How to Unlock and Use the Sniper Paragon in BTD6

Quick Answer

Unlock S.P.I.D.E.R. Monkey with Sniper XP in the Sniper Monkey upgrade menu. In a match, build Cripple MOAB (5-0-0), Elite Sniper (0-5-0), and Elite Defender (0-0-5). Select one of those Tier 5 Snipers to purchase the Paragon. Keep a separate cleanup defense ready because the purchase absorbs your existing Snipers.

The Sniper Monkey Paragon, S.P.I.D.E.R. Monkey, arrived in BTD6 Update 57. It delivers heavy attacks across the map, automatically deploys cash drops, coordinates other Snipers, and uses two active abilities for different threats.

The challenge is its combination of high purchase cost and relatively slow regular attacks. S.P.I.D.E.R. can deal enormous damage to one important target, yet smaller Bloons may still escape while it reloads. Purchasing it also removes every other Sniper currently on the field.

On Medium difficulty, the Paragon upgrade alone costs $800,000. That makes the timing of the purchase and the defense you keep afterward just as important as unlocking the tower.

How to Unlock S.P.I.D.E.R. Monkey

Unlock all three Tier 5 Sniper Monkey upgrades first: Cripple MOAB, Elite Sniper, and Elite Defender. Then spend 750,000 Sniper XP to unlock S.P.I.D.E.R. Monkey from the Sniper Monkey upgrade menu.

This is a permanent XP unlock, separate from the cash needed to purchase S.P.I.D.E.R. during a match.

After unlocking S.P.I.D.E.R., you must build all three Sniper Monkey Tier 5 paths in the same match:

1. Cripple MOAB (5-0-0): Delivers powerful hits and weakens MOAB-class Bloons.
2. Elite Sniper (0-5-0): Provides Supply Drop income and support for other Snipers.
3. Elite Defender (0-0-5): Uses rapid attacks to handle sustained Bloon pressure.

Crosspaths are allowed, but they do not replace a missing Tier 5. A collection of additional 0-4-2 Snipers, for example, cannot substitute for Elite Defender.

Once the three Tier 5s are present, select one of them to access the Paragon purchase.

How Much Does the Sniper Paragon Cost?

S.P.I.D.E.R.’s base upgrade price depends on the difficulty:

• Easy: $680,000
• Medium: $800,000
• Hard: $864,000
• Impoppable: $960,000

These amounts exclude the three Tier 5 Snipers, their earlier upgrades, and any additional cash you commit when creating the Paragon.

If you want a particular Paragon Degree, the cash you invest in the purchase can be much higher than this base price. The Degree 100 Paragon requirements explain the damage, qualifying income, and cash contributions used in Update 57.

What Happens to Your Other Snipers?

Purchasing S.P.I.D.E.R. absorbs every Sniper Monkey currently on the field.

That includes the three required Tier 5s, additional Supply Drop Snipers, and any Elite Defender or Cripple MOAB support you were using separately.

The absorbed towers no longer provide their original attacks or abilities. Their previous positions also become available again, but any Snipers needed after the purchase must be bought again.

This creates a dangerous transition if your defense depends heavily on the original Snipers.

For example, Elite Defender may have been handling small, fast Bloons while Cripple MOAB dealt with larger targets. S.P.I.D.E.R. delivers much stronger individual attacks, but it does not preserve Elite Defender’s continuous stream of bullets.

Before purchasing, make sure the remaining non-Sniper towers can handle Bloons that arrive between S.P.I.D.E.R.’s attacks. Set aside enough cash to rebuild any critical support Snipers afterward.

Is the Sniper Paragon Worth Buying?

The answer depends on whether the match needs heavy single-target damage, a long-term Freeplay tower, or reliable coverage against large groups.

Long Freeplay Runs

Freeplay gives S.P.I.D.E.R. time to use both its powerful attacks and automatic cash drops across many rounds.

Its Single Out ability is especially useful when an individual BAD becomes the immediate threat, while Offensive Supply Drop helps during dense waves.

The important limitation is that S.P.I.D.E.R. cannot be your only dependable answer to every type of Bloon. Later Freeplay rounds contain large groups and increasingly durable enemies, so a complete defense still needs other towers to control anything the Paragon is not currently attacking.

Boss Encounters

Single Out can be valuable against Bosses because its charged attack is designed to deal enough damage to cross a Boss Skull threshold.

This makes the ability useful for planned burst damage rather than general wave clearing.

S.P.I.D.E.R. is a substantial investment, however. If the available budget is tight, its high purchase cost may leave too little money for the defenses and support needed between Boss phases.

For a Boss encounter, consider the available cash, the next Skull threshold, and whether the rest of the defense can survive while Single Out is charging.

Games Ending Around Round 100

Buying S.P.I.D.E.R. shortly before the normal end of a match is difficult to justify on income alone.

You must fund the Paragon upgrade and all three Tier 5 Snipers, only to have a small number of remaining rounds in which its automatic cash drops can contribute.

A cheaper defense may already be sufficient to defeat the Round 100 BAD. S.P.I.D.E.R. becomes a more meaningful purchase when the game will continue into Freeplay or when a specific high-health target justifies its abilities.

How Does S.P.I.D.E.R.’s Normal Attack Work?

S.P.I.D.E.R. does not attack like an upgraded Elite Defender.

Its main attack fires a powerful heavy-caliber shot that can bounce to an additional target. On impact, it produces shrapnel that seeks nearby Bloons after a short delay and explodes.

The attack rate is conditional:

• Shots become faster as Bloons travel closer to the exit.
• Consecutive attacks against the same target can increase its firing speed.
• Switching frequently between targets can prevent the tower from benefiting as much from repeated attacks against one enemy.

Against a durable BAD, S.P.I.D.E.R. can maintain pressure on the same target while building attack speed.

A group of smaller Bloons creates a different problem. Even when the Paragon has ample damage, several targets may move through the track before it can fire enough separate shots to eliminate them.

Why Can S.P.I.D.E.R. Destroy a BAD but Still Leak Bloons?

High damage per shot does not guarantee that enough attacks will reach every enemy.

A large target gives S.P.I.D.E.R. time to attack repeatedly. Smaller and faster enemies can escape between those attacks, especially when the defense has lost its original Elite Defender and other rapid-fire Snipers during the Paragon purchase.

For this kind of failure, adding more single-target damage is less useful than restoring coverage:

• Slow the approaching MOAB-class enemies with suitable Glue support.
• Use towers capable of clearing smaller Bloons between heavy shots.
• Add Shrapnel Shot Snipers if you want to take advantage of S.P.I.D.E.R.’s offensive ammunition ability.

Against DDTs, remember that ordinary Glue Gunners require an appropriate way to affect Camo targets. A Glue Gunner that cannot target a DDT will not solve a DDT leak.

How to Use S.P.I.D.E.R.’s Two Abilities

S.P.I.D.E.R. has two active abilities with different purposes. One improves its performance against groups, while the other concentrates damage against a major target.

Offensive Supply Drop — Handle Dense Waves

Offensive Supply Drop temporarily strengthens S.P.I.D.E.R.’s shrapnel attacks and improves nearby Snipers equipped with Shrapnel Shot.

The Paragon’s offensive ammunition effect is stronger than the limited-shot Ammo Drop available to ordinary Supply Drop Snipers.

Use it when dense groups are moving through the track and the regular heavy shots are not clearing enough targets.

It is particularly valuable when several dangerous Bloons arrive together and you need more area damage rather than one large hit.

The support effect depends on nearby Snipers having Shrapnel Shot. A Sniper without the relevant shrapnel upgrade cannot gain the same shrapnel improvement.

Because this ability is temporary, avoid activating it after most of the dangerous wave has already passed. Save the enhanced ammunition for the period when the largest groups are within attacking range.

Single Out — Focus on a BAD or Boss

Single Out targets the strongest Bloon on screen and begins charging a powerful attack.

A targeting beam indicates which enemy S.P.I.D.E.R. has locked onto. The attack grows stronger during its charge and fires when its charging conditions are met.

Against ordinary eligible Bloons, Single Out can destroy the target outright. However, it should not be treated as a guaranteed instant kill against every extremely high-health Freeplay enemy.

For Bosses, the attack is designed around reaching the next Skull threshold rather than automatically defeating the entire Boss.

The timing matters because Single Out is not a rapid-response attack you can repeatedly activate whenever another enemy appears.

If a BAD is approaching while several lesser MOAB-class Bloons are still on screen, Single Out is suited to concentrating on the biggest threat. Offensive Supply Drop is generally the better option when the immediate danger comes from a large group advancing together.

On water maps, a submerged Nautic Siege Core can reduce Paragon ability cooldowns when S.P.I.D.E.R. is within its effective range. This is an expensive form of support, not a requirement for using Single Out.

Cash Drop vs. Ammo Drop: What Changed for Supply Drop Snipers?

Update 57 introduced Ammo Swap for the regular middle-path Sniper Monkey.

A Sniper with Supply Drop (x-4-x) can choose between two ability modes:

• Cash Drop: Calls in a cash crate for additional money.
• Ammo Drop: Enhances the Sniper’s next few attacks with improved shrapnel damage, pierce, and popping properties.

Both modes share the same cooldown. Switching modes does not provide a second independent ability that can be used immediately.

The choice changes with what you need at that moment. Cash Drop supports expensive purchases during farming rounds. Ammo Drop helps when the defense needs extra shrapnel damage or additional popping properties.

In CHIMPS, cash-generating abilities do not provide extra money, so Ammo Drop is the useful mode for ordinary Supply Drop Snipers.

What Changed in Update 57.1?

Version 57.1 corrected an important Lead-popping interaction.

A 0-4-0 Supply Drop Sniper no longer gains permanent Lead popping simply by purchasing Supply Drop.

For permanent Lead popping through its regular attack, use the top crosspath with Full Metal Jacket (1-4-0).

Ammo Drop temporarily grants Lead popping to both the main attack and shrapnel, even when that permanent crosspath is missing.

This creates a practical difference between regular attacks and attacks enhanced by Ammo Drop.

If a 0-4-2 Supply Drop Sniper stops dealing damage to Lead Bloons after the ammunition effect ends, check the selected mode and crosspath before changing the entire defense.

The change concerns ordinary Supply Drop Snipers, including those used to prepare or support S.P.I.D.E.R.

Are S.P.I.D.E.R.’s Cash Drops Worth Farming?

S.P.I.D.E.R. automatically deploys cash drops as part of its normal behavior.

Those drops are useful when the match continues long enough for repeated collections to contribute toward future purchases.

However, the cash income should not be confused with the Paragon’s upgrade cost. Even on Medium, the base $800,000 purchase is only part of the total expense. The three Tier 5 Snipers, additional absorbed towers, and optional Degree contribution can make the full investment considerably larger.

For a short remaining match, the income has little time to offset that expense. During a long Freeplay run, repeated cash drops can help fund further defensive upgrades and additional Paragons.

There is also a difference between money generated before and after the purchase. Supply Drop Snipers used for farming are absorbed when S.P.I.D.E.R. is created. Their individual Cash Drop abilities disappear until new Supply Drop Snipers are placed.

Plan your income around that transition instead of assuming the original farming network remains available afterward.

Which Towers Work Best With S.P.I.D.E.R.?

Choose support based on the enemies that the Paragon is failing to remove, rather than buying every available buff.

Glue and Cleanup for Fast Bloons

When S.P.I.D.E.R. defeats large targets but smaller enemies approach the exit, add towers that slow or clear those enemies.

MOAB-focused Glue can extend the time larger Bloons spend on the track. Against DDTs, the Glue Gunner must have the necessary Camo interaction before it can contribute.

A separate cleanup tower is especially valuable immediately after combining the original Snipers, when their previous rapid-fire damage is no longer available.

Shrapnel Snipers and Target Coordination

New Snipers with Shrapnel Shot can benefit from S.P.I.D.E.R.’s Offensive Supply Drop.

S.P.I.D.E.R. also provides targeting coordination through Elite Targeting. Supporting Snipers can follow the Paragon’s target or continue firing independently.

Use coordinated targeting when several Snipers need to concentrate damage on a particularly dangerous enemy. Independent targeting is more useful when the Paragon is already handling a BAD and the smaller Bloons still need to be cleared.

This allows the same group of supporting Snipers to serve different purposes without replacing them.

Attack Speed and Ability Cooldowns

S.P.I.D.E.R.’s relatively slow regular shots make attack-speed improvements valuable when ordinary attacks are the limiting factor.

Master Builder support can provide Paragon attack-speed benefits. Nautic Siege Core instead offers ability cooldown reduction when the required positioning and submerged state are available.

These are substantial purchases of their own. If the only problem is a handful of fast Bloons escaping, a cheaper control or cleanup tower may solve it without committing to another Paragon.

Why Is My Sniper Paragon Not Working?

The Paragon upgrade is still locked. Unlock S.P.I.D.E.R. with Sniper XP first. If the XP unlock is complete but the in-game purchase remains unavailable, confirm that all three Tier 5 Snipers are present.

The defense becomes weaker immediately after buying S.P.I.D.E.R. The original Snipers were absorbed. Restore the cleanup or support functions they previously handled, starting with the enemy type that is escaping.

Single Out does not instantly remove an extremely strong Freeplay BAD. Its damage and charge behavior have limits. Do not rely on it as an unconditional instant kill against every scaled Freeplay target.

Offensive Supply Drop is not improving nearby Snipers. Confirm that the intended Snipers have Shrapnel Shot and can receive the support effect. Regular Supply Drop’s Cash Drop and Ammo Drop are separate from S.P.I.D.E.R.’s Paragon ability.

Supply Drop Snipers suddenly struggle against Lead Bloons. In v57.1, an ordinary x-4-x Sniper needs the appropriate crosspath for permanent Lead popping. Ammo Drop can temporarily provide the necessary popping properties.

MOAB-class damage seems unusually low in Update 57.0. The launch build had a damage interaction that prevented the intended bonus from applying correctly to all standard MOAB-class Bloons. Version 57.1 corrected this behavior, so damage results from the earlier build should not be treated as the current baseline.

When deciding whether to buy S.P.I.D.E.R., prioritize the enemies and rounds your existing defense cannot handle. Its powerful attacks and Single Out ability can remove major threats, but reliable cleanup, sufficient cash, and the timing of the Sniper merge determine whether the overall defense becomes stronger.