Sportacus

Sportacus is an event plant card in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, and a member of the class. It costs 3 to play, and has 3/3. It has no traits, and its ability does 2 damage to the zombie hero every time a zombie trick is played.

It was introduced in the 2017 Valenbrainz event, along with Hot Date and Stupid Cupid. It will be craftable at an unspecified future date.

Origins
It is based on a mushroom, the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, and a gladiator, an armed combatant who entertained audiences in the Roman Republic and Roman Empire.

Its name is a portmanteau of "spore," a reproductive cell or group of cells produced by some plants, and "Spartacus," a Thracian gladiator who was one of the escaped slave leaders in the Thrid Servile War. It also shares its name with a main character from the TV show LazyTown.

Statistics

 * Class: Smarty
 * Tribes: Mushroom Nut Plant
 * Trait: None
 * Ability: When a Zombie Trick is played, do 2 damage to the Zombie Hero
 * Set: Premium - Event

Card description
"I am Sportacus!"

Update 1.10.22

 * Added to the game.

With
Sportacus has the same stats and cost as Vanilla, but unlike Vanilla, its ability makes it powerful. It functions like Punish-Shroom, but its ability comes into effect when your opponent plays a trick, and unlike Black-Eyed Pea, it still activates its ability even if a trick were to destroy it. Its ability can do 2 damage to your opponent, which is great if your opponent focuses on playing tricks such as Immorticia, Professor Brainstorm, and. Speaking of tricks that destroy it, it is immune to most instant kill tricks like Rolling Stone, Rocket Science, and Weed Spray as long as its strength is not lowered or raised, though it is not immune to Locust Swarm. If you combine Sportacus with Black-Eyed Pea, you can rack up a lot of damage to your opponent very quickly due to the abilities of both of those plants, especially against a hero.

If you are using this as Citron, Sportacus can synergize with Mirror-Nut and Smackadamia, and if you use Sportacus as Nightcap, you can use Buff-Shroom and Punish-Shroom with it. Green Shadow can boost Sportacus, though it can put it at risk of Rocket Science or Cut Down to Size. may use healing tricks to restore health to Sportacus and allow it to stay longer.

Against
Like Black-Eyed Pea, using tricks while Sportacus is in play isn't a very good idea. Its strength stat of 3 allows it to become invulnerable to Rolling Stone, Rocket Science, and Weed Spray unless its strength has been altered. Locust Swarm can be used to destroy it, but it is expensive and activates Sportacus' ability. If it is not boosted, Cakesplosion can also destroy it instantly. While Sportacus is on the field, it is recommended not to play tricks unless it are necessary, as the more tricks you play, the more damage you take. Instead, use powerful zombies to destroy it. Squirrel Herder is very useful, as Sportacus is classified as a nut plant, but watch out for Citron, who may counter her with. Electric Boogaloo is the most efficient at taking Sportacus out due to his wide range of zombies and tricks to use. Those include Stayin' Alive, Electrobolt, Cakesplosion, Locust Swarm, Squirrel Hoarder, Abracadaver (assuming it hits the Plant Hero and targets Sportacus), and other usages. However, it's best to use his zombies rather than tricks, as Sportacus' ability won't trigger.

Trivia

 * The Wall-Nut shield it is holding is actually alive, and opens its eyes during its idle animation.
 * When Sportacus attacks, the Wall-Nut shield actually gets angry as well as opening its eyes.
 * Strangely, the Wall-Nut held by Sportacus is smaller than its actual plant counterpart.
 * It is the only nut plant in the class.
 * It shares its sounds with Punish-Shroom and Fume-Shroom.
 * Coincidentally, they all fall under the mushroom tribe.
 * Its description "I am Sportacus!" references the famous quote "I am Spartacus" from the film Spartacus.