Z-Mech
- For other uses, see Z-Mech (disambiguation).
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—Z-Mech's Plants vs. Zombies Heroes Hero description | ||
Z-Mech is a recurring character within the Plants vs. Zombies franchise. Originally just the name for the machine Imps use in the shooter series, the name has been used elsewhere in association with this Imp, implying the Imp's name is Z-Mech as well.
Made by Z-Tech (or Dr. Zomboss in the future, depending on the media), these mechs use brute force to annihilate Plants, their most common weapon being missiles, used in all the games. While most of these are controlled by Imps, they can be controlled by an AI if deserved, as shown by Z-Mech 11011-3.
As of Plants vs. Zombies 3, the Z-Mech has appeared in four games.
History
Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2
- Main article: Z-Mech (PvZ: GW2)
The Z-Mech was first introduced in Plants vs. Zombies: Garden Warfare 2 in tandem with its pilot, an Imp. The mech is treated like an ability, needing the pilot to wait 120 seconds before summoning it via Robo Call. Once summoned, Imp's moveset changes to that of Z-Mech's, gaining Robo Stomp, Explosive Escape, and Missile Madness, as well as a boosted 350 HP and the Robo Laser, a weapon that has infinite ammo but can overheat.
Robo Stomp deals 75 damage in a close area while knocking plants away, Missile Madness releases a burst of 20 missiles that deal 20 damage each with splash damage, and Explosive Escape has the Imp eject from the Z-Mech early while the mech explodes, dealing 150 damage to any plant nearby. Due to the Z-Mech being destroyed due to this ability, Explosive Escape needs to be pressed twice in order for it to go off.
Like "normal" classes, the Z-Mech has different variants to match its pilot, each of these having a different set of abilities than the normal Mech (with the exception of the Party Mech), giving each mech/Imp combo a different strategy from each other.
Plants vs. Zombies Heroes
- Main article: Z-Mech (PvZH)
Z-Mech reappears in the turn-based mobile card game Plants vs. Zombies Heroes as the 
Hearty/
Crazy Zombie Hero, controlled by an Imp but keeping the Z-Mech name. Z-Mech's AI strategy is using Sport zombies, though their decks in latter missions can instead use Crazy's Dancing zombies.
The Z-Mech's Superpowers are Rock Wall, Brute Strength, Electrobolt, and the signature Missile Madness, which deals 3 damage to a selected Plant and 1 damage to every other Plant on the field.
The mech's superpowers have been changed more than other Heroes in the game, his superpower being reworked AND two of his superpowers changing. Rock Wall was originally Possessed before being swapped with The Smash while Electrobolt was originally Dance Off before being swapped with Professor Brainstorm. Along with this, Missile Madness used to do 2 damage in three random lanes, being comparable to Power Pummel, before being changed to its current state.
Plants vs. Zombies 2
- Main article: Z-Mech (PvZ2)
Unlike most characters not in the first game, Z-Mech joined Plants vs. Zombies 2 after starring in another game, a fact referenced in the almanac entry. Z-Mech in this game only appears in Arena or Penny's Pursuit as a sort of mini boss, a zombie with huge amounts of health, doesn't move, and has a variety of attacks, though the level doesn't end when he is defeated.
Z-Mech first enters a tile in the 7th column, crushing any plants that were there (similar to Catapult Zombie from the first game), then frequently summons either hordes of Jetpack and Blastronaut Zombie or Bug Bot Imps in random locations, fires missiles at Plants to leave a scorched tile, and can teleport zombies closer to the house. If not defeated within 80 seconds (the same amount of time a Z-Mech can last in Garden Warfare 2), they will leave the lawn. The mech has 3 phases which determine how it acts, but these phases are based on how long he has been on the lawn, not how much damage has been dealt.
Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville
- Main article: Z-Mech (PvZ: BfN)
The latest appearance of the Z-Mech has been in Plants vs. Zombies: Battle for Neighborville, once again as what can be called the Imp's second form and as such is an 
attack class like them. The mech has been overall untouched in this game, but there have been a few minor adjustments. Unlike Garden Warfare 2, when the mech is destroyed, the Imp will simply eject out and continue fighting, the position of Missile Madness and the physical ability have been swapped, and Robo Stomp has been replaced with Bionic Bash, though its purpose, damage, and effect are all the same and the new ability is simply a visual change (punching the ground rather than stomping it).
The mech received some big changes to its play style via later buffs as well, its initial calling time reduced to 61 seconds while later calling times reduced to 90, getting 15% armor reduction on attacks, and being able to sprint in the final update after being unable to for the rest of the game's lifespan. Z-Mech is the only transformation in the game to be limited time, as Oak and Space Station can be in effect for as long as desired.
Due to variants being dropped, Z-Mech is the only form it has in this game, but there are a large number of character upgrades, which can be used to slightly change up the playstyle.
Gallery
Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Z-Mech.
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Trivia
- According to the Garden Warfare 2 prequel comic series, the Z-Mech is capable of translating an Imp's thoughts.
- The Z-Mech is based on the Titan from Titanfall, another EA game.
- The imp also appears to have a jetpack similar to the one used by the Pilots in Titanfall.
- In the Plants vs. Zombies Battle for Neighborville trailer, the Z-Mech can be seen using Robo Stomp instead of Bionic Bash.
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