Ghost Pepper

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 * For the version in Plants vs. Zombies: Journey to the West, see Ghost Pepper (PvZ: JttW).

Ghost Pepper is a limited-edition special-edition premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2. She first appeared in the 2.9 update, and was available for purchase from October 14 to November 4, 2014, for 109 gems as the first gem premium plant to be released. She returned along with the other limited-edition plants in the Luck O' The Zombie event from March 21 to March 24, 2015, and appeared once again for a limited time on July 7, 2015. She returned once again as of October 20, 2015, for the Halloween Lawn of Doom event with a price tag of 80 gems. She, along with Jack O' Lantern, Sweet Potato and Witch Hazel returned in the 2017 Lawn of Doom event, starting October 17. She was available only in a bundle at first, but as of the event's second week, she was available separately for 100 gems.

Ghost Pepper haunts and deals 3 normal damage shots per second to each zombies in a 1x4 area around it. After 10 seconds from when she haunts her first zombie, Ghost Pepper will explode, dealing 22.5 normal damage shots to all enemies in a 3x3 area. Additionally, Ghost Pepper is immune to most attacks from zombies, including transformations that make the plant passive (Wizard Zombie, Octo Zombie and Archmage Zombie in the Chinese version), and can be planted directly on water tiles in Big Wave Beach without the aid of a Lily Pad.

Origins
The Bhut jolokia, commonly referred to as ghost pepper, is one of the spiciest chili peppers in the world. Ghost Pepper's name also refers to her spectral appearance, and her ability to harm zombies by haunting them.

Plant Food effect
When fed Plant Food, Ghost Pepper haunts all zombies in a 4x3 area, dealing a total of 56 normal damage shots over 3.5 seconds. The Plant Food effect will also reset Ghost Pepper's duration, allowing Ghost Pepper to stay on the lawn longer, similar to the plant food effect of Puff-shroom.

Costumed
When given Plant Food, Ghost Pepper now deals more damage and stuns the zombies in range.

Strategies
Compared to other instant-use plants, Ghost Pepper trades overall firepower and area of effect for increased damage-dealing duration, shorter recharge time and general ease of use. Therefore, she will find more use in aiding other offensive plants against high priority, but low health targets such as Wizard Zombies, Octo Zombies and Turquoise Skull Zombies, rather than high health zombies like Gargantuar. Compared to Lava Guava, Ghost Pepper has greater range and, therefore, will be better suited against faster enemies, while Lava Guava deals more damage in a much smaller area, and will be more useful against slower enemies.

Ghost Pepper should ideally be planted in areas where large groups of zombies will walk through. Frostbite Caves may provide such choke points in certain slider tile placements, but the player can also utilize Garlic and Sweet Potato to create choke points of their own. Stunning or delaying zombies with plants such as Stunion and Stallia can also increase Ghost Pepper's efficiency by forcing zombies to stay in her area of effect for a longer time period. With Shovel Boost, Ghost Pepper can also be dug up just after she explodes to be refunded some sun prior to 5.0.1.

Ghost Pepper is a highly valuable asset for the player in Big Wave Beach. Not only can she be placed on water tiles without the help of Lily Pad, but she is resistant to most of the local zombies' otherwise dangerous zombies: Surfer Zombie and Octo Zombie will not attempt to target Ghost Pepper, while Fisherman Zombie will usually reel past Ghost Pepper, and can only eliminate her by pulling a plant right next to Ghost Pepper. Ghost Pepper is also highly useful in Dark Ages, especially against Wizard Zombies, as she is one of the few plants that cannot be transmuted by them.

Ghost Pepper should not be planted near the player's house in Far Future, as Gargantuar Primes will often shoot their laser beams in that area and shorten Ghost Pepper's duration. Additionally, frozen blocks and arcade machines can crush Ghost Pepper like any other plants, so the player should be careful when using Ghost Pepper against Troglobite and Arcade Zombie.

Trivia

 * She is the first plant with the ability to hover over water in Big Wave Beach, the second one being Rotobaga and the third one being Caulipower.
 * She is the first plant related to the Lawn of Doom event. The second is Jack O' Lantern, and the third is Witch Hazel.
 * If one hears closely, she sometimes sounds like a Ghast from the game Minecraft.
 * The following zombies and objects can destroy or harm it:
 * Sun Bombs can destroy her if the player collects the sun before landing.
 * Gargantuar Prime's lasers can reduce her lifespan, yet cannot completely burn her.
 * Mecha-Football Zombie cannot push her directly. However, she can still be pushed by Mecha-Football Zombie if the plant in front of her gets pushed.
 * Zombie King when his throne falls onto her.
 * Surfer Zombie with his surfboard.
 * Fisherman Zombie can kill a Ghost Pepper when Fisherman Zombie is next to her and hooks a plant behind the Ghost Pepper even when planted on the spot before appearing.
 * Troglobite and Arcade Zombie when they push an ice block or arcade machine respectively, onto her.
 * Imp Porter can crush Ghost Pepper when he drops his backpack/tent.
 * Hair Metal Gargantuar's sonic blast can reduce her lifespan.
 * She is the only plant except for instant-use plants that cannot be transformed into sheep by Wizard Zombie.
 * She will not explode if her timer is triggered right before the level ends, similarly to Puff-shroom.
 * In the Chinese version, her explosion sound effect is the sound that Melon-pult creates while using Plant Food.
 * Additionally, when she attacks, the sound effect from Sun-shroom's plant food ability is also heard.
 * Her, Lord Bamboo, and Sap-fling are the only monthly special plants that have their Almanac background be Big Wave Beach in the Chinese version.
 * After the 1.8 update, however, they all got the normal lawn background.
 * According to the credits, she is voiced by Damian Kastbauer.
 * Before April 1, 2018, even though her "hair bow" costume was otherwise fully implemented, it could not be obtained in the international version. In the Chinese version, it is obtainable via Puzzle Pieces. Ghost Pepper also has her hair bow on in a sticker in the Sticker Pack.
 * If a Boombox Zombie plays his jam at the same time Ghost Pepper is attacking zombies, it will still play the "haunting" animation, but will not deal any damage.
 * Her shadow is a part of her idle animation.
 * Caulipower shares this trait.
 * During the Lawn of Doom 2017 event, she only could be purchased as a bundle with Jack O' Lantern and Witch Hazel. During the second week of the event, however, she was added to the store costing 100 gems.
 * She is also the second gem premium to now cost money, with the first being Dandelion.
 * She is the only Lawn of Doom plant to not return in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes.