Kernel-pult


 * For the version in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, see Kernel-Pult (PvZH).

Kernel-pult is an offensive lobbed-shot plant appearing in both main series Plants vs. Zombies games. While he normally lobs kernels that deal one normal damage shot at an equal rate to Cabbage-pult, he has a 25% chance to fire a butter projectile that deals two normal damage shots to his target, as well as immobilizing the victim for a short period of time.

Origins
Kernel-pult is based on the crop maize, also known as corn. His name is a portmanteau of kernel, the term for the fruit of corn which is what he is, and catapult, a ballistic device used to hurl larges stones for warfare purpose in ancient times, referring to his ability to hurl corn and butter.

Plants vs. Zombies
Kernel-pult is unlocked after completing Level 5-2. His butter attack can stun the target for 5 seconds. Two Kernel-pults placed adjacent to another horizontally can be upgraded into a Cob Cannon.

Plants vs. Zombies 2
Kernel-pult is obtained by finishing Pirate Seas - Day 1. His butter effect can now stun zombies for 8 seconds, and can also instantly defeat the following zombies, regardless of health:
 * Seagull Zombie
 * Pelican Zombie
 * Zombie Parrot
 * Bug Zombie (Adventurer Zombie will still be released)

Defeating a Seagull Zombie with Kernel-pult's butter will get the player the Pat the Birdy achievement.

Plants vs. Zombies
Kernel-pult

Kernel-pults fling corn kernels and butter at zombies.

Damage: light (kernel), normal (butter)

Range: lobbed

Special: butter immobilizes zombies

Kernel-pult is the eldest of the Pult brothers. Of the three of them, Kernel is the only one who consistently remembers the others' birthdays. He bugs them about it a little, too.

Cost: 100

Recharge: fast

Plant Food effect
When fed Plant Food, Kernel-pult hurls butter that hits every zombie and obstacle on-screen, dealing 2 normal damage shots and paralyzing them for 8 seconds.

Costumed
When given Plant Food, Kernel-pult shoots flaming butter which deals more damage.

Strategies
Kernel-pult is a rather fickle plant, as his performance is highly inconsistent and heavily dependent on the random number generator. While his damage per second potential is normally ranked amongst the lowest in the player's arsenal, his butter attack can prove to be highly devastating against high-health target, especially when Kernel-pult is aided by other more powerful offensive plants. Therefore, Kernel-pult will find most of his use as an early- to mid-game support plant to bolster others' performance, rather than a conventional offensive plant, so this is best used for support more than anything else.

Certain plants with limited attack radius, such as Spikerock, Spikeweed, Ghost Pepper, Lava Guava, Celery Stalker, and Chomper/Toadstool (for inedible zombies) will benefit significantly from Kernel-pult. The latter's stunning effect can occasionally stun zombies and force them to stay on the former's attack range for a longer amount of time and allow the plants to deal more damage.

Plants vs. Zombies
Kernel-pult is highly important in the Roof levels, as the incline of the Roof will upset the firing of peas, spores, etc. He can also bypass Screen Door Zombies' and Ladder Zombies' shield and hurt them directly, as well as hit submerged Snorkel Zombies.

I, Zombie
Because of the inconsistency of butter throwing frequency, it is easy to misjudge the power of a Kernel-pult in I, Zombie. One Kernel-pult near the back could prove to be very hard to deal with, especially if Digger Zombies cannot eat him. Consider either doubling up zombies or using a stronger one (Football Zombie, Dancing Zombie, Buckethead Zombie) instead in rows with Kernel-pults. In rows with more than one Kernel-pult, Digger Zombies and Bungee Zombies should be considered, instead of a head-on assault.

Plants vs. Zombies 2
Kernel-pult has received a noticeable buff both in his offensive and supportive capability: Firstly, the butter's stunning duration has been effectively tripled due to the normal duration increase combined with the change in general gameplay, massively increasing Kernel-pult's support capability. Secondly, Kernel-pult can now also instantly kill several flying enemies, and will prove to be even more effective than other offensive plants at combating Zombie Parrots.

Kernel-pult's Plant Food ability reflects the plant's supportive nature, as while he does very low damage for a Plant Food effect, he can temporarily disable all enemies on the field. Therefore, he should only be used if the player needs more time to react, or when there are great amounts of Seagull Zombies/Pelican Zombies, Bug Zombies and/or Zombie Parrots present on the screen. Compared to Iceberg Lettuce's Plant Food effect, Kernel-pult's can deal damage, affect flying threats and work in tandem with fire-based plants, but does not affect off-screen enemies and has a shorter stun time. Plus, Parasol Zombie is immune to it.

Using him with the Primal Peashooter is a bad idea as Primal Peashooter can knock back zombies and Kernel-pult can easily miss his shots.

Aside from the enemies that can be instantly neutralized by butter, Kernel-pult can also prove to be particularly effective against the following targets:
 * Swashbuckler Zombie (kills him instantly only when he is raiding)
 * Pirate Captain Zombie (prevents him from releasing the Zombie Parrot to steal plants)
 * Chicken Wrangler Zombie and Weasel Hoarder (preventing them from releasing their Zombie Chickens and Ice Weasels, even if they are killed)
 * Disco-tron 3000 (prevents it from summoning Disco Jetpack Zombie)
 * Dodo Rider Zombie (will instantly make him drop from the sky)

Kernel-pult should not be used against zombies that can block or reflect lobbed shots, such as Shield Zombie, Jester Zombie and Parasol Zombie.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies

 * An eyebrow-less and catapult-less Kernel-pult could be seen in the Character Menu on the original official Plants vs. Zombies website.
 * In the old iPod Touch and iPhone versions of the game, there is also an image of an eyebrowless Kernel-pult on the seed packet. However, the actual Kernel-pult does have eyebrows. However, he still does not have them on the seed packet in the iPad version.
 * Like with other catapult plants, if a zombie is directly in front of a Kernel-pult, the kernel or butter will hit the zombie instantly instead of flying up in the air.
 * If a zombie has butter on his head while one enters the code "dance", it will not dance but instead pose in a frame of the dance until the butter wears off.
 * If he is about to lob butter, but is squashed, the squashed Kernel-pult will have a kernel on his basket instead of butter.
 * His almanac entry states that he is the oldest of the pult family, making Melon-pult the middle child and making Cabbage-pult the youngest.
 * When choosing where to plant him in the Xbox Live Arcade version, butter can be seen on his basket.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies 2

 * After the 2.7.1 update, he can immobilize Pharaoh Zombie while in his sarcophagus.
 * However, this is still not the case in the Chinese version.
 * In the Chinese version, if a zombie gets buttered, then a Cuke goes off, the zombie's head will float in mid-air, but the rest of the body will disappear.
 * He is tied with Bonk Choy for the most amount used costumes in the entire game, with six.
 * Fried Green Tomatoes, mentioned in his Almanac entry, is a movie about a housewife who is unhappy with her life, and she befriends an old lady who her tells her stories of people she used to know.
 * As stated in one of his costumes, his favorite color is red.
 * A maximum level Kernel-pult appears to lob sun-like projectiles instead of kernels. However it is not fire based.
 * The kernel rocket from the Level 2 upgrade in the Chinese version is a fire projectile which means it will defrost zombies.
 * If a Jester Zombie returns the butter lobbed by a Kernel-pult, the returned butter will not immobilize the plant hit by it.
 * The Travel Log Quest for unlocking Kernel-pult spells it "kernelpult" with no dash in between.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies Online

 * He was formerly unlocked after beating Pirate Seas - Level 3-1.
 * The basket is now made of metal. It can also be customized to be other various things, such as a net or baseball glove.