Chard Guard

*Chard Guards are defensive blockers that can hurl zombies backwards.*

**You might remember Chard Guard from his days in the WWF (that's World Wrestling Foliage). When he was in the ring – boy-oh-boy – he was something to behold! His moves! His style! His attitude! The crowd loved him. He was quite the star for a while there. Sure, those days are behind him. But if you watch carefully, when Chard Guard is fighting zombies, you'll see him use the wrestling move he made famous. The ol' Knock 'Em Dead maneuver – it gets 'em every time.**

**Chard Guard** is the fifth plant available in Frostbite Caves in *Alternate UniverZ*. When a zombie gets close enough, he ducks down and hurls all zombies directly in front of him back around three tiles. He loses one of his three leaves after each hurl, upon losing all of them he becomes a stationary defensive plant that can absorb quite a decent amount of bites from the zombies.

Chard Guard is unlocked after beating FC-VIII.

## Almanac entry

**Chard Guard**

SUN COST: 100

RECHARGE: 30

TOUGHNESS: 2000

LEAF PUSHES: 3

Chard Guards are defensive blockers that can hurl zombies backwards.
You might remember Chard Guard from his days in the WWF (that's World Wrestling Foliage). When he was in the ring – boy-oh-boy – he was something to behold! His moves! His style! His attitude! The crowd loved him. He was quite the star for a while there. Sure, those days are behind him. But if you watch carefully, when Chard Guard is fighting zombies, you'll see him use the wrestling move he made famous. The ol' Knock 'Em Dead maneuver – it gets 'em every time.

## Plant Food effect

When given Plant Food, Chard Guard regains all of its leaves, damages and pushes back zombies around 3 tiles in a 3x2 area, meanwhile dealing 60 damage.

## Costumes

* Current
* Skins
* Pre 1.5

## Strategies

Compared to other defensive plants, Chard Guard is a unique plant that relies on his ability to knock zombies backward, rather than sheer bulk. Because of this, he functions exceptionally well in choke points occurring in Frostbite Caves, or generated by Sweet Potato and Void Orchid, where even Tall-nut will get quickly eaten by zombies from multiple lanes. On the other hand, his limited bouncing capability means that Chard Guard will need to be constantly replaced - this also means that it is impractical to plant Chard Guard in columns like other walls.

A good combination is a lane of Spikeweeds or Spikerocks and a column of Chard Guards. As the zombies get to Chard Guard, they are pushed back again to the columns of Spikeweed or Spikerock, forcing them to walk over them again and take up to quadruple damage from the spikes.

In normal levels, Chard Guard is effective against several zombies that can crush or push back plants like Gargantuars, Mecha-Football Zombies and Punk Zombies as he can throw them back before they have the chance to attack, provided that he is planted first. Chard Guard can also be used in the Pirate Seas to hurl Swashbuckler Zombies and Imp Pirate Zombies into the watery depths and instantly defeat them. Chard Guard can also be used to prevent groups of Boombox Zombies from stunning plants. It is also useful against Shield Zombie, as he will deactivate the force field upon flinging Shield Zombie back. Chard Guard is also effective against Breakdancer Zombies as he can repel kicked zombies farther behind them, allowing the Breakdancer Zombies themselves to be vulnerable to attacks.

Chard Guard is also notably effective on Weasel Hoarder as the knockback will not cause her to unleash Ice Weasels. If he also kills a Weasel Hoarder, Ice Weasels will not be released.

Chard Guard should not be used against MC Zom-B during the rap jam, as MC Zom-B's microphone attack can outrange Chard Guard and will destroy him instantly. Also, it is advised to use Spring Beans instead of Chard Guards in Ancient Egypt because Explorer Zombies will easily destroy him even if he is under his armed position. Additionally, Chard Guard must be planted on tiles Excavator Zombies are on to push them back, as planting them in front, even if they are armed, allows them to be thrown by the shovel. Also, just like Hurrikale, Chard Guard can be used to fast forward Prospector Zombies and zombies dropped by Pterodactyls, in order to prevent them from eating the player's plants.

Do not use Chard Guard against Lost Pilot Zombies as they will eat him without Chard Guard pushing them back. This occurs even with grounded Lost Pilot Zombies. The same thing applies to Explorer Zombie and Torchlight Zombie even when chilled. This is due to a hitbox error. It is also advised not to use Chard Guard against Zombie Parrots as unlike Spring Bean, they will be able to carry him even if he has leaves, due to their small size.

Never plant Chard Guard on the flowers in a level that has them, because if a zombie touches Chard Guard, it will count as trampling the flowers. However, Chard Guard is still useful at knocking zombies back from trampling the flowers.