Chard Guard

Chard Guard is the third plant obtained in Frostbite Caves in Plants vs. Zombies 2. He hurls all zombies directly in front of him back a certain distance (approximately three to four tiles). However, he can only do this action three times, losing one leaf each time - after exhausting his leaves, he becomes a defensive plant that can absorb 1500 damage per shot from the zombies (37.5% the health of a Wall-nut). With Wall-nut First Aid, he can be repaired like many other defensive plants and will regain all leaves each time when repaired.

Origins

Chard Guard is based on the chard (Beta vulgaris subsp. vulgaris), also known as the swiss chard, a green leafy vegetable subspecies of the beet (Beta vulgaris), specifically the red-stemmed form. His name is a combination of the aforementioned "chard" and "guard", referring to Chard Guard's role as a defensive plant. The two words also rhyme.

Almanac entry

Chard Guard	SUN COST 75 RECHARGE Mediocre SUN COST: 75 RECHARGE: Mediocre TOUGHNESS Elevated PLANT FOOD POWER Damage TOUGHNESS: Elevated PLANT FOOD POWER: Damage SPECIAL Leaf Pushes FAMILY Reinforce-mint SPECIAL: Leaf Pushes FAMILY: Reinforce-mint Chard Guards are defensive blockers that can hurl zombies backwards. 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.

Chard Guard

		SUN COST 75			RECHARGE Mediocre

SUN COST: 75
RECHARGE: Mediocre

		TOUGHNESS Elevated			PLANT FOOD POWER Damage

TOUGHNESS: Elevated
PLANT FOOD POWER: Damage

		SPECIAL Leaf Pushes			FAMILY Reinforce-mint

SPECIAL: Leaf Pushes
FAMILY: Reinforce-mint

Chard Guards are defensive blockers that can hurl zombies backwards.

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.

Upgrades

Plant Food effect

When Chard Guard is given Plant Food, he regains all his leaves back and hurls back every zombie in a 2x3 area in front of him, dealing 60 damage per shot.

Reinforce-mint effect

When boosted by Reinforce-mint, he can absorb an additional 3000 DPS, his leaves can knock back three groups of zombies before losing a leaf, and his plant food effect will activate.

Level upgrade

Level upgrade (China only)

Level	Upgrades	Description
	Regeneration	Its fallen leaf can be restored by itself.
	Combat Training	Chard Guard gains 50% more attack power and health (150% of initial).
	Quick Recovery	Its fallen leaf restores faster.
	Cell Activation	Chard Guard gains another 50% more attack power and health (200% of initial).
	Ability Awaken	Chard Guard may be boosted when planted.
	Fighting Power	Chard Guard gains another 50% more attack power and health (250% of initial).

Costumed (China only)

He now hurls zombies further than his regular effect and does more damage.

Strategies

Compared to other defensive plants, Chard Guard is a unique plant that relies on his ability to knock zombies backward, rather than sheer bulk. Because of this, he 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, his 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.

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 he can throw them back before they have the chance to attack, provided that he is planted first. Chard Guard can also be used in the Pirate Seas to bounce Swashbuckler Zombies and Imp Pirate Zombies into the ocean and instantly defeat them. Chard Guard can also be used to prevent groups of Boombox Zombies from stunning plants. It is also useful against Shield Zombie, as he will deactivate the force field upon flinging Shield Zombie back. Chard Guard is also effective against Breakdancer Zombies as he can repel kicked zombies farther behind them, allowing the Breakdancer Zombies themselves to be vulnerable to attacks.  

Chard Guard is also notably effective on Weasel Hoarder as the knockback will not cause her to unleash Ice Weasels. If he also kills a Weasel Hoarder, Ice Weasels will not be released. 

When equipped with Blover, Chard Guard is extremely effective as the zombies will pass as 'airborne', therefore Blover would be able to blow them away, instantly defeating even Gargantuars. To do this, use Blover when the zombies are about to touch Chard Guard. Note that the same thing cannot be achieved with Hurrikale.

Chard Guard works very well with Aloe. When a Chard Guard gets healed by an Aloe, he will regain all of his leaves, making Chard Guard almost invincible. This covers up one of Chard Guard's main weaknesses, being his frequent upkeep need.

Chard Guard should not be used against MC Zom-B during rap jam, as MC Zom-B's microphone attack can outrange Chard Guard and will destroy him instantly. Also, it is advised to use Spring Beans instead of Chard Guards in Ancient Egypt because Explorer Zombies and Torchlight Zombies will easily destroy him even if he is under his armed position. Ankylosaurus can also pose a major threat as Chard Guard will be pushed before he can fling any zombie. Be aware of Surfer Zombies as he will crush the plant before he can fling him back, even when he is armed. Additionally, Chard Guard must be planted on tiles Excavator Zombies are on to push them back, as planting them in front, even if they are armed, allows them to be thrown by the shovel. Also, just like Hurrikale, Chard Guard can be used to fast forward Prospector Zombies and zombies dropped by Pterodactyls, in order to prevent them from eating the player's plants.

Do not use Chard Guard against Lost Pilot Zombies as they will eat him without Chard Guard pushing them back. This occurs even with grounded Lost Pilot Zombies. The same thing applies to Explorer Zombie and Torchlight Zombie even when chilled. This is due to a hitbox error.

Never plant Chard Guard on the flowers in a level that has them, because if a zombie touches Chard Guard, it will count as trampling the flowers. However, Chard Guard is still useful at knocking zombies back from trampling the flowers.

Related achievement

	Knock 'Em Dead! Knock back 6 zombies with one hit from Chard Guard

Gallery

Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Chard Guard.

Visit this page to see it.

Trivia

• If the player uses Wall-nut First Aid on a Chard Guard which has just finished hurling or is in the middle of hurling, he will appear with only two leaves.
  • However, if the player plants a boosted Chard Guard on an already hurling Chard Guard, he will not use his Plant Food effect. It is unknown if it is a glitch or not.
• World Wrestling Foliage is a pun on the World Wrestling Federation, the former name of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). This name was changed in 2002 due to a trademark dispute with the World Wide Fund for Nature over the use of the same initials (WWF). The World Wide Fund for Nature coincidentally launched several in-app purchases in Electronic Arts' 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 him, he will not fling said zombie. Instead, he will just arm himself.
  • However, he can fling Zombie Parrot while he is flinging other zombies.
    • If a Zombie Parrot is approaching another plant in another lane close to him, Chard Guard will fling it back.
• He, Spring Bean, and Kiwibeast are the only plants that can cancel all of Jester Zombie's deflected projectiles. They do this by knocking the Jester Zombie back.
• If he is placed in front of a grave, when he hurls a zombie, the grave will flash (as if it has taken damage), but is not damaged at all. This also applies to ice blocks and arcade machines.
• He cannot be hit by Hunter Zombie's snowballs when he is armed.
• According to the credits, he is voiced by Liam Robinson.
• If he is placed on a tile that a portal is on, he will waste one of his leaves trying to push that zombie, but will not able to be pushed, as when Zombies come out of portals, they are immune to damage for a few seconds.
  • Essentially, a zombie summoned by a portal takes two pushes to actually be flung back.