Are Gatling Peas Worth It in Plants vs Zombies? A Comprehensive Guide
Yes, Gatling Peas are generally worth it in Plants vs. Zombies, particularly in specific scenarios and when used strategically. While not a one-size-fits-all solution, this powerful upgrade to the Repeater can be a game-changer with proper planning and support. The Gatling Pea’s strength lies in its high damage output, firing four peas simultaneously, making it effective against hordes of zombies. However, its high sun cost and the necessity for supporting plants, like Torchwood, to maximize its potential, mean you must carefully consider when and how to deploy it. This article will delve deeper into the Gatling Pea’s strengths and weaknesses, exploring its usefulness in different game modes and answering some common questions about this potent plant.
Understanding the Gatling Pea
The Power of Multiple Peashooters
The Gatling Pea, essentially four Peashooters combined into one, is a significant step up from the basic Peashooter and even the Repeater. Instead of firing a single pea, it unleashes a barrage of four peas at a time. This quadrupled firepower makes it exceptional at rapidly taking down regular zombies and even dealing significant damage to stronger enemies like Bucketheads. While the Gatling Pea’s raw damage is impressive, it’s crucial to remember that, like other peas, it is a single target attacker without inherent area-of-effect damage.
Cost and Efficiency Considerations
The Gatling Pea is relatively expensive, requiring 250 sun to plant. This is higher than the Repeater (200 sun) and considerably more than basic Peashooters (100 sun). This means that using Gatling Peas early in a level can severely hamper your ability to plant more defensive plants and slow down the creation of a strong sun economy. Therefore, timing their deployment is key.
Gatling Pea in Different Game Modes
Survival Mode
In Survival Mode, particularly Survival: Day, the Gatling Pea really shines. Its high damage output is crucial for handling the ever-increasing waves of zombies. However, relying solely on Gatling Peas is not advisable. Players will usually want to combine them with defensive strategies such as the usage of Melon-pults (or Ice-Melonpults) for AoE damage. The Gatling Pea + Torchwood combo offers incredible focused damage, though it might not be optimal for large groups of zombies in multiple lanes at once.
Survival: Endless
In Survival: Endless, the Gatling Pea’s single-target nature becomes a limitation. While still useful in the early and mid-game, more complex strategies involving Gloom Shrooms and other AoE damage dealers become necessary as the zombie waves become overwhelming. The Winter Melon’s ability to slow down multiple lanes, combined with area damage, is generally preferred in this mode for overall control.
Adventure Mode
In Adventure Mode, the Gatling Pea is a good option in levels with large waves of stronger zombies, especially if you have good sun production. However, it may not be necessary to get it for all levels as strategies based on other plants and simple Peashooters or Repeaters may be enough. The cost-effectiveness of the Gatling Pea must be weighed against other plants and strategies before getting it.
Synergies and Support
The Torchwood Advantage
The Gatling Pea + Torchwood combo is one of the most powerful in the game. Torchwood enhances pea damage, making this duo capable of taking down even tougher zombies incredibly fast. The main drawback is that Torchwood unfreezes zombies previously slowed by Snow Peas or Ice Melons, which can sometimes be detrimental in certain scenarios.
Other Supporting Plants
While Torchwood is a direct damage booster, other plants also complement the Gatling Pea effectively. For example, Twin Sunflowers provide the extra sun needed to quickly place a high number of Gatling Peas. Moreover, defensive plants such as Tall-nuts are effective for buying time for the Gatling Peas to do their work. Furthermore, other plants with AoE damage such as Gloom Shrooms and Melon-pults can be effectively used together with Gatling Peas.
Strengths and Weaknesses
Strengths
- High Single-Target Damage: Excellent at quickly taking down individual zombies, including tougher ones.
- Effective with Torchwood: The damage output is significantly boosted with Torchwood, making it a very dangerous combination.
- Good in Survival: Day: Its high damage makes it ideal for handling the large number of zombies.
Weaknesses
- High Sun Cost: The 250 sun cost can be a significant investment early on.
- No AoE Damage: Struggles against large groups of zombies in multiple lanes.
- Requires Specific Support: It requires the support of other plants like the Torchwood for maximum efficiency.
Is Gatling Pea worth it? Final verdict.
Yes, Gatling Peas are worth it in Plants vs. Zombies due to their sheer firepower. However, they must be incorporated with a strong strategy and considering their limitations. Don’t over-rely on the Gatling Pea and make sure to use it as part of a balanced strategy including supporting plants.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. How many peas does the Gatling Pea shoot?
The Gatling Pea shoots four peas at a time. It’s essentially four Peashooters combined into one plant.
2. Is the Gatling Pea better than the Winter Melon?
It depends on the situation. The Gatling Pea is better for focused damage on individual zombies, especially when paired with Torchwood. Winter Melon is better for crowd control because of its slowing effect and splash damage, making it ideal for large waves of zombies or endless survival modes.
3. Should I get Twin Sunflowers or Gatling Pea first?
Twin Sunflowers are generally more important early in a level. A strong sun economy is crucial for success. Gatling Peas can be used once you have sufficient sun and defenses.
4. Is the Mega Gatling Pea better than the normal Gatling Pea?
The Mega Gatling Pea is a different plant in Plants vs Zombies Heroes and not part of the first game. In that game, Mega Gatling Pea can be incredibly powerful when combined with other boosting cards like Pea Vine, Torchwood, and Appease-mint.
5. Is the Gatling Pea good in PvZ Heroes?
Yes, in PvZ Heroes, Gatling Pea can do a lot of damage if left unattended and becomes very dangerous when boosted with cards like Torchwood or The Podfather.
6. Is the Fire Peashooter a good alternative to the Gatling Pea?
Fire Peashooter is good for single lane damage, and can deal significant damage, especially due to its speed. However, it’s not as potent in raw firepower as the Gatling Pea. Unlike Pepper-pult, it can’t shoot over ice blocks or apply splash damage.
7. What is the strongest Peashooter?
In terms of raw damage, the strongest Peashooter is the Big Plasma Pea from Plants vs. Zombies Adventures, dealing 1800 damage. This however, is not available in the base game of Plants vs. Zombies.
8. Is the Snow Pea worth it?
Snow Pea is valuable for slowing down zombies, but doesn’t deal increased damage compared to the regular Peashooter. It is especially useful against certain types of zombies in Plants vs. Zombies 2.
9. Is Snap Pea good?
Snap Pea is a premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2 that is very good due to its ability to instantly kill a zombie in front of it and then damaging other zombies.
10. Does the Snow Pea do more damage than the Peashooter?
No, the Snow Pea does the same amount of damage as the Peashooter, but it also slows down zombies with its frozen peas.
11. Are Twin Sunflowers worth it?
Yes, Twin Sunflowers are definitely worth it because they produce more sun than two normal sunflowers and save space.
12. What does the Goo Peashooter do?
The Goo Peashooter shoots poisonous peas that deal initial damage and inflict a poison effect that deals damage over time.
13. What is the best plant in PvZ 1?
Generally, Sunflower, Gloom Shroom, and Cattail are considered some of the best plants due to their usefulness and versatility.
14. What kind of gun is a Peashooter based on?
The term “peashooter” is a term used for a type of toy blowgun, and also used derogatorily to describe a weak, small-caliber firearm.
15. Is Fire Peashooter a girl or a boy?
The Fire Peashooter is depicted as a female in most of her appearances except in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare and its sequel, where she is a male.