Editing Lead Balloon

{{RemovedSandboxOnly|date=5th of June 2026}}
{{For|the [[Lead (Attribute)|Lead]] attribute|[[Lead]] enemy, [[Lead Boss]], [[Balloon]], [[Balloon Kid]]|[[SUPER MEGA LEAD BALLOON]]}}
{{Zombie
|image1 = <tabber>
|-|Three Balloons = [[File:LeadBalloon.png]]
|-|Two Balloons = [[File:LeadBalloonDuo.png]]
|-|One Balloon = [[File:LeadBalloonUno.png]]
|-|Walk = [[File:LeadBalloonNoBalloon.png]]
</tabber>
|mode_appearance = [[Sandbox Mode|Sandbox]]
----
Originally:<br/>[[Hardcore Mode|{{Color|HardcoreMode}}]]
|first_wave_appearance = 39 (Hardcore)
|base_hp = [[File:HealthIcon.png|20px|Health]]250
|shield_hp = [[File:ShieldHealth.png|20px|Shield Health]]600
|speed = [[File:SpeedIcon.png|20px|Speed]]Above Average (4.25, With Balloons)<br/>[[File:SpeedIcon.png|20px|Speed]]Fast (Estimated 6.25, Without Balloons)
|spawned_by = [[Mystery]] (Hardcore, wave 40 onwards)
|hidden = No
|fly = {{Attr|Fly|Yes}} (With Balloons)<br/>No (Without Balloons)
|ghost = No
|lead = {{Attr|Lead|Yes}}
|immunity = None
}}
__TOC__
==Description==
The '''Lead Balloon''' was an [[Enemies|enemy]] which only appeared on [[Hardcore Mode|Hardcore]] mode. Currently, it can only be spawned in [[Sandbox Mode|Sandbox]] mode if the player has the Sandbox Plus+ [[Gamepasses|gamepass]]. While it has low health for its debut, it is quite fast. While the '''Lead Balloon''' is in the air, it cannot collide with [[units]], or be detected by most ground towers and units.

It is also a [[Lead (Attribute)|Lead]] enemy, meaning it cannot be damaged by towers without lead detection. This severely reduces the amount of towers that can harm the '''Lead Balloon'''. With its balloons popped, it is no longer a [[Flying]] enemy. However, despite having no visible metal coverings, it is still a [[Lead (Attribute)|Lead]] enemy.

The '''Lead Balloon''' can be spawned from the [[Mystery]] upon its death in [[Hardcore Mode|Hardcore]] mode, wave 40 onwards.

==Appearance==
The '''Lead Balloon''' is a faceless humanoid with reflective dark green skin, and a reflective dark grey torso and legs. It has three lead balloons tied to its back, which, after taking enough damage, pop into yellow particles and drops it lower to the ground. When it loses all shield health, all the balloons would have popped and the '''Lead Balloon''' would become grounded, removing its flying attribute and making it walk along the path.

==Strategy==
This strategy refers to the state of the game while the '''Lead Balloon''' still appeared in the [[Hardcore Mode|Hardcore]] mode.
*While the '''Lead Balloon''' is floating, the '''Lead Balloon''' is a lead and flying enemy. This limits the towers that can both detect and damage the '''Lead Balloon'''.
*Multiple Level 3+ [[Ranger]]s are the best option to deal with the '''Lead Balloon''', with or without its balloons.
**A Level 2+ [[Tesla]] is equally good for this, especially because of its [[Splash Damage|area damage]], allowing it to take down multiple '''Lead Balloon'''s at once, while also stunning them.
**Level 4 [[Sniper]]s can also be used to kill the '''Lead Balloon''' despite their mediocre DPS, but you need a large amount of them.
**A few level 3+ [[Toxic Gunner]]s are also a great option to eliminate the '''Lead Balloon''', with and without its balloons. However, [[Toxic Gunner]] is an event tower that is currently unobtainable outside of special offers.
*The [[Ace Pilot]], [[Mortar]] and [[Pursuit]] can detect and damage the '''Lead Balloon''' with its splash damage. 
**However, the [[Ace Pilot]]'s projectiles explode on the ground, limiting the damage dealt to the '''Lead Balloon'''. It will also have a hard time hitting '''Lead Balloons''' when they are grounded due to the enemy's fast speed.
*The [[Engineer]] can be used to deal with this, but do note that only the tower itself can detect and damage them. None of the [[Engineer]]'s sentries can detect it, with only [[War Machine Sentry]] being able to damage it.
*The [[Firework Technician]] can be used to give your towers both [[Lead (Attribute)|Lead]] and [[Flying]] detections, along with granting them extra firepower with fireworks.
*Weirdly, the [[Elf Camp]]'s units can handle this enemy quite well, despite being unable to collide with it.
*The [[Hunter]] and [[Executioner]] are able to detect the '''Lead Balloon''', but are unable to damage it.
*The [[Commando]]'s missiles are in fact fully capable of damaging '''Lead Balloons''' and could be a potentially effective way of bursting them down due to the constant splash damage.
*Units cannot directly damage the '''Lead Balloon''' while it is floating, though explosions from some of the units may indirectly hit it.
*The [[Shotgunner]], [[Electroshocker]], [[Saboteur]] and [[Swarmer]] are unable to detect the '''Lead Balloon''' while it is floating, but are able to damage it.
**This will only occur if there are other enemies near the '''Lead Balloon'''.
*Once the '''Lead Balloon's''' shield health has been depleted, all of its balloons would have popped.
**Once this happens, any tower can detect the '''Lead Balloon''', but cannot damage it if they do not have lead detection.
**Be aware that its speed increases significantly while on the ground

==Gallery==
{{Gallery|
{{GalleryHeader|Corpse Variants}}
<gallery>
CorpseLeadBalloon.png|Second [[Corpse (Enemy)|Corpse]] variant, current version (12 March 2025 – Present)
</gallery>

{{GalleryHeader|Miscellaneous}}
<gallery>
IndexLeadBalloon.png|'''Lead Balloon''' on its [[Index]] icon.
</gallery>
}}

==Trivia==
*The '''Lead Balloon''' may be a reference to the [[w:c:bloons:Lead Bloon|Lead Bloon]] in the ''Bloons Tower Defense'' series.
*During [[Hardcore Testing BETA]], the '''Lead Balloon's''' balloons did not pop as it had no shield health.
*Oddly, when the '''Lead Balloon's''' balloons pop, it is no longer a flying enemy, yet is still considered a lead enemy, despite not having any metal coverings.
*The '''Lead Balloon''', alongside the [[Lead]] and [[Lead Boss]] have unique spark particles when they are hit by an attack that cannot detect lead enemies.

==Update History==
*'''29 October 2020''' - [[Overhaul v1.0|Overhaul v1.0.0]]
**'''Lead Balloon''' added.
*'''16 December 2024''' - [[v1.46.0]]
**{{Bug}} Uses the animation without balloons in the [[Index]] while also still wearing its balloons.
*'''5 June 2026''' - [[v2.0.0]]
**'''Lead Balloon''' removed from the main game, now appears exclusively in [[Sandbox Mode|Sandbox]] mode.


{{Hardcore|[[Lava]]|Wave 37|Lead Balloon|Wave 39|[[Slow King (Legacy)|Slow King]]|Wave 41|category = hide}}



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