Is Pokra the Best Plant in PvZ2? A Deep Dive

The question of the “best” plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2 (PvZ2) is a hotly debated topic among fans. While numerous plants boast impressive capabilities, one name frequently surfaces in the discussion: Pokra. The short answer to whether Pokra is the absolute best is nuanced, but overwhelmingly, Pokra is a strong contender for the top spot due to her incredible versatility, low cost, and exceptional damage output. She is often considered the best plant for individual lane control.

Pokra excels at rapidly dealing damage to zombies in front of her and frequently launches projectiles, making her effective against a wide range of threats. Her 175 sun cost is remarkably low, allowing players to deploy her early and often. In fact, two Pokras at level 4 can single-handedly handle even Jurassic or Gladiator Gargantuars, showcasing her late-game viability. Her exceptional ability to handle lanes alone is what makes her a top contender, especially in modes like Endless Zones. However, while Pokra is exceptional on her own, she doesn’t have the raw stopping power of some other plants in the game.

Pokra’s Strengths and Weaknesses

Advantages

Low Sun Cost: At just 175 sun, Pokra can be planted early in the game, providing crucial lane control without breaking the bank. This is a huge advantage for high difficulty levels where you need plants set up quickly.
High Damage Output: Pokra’s rapid, multi-hit attacks make her capable of taking down hordes of zombies, including armored variants like Bucketheads. The occasional projectile also provides ranged support.
Versatile Range: She attacks zombies in a small area ahead of her, both with her melee poke and the occasional projectile, making her good at handling single zombies and clusters of them.
Excellent in Endless Zones: Pokra’s ability to handle massive waves of zombies makes her ideal for Endless Zones, where her low cost allows players to mass-produce her for effective defense.
Seedium Availability: As a seedium plant, she can be unlocked with a relatively low cost of 100 seeds, making her accessible to a wide range of players.
Effective Alone: She does not require many supportive plants to function effectively in a single lane.
Strong Against Most Zombies: Pokra’s consistent damage makes her very reliable against most zombie types.

Disadvantages

Jester Zombie Counter: Pokra’s projectiles are reflected back by Jester Zombies, making her vulnerable against them. This vulnerability makes her require support or alternative plants in areas where Jesters appear.
No Area of Effect: While she hits multiple times, her attack is only in a single lane.
Not as Strong as Plant-Food Heavy Strategies: While exceptionally powerful on her own, her plant food is not as game-changing compared to some other plants in PvZ2.

Comparison to Other Top-Tier Plants

While Pokra is undeniably powerful, other plants like Headbutter Lettuce and Caulipower also vie for the title of “best.” Headbutter Lettuce provides an extreme damage boost to a single lane and can push back some zombies and cannot be frozen, but relies heavily on Plant Food for effective play. Caulipower can hypnotize zombies, including powerful ones like Gargantuars, creating powerful allies, but its effectiveness is reliant on luck. Plants such as Dusk Lobber and Moonflower are great support plants, but do not have the offensive power that Pokra possesses.

Each of these plants excels in different aspects of the game, making the idea of a single “best” plant a subjective one. While Pokra cannot rival Headbutter Lettuce in a single burst of damage, she is much more consistently effective. She can also provide more consistent lane control compared to Caulipower, but lacks the ability to take control of the opposing team.

Pokra’s Role in Strategies

Pokra can be incorporated into a wide variety of strategies because of her low cost and effectiveness. She is particularly useful in the following scenarios:

Early Game Defense: Her low cost allows players to get a strong defense up early on in a level.
Endless Zone Runs: Players can easily spam Pokras and create extremely effective defense setups.
Budget Comps: Due to the low cost, she does not use up many resources and helps keep costs low, while still providing high damage output.
General Lane Control: Her consistent damage makes her useful in nearly any situation where standard zombies come in through a single lane.

Conclusion

While there may not be a single, definitively “best” plant in PvZ2, Pokra is undoubtedly one of the top contenders. Her low sun cost, high damage output, and versatility make her an exceptional choice for nearly any situation. Though she has some weaknesses, they are minor compared to her numerous strengths, earning her a well-deserved reputation as one of the best plants available. If you are still trying to figure out the best plant to use in a certain level, Pokra is a great place to start.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Pokra based on?

Pokra is based on the okra plant (Abelmoschus esculentus), also known as lady’s fingers, from the mallow family.

2. Why is Pokra’s name “Pokra”?

Pokra’s name is a portmanteau of “okra”, the plant she is based on, and “poke”, referring to her method of attacking zombies.

3. Is Pokra a seedium plant?

Yes, Pokra is a seedium plant and can be unlocked with only 100 seed packets.

4. How much sun does Pokra cost?

Pokra costs 175 sun.

5. What are Pokra’s strengths against zombies?

Pokra is effective against a wide range of zombies, including Bucketheads, thanks to her rapid melee attacks and occasional projectile.

6. What is Pokra’s weakness?

Pokra is most vulnerable to Jester Zombies, as they reflect her projectiles back at her.

7. How many Pokras are needed to defeat a Gargantuar?

Two level 4 Pokras can handle most Gargantuars effectively.

8. Is Pokra good for Endless Zones?

Yes, Pokra is exceptionally good in Endless Zones due to her low cost and high damage output, allowing players to easily mass-produce her.

9. How does Pokra compare to Headbutter Lettuce?

Headbutter Lettuce delivers higher single-target burst damage, while Pokra excels in consistent, lane-control. Headbutter Lettuce is also much more reliant on plant food to be effective.

10. How does Pokra compare to Caulipower?

Caulipower can hypnotize zombies including gargantuars, but Pokra offers consistent damage and reliable lane control.

11. Is Pokra better than Bonk Choy?

Pokra generally offers more consistent and reliable lane control compared to Bonk Choy due to her projectile and multihit melee attack.

12. What other plants are considered top-tier in PvZ2?

Other top-tier plants include Headbutter Lettuce, Caulipower, Dusk Lobber, Moonflower, and Imitater.

13. What is the best plant for a low-budget strategy?

Pokra is an excellent choice for low-budget strategies due to her low sun cost and high damage output.

14. How do you level up plants in PvZ2?

Plants can be leveled up using seed packets, which can be acquired through various means like completing levels, completing quests, or in the in-game store.

15. What is the best way to use Pokra?

The best strategy for Pokra is to mass-produce her in lanes to provide constant high damage output and lane control, or use her to fill out your defenses in budget comps.

Is Pokra the best plant in pvz2?