Imp


 * For its Chinese version variants, see Imp Monk or Tiger Imp.
 * For the Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare versions, see Imp Punt and Exploding Imp.

Imps and their time-themed variants in Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time are small zombies thrown from the backs of Gargantuars that can quickly result in the player's in-game defeat. This is due to the fact that it gets thrown into the middle of their plants and possibly at the final column. However, if it is thrown deep into their defenses, it will most likely cause quite a lot of damage, if their defenses are not strong enough. Imps are small enough to chew on a plant with a Spikeweed or Spikerock in front of it without being damaged.

In Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time, the Imp variants not only are thrown by Gargantuars, but also can be summoned by the other zombies, such as the Imp Cannon, Zombie Bull, or enter the lawn by themselves.

Plants vs. Zombies
 IMP 

Imps are tiny zombies hurled by Gargantuars deep into your defenses.

Toughness: low

Imp may be small, but he's wiry. He's proficient in zombie judo, zombie karate, and zombie bare-knuckle brawling. He also plays the Melodica.

Imp
TOUGHNESS: Average

SPEED: Hungry

Is hurled onto the lawn past your defenses, then shuffles ahead.

What he lacks in reach he more than makes up for with his bad attitude, or Zombattitude as he likes to call it. Don't encourage him.

Imp Mummy
TOUGHNESS: Average

SPEED: Hungry

Thrown over most of your defenses, then slinks onward.

Imp Mummy prefers to laze around the tomb, hop up on the urns, and stratch at the sarcophagi. The sound of him coughing up a hairball is one you will never forget.

Imp Pirate Zombie
TOUGHNESS: Average

SPEED: Hungry

Prefers the compact space of barrels, both cannon and rolling.

He was a bootblack, with a side trade as a pickpocket on the streets of London, but all he stole were oversized footwear. "Time to steal some booty!" was his catchphrase.

Zombie Bull Rider
TOUGHNESS: Average

SPEED: Hungry

Gets launched past all but the tallest plants, then proceeds on foot.

Had dreams of becoming a rodeo clown but found the clown make-up to just be too creepy.

Bug Bot Imp
TOUGHNESS: Average

SPEED: Hungry

Lands on the lawn past your defenses, then hops forward.

He always wanted to "see the world", "be his own boss", and "meet and consume interesting brains". He still doesn't understand how he got stuck in this cramped Bug Bot job 24/7.

Imp Monk Zombie
TOUGHNESS: Average

SPEED: Hungry

Summoned past most of your defenses, then shambles forward.

Frankly, Imp Monk Zombie decided to don the robes because of the sweet haircut that went with them.

Imp Dragon Zombie
TOUGHNESS: Average

SPEED: Hungry

Spit past most your defenses, then claws forward.

Special: Immune to fire damage

Imp Zombie knows he's too old to wear a dragon costume like a kid on Halloween. But he doesn't care. Let the others judge. His spirit animal is a dragon, and he feels closer to his true self when he's dressed like this.

Imp Mermaid Zombie
TOUGHNESS: Average

SPEED: Hungry

Washes in past your defenses, then flounders forward.

Imp Mermaid Zombie couldn't decide whether to wear the top made out of coconut shells or the top made out of seashells. She went with the slinky coconut-shell number because, really, the seashells are soooo last wave.

Plants vs. Zombies
The Imp is the 24th zombie encountered in Adventure Mode. It is thrown from the back of the Gargantuar or Giga-gargantuar. In I, Zombie, regular zombies are replaced with Imps in Three Hit Wonder and the levels after it.

The Imp absorbs 10 normal damage shots and its appearance changes upon an absorption of 5 normal damage shots before dying at 10 normal damage shots.

In I, Zombie, it absorbs 3 normal damage shots and its appearance changes upon an absorption of 2 normal damage shots before dying at 3 normal damage shots.

Plants vs. Zombies Adventures
Two Imps are stuffed inside a coat, becoming an Imposter Zombie. When the coat is destroyed, the two Imps pop out. Also, each Gargantuar Zombie carries an Imp and throws it when its health is low enough.

Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time
All Imps are thrown by Gargantuars from their respective areas with an exception of its Tiger and Monk.


 * All of them except Bug Bot Imp absorb 10 normal damage shots. They change appearance at 5 normal damage shots before dying at 10 normal damage shots.
 * The Bug Bot Imp absorbs 16 normal damage shots and does not degrade.

Imp Mummy
The Imp Mummy is encountered in Ancient Egypt. It rides the Mummified Gargantuar, thrown when the Mummified Gargantuar reaches half health. It was not released until version 1.7 came out, as it is only seen thrown from the Mummified Gargantuar. It can also sometimes appear by itself without the Mummified Gargantuar during the battle with the Zombot Sphinx-inator.

Imp Pirate Zombie
The Imp Pirate Zombie is encountered in the Pirate Seas. Two Imp Pirate Zombies are inside in the barrel of Barrel Roller Zombie. This zombie can be shot by an Imp Cannon towards the player's defense, and shot by a Gargantuar Pirate similarly. A group of Imp Pirate Zombies can also appear being shot from the cannon of the Zombot Plank Walker. They appear in five or seven upon firing.

Zombie Bull Rider
The Zombie Bull Rider is encountered in the Wild West. It is similar to the Imp Pirate Zombie. It rides the Zombie Bull and it's also thrown by the Wild West Gargantuar. The Zombie Bull Rider instantly dies if the Zombie Bull or Wild West Gargantuar is killed before it is thrown. Be careful when fighting these as Zombie Bulls can throw them over all defences onto a Lawn Mower, making one activate.

Bug Bot Imp
The Bug Bot Imp is encountered in Far Future. It is launched by the Gargantuar Prime. Bug Bot Imps will sometimes fall from the sky as a method of ambush. They also absorbs 16 normal damage shots, which makes them tougher to deal with. Since they fall from the sky, a Blover can be used to blow them off of the lawn.

Imp Monk Zombie
The Imp Monk Zombie is a zombie that appears in the Dark Ages. It is often confused with the Kung-Fu World variant. They can be thrown from the back of a Dark Ages Gargantuar, or appear in the ambush "NECROMANCY!"

Imp Dragon Zombie
The Imp Dragon is a variant that appears in Dark Ages. It is spawned by the Zombot Dark Dragon in Dark Ages - Night 20, and is an enemy in Arthur's Challenge. It is immune to Jalapenos, Cherry Bombs, peas shot from Torchwoods, Snapdragon and Zombot Dark Dragon's fire. It is the only zombie in the game that does not have its own introductory level, due to the lack of content in Dark Ages.

Announcer Imp
The Announcer Imp is a Royal Imp variant that appears in the Dark Ages. The Announcer Imp marks the arrival of the Zombie King by blowing the Royal Horn. After the King's arrival, the Imp will be squashed by the King's chair, so the player never really defeats an Announcer Imp.

Plants vs. Zombies
Same as Gargantuar's, along with Three Hit Wonder, All your brainz r belong to us and I, Zombie Endless.

Plants vs. Zombies Adventures
Any level with Imposter Zombie or Gargantuar Zombie.

Imp
Player's House: Piñata Party, Boss Vase and Vasebreaker Endless.

Imp Leprechaun
Saint Paddy's Day Party

Imp Mummy
Player's House: Piñata Party

Ancient Egypt: Days 8, 25, and Pyramid of Doom

Imp Pirate Zombie
Player's House: Piñata Party

Pirate Seas: Days 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 21, 22, 24, 25 and Dead Man's Booty

Wild West: Puzzle Piece mini-game (Chinese version only) and Piñata Party (International version only).

Kung-Fu World: Day 16

Zombie Bull Rider
Player's House: Piñata Party

Wild West: Days 8, 13, 17, 24, 25, and Big Bad Butte

Bug Bot Imp
Player's House: Piñata Party

Far Future : Days 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and Terror from Tomorrow

Imp Monk Zombie
Player's House: Piñata Party

Dark Ages: Nights 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 17, 19, 20, and Arthur's Challenge

Announcer Imp
Dark Ages: Nights 16, 17, 18, 19, and Arthur's Challenge

Imp Dragon Zombie
Dark Ages: Night 20 and Arthur's Challenge.

Plants vs. Zombies
When a regular Gargantuar is hit by an instant kill (but is not killed) or loses half of its health, it will throw the Imp off its back approximately five squares forward (although it can be more in Survival: Endless). Covering the back three columns of the lawn with Pumpkins is a good idea to protect against Imps. The fourth or even fifth column might need a Pumpkin as well if an instant kill is launched when the Gargantuar just walked onto the lawn. In Survival: Endless, Gloom-shrooms with a laddered Pumpkin are often used as the Imp climbs over the ladder without hurting the Pumpkin and will be killed by the Gloom-shroom. Another method is to replace the Sunflower of the last column with other plants, and the best choice is Melon-pult and Winter Melon because they can quickly kill the Imps and may also kill the Gargantuar. If there is not enough sun, replace the Sunflower with the Twin Sunflower.

In the I, Zombie Puzzle Mode levels, although Imps can hardly withstand any damage, they're useful to send down an undefended lane to eat a Sunflower or a brain due to their speed. They can be also used to save sun, if any zombie is killed just before it eats the brain and then you use it. (although it may be killed at the same time).

It is best to send an Imp down a lane that has a Potato Mine at the rightmost column in I, Zombie. An Imp can survive one Spikeweed due to its speed.

Imp Mummy
Due to the speed of this zombie, you will need to kill this zombie quickly. A good way to do this is with 3 Repeaters in the same lane, or giving a Peashooter or Repeater some Plant Food. Wall-nuts and Tall-nuts will work too, although you need a good offense, and be prepared to give them Plant Food and/or replace them.

Imp Pirate Zombie
Just do what you do to a regular Imp in the original Plants vs. Zombies. Be very careful when an Imp Pirate Zombie is launched from a Barrel Roller Zombie's barrel or Imp Cannon. It may start to eat one of your plants. It is good to use Plant Food on an Iceberg Lettuce to freeze them to prevent them from eating your plants (avoid using it when they are in air).

Zombie Bull Rider
Use Tall-nut to stop the Zombie Bull Rider and the Zombie Bull in their tracks. A Wall-nut can be used although it is not advised since the Zombie Bull Rider can fly past the Wall-nut. Split Pea or Bonk Choy can also be used when the Zombie Bull Rider flies over since they can attack forward and backward. Multiple Zombie Bulls, Wild West Gargantuars, and Zombie Bull Riders can cause mass destruction on the lawn. A good way to stop multiple Zombie Bull Riders is to deal with Blover.

Bug Bot Imp
They are the only Imps that will be immobilized by the E.M.Peach. When ambushing you from the sky, the Bug Bot Imps can be also blown away from the Blover but your timing must be spot on. The fastest way to deal with them is the Magnifying Grass. These Imps are even more dangerous, because they absorbs 16 normal damage shots, while the other variations have ten.

Imp Monk Zombie
These Imps are very dangerous when risen from graves. Because the Puff-shroom lasts for a short amount of time, you must plant Fume-shrooms to get rid of these Imps for more damage. Avoid planting a Grave Buster when a "Necromancy" warning has shown up as the Imp or other risen zombies will completely eat it.

In Night 10 of Dark Ages, you must use Plant Food on Fume-shrooms after a Dark Ages Gargantuar has thrown its Imp Monk Zombie so that these and other zombies will not kill Fume-shrooms. However, you must be fast against these zombies; otherwise, you will risk spending money on Power Ups and Plant Food.

Imp Dragon Zombie
Imp Dragon Zombies are spawned during the battle with Dr. Zomboss and his Zombot Dark Dragon and also appear in Arthur's Challenge. Due to having an immunity to explosions (Jalapeno and Cherry Bomb) and fire projectiles, you will need to kill this zombie quickly when spawned from Dr. Zomboss by using Fume-shrooms or Pea-nuts. Avoid using Snapdragons and Torchwoods against this Imp, as they deal no damage against it. It is recommended to use Plant Food on your Winter Melons to destroy these types in groups.

Announcer Imp
Although seemingly hopeless to defeat before their rapid demises, Announcer Imps can actually be defeated, resulting in the absence of a Zombie King. The only way to defeat one is to use a Cherry Bomb with the exact right time alignment. It may take the player more than once to perfect this strategy.

Imp Mermaid Zombie
These sneaky Imps will appear suddenly when the "Low Tide!" ambush goes into effect. If on levels 8, 14, or 16 of Big Wave Beach, the Imp Mermaids may appear on the back of a Deep Sea Gargantuar. Build a column a Split Peas on the tide area to defeat these Imps. You can also do the Spring Bean and Blover combo to blow away these ambush zombies and all other zombies in their first appearance.

Leprechaun Imp
Leprechaun Imps only appeared in the St. Patrick's Day event Party. These types of Imps are dropped from the sky when the warning, "Leprechauns" had shown up. Due to having increased health, you must have a number of Spikeweeds and Coconut Cannons on your lanes. Use Plant Food on the Spikeweed to stun it for more damage. Plant Repeaters and Torchwoods next to Threepeaters for more damage. If you have used Plant Food on the Torchwood, the Leprechaun Imp will take more damage from its napalm fire peas. Whenever you kill a Leprechaun Imp, you will receive a Gold Coin.

Imp Punt
Imp Punt is an ability of All-Star. It is a suicidal unit where it explodes on a certain enemy, dealing 175 damage.

Exploding Imp
While the function is somewhat different from Imp Punt, the Exploding Imp on the other hand is a spawnable zombie. When summoned, it will attack a plant with explosives with a minimum damage of 20 and a maximum damage of 50. The Exploding Imp explodes when it only attacks a plant.

General

 * The Imp is apparently very popular, having appeared in all 4 main games so far and appearing in various media.
 * The Imp, Robo-Cone Zombie, and the Barrel Roller Zombie are the only zombies that sit down when they die.
 * The Imp currently has the most variants out of all of the zombies.
 * These include Regular, Mummy, Pirate, Cowboy/Bull Rider, Easter, Bug Bot, Dark Ages Monk, Dragon, Kung-Fu Monk, Tiger, Leprechaun, Announcer, Mermaid,Snail Rider (All Stars), and Great Wall Bomber (All Stars). This makes a total of 14 different variants, if one does not count the Vampire Imp, Seagull Imp, and Construction Imps at the end of Dark Ages Part 1. If you do, then that's 17 variants.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies

 * The Imp appears to only have two fingers and no thumbs. However, in the Wabby Wabbo music video, the Imp has four fingers.
 * The Imp is one of the three zombies with feet that do not wear shoes, the other two being the Jack-in-the-Box Zombie and the Zombie Yeti (this is assuming that Dr. Zomboss wears shoes, as his feet are not visible).
 * If a Gargantuar that is carrying an Imp dies before throwing the Imp, the Imp will descend into the trash can it is riding in and die with it. This is similar to Dr. Zomboss hiding in the head of the Zombot when it gets destroyed.
 * In Last Stand: Endless, if a Gargantuar throws its Imp while mallet mode is activated and the player smashes the Imp while the Imp is in flight, the Imp will just sit down in mid-air and die.
 * If a Ladder Zombie places its ladder on a Wall-nut, an Imp will not climb it, but will just pass through. This does not happen if the ladder is on a Tall-nut.
 * If an Imp is thrown by a Gargantuar, it will be as slow as a normal zombie, although in I, Zombie, it is faster.
 * In I, Zombie, the Imp only takes three hits to kill.
 * The Imp has to bite four times to kill a normal plant.
 * The I, Zombie Imp is the fourth fastest zombie in the game, with the Dolphin Rider Zombie being faster (with its Dolphin intact), the Digger Zombie while it is underground, and the Dancing Zombie when it is doing the moonwalk before it summons its Backup Dancers.
 * If the player uses an Ice-shroom while the Imp is in the air, the Imp will just become slowed down when it lands instead of freezing.
 * On the Xbox Live Arcade version, if the Imp gets in the back door of the house, the player will hear the chomping sound and the "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" when the Imp is only halfway into the doorway.
 * The Imp is one of nine zombies unavailable for use in Versus Mode. The Imp is shown in a rollerskate twice during the Windows Phone 7 trailer. The first time is near the beginning as the new Dancing Zombie is dancing, and the second is at the end as he rolls out of the light.
 * The Imp will disappear in mid air if a Jalapeno is used at the Gargantuar who threw it. The same thing happens with Pole Vaulting Zombie in the air. This also occurs when another instant kill explosive is used on it, such as the Cob Cannon, Cherry Bomb, or Doom-shroom.
 * This happens possibly because when the Imp is in the mid air, it will become a flying zombie.
 * The Imp is one of the few zombies in this game without the word "zombie" in the name, the others being Gargantuar, Giga-gargantuar, Backup Dancer, Dr. Zomboss, and Zomboni.
 * In the Wabby Wabbo music video, an Imp appears with a yellow shirt that says "SHORTY", and it has a "lazy eye". You can tell because only one of its eyes moves around like crazy while the other one does not. One might find it either funny or creepy. Not to mention it sings "Crazy Dave".
 * The Imp, the Backup Dancer and the Zombie Bobsled Team are the only zombies that depend on other zombies to be able to attack on your lawn.
 * However in Bobsled Bonanza, ice is already on the lawn, so Zombie Bobsled Teams can attack.
 * The Imp, Dr. Zomboss and the Jack-in-the-Box Zombie are the only zombies to have a smile on their faces, albeit an evil one.
 * According to the Imp's Suburban Almanac Entry, the Imp loves fighting, as well as playing an musical instrument, though he's not shown doing any of those things.
 * No other plant or zombie plays an instrument (unless counting the Jack-in-the-box) or mentions playing an instrument in its Almanac entry.
 * In the Almanac, the Imp is shown walking, instead of standing still.
 * The only other Zombie that does not have a standing animation is the old Dancing Zombie.
 * If the Imp gets hit by a melon or other Lobbed projectile, it will detonate over the Imp's head.
 * On the Plants vs. Zombies website, there is a picture of a Gargantuar with a naked Imp on its back.
 * In I, Zombie, a glitch may occur, causing the Imp to walk right through a ladder.
 * In I, Zombie, Imp (separated from Gargantuar) first appears in Three Hit Wonder.
 * The Imp is the only zombie that has a burnt animation with one arm.
 * The player can unlock the Imp's almanac even if he or she kills the Gargantuars at level 5-8 without letting them throw their Imps.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies Adventures

 * The Imps now have three fingers, but still lack thumbs.
 * The Imp and the Conga Dancer are the only zombies that do not have an in-game description.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies 2: It's About Time

 * The Imp Mummy looks like a cat, similarly as how the Tomb Raiser Zombie acts like a dog. In Ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped and sometimes they were even mummified.
 * The Imp Mummy's Almanac Entry refers to cat's habits, like scratching and coughing up hair balls.
 * If an Imp is hit by a butter that came from the Kernel-pult while in mid-air, the butter is not shown. Charring it with plants like Cherry Bomb while in mid-air will display its burning animation in the mid-air as well.
 * It is weird that if the Imp Cannon is glowing with Plant Food, the Imps inside glow but when shot they do not glow anymore.
 * The "time to steal some booty" is the Imp Pirate Zombie's catchphrase refers to an attempt to steal a treasure.
 * If the Zombie Bull or Gargantuar is killed before throwing the Imp, it will simply drop onto the ground in the same position if an Imp was killed. Zapping the Zombie Bull on the other hand will unusually also make the Zombie Bull Rider disappear.
 * Similar to an Imp Cannon, the Zombie Bull Rider turns green if the Zombie Bull is holding Plant Food.
 * There is a golden tooth on most of the Imp variations. Therefore, besides the Imp Pirate Zombie, the Imps are the only non-Pirate Seas zombies in the entire game with a gold tooth.
 * The Basic Zombie, the Conehead Zombie, the Buckethead Zombie, the Flag Zombie, the Imp and the Gargantuar are the only zombies that have variations. They are also the only zombies to return from the original game (so far).
 * Now, each Imp has four fingers, but still no thumbs.
 * Unlike in Plants vs. Zombies, Imps still appear on the charred Gargantuar when blown up by a Lightning Reed, a Cherry Bomb, or a Jalapeno even if the Imp was already thrown.
 * The Imp is one of six zombies to have a new look for the Feastivus Event, the others are Swashbuckler Zombie, Poncho Zombie, Pianist Zombie, Camel Zombies and Gargantuar.
 * In this game, the Imp wears shoes, when in the first game it does not wear any footwear.
 * The Bug Bot Imp's surprise attacks are similar to the surprise attack "Leprechauns!" in Piñata Party. *If you look closely, the Bug Bot Imps before they are released look like Varia Suit from Metroid when is using her Morph Ball ability.
 * Any flying Imps can be killed using the Blover.
 * The Imp Pirate is the only zombie known to live somewhere in the real world (London).
 * The Bug Bot Imp is the only Imp with more than ten health.
 * If one attempts to disable an airborne Bug Bot Imp with an E.M.Peach, the effect will be invalidated.
 * The Imp Pirate Zombie and the Barrel Roller Zombie are the only zombies in the Chinese version that appears not just in Pirate Seas but also in Wild West. However, Imp Pirate Zombie also appears in Kung-Fu World.
 * The Bug Bot Imp, Imp Monk Zombie from Dark Ages, Imp Dragon Zombie, Tiger Imp, and Leprechaun Imp are the only variants that can appear on their own. All of the others are thrown from Gargantuar's back, or appear with another type of zombie. However, other variants of Imps can appear on their own in Piñata Parties.
 * Kung Fu World has the most Imp variants with three: the Imp Pirate Zombie, the Imp Monk, and the Tiger Imp. However, after Dark Ages was updated, the Dark Ages had the same number of Imp variants, with three: Imp Monk Zombie, Imp Dragon Zombie, and Announcer Imp.
 * The Imp Monk is the only Imp that is standing in one foot.
 * Before the second part of Dark Ages is released, if the player scrolls to the right, there are Imps working on the second part of it. One is playing around with a wrench, and the other is eating a sandwich.
 * All of the Imps appear far into the player's defenses, somehow.
 * Imp Mummies and Basic Imps are thrown by Gargantuars.
 * Imp Pirate Zombies suddenly pop out of Barrel Zombie's barrels and are also shot out of Imp Cannons. They can also be launched from Gargantuar's and Gunpowder Devil's back.
 * The Zombie Bull Rider is launched from the Zombie Bull or thrown from Gargantuar's back.
 * Bug Bot Imps appear midway through the garden in Far Future ambushes. They can also be thrown from Gargantuar Prime's back.
 * Dark Ages Imp Monks appear midway or close to the house in Dark Ages gravestones. They are also launched from Dark Ages Gargantuar's back.
 * Kung Fu Monks are shot into the player's defenses.
 * Tiger Imps fly quickly above them, and then run very quickly to the player's plants. They are also the only interactive zombie.
 * Leprechaun Imps appear from pots of gold that land on the lawn.
 * Imp Dragons appear in fireballs shot by Zombot Dark Dragon.
 * Imp Mermaid Zombies appear in an ambush called "Low Tide!".
 * Out of all of the Imp variants, the Imp Pirate Zombie appears through the most ways; it can be thrown from Pirate Gargantuar, be thrown from the Gunpowder Devil, appear out of Barrel Roller Zombie's barrels, and can frequently appear out of Imp Cannons.
 * Imp Monk Zombies in Arthur's Challenge are the only zombies who are capable of using surprise attack.
 * Imp Dragon Zombie is immune to Cherry Bomb and Jalapeno.
 * If an Imp Dragon Zombie is killed by Lightning Reed or Magnifying Grass's Plant Food, it will not get electrocuted; instead, its head disappears.
 * Bug Bot Imps cannot be blown away by Blovers when uncurling or hopping, only when falling.
 * The Dancing Zombie, the Jack-in-the-Box Zombie, the Pianist Zombie, the Disco-tron 3000, and the Announcer Imp are currently the only zombies that play music.
 * There is a Piñata Party called Imp Week mentioned to these zombies.
 * Zombie Bull Rider is the only Imp variant that does not have the word "Imp" in its name.
 * Currently, Imp Mermaid Zombie is the only imp that is referred to as female.

Specific to Plants vs. Zombies Online

 * The only Imp that appears is the Imp Pirate Zombie. It can currently be thrown by Gargantuar Pirate only.