- For other uses, see Lightning Reed (disambiguation).
Lightning Reed is the fourth plant obtained in Wild West in Plants vs. Zombies 2. He can target multiple zombies in adjacent lanes, and lightning fired from him also damages nearby zombies.
About
- For more information about this character, see Lightning Reed.
Lightning Reed is the fourth plant unlocked in Wild West and the first plant in Plants vs. Zombies 2 to deal electric damage.
He generates lightning from his body that strikes the closest zombie or obstacle, such as a tombstone, within three lanes from where he is planted, similarly to Threepeater. The lightning will arc to another zombie or tombstone if close enough.
He attacks every 1.35-1.5 seconds, with direct hits dealing ten damage per shot and the arcs of electricity dealing another ten damage per shot.
Almanac entry
Note: The stats shown below only apply to Level 1.
Lightning Reed
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Lightning Reed
SUN COST: 125
RECHARGE: 5
TOUGHNESS: 300
DAMAGE: 10
RANGE: Multi-Hit
SPECIAL: Zombies Zapped
FAMILY: Fila-mint
Lightning Reeds shoot lightning at nearest zombie up to one lane away. The bolt will then arc and hit other zombies.
This may come as a shock, but Lightning Reed has a serious passion for ham radio. His call sign is El3ctric H1ccup. You can tune in every Tuesday to hear him read the classics to elderly plants. This week: Seeds and Sensibility.
Chinese version (China only)
闪电芦苇会对路线上最近的僵尸发射闪电,并且其电压会形成电弧扫过附近的僵尸。 In English: |
Upgrades
Plant Food effect

Plant Food ability (animated)
When fed Plant Food, he generates a small storm cloud that tracks down a random target, dealing 160 damage per second. If the target is defeated, the cloud will quickly move to another random zombie. The cloud lasts for 15 seconds before disappearing.
Fila-mint effect
When boosted by Fila-mint, Lightning Reed does an additional 60 DPS to all zombies his electricity bounces to, and his electricity can bounce to an additional ten zombies.
Level upgrade
Level | Seed Packets | Coins | Upgrades | |||||
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Sun Cost | Recharge (Fast) |
Toughness (Typical) |
Damage (Normal) |
Special (Zombies Zapped) |
Range | |||
1 | 0 | 0 | 125 | 5 seconds | 300 dps | 10 dps | Three | Multi-Hit |
2 | 10 | 1,000 | 350 dps | 14 dps | Four | |||
3 | 50 | 2,000 | 400 dps | 16 dps | Four | |||
4 | 100 | 4,000 | 450 dps | 18 dps | Five | |||
5 | 125 | 6,000 | 100 | 500 dps | 20 dps | Five | ||
6 | 175 | 8,000 | 550 dps | 24 dps | Six | |||
7 | 250 | 10,000 | 600 dps | 28 dps | Six | |||
8 | 350 | 15,000 | 650 dps | 32 dps | Seven | |||
9 | 450 | 20,000 | 700 dps | 34 dps | Seven | |||
10 | 800 | 60,000 | 75 | 750 dps | 40 dps | Eight | ||
11 | 1,000 | 75,000 | 800 dps | 44 dps | Eight | |||
12 | 1,250 | 100,000 | 825 dps | 48 dps | Nine | |||
13 | 1,500 | 150,000 | 850 dps | 52 dps | Nine | |||
14 | 1,750 | 200,000 | 875 dps | 56 dps | Ten | |||
15 | 2,000 | 250,000 | 50 | 900 dps | 60 dps | Ten |
Mastery upgrades
- Chance to Boost
- Damage Pierce
Level upgrade (China only)
Costumed (China only)
Lightning Reed unleashes a huge lightning cloud and instantly electrocutes all zombies on screen.
Strategies
At level 1 Lightning Reed is underpowered and should probably only be used to defend against Zombie Chickens or groups of Imps, and against other enemies, should not be used alone. However Lightning Reed levels up extremely well. Lightning Reed gets a huge power boost at level 2, with further impressive gains at levels 4, 5, and 6.
Lightning Reed has significant strategically unique aspects. The chain attack can deal impressive damage against hordes of small and medium enemies, as damage output goes up when there are more targets to attack. Lightning Reed can also bypass or neutralize an extraordinary range of common threats and hazards. However, while Lightning Reed can deal impressive crowd damage, damage output may be less impressive against individual high health enemies. The player will likely need a plan plus support plants to address high health enemies. Lightning Reed also has a rather poor Plant Food effect, so it's generally better to use Plant Food on another plant.
Due to the lightning's chaining mechanic that can spread to multiple lanes, Lightning Reed is most effective when there are many targets and it is best to use many Lightning Reeds together. An isolated Lightning Reed will struggle to kill even a Basic Zombie, but when levelled up and deployed in large numbers, ten or more Reeds will work together to rapidly kill a multitude of enemies at the same time. Having more enemies on screen maximizes chain attacks, which means that some defensive tactics can serve as damage multipliers. Any cold, slow, knockback, or stun effects, or any wall type plants synergise very well with them as they can help pile up enemies and increase damage output. Plant Food on an Infi-nut, or pair of Winter Melons (on rows 2 and 4), can be extremely effective tactics to create, contain, and ultimately exterminate crowds of zombies. Primal Peashooter will also effectively pile up zombies, and can be useful to hold off a limited number of high-health zombies.
Lightning Reed attacks cannot be blocked or reflected by any means. Therefore, this completely ignores the defenses and special abilities of Shield Zombies, Jester Zombies, Excavator Zombies, and Parasol Zombies. Excavator and Parasol zombies in particular will sometimes appear together. That combination is normally difficult, as almost any attack plant will be completely unable to damage one of the two. However, Lightning Reed easily addresses both threats.
The attack speed and chain of Lightning Reeds will almost instantly erase Zombie Chickens from the board. A mere two Lightning Reeds (in rows 2 and 4) is sufficient to cover basic chicken attacks across all 5 rows, although their slow attack speed may allow the chickens to rush past his attacking range. A modest group of Lightning Reeds will vaporize the largest swarms of chickens or Ice Weasels.
The chain attacks are very effective in grinding down and chaining beyond obstacles such as Tombstones, arcade machines, or entire rows of frozen zombies being pushed forwards. The chain damage can continue on to kill important targets behind such obstacles. The lightning chain is also helpful in grinding away any frozen blocks or octopi covering your own plants.
Chain damage is less effective against durable single targets like Buckethead Zombies or Gargantuars. Buckethead Zombies can however be countered with the support of one or more Magnet-shrooms, making certain levels very easy. Strong splash-damage or strong single-target plants such as Citron, Melon-pult, or Winter Melon may also be effective support. Primal Potato Mine or other single-target damage is particularly valuable to counter Gargantuar-class enemies. See Gargantuar (PvZ2)#Strategies for additional tactics.
Lightning Reed is also helpful in defeating Surfer Zombies as he will destroy their surfboards upon defeating them, thus preventing any surfboards from crushing plants. However, the Surfer Zombies move quickly, making it difficult to pull this off. The chain attack may be useful against a column of Glitter Zombies, combining to take them all down quickly and uncover the zombies behind them.
In the Chinese version, it is highly recommended to upgrade Lightning Reed because it will be able to stun zombies for a few seconds. Groups of upgraded Lightning Reeds will be easily able to stun zombies because of their fast attacks combined with splash damage. Because of this, it works well in PVP mode combined with other upgraded plants.
Balance changes
Update 5.6.1
- ▼ Direct hit damage decreased from 10 to 5.
Update 6.7.1
- ▲ Direct hit damage increased from 5 to 10.
- ▲ Splash damage increased from 5 to 10.
Related achievement
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Gallery
Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Lightning Reed.
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In other languages
Language | Name | Description |
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Lightning Reed | ||
闪电芦苇 | ||
Arc électrique | ||
Blitzschilf | ||
Canna fulminante | ||
Junco-relâmpago | ||
Junco eléctrico |
Trivia
- The "El3ctric H1ccup" in his Almanac entry is an improper call sign for ham radio operators. A real one resembles something such as "K7PKRL." "El3ctric H1ccup" is actually "leetspeak" for "Electric Hiccup."
- This is most likely a reference to when he's zapping zombies, his head rises as if he has hiccups.
- Despite the fact that the real-life reed is an aquatic plant, he cannot be planted in the water in Big Wave Beach.
- This has been changed in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes.
- This may be due to water being a conductor of electricity in the real world.
- "Seeds and Sensibility" mentioned in his Almanac entry is based on the novel Sense and Sensibility, a famous Jane Austen novel.
- His Plant Food immunity time is less than half a second, making him one of the few plants which can be eaten while under the effects of Plant Food.
- As explained in Gatling Pea Almanac entry, Lightning Reed came into existence after a reed was struck by lightning, due to an explosion of a research center
- If he zaps the body of a zombie that has already lost its head, the head comes back for the dying animation.
- If he zaps any kind of Gargantuar, the player will see that Gargantuar has a skeleton of a dinosaur where its rib cage should be.
- When a Zombie Bull is zapped, it reveals the mechanical parts used to make up the Zombie Bull instead of a skeleton, unlike all the other zombies. If the Zombie Bull Rider is not yet thrown and the Zombie Bull is zapped, the Zombie Bull Rider will vanish.
- If he zaps a Balloon Zombie, (in the pre 7.4.1. update) the player will see that the balloon has a skeleton of a monkey riding an old school bicycle and wearing a fez, rather than an empty balloon.
- If his storm cloud goes after a swinging Swashbuckler Zombie, it will zap the Swashbuckler Zombie's landing spot.
- If he electrifies an Imp that was launched from an Imp Cannon over water, the Imp will just disappear.
- After the 2.5.1 update, his electricity immediately fades away.
- If he manages to zap a Zombie Chicken, the player will obtain the Fried Chicken achievement.
- In the Almanac, it says he deals normal damage, but he only deals light damage in actual gameplay.
- He is the only Fila-mint family plant whose maximum level is 15.
- He is the first adventure plant to be showcased in Arena.

Lightning Reeds planted in one column in this shot
- He was originally going to cost 150 sun, according to pre-release gameplay footage.
- He, Sun-shroom, Sun Bean, Hot Potato, and Explode-O-Nut have a glow around themselves in the seed packet.
- He is the only electric plant that doesn't have a twitching animation.
Specific to the Chinese version (China only)
- Despite the fact that he is unlocked after Wild West - Day 9, he is considered a Pirate Seas plant.
- His Plant Food ability will zap illusions created by Magic-shroom instead of attacking other zombies. This is probably a glitch.
See also
V · T · E | L · G |
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Plants vs. Zombies | |
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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 · Giant Sunflower · Giant Marigold · Sprout · Tree of Wisdom |
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 (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 | 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 | Acidic Citrus · Lotuspot · Lily Pad · Bowling Bulb · Banana Launcher · Guacodile · Tangle Kelp · Homing Thistle |
Frostbite Caves | Hurrikale · Fire Peashooter · Hot Potato · Pepper-pult · Chard Guard · Stunion · Rafflesia · Tornacorn |
Sky City | Rotobaga · Cycloque · Aspiragus · Saucer Squash · Board Beans · Lantern Cherry · Ampthurium · Spinnapple |
Lost City | Lava Guava · Red Stinger · A.K.E.E. · Stallia · Gold Leaf · Toadstool · Jackfruit |
Neon Mixtape Tour | MC 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 · Dinonip · Thorns · Mastercane |
Modern Day | Shadow-shroom · Caulipower · Moonflower · Grimrose · Nightshade · Dusk Lobber · Blooming Heart |
Steam Age | Gold Bloom · Flat-shroom · Passionflower · Lotus Root · Fanilla · Lily of Alchemy · Berry Blaster |
Renaissance Age |
Aloe · Kinnikannon · Wax Guard · Oil Olive · Ruby Red · Dartichoke |
Heian Age | Dripphylleia · Splitting Stephania · Kunai Tupistra · Windbreak Dendrobium · Orchid Chef · Geisha Flower |
Fairytale Forest | Ents · Heath Seeker · Hat Mushroom · Hocus Crocus · Spring Princess · Bamzooka |
Monthly special | Pyro-shroom · Carrotillery · Cryo-shroom · Dandelion · Aggro Brocco · Pomegunate · Chomper · Sweet Potato · Lord Bamboo · Sap-fling · Ghost Pepper · Chest-nut · Bambrook · Zorrose · Magic-shroom · Electric Blueberry · R.A.D Missiles · Endurian · Pumpkin Witch · Sunflower Singer · Snowy Cotton · Guerrequila · Monkeyfruit · Plumping Plummy · Dragonfruit · Angel Starfruit · Gatling Pea · Match Flower · Firebloom Queen · Cattail · Grapeshot · Cold Snapdragon · Shrinking Violet · Cob Cannon · Apple Mortar · Witch Hazel · Escape Root · Electric Currant · Sumo Melon · Wasabi Whip · Explode-O-Nut · Parsnip · Missile Toe · Kiwibeast · Electric Peashooter · Hot Date · Icy Currant · Trump Tulip · Auberninja · Banana Dancer · Dual Pistol Pinecone · Narcissus · Alarm Arrowhead · Holly Barrier · Shadow Peashooter · Snap Pea · Frostbloom Queen · Sling Pea · Zapdragon · Electrici-tea · Imp Pear · Strawburst · Egrett Flower · Goo Peashooter · Bud-minton · Curling Corms · Pokra · Dollarweed Drummer · Ultomato · Shadow Fanilla · Bromel Blade · Stickybomb Rice · Gumnut · Olive Pit · Nuclear Earthstar · Headbutter Lettuce · Dazey Chain · Boom Balloon Flower · Soda Bottle Palm · Tiger Claw · Impaintiens · Turkey-pult · Hammerflower · Fishhook Grass · Mangosteen · Inferno · Tigerstool · Gardenergrass · Draftodil |
Others | Potato Mine · Flower Pot · Tactical Cuke |
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-pult · 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 Cannon · 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 Anemone |
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 · Zorrose · Clivia · Sap-fling · Acidic Citrus · Magic-shroom · Ghost Pepper · Guacodile · Hurrikale · Plantern · Oak Archer · Homing Thistle · Pepper-pult · Radish · Toadstool · Blooming Heart · Red Stinger · Electric Blueberry · A.K.E.E. · Moonflower · Guerrequila · Aspiragus · 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 |