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BTD6

Every second shot the cluster bombs send out more cluster bombs for even more destruction.
~ In-game description

Recursive Cluster is the Tier 4 upgrade of bottom path for the Bomb Shooter in Bloons TD 6. Every second shot, the Bomb Shooter's main bomb gains +4 pierce, from 14 to 18, and its cluster bombs shoot out more cluster bombs that deal widespread damage. All explosives additionally deal 2 damage (3 with 2-0-4). Visually on every second shot, all 8 cluster bombs will explode into 8 more cluster bombs, totaling to 64 bombs. But in reality the tertiary explosions are just 8 larger explosions exploding 0.45s later instead of 64 extra explosions. Every bomb and its clusters from this upgrade don't pop Black Bloon properties.

Recursive bombs work much differently from normal cluster bombs. The primary recursive bomb explosion has a 12 blast radius with 18 pierce. Afterwards, the 8 secondary recursive bomb explosion explode, each having 15 blast radius and 8 pierce. And after 0.45s, 8 tertiary explosions will become produced, each with 34 blast radius and 32 pierce. Crosspathing with Bigger Bombs increases pierce of tertiary explosions by +18 (50 pierce), and +6 for primary and secondary explosions. Heavy Bombs increases the pierce by a further +30 (80 pierce) for tertiary explosions and another +10 pierce for primary secondary explosions, alongside +1 damage for all explosions. Blast radius for primary and secondary explosions increases by +50% with top path upgrades, or from 34 to 37.5 for tertiary explosions.

This upgrade costs $2,380 on Easy, $2,800 on Medium, $3,025 on Hard, and $3,360 on Impoppable.

Description[]

Overview[]

Placeholder other

Recursive Cluster primary, secondary, and tertiary explosions

This upgrade is much larger than its predecessor, replacing its gray wheels with a fixed rotating navy blue platform. The cannon's barrel is mostly yellow, with yellow trunnions, two light green reinforce bands, and a light green cascabel. The muzzle and reinforce around the trunnions are axially adorned with extruded dimples.

Crosspathing with the Top Path paints the front ring, then both rings, dark red. Middle path crosspathing adds red fins and paints the green sections grey.

Recursive Cluster causes every second shot to trigger a set of 8 large explosions occurring 0.45 seconds after impact that visually appear as 64 smaller explosions. Additionally, the main bomb’s explosion gains increased pierce, from 14 to 18. These tertiary explosions individually have 32 pierce and 34 blast radius. All explosions deal extra damage.

Bigger Bombs and Heavy Bombs have unique interactions with the tertiary explosions; the former grants +18 pierce and +3.5 blast radius, for 37.5, and the latter grants +1 damage and +30 pierce, for a total of +48 pierce.

Targeting Priorities[]

Recursive Cluster targets bloons using the standard targeting priorities. It shoots straight movement projectiles.

  • 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.

Full Popology[]

Statistics[]

Updated as of Version 40.0
Base stats
  • Bomb:
    • Projectile, explosion, 49 range, 1.5s attack cooldown, 2 damage, 14 pierce. Blast radius of 12. Every second shot, replaced with Recursive Bomb.
    • Upon collision, release burst of 8 Clusters in a radial formation with minor projectile deviation.
  • Recursive Bomb:
    • Projectile, explosion type, 49 range, 1.5s attack cooldown, 2 damage, 18 pierce. Blast radius of 12.
    • Upon collision, release burst of 8 Clusters in a radial formation with minor projectile deviation, which then each release Big Clusters.
  • Cluster:
    • Burst, explosion type, 15 blast radius, 2 damage, 8 pierce.
  • Big Cluster:
    • Burst, explosion type, 34 blast radius, 2 damage, 32 pierce.
Crosspathing interactions
  • 1-0-4:
    • Bomb pierce increased from 14 to 20, blast radius from 12 to 18. Also affects Recursive Bomb.
    • Cluster pierce increased from 8 to 14, blast radius from 15 to 22.5.
    • Big Cluster pierce increased from 32 to 50, blast radius from 34 to 37.5
  • 2-0-4:
    • Bomb pierce increased from 20 to 30, base damage increased to 3. Also affects Recursive Bomb.
    • Cluster pierce increased from 14 to 24, base damage increased to 3.
    • Big Cluster pierce increased from 50 to 80, base damage increased to 3.
  • 0-1-4:
    • Bomb attack cooldown reduced (1.5s → 1.125s)
  • 0-2-4:
    • Bomb changed to Missile, attack cooldown reduced (1.5s → 1.125s → 0.875s), and projectile speed increased.
Monkey Knowledge interactions

Attack Interactions[]

See also: Attack Interactions/Bloons TD 6/Primary
Updated as of Version 36.0
Base attack(s)
  • 1° Bomb:
    • Explosion Type (pops White, Purple, Lead, Frozen) Explosion
    • Single Projectile Single Projectile
    • Straight Attack Straight Attack
    • Area of Effect Area of Effect
    • Extra damage to all bloon types (2) Extra Damage (2)
  • 2° Bombs:
    • Explosion Type (pops White, Purple, Lead, Frozen) Explosion
    • Orbital Spray (spray of 8) Orbital Spray (8)
    • Burst (Bursts upon primary bomb explosion) Burst
    • Area of Effect Area of Effect
    • Extra damage to all bloon types (2) Extra Damage (2)
  • 3° Bombs:
    • Explosion Type (pops White, Purple, Lead, Frozen) Explosion
    • Orbital Spray (spawns single larger explosion via secondary bombs) Orbital Spray
    • Per-Shot Basis (2) Per-Shot Basis (2)
    • Burst (Bursts upon secondary bomb explosion) Burst
    • Area of Effect Area of Effect
    • Extra damage to all bloon types (2) Extra Damage (2)

Costs[]

Updated as of Version 41.0. Listed prices exclude external buffs, any sacrifices, and Monkey Knowledge.
[Module | Data] Purchase Sell
Costs Easy Medium Hard Impoppable Easy Medium Hard Impoppable
Upgrade (X-X-4) $2,380 $2,800 $3,025 $3,360 -
Total (0-0-4) $3,930 $4,625 $4,995 $5,550 $2,751 $3,238 $3,497 $3,885
Crosspath (1-0-4) $4,225 $4,975 $5,375 $5,970 $2,958 $3,483 $3,763 $4,179
Crosspath (2-0-4) $4,775 $5,625 $6,075 $6,750 $3,343 $3,938 $4,253 $4,725
Crosspath (0-1-4) $4,140 $4,875 $5,265 $5,850 $2,898 $3,413 $3,686 $4,095
Crosspath (0-2-4) $4,480 $5,275 $5,695 $6,330 $3,136 $3,693 $3,987 $4,431

This upgrade's prices (or included crosspath's prices) are affected by the following MK: BudgetClustersIcon Budget Clusters, ComeOnEverybodyIcon Come On Everybody!, BetterSellDealsIcon Better Sell Deals

Strategy[]

Summary[]

The Recursive Cluster is effective at cleaning up large groups of regular bloons, and also dealing decent amounts of damage to MOAB-class bloons with its numerous explosions. Recursive Clusters can wipe out many bloons with the top crosspath. However, its slow attack speed compared to its high pierce makes it somewhat unreliable for dealing with fast-moving clumps of bloons, and even with top path, is prone to pierce capping against dense swarms of bloons after the Version 35 changes. Recursive Cluster also falls off after Super Ceramics arrive, as it lacks enough damage to pop them in a timely manner.

When picking the best Recursive Cluster crosspath, top path is generally preferred over middle path. Despite middle path's Faster Reload and Missile Launcher upgrades allowing the Recursive Cluster to shoot much faster, and therefore shoot recursive cluster bombs more often, Top Path's Bigger Bombs and especially Heavy Bombs increase the Recursive Cluster's popping power much more, by increasing explosion radius, pierce, and increasing damage. However, if using Berserker Brew or higher, the single target DPS of the middle crosspath is higher due to damage no longer being a big enough of a boost compared to attack speed, and the fortified bonus helps it deal with fortified bloons further. This comes at the cost of reduced blast radius and reduced pierce compared with the top path. Thus, it is typically ill advised to utilize middle path, as the Recursive Cluster's single target damage is sub par even with Berserker Brew, and top path lets it excel against swarms better.

If planning to spam Recursive Clusters, using Striker Jones as the chosen hero is one of the best options for optimizing the Recursive Cluster spam. Increased attack speed and pierce are one of many powerful assets for Recursive Clusters. In addition, Level 20 Striker Jones maximizes the power of Recursives by doubling their damage. Primary Mentoring also helps save money with Bomb upgrades as well as give an appreciable boost to range.

Tips[]

  • Compared to Ring of Fire, Recursive Cluster's massive group-popping is much slower, making it less consistent on fast-moving bloon waves such as dense clumps of Ceramics, notably Round 63 or Bloonarius's skull sends. However, it has more synergy with buffs and has more range, which can be helpful on maps that Ring of Fire cannot completely cover.
    • To compensate for its slow attack speed, utilizing support towers, including Arctic Wind or Glue Hose, can help.
  • A 2-0-4 Recursive Cluster is generally preferred over a 0-2-4 Recursive Cluster, as the top path upgrades increase its overall popping power much more. 0-2-4 Recursive Cluster works well with buffs such as Berserker Brew, synergizing damage and attack speed stats better at the cost of explosive coverage.
    • Keep in mind that this crosspathing priority changes for Bomb Blitz, in which 0-2-5 is recommended because of its higher DPS.
  • Recursive Cluster does a fair job at dealing high damage to both bloons and moderate damage against MOAB-class, but it is quite expensive for what it does compared to other options. However, Recursive Cluster does its job well at creating widespread high-pierce grouped damage.
    • However, if using Striker Jones, Recursive Cluster spam can be a viable option, as he provides global bonus attack speed alongside resistance against Black properties.
  • A 2-0-4 Recursive Cluster can make Round 63 less difficult to handle, especially in combination with additional defense.
  • Recursive Cluster struggles against Super Ceramics, as Recursive Clusters are best against moderate groups of low health bloons, but Recursive Cluster typically cannot even handle small amounts of super ceramics without support.
  • In Race Events, the v35.0 pierce nerf means that it is now less consistent at widespread damage compared to multiple 2-0-3 Cluster Bombs. Compared to two 2-0-3 Cluster Bombs, which can be afforded with a similar cost to a 2-0-4 Recursive, a Recursive only needs to receive Alch buffs once, making this the only noteworthy advantage to multiple 2-0-3 Clusters under these scenarios.
  • Like the Really Big Bombs, a 2-0-4 Recursive Cluster's explosions deal enough damage to bypass the explosion-immune layers of Rainbow Bloons.

Version History[]

Balance Changes[]

Recursive Cluster was buffed to become a reliable explosive option at simply wiping out dense clumps of bloons across a wide range, with buffs to the rate of production of tertiary clusters and the capability of popping all bloon types, but large nerfs to its pierce. The Version 4.0 buff that allows tertiary explosions to go off more often had made Recursive Cluster one of the first Bomb Shooter upgrades to become viable in meta strategies, seeing that Bomb Shooter was initially very weak when it was first released. It also received a massive buff in Version 28.0 that basically invalidates a moderate price nerf in Version 12.0, given that this black-popping buff now eliminates the Recursive Cluster's initially only weakness. However, with such a large meta use on Race Events and Bloonarius battles, the almost negligible group-popping weaknesses made it stand out too much, so its pierce was lowered in Versions 34.0 and 35.0, but increased slightly in 38.0 due to 2-0-3 Cluster dominance. Version 40.0 reverted the black-popping buff in exchange for a general damage buff.

4.0
  • BUFF Tertiary clusters appear every second shot instead of every third shot.
12.0
  • NERF Cost of Recursive Cluster increased ($2400 → $2800)
22.0
  • NERF Base primary bomb pierce decreased (18 → 14)
  • NERF Adding Bigger Bombs adds less pierce bonus for primary, secondary, and tertiary explosions (+10 → +5)
  • BUFF Adding Heavy Bombs now adds a pierce bonus for primary, secondary, and tertiary explosions (+0 → +10)
28.0
[...] We've acknowledged that Frag Bombs have felt like an inconsistent crosspath both in what they add to the tower and what they lose when upgraded further on their own path, so now in addition to frags popping Black Bloons xx2+ will allow all attacks from the tower to pop Black.
~ Ninja Kiwi
34.0
Cluster Bombs has far superior pierce over top path which is the actual pierce path while also providing better overall cleanup power, so for now we’d like to reign those in a little closer.
~ Ninja Kiwi, referring to Cluster Bombs
  • NERF Recursive Cluster secondary cluster base pierce reduced 10 → 8
  • NERF [undocumented] Recursive Cluster tertiary cluster base pierce 60 → 48
    • NERF 0-x-4: 60 → 48
    • NERF 1-0-4: 96 → 84
    • NERF 2-0-4: 160 → 144
35.0
Upon closer inspection, Recursive Cluster has been hitting pierce in the 100’s, far more than was really intended for it so we are pulling back on this but adding in some fortified bonus to cancel out this large weakness the upgrade has.
~ Ninja Kiwi
  • NERF Recursive Cluster second cluster pierce multiplier decreased x6 → x3
    • NERF 0-x-4: 48 → 24
    • NERF 1-0-4: 84 → 42
    • NERF 2-0-4: 144 → 72
  • BUFF Recursive Cluster now deals +1 Fortified damage
38.0
[...] Recursive Cluster is also having the pierce of the recursions increased a little again; while we felt it needed a nerf earlier, the amount cut from it last time was too high.
~ Ninja Kiwi
  • BUFF Recursive Cluster second cluster pierce multiplier increased x3 → x4
    • BUFF 0-x-4: 24 → 32
    • BUFF 1-0-4: 42 → 56
    • BUFF 2-0-4: 72 → 96
40.0
[...] A while ago Frag Bombs was reworked to give Bomb normal type damage however we were not happy with the results of that change in the end, we didn’t want to go back and remove that again without giving back something nice in return so it has taken a while but now we have decided to go ahead with changing that back along with swapping out Recursive fortified damage for raw damage which we hope also improves crosspathing as the damage crosspath isn’t such a large increase over the base damage anymore.
~ Ninja Kiwi
  • NERF Recursive Cluster damage type changed from Normal to Explosion.
  • BUFF Recursive Cluster damage increased (1 → 2)
  • NERF Recursive Cluster no longer deals +1 Fortified damage. Does not affect Bomb Blitz.
    • Total Fortified damage remains at 2, as base damage is increased by 1.

Bug Fixes and General Changes[]

4.0
  • Change Description changed from "Every 3 shots the cluster bombs send out more cluster bombs for even more destruction." to "Every second shot the cluster bombs send out more cluster bombs for even more destruction."

Gallery[]

Official artwork[]

Videos[]

Trivia[]

  • Before v7.0, the instamonkey icon appeared to have 6 muzzles, though it only has 1 in game, implying the upgrade has gone through a visual change in development. This icon was changed in v7.0.
  • Visuals of each recursive explosion depicts 73 explosions, 64 from the tertiary explosions, 8 from the secondary explosions, and 1 from the main explosion. However, there are actually 17 explosions that functionally can damage bloons.


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