Bonk Choy

*Bonk Choys rapidly punch nearby enemies that are ahead or behind them.*

**A freelance dentist on the side, he's offering a special this month - he'll knock two of your teeth out for the price of one!**

**Bonk Choy** is a plant in *Plants vs. Zombies 2: Reflourished* and the fifth plant obtained in Ancient Egypt. He is unlocked after beating Ancient Egypt - Day 13.

Bonk Choy punches zombies 1 tile behind or ahead of him, prioritizing zombies ahead of him, quickly dealing heavy damage. Each punch does 17 damage every 0.36 seconds.

Bonk Choy can also punch grid items like gravestones, presents or octopi that appear on the tile in front or behind him. If a zombie gets to the same tile as the gravestone/present, then Bonk Choy will switch targets and attack the zombie until said zombie is defeated.

## Almanac entry

**Bonk Choy**

Bonk Choys rapidly punch nearby enemies that are ahead or behind them.

Special: can attack ahead or behind

A freelance dentist on the side, he's offering a special this month - he'll knock two of your teeth out for the price of one!

## Plant Food effect

When Bonk Choy is given Plant Food, he will rapidly punch around him in a 3x3 area. This deals a total of 1500 damage to the affected zombies.

## Strategies

Bonk Choy packs a punch in delivering cheap, rapid, close range damage to single targets in both directions. Combined with his fast recharge time, this makes him a good pick for taking down early game zombies, while sticking around support the main defense afterwards. Zombies like Jetpack Zombie and Dodo Rider Zombie can be continually punched as they attempt to fly over the main defense, while low health targets like Basic Zombie and Zombie Chickens can be easily punched away. Bug Zombie’s zombie rider can be instantly eliminated if Bonk Choy lands the last hit on the bug, being especially helpful for reducing Conehead and Buckethead Zombie spawns.

Bonk Choy’s damage and range can also make for a suitable plant in destroying obstacles. Any tombstones or presents present at the start of a level can be cleared away to make room for other plants. Octopi thrown by Octo Zombie can also become less of a problem; Bonk Choy can simply punch away at any octopus in front of him, to prevent plants from becoming further bound.

When fed with Plant Food, Bonk Choy can deal damage close to the effect of a Cherry Bomb. This allows Bonk Choy to take down most of the zombies that Cherry Bomb can, with the main exception of highly armored Brickhead Zombies – a handy backup for situations where a Cherry Bomb is needed, but unavailable for planting.

However, Bonk Choy is not a replacement for the longer range of a standard offensive plant. Due to his short range, any zombie tougher than even a Basic Zombie can land some bites in a 1v1, so wall plants must be used to safely hold zombies within punching range. Bonk Choy’s single target punches are also unable to keep up with larger hordes on his own, while ranged zombies such as Turquoise Skull Zombie and Hair Metal Gargantuar, as well as close-ranged zombies like Explorer Zombie and Excavator Zombie, can displace or destroy Bonk Choy with little risk. Because of all this, Bonk Choy is best used in tandem with standard offensive plants, who can dispatch zombies before they reach the front line and enter punching range.

## Balance changes

### Version 1.1.4

* ▲ Damage: 15 -> 17
* Target audience: General
	+ Developer note: We're trying an experimental new balancing technique, where plants that aren't necessarily bad are given a small tune up to be more appealing and easier to use for casual players. Bonk is one such example, being given a small damage up (similar to Spikeweed) to really make those zombies feel the hurt.