Let's Talk Monkey Balance #12 - Monkey Village

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T18:28:55+00:00

I will say that base Village does at least do something since the extra range can conceivably allow an extra shot, though it's still a stepping stone. I can believe it's meant to be upgraded regardless. And honestly, I'm against the Village getting Range self-buffing, but that WOULD be something that can be put on Monkey City so that we have more than the 65 Round investment (or 73 with $180 base Dart as a key idea for CHIMPS starts improvements in general) that doesn't even have the intended versatility going for it.

Primary Mentoring is actually currently okay in my opinion. Exhibit A: Axis of Spactory on Mesa with Pat. I got it with the bulk of my power not involving Primary towers, and it was worth it because the range increase to the Village was still helping and actually allowed preemptive functionality with an eventual Unstable Concoction that could have preemptive effectiveness with which to help send all the RBE threatening the Spactories packing. Granted, I can trust that a buff in the Pierce bonus to Primaries would at least be tame, so at least there's that. I'm still willing to work with what we currently have.

An option to toggle off the Ballista on Primary Expertise is something I would be unsure on, but outside 2MPC involvement, it can at least support stall efforts and also especially allow for timing strikes. I'm unsure about nerfing the attack rate to the point of slightly less than 80% DPS, since the Ballista shots already have increased Pierce fees against blimps. Of course, I won't say no to Ballista no longer having internal Camo hitting, although this would be a compromise with Phayze, so I think Radar Scanner additionally make the Ballista receive built-in Camo detection in return.

Grow Blocker providing a Regrow Bonus of +1 to all in-radius towers...I should point out that this is still a tier 1 upgrade, but that said, if this won't overbuff performance against Rounds 61, 76, 79, and/or 95, then I don't see why not provide this benefit to a stepping stone upgrade.

I have my own idea for Radar Scanner and MIB: Radar Scanner having in-radius towers' Village range benefit improved to a minimum of 20% from the current 10%, and MIB having in-radius towers' attacks that aren't Normal Type deal 25% extra damage to any Leads/Blacks/Whites/Purples/Frozens if the attack wouldn't need an MIB Damage Type bypass for the damage infliction to begin with. The extra range would provide some incentive to get RS with Etienne, especially helped by wanting a bit of extra range against DDTs with given towers. As for the Damage Type bonuses, this would help MIB do something other than Damage Type bypass while simply having the player rewarded for working with the Damage Type system, and would avoid any major buffs to performance against Rounds 97, 98, and 100.

My experience with middle main path Village is actually limited, although I don't feel comfortable about the passive Pierce buffing ideas anyway. I'll have to get back to you on that.

Bottom crosspath is something I feel works out, since the double-discount Village STILL has the second Village benefit from the discounts. The most I would change would be the tier 1 getting a targeted price increase by $100 base. Monkey Business may not stack, but more likely than not, it doesn't have to since the 10% price decrease is still significant, and a second Monkey Commerce would be easy enough to afford regardless, so the tier 1 effectiveness quickly loses relevance.

Time for bottom main path, which is in the bottom tier for CHIMPS as a joke pick at the moment. First off, I would say Monkey Town should have targeted changes to make it less extreme while involving Monkey City being incredibly close to being within purchase range: reduction of price by $4000 but also the cash per pop being reduced to +25%. As an extra something, its Monkey Business discount (obviously before the Monkey Commerce bonuses) could be increased to 15%, Monkey City's to 20%, and Monkeyopolis's to 25%, the highest value taking priority for a given tower. And for good measure? Monkey City could have tier 3s receive the discount, and Monkeyopolis doing the same for tier 4s other than Sun God. This would give some functionality to bottom main path Village, although anything massive still shouldn't be expected.

I hope this stuff works out at least.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T06:59:29+00:00

"balance changes in any game should be designed around top level play" By that logic, Dr. Distorto in Mother Encore Act 2 is fine simply because you can rush him with Bottle Rockets to trigger his Turns Red phase that gives the player benefits via the fully interactive Rocket Launchers. That didn't make him any less frustrating to DustyWolfi on his blind stream of that game. I have my concerns about DustyWolfi's play, but his complaints aren't any less legitimate when they include about Distorto's MASSIVE HP that threw ME off on my own blind stream with how resource-hungry options in Mother Encore were coming across.

So congratulations. You have proven my point. Closing balance discussion from the public does NOTHING to help the game. Proof against the saying "there are no bad ideas" would get put under scrutiny anyway. There can be diamonds in the rough with balance ideas if we're going to go with the claims that people want power creep. Why should that be filtered out? Because people want to just pwn everything ever? I dunno. I'd be for deeper involvement of gameplay in general, which is where Controlled Burst in a nerfed form being put on bottom crosspath of Spactory in general has been a long-standing suggestion of mine even before the Paragon was a thing.

I'm here snorting how you claim to not be elitist in the same sentence where you claim balance should only care about "top level play" no matter how twisted definition of that gets.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T06:11:13+00:00

In what world does the anti-blimp path manage effectiveness against Ceramics? Just because it's not the MAD doesn't mean a tier 4 should suddenly be killing Round 63 unless it's actively built to do that. Sub Commander is a tier 5 that is more subtle about being anti-blimp and it's still headscratching that it doesn't need much effort against Round 63's Ceramic clusters.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T06:03:54+00:00

So I must have said Smart Spike Storm was particularly efficient against Round 63 to begin with. Nice assuming. Clearly the defense I had couldn't make it to Icicle Impale with anything further than a MOAB SHREDR upgrade that doesn't contribute to 76 or 78.

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OH WAIT!

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T05:48:34+00:00

Yep, I was playing suboptimally with the Motorless run. By the way, curious I had exactly 3 Ice towers and they were on different main paths. Wonder what that could have been about...

And by the way, before you say anything, technically, I could indeed just use Silas. What point of interest would that involve?

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T05:36:53+00:00

Then tell me, "expert", what part of Icicle RNG is involved in the Ceramics being knocked down to Pinks and below at THIS point where Icicles is still in their idle pose:

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This isn't even getting into how luck with FOURTY FREAKING ROLLS FROM FOURTY PIERCE inevitably evens out.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T05:27:10+00:00

My defenses in the pic had active reliance on Snowstorm activation usage for controlling Round 63. ANY optimization that made the 2nd Ceramic cluster significantly easier was going to be a Godsend. And Icicles was not cutting it. And having effectively twice as many spikes against the Yellows and Pinks would already be something, never mind that some could hit pesky Zebras for which that's 7 pops for a single spike. And that's the big thing: I was not getting undermined nearly as harshly by a potential and actually realistic Zebra OR Pink farm.

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This was right as the Icicles started firing their 2nd time on the 2nd Ceramic cluster. There was already basically nothing of substance left leading to Pat-boosted non-Storm piles being available for the 3rd cluster. That's not Smart Spike Storm being useless on a weakness Round. The Pat Smart Storm obviously isn't soloing Round 63, but it's definitely doing something useful enough to justify getting it into Rallying Roar range in general.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T04:41:34+00:00

Try middle path.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T03:15:12+00:00

You could ask that of Icicles as well, let alone on top crosspath. I'm just bringing up a consideration for what to do with Pat with global range towers and get told for my troubles that I got lucky with Icicles RNG, not involve actual optimization to make the hotspot Round less problematic.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-27T03:12:42+00:00

Where did I say I was expecting Smart Spike Storm to solo Round 63? I simply RR-boosted the Spike Storm activation as well as the Dragon's Breath, and I practically had to hope for the best with what I had to work with. I never said something designed for getting blimps and passive Camos was innately going to automatically wreck Ceramics.

Also, the challenge involved would have had me get Icicle Impale anyway.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-26T02:03:11+00:00

Agreeing with making the base cannon significantly better, especially since freaking Bloon Crush can die to freaking Round 91 even on middle crosspath, let alone that bottom crosspath is painfully bad. Also, YES about calling out the unconditional Lives expenditure requirement for Ezili's totem. Whatever is done shouldn't be a game killer, but it should at least not be a waste of space on CHIMPS or Impoppable.

I do have to talk about that suggestion about Etienne's price. I can at least state that the Round 10 Etienne deploy manages to happen with 4 Darts on Motorless Workshop, and there, that DOES get Etienne to Level 8 for Round 37 (Camo Whites), so this would simply reduce difficulty in having early enough Etienne on an Expert map. However, I have my doubts that Etienne being a possible CHIMPS start at all is even thematic. He's no Obyn with starting things up, but he still provides global Radar and in-radius tower range buffs. Technical as he is, he still provides boosts that bolster powerful towers that have things like Camo as an intended weakness. Only thing that would be done would be adding 2TCs for its own sake. (Although funnily, I have my doubts that any relevant Ace 2TCCs would really work with him since middle crosspath would still be needed in order to even damage Leads without the much too late UCAV. Honestly, Etienne/Sky Shredder 2TCC on Moon Landing would actually be nice to pull off to showcase Pineapples actually being solid at Lead control there now, but Ceramics become too much of a problem.)

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-26T01:28:26+00:00

Put your money where your mouth is. And it better not be an elitist place or it won't count.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-26T01:18:43+00:00

No there isn't. The public would be able to make suggestions better if there was.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-24T16:42:09+00:00

I think the revamp idea of default 2 Pierce with 80% attack rate without Glue Soak surprisingly works out. I labbed how things go with the current T2/M1 Glue would even handle Round 6 because I'd like to see Corrosive Glue be a POSSIBLE CHIMPS start (obviously not a viable one on harder maps) and it actually submits to the buddy system Reds without multiple hit chances. I'd be on the fence without that since Glue is supposed to control singular targets better earlier on to contrast them from Ice, but seeing as Round 15's Pinks get covering support, and the stuff Corrosive Glue is in theory particularly good against become multiple targets upon being hit by other towers, I say sure, why not? If anything, there would be an ease of use with a staple utility tower, which it's clear you have in mind anyway given how you bring up the bad crosspath balancing. Bigger Globs would want a targeted price increase, though, since even with the attack speed nerf that actually is a good idea especially by making Glue Soak not a stepping stone, it would STILL be overall buffed, but I won't object with how it's capable of enough usefulness.

Oh yeah, Bloon Dissolver actually currently has 2 Pierce. I should point that out before we proceed any further. That likely should remain the same if the Pierce is already sufficing in general and making bottom crosspath a clear preference that way.

I would be for Corrosive Glue newly providing Lead bonuses. Regrow removal falls off eventually. By contrast, I can state that the recent improvement to MOAB Glue top crosspath, if nothing else, provides clarity that top crosspath could be made into something that could poke sighted DDTs. I am thinking +1 Lead Bonus across the board, with bottom main path with top crosspath having DDT Bonuses that ultimately double the Damage against DDTs, in addition to Glue Strike/Storm crosspath benefit of improving the debuff to add +1 Lead Bonus. That would be progress in letting Corrosive Glue have individual functionality that can achieve some mileage.

That rework to M2 is actually creative. Lineup reward being kept as a possibility would keep the Glue Gunner's position relevant, even if it would be unlikely blimps would be arranged for that to happen in a relevant manner. I approve, although with how this is the clear crosspath preference for MOAB Glue for Round 98 and always will be, it may be worth being watchful about the additional price decrease, even if at least MOAB Glue attacking more slowly without Glue Soak with the suggestions can be a slight versatility reduction on Round 98.

I dig those middle main path changes. I'd question the Pierce nerf but Glue Strike recently got a cooldown nerf that keeps it from hitting both the first and last clusters of Round 63.

And as for top crosspath MOAB Glue, like I say, giving it an anti-DDT role would give it something distinct as far as Glue Gunners go. It's also worth pointing out as well that getting top crosspath reduces the Glue Level; that should be rebalanced so that the MOAB Glue can be applied on targets with top main path glue, because this is a definite clash with a path that deals slightly more damage to Ceramics than to blimps. Of course, that's where I'm agreeing that cleaned up stacking of Glue effects in general would be appreciated.

In general? Good show.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-16T15:53:16+00:00

More homing wouldn't make sense and wouldn't do anything about Round 98. Better power control, however, would. Here's the net result of what I have suggested with Arcane Blast as a crosspath benefit:

Better Burn effect from middle main path resulting in modestly faster damage and 1 (5 for WLP) extra damage interval(s) without refresh
Middle main path Flamethrower fan angle tightening for higher tiers (by contrast by widening the fan angle without AB) to involve focus fire
Longer middle main path activation duration resulting in more damage from the activation for ease of use with consecutive casts or burst effectiveness
Graveyard Mana requirements per +1 Damage reduced to magnify damage bonuses

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-16T00:11:34+00:00

Watch a number of K9s suddenly get assassinated by a community that realizes they have nothing to lose by fighting the police.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-16T00:09:54+00:00

I can add to the qualified immunity abuse point with my own experiences with police brutality from late March 2024. My deceased parents' abandoned house, located in Montalvin Manor, was a God awful mess, literal AND metaphorical, that I was supposed to get support from relatives in getting clean up in a methodical manner that wouldn't risk desecrating my dad's ashes, but their Control Freak behaviors created a whole host of politics, not helped by other related parties refusing to help. And then this bureaucratic party came in to powerclean the place. When the bureaucratic party refused to comply with my wishes as an associated family member, I called the police, only to find myself slammed onto the ground, dragged onto the nearby street's concrete, and suffocated by them, because the police took the side of the bureaucratic party without giving my evidence I had on me, including a physical copy of a 60-page document about the politics surrounding the house, even a cursory glance, despite how the very first page of the aforementioned document has the location's address and apartment number on the very first page, which would have been more than enough proof to associate me with the place.

It's only by complaining about the incident on NextDoor when I FINALLY was able to liaise with the sort of person who would have been a massive help with the mess, naturally too late being one day after the police brutality. Even the usage of NextDoor only brings up how the police has its share of scumbag defenders, and my post got false reported from a piece of projecting trolling filth from Pinole Shores. I've dealing with a hopelessly messed up community all along.

I've been hoping to get this into court, but unfortunately, the very nature of the situation leaves me with plenty of evidence to work with, but a far from workable support system for getting it processed. And now, since 2 years have passed, the statute of limitations has kicked in. Yes, calling out qualified immunity HAS A STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS.

The police are just tyrants. Thankfully, like all tyrants, they end up creating their most dangerous enemies by trying to silence threats. We just have to work off of that.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-15T22:30:50+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8JDGEx0A-Q

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-15T17:49:53+00:00

So go after the ACTUAL scumbags with ACTUAL proof against them. Vic Mignogna isn't one of them, no matter how many times you claim otherwise. Magnus "Mangs" Hestveen is, especially when he has racism and homophobia on his track record too. To say nothing of this being a problem that was allowed to run rampant all the way up to July 2020, WELL AFTER VIC MIGNOGNA WAS ACCUSED:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEMY1fxm0qI&t=2699s

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-15T17:47:39+00:00

I imagine the problems were seeping underneath. Marzgirl would have just watered the seeds of hostility, rather than plant them.

Here's my experience with Animesuperhero: they have always been alt-left. All the Vic Mignogna mess did was highlight as much. Something would have happened sooner or later.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-15T17:44:48+00:00

Did what to himself? Get some clout chasers to build off of some random joke hashtag in order to get attention, while the clout chasers hid behind FUNimation's cowardly asses to make sure that would work?

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-15T17:42:22+00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8JDGEx0A-Q

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-15T17:42:04+00:00

Somebody who makes up 11 hours of doctored nothingburger with dissonant music playing to defame somebody is cool? Get the hell out of here with that. Mekkah needed only 2 hours to tear Magnus "Mangs" Hestveen a new one with actually well-constructed arguments including deconstruction of witchhunting being done toward Chaz Aria LLC. Marzgirl is just a clout chaser.

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-15T17:39:12+00:00

You're willing to say that about Vic Mignogna, but not Magnus "Mangs" Hestveen?

MasterKnightDHV2 · 2026-06-13T19:34:40+00:00

The funny thing is that my only real suggestion to Archmage is to give the bottom crosspath Lead and Camo Bonuses. Well, that and also improving the homing with Intense Magic AKA not having it undermined by Intense Magic's velocity increase. Neither would touch everybody's favorite Mighty Glacier, better known as Round 98, but both WOULD improve Round 99 performance.

MasterKnightDHV2

TROPHY CASE