Jester Zombie

For the version in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, see Jester.

Jester Zombie
Returns projectiles that are shot at him.
Almanac statistics
Toughness	Protected
Speed	Basic
In-game statistics
In-game speed	Hungry, then Speedy (when reflecting projectiles)
Health	420
Weakness	Plants that do not shoot projectiles such as and Plants that fire non-physical projectiles such as and (stops deflection) (except the small berry) (when hiding or when given Plant Food) Insta-kills such as and (non-powered or at close range, powered) (only applicable in Chinese version) (only the projectiles directly backwards) Passed over by reflected projectiles. See more...
First seen	Dark Ages - Night 5
Code name	dark_juggler
Other code names	zombie_towerdefend_jester (Fright Theater)
Oh sure, everyone loves to laugh at Jester Zombie's clownish routines. But what no one knows is that he has a Master of Fine Arts from the Chewliard Performing Arts School. Heck, he's been on stage with some of the finest classical theatre companies this side of the lawn. But sometimes you just gotta go where the paycheck is.

Jester Zombie is the fifth zombie encountered in Dark Ages. He can return projectiles fired at him, gaining speed and immunity to certain plants that must be eaten to function.

Origins

He is based on a jester, an entertainer during medieval and Renaissance times.

Description

Jester Zombie wears a brown-colored eccentric jester hat with yellow circles serving as tips. The left portion of the eccentric hat is bent downwards, the right one is slightly bent down, and finally the back one upward. The eccentric hat he wears extends up to his neck. His attire presents a simultaneous shift of two colors, blue and yellow to be specific. Jester Zombie is also cross-eyed since the right eye looks at the upper left while the left one looks downward.

The left sleeve of Jester Zombie is colored in blue that extends only up to the left wrist as it is tattered while the right is yellow and is purely intact. The chest portion presents a vertical placing of colors in a simultaneous manner also with two red buttocks attached to the middle portion of it and a red-colored strap is attached to his tummy line.

The pants, much like the sleeves of his torso counterpart also presents the same designing of colors. However, the yellow color is now on the left side and blue on the right. The pants are torn up since the right leg only extends up to his thigh while on his left leg has only the knee portion of it torn up. Finally, the shoes he wears also present the same color with his eccentric hat especially the circular portion that serves as tips.

Chefster Zombie, Jester Zombie's Food Fight variant, is dressed as a chef. He wears a white toque, white double-breasted jacket, and gray-colored checkered pants. He holds a frying pan with brains on it in his right hand and a dish that contains rice, chicken, and vegetables that is ready to serve in his left hand. For his footwear, he simply wears a pair of brown leather shoes.

Birthdayz Jester Zombie is dressed like a birthday clown, complete with a cupcake hat and cake.

Almanac entry

Jester Zombie
	TOUGHNESS Protected SPEED Basic Returns projectiles that are shot at him. Oh sure, everyone loves to laugh at Jester Zombie's clownish routines. But what no one knows is that he has a Master of Fine Arts from the Chewliard Performing Arts School. Heck, he's been on stage with some of the finest classical theatre companies this side of the lawn. But sometimes you just gotta go where the paycheck is.

Encounters

Plants vs. Zombies 2

• Player's House: Piñata Party
• Wild West: Piñata Party
• Dark Ages: Nights 5, 6, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 (pre 2.7), 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, Arthur's Challenge, "Rescue the Gold Bloom" Epic Quest - Step 5, "Beghouled Blitz" Epic Quest - Step 2 and Piñata Party
• Frostbite Caves: "Electrical Boogaloo" Epic Quest - Step 6
• Neon Mixtape Tour: "Epic Quest: Premium Seeds - Zoybean Pod" - Step 3 (portal only)
• Modern Day: Days 6, 7, 31, 33, 41, 44, and Highway to the Danger Room (portal only)
• Arena: Caulipower's Escalating Tournament, Explode-O-Nut's All-Out Tournament, Electric Peashooter's Warped Tournament, Grapeshot's Double Shot Tournament, Contain-mint's Tournament, Enforce-mint's Tournament, Zoybean Pod's Birthdayz Tournament, Explode-O-Nut's Boosterama Tournament, Electrici-tea's Tournament, Caulipower's Boosterama Tournament, Pumpkin and Friends vs. Zomboss Tournament, Zoybean Pod's Boosterama Tournament, Olive Pit & Friends vs. Zomboss Tournament

Plants vs. Zombies 2 (Chinese version) (China only)

• Wild West: Premium Plant Quest: Squash
• Dark Ages: Nights 5, 6, 10, 12, 18, 20, 21, Ultimate Challenge, and Endless Challenge
• Lost City: Boss Rush
• Modern Day: Days 8, 12, and 26

Overview

The Jester Zombie absorbs 420 damage. He loses his arm upon absorbing 210 damage before dying at 420 damage.

Jester Zombie can deflect projectiles shot by these plants:

Peashooter Cabbage-pult Bloomerang (forward) Repeater Snow Pea Kernel-pult Coconut Cannon Threepeater Split Pea (forward) Pea Pod Melon-pult Winter Melon Citron

Starfruit (northeast and southeast) Puff-shroom Pea-nut Magnet-shroom (Plant Food) Bowling Bulb Homing Thistle Guacodile Pepper-pult Fire Peashooter Rotobaga (northeast and southeast) Red Stinger A.K.E.E. Strawburst (small berry)

• Cactus (spike, international version only)
• Spore-shroom
• Grapeshot (grapes)
• Primal Peashooter (international version only)
• Wasabi Whip (level 5 projectile, Chinese version only)
• Nightshade (powered)
• Blooming Heart
• Dusk Lobber
• Apple Mortar
• Shadow Peashooter (unpowered pea)
• Sling Pea
• Goo Peashooter
• Snap Pea (zombie heads)

• Dazey Chain
• Pokra (Plant Food effect)
• Dartichoke (international version only)
• Headbutter Lettuce (butter)
• Mega Gatling Pea
• Scaredy-shroom
• Gatling Pea  (China only)
• Machine Gun Pomegranate  (China only)
• Cattail (China only)
• Bearberry Mortar  (China only)

In Fright Theater, Jester Zombie absorbs 14000 damage. He loses his arm upon absorbing 7000 damage before dying at 14000 damage.

Strategies

Weaknesses

• Plants that can stop deflection completely: Iceberg Lettuce, Chili Bean, Stunion, Solar Tomato, Contain-mint, Dazey Chain (stunning gas), Garlic (only when fed Plant Food or when Jester Zombie is eating it), Ice Bloom, Buttercup(Jester does not reflect her butter but instead become stunned like Kernel pult's butter even while spinning)
• Splash damage from the following (Jester Zombie doesn't deflect their attacks if they're planted in a different row): Coconut Cannon, Melon-pult, Winter Melon, Pepper-pult, Dusk Lobber
• Plants that shoot non-deflectable projectiles: Magnifying Grass, Banana Launcher, Dandelion, Missile Toe, Electric Peashooter, Holly Barrier, Blastberry Vine, Tumbleweed, Turkey-pult, Draftodil, Inferno, Power Vine, Heath Seeker, Buttercup, Nightcap
• Plants that use area-of-effect attacks: Snapdragon, Lightning Reed, Laser Bean, Fume-shroom, Hot Potato, Jack O' Lantern, Lava Guava, Cold Snapdragon, Witch Hazel, Kiwibeast, Phat Beet, Ghost Pepper, Pyre Vine, Puffball
• Plants that do not shoot projectiles: Potato Mine, Bonk Choy, Spikeweed, Spikerock, Cherry Bomb, Squash, Torchwood, Jalapeno, Hypno-shroom, Hocus Crocus, Tangle Kelp, Chard Guard, Chomper, Toadstool, Endurian, Celery Stalker, Primal Potato Mine, Shadow-shroom, Grimrose, Escape Root, Bombegranate, Electric Currant, Wasabi Whip, Parsnip, Hot Date, Caulipower, Electric Blueberry, Explode-O-Nut, Zoybean Pod, Electrici-tea, Pokra (but not the slowing drill), Imp Pear, Ultomato, Shine Vine, Olive Pit, Explode-o-Vine, Headbutter Lettuce (bashes), Iceweed, Teleportato Mine, Tiger Grass, Blockoli, Bramble Bush, Bamboo Spartan
• Plants whose Plant Food can make him turn around: Sweet Potato and Hot Date.
• Plants that can defeat Jester Zombie under certain conditions:
  • Guacodile (pit will be deflected but will immediately rush when hit by it)
  • Red Stinger, Fire Peashooter, Bowling Bulb, Sun Bean, Starfruit, Citron, Cabbage-pult, Pea Pod (Plant Food)
  • Strawburst (if the berry size is either medium or large)
  • Cactus (if the plant is hiding or in the Chinese version)
  • Nightshade (Unpowered. Powered if close-up)
  • Shadow Peashooter (powered, or if the plant is hiding)
  • Split Pea, Starfruit, Rotobaga, Bloomerang (if projectile was shot backwards)
  • Snap Pea (only when eaten, zombie head shot will be deflected)
  • Grapeshot (explosion, not projectiles)
  • Grave Buster (level 6+ can explode)
  • Pokra (melee attacks only)
• Chinese-exclusive: Resistant Radish (if leveled up), Fire Gourd, Bamboo Shoot, Oak Archer, Acid Lemon, Lotus Pod, Rafflesia, Whirlwind Acorn, Asparagus, Saucer, Anthurium, Morning Glory, Primal Rafflesia, Dino-Roar Grass, Sugarcane Master, Pyro-shroom, Cryo-shroom, Strong Broccoli, Lord Bamboo, Chestnut Squad, Rose Swordfighter, Magic-shroom, Pumpkin Witch, Snow Cotton, Agave, Kiwifruit, Dragonfruit, Angel Starfruit, Banksia Boxer, Firebloom Queen, Cob Cannon, Tulip Trumpeter, Egret Flower Plane, Twin Year of the Rabbits, Elaeocarpus, Shadow Vanilla, Wind-Blowing Vanilla, Chef Cypripedium, Water Chestnut Brothers, Tigerstool,

General

Jester Zombie's main weaknesses are area-of-effect attacks from plants like Ghost Pepper, Lightning Reed, Fume-shroom, Laser Bean, and Snapdragon. These types of plants work since they do not have solid projectiles to hit Jester Zombie with. Magnifying Grass' projectiles are not considered solid and can therefore defeat Jester Zombie. Two Spikerocks adjacent to your plants will also defeat the Jester Zombie. Bonk Choys can be used, but keep a Tall-nut or Wall-nut adjacent to it or you will risk the Bonk Choy getting eaten because of his low range. If you are having trouble with Jester Zombie because of the lack of area-of-effect attacks, you can use instant kills. Beware, however, when the Jester is spinning, he is immune to Shadow-shrooms, Chili Beans, and Hypno-shrooms. If combined with at least five to ten Wizard Zombies, Zombie Kings, Knight Zombies, and Dark Ages Gargantuars, they can cause massive mayhem for your plants, neutralizing everything. If you do not break all the remaining graves, these zombies can be spawned during the Necromancy ambush, crowding the true threats of Dark Ages, such as Zombie King and Wizard Zombie.

Certain plants, such as Iceberg Lettuce and Stunion, can completely disable Jesters, thereby stopping them from returning projectiles. Other unusual counters include Guacodile, which gets the chance to use his rushing attack, and Hypno-shroom/Caulipower/Enchant-mint as Hypnotized Jester Zombies can also negate projectiles returned by other Jesters.

Arthur's Challenge

Jester Zombie serves as among the biggest threats due to his constant deflection of projectiles from powerful plants, leaving you no other choices than using others that do not shoot projectiles such as Magnifying Grass to deal him. If this zombie is compared with large numbers of Knight Zombies, Zombie Kings, Dark Ages Gargantuars, Wizard Zombies, and the surprise attacks, these zombies can cause an extremely massive havoc on your lanes. If you see Jester Zombies along with other Dark Ages zombies in large numbers, these combinations will cause you to lose the game, thus, causing you to risk spending money on Power Ups and Plant Food. You will need to have Cherry Bombs, Jalapenos, Iceberg Lettuces, Power Lilies, and their Imitater versions.

If you use Winter Melons, ensure that Winter Melons attack and slow Jester Zombie by splash damage, particularly from stronger zombies, such as Buckethead Peasants, Knight Zombies, and Dark Ages Gargantuars. Iceberg Lettuce and Stunion will significantly help here, especially with Plant Food. Cherry Bombs and Jalapenos are also effective against Jester Zombies, although Imp Dragon Zombies may minimize the effectiveness of such plants. If dealt with properly, Jester Zombies may be less of a threat than other zombies types, particularly Wizard Zombie and Dark Ages Gargantuar.

Balance changes

Update 6.3.1

• ▼ Health decreased from 600 health to 420 health

Audio

Sound	Description
	Walking.
	Starting spinning.
	Spinning.
	Deflecting.
	Stopping.

Related achievement

	All in Jest Complete a level where Jesters return no projectiles

Gallery

Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Jester Zombie.

Visit this page to see it.

In other languages

Please note that only official translations are used.

Language	Name	Description
English	Jester Zombie
Simplified Chinese	小丑僵尸	From xiǎochǒu and jiāngshī, lit. "Joker Zombie"
French	Zombie bouffon
German	Hofnarr-Zombie
Italian	Zombi giullare
Brazilian Portuguese	Zumbi Bobo
Spanish	Zombi bufón

Trivia

• Jester Zombie is the first zombie to throw back plants projectiles in Plants vs. Zombies 2, if the Chinese version is counted, then with the first being Hammer Zombie and the second being Nunchaku Zombie from Kongfu World. He could be compared to his Chinese counterparts as Jester Zombie is stronger, as he can deflect lobbed shots, but Jester Zombie is weaker in terms of health since he only absorbs 420 damage compared to Hammer Zombie and Nunchaku Zombie's 600 damage.
• Jester Zombie cannot deflect projectiles from behind him, with the exception of those fired by Homing Thistle.
• If Jester Zombie deflects a boomerang shot by Bloomerang, it will not return to the Jester Zombie. It will attack the whole row of plants but the Bloomerang will grab it, nullifying its damage.
• Projectiles that chill zombies on hit will only do damage to plants when returned.
• Jester Zombie cannot deflect giant peas shot by Repeater's and Pea Pod's Plant Food ability.
• In the Almanac, Jester Zombie had a bone sticking out of his arm prior to the 2.5.1 update.
• If Jester Zombie is damaged enough (after absorbing at least 210 damage), the player can see the bone while he is spinning.
• When spinning, he is slightly translucent.
• The Thanksgiving costume of Jester Zombie has a different spinning appearance. However, its Birthdayz Costume uses the same one as that of the normal Jester Zombie.
• Unarmed Potato Mines are unaffected by projectiles deflected from Jester Zombies, but armed Potato Mines get hit.
• In the Almanac, he appears to do the backstroke, a swimming move. This makes him the only zombie that has an unusual standing animation and when he moves, he just jumps. Also, when he is not spinning, his eyes appear to be spinning in circles.
• Like Zombie Bull, Zombie Chicken, Bug Bot Imp and Punk Zombie, he cannot be blown away by the Blover while jumping.
• A bell's sound will be played when just one Jester Zombie enters the lawn.
• All projectiles deflected by Jester Zombie can damage zombies.
  • Hypnotized Jesters can still throw projectiles that are shot at them, which still damage zombies but not other plants. In most cases, two opposing Jesters will return projectiles back and forth, but certain exceptions may apply.
• In the 3.2 update, he could not deflect Pepper-pult's projectiles.
• Infi-nut is the only plant that can survive Jester Zombie's projectiles because the projectiles will fail to hit the Infi-Nut's projector.
• Spring Bean and Chard Guard are the only plants that can cancel all of Jester Zombie's projectiles. They do this when knocking him back.
• Sometimes, he may not deflect the bulbs shot from Bowling Bulbs correctly, making them not hit any plant.
• So far, he is the third non-variant zombie to have more than one event costume (the first being the Thanksgiving costume and the second being the Birthdayz costume) with Poncho Zombie and Camel Zombies being the first and second.
• Stallia's do not stall spinning Jester Zombies when they encounter them.
• Prior to the 4.7.1 update, when a Jester Zombie was hit by Dusk Lobber's projectile, he would deflect it off of the lawn, and do no damage to any plants.

Jester Zombie's detached right leg when doing walking/jumping animation

• Chewliard is a pun on Julliard, which is a real school in New York City.
  • Chewliard is also mentioned in Backup Dancer's Almanac entry, in both Plants vs. Zombies and Plants vs. Zombies Heroes (the card description, in the latter case).
• If one looks very closely during Jester Zombie's walking/jumping animation, his right leg detaches from the rest of his body for a split second.
• When Jester Zombie loses part of his arm while wearing his Thanksgiving costume, the rest of the arm will change color from white to blue (the same blue seen on his usual outfit).
• He cannot deflect Primal Peashooter's rock peas in the Chinese version.
• In his death animation, his torso detaches from his body.
• If many projectiles are shot to a Jester Zombie (for example, using Plant Food on any kinds of peashooting plants or using Appease-mint) and then Reinforce-mint is used right before Jester Zombie reflects all of these projectiles, he will be knocked back and will no longer be able to reflect the projectiles that he has not reflected. However, these projectiles will not damage him.
• Reflected projectiles can't hit Ghost Pepper and will instead fly through.

See also

• Hammer Zombie
• Nunchaku Zombie
• All in Jest

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