Wasabi Whip

Wasabi Whip is a premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2. It is a melee attacker that hits zombies rapidly two squares ahead or behind it, similarly to Bonk Choy. Due to its fire-based attacks, it is immune to freezing and can heat plants surrounding it in Frostbite Caves.

Origins
Its appearance is based on the real life wasabi plant, which the flaming end of its whip pertains to spiciness of its origin plant, and whip tool. Its name origin pertains to the small amount of Wasabi paste with the top resembling a whip.

Almanac entry
Sun cost: 150

DAMAGE: Heavy

RANGE: Close

RECHARGE: Fast

Wasabi Whips lash out with their flaming whips, delivering whuppings to zombies both in front and behind.

Special: Resists cold and warm plants around it.

"The trick to proper whipping is all in the wrist," says Wasabi Whip. "Well, not the wrist, exactly, since I don't have any. You have to, like... BE the wrist."

Plant Food effect
When fed Plant Food, Wasabi Whip will spin its flaming whip around in a 3x3 radius, similarly to Bonk Choy.

Strategies
This plant can be considered as an upgrade to the Bonk Choy, considering the equal sun cost, the slightly increased range and how much damage it deals. Another difference is that Wasabi Whip gives priority to the zombies behind it.

Wasabi Whip's main downside is that it is a fire plant, meaning that it cannot be used well with ice plants like Winter Melon, so non-icing slowing plants like Sap-fling or Stallia should be used in conjunction with Wasabi Whip to the slowing effect not being instantly removed by the Wasabi Whip. However, its fire attacks are useful to heat up surrounding plants in Frostbite Caves, making it even more useful than Bonk Choy, and as it is a close range attacker, it is good defrosting plant to keep the defensive plants warm.

To take the most advantage of it, the player should plant more than one column, otherwise it will not be effective against strong zombies, plus on levels where lots of zombies come together, Snapdragon or its cold variant are more advised, as Wasabi Whip can only target one zombie at a time. However, it should be kept in mind that Wasabi Whip has a higher damage per second.

Against specific zombies, remember that Wasabi Whips cannot damage Imp Dragon Zombies, as they are immune to fire. However, Wasabi Whip is still useful in Dark Ages for defeating Jester Zombies. This plant is highly useful when fighting Zombie Chickens and Ice Weasels due to its high attacking rate and high damage, allowing it to take out Weasels in one hit.

Trivia

 * Wasabi Whip attacks backwards faster than forwards.
 * Wasabi Whip's flame does not go out once watered in the Zen Garden. This make it the first plant with visible flames to do so.
 * In its Zen Garden animation, Wasabi Whip pulls out some sushi and snuggles it, as wasabi is a common condiment on sushi. The sushi looks similar to the one after an octopus is defeated.


 * It is the 3rd new plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2 to be a direct upgrade of another plant, in this case it is an upgrade of Bonk Choy, while the other two are Grapeshot and Cold Snapdragon.
 * Coincidentally, all 3 are premium, cost 150 sun, and are immune to the freezing wind in Frostbite Caves (Grapeshot being an instant use. Cold Snapdragon being immune. Wasabi Whip being a thawing plant.)
 * The only difference is Wasabi Whip is not a plant tied with Jurassic Marsh.