| “ | The Barracuda slaps Bloons backwards and pops multiple layers with their razor sharp teeth. | ” |
| ~ In-game description |
Barracuda is the second upgrade of Path 1 for the Beast Handler in Bloons TD 6. Instead of a Piranha, the Barracuda Handler handles a Barracuda, which deals more damage and knocks bloons back. As a water-dweller, the Beast Handler requires water to place a Barracuda. As a Tier 2, Barracuda can accept merges from other aquatic beasts of less than or equal to its own tier, up to a maximum of 3 contributing Beast Handlers. Maximum beast power increases from 1 to 6, and base has 3.
Each attack now deals 2 damage instead of 1, and pierce increases from 1 to 4, and its range also increases from 25 to 30. Additionally, each attack inflicts knockback to bloons, similarly to Buckshot or Juggernaut; it pushes back bloons at 150% speed, or 125% speed versus Ceramics and poppable Leads, both for 0.2s.
Compared to base stats, Barracuda's damage increases at a ratio of 2 per 3 degrees, and pierce increases at a ratio of 8 per 3 degrees. Attack cooldown decreases linearly at a ratio of 0.20634s every 3 power. At max power, Barracuda does 4 damage, 12 pierce, and attacks every 0.3937s.
This upgrade costs $690 on Easy, $810 on Medium, $875 on Hard, and $970 on Impoppable.
Description[]
Overview[]
Barracuda and its handler
When upgraded, the Barracuda Handler replaces the Piranha with a Barracuda, and the handler is stylized further to have a closer association with aquatic life. The handler's fish hook is no longer just a hook on a stick; it is now a larger ivory-like fish hook with rope. The handler has an aquamarine-colored starfish on the left of his forehead, and additionally gains a barnacle on the left near the starfish, and the right of his forehead now has an x-shaped pink starfish. His scarf's frills are two-layered and shaped and colored in a similar manner to water waves. He wears blue shorts and has a rope around his waist.
Barracuda at default 3/6 power
The barracuda is a dark-blue-colored barracuda dark yellow eyes, blue pupils, and large razor sharp teeth. Its razor sharp teeth are more noticeable when it opens its mouth to thrash at bloons. At max 6/6 power, the barracuda gains blue barnacles, and has rope secured around its waist.
The barracuda regularly leaps out of the water to hit bloons, dealing 2 damage to up to 4 bloons and knocking affected bloons backwards in the process. It can hurl itself at bloons from slightly further.
Targeting Priorities[]
As an upgraded Beast Handler, the Barracuda Handler controls an aquatic beast. It controls a Barracuda. The Barracuda can be merged from weaker-tier aquatic beasts to add energy, empowering the Barracuda via a network of other Beast Handlers. Alternatively, it can be merged into stronger-tier aquatic beasts to transfer energy, empowering the stronger aquatic beast in the process. This system utilises the Merge button to select a valid Beast Handler given sufficient energy capacity.
The Beast follows basic targeting priorities for its grabbing attack.
- First: Targets the first bloon visible within its range.
- Last: Targets the last bloon visible within its range.
- Close: Targets the closest bloon visible within its range.
- Strong: Targets the strongest bloon visible within its range.
Additionally, the beast has a button "Place Beast" that places the beast and repositions it anywhere within valid water placement of the Beast Handler. Any contributing Beast Handlers will also grant range that allows repositioning of that beast.
Full Popology[]
Statistics[]
Updated as of Version 36.1
- Base Stats
- Barracuda:
- Projectile, sharp type, 30 range, 0.6s attack cooldown, 2 damage, 4 pierce. Applies a 0.2s knockback to damaged non-blimp bloons that moves bloons at -150% speed, or -125% speed if Ceramic or a poppable Lead. Each attack takes 0.4s to jump to the target.
- Crosspathing interactions
Unlike the majority of towers in BTD6, the Beast Handler does not benefit from crosspathing. Each path spawns or upgrades a beast, rather than directly affecting the other crosspaths.
- Merging interactions
- Default Power: 3
- Min Power: 3
- Max Power: 6
- Bonus Stat Changes: Damage increases by 1 every 2 power, pierce increases by 1 every 1 power. At the default 3 power, starts with 2 damage and 4 pierce.
- Equations: Where p is power, floor() function is rounding down, and ceil() function is rounding up:
- Damage: ceil(p/2)
- Pierce: 4+floor((p-3)*8/3)
- Attack cooldown: 0.6-0.20634*(p-3)/3
- Default Power (3): 2 damage, 4 pierce.
- Max Power (6): Damage increased to 4, pierce increased to 12.
- Equations: Where p is power, floor() function is rounding down, and ceil() function is rounding up:
| Beast Power | Pierce | Damage | Attack Speed | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 4 | 2 | 0.6s | N/A |
| 4 | 6 | 2 | 0.5312s | N/A |
| 5 | 9 | 3 | 0.4624s | N/A |
| 6 | 12 | 4 | 0.3937s | N/A |
Attack Interactions[]
- See also: Attack Interactions/Bloons TD 6/Support
- Updated as of Version 36.0
- Place Fish:
Passive- Deploy Beast
- Merge Into:
- Passive
- Target Tower(s) (Target: own Barracuda, other 2+-x-x handlers)
- Merge
- Merge From:
- Passive
- Target Tower(s) (Target: own Barracuda, other fish handlers up to 2-x-x)
- Merge
- Barracuda Bite:
- Sharp
- Extra Damage (2)
- Knockback (-150% Bloon, -125% Lead/Ceramic)
Costs[]
- Note: This section does not take into account Beast Handler merges.
- Updated as of Version 44.0. Listed prices exclude external buffs, any sacrifices, and Monkey Knowledge.
| [Module | Data] | Purchase | Sell | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Costs | Easy | Medium | Hard | Impoppable | Easy | Medium | Hard | Impoppable |
| Upgrade (2-X-X) | $690 | $810 | $875 | $970 | - | |||
| Total (2-0-0) | $1,035 | $1,220 | $1,315 | $1,460 | $725 | $854 | $921 | $1,022 |
| Crosspath (2-1-0) | $1,185 | $1,395 | $1,505 | $1,670 | $830 | $977 | $1,054 | $1,169 |
| Crosspath (2-2-0) | $1,890 | $2,225 | $2,400 | $2,665 | $1,323 | $1,558 | $1,680 | $1,866 |
| Crosspath (2-0-1) | $1,195 | $1,410 | $1,520 | $1,690 | $837 | $987 | $1,064 | $1,183 |
| Crosspath (2-0-2) | $1,925 | $2,270 | $2,450 | $2,720 | $1,348 | $1,589 | $1,715 | $1,904 |
This upgrade's prices (or included crosspath's prices) are affected by the following MK: 
Better Sell Deals
Strategy[]
Summary[]
Barracuda is a more powerful version of Piranha that offers more damage, more pierce, and a slight knockback to affected Bloons. It is noticeably more reliable against small groups of Bloons, yet still somewhat weak against larger denser groups. Altogether, it helps chip away at stronger Bloons and clump up the affected Bloons. It can assist all stages of the game, fulfilling early-game damage and knockback as well as carrying over to late-game versus Super Ceramics.
Tips[]
- A second barracuda is cheaper than 3 piranhas to merge, but may not provide sufficient intel and could overall be more expensive if running a second path beast.
- While two degree 3 barracudas do have higher knockback potential against a single bloon compared to a max barracuda, the higher damage, pierce, and consistency make a max degree far better than two individual degree 3s.
- Barracuda is a very powerful earlygame that retains value in midgame and lategame. The good damage, knockback, and pierce allows it to fare well against many midgame bloon rushes, and it assists any defense in dealing with bloons that they could not handle alone.
- On maps that split up bloons onto multiple lanes, a barracuda can function as a lane solo for up to rainbow rushes.
- A barracuda can be used when running an Orca midgame to cover for the Beast's downtime, or hold off bloons if the Orca has to be targeted to another lane for MOABs. Since it will be merged into the orca later on, it is effectively free.
- Barracuda's knockback combined with its decent pierce allows it to function as a mini super ceramic controller. It is not very good at controlling super ceramics compared to other towers of similar price, however these towers do not get much value until lategame, while barracuda does very well in the earlier stages of the game.
Version History[]
Balance Changes[]
- 36.0
- Released
- 39.0
| “ | Beast Handler’s general repositioning feels far too free right now, the reposition cooldown is being increased to a more reasonably noticeable number so this feels like a meaningful cost. | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Beast Handler beast reposition cooldown increased from 0.5s to 5s
- 40.0
| “ | We feel Beast Handler balance is setting down nicely overall but it feels like the reposition cooldown increasing was far more impactful and unfun than intended, we still feel the initial delay was silly but are cutting it down again a little. [...] | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Beast Handler beast reposition cooldown decreased from 5s to 3s
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- 42.0
| “ | When first creating Beast Handler we balanced the T1-3 upgrade costs with a goal of creating a decision point between spending free playable space to save on cash or spending more cash to save on playable space. However in practice though some people have come on board with spending their playable space as a resource for more power; actual interest is much more divided between maximizing cost efficiency of these merges or simply using different towers. Given that spam of lower tier handlers already comes with the advantage of allowing them to be repositioned over a larger area, we’re changing our approach with a full cost rebalance across most T1-3 upgrades for exactly equal cost per point of merged beast power, instead leaving the nuance around understanding higher value merges & footprint advantage to depend more on discounts. | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Barracuda price reduced from $875 to $850
- Overall price adjustment is -$15 due to Piranha price nerf (+$10)
- 43.0
| “ | In going over our large list of price changes for Beast Handler’s lower tiers in 42 this change was received very positively, however we did not realize that in making this change we killed off all chance of dual-beast handlers being used as a round 1 starting option for under $650 in hard modes – So we gotta do that math all over again and convert it for difficulty, painful 😀 All T1 beast prices changed to allow 110 & 101 beast handler combos to be placed for under $650 in hard mode, all T2 & T3 prices shifted around to keep these same cost ratios. | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Barracuda cost reduced from $850 to $810
- Overall price adjustment is -$50 due to Piranha (-$10)
| “ | We’re slightly reducing beast reposition cooldown as the tiny range leaves movement very tight, which is especially painful for Microraptor path given the low range. | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Beast Handler reposition cooldown reduced from 3s to 2s
Bug Fixes and General Changes[]
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This section is incomplete. You can help by expanding it. |
Extra Notes (Version History)[]
- Version 42.0 slightly adjusted the efficiency of 2-0-0 Barracuda for merges, due to price adjustments to all its previous upgrades.
- Medium: $1285 → $1270; 428.3333 / 1 power → 423.3333 / 1 power
- Version 43.0 slightly adjusted the efficiency of 2-0-0 Barracuda for merges, due to price adjustments to all its previous upgrades.
- Medium: $1270 → $1220; 423.3333 / 1 power → 406.666667 / 1 power
Sounds[]
When upgrading to Barracuda:
- [light splash]
When relocating Barracuda:
- [small splash, similarly to a stone into the water]
Gallery[]
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Not enough images! There are not enough images on this page to sufficiently complete this page or section. You can help by uploading some images related to the article's subject(s). |
.png "Beastquest (20).png (1.48 MB)")
Power Appearances[]
Official artwork[]
Trivia[]
- Barracuda is the cheapest T2 beast in terms of both upgrade cost alone and cumulative prices.
- While higher tiers of beast increase knockback duration with degrees, barracudas do not.
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