User blog:Tecku/TT: The Laserang (Laser Bean/Bloomerang) Conundrum

And welcome back to Tecku Talks! This week I intend to talk about balancing plants against other plants, and how develpoers can make plants more distinct from each other. As such, I have decided to examine plants that are not balanced around each other. For references sake, I have decided to coin my own term to talk about such an issue.....

Tecku Talks About: The Laserang (Laser Bean/Bloomerang) Conundrum

What is a Laserang Condundrum?

A Laser Bean/Bloomerang Condundrum, or Laserang Conundrum for short, describes a pair of plants that share similar roles or functions, but such that one plant does the job better than the other in almost any given situation. Laser Bean and Bloomerang form a Laserang Conundrum, with Laser Bean being the better choice in almost any given situation.

What a Laserang Conundrum is NOT

To make the guidelines for a Laserang Conundrum clearer, I feel it is necessary to elaborate on what does not make one. While a Laserang Conundrum may consist of the following, it does not automatically make such events a Conundrum:

- Similar DPS: Peashooter and Cabbage-pult do not form a Laserang Conundrum. While their damage output is similar, each has its own advantages. Cabbage-pult can deal with the roof and straigtfoward sheilds, whereas Peashooter has Torchwood options.

- Similar Sun Cost: See above. Most Laserang Condundrums DO have similar cost, but it is not a requirement, nor an automatic factor.

- Similar Role: Squash and Chili Bean are not a condundrum. Both are insta-kills that cost 50 Sun, but they have their own niches. Squash can deal with non-eating zombie, whereas Chili Bean has the bonus of stunning a lane.

Which plant pairs ARE Laserang Conundrums

- Laser Bean and Bloomerang are very similar in their roles. They are both meant for multiple targets clustered on the same lane. However Laser Bean is almost always better.


 * Bloomerang has a very slow rate of fire (about 3 seconds), and can only hit 3 targets. At best, with 3+ zombies, it will deal the same damage as a Repeater (3 zombies * two hits per zombie / 3 seconds between firings), and will be slightly more cost effective.

- Sunflower and Sun Shroom are by far the most broken pair of a Laserang Conundrum, though few people seem to see it. Sun Shroom will ALWAYS be better than Sunflower, which is absolutely terrible. If you don't agree, take a look at their cost vs ouput at each production interval: Thus, it is concludeable that Sun Shroom is ALWAYS better than Sunflower.
 * Laser Bean, on the other hand, breaks even with only two zombie on the lane, and become more cost efficient wiht every zombie past it. Considering the number of zombies Popcap likes to include, it doesn't take a genius to see the problem.
 * 0 Sun interval: Sun Shroom costs 25 less sun. It is better here.
 * 1 Sun interval: The two are even now, as Sunflower will have made a 50 Sun batch, while Sun Shroom will have made 25. However, Sun Shroom will grow up after making this batch.
 * 2 Sun interval - Second Sun Shroom growth: the two are neck and neck, both making bathces of 50 Sun.
 * After seconds Sun Shroom growth: Sun Shroom speeds ahead, making 75 Sun per batch.