Changes: Card

Revision as of 11:08, 11 December 2017

Cards are the main collectibles available in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes. They are the main methods used by plant and zombie heroes to combat the opposing side.

Overview

Cards are divided into three major categories: fighter cards, trick cards and environment cards. A fighter card spawns a friendly fighter on the field when it is played, which in most cases attack enemy fighters or the opposing hero, and is destroyed and removed once its health reaches 0. A trick card can do a variety of things when it is played, ranging from making additional friendly fighters, modifying their attributes or destroying enemy fighters, to gaining or adding cards from or into the player's deck. After the ability ends, the trick card is automatically removed for the match. Finally, an environment card is played similar to a trick card that affects a selected ground lane and all compatible fighters on it while it is present, and is overridden and removed once another environment card is played on the same lane.

Each card also has a set of attributes, such as cost (/), strength (), health (), class and tribe - one of which is a superpower, a special kind of card that is only gained at the start of the game and every time the hero successfully blocks an attack.

At the start of the game, each player is given four cards in their hand, and is also given the chance to replace each card once with another random one taken from the player's deck. Each player is also given a random superpower card from the player's list of available cards, which cannot be replaced. The player also draws a card from their deck starting from the second turn, and there are certain abilities that can give the player additional cards, either from or outside the deck. Each player can only have ten cards in their hand at once before the game stops giving them cards.

Decks are required to have forty cards, and four of a single type of card can be put in at most. Therefore, it is very important to consider what cards are needed. Superpowers do not count to the deck's total number of cards.

A card can be played providing that the card's cost does not exceed the player's currency stockpile balance, and that there are valid targets (for trick cards) or lanes (for fighter cards) for the card. Once the card is played, the player's currency stockpile balance is decreased by an amount equal to the card's cost. Plants can play fighter, trick, and environment cards all at the same time since they only have one play turn before the "Fight!" phase occurs. Zombies have two separate phases, the first exclusive to fighters and the second for tricks and environments, before the "Fight!" phase occurs.

Tribes

Each side has unique tribes that can allow cards to create synergies. Each class has a main tribe, as well as a number of cards that can form synergy with the main tribe of the class. An example of a plant synergy is Buff-Shroom boosting Shroom for Two, both part of the mushroom tribe, the main tribe of the Kabloom class, and an example of a zombie synergy is Zombot Drone Engineer boosting Space Cadet, both part of the science tribe, the main tribe of the Brainy class.

Note that there are also examples of fighters within main tribes outside of the class, for instance Template:PvZHLink being a mushroom plant in the Solar class or Template:PvZH Link being a science zombie in the Crazy class.

Turn order

The zombies' fighter turn comes first, followed by the plants' combined turn, followed in turn by the zombies' trick turn, after which the "Fight!" phase occurs during which fighters engage in combat against the opposing side. Destroyed/used cards are removed and the turn order starts over from the beginning.

In the "Fight!" phase, zombie fighters attack first, then plant fighters attack afterwards even if the plant fighter has its health down to 0 after being attacked. Because of this, the game immediately ends if a Strikethrough zombie defeats the plant hero, even if there is a plant in the same lane with Strikethrough that is about to finish off the zombie hero.

Attribute		Description
Class		Determines the hero(es) that can play the card. In deck construction, a hero can only include cards from the 2 classes it leads with no exception. However, off-class cards can be obtained through card effects such as Eureka or the Conjure effect.
Tribe
	Normal	Determines the effects that the card can be subjected to. Every card is in at least one tribe, and some are in two or more tribes at the same time. Several abilities only affect fighters in certain tribes: For example, all plants in the pea tribe gain bonus attack points when they are played behind a Template:PvZHLink. However, some tribes do not interact with any abilities, and are purely cosmetic.
	Superpower	A superpower is a special tribe of card that can only be obtained at the start of the game, or when you block an attack.
	Environment	An environment card is a type of card that creates a special rule on the lane it is played on, and lasts permanently unless another environment card is played on that lane. Note that cards in this tribe do not count as a trick, thus not activating abilities that are related to tricks.
Sun/Brain cost (/)		Determines the cost of the card.
Strength ()		Fighter exclusive. Determines the amount of damage the fighter does to the opposing hero or fighter(s).
Health ()		Fighter exclusive. Determines the amount of damage the fighter withstands. A fighter is destroyed and removed once its health reaches 0.
Traits/Effects		Determines the traits a fighter has, or the effect a card gives. See the Traits and Effects section.
Abilities		Determines the abilities of playing the card, if any are present.
Rarity		Determines the chance of that card being spawned through card drops or booster packs. Hero-specific superpowers are also indicated by the Premium - Legendary rarity.

Traits

Although every fighter is unique, many of them share common traits, which the player needs to know to use them the best way. Present here is a list of traits that many fighters have, along with an explanation and a few examples of them:

Afterlife

I think I've seen that cloud before.

This section is about content that is no longer available. It has therefore been archived.

“	When this is destroyed, you can play it a second time	”
—Game Description

Exclusive to zombies.

Any fighter with this trait returns to the owner's hand as a "ghost" version of itself when it is destroyed. The ghost version has identical stats to the original fighter, but without the Afterlife trait.

On update 1.16.10, this trait was removed.


Haunting Zombie	Template:PvZHLink

Amphibious

“	Play on Water or Land	”
—Game Description

Any fighter with this trait is not restricted to just the ground or heights lanes in terms of placement, but can also be played on aquatic lanes.

Plants

Sea-Shroom

Zombies

Template:PvZH Link

Anti-Hero

“	+(number of Strength points) Strength when no (Zombies/Plants) are here	”
—Game Description

Any fighter with this trait gains a set amount of strength when no enemy fighters are in their lane. Playing anything in front of an enemy fighter with the trait de-activates the Anti-Hero trait.

Plants

Poison Mushroom

Zombies

Mini-Ninja

Armored

“	Reduce damage to this by (number)	”
—Game Description

Any fighter with this trait takes reduced damage when it is attacked, with the number specifying the amount of damage that is subtracted. If the damage done is less than the resistance number, the fighter does not take any damage. However, this effect does not protect the fighter from any tricks or abilities that reduce its stats by a set amount.

Plants

File:Gravitree.png

Gravitree

Zombies

Conehead

Bullseye

“	Doesn't charge the opponent's Block Meter	”
—Game Description

Any fighter with this trait does not fill up the opposing hero's Super-Block Meter upon a successful attack.

Plants

Template:PvZH Link

Zombies

Pool Shark

Deadly

“	Destroy any Plant this hurts	”
—Game Description

Exclusive to zombies.

Any fighter with this trait always destroys any fighter it does damage to. Heroes and Shielded fighters are not affected by it, and Armored enemy fighters can survive the attack as long the fighter's damage does not exceed their damage resistance.


Template:PvZH Link	Super Stench

Double Strike

“	After combat here: This does a Bonus Attack	”
—Game Description

Exclusive to plants.

Any fighter with this trait does a bonus attack after combat in its lane, but only if that fighter is not destroyed during combat.

Cosmic Pea

Frenzy

“	When this destroys a Plant, it attacks again	”
—Game Description

Exclusive to zombies.

Any fighter that has this trait does a bonus attack if it destroys an enemy fighter and survives without being destroyed itself. Zombies will only do a bonus attack if they destroy a plant with their attack, and not through their abilities. For example, although Supernova Gargantuar can destroy several plants with his ability, he will not do any bonus attacks for destroying those plants. And finally, if a Zombie with this trait destroys a Soul Patch through Soul Patch’s ability, it will not do a bonus attack.


Energy Drink Zombie	Maniacal Laugh

Gravestone

“	Hides in a Gravestone until it's time for Tricks	”
—Game Description

Exclusive to zombies.

Any fighter with this trait is not revealed until the user's trick stage begins, they are instead concealed by a gravestone. The opposing hero cannot see how much brains are spent on that fighter until the next "Zombie Tricks" phase. While it is concealed, the fighter is immune to all methods of damage and card abilities (from both the plant and zombie side), with Cool Bean, Template:PvZHLink, Spyris, Grave Mistake and Blockbuster being the only exceptions.

Pied Piper

Hunt

“	When a (Zombie/Plant) is played, this (Plant/Zombie) moves there	”
—Game Description

Any fighter with this trait moves to where an opposing fighter is played or made most recently, unless that lane is already occupied by either a non Team-Up plant or a zombie.

Plants

Corn Dog

Zombies

Dog Walker

Overshoot

“	Before combat here, do (amount of damage) to the Plant Hero	”
—Game Description

Exclusive to zombies.

Any fighter with this ability does a certain amount of damage to the opposing hero before combat. This trait still activates even if the zombie is frozen.

Loose Cannon

Splash Damage

“	When this attacks, it also deals (amount of damage) damage to Zombies next door	”
—Game Description

Exclusive to plants.

Any fighter with this trait does a certain amount of damage to fighters on adjacent lanes, in addition to the lane it is on when it attacks. Heroes, however, do not take Splash Damage if said lanes are empty. Splash Damage cannot be increased or decreased in any way, even if the fighter's strength has been increased or decreased, with the only exception being if the fighter has 0 strength.

Template:PvZH Link

Strikethrough

“	Hits the Zombie here and the Zombie Hero	”
—Game Description

“	Hits all Plants here and the Plant Hero	”
—Game Description

Any fighter with this trait does damage to all enemy fighters in its lane, as well as the opposing hero.

Plants

Template:PvZH Link

Zombies

Hot Dog Imp

Team-Up

“	You can fit two Plants here	”
—Game Description

Exclusive to plants.

Any fighter with this trait can be played in a lane that is already occupied by an allied fighter, regardless of whether that fighter already occupying the lane has the Team-Up trait or not.

Template:PvZH Link

Untrickable

“

Unaffected by Plant/Zombie Tricks

”

Any fighter with this trait is unable to be affected by the opposing hero's tricks. This does not grant immunity to tricks from the same side, nor does it prevent multi-target tricks such as Template:PvZHLink or The Chickening from being played.

Plants

Template:PvZH Link

Zombies



Template:PvZH Link

Effects

Some cards either have, or afflict other fighters with certain effects. Present here is a list of effects that a fighter can receive, along with an explanation of each of them:

Bonus Attack

Any fighter that receives this effect attacks again as long it manages to survive during combat. Any plant with the Double Strike trait gets this effect. This also includes zombie fighters with the Frenzy trait as well.

Plants

Template:PvZH Link

Zombies

Template:PvZH Link

Bounce

“	Put it back in its owner's hand	”
—Game Description

Any fighter that receives this effect is returned to the owner's hand, with their stats reverted to their base stats and all given traits removed. For example, a zombie boosted by Maniacal Laugh will lose the Frenzy trait when Bounced.

Plants


Rescue Radish	Jumping Bean

Zombies


Firefighter	Pogo Bouncer

Conjure

“	Gain a random card of this type	”
—Game Description

This effect draws a random card of a specified tribe, rarity, or set from the entire game, excluding superpowers unless specifically stated.

Plants

Cosmic Bean

Zombies

File:Cosmic Sport StarH.png

Cosmic Sports Star

Draw

Add a random card(s) from your deck to your hand, unless your hand is full.

Plants

Flourish

Zombies

Cell Phone Zombie

Freeze

“	That (Zombie/Plant) skips its next attack	”
—Game Description

Any fighter that receives this effect is immobilized, forcing it to skip its next attack. Using a card that makes the immobilized fighter do a bonus attack instantly cancels out the Freeze effect. Plant fighters with the Double Strike will attack after being thawed unless they were destroyed in combat.

Plants


Template:PvZH Link	Template:PvZH Link	Template:PvZH Link

Zombies


Frozen Tundra	Frosty Mustache	Ice Pirate

Heal

Restore health of a damaged fighter, the hero, or both. Certain restrictions may be present on some cards.

Plants

Template:PvZH Link

Zombies

Nurse Gargantuar

Shielded

Any fighter that receives this effect is unable to get hurt in any way in that turn with the exception of Template:PvZH Link. However, they are not immune to instant-kill tricks like Lawnmower, or stat-degraders like Nibble.

Plants

Root Wall

Zombies

Template:PvZH Link

Transform

Any fighter that receives this effect immediately transforms into a random fighter that meets a certain criterion, if any.

Plants

Transfiguration

Zombies

Interdimensional Zombie

Shuffle

Any card with this effect, add a specific card in your deck, for the rest of the game.

Plants

File:Sow Magic BeansH-0.png

Sow Magic Beans

Zombies

File:Going ViralH-0.png

Going Viral

Abilities

While there are a plethora of ways an ability can activate, there are some that are officially named and categorized. Present here is a list of named abilities, along with an explanation of them and examples of fighters with them:

Dino-Roar

“	Use this ability when you draw a card	”
—Game Description

This ability activates whenever its owner draws or Conjures a card.

Plants


Bananasaurus Rex	Tricarrotops

Zombies


Mondo Bronto	Stompadon

Evolution

“	Play this on a (name of tribe/Plant/Zombie) to use this ability	”
—Game Description

This ability activates when the fighter with this ability is played on a fighter that meets the criterion. The fighter that meets the criterion immediately transforms into the fighter with the Evolution ability. Fighters on aquatic lanes can also be selected, even if the fighter with the Evolution ability does not have the Amphibious trait itself.

Plants

File:Mesozoic MagnoliaH.png

Cro-Magnolia

Zombies

File:Lizard ZombieH.png

Gizzard Lizard

Crafting

Crafting is a feature that can be accessed by tapping the desired card in the Collection or the Deck Building section. It allows the player to directly create new cards without having to purchase Packs.

Crafting a new card requires Sparks, a special kind of resource that cannot be purchased with money and can only be gained by recycling cards and completing certain Hero Quests. Currently, most collectible cards in the game can be crafted and recycled, with the exception of certain Event cards that are stated to become craftable in the near future. In addition, all Basic - Common cards cannot be recycled, and cards you already have 4 of will have their crafting option disabled.

The number of Sparks required for crafting, and rewarded with recycling, is determined by the card's rarity. Crafting a new card will always require more Sparks than the amount given by recycling a card of equal rarity, making the process generally extremely inefficient.

Rarity	Crafting	Recycling
Basic - Common	25	0 ¹
Uncommon	50	15 ²
Rare	250	50
Super-Rare	1000	250
Legendary	4000	1000
Event	1000 ³	250 ⁴

_{1. Cannot be recycled
2. 10 prior to update 1.8.23
3. 2000}_{for the cards released on the previous update; only applies to cards that have been released.
4. 75 prior to update 1.14.13}

Gallery

Trivia

As stated above, some traits are exclusive to either side:
- There are no plant fighters that have the Gravestone, Deadly, Frenzy, or Overshoot traits.
- There are no zombie fighters that have the Team-Up, Splash Damage, or Double Strike traits.
  - Prior to update 1.2.11, there were no zombie fighters with the Strikethrough trait either.
Prior to update 1.2.11, cards were referred to as teammates.
Prior to update 1.2.11, Bullseye was named Truestrike.
Before adding Cyborg Zombie, Corn Dog, Interstellar Bounty Hunter, and Vengeful Cyborg to the game, Dog Walker was the only fighter with the Hunt trait.
Prior to update 1.16.10, Frozen Tundra, Template:PvZHLink's signature superpower, was the only zombie card that gave the Freeze effect to plants.
- Still, Frozen Tundra is the only premium card that gives the Freeze effect to plants.
The spark symbol is similar to the Power Zap symbol except being blue instead of purple.
If a fighter has two or more traits, it uses a green star in place of the strength symbol.
- A fighter can also have a green star in the health symbol if it is shielded and has the Armored trait.

Fourofabean — The number "x4" flashing red if the player tries to add another Navy Bean

Prior to update 1.6.27, if a fighter had a trait, it wasn't shown on their card.
If a card's cost is reduced via any card abilities or gimmicks in some missions, the cost number is colored green instead of black. On the other hand, if its cost is increased, the number is shown red instead.
Bringing 4 of the same card cause the "Add" button to appear gray for the remaining ones. Tapping "Add" causes the number "x4" to flash red, indicating that no more of that card can be added anymore.

@@ Line 303: / Line 303: @@
 ====Zombies====
 {|
 |+
 |- align="center"
 |[[File:Parasol ZombieH.png|100px]]
@@ Line 473: / Line 473: @@
 |}
-==='''Shuffle''' ===
+== '''Shuffle''' ==
-Any card with this effect, adds a specific card in your deck, for the rest of the game.
+Any card with this effect, add a specific card in your deck, for the rest of the game.
-====Plants====
+Plants
-{|
-|- align="center"
-|[[File:Sow Magic BeansH.png|100px]]
-|- align="center"
-|[[Sow Magic Beans]]
-|}
+[[File:Sow Magic BeansH-0.png|left|thumb|207x207px|[[Sow Magic Beans]]]]
-====Zombies====
+[[File:Clique PeasH.png|thumb|187x187px|[[Clique Peas]]|none]]
+===<nowiki/>===
-{|
+Zombies
-|- align="center"
-|[[File:Going ViralH.png|100px]]
+[[File:Leprechaun ImpH-0.png|left|thumb|223x223px|[[Leprechaun Imp]]]]
-|- align="center"
-|[[Going Viral]]
+[[File:Going ViralH-0.png|thumb|200x200px|[[Going Viral]]|none]]
-|}
 == '''Abilities''' ==
@@ Line 603: / Line 598: @@
 *Prior to update 1.2.11, cards were referred to as teammates.
 *Prior to update 1.2.11, Bullseye was named Truestrike.
+*Before adding [[Cyborg Zombie]], [[Corn Dog]], [[Interstellar Bounty Hunter]], and [[Vengeful Cyborg]] to the game, [[Dog Walker]] was the only fighter with the '''Hunt''' trait.
 *Prior to update 1.16.10, Frozen Tundra, {{PvZHLink|Brain Freeze}}'s signature superpower, was the only zombie card that gave the {{PvZH Icon|frozen}}'''Freeze''' effect to plants.
 **Still, Frozen Tundra is the only premium card that gives the {{PvZH Icon|frozen}}'''Freeze''' effect to plants.