Electrici-tea

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This item is only obtainable during certain events. However, it can still be used if you have already obtained it. It is currently available.

Electrici-tea is a premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2 that was introduced in the 7.4.1 update. It attacks zombies in a 3x3 area around it with small electrical attacks that can bounce to other zombies. When Electrici-tea is eaten, a cloud is summoned above the tile that it was on that electrocutes all nearby zombies, damaging other nearby zombies. Electrici-tea requires 100 seed packets to be unlocked for free.

It was available in Electrici-tea's Shocking Tournament which lasted from July 17 to August 19, 2019.

Origins

Electrici-tea is based on the Camellia sinensis, otherwise known as the tea shrub or the tea plant.

Its name is a portmanteau of "electricity," referencing its electric abilities, and "tea," the type of shrub it's based on.

Its Almanac entry references its requirement of being eaten to activate its special ability.

Almanac entry

Upgrades

Plant Food effect

When fed Plant Food, Electrici-tea sends a lightning bolt to attack zombies on screen. The effect lasts for 3 seconds. Additionally, the area around Electrici-tea becomes charged for 3 seconds, dealing 570 DPS to zombies in that area.

Fila-mint effect

When boosted by Fila-mint, Electrici-tea will do an extra 10 DPS with its zaps, its explosion will do an additional 1400 DPS, and its Plant Food effect will do an additional 1680 DPS.

Level upgrades

Level	Seed Packets	Coins	Upgrades
			Sun Cost	Recharge	Toughness	Damage		Firing Rate	Plant Food (Firing Rate)	Plant Food (Damage)	Special (Burst)
						Zap*	Burst				Bolt Range	Zombies Zapped**	Bolt Count**
1	0	0	125	15 seconds	150 dps	3 dps	950 dps	0.5 seconds	0.1 seconds	570 dps	2	2	3
2	50			14 seconds			1000 dps	0.4 seconds		600 dps
3	100			14 seconds			1050 dps			630 dps		3
4	200		100	13 seconds		5 dps	1100 dps			880 dps	2.1		4
5	300			13 seconds			1150 dps	0.3 seconds		920 dps
6	400			12 seconds			1200 dps			960 dps		4
7	500		75	12 seconds		7 dps	1250 dps			1250 dps	2.2		5
8	600			11 seconds			1300 dps	0.2 seconds		1300 dps
9	800			11 seconds			1350 dps			1350 dps		5
10	1,000			10 seconds		10 dps	1400 dps			1680 dps	2.3		6

*Its range for zap damage is always 3x3.
**Per burst.

Strategies

Electrici-tea's main niche is that it functions similarly to Explode-O-Nut, although Electrici-tea is weaker and is required to be eaten in order to explode, unlike Explode-O-Nut which only requires it to be destroyed. Electrici-tea's explosion can also have a larger radius than Explode-O-Nut's thanks to the fact that it can chain off nearby zombies. Finally, unlike Explode-O-Nut, Electrici-tea can defend itself by zapping nearby zombies. Despite these benefits however, Electrici-tea is generally outclassed by Explode-O-Nut, as Explode-O-Nut is cheaper and has a faster recharge. Thanks to Explode-O-Nut's higher health, it can also be used to stall zombies briefly before exploding, whereas Electrici-tea explodes upon first being eaten, but Electrici-tea's lower health can be actually advantageous in Arena, because Electrici-tea can kill zombies faster. However, if Explode-O-Nut has not been obtained, then Electrici-tea makes for a fine substitute.

Electrici-tea should be used in much the same way as one would use an Explode-O-Nut. Plant it in areas that look like they could be overwhelmed, or plant them near the front of your defense as a safety net. Electrici-tea can also be used in conjunction with Explode-O-Nut in certain levels (or even in La Brainsa Tarpits) in order to provide multiple explosions. Electrici-tea can also be imitated, with imitated Electrici-tea functioning in much the same way as imitated Explode-O-Nut. Like Explode-O-Nut, Electrici-tea synergizes excellently with Intensive Carrot, as Intensive Carrot can revive eaten Electrici-teas, allowing them to explode again.

Although Electrici-tea can defend itself, the zaps that it shoots out are extremely weak, only doing 3 DPS every zap. Thus, Electrici-tea can only really make use of these zaps as a form of defense against Zombie Chickens and literally nothing else (not even Ice Weasels, as their health is too high), as Phat Beet or Electric Currant do a much better job at attacking adjacent lanes.

Although Electrici-tea has many of the same strengths as Explode-O-Nut, it also has many of the same weaknesses. For one, Electrici-tea is near useless against zombies that don't eat, such as Explorer Zombie or Excavator Zombie, as they can prevent Electrici-tea from exploding, thus negating the entire use of the plant. Electrici-tea can also be avoided through the use of some dinosaurs as well as Breakdancer Zombies. Electrici-tea is also generally worse in Last Stand levels than Explode-O-Nut due to its much higher sun cost, and the fact that it can't stall zombies due to having next to no health, Another unique weakness that Electrici-tea has over Explode-O-Nut is that being smashed by a Gargantuar will not cause Electrici-tea to explode, effectively nullifying the plant and costing you 125 sun. Finally, it is advised that you avoid using Electrici-tea in levels where you can't lose plants, as Electrici-tea's main draw is being eaten, which counts against this objective.

Gallery

Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Electrici-tea.

Visit this page to see it.

Trivia

• Its costume is the hat Cowboy Zombie wears, but blue and flipped.
• It reuses Lightning Reed's Plant Food cloud sprite, as well as some electric sparks sprites.