upgrade gives the trident attack the following benefits over Riptide Champion:

  • Increased base damage from 4 to 8, deals +4 damage to frozen Bloons and +8 damage to MOAB-Class Bloons.
  • Trident wavelets do 8 damage instead of 4, deals +4 damage to frozen Bloons and +8 damage to MOAB-Class Bloons.
  • Grows faster, by +75% instead of +50%. With 2-4-0 crosspath, the growth rate increases to +112.5% instead of +75%.

Like Riptide Champion, tridents grow in projectile radius and damage at a steady rate, and create two wavelets at 180° apart that deal non-scaling damage and lose projectile size as they travel. Tridents have 25 pierce and 100 projectile speed. With Trident Swiftness (2-4-0), projectile speed is increased to 150, but lasts 1.3333 seconds, resulting in about the same projectile distance, and results in the same damage when expired by time.

Ice Jet

Ice Jet is Arctic Knight's Activated Ability. When activated, the Mermonkey stops throwing tridents and instead rapidly shoots ice balls for 3 seconds, at a rate of 0.1s per ice ball (affected by attack speed buffs), randomly spread over a 30° angle. Each ice ball deals 20 damage that doesn't soak through layers (meaning the extra damage only matters for Bloons with more than 1 health), has 240 pierce, and freezes non-MOAB-Class Bloons for 3 seconds. They can bounce off obstacles, but not the edges of the map, and can rehit Bloons after bouncing. They last for up to 10 seconds on screen normally and can carry over one round. The ability has a 45-second cooldown.

The ice balls deal frigid-type damage, but can pass through White and Zebra Bloons (without affecting them) instead of disappearing on contact, though they are neutralized by Purple Bloons as normal. If the tower has a buff that allows the ice balls to damage Bloons with White properties, such as Monkey Intelligence Bureau, then they will collide with White and Zebra Bloons as normal.

By default, this ability targets Bloons anywhere on-screen (even behind line of sight blockers) and prioritizes First, Last, Close, or Strong according to the tower's current targeting mode. The player can use the tower's Monkey Special to set a target position anywhere on-screen, which causes Ice Jet to aim at that marker instead. Using the Monkey Special again removes the marker and prevents it from being set again for 5 seconds afterwards. If the tower has a marker, then the ability is usable without requiring a Bloon to be on-screen, but if it does not have a marker, then the ability cannot be used if there are no Bloons on-screen, and if the tower does not have Camo detection, then Camo Bloons do not allow the ability to be used.

Crosspathing with Trident Swiftness increases the projectile speed of the ice balls by +50% while retaining their lifespan, thus increasing their total distance by the same amount.

Crosspathing with Echosense Precision reduces the random spread of the ice balls from 30° to 10° and allows the ice balls to hit Camo Bloons.

Stats

For a complete list of Mermonkey stats, see Stats:Mermonkey (BTD6).
This data was last updated for: version 55.1
Tower
Display range32 units
Footprint radius8 units
Targeting options
  • First
  • Last
  • Close
  • Strong
Attack
Cooldown1.5s
Offset (X, Y, Z)
-0.5, 3.4, 10.4
TargetingDepends on targeting option
Targeting range32 units
Filters
  • Cannot target Camo
Projectile
Pierce25
Damage8
Damage to MOAB-Class+8
Damage to frozen+4
Damage typeFrigid
Speed130 units/s
Lifespan1.5385s
Radius1 unit
Filters
  • Ignores White if its damage type cannot damage it
  • Cannot hit Camo
Freeze
Multiplier×0
Duration1s
Layers5
Split projectile
Count2
Angle180°
Pierce25
Damage8
Damage to MOAB-Class+8
Damage to frozen+4
Damage typeFrigid
Speed100 units/s
Lifespan2s
Radius1 unit
Filters
  • Ignores White if its damage type cannot damage it
  • Cannot hit Camo
Freeze
Multiplier×0
Duration1s
Layers
Ability
Cooldown45s
Lifespan3s
Disables other attacks3s
Attack
Cooldown0.1s
Offset (X, Y, Z)
0, 0, 0
Targeting range∞ units
Filters
  • Cannot target Camo
  • Ignores blockers
Projectile
Angle30°
Pierce240
Damage20
Damage typeFrigid
Speed260 units/s
Lifespan7.5s
Persists between rounds1
Radius2 units
Filters
  • Ignores White if its damage type cannot damage it
  • Cannot hit Camo
Freeze
Multiplier×0
Duration3s
Layers3
Buff when in water
Range modifier×1.35

1-4-0

Attack
Cooldown1.5s → 1.2s

2-4-0

Attack
Cooldown1.2s → 0.825s
Projectile
Speed130 units/s → 195 units/s
Lifespan1.5385s → 1.0256s
Ability
Attack
Projectile
Speed260 units/s → 390 units/s

0-4-1

Attack
Filters
  • Can now target Camo
Projectile
Seeking distance80 units
Seeking angle360°
Seeking rotation speed169 °/s
Filters
  • Can now hit Camo
Split projectile
Filters
  • Can now hit Camo
Ability
Attack
Filters
  • Can now target Camo
Projectile
Angle30° → 10°
Filters
  • Can now hit Camo

0-4-2

Echosense Network
Range modifier+7.5%
Max. stacks10
  • Has global range

Costs and sell values

Note: this list does not factor in Monkey Knowledge or other discounts.
Tiers Total cost Sell value
Easy Medium Hard Impoppable Easy Medium Hard Impoppable
0-4-0 $9,115 $10,725 $11,585 $12,870 $6,381 $7,508 $8,110 $9,009
1-4-0 $9,240 $10,875 $11,745 $13,050 $6,468 $7,613 $8,222 $9,135
2-4-0 $9,450 $11,125 $12,015 $13,350 $6,615 $7,788 $8,411 $9,345
0-4-1 $9,285 $10,925 $11,800 $13,110 $6,500 $7,648 $8,260 $9,177
0-4-2 $9,525 $11,205 $12,100 $13,445 $6,668 $7,844 $8,470 $9,412

Strategy

This section was last updated for: version 51.2
Old Timey MOAB-class Bloons icon This article or section is outdated and needs to be updated to reflect recent updates or newly available information. You can help out by editing this article.
The editor who added this notice elaborates: baller is op now so more stuff should probably be added

Arctic Knight excels on maps with obstacles, especially standing out on Dark Dungeons, because the Ice Jet ability can maximize its pierce and hit many more times on bloons. Its main attack does decent damage and freezing, though most of its power still comes from its ability. However, both its tridents and Ice Jet leave behind many White and Zebra Bloons so it should be combined with quick-attacking frozen-popping towers, such as Juggernaut.

In most situations 2-4-0 is preferred to maximize coverage of the projectiles on optimal maps while 0-4-1 is preferred if innate camo detection and homing tridents are preferred or going for Popseidon, and the improved projectile accuracy via 0-4-1 is minor. For the main attack, 2-4-0 is preferred if pierce is used often or if there's not enough space to seek Bloons for increasing trident damage.

Update history

For a complete list of Mermonkey changes, see Update history:Mermonkey (BTD6).
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While we’re not jumping into any full on balance changes, there’s a few corrections that we wanted to make for type-fixes and other intended play.
— Update notes
  • Nerf Ice Jet: Projectile lifespan is now capped at 15 seconds
  • Neutral Ice Jet: Projectile damage type changed ― Shatter → Plasma
While the Arctic Knight has been popular, Riptide Champion has major pierce issues and is seeing a price reduction as well as a pierce increase to make up for this. Arctic Knight itself is receiving the brand new damage type added this update; as it is gaining a weakness to White Bloons from this and wasn’t too wild before we are increasing the power as well & allowing the ability to carry over 1 round to prevent projectiles timing out immediately when cast at the end of a round.
— Update notes
  • Buff Overall cost reduced by $625 (due to cost changes for previous tiers)
  • Buff Pierce increased ― 14 → 15
  • Buff Ability damage increased ― 15 → 20
  • Nerf Trident: damage type changed ― Plasma → Frigid
    • Note: Projectile will be destroyed when hitting White properties
  • Nerf Ability: damage type changed ― Plasma → Frigid
    • Note: Projectile will be destroyed when hitting White properties
  • Buff Ability: projectiles now carry over 1 round
While we were happy with Arctic Knight’s Ice Jet being a high pierce MOAB layer removal that could with other tower combinations be upgraded to a more effective full-clear, there is not currently enough varied ways of quickly dealing with White Bloon layers, so for a long cooldown based ability this heavy a weakness is too much for now.
— Update notes
  • Buff Ice Jet: Projectiles pass through White or Zebra Bloons if they can't damage them, instead of destroying the projectile
  • Nerf Ice Jet: Projectile lifespan reduced ― 15s → 10s (undocumented)
2-4-0
  • Nerf Now reduces the lifespan of Ice Jet projectiles by 33% (undocumented)
    • Note: This means the maximum travel distance of Ice Jet projectiles is now the same as without the crosspath, since this crosspath increases their projectile speed by 50%
Middle path pierce was lacking all through to T5, so pierce is now being matched to T5 across the path.
— Update notes
  • Buff Trident: Pierce increased ― 12 → 18
    • Note: Popseidon unaffected
  • Buff Split projectile: Pierce increased ― 12 → 18
    • Note: Popseidon unaffected
Middle path is seeing a consistency improvement for Freeze Duration & White Bloons
— Update notes
  • Buff Trident: Freeze duration increased ― 0.3s → 0.8s
  • Buff Split trident: Freeze duration increased ― 0.3s → 0.8s
  • Buff Trident: Now passes through White Bloon properties unless it can damage them
[While talking about Riptide champion ...], and the rest of the path is also seeing a damage increase.
— Update notes
  • Buff Overall cost reduced by $300 (due to cost changes for previous tiers)
  • Buff Main and split projectiles: Damage increased ― 6 → 8
  • Buff Main and split projectiles: Bonus damage to MOAB-Class Bloons increased ― +6 → +8
  • Buff Main and split projectiles: Bonus damage to frozen Bloons increased ― +3 → +4 (undocumented)
  • Description changed ― Tridents can pop Lead Bloons and grow in power faster. Ice Jet ability: Launches a barrage of bouncing ice balls following target priority, or targeted point. → Tridents grow in power faster. Ice Jet ability: Launches a barrage of bouncing ice balls following target priority, or targeted point.
Mermonkey weren’t[sic] feeling they favoured their natural habitat enough, so their Water Placement bonus is getting a boost. Middle Path Mermonkey just isn’t putting in the work we hoped, so we’re giving a couple price adjustments, a pierce increase across all tiers, and some light ability improvements to make it feel more rewarding.
— Update notes
  • Buff Overall cost reduced by $400 (due to cost changes for previous tiers)
  • Buff Ability: Projectiles can now bounce from map borders (undocumented)
    • Note: X-5-X could already bounce from borders
  • Buff Trident: Pierce increased ― 18 → 25
  • Buff Range bonus when placed in water increased ― +25% → +35%
2-4-0
  • Buff Ability: Projectile lifespan increased ― 6.6667s → 10s
  • Buff Overall cost reduced by $975 (due to cost changes for previous tiers)
  • Buff Ice Jet: Projectile speed increased ― 200 units/s → 220 units/s (undocumented)
  • Buff Trident: Projectile speed increased ― 100 units/s → 110 units/s
  • Nerf Trident: Projectile lifespan decreased ― 2.0s → 1.8181s
    • Note: Maximum distance traveled by the projectile unchanged. Popseidon side tridents are also affected.
  • Nerf Ice Jet: Projectiles no longer bounce off map edges (bug fix)
    • Note: Popseidon unaffected
1-4-0
  • Buff Trident: Attack cooldown reduced ― 1.02s → 0.96s (attack speed increased by 6.25%)
    • Note: Attack cooldown reduction from 0-0-0 increased from 15% to 20%. The patch notes do not specify that the attack speed buff is only for the main trident attack, all other attacks unchanged.
2-4-0
  • Buff Trident: Attack cooldown reduced ― 0.804s → 0.66s (attack speed increased by 21.82%)
    • Note: Attack cooldown reduction from 1-x-x increased from 18% to 25%. The patch notes do not specify that the attack speed buff is only for the main trident attack, all other attacks unchanged.
  • Buff Trident: Projectile speed increased ― 150 units/s → 165 units/s
  • Nerf Trident: Projectile lifespan decreased ― 1.3333s → 1.1212s
    • Note: Maximum distance traveled by the projectile unchanged. Popseidon side tridents are also affected.
  • Buff Ice Jet: Projectile speed increased ― 300 units/s → 330 units/s (undocumented)
0-4-1, 0-4-2
  • Buff Trident (seeking): Turn rate increased ― 130°/s → 143°/s (undocumented)
Riptide Champion as an underappreciated star performed exceptionally well with recent changes which are now being scaled back and Popseidon which was also performing extremely well will likewise be scaled back
— Update notes
  • Nerf Overall cost increased by $300 (due to cost changes for previous tiers)
  • Nerf Range reduced ― 35 units → 32 units
Mermonkey ended up somewhat underrated and overbuffed, mid tiers for top and middle paths have really stood out here lately and need to be reigned back in line.
— Update notes
  • Nerf Overall cost increased by $625 (due to cost changes for previous tiers)
  • Buff Ability: Projectile speed increased ― 220 units/s → 260 units/s
    • Stacks with the 2-4-0 Trident Swiftness crosspath ― 330 units/s → 390 units/s
  • Nerf Ability: Projectile lifespan decreased ― 10s → 7.5s
    • Projectile distance reduced ― 2,600 units → 1,950 units
      • With 2-4-0 Trident Swiftness crosspath ― 3,300 units → 2,925 units
  • Buff Main attack: Freeze duration for Rainbow Bloons and below increased ― 0.8s → 1s
  • Nerf Main attack: Freeze duration for Ceramic Bloons decreased ― 0.8s → 0.5s
  • Buff Trident: Projectile speed increased ― 110 units/s → 130 units/s
    • Stacks with 2-X-0 Trident Swiftness crosspath ― 165 units/s → 195 units/s
  • Nerf Trident: Projectile lifespan decreased ― 1.8182s → 1.5385s
    • Stacks with 2-X-0 Trident Swiftness crosspath ― 1.2121s → 1.0256s
    • Neutral Overall projectile distance remains unchanged (200 units) for all crosspaths
  • Nerf Trident: Attack cooldown increased ― 1.2s → 1.5s (attack speed reduced by 20%)
    • Stacks with 1-X-0 Trident Efficiency crosspath ― 0.96s → 1.2s
    • Stacks with 2-X-0 Trident Swiftness crosspath ― 0.66s → 0.825s
0-4-1, 0-4-2
  • Buff Trident: Turn rate increased ― 143°/s → 169°/s
For more Mermonkey images, see Gallery:Mermonkey.

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The editor who added this notice elaborates: Add the upgrade names and upgrade descriptions