Imp

The Imp is a small Zombie thrown from the back of the Gargantuar or Giga-Gargantuar that can quickly cause you to lose the game, due to the fact that it gets thrown into the middle of your plants and possibly at the final column, and takes 10 shots to kill. However, if it is thrown deep into your defenses, it will most likely cause quite a lot of damage if your 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 I, Zombie, regular Zombies will eventually be replaced with Imps.

Suburban Almanac Entry
 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.

Overview
thumb|right|300pxAbsorbs 10 normal damage shots. Appearance changes upon absorption of 5 normal damage shots before dying at 10 normal damage shots.

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

Strategy
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 6 squares forward. Covering the back three rows of land with Pumpkins is a good idea to protect against Imps. The fourth row 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 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).

Its best to send an imp down a lane that has a Potato Mine at the rightmost column in I, Zombie. An Imp can survive 1 Spikeweed due to its speed.

Trivia

 * 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.


 * The Imp appears to only have two fingers and no thumbs.
 * However, in the Wabby Wabbo music video, the Imp has 4 fingers.
 * 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.


 * The Imp is the only zombie that sits down when it dies.


 * If a thrown Imp is hypnotized by a Hypno-shroom, it may be able to eat the Gargantuar that threw it, as the Gargantuar does not crush the Imp.


 * 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 4th 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 you use 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 XBLA (Xbox Live Arcade) version, if the Imp gets in the back door of the house, you 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. This might be because it takes only 3 normal shots to kill, which means it would be a waste of brain power. Another reason may be that it never comes alone on the battlefield. Other unusable zombies include the Backup Dancer, the Zombie Bobsled Team, aquatic zombies (i.e. Ducky Tube Zombies, Dolphin Rider Zombies, Snorkel Zombies), the Zombie Yeti, the Balloon Zombie, and Dr. Zomboss.


 * In I, Zombie, it is shown that Imps can walk faster than Football Zombies.


 * Hypnotized Imp can kill a Gargantuar without dying.


 * The Imp is the smallest zombie in the game.


 * If you look closely, his eyes are also looking different ways.
 * 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.
 * thumb|300px|right|"Imp shot" PracticeThe Imp will disappear in mid air if a Jalapeno is used at the Gargantuar who threw it.


 * This also occurs when another instant kill explosive is used on it, such as the Cob Cannon, Cherry Bomb, or Doom-shroom.
 * The Imp is one of the few zombies 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 his eyes moves around like crazy while the other one doesn't. One might find it either funny or creepy. Not to mention he 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 Bobsled Teams can attack.


 * If a Gargantuar is killed by an explosive plants(except Potato Mine) before being thrown by it, the Imp will go back into the trash can of the Gargantuar and disintegrate with him.


 * 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.


 * The Imp laughs when thrown.


 * 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 or mentions playing an instrument in their Almanac entry.


 * 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 his back.


 * In I, Zombie, a glitch may occur, causing the Imp to walk right through a ladder.


 * It is unknown why Imp is smaller than any other zombie.
 * In I, Zombie, Imp (separated from Gargantuar) first appears in Three Hit Wonder.