| “ | Increases attack speed and pierce of nearby Ninjas. Stacks 20 times. | ” |
| ~ In-game description |
Shinobi Tactics (commonly shortened to Shinobi) is the third upgrade of Path 2 for the Ninja Monkey in Bloons TD 6. It buffs itself and all Ninjas around its radius to increase attack speed by 8.7% (multiplicative, multiplies cooldown by 0.92x each time) and pierce by 8% (additive). This upgrade's buff can stack up to 20 times, for up to +430% attack speed and +160% pierce. Ninjas with Shinobi Tactics automatically have the Counter-Espionage upgrade, allowing them to strip damaged camo properties and inflict blowback.
This upgrade costs $1,020 on Easy, $1,200 on Medium, $1,295 on Hard, and $1,440 on Impoppable.
Description[]
Overview[]
Many Shinobi Tactics congregated together
The Ninja Monkey with the Shinobi Tactics upgrade wears a green ninja suit with black coverings for the monkey's forehead and lower face. The monkey carries a large ninja scroll attached to their back with rope. In addition, the monkey wears a black belt, black gloves, black shoes. The scroll carried on the monkey's back contains illegible writing, and is rolled over a blue cylinder that is supported innerly by a thinner red cylinder.
On the upgrade portrait, the Shinobi Tactics is running quickly in a rightwards direction, possibly implying the greater speed of the Ninja. The upgrade icon is a slightly opened ninja scroll, with additional shiny stars surrounding it.
Shinobi Tactics focuses on buffing nearby Ninjas, including itself, increasing attack speed and pierce of nearby Ninjas. The Shinobi Tactics buff can stack on the same Ninja up to 20 times.
Shinobi buffs table[]
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Portions of this page are semi-automated on Python, specifically from here: https://github.com/qwertyxp2000/Wikistuff/blob/main/shinobitable.py |
| Number of Shinobi Ninjas | Attack Speed Increase (2 dp) | Pierce Increase |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | +8.7% | +8.0% |
| 2 | +18.15% | +16.0% |
| 3 | +28.42% | +24.0% |
| 4 | +39.59% | +32.0% |
| 5 | +51.73% | +40.0% |
| 6 | +64.92% | +48.0% |
| 7 | +79.26% | +56.0% |
| 8 | +94.85% | +64.0% |
| 9 | +111.79% | +72.0% |
| 10 | +130.21% | +80.0% |
| 11 | +150.23% | +88.0% |
| 12 | +171.99% | +96.0% |
| 13 | +195.64% | +104.0% |
| 14 | +221.34% | +112.0% |
| 15 | +249.29% | +120.0% |
| 16 | +279.66% | +128.0% |
| 17 | +312.67% | +136.0% |
| 18 | +348.56% | +144.0% |
| 19 | +387.56% | +152.0% |
| 20 | +429.96% | +160.0% |
Targeting Priorities[]
Shinobi Tactics 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.
Shinobi Tactics has a tower buff that targets nearby Ninja Monkeys.
All Ninja Monkeys can access Camo Prioritization. While Camo Prioritization is active, it allows all its attacks to prioritize Camo Bloons over other types.
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 (X-3-X) | $1,020 | $1,200 | $1,295 | $1,440 | - | |||
| Total (0-3-0) | $1,910 | $2,250 | $2,425 | $2,700 | $1,337 | $1,575 | $1,698 | $1,890 |
| Crosspath (1-3-0) | $2,205 | $2,600 | $2,805 | $3,120 | $1,544 | $1,820 | $1,964 | $2,184 |
| Crosspath (2-3-0) | $2,500 | $2,950 | $3,185 | $3,540 | $1,750 | $2,065 | $2,230 | $2,478 |
| Crosspath (0-3-1) | $2,165 | $2,550 | $2,750 | $3,060 | $1,516 | $1,785 | $1,925 | $2,142 |
| Crosspath (0-3-2) | $2,545 | $3,000 | $3,235 | $3,600 | $1,782 | $2,100 | $2,265 | $2,520 |
This upgrade's prices (or included crosspath's prices) are affected by the following MK: 
Better Sell Deals
Strategy[]
Summary[]
Shinobi Tactics can be used to improve the overall performance of all nearby Ninja Monkeys within range. Placing a considerable number of them can greatly empower higher level Ninja Monkeys, specifically Grandmaster Ninja and Master Bomber. By themselves, they also provide considerably good Distraction and Counter-Espionage effects if placed within densely packed groups of Shinobi Tactics.
In a similar way to placing nearby Monkey Villages, space consideration is very important while applying support via Shinobi Tactics, although special attention should be considered with nearby buffing Alchemists (specifically Stronger Stimulant). For Stronger Stimulants in particular, place the buffing Alchemist as close to the powerful Ninja(s) as much as possible, while keeping them as far from the Shinobi Tactics as possible, so the buffing Alchemist will not waste its potions on single neighboring Shinobi Tactics Ninjas.
Tips[]
- Large groups of Shinobi Ninjas have very high DPS and are cheap to purchase individually, meaning you can continuously build up power throughout the game without needing a large save-up period. This makes the strategy excellent for Least Cash Boss Bloon Events as well as in Freeplay Mode, especially for CHIMPS Freeplay.
- Usually, it is best to leave Shinobi Tactics as 0-3-0, unless it is to increase Shinobi Tactics coverage range, in which 0-3-1 (not 1-3-0; the range bonus is in Seeking Shuriken instead of Ninja Discipline) should be enough range to reach nearby high-level Ninjas for that significant attack speed boost.
- 1-3-0 and 2-3-0 Shinobis can be used to apply blowback effects faster and counter groups of Super Ceramics more efficiently.
- Groups of 0-3-2 can be used to apply lots of caltrops via the Caltrops upgrade in addition to seeking bloons and apply Distraction with their main shuriken attacks. While Caltrops may be better against single-target bloons, groups of 2-3-0 are superior at handling normal bloons in the late-game, though 0-3-2 still comes with stockpilable Distraction.
- If there are multiple Shinobi Tactics around a Bloonjitsu or Grandmaster Ninja, those high-level ninjas will not necessarily require crosspathing with Path 2, as Shinobi Tactics Ninjas already come with decently reliable Distraction and Counter-Espionage attacks, particularly when in very large groups, so Seeking Shuriken is preferred.
- Adding Shinobis for pierce buffs will greatly improve the shurikens of every Ninja in range; adding enough Shinobis nearby each other will allow them to produce excellent Distraction blowback to massive amounts of Ceramics, particularly on Rounds 81+.
- To clarify the mechanics of pierce buffs with partial pierce (e.g. 1.5 pierce), partial pierce will be treated as "every 1/X shots, pierce increased to Y + 1", where X is the decimal part and Y is the integer part. So for example, 1.5 pierce would be treated as "every 2nd shot, pierce increased to 2".[1]
- Spamming too many shinobis can lag the game out. This typically does not apply to 20 shinobis, and is primarily laggy when 50+ shinobis are built, and especially if these Shinobis are given the Caltrops crosspath.
Version History[]
Balance Changes[]
Shinobi Tactics now also provide a pierce boost to nearby Ninjas, which makes a significant difference versus dense rounds. It was likely also done to improve simple Shinobi spam in itself. Shinobi Tactics remains a popular option for maximizing the damage potential of various Ninjas, and particularly sees popularity in combination with Grandmaster Ninja or Master Bomber, occasionally both.
- 11.0
Shinobi Tactics now also applies its 8% attack rate buff to pierce as well (Up to a 160% max increase).
- 28.0
| “ | As ninja is the 'Camo Specialist' and has been since inception, it is the only tower that will unlock Camo Prioritization on the base tower. [...] | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Affected by base Ninja Monkey, by gaining natural Camo Prioritization target option
- 29.0
- Affected by Distraction alternate attacks buff
- 40.0
| “ | For an early game Distraction improvement the consistency of blowbacks is being averaged out more with increased minimum distance but reduced maximum, in many cases there would not actually be 250 units of track length in front of defenses to be blown back across anyway so the overall average distance is slightly lower. More at the mid to endgame we are also weakening distraction distance against Ceramics specifically as by this point Ninja have stacked so much speed and projectiles the consistency doesn’t matter anymore. Finally, distraction values for secondary projectiles are being modified, as Distraction chance as it has existed was never balanced around more than the main attack | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Affected by the Distraction rework
- 43.0
| “ | While a great early game option, Ninja generally struggles with dominant crosspathing choices and also has relatively poor base tower value. Without going into every single change, T3s onward remain relatively unchanged with a lot of prices below T3 being moved around from less favorable crosspaths into better/higher tier upgrades. [...] | ” |
| ~ Ninja Kiwi |
- Shinobi Tactics cost increased from $900 to $1200
- Total price adjustment is $0 due to base Ninja Monkey (-$100), Distraction (-$100), and Counter-Espionage (-$100).
- Shinobi Tactics base shuriken attack speed increased from 0.7s to 0.62s. Does not affect 1-3-0 (0.434s).
Bug Fixes and General Changes[]
 |
This section is incomplete. You can help by expanding it. |
- 11.0
- [Undocumented] Description changed from "Increases attack speed of all ninjas nearby - more Shinobi means more attack speed." to "Increases attack speed and pierce of nearby Ninjas. Stacks 20 times."
Extra Notes (Version History)[]
Gallery[]
.PNG "2023-01-12 and 2023-01-13 qwertyxp2000 (18).PNG (2.34 MB)")
Official artwork[]
Trivia[]
- Shinobi Tactics is one of the few upgrades that can boost nearby towers of the same type, the others being Poplust, Elite Sniper, Prince of Darkness, Sub Commander, Trade Empire, and Echosense Network.
- Shinobi Tactics and Trade Empire can stack its buffs the most amount of times, that being 20 times.
- This upgrade is similar to Poplust, since they both affect their respective monkeys with an attack speed and pierce buff that stacks.
- However, Poplust cannot buff itself and stacks only 5 times.
References[]
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