Explodonator Zombie

Explodonator Zombie is the eleventh new zombie encountered in The Sanctuary in Plants vs. Zombies: Lost World, first appearing on Level 25A. When Explodonator Zombie either remains on the lawn for more than 14 seconds, or has lost 200 DPS worth of health, he will chuck a Wilted Cherry Bomb seed packet onto the nearest plant in front of him on his lane, which will immediately grow a Wilted Cherry Bomb that then explodes and create a 3×3 flammable gas cloud that lasts for 12 seconds before disappearing if it has not been interacted with. Once the gas cloud is created, Explodonator Zombie will immediately light himself on fire by smashing a Molotov onto himself and rush to the gas cloud at Flighty speed to detonate the area covered by the cloud, dealing 300 DPS worth of damage to everything caught by the explosion (this explosion will also instantly defeat Explodonator Zombie, regardless of his health).
Overlapping gas clouds, if there are more than one, can light each other up if either one of them is lit by an Explodonator Zombie. If Explodonator runs into a plant that isn't within a gas cloud, while he is eating through the plant, the fire on him will also damage the plant, doubling Explodonator's usual damage rate while eating. The fire will also deal damage to Explodonator, but dealing three times less damage as the fire does to plants because of his protection (all other fire attacks from plants will also do half the damage to him). Ice plants (or any watery gimmicks if applicable) can put his fire out, but once he is no longer affected by anything that can put out his fire, he will light himself on fire again. If the gas cloud disappears before Explodonator Zombie can reach it, he will not attempt to throw another Wilted Cherry Bomb (he has unlimited Molotovs but only one Wilted Cherry Bomb).
Huff-shroom is also able to suck up any gas clouds that are in his range (and can suck up entire clusters if they also overlap with each other), and can use them to cause his spores to become flammable, so any interaction from fire, whether it'd be from fire plants or from Explodonator Zombie himself, will cause the spores to explode throughout the lane and deal an extra 300 DPS to all zombies caught in the blast (Explodonator Zombie will be instantly defeated regardless of his health). Note that fire plants cannot ignite gas clouds that were not sucked up Huff-shroom first.
==Almanac entry==
Explodonator Zombie
Toughness: Protected
Speed: Flighty
Throws Wilted Cherry Bombs at your defenses, creating flammable gas clouds before lighting himself on fire, rushing towards the gas and going KABOOM.
Special: Works with Wilted Cherry Bombs to attack your defenses.
Weakness: Huff-shroom can suck up gas clouds and redirect them to zombies.
Explodonator Zombie could technically just throw the Molotov onto the plants rather than smashing it onto his head, but he refuses to do that. The other zombies always questioned his strong desire of self-immolation, but really, all Explodonator Zombie just wants is for him AND the plants to enjoy the heat of the moment.
==Encounters==
The Sanctuary: Levels 25A, 26A, 28A, 30A, 35A, 39A, 40A, 5B, 8B, 7C, 11C, 6D, 9D, 6E, 10E and X.
==Strategies==
Explodonator Zombie is dangerous if he successfully manages to carry out his plan of exploding your plants, especially if there are multiple of them, where they can create multiple gas clouds that overlap with each other, making just one lit Explodonator Zombie enough to combust the gas clouds and explode in a large area. However, there are a number of strategies you can use to prevent much damage done to your defense by this zombie.
Since the damage from the explosions is only enough to kill a Typical toughness plant, all your other plants with higher health, especially your defensive plants, should be able to withstand the explosions well. If you are willing to let your defensive plants tank the hits, you may try leaving one empty column to the left of your defensive plants (or even place another column of defensive plants in front if you're able to) to prevent your other plants from taking any hits, since the Wilted Cherry Bomb that Explodonator Zombie throws is centred on the nearest plant on his lane, and shouldn't be able to reach your other weaker plants further to the left of the lawn if you leave that empty column (or create another column of defensive plants).
Huff-shroom is another option you may use against Explodonator Zombie, since he is one of his weaknesses, being able to suck up gas clouds and render them unable to damage plants. What's even better, is that Huff-shroom can use the gas clouds against Explodonator Zombie and other zombies by making his next attack release spores with the gas clouds, making them flammable and combusting when the lit up Explodonator Zombie or another fire plant's attacks get into contact with the spores, exploding and damaging zombies caught in the blast. This makes Huff-shroom the best option to counter Explodonator Zombie. Do note that, if you are going to use a defense utilizing fire synergy, Explodonator Zombie takes half damage from attacks from fire plants, and so are not very effective against him, so you would usually want to allow Explodonator Zombie himself to combust Huff-shroom's spores to get rid of him.
You can also utilize a defense using ice synergy to extinguish Explodonator Zombie's flames. Bombarding Explodonator Zombie with ice attacks and not allowing him to relight himself on fire prevents him from even lighting up the gas clouds, rendering them useless. Some ice plants that are good options you may use are Iceweed and Icy Currant, as both of them apply chilling effects to zombies that pass by them at a fast rate and will ensure Explodonator Zombie doesn't get the chance to relight himself on fire.
One more option you can try is to bait Explodonator Zombie into wasting his Wilted Cherry Bomb and throw it onto a plant far from your defense with the purpose of it acting as a sacrifice. Planting something like a Puff-shroom towards the right-hand side of the lawn once you see Explodonator Zombie on the lawn is one good way you can attempt this baiting method, but you'll need to make sure to pay attention whenever he comes in and plant your Puff-shrooms promptly so that you don't allow any Explodonator Zombie to throw their Wilted Cherry Bombs onto your main defense instead.
==Gallery==
Explodonator Zombie.png|Explodonator Zombie (HD)
Degrade (Explodonator Zombie).png|Degrade
About to throw a Wilted Cherry Bomb (Explodonator Zombie).png|Explodonator Zombie about to throw a Wilted Cherry Bomb seed packet
About to smash a lit Molotov into his face (Explodonator Zombie).png|Explodonator Zombie about to smash a lit Molotov into his face to light himself on fire
Lit on fire (Explodonator Zombie).png|Explodonator Zombie after being lit on fire
==Idea credits==
*Credits to DM for suggesting some ideas for this zombie that were eventually used.
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Category:Zombies
Category:Zombies with "Flighty" speed
Category:Zombies with "Protected" toughness
Category:PvZ:LW content
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