Explorer Zombie


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

The Explorer Zombie is a zombie in Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time, Plants vs. Zombies Online, and Plants vs. Zombies: All Stars. 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.

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 absorbs 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.

Dark Ages: Piñata Party

Strategies
Alone, this zombie does not pose much of a threat. However, this zombie is very dangerous in huge waves, especially if it is protected by Buckethead Mummies or Pharaoh Zombies. If you are going to use the Iceberg Lettuce, Winter Melon or Snow Pea, remember that Snapdragons and Torchwoods can relight its torch. Wall-nuts, Tall-nuts, and Infi-nuts do not 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 Foods on a Cabbage-pult will kill every Explorer Zombie on the screen, and deal high damage to other zombies. The Iceberg Lettuce's Plant Food Upgrade is a good method, especially on Ancient Egypt - Day 20 as it 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 will not 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.
 * If timed correctly, the Explorer Zombie will not burn the plant when relighting its torch but will eat the plant close to it instead.
 * 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 and Infi-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 or she will get the achievement, No Smoking.
 * This is the only zombie to not have Pirate or Cowboy variants, but it has a Chinese variant.
 * Its torch will immediately switch off at the moment of its death.
 * Explorer Zombie cannot burn Infi-nut's shield. It will, however, chew it from a space away if its torch is still lit.
 * It looks as if it is eating nothing when it is doing this.
 * Explorer is the only entirely paradoxal zombie in Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time, because it appears in Ancient Egypt, more than 2000 years before the first Explorers appear.
 * Explorer Zombies can now use Sandstorms, but only during Piñata Parties.
 * It can burn Torchwood, despite the fact that the Torchwood cannot be burned by itself.