Threepeater


 * For the version in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, see Threepeater (PvZH).

Threepeater is a peashooting plant available in both main series Plants vs. Zombies games. Threepeater shoots peas in three lanes: the one in which it is planted and the two lanes adjacent to that. Its attack is triggered when a zombie or tombstone appears anywhere within its area of effect (i.e. in any one of the three lanes). If Threepeater is planted on the top or bottom row, it will only shoot peas in two lanes instead of the usual three due to no lanes being above or below its position.

Origins
Like most other pea-shooting plants, Threepeater is based on the plant Pisum sativum. Its name is a portmanteau of three, because it shoots three peas, and Repeater, because it shoots peas like Repeater.

Plants vs. Zombies
Threepeater is unlocked after defeating Level 3-2, and costs 325 sun to plant. In Versus Mode, Threepeater costs 200 sun instead, and has a slower recharge rate.

Plants vs. Zombies (DS)
In this version (and possibly some others) Threepeaters will fire two peas on his lane and one pea on the adjacent one if he is placed on the edge of the map.

Plants vs. Zombies 2
Threepeater is unlocked after completing Pirate Seas - Day 14. It has its price reduced to 300 sun, but otherwise performs identical to its previous incarnation.

Plants vs. Zombies
Threepeater

Threepeaters shoot peas in three lanes.

Damage: normal (for each pea)

Range: three lanes

Threepeater likes reading, backgammon and long periods of immobility in the park. Threepeater enjoys going to shows, particularly modern jazz. "I'm just looking for that special someone," he says. Threepeater's favorite number is 5.

Cost: 325

Recharge: fast

Plant Food effect
When fed Plant Food, Threepeater shoots 30 peas in each of three directions: front, up (changing from 0°~90°) and down (changing from 0°~90°).

Costumed
Its Plant Food ability has double duration.

In Adventure Mode
Attacks up to 3 targets at once, one for each row.

Strategies
Compared to other peashooting plants, Threepeater stands out for having the second highest amount of shots possible per tile, second only to Gatling Pea in the first game and Chinese version of the second, and Pea Pod in the second. Threepeater can also shoot enemies on adjacent lanes, and this allows the plant to stay helpful even when there is nothing on the lane it is planted on. These advantages however is offset by a great amount of drawbacks that may reduce Threepeater's efficiency in the battlefield. Firstly, Threepeater's attack pattern heavily restricts the player's planting option, as planting Threepeater on the edge lane will reduce the plant's power by a third. Secondly, the firing pattern also means that Threepeater is exceedingly poor at guarding the edge lanes, due to firepower being concentrated at the central lanes and reduced on the edge lanes. Finally, the steep price tag means that Threepeater will find issue being used effectively in the early-game, as well as compete with more powerful plants of similar price later on.

Threepeater's animation is somewhat misleading: It actually shoots one pea straight ahead from the square above, one from its square, and one from the square below. Because of this, Threepeater works better with Torchwood than the animation might suggest: if a Torchwood is planted directly above or below the Threepeater, the pea will be lit immediately when it is shot. Likewise, if a Torchwood is planted in the row above or below a Threepeater but one column ahead of it, the Threepeater's peas will be lit despite apparently not having fully moved into the row and not having gone through the Torchwood.

Ways to plant Threepeaters where every row gets ammunition
There are (5!/2!3!) - 7 + (5!/2!3!) - 2 + (5!/4!1!) + 1 = 17 ways to plant Threepeaters where every row gets at least 1 NDS or 20 DPS. Here is a list of ways you can plant them (numbers represent columns you plant them).

(2, 4)

(2, 5)

(1, 4)

(2, 3, 4)

(1, 3, 5)

(1, 2, 4)

(2, 3, 5)

(2, 4, 5)

(1, 3, 4)

(1, 2, 5)

(1, 4, 5)

(1, 2, 3, 4)

(1, 2, 3, 5)

(1, 2, 4, 5)

(1, 3, 4, 5)

(2, 3, 4, 5)

(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)

Pool's Closed/Don't Drink the Water
Threepeater is a possible offensive option if the player plans to get the Pool's Closed/Don't Drink the Water achievement, as it can help defend the pool lanes. However, Starfruit and Gloom-shroom are often better choices for this task, since the former is cheaper and easier to plant while the latter does a lot more damage. Also, not using Threepeater gives the Don't Pea in the Pool achievement.

I, Zombie
Threepeaters are encountered in various I, Zombie levels, including I, Zombie Endless. Like Starfruit and Magnet-shroom, Threepeater is one of the few plants capable of affecting other lanes than the one he is placed in, requiring the player to consider adjacent lanes while attempting to assault a particular one. For example, an Imp about to walk down a seemingly undefended lane might still get killed by a Threepeater, wasting sun. Bungee Zombies and Football Zombies are possible choices, but they are both highly expensive while the latter may get its helmet removed by Magnet-shroom.

Plants vs. Zombies 2
Although Threepeater only has the firepower of a Peashooter, it can be somewhat useful in levels where zombies come in several different lanes in the beginning, as a single Threepeater can provide ammunition for three lanes. However, because of its high sun cost, this is only recommended when paired with high sun-producing plants like Gold Bloom. Threepeater is also particularly useful in levels where there is a limit to how many plants the player can place on the lawn, because only two threepeaters are needed to fend the whole lawn, compared to at least five for Peashooters. Because of its low firepower, Threepeater is not recommended for the main offensive plant for dealing with tougher zombies like Jurassic Fossilhead or Robo-Cone Zombie. It can also be easily overwhelmed by zombies like Zombie Chicken and Ice Weasel because of its lack of area of effect. Threepeater will also not fare well in levels with Excavator Zombies, Jester Zombies, Shield Zombies, Barrel Roller Zombies, Troglobites, Arcade Zombies, or levels with high zombie density, like Neon Mixtape Tour - Day 13.

Pirate Seas - Day 25
A maximum of five Threepeaters can be fielded, and replacements will be given on the conveyor-belt if one of them is eaten. They could be useful for fending off Imp Pirate Zombies if Coconut Cannon or Snapdragon is not provided immediately, as Zombot Plank Walker tends to fire a barrage of Imps at the beginning of the battle. This is rarely the case however, and Threepeater's firepower will prove to be of little importance compared to the other plants.

Frostbite Caves - Day 30
Threepeaters are provided in this conveyor-belt level, and it is recommended to plant them so every row gets ammunition. However, because Zombot Tuskmaster 10,000 BC can also pull freezing winds, it is recommended to have Pepper-pult or Fire Peashooter around them to heat them up.

General

 * It is one of the only plants that has at least three heads in the series, the others being Snake Grass, Pea Pod, Bowling Bulb, Three-Headed Chomper, Lily of the Valley, and Triplet Sunflower.
 * When a zombie is on the first lane or third lane of its attack range and is too near to it, it will keep shooting peas (even when there are no other zombies), but the peas will not actually hurt the zombie.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies

 * It is one of the twelve plants that appear in the seed selection screen after obtaining Grave Buster on the online version; the others are Ice-shroom, Lily Pad, Potato Mine, Doom-shroom, Tangle Kelp, Jalapeno, Spikeweed, Torchwood, Tall-nut, Cactus, and Blover.
 * It cannot be used in the free version, but it still can be seen after the player gets Squash.
 * It and the Starfruit are the only plants that have a different cost and slower recharge speeds in Versus Mode.
 * It is the most expensive plant that is not an upgrade plant, with the second closest being Melon-pult.
 * It is the only plant in the game whose Almanac Entry tells its favorite number.
 * Ironically, it states that its favorite number is 5, despite having 3 heads.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies 2

 * In some preview shots of Plants vs. Zombies 2, Threepeater was originally going to cost 325 sun like the first game.
 * Its costume seems to resemble Crazy Dave's pot hat.
 * A texture glitch related to its eyes occurred in the 1.9 update of the game, along with Snow Pea, Wall-nut, and Twin Sunflower.
 * If a zombie get very close to Threepeater, all three peas will hit that zombie.
 * Dusk Lobber's powered ability and Apple Mortar are similar to Threepeater, as they can attack three lanes at once.
 * Its Plant Food effect forms a leaf shape out of peas.