Dartichoke

*Bring BIG SURPRISE!*This item is only obtainable during certain events. However, it can still be used if you have already obtained it. It is currently ***not available***.
*Not to be confused with Heartichoke.*

## **Dartichoke**

Dartichokes fire high-damage darts down the lane, prioritizing especially dangerous zombies such as Wizards, Octo Zombies, and Healers

## Almanac statistics

### Usage

Has a limited supply of darts, then must recharge

### Special

Each shot has a chance to do critical damage

## In-game statistics

### Costumes

"Why waste shots on foot soldiers when you can win the battle with one well-chosen dart to the dome?" wonders Dartichoke. "Why would you do it? Why would ANYONE do it?"

**Dartichoke** is a premium plant in *Plants vs. Zombies 2*, that was first introduced in the 7.9.1 update. He fires high damaging spines at high priority targets.

## About

Dartichoke costs 225 sun and his ability allows him to fire artichoke spines at zombies in his lane, however he can only fire a limited amount and needs to recharge after firing the max amount of spines. He also has a chance to fire a critical dart which deals more damage.

It takes 3.25 seconds to reload his darts without leveling up. His darts do not target grid items such as tombstones. Dartichoke can be unlocked for 250 seed packets.

Dartichoke's spines prioritizes certain zombies in a similar manner to Witch Hazel prioritizing Wizard Zombies, these zombies are:

* All-Star Zombie
* Explorer Zombie
* Fisherman Zombie
* Octo Zombie
* Pirate Captain Zombie
* Prospector Zombie
* Roman Healer Zombie
* Treasure Yeti
* Wizard Zombie

Dartichoke also prioritizes some zombies that aren't listed on his almanac entry, these zombies are:

* Arcade Zombie
* Balloon Zombie
* Blastronaut Zombie
* Bug Zombie
* Disco Jetpack Zombie
* Dodo Rider Zombie
* Glitter Zombie
* Imp Cannon
* Jetpack Zombie
* Jurassic Rockpuncher
* Mecha-Football Zombie
* Newspaper Zombie
* Punk Zombie
* Seagull Zombie
* Surfer Zombie
* Troglobite
* Tomb Raiser Zombie
* Turquoise Skull Zombie
* Zcorpion Zombie
* Zombie Bull
* Zombie Medusa
* Zombie Parrot

In the Chinese version, Dartichoke will also prioritize these zombies:

* Arbiter-X
* Archmage Zombie
* Cavalry Zombie
* Chief Ice Wind Zombie
* Double-Cabin Aircraft Zombie
* Exploding Zombie
* Furnace Zombie
* Hunter Zombie
* Jester Zombie
* Jurassic Bully
* Leaper Zombie
* Lost Doctor Zombie
* Nunchaku Zombie
* Perfume Zombie
* Pharaoh Zombie
* Relic Hunter Zombie
* Robo-Cone Zombie
* Torch Kongfu Zombie
* Torch Monk Zombie
* Walrus Zombie
* Zombie Fighter

## Origins

    He is based on a spiny artichoke, more commonly known as an artichoke, a variety of a species of thistle cultivated as a food.

His name is a portmanteau of "dart," referring to the projectiles that he fires, and "artichoke," the real-life plant he is based on.

## Almanac entry

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

**Dartichoke**

SUN COST: 225

RECHARGE: 8.5

TOUGHNESS: 300

DAMAGE: 75

Special: Critical Damage

Special: Critical Damage Chance

FAMILY: Spear-mint

Dartichokes fire high-damage darts down the lane, prioritizing especially dangerous zombies such as Wizards, Octo Zombies and Healers.

Special: each shot has a chance to do critical damage
Usage: has a limited supply of darts, then must recharge

Dartichoke Priority Targets:

All-Star Zombie

Explorer Zombie

Fisherman Zombie

Octo Zombie

Pirate Captain Zombie

Prospector Zombie

Roman Healer Zombie

Treasure Yeti

Wizard Zombie

Why waste shots on foot soldiers when you can win the battle with one well-chosen dart to the dome?" wonders Dartichoke. "Why would you do it? Why would ANYONE do it?

## Upgrades

### Plant Food effect

    When given Plant Food, he spins and shoots blue darts that deal critical damage to a multitude of zombies on the lawn, in a similar matter to Homing Thistle's Plant Food effect.

### Spear-mint effect

When boosted by Spear-mint, Dartichoke will receive an additional 210 DPS to his main attack along with his critical darts, and the chance to fire a critical dart will also increase.

### Level upgrades (China only)

 Combat Training
 Cell Activation
 Fighting Power
 Fighting Power

## Stategies

Dartichoke is a very interesting plant to use. At level 1, he is very powerful, being able to defeat a basic zombie in 3 hits. Although he is strong, he has a limited number of darts and needs to recharge, so he should not be the main attacking plant to use in a level. As a support plant, Dartichoke can defeat tougher zombies while other plants defeat weaker zombies. He can be used with Electric Peashooter to defeat tough zombies while the latter can defeat groups of weak zombies. Plants that can slow zombies such as Winter Melon, Cold Snapdragon, and Snow Pea can stall zombies while Dartichoke defeats them effectively. Piercing plants such as Laser Bean, Cactus, and Bloomerang can damage all zombies in a lane to weaken the zombies Dartichoke can attack or prevent weaker zombies from eating it. This plant works fairly well with shadow plants, especially Dusk Lobber and Shadow Peashooter. These two plants can damage lots of zombies at a time (or slow them in the case of Shadow Peashooter), allowing Dartichoke to do as much damage as possible.

He is also good in Pirate Seas, Lost City, Far Future, Dark Ages, Jurassic Marsh, Big Wave Beach and Modern Day because he can target dangerous zombies that appear in those worlds.

One weakness of Dartichoke is that he can't target zombies that may eat him due to him targeting other zombies. He also needs time to recharge his darts so it is recommended to use defensive plants to protect him.

He is not a good choice in Last Stand levels because he gets overwhelmed by zombies in levels such a Pirate Seas - Day 22.

In Lost City, Excavator Zombies can block Dartichoke's darts and in Dark Ages, Jester Zombies can deflect them.

In Pirate Seas, he can target Imp Cannons but cannot target the Imp Pirate Zombies themselves, allowing them to eat Dartichoke.

## Trivia

* Despite his Arena Season coming after Ultomato's, he is before Ultomato in the Almanac.
* He and Witch Hazel are the only plants in *Plants vs. Zombies 2* to be able to target a specific kind of zombie.
	+ The other plants are Carrot Rocket (from *Plants vs. Zombies Online*), which prioritizes Archer Zombie, and Cactus and Cattail (from *Plants vs. Zombies*) which prioritize Balloon Zombies (only when flying).
* Dartichoke and Jack O' Lantern are the only two plants in *Plants vs. Zombies 2* to have a sun cost of 225 at Level 1.
* He and Ultomato are the only 2 straight-shooting plants that can attack through objects.
* Dartichoke got buffed in 8.1.1 update, in which his crit chance was increased and the cooldown period was reduced.
* Dartichoke's costume is very similar to one one of A.K.E.E.'s costumes.
* He heavily resembles a shadow plant.
* In the Chinese version, Dartichoke does not prioritize Healer Zombies.

## References

1. ↑ Dartichoke's official reddit reveal post

## See also

* Homing Thistle
* Witch Hazel