| “ | Bloons move slowly even after thawing out. | ” |
| ~ In-game description |
Permafrost is the Tier 1 upgrade of Path 1 for the Ice Monkey in Bloons TD 6. Like previous versions of Permafrost, frozen bloons move 50% slower after unfreezing, but this only lasts for one layer (2 with Deep Freeze, 4 with Absolute Zero). When crosspathed with any Tier 5 upgrade, including upgrading to Super Brittle, the Permafrost applies to blimps upon damaging, but with only a 25% slowdown instead of 50%. If crosspathed with Snowstorm or Absolute Zero, abilities also apply the Permafrost effect to affected bloons, though only Absolute Zero's ability can apply slowdown effect to MOAB-Class Bloons.
This upgrade costs $125 on Easy, $150 on Medium, $160 on Hard, and $180 on Impoppable.
Description[]
Overview[]
Permafrost
This upgrade adds a light blue snowflake symbol on top of the monkey's head. When crosspathed, Deep Freeze places the snowflake symbol at the front side of the beanie, Arctic Wind and Snowstorm appropriately places it respectively on top of their hoodies, and Icicles places it on his forehead. The portrait for Permafrost depicts the Ice Monkey blowing cold air.
Permafrost permanently slows all layers frozen by the Ice Monkey by 50%, or 25% on MOAB-class if the Ice Monkey is a T5 tower.
Targeting Priorities[]
Permafrost produces freezing blasts in a zone-like style. Technically, the Ice Monkey is locked on the Close targeting priority. However, for simplicity reasons, this monkey has no targeting priorities.
Full Popology[]
Statistics[]
- Updated as of Version 39.0
- Base stats
- Freeze:
- Zone, cold type, detects centerpoint hitbox, 20 range, 2.4s attack cooldown, 1 damage, 40 pierce. Blast radius matches current range, freezes for 1.5s. Applies Permafrost status effect, slowing down affected bloons by 50%.
- Crosspathing interactions
- 1-2-0: Permafrost penetrates two layers. Pierce increased from 40 to 45.
- 1-4-0: Applies Permafrost to non-blimp bloons affected by ability. Permafrost penetrates two layers.
- 1-5-0: Applies Permafrost to all bloons affected by ability or main attack. Permafrost penetrates four layers.
- 1-0-5: Applies Permafrost to all bloons affected by snowballs.
- Tier 3+ with 1-x-x Can apply freeze effect on Ceramics for 100% duration instead of 50%.
- Monkey Knowledge interactions
Icy Chill: Freeze radius slightly increased. Increases by +3.- So... Cold...: Ice Monkey's Permafrost upgrade slows by 60%. Increases effect from 50% to 60%.
- Come On Everybody!: Primary towers attack 5% faster if all are below tier 3, and cost 5% less if all are tier 3 or 4.
- Monkey Education: All Monkeys XP earn rate increased by 8%.
- Better Sell Deals: All Monkeys sell for 5% more. Increases sell potency from 70% to 75%.
- Veteran Monkey Training: All Monkeys reload time reduced by 3%.
Attack Interactions[]
- See also: Attack Interactions/Bloons TD 6/Primary
- Updated as of Version 37.3
- Base attack(s)
- Freezing:
- Cold
- Area of Effect
- Target Bloon
- Freeze (1.5s duration, 0.75s Ceramic duration)
- Permafrost (permanent slowdown)
- Slowdown (50%, permanent)
Costs[]
- 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 (1-X-X) | $125 | $150 | $160 | $180 | - | |||
| Total (1-0-0) | $550 | $650 | $700 | $780 | $385 | $455 | $490 | $546 |
| Crosspath (1-1-0) | $740 | $875 | $945 | $1,050 | $518 | $613 | $662 | $735 |
| Crosspath (1-2-0) | $1,120 | $1,325 | $1,430 | $1,590 | $784 | $928 | $1,001 | $1,113 |
| Crosspath (1-0-1) | $700 | $825 | $890 | $990 | $490 | $578 | $623 | $693 |
| Crosspath (1-0-2) | $890 | $1,050 | $1,135 | $1,260 | $623 | $735 | $795 | $882 |
This upgrade's prices (or included crosspath's prices) are affected by the following MK: 
Better Sell Deals
Strategy[]
Summary[]
Permafrost is a cheap but somewhat unreliable way of slowing down bloons. As long as bloons pass by and are not hit by other towers, the Permafrost slowdown effect will last forever. This upgrade sees the most use in its effectiveness at slowing down Ceramics, especially Super Ceramics. When given to Tier 5 Ice Monkeys, the Permafrost effect on MOAB-class bloons in effect clumps them up, slowing each affected blimp down permanently when hit.
Tips[]
- Permafrost is a cheap upgrade to purchase that slightly boosts the Ice Monkey's stalling potential. This has been utilized on harder maps for handling mid-game rushes such as Round 63.
- Unlike Glue Gunner glue, the Permafrost effect lasts permanently but lasts for only 1 layer (more with middle path upgrades) instead of the default 3 for glues.
- Permafrost can be added to Absolute Zero to clump up MOAB-class bloons.
- Generally speaking, this upgrade is not very useful for Icicle Impale because blimps on-hit reduce to a halt anyway, unless no longer hit after a while.
- The slowdown to MOAB-class bloons via any Tier 5 Ice Monkey's Permafrost effects is equal to half the amount of slowdown that Bloon Sabotage would deal. The slowdown is specifically 25%.
- Unlike most lower-tier Ice Monkeys, the Permafrost status effect on Ceramics is not penalized; it still a permanent 50% slowdown. However, the freeze duration still is halved until upgraded to any Tier 3 upgrade.
Version History[]
Balance Changes[]
Mostly interactions when interacting with higher-level upgrades. However, Version 32.0 directly nerfed Permafrost by raising its price, mainly to draw focus to adding value to Ice Monkey's upgrades. The price nerf has also prevented a Permafrost start on CHIMPS.
- 2.0
- Affected by base Ice pierce buff
- 17.0
- Tier 5 upgrades now apply Permafrost effect to MOAB-class bloons, although half the slowdown will be applied.
- 25.0
- [Undocumented] Permafrost now slows White Bloons and Zebra Bloons even if it cannot damage them.
- 30.0
- [Undocumented] Permafrost no longer slows White Bloons and Zebra Bloons without MIB.
- 32.0
| “ | [...] Permafrost was previously reduced to a lower price than we’d like to try increase desirability of this crosspath, but as the reworks to metal freeze have had more success there in pulling this path ahead we want to add a little back on here. [...] | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Permafrost price increased from $100 → $150
- 34.0
- Affected by base Ice pierce nerf
- 37.0
- Tier 2 and below Ice Monkeys only apply 50% freeze effect to Ceramics
- 39.0
| “ | We’re happier with more recent freeze changes succeeding in some of the intentions of older nerfs, given the base tower value in races being hit far more than intended we’re going back over the pierce for Ice Monkey base & middle crosspath. [...] | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Affected by base Ice pierce buff
Bug Fixes and General Changes[]
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Extra Notes (Version History)[]
Gallery[]
Official artwork[]
Trivia[]
- Similar to its BTD5 counterpart's upgrade portrait, The official upgrade portrait for Permafrost in BTD6 depicts the Ice Monkey blowing cold air. In BTD5, however, a snowflake icon appears for the BTD5 Enhanced Freeze upgrade instead.
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