Lightning Reed


 * For other versions, see Lightning Reed (disambiguation).

Lightning Reed is the fourth plant obtained in Wild West in Plants vs. Zombies 2. It generates lightning from its body that strikes the closest zombie or obstacle, such as a tombstone, within three lanes from where it is planted, similarly to Threepeater. The lightning will arc to another zombie or tombstone if close enough. After the 5.6.1 update, a direct hit deals a quarter of a normal damage shot and the arcs of electricity deal the same amount of damage. Before the 5.6.1 update, a direct hit dealt half of a normal damage shot and the arcs of electricity dealt a quarter of a normal damage shot. It attacks approximately every 1.5 seconds.

Origins
Based on his appearance, it is likely that the Lightning Reed is based on the Typha plant family, commonly referred to as cattail in English. His name is a pun of "lightning rod," a piece of metal put on top of a tall structure to protect it from lightning strikes and "reed," the real-life plant that this plant is based on.

Plant Food effect
When fed Plant Food, it generates a small storm cloud that tracks down a random target, dealing 8 normal damage shots per second. If the target is defeated, the cloud will quickly move to another random zombie. The cloud lasts for 15 seconds before disappearing.

Costumed
Lightning Reed unleashes a huge lightning cloud and instantly electrocutes all zombies on screen.

Strategies
Due to the lightning's chaining mechanic, Lightning Reed is best used in large groups. While one will have trouble against even a regular Zombie, ten or more of them are capable of dealing an impressive amount of damage against swarms of enemies, especially when all five lanes are occupied with zombies. However, its low initial damage means that it will have difficulty against durable targets like Buckethead Zombies, meaning that more powerful plants like Citron or Coconut Cannon will be required to support it.

Because of its high attack speed and chain attacks, Lightning Reed is a powerful weapon against Zombie Chickens and Ice Weasels because it can destroy multiple chickens in only one shot. Compared to other plants that can also counter them such as Spikeweed and Fume-shroom, Lightning Reed can cover up to three lanes at once, attack faster and has better range, but cannot neutralize Ice Weasels as effectively due to its low damage, unless there are about three columns planted. Using this many Lighting Reeds is generally seen as a waste of space, however.

Another useful feature of Lightning Reed is that its attack cannot be blocked or reflected by any means. Therefore, it is a possible counter against Shield Zombies, Jester Zombies, and Excavator Zombies. Lightning Reed is also helpful in defeating Surfer Zombies in Big Wave Beach as it will destroy their surfboards upon defeating them, thus preventing any surfboards from crushing plants.

Lightning Reeds can be quite useful against a column of Glitter Zombies. While they can protect all zombies behind them and severely reduce the effectiveness of single-lane plants such as Laser Bean and Fume-shroom, a group of Lightning Reed can still attack the entire column of Glitter Zombies and defeat them quickly.

General

 * It, Magnet-shroom, Gold Magnet, Electric Blueberry, Electric Currant, Citron, and E.M.Peach are the only plants that use some form of electricity.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies 2

 * The "El3ctric H1ccup" in its Almanac entry is an improper call sign for ham radio operators. A real one resembles something such as "K7PKRL." "El3ctric H1ccup" is actually "leetspeak" for "Electric Hiccup."
 * Despite the fact that the real life reed is an aquatic plant, it cannot be planted in the water in Big Wave Beach.
 * This has been corrected in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes.
 * "Seeds and Sensibility" mentioned in his Almanac entry is based on the novel Sense and Sensibility, a famous Jane Austen novel.
 * Its Plant Food immunity time is less than half a second, making it one of the few plants which can be eaten while under the effects of Plant Food.
 * If it zaps the body of a zombie that has already lost its head, the head comes back for the dying animation.
 * If it zaps any kind of Gargantuar, the player will see that Gargantuar has a skeleton of a dinosaur rather than a ribcage.
 * When a Zombie Bull is zapped, it reveals the mechanical parts used to make up the Zombie Bull instead of a skeleton, unlike all the other zombies. If the Zombie Bull Rider is not yet thrown and the Zombie Bull is zapped, the Zombie Bull Rider will vanish.
 * If it zaps a Balloon Zombie, the player will see that the balloon has a skeleton of a monkey riding an old school bicycle and wearing a fez, rather than an empty balloon.
 * If its storm cloud goes after a swinging Swashbuckler Zombie, it will zap the Swashbuckler Zombie's landing spot.
 * If it electrifies an Imp that was launched from an Imp Cannon over water, the Imp will just disappear.
 * After the 2.5.1 update, its electricity immediately fades away.
 * If it manages to zap a Zombie Chicken, the player will obtain the Fried Chicken achievement.
 * In the Almanac, it says it deals normal damage, but it only deals light damage in actual gameplay.
 * It was originally going to cost 150 sun, according to pre-release gameplay footage.
 * It, Sun-shroom, Sun Bean, Hot Potato, and Explode-o-nut all have a glow around themselves in the seed packet.
 * In the Behind the Brainz - New Plants the developers said that Lightning Reed is a female, but the Almanac entry says its a male.
 * After the 5.6.1 update, it deals directly 0.25 normal damage shots.

Specific to the Chinese version

 * Despite the fact that is unlocked after Wild West - Day 9, it is considered a Pirate Seas plant.
 * Its Plant Food ability will zap illusions created by Magic Mushroom instead of attacking other zombies. This is probably a glitch.