Dartling Gunner BTD6 Upgrade Paths

Dartling Gunner route map

Dartling Gunner starts simple, then splits into three Tier 5 jobs

Use Dartling Gunner when active aim or locked aim can fire through a long section of track. It is powerful but punishes distraction, especially before you add support for camo, lead, and purple interactions.

BaseAimed damage and straight-line pressure

5-0-0Ray of Doom

0-5-0M.A.D

0-0-5Bloon Exclusion Zone

Quick answer: what is Dartling Gunner for?

Dartling Gunner is strongest on long sight lines when you can aim through the lane. Top path becomes Ray of Doom for beam coverage, middle path becomes M.A.D for MOAB damage, and bottom path becomes Bloon Exclusion Zone for dense cleanup.

Visual route map

Base Dartling Gunner splits into three recognizable routes

Read the route by role first, then decide which path solves the current run.

BaseDartling Gunner

5-0-0Ray of Doom

0-5-0M.A.D

0-0-5Bloon Exclusion Zone

How Dartling Gunner usually fits into a run

CategoryMilitary monkeys

Core jobAimed damage and straight-line pressure

Main cautionIt is easy to leak while distracted if your setup needs constant aiming.

ParagonNone in local data

Upgrade routes

Dartling Gunner's three path identities

Use this as a role summary, not a patch-perfect damage table.

3-x-xLaser Cannon

4-x-xPlasma Accelerator

5-x-xRay of Doom

5-0-0

Top path

Ray of Doom

Continuous beam pressure along straight lines.

Best when: A long lane lets the beam sit on bloons for a long time.
Watch out: Angled or twisting maps can waste the beam's straight-line identity.
Beginner read: Lock the aim only after you find a lane worth locking.

x-3-xHydra Rocket Pods

x-4-xRocket Storm

x-5-xM.A.D

0-5-0

Middle path

M.A.D

Specialized MOAB-class damage through rocket upgrades.

Best when: Blimp health is the problem and normal bloon cleanup is already covered.
Watch out: M.A.D is famously poor as the only answer to normal bloons.
Beginner read: Buy it for blimps, then let another tower clear children.

x-x-3Buckshot

x-x-4Bloon Area Denial System

x-x-5Bloon Exclusion Zone

0-0-5

Bottom path

Bloon Exclusion Zone

Dense dart cleanup from a focused firing lane.

Best when: You can aim through the main wave and need steady high-volume popping.
Watch out: It still depends on placement, aim, and the right support.
Beginner read: This is the most straightforward Dartling damage path to read.

Common uses

When Dartling Gunner makes sense

Fire down long straight lanes where many bloons stay in the line of fire.
Use M.A.D when MOAB-class health is the specific failure point.
Add Rocket Storm as timed burst when dense waves arrive.
Use locked aim to reduce micro once a strong firing angle is found.

Mistakes

What usually goes wrong

Aiming at the front manually and missing leaks elsewhere.
Buying M.A.D as the only damage tower and then leaking normal bloons.
Ignoring purple, lead, or camo interactions on energy and rocket paths.
Placing Dartling where no long line through the track exists.

Related BTD6 pages

Beginner guideBest BTD6 Towers for BeginnersChoose towers by the problem you need to solve.ToolMap Strategy PlannerPlace towers visually and sketch how a setup should fit the map.ReferenceAll BTD6 TowersCompare every non-hero tower by category, beginner role, and caveat.

Sources and scope

This page is a concise TDGameTools tower guide, not an official wiki clone. Use it to understand roles and internal planning links, then verify live game values for exact patch or boss-event planning.

Ninja Kiwi BTD6 page Dartling Gunner

FAQ

What is Dartling Gunner good for in BTD6?

Which Dartling Gunner upgrade paths should I compare?

Dartling Gunner has three main route identities: 5-0-0 Ray of Doom, 0-5-0 M.A.D, 0-0-5 Bloon Exclusion Zone. Compare them by the job you need, not by a single permanent best path.

Does Dartling Gunner have a Paragon?

No. Dartling Gunner does not currently have a Paragon in TDGameTools' local Paragon data, so this page focuses on its three normal Tier 5 paths.