Character variants

 are a gameplay mechanic in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare and Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2, which allow certain playable characters' primary weapons to affect opponents in unique ways. There are currently nine distinct elements, each of which affect opponents in different ways.

Both elemental and non-elemental characters are able to deal impact damage and splash damage in the same way but elemental characters will, if they damage an opponent using either type of damage, trigger their special effect.

Trivia

 * The fire element is the only element which contains a variant of each class in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare.
 * While most elemental characters adhere to one element only, there currently three elemental characters that, due to their behavior, are counted as using two elements simultaneously.
 * Toxic Brainz uses the Poison and Legendary elements since he is a toxic character with a legendary meter and is currently the only zombie that uses two elements.
 * Iron Citron uses the Armored and Legendary elements since he has higher health than the default Citron and has a legendary meter.
 * Toxic Citron uses the Poison and Spores/Gas elements since he is a toxic character whose primary weapon leaves toxic gas clouds behind when hitting surfaces.


 * Toxic Brainz and Disco Chomper are the only Legendary variants that fill their meter differently from other Legendaries. Toxic Brainz requires landing punches, and Disco Chomper requires swallowing Zombies.