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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.
For the version in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, see Jack O' Lantern (PvZH).
Tap Jack O' Lantern for a burst of flame. Tap and HOLD for an extended burst that does increasing damage!

Penny

Jack O' Lantern is a special-edition premium plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2, tied with the Lawn of Doom 2015 event released with the 4.1 update.

He is a tap-to-use plant that blows a flame jet three tiles in front of him for a few seconds. When not continuously pressed, he will use one of five "charges" to just deliver a short burst of fire, which will deal continuous damage in an area of effect for a very short while, totaling 300 damage per shot. If held, he will deal continuous damage while draining his remaining charges. After holding on him from his full recharge form (five charges), he deals a total of exactly 1800 damage per shot (or effectively 360 damage per single charge), reaching the capability of an instant-kill plant when both are a level 1.

If he is not attacking, he will gradually recharge himself. After fully depleted all of his charges, he takes 5 seconds to the first charge and another 16 seconds to fully recharge himself. He is also a fire-based plant, emitting heat every 1.5 seconds that gradually defrosts frozen or chilled plants in a 3x3 area around him, as well as being immune to all freezing effects himself. Additionally, his fire attack can relight Prospector Zombie's dynamite stick or Explorer Zombie's torch, thawing chilled zombies, as well as not being able to damage Imp Dragon Zombie.

Origins

PumpkinWithJackOLanternDesign

Jack O' Lantern is based on a pumpkin, specifically a real life object, the Jack-o'-lantern. These are mostly put out at Halloween, referring to how Jack O' Lantern is only available during the Halloween event "Lawn of Doom" (unless there is a special event).

It's fire based attack and Plant Food ability are based on the "Will-o'-the-wisp", a mythological "Ghost Fire" in European folklore often sighted in bogs, swamps and marshes. This is a play on how "Jack-o'-lantern" also serves as an alternate name for the Will-o'-the-wisp.

Almanac entry

Note: The stats shown below only apply to Level 1.

Jack O' Lantern

Jack O' Lanterns spray fire down a lane, doing extensive burning damage over a short distance.

"Boo! Mwah-ha-ha-haaaaah," opines Jack O' Lantern. Oh, yes. Things and stuff are scheduled to be seriously spooky when he's around. Count on it.


Upgrades

Plant Food effect

Jack O' Lantern PF

Jack O' Lantern burning Gargantuar and Conehead Zombies with his Plant Food ability.

When fed Plant Food, Jack O' Lantern summons five to nine green wisps on random tiles on the lawn. The wisps, which resemble Jack O' Lantern himself, continuously do fire damage to zombies, dealing 900 damage. He will also restore all his five charges to full.

Pepper-mint effect

When boosted by Pepper-mint, Jack O' Lantern's DPS per tick will increase by 550, its flamethrower range will increase to five tiles, and its plant food DPS will increase by 350.

Level upgrades

Level Seed packets Coins Upgrades
Sun Cost Recharge
(Sluggish)
Starting
Recharge
Toughness
(Typical)
Damage
(Heavy)
Special
(Flame Length)
Plant Food Power
(Damage)*
1 0 0 225 20 seconds 15 seconds 300 damage 300 damage 3 Tiles 120 damage
2 10 1,000 225 19 seconds 14 seconds 350 damage 350 damage 150 damage
3 25 2,500 225 19 seconds 14 seconds 400 damage 400 damage 4 Tiles 150 damage
4 50 5,000 225 18 seconds 13 seconds 450 damage 450 damage 200 damage
5 100 10,000 200 18 seconds 13 seconds 550 damage 500 damage 200 damage
6 200 20,000 200 17 seconds 12 seconds 600 damage 550 damage 250 damage
7 400 30,000 200 17 seconds 12 seconds 650 damage 5 Tiles 250 damage
8 800 50,000 200 16 seconds 11 seconds 700 damage 300 damage
9 1,200 75,000 200 15 seconds 10 seconds 800 damage 325 damage
10 1,600 100,000 175 15 seconds 10 seconds 900 damage 350 damage

*Per second. The wisps last for 7.5 seconds.

Strategies

The best way to use it is when the plant is fully charged. When zombies are near, hold the plant until you see that all the zombies within its range are burned. This way, you make sure that you fully use this plant.

Since he is a short-ranged plant, it is best to place him near your defensive plants. Using him in the tile behind your Wall-nuts can be useful, as you can stop zombies on the tile of the Wall-nut. Never use him as your only attacking plant, because he is a tap-to-use plant and the player can easily be distracted by other things like the sun collecting or planting. Multi-touch works with this plant, but on devices with smaller screens it is hard to do this. This plant is especially useful when combined with a boosted sun-producing plant and Tile Turnip, because when he activates his Plant Food effect with Tile Turnip, he will almost cover the whole lawn annihilating almost all zombies. However, he should not be used against Imp Dragon Zombie in Arthur's Challenge, as he can't be damaged by he. Outside of that, Jack O' Lantern is good in Dark Ages, due to the absent of Imp Dragon Zombies in normal levels, as well as him being able to bypass tombstones as well as damaging Jester Zombies.

Note that he instantly defrosts frozen zombies, so it is better to use Stunion over Iceberg Lettuce in conjunction with Jack. However, you will not be able to stun mechanical zombies (unless using Dazey Chain as they are not immune to stunning gas) and could be thawed if frozen by Iceberg Lettuce. Use E.M.Peach to stun any robot zombies if they overwhelm your defense.

Jack O' Lantern is a warming plant, making him a good choice for use on Frostbite Caves. However, due to his slow recharge, you may want to add extra sources of warmth for your plants, as well as for general attacking. Putting Jack on the front lines naturally protects your other plants against Hunter Zombie's snowball effect. More importantly, unlike most thawing plants, he will not automatically interfere with ice plants making him more useful.

Jack O' Lantern also does excellent on Glitter Zombies and zombies behind them, as he can defeat them all at the same time.

Using Jack O' Lantern with Dazey Chain can also be quite effective as Dazey Chain can stun a mass row of Zombies while Jack O' Lantern can defeat them all safely. This can be most effective in worlds with lots of high health Zombies, like Far Future.

Related achievement

So Thawful2
So Thawful
Thaw 13 ice blocks in a single level

Gallery

Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Jack O' Lantern.
Jack O' Lantern2
Visit this page to see it.
Jack O' Lantern2

Trivia

  • He is the second plant related to the Lawn of Doom event. The first is Ghost Pepper, the third is Witch Hazel, and the fourth is Shadow Peashooter.
  • Along with Fire Peashooter, he is the second plant to have a unique sound when dug up.
  • He cannot be planted on mine carts. Trying to plant one will give the player the message, "You can't plant Jack O' Lanterns on rail carts". The reason is likely similar to Lava Guava, as he would melt the minecart with his flame attacks otherwise.
  • His flame jet uses the flame tile's sprite from Lost City.
  • He is the only plant to have an apostrophe in his name.
  • Aerial zombies cannot avoid his flames.
  • Like Fire Peashooter, his flames are not affected by the water in Pirate Seas and Big Wave Beach nor do they receive any penalties.
  • Even after the player defeats the final zombie and the reward drops, he can still attack.
  • When he is stunned by a Boombox Zombie, he will glitch and starts playing his activation and deactivation sounds repeatedly until the Power Ballad jam is finished.
  • His abilities may refer to how in real life jack-o'-lanterns include the use a flame, such as a candle, to make them glow from the inside.
  • According to the credits, he is voiced by John Stumme.
  • Sometimes, his flame will not light up correctly. He can still be used the same way, but the player will not know how powerful the flame is.
  • He is very similar to Fire Gourd in the Chinese version of the game.
    • They both have a similar fire mechanic, are fired manually, and require a recharge after being used.
  • In Jack O' Lantern's Tournament, there are five frozen Jack O' Lanterns on the lawn, which is the only case where this happens.

See also

View · Edit
Plants (Tower defense)
L · G
Plants vs. Zombies
Day Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Snow Pea · Chomper · Repeater
Night Puff-shroom · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Hypno-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Ice-shroom · Doom-shroom
Pool Lily Pad · Squash · Threepeater · Tangle Kelp · Jalapeno · Spikeweed · Torchwood · Tall-nut
Fog Sea-shroom · Plantern · Cactus · Blover · Split Pea · Starfruit · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom
Roof Cabbage-pult · Flower Pot · Kernel-pult · Coffee Bean · Garlic · Umbrella Leaf · Marigold · Melon-pult
Upgrades Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Cattail · Winter Melon · Gold Magnet · Spikerock · Cob Cannon
Others Imitater · Explode-o-nut · Giant Wall-nut · Reverse Repeater · Giant Sunflower · Giant Marigold · Sprout · Tree of Wisdom
Plants vs. Zombies: Endless Edition
Heroes Iron Man Nut · Wukong Pea · Pig Squash · Nut Wujing · Monk Flower · Nezha Shooter
The Zombies Are Coming Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Snow Pea · Chomper · Repeater
Nightfall Puff-shroom · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Hypno-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Ice-shroom · Doom-shroom
Backyard Emergency Lily Pad · Squash · Threepeater · Tangle Kelp · Jalapeno · Spikeweed · Torchwood · Tall-nut
Fog Sea-shroom · Plantern · Cactus · Blover · Split Pea · Starfruit · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom
Roof Battle Cabbage-pult · Flower Pot · Kernel-pult · Coffee Bean · Garlic · Umbrella Leaf · Marigold · Melon-pult
Fight the Sea Demons Oxygen Algae · Sea Starfruit · Bramble Sea Grass
Brave the Dragon's Palace Water Gun Grass
Upgrades Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Cattail · Winter Melon · Gold Magnet · Spikerock · Cob Cannon
Others Imitater · Explode-o-nut · Giant Wall-nut · Electric Anemone · Strong Cauliflower · Machine Gun Pomegranate · Carrotillery · Oak Archer · Ghost Pepper · Laser Bean · Dandelion · Snapdragon · Bonk Choy
Plants vs. Zombies: Social Edition
Normal Peashooter · Sunflower · Cherry Bomb · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Chomper · Repeater · Puff-shroom · Scaredy-shroom · Snow Pea · Sun-shroom · Fume-shroom · Grave Buster · Lily Pad · Squash · Spikeweed · Tangle Kelp · Torchwood · Sea-shroom · Jalapeno · Coffee Bean · Tall-nut · Pumpkin · Magnet-shroom · Blover · Melon-pult · Cactus
Premium Pickled Pepper · Icy Fume-shroom · Fire-shroom · Flamewood · Vine-nut · Gatling Pea · Twin Sunflower · Gloom-shroom · Winter Melon · Super Chomper · Future Star · Calm Chuck
Plants vs. Zombies Adventures
>Normal Peashooter · Sunflower · Aspearagus · Wall-nut · Cherry Bomb · Popcorn · Beet · Snow Pea · Jalapeño · Magnet Plant · Flaming Pea · Shamrock · Bamboo Shoot · Repeater · Chilly Pepper · Twin Sunflower
VIPs Sweet Pea · Beeshooter · Hard-nut · Acespearagus · Power Flower · Beetboxer · Ice Queen Pea · Shamrockstar · Bamboom
Others Trees
Plants vs. Zombies 2
Player's House Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Potato Mine · Cabbage-pult
Ancient Egypt Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower
Pirate Seas Kernel-pult · Snapdragon · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Coconut Cannon · Threepeater · Spikerock · Cherry Bomb
Wild West Split Pea · Chili Bean · Pea Pod · Lightning Reed · Melon-pult · Tall-nut · Winter Melon
Frostbite Caves Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rotobaga
Lost City Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Endurian · Stallia · Gold Leaf
Far Future Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass · Tile Turnip
Dark Ages Sun-shroom · Puff-shroom · Fume-shroom · Sun Bean · Magnet-shroom
Neon Mixtape Tour Phat Beet · Celery Stalker · Thyme Warp · Garlic · Spore-shroom · Intensive Carrot
Jurassic Marsh Primal Peashooter · Primal Wall-nut · Perfume-shroom · Primal Sunflower · Primal Potato Mine
Big Wave Beach Lily Pad · Tangle Kelp · Bowling Bulb · Guacodile · Banana Launcher
Modern Day Moonflower · Nightshade · Shadow-shroom · Dusk Lobber · Grimrose
Premium
Money Snow Pea · Power Lily · Imitater · Chomper · Toadstool · Strawburst · Cactus · Electric Blueberry · Jack O' Lantern · Grapeshot · Cold Snapdragon · Escape Root · Gold Bloom · Wasabi Whip · Apple Mortar · Witch Hazel · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Caulipower · Electric Peashooter · Holly Barrier
Gems Squash · Jalapeno · Hypno-shroom · Pea-nut · Homing Thistle · Ghost Pepper · Sweet Potato · Sap-fling · Hurrikale · Fire Peashooter · Lava Guava · Shrinking Violet · Electric Currant · Kiwibeast
Mints Fila-mint · Pepper-mint · Winter-mint · Reinforce-mint · Bombard-mint · Ail-mint · Enchant-mint · Contain-mint · Enforce-mint · Arma-mint · Conceal-mint · Spear-mint · Appease-mint
Seed packets Torchwood · Starfruit · Dandelion · Blooming Heart · Bombegranate · Explode-O-Nut · Aloe · Hot Date · Solar Tomato · Enlighten-mint · Shadow Peashooter · Goo Peashooter · Sling Pea · Snap Pea · Zoybean Pod · Electrici-tea · Dazey Chain · Blastberry Vine · Pokra · Imp Pear · Pyre Vine · Pumpkin · Ice Bloom · Dartichoke · Ultomato · Gumnut · Shine Vine · Tumbleweed · Olive Pit · Puffball · Explode-o-Vine · Murkadamia Nut · Turkey-pult · Headbutter Lettuce · Boingsetta · Stickybomb Rice · Hocus Crocus · Gloom Vine · Draftodil · Boom Balloon Flower · Pea Vine · Inferno · Solar Sage · Power Vine · Noctarine · Heath Seeker · Iceweed · Tiger Grass · Teleportato Mine · Blockoli · Buttercup · Bramble Bush · Rhubarbarian · Mega Gatling Pea · Levitater · Tomb Tangler · Vamporcini · Meteor Flower · Chilly Pepper · Bun Chi · Bzzz Button · BoomBerry · MayBee · SeaFlora · Scaredy-shroom · Bamboo Spartan · Sundew Tangler · Bean Sprout · Nightcap · Cran Jelly · Bud'uh Boom · Ice-shroom · Dragon Bruit · Electric Peel · Sea-shroom · Guard-shroom
Others Marigold
Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Chinese version)
Ancient Egypt Peashooter · Sunflower · Wall-nut · Cabbage-pult · Bloomerang · Iceberg Lettuce · Grave Buster · Bonk Choy · Repeater · Twin Sunflower · Snow Pea · Cherry Bomb · Torchwood
Pirate Seas Kernel-pult · Snapdragon · Power Lily · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Coconut Cannon · Spikerock · Lightning Reed · Tall-nut
Wild West Threepeater · Squash · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Jalapeno · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Winter Melon · Imitater
Kongfu World Resistant Radish · Fire Gourd · Heavenly Peach · Bamboo Shoot
Far Future Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass · Tile Turnip · Starfruit
Dark Ages Hypno-shroom · Sun-shroom · Puff-shroom · Fume-shroom · Sun Bean · Pea-nut · Magnet-shroom · Oak Archer · Coffee Bean · Plantern
Big Wave Beach Acid Lemon · Lotus Pod · Lily Pad · Bowling Bulb · Banana Launcher · Guacodile · Tangle Kelp · Homing Thistle
Frostbite Caves Hurrikale · Fire Peashooter · Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rafflesia · Whirlwind Acorn
Sky City Rotobaga · Loquat · Asparagus · Saucer · Horsebean · Groundcherry · Anthurium · Pineapple
Lost City Lava Guava · Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Stallia · Gold Leaf · Toadstool · Jackfruit
Neon Mixtape Tour Morning Glory · Phat Beet · Thyme Warp · Celery Stalker · Spore-shroom · Garlic · Intensive Carrot · Cactus
Jurassic Marsh Primal Peashooter · Primal Wall-nut · Perfume-shroom · Primal Sunflower · Primal Potato Mine · Primal Rafflesia · Dino-Roar Grass · Timid Thorns · Sugarcane Master
Modern Day Shadow-shroom · Caulipower · Moonflower · Grimrose · Nightshade · Dusk Lobber · Blooming Heart
Steam Age Gold Bloom · Flat-shroom · Maypop Mechanic · Lotus Shooter · Wind-Blowing Vanilla · Lily of Pharmacy · Mulberry Blaster
Renaissance
Age
Aloe · Bearberry Mortar · Wax Gourd Guard · Oily Olive · Jeweler Pomegranate · Dartichoke
Heian Age Dripping Diphylleia · Stephania · Tupistra‎ Stalker · Dendrobium Windbreak · Chef Cypripedium‎‎ · Boophone Geigi‎
Fairytale Forest Ents · Heath Seeker · Hat Mushroom · Hocus Crocus · Princess Spring Grass · Bamboo Trooper
Monthly special Pyro-shroom · Carrotillery · Cryo-shroom · Dandelion · Strong Broccoli · Machine Gun Pomegranate · Chomper · Sweet Potato · Landlord Bamboo · Sap-fling · Ghost Pepper · Chestnut Squad · Bamboo Bro · Rose Swordfighter · Magic-shroom · Electric Blueberry · Mischief Radish · Endurian · Pumpkin Witch · Sunflower Singer · Snow Cotton · Agave · Kiwifruit · Pretty Plum · Dragonfruit · Angel Starfruit · Gatling Pea · Banksia Boxer · Flame Flower Queen · Cattail · Grapeshot · Cold Snapdragon · Shrinking Violet · Cob Cannon · Apple Mortar · Witch Hazel · Escape Root · Electric Currant · White Melon Sumo Wrestler · Wasabi Whip · Explode-O-Nut · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Kiwibeast · Electric Peashooter · Hot Date · Icy Currant · Tulip Trumpeter · Eggplant Ninja · Banana Dancer · Dual Pistol Pinecone · Narcissus Shooter · Alarm Explosive Arrowhead · Holly Barrier · Shadow Peashooter · Snap Pea · Crystal Orchid · Sling Pea · Thunder Snapdragon · Electrici-tea · Imp Pear · Strawburst · Egret Flower Plane · Goo Peashooter · Elaeocarpus-pult · Water Chestnut Brothers · Pokra · Dollarweed Drummer · Ultomato · Shadow Vanilla · Splendens Blade · Stickybomb Rice · Gumnut · Olive Pit · Earthstar Nuclear Silo · Headbutter Lettuce · Dazey Chain · Boom Balloon Flower · Celebration Soda Palm · Claw Gloriosa · Impatiens Shooter · Turkey-pult · Hammer Flower · Fishhook Grass · Mangosteen · Inferno · Tigerstool · Gardener Grass · Draftodil · Buttercup · Byttneria Meteor Hammer · Laser Crown Flower · Zoybean Pod · Orchid Mage · Jack O' Lantern · Twin Year of the Rabbits · Pea Pharmacist · Pike Hoya · Vamporcini · Burdock Batter · Pumpkin · Capaci-cone · Cranesbill Fencer · Meteor Flower · Gorgon Pitcher · Power Vine · Parkour Mandrake · Abyss Anemone · Abyss Devil's Claw · Hoya Heart · Pea Vine · MayBee · Oilseed-pult · Leaf-Blade Dracaena · Bamboo Spartan · Shine Vine · Sunshine Leek · Nightcap · Pyre Vine · Gluttonous Snapdragon · Bun Chi · Heliconia Gunner
Others Potato Mine · Flower Pot · 8-Bit Peashooter · Tactical Cuke
Hero Plants P-Mech Assembler - Flamestar
Removed Rotten Red
Plants vs. Zombies Online
Player's House Sunflower · Peashooter · Wall-nut · Potato Mine
Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum Bruce Bamboo · Carrot Rocket · Pomegranate · Dandelion · Venus Flytrap · Wax Gourd · Sod
Ancient Egypt Bloomerang · Bonk Choy · Grave Buster · Iceberg Lettuce · Cabbage-pult
Pirate Seas Snapdragon · Spikeweed · Spring Bean · Kernel-pult · Coconut Cannon · Narcissus · Endurian · Spikerock · Pineapple-pult · Threepeater
Far Future Laser Bean · Blover · Citron · E.M.Peach · Tile Turnip · Ganoderma · Banana Tree · Nitro-shroom · Infi-nut · Magnifying Grass
East Sea Dragon Palace Oxygen Algae · Garlic · Bubble Flower · Electric Sea Pine
Upgrades Twin Sunflower · Repeater
VIPs Winter Melon
Power Ups Cherry Bomb · Jalapeno
Premium Squash · Snow Pea · Tall-nut
Adventure Mode only Magic Vine · Split Pea · Chili Bean · Lightning Reed · Pea Pod · Melon-pult · Starfruit · Chomper · Fire Peashooter · Cattail · Rose Swordfighter · Clivia · Sap-fling · Acid Lemon · Magic-shroom · Ghost Pepper · Guacodile · Hurrikale · Plantern · Oak Archer · Homing Thistle · Pepper-pult · Resistant Radish · Toadstool · Blooming Heart · Red Stinger · Electric Blueberry · A.K.E.E. · Moonflower · Agave · Asparagus · Pumpkin Witch · Mine Fruit · Sea Anemone · Lychee Drill · Sea Starfruit
Plants vs. Zombies 3
Neighborville Sunflower · Wall-Nut · Bamboo Shoots · Peashooter · Bonk Choy
Lost Keys Lake Lily Pad · Tangle Kelp · Squash
Mt. Quesogrande Chili Bean · Silversword · Cabbage-Pult
Power-Ups Grapes of Wrath · Chilly Pepper · Jalapeño · Cherry Bomb · Blover
Pre-2021 Puff-Shroom · Buttercup · Garlic · Potato Mine · Pushywillow · Chard Guard · Spikeweed · Kernel-Pult · Caramel Popcorn · Lightning Reed · Melon-Pult · Shuffle Truffle · Blockbuster · Butternut Squash · Ragweed · Sawgrass · Fire Peashooter · Pine Needler · Snow Pea · Night Cap · Aloe Vera · Sweet Potato · Hydrangea · Dogwood · Chomper · Flak Seed · Gravitree · Gloom-Shroom · Lemon-Aid · Starfruit · Snapdragon · Fairy Ring Mushroom · Kalestorm · Star Tree · Magic Beans
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