Red Stinger

Red Stinger is the first plant obtained in Lost City in Plants vs. Zombies 2. It was first revealed in the trailer for Lost City Part 1, and then more information was released with the Lost City Part 1 Dev Diary.

When planted on the first three columns to the left, Red Stinger will fire two seeds at a time, but have the same health as a regular plant. If the Red Stinger is located in the next three columns to the right, it will be more defensive having 10 health and will fire just one petal. If it is placed on the last three columns on the right, it will be a defensive plant with 15 health, but it will not be able to attack. Each petal does 1.5 normal damage shots killing a basic zombie with 7 petals.

Red Stinger is based on the Etlingera elatior, known as the torch ginger.

Almanac entry
Sun cost: 150

DAMAGE: Moderate RANGE: Straight RECHARGE: Fast

Red Stingers fire shots at full force when close to home, and become more defensive further from it.

Flexibility is of key importance to Red Stinger. "I do stretching exercises every morning," he says. "It's important to stay physically and mentally nimble."

Plant Food upgrade
When given Plant Food, Red Stinger fires a focused laser beam that pierces through and slows down all zombies in its lane that deals 35 normal damage shots.



Strategies
Red Stinger and Pea-nut both have the same cost as they are both defensive plants. While using this plant on the far side of the closest column, be sure to combine this plant with other helpful plants such as Lightning Reeds and Bowling Bulbs for extra damage. Pay attention to the Red Stinger in the last three columns, as it is weaker than the Pea-nut on the last three columns.

Using its Plant Food on a Red Stinger is a good idea, as it can deal a great deal of damage to zombies with higher toughness (such as the Buckethead Zombie and its variations). Sweet Potatoes are a good idea to use with Boosted Red Stingers, as the Plant Food effect can deal an entire lane of zombies with high toughness (such as Buckethead Zombies). Its Plant Food effect is also useful against entire lanes of Zombie Chickens and Ice Weasels when attracted by Sweet Potatoes.

Avoid planting this plant in the last three columns. Not only does this usage waste your sun, but zombies in large numbers can completely destroy it in Endless Zones. It is recommended to put them in the first three columns instead so the Red Stingers can attack.

Trivia

 * Red Stinger and Snapdragon both deal 1.5 normal damage shots.
 * Even though it is called Red Stinger, it does not seem to sting anything.
 * Red Stinger could be a pun on "red ginger" which is an alternative name of the torch ginger, the plant Red Stinger is based on.
 * It has the same idle animation as Dandelion.
 * Red Stinger, Scaredy-shroom, Shamrock, and Shamrockstar are the only plants that can hide.
 * Although it is a defensive plant when placed on the right side of the lawn, it cannot be healed by Wall-nut First Aid.
 * Red Stinger is the only plant with four different functions, including its Plant Food effect. Ghost Pepper, Guacodile and Lava Guava, the next three plants, have three functions.
 * It is the only plant that has different roles depending on its location of the lawn.
 * Despite it having three different stances, it only displays one Plant Food effect regardless of which column it is planted.
 * Red Stinger during its Plant Food effect, Iceberg Lettuce on Frostbite Caves, Snow Pea, Winter Melon, Sap-fling, and Hurrikale are the only plants that can slow down zombies.
 * One of its costumes is a reference to either Peter Pan or Robin Hood.
 * If Red Stinger is moved to a different tile by a zombie like Mecha-Football Zombie, Fisherman Zombie, or Excavator Zombie, it will change its role accordingly to what part of the lawn it is moved to.
 * If you look carefully at the Red Stinger's mouth while the plant is in the middle of the lawn, it may appear to be frowning. When placed at the back of the lawn the Red Stinger will be smiling. Of course, at the front its face is completely covered.