Explorer Zombie


 * For the Chinese variant, see Torch Kung-Fu Zombie or Torch Monk Zombie.

Explorer Zombie is a zombie in Plants vs. Zombies 2, Plants vs. Zombies Online and Plants vs. Zombies: All Stars. He is the third zombie to be encountered in Ancient Egypt, and he holds a torch that burns any plant upon contact. He moves slightly faster than regular zombies. Iceberg Lettuces, Snow Peas, Winter Melons, Hurrikales, and Power Snow can extinguish the torch. However, Snapdragons, Pepper-pult shots, and fire peas generated by Torchwood or Fire Peashooter can relight it.

Description
He wears a hat and eyeglasses. The left lens of the eyeglass is broken. He has a red mustache that continues to wrap around his hat, and he holds a torch that eliminates any hostiles who get in his way. Explorer Zombie wears a camper's attire that is composed of a yellow handkerchief that is tied similarly to how a person is being signified as a Boy Scout. The sleeves are totally torn as the right sleeve appears to have been cut by scissors and the left one appears to have been soaked in mus as the edge appears to be more brown. The back is also torn, exposing a portion of his skin. He wears a light red colored belt and a dark green shorts. Finally, he wears brown colored boots for his footwear.

Almanac entry
TOUGHNESS: Solid SPEED: Hungry

Carries a torch that can instantly destroy your plants.

Special: torch destroys plant on contact Weakness: cold attacks extinguish torch

His impressive friendly mutton chops has always kept food in them for weeks, making sure his explorations are filled with snacks.

Overview
Explorer Zombie absorbs exactly 11.75 normal damage shots. Its appearance changes upon an absorption of 6 normal damage shots before dying at 11.75 normal damage shots.

Appearances
Player's House: Piñata Party

Ancient Egypt: Days 9, 17, 20, 24, 25, Pyramid of Doom and Freeze 'Em.

Dark Ages: Piñata Party

Strategies
Alone, this zombie does not pose much of a threat. However, this zombie is very dangerous in huge waves, especially if they are protected by Buckethead Mummies or Pharaoh Zombies. If you are going to use the Iceberg Lettuce, Winter Melon, Snow Pea, or Hurrikale, remember that Snapdragons, Torchwoods, and Pepper-pults can relight his torch. Wall-nuts, Tall-nuts, and Infi-nuts are useless against them, as they simply burns them, even if they have been upgraded by Plant Food. In the worst case scenario, using two Plant Foods on a Cabbage-pult will kill every Explorer Zombie on the screen and deal damage to other zombies. The Iceberg Lettuce's Plant Food upgrade is a good method, especially on Ancient Egypt - Day 20, as it extinguishes all torches on the game screen.

Using Snapdragons in the same lane (or in the upper or lower lane) as the zombie is a very bad idea since the Snapdragon can unfreeze him and light his torch again. Also, the Snapdragon's attack is close-ranged, meaning he will not have enough time to damage the Explorer before it is burned or out of range.

Trivia

 * If the Explorer Zombie meets an unarmed Potato Mine with his torch still alight, he will walk past it without burning it. If he meets an armed Potato Mine, it will explode as usual, meaning the Explorer Zombie can't burn it under any circumstance.
 * If timed correctly, the Explorer Zombie will not burn the plant when relighting his torch but will eat the plant close to him instead.
 * Explorer Zombie, Zombie Parrot, and Gargantuar are the only zombies in Plants vs. Zombies 2 that can take down a Tall-nut and Infi-nut immediately.
 * However, in the case of Gargantuar, if Tall-nut (or Wall-nut for that matter) is fed with Plant Food, it will take another smash in order to kill it, yet Gargantuar Prime can overkill it by smashing it twice.
 * If the Explorer Zombie is buttered, his flame will freeze, but still be lit.
 * If the player extinguishes the torch, he or she will get the achievement, No Smoking.
 * This is the only zombie to not have Pirate or Cowboy variants, but has a Chinese variant.
 * His torch will be immediately extinguished at the moment of his death.
 * Explorer Zombie cannot burn Infi-nut's Force Field. It will, however, chew it from a space away if his torch is still lit. Explorer Zombie also cannot eat hypnotized zombies or Pepper-pult.
 * Explorer Zombie is the only entirely paradoxical zombie in Plants vs. Zombies 2, because he appears in Ancient Egypt, more than 2000 years before the first Explorers appeared.
 * Explorer Zombies can use Sandstorms, but only during Piñata Parties.
 * He can burn Torchwood, despite the fact that the Torchwood doesn't burn itself.
 * Besides Dr. Zomboss, Explorer Zombie is the only Ancient Egypt zombie that is not mummified.
 * He is an archaeologist, yet he can be also counted as an Egyptologist.
 * After the 2.7 update, he cannot burn instant-kill plants.