Explorer Zombie

For the chinese variant, see Torch Kung-Fu Zombie.

The Explorer Zombie is a zombie in Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time. It is the third zombie to be encountered and it holds a torch that burns any plant upon contact. Iceberg Lettuces, Snow Peas and Winter Melons can extinguish the torch, but Snapdragons and flaming peas generated by the Torchwood can relight it.

Suburban Almanac Entry
TOUGHNESS: Solid

SPEED: Hungry

Carries a torch that can instantly destroy your plants.

SPECIAL: Torch destroys plant on contact.

WEAKNESS: Cold attacks extinguish torch.

His impressive friendly mutton chops has always kept food in them for weeks, making sure his explorations are filled with snacks.

Overview
Explorer Zombie takes 12 normal damage shots. It loses its arm at 6 shots before dying at 12 shots.

Appearances
Player's House: Piñata Party

Ancient Egypt: Days 9, 17, 20, 24, 25, and Pyramid of Doom.

Strategies
Iceberg Lettuce, Winter Melon and Snow Pea are good plants to use against it since it extinguishes its flame. Wall-nut and Tall-nut don't work since the Explorer Zombie can burn it, even if it has been upgraded by Plant Food. In the worst case scenario, using two Plant Food on Cabbage-pult can kill every Explorer Zombie on the screen, and deal high damage to other zombies, and Plant Food on any other plant may kill it as it has low health. The Iceberg Lettuce's Plant Food upgrade also extinguishes all torches on the game screen.

Using Snapdragons in the same lane (or in the upper or lower lane) as the zombie is a very bad idea since the Snapdragon can unfreeze it and even light the torch again. Also, the Snapdragon has a close-range attack, so it won't get very many shots in before it is killed.

Trivia

 * If the Explorer Zombie meets an unarmed Potato Mine with its torch still alight, it will walk past it without burning it. If it meets an armed Potato Mine, it will explode as usual, meaning the Explorer Zombie will not burn it.
 * Explorer Zombie, Zombie Parrot, and Gargantuar are the only zombies in Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time which can take down a Tall-nut immediately.
 * However, in the case of Gargantuar, if Tall-nut (or Wall-nut for that matter) is fed with Plant Food, it will take another smash in order to kill it.
 * Yet Gargantuar Prime can overkill it by smashing twice.
 * If the Explorer Zombie is buttered, its flame will freeze, but still be lit.
 * If the player extinguishes the torch, he/she will get the achievement, No Smoking.
 * This is the only zombie to not have Pirate or Cowboy variants but has a Chinese variant.
 * Explorer Zombie cannot burn down Infi-nut's shield. It will however, chew it from a space away if its torch is still lit.