Is Pea Vine Good? A Comprehensive Guide to the Verdant Powerhouse
The short answer is: yes, Pea Vine is very good in Plants vs. Zombies 2: Reflourished, and potentially other variations of the game (though the information provided mainly pertains to Reflourished). This premium plant offers a unique combination of consistent damage output and powerful synergy with other plants, making it a formidable addition to any player’s arsenal. Pea Vine’s strength lies not just in its individual power, but in its capacity to significantly amplify the effectiveness of other peashooting plants. Let’s delve deeper into why this seemingly simple vine is a top-tier choice.
The Strength of Pea Vine
Pea Vine, costing 75 gems, might seem like just another peashooter initially. After all, it fires peas at the same rate as a standard Peashooter, approximately every 1.35-1.5 seconds. However, its potential is unlocked when you consider its special ability. Pea Vine grows directly on top of another plant, and here’s where the magic happens: it boosts the damage of that plant. Specifically, it turns any plant it’s placed on into a peashooting plant. This means even non-offensive plants suddenly start dealing damage by firing peas.
Synergies and Damage Amplification
The true power of Pea Vine comes to light when paired with other offensive peashooters like Repeater or Gatling Pea. When a Pea Vine is placed on top of these, it drastically enhances their existing peashooting ability. The damage boost stacks, meaning the plant on top fires peas with increased damage. Furthermore, the additional mastery damage of Pea Vine is also affected by this boost, resulting in an exponential increase in overall DPS (damage per second).
For example, a max level Peashooter combined with a Pea Vine and Torchwood can output a massive 1980 damage per pea. This illustrates the potential for extreme damage output, making even common zombies succumb quickly. It’s not just about raw damage either. The damage boost of Pea Vine affects the plant food effect of both Pea Vine and the plant it’s attached to, leading to incredibly powerful bursts of damage when needed.
Beyond the Basics: Tactical Use
Pea Vine is not just a brute force tool. Its ability to turn any plant into a peashooter opens up numerous strategic options. Need extra fire power in a pinch? Place a Pea Vine on a defensive plant like a Tall-nut, and suddenly it’s contributing to the offensive effort. This flexibility makes Pea Vine an asset on any level, adapting to different zombie types and layouts. Combining it with other strategic plants opens many unique strategies.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Pea Vine
Let’s explore some common questions to further illustrate the value and intricacies of Pea Vine:
1. Is Pea Vine a vine in real life?
Pea Vine, in the context of Plants vs Zombies, refers to a fictional plant with a unique gameplay mechanic. In real life, the pea plant itself is indeed a climbing vine, and the tendrils of real-life pea plants are often referred to as pea vines or pea shoots. These are edible and have a crisp, slightly crunchy texture with a mild sweetness.
2. What is the best way to use Pea Vine?
The best way to utilize Pea Vine is to stack it on top of powerful peashooters like Repeater or Gatling Pea, especially when coupled with Torchwood for further damage amplification. However, don’t underestimate the value of using it to temporarily enhance defensive plants when an onslaught is imminent.
3. How much damage does Pea Vine do?
Pea Vine shoots peas at the same rate as a regular Peashooter. Its primary function is to boost the damage of the plant it is placed on top of, not necessarily deal large direct damage on its own.
4. Does Pea Vine work with all plants?
While Pea Vine turns any plant it’s on top of into a peashooter, the most significant impact is seen when paired with existing peashooters. The damage boost is less noticeable with plants that do not normally deal damage or are not designed to output high DPS.
5. How much does Pea Vine cost?
In Plants vs. Zombies 2: Reflourished, Pea Vine costs 75 gems to purchase.
6. Is Pea Vine better than other premium plants?
Whether Pea Vine is “better” depends on the individual player’s playstyle, however, Pea Vine’s damage potential and unique boosting mechanics give it a very strong case for being one of the best premium plant options. Its synergies are a huge advantage.
7. Is Pea Vine’s boosted damage affected by other plant abilities?
Yes, absolutely. Pea Vine’s boost interacts positively with other abilities like Torchwood’s fire damage boost. Also, the damage boost from Pea Vine is affected by Mastery.
8. Can Pea Vine be used in Endless Zones?
Pea Vine is viable in Endless Zones, particularly because of its damage boosting ability. Its adaptability makes it valuable even in more complex situations and higher levels.
9. Does Pea Vine have a plant food ability?
Yes, Pea Vine’s plant food ability gives an extra burst of power, and this effect is boosted along with its normal boost if used on a peashooting plant.
10. Does Pea Vine affect the plant below it with the plant food ability?
Yes, the plant food effect of the plant on which Pea Vine sits is also affected by Pea Vine’s damage boost, compounding the damage potential of this synergy.
11. Is Pea Vine worth the gem cost?
Considering its high damage potential and adaptability, Pea Vine is definitely worth the gem investment. It can significantly enhance the power of a team.
12. What are some other great pea plants in PvZ2?
Besides Pea Vine, other powerful pea plants include Repeater, Gatling Pea, and the Big Plasma Pea, each with their distinct characteristics. Snow Pea is also great for its freezing effects.
13. How does Pea Vine compare to other support plants?
Compared to some other support plants that might provide sun or specific defensive bonuses, Pea Vine excels in raw damage output. Its unique enhancement mechanic makes it a potent offensive option.
14. Can Pea Vine climb?
In-game, Pea Vine does not function as a climbing plant itself. Instead, it sits on top of other plants to boost their abilities. In real life, the pea plant is indeed a climbing vine.
15. What is the downside of using Pea Vine?
The primary downside is that it requires another plant to be effective, and in some setups, it might be strategically more valuable to have a different type of plant. However, this dependency is also its strength, forcing players to think strategically about plant placement.
Conclusion
Pea Vine is an excellent premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2: Reflourished, offering significant damage boosts through its unique interaction with other plants. Its ability to transform any plant into a peashooter, combined with its synergy with offensive peashooters and other boosting plants, makes it a powerful addition to any garden. While requiring a strategic approach, the rewards make it more than worthwhile, establishing it as a plant that can turn the tide of any battle against the undead hordes. For those seeking a powerful and versatile plant, Pea Vine is a must-have.