Chard Guard

Chard Guard is the third plant obtained in Frostbite Caves in Plants vs. Zombies 2. It can hurl all zombies directly in front of it back (approximately 3 - 4 tiles), however it can only do this for three times, losing one leaf each time - after exhausting its leaves, it becomes a defensive plant that can absorb 30 bites from the zombies (37.5% the health of a Wall-nut).

Origins
Chard Guard is based on the vegetable beta vulgaris, known as chard in English. Its name is a combination of the aforementioned "chard" and "guard", referring to Chard Guard's role as a defensive plant.

Almanac entry
Sun cost: 75

TOUGHNESS: Elevated

RECHARGE: Mediocre

Chard Guards are defensive blockers that can hurl zombies backwards.

Special: hurls zombies back (x3)

You might remember Chard Guard from his days in the WWF (that's World Wrestling Foliage). When he was in the ring - boy-oh-boy - he was something to behold! His moves! His style! His attitude! The crowd loved him. He was quite the star for a while there. Sure, those days are behind him. But if you watch carefully, when Chard Guard is fighting zombies, you'll see him use the wrestling move he made famous. The ol' Knock 'Em Dead maneuver - it gets 'em every time.

Plant Food
When Chard Guard is given Plant Food, it regains all its leaves back and hurls back every zombie in its upper and lower space, and in a 2x3 area in front of it, dealing 0.5 normal damage shots.

Costumed
It hurls zombies further than its regular effect.

Strategies
Compared to other defensive plants, Chard Guard is unique in that it relies on its ability to knock zombies backward, rather than sheer bulk. Because of this, it functions exceptionally well in choke points occurring in Frostbite Caves, or generated by Sweet Potato and Garlic, where even Tall-nut will get quickly eaten by zombies from multiple lanes. On the other hand, its limited bouncing capability means that Chard Guard will need to be constantly replaced - this also means that it is impractical to plant Chard Guard in columns like other walls.

A good combination is a lane of Spikeweed or Spikerock and a column of Chard Guards. As the zombies get to Chard Guard, they are pushed back again to the columns of Spikeweed or Spikerock, forcing them to walk over them again and take up to quadruple damage from the spikes. Blover can also be used to instantly blow away enemies hurled by Chard Guard, although this requires precise timing.

In normal levels, Chard Guard is effective against several zombies that can crush or push back plants like Gargantuars, Mecha-Football Zombies and Punk Zombies as it can throw them back before they have the chance to attack, provided that it is planted first. Chard Guard can also be used in the Pirate Seas to bounce zombies into the ocean and instantly defeat them, especially Swashbuckler Zombies and Imp Pirate Zombies. Chard Guard is also very effective against Shield Zombie, since when Chard Guard flings Shield Zombie back it also destroys the zombie's shield. Avoid using Chard Guard against MC Zom-B during rap jam, as MC Zom-B's microphone attack can outrange Chard Guard and will destroy Chard Guard instantly. You should plant Chard Guards on tiles Excavator Zombies are on to push them back, as planting them in front, even if they are armed, will be thrown by the shovel.

Trivia

 * Wall-nut First Aid works on this plant after the first time hurling.
 * If the player uses Wall-nut First Aid on a Chard Guard which has just finished hurling or is in the middle of hurling, it will appear with only two leaves.
 * World Wrestling Foliage is a pun on World Wrestling Federation, which was renamed to World Wresting Entertainment over trademark issues with the World Wide Fund for Nature, who launched several in-app purchases in Electronic Arts's games, including the Sap-fling Restoration Bundle in the 3.2 update, when the Chard Guard and Frostbite Caves were released.
 * When a Zombie Parrot approaches Chard Guard, it will not fling it, instead it will just burrow under its leaves.
 * However, it could fling Zombie Parrot while it is flinging other zombies.
 * Chard Guard, unless planted directly under him, cannot hurl back Excavator Zombie before he shovels it.
 * Chard Guard cannot fling MC Zom-B before the latter kills it with its microphone unless it is planted directly under MC Zom-B when he is using the microphone swing, as the microphone attack has a further range, and it also comes out faster than Chard Guard can ready itself.
 * Chard Guard and Spring Bean are the only plants that can cancel all of Jester Zombie's projectiles. They do this when knocking Jester Zombie back.

Мангольд-страж