Shield Zombie

Shield Zombie is a robotic zombie that appears in Far Future. He creates a non-damaging force field in front of itself, covering three lanes to protect himself and other nearby zombies from incoming attacks. However, E.M.Peach can disable it and its Force Field and penetrating attacks can penetrate through the shield.

Appearance
Shield Zombie looks like a Future Zombie, but it wears a white helmet with a red stripe in the middle and a pair of green visors. It pilots a machine which consists of a glass capsule with an antenna on top and a metal bottom with threads attached to it. It moves with treads like a tank. As it gets damaged, the glass will start to shatter.

Almanac entry
TOUGHNESS:  Average

SPEED:  Basic

Protect himself and nearby zombies with a force field.

Special:  creates a shield to protect from incoming attacks

Shield Zombie developed his system using funds from a BiteStarter campaign. The push goal for pushing plants was not met.

Overview
Shield Zombie absorbs 25 normal damage shots while the force field absorbs 60 normal damage shots, and its appearance changes upon absorbing 4, 8, 11, 15, 18, and 22 damage shots before dying at 25 normal damage shots.

Encounters
Player's House: Piñata Party

Far Future: Days 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 11, 14, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 23, 25, Terror from Tomorrow, and Piñata Party

Frostbite Caves: "Electrical Boogaloo" Epic Quest - Step 2

Lost City: "Aloe, Salut!" Epic Quest - Step 4

Modern Day: Days 1, 10, 33, and Highway to the Danger Room (portal only)

Strategies
Laser Bean can penetrate the shield, so you can attack Shield Zombie directly. If you plant a Magnifying Grass quickly enough, one hit can kill a Shield Zombie. E.M.Peach can disable it, stopping the shield for ten seconds. Lightning Reed's attack cannot bypass the shield on its own, but if the lightning bolt attacks another zombie, it can arc towards Shield Zombie and cause damage; however, there are times that it can bypass without the help of a zombie. Bloomerang can also damage and bypass the shield. Finally, with enough hits, the shield will be disabled, making a Citron viable, as it deals large damage on its own. Spikerock or Spikeweed can attack it from below and bypass its shield, making it a good idea to use it in Terror from Tomorrow. Note that the shield can block the butter from Kernel-pult. The shield will also stop when the zombie starts to eat a plant. Snapdragon also works because it can ignore its shield, but because of its short range, it is better to protect it with a Wall-nut, Tall-nut, or Infi-nut. Be careful if you use Citron's Plant Food ability as even though Shield Zombie has less health than the plasma ball itself, it is still a machine, thus wasting the effect. If you only have a Spring Bean, plant it near it to remove the shield and place a Spikeweed or Spikerock to destroy it. Avoid using Potato Mine against it as the Force Field will trigger the mine prematurely without killing the zombie, but it will deactivate the force field.

Guacodiles can be very useful against Shield Zombies. They can break through the shield and Shield Zombie to deal a great amount of damage. However, you need to have at least two Guacodiles to do this. Combining this plant with Sweet Potato is a very good idea.

Cactus can also be quite helpful against Shield Zombies. Although Cactus' projectiles are rather weak, it still has the ability to pierce through multiple obstacles at once. Cactus fed with Plant Food would be best choice to counter this zombie if you plan on using only it for offense.

Trivia

 * In its Almanac entry, BiteStarter is a parody of Kickstarter. Also, it states that the goal to push plants was not met, referring to Mecha-Football Zombie.
 * The helmet that it wears resembles the ones that the X-Wing pilots wear, in Starwars.
 * It uses claws that come out from the machine to eat plants, similar to Robo-Cone Zombie.
 * Its shield was originally going to be blue, and completely surround the zombie and other zombies within a 3x3 area, but was later changed to purple and moved to only being in front of the zombie. The blue shield is only seen in one screenshot which was released by Electronic Arts the Tuesday prior to the world release.
 * The tube that goes from the Shield Zombie's head into the top of its machine is probably what lets it live, this is noticeable because when it is stunned by the E.M.Peach, it starts to move in its seat and when the machine is defeated the zombie dies.
 * Although Snorkel Zombie's Plants vs. Zombies Almanac entry exclaims that zombies don't need anything to live, it may be just something that holds the helmet.
 * Shield Zombie is the only zombie that does not use a steering wheel to control the machine. Instead, it uses a set of joysticks.
 * Shield Zombie, Treasure Yeti, Zombie Bull, and Bug Bot Imp are the only machines in Plants vs. Zombies 2 that cannot survive an instant kill.
 * If Shield Zombie's force field absorbs too much damage all at once, it will be deactivated for a few seconds, leaving it open to other attacks.
 * Shield Zombie and Bug Bot Imp are the weakest zombies that operate a machine, with less health than Conehead Zombies, but unlike Bug Bot Imp, Shield Zombie will still block a Plant Food charged Citron.
 * Its toughness is actually Protected and its speed is actually Stiff while currently its toughness is said to be Average and its speed is said to be Basic.
 * According to the game files, Shield Zombie's original name was Protector Zombie.
 * If Shield Zombie is deactivated by E.M.Peach, it will push the joysticks and try to get the machine to move.
 * Shield Zombie and Bug Bot Imp are the only machined zombies that can be devoured by Chomper.
 * Ghost Pepper can attack its shield although there is no haunting animation around it.
 * Sweet Potato can make Shield Zombie switch lanes with its force field activated, but Shield Zombie will detach from its force field, since its force field cannot switch lanes and is only programmed to move whenever Shield Zombie is moving.
 * It is different in Plants vs. Zombies Online, having a different design and having a blue shield, like it was planned to do in the beta.
 * In the 3.4.4 update, Shield Zombie's force field is immune to splash damage caused by Coconut Cannon, Melon-pult, Pepper-pult, and Winter Melon. Zombies behind the force field also become immune to splash damage.
 * Spikeweed and Spikerock cannot pop the machine's treads.
 * Bonk Choy ignores the force field. It would just punch the zombies behind it.
 * It can utilize sandstorms, but only in Piñata Party.
 * If Shield Zombie is hurled back by Chard Guard, its shield will disappear.
 * Shield Zombie, Basic Zombie, Dr. Zomboss, Knight Zombie, Wizard Zombie, Snorkel Zombie, Octo Zombie, Cave Zombie, Troglobite, Lost Pilot Zombie, Relic Hunter Zombie, Boombox Zombie, and Jurassic Zombie are the only zombies that have represented the game icon. This zombie represented the Far Future icon.