Podfather (PvZ:RiT)


 * For the version in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, see The Podfather (PvZH).

Podfather is a plant in Plants vs. Zombies: Rips in Time. He shoots a large pea that deals 40 damage per shot every 3 seconds, but for every pea plant in a 3x3 radius, he shoots an additional pea. At maximum power, he shoots nine peas dealing a total of 360 damage per shot every 3 seconds. He is unlocked by beating survival levels in Nocturne Streets.

Not every Appease-mint Family plant is considered a "pea plant." Pea plants are any of the following:
 * Peashooter
 * Snow Pea
 * Repeater
 * Other Podfathers
 * Fire Peashooter
 * Pea-nut
 * Black-Eyed Pea
 * Threepeater
 * Split Pea
 * Pea Cannon
 * Pea Pod
 * Gatling Pea
 * Sweet Pea
 * Pod Fighter
 * Electric Peashooter
 * Appease-mint

Origin
Its name, appearance, and Suburban Almanac entry are all references to the 1972 movie The Godfather.

Its name is a portmanteau of "pod," referring to it being a pea plant, and "Godfather," the character it is based on.

Suburban Almanac Entry
Podfather

Podfathers shoot more peas if other pea plants are nearby.

Damage: normal - absurd

Special: grows more powerful with nearby pea plants

Plant Food: fires a number of large peas that multiplies with pea plants nearby

“I’ll make the zombies an offer they can’t refuse,” says Podfather. It turns out, when he’s not spending his time doing mercenary work in the mafia, he runs a side-business in advertising. And it’s effective! 9/10 zombies haven’t refused his offers. He considers that success.

Family: Appease-mint

Cost: 300

Recharge: 7 seconds

Plant Food upgrade
When fed Plant Food, Podfather will shoot fifteen large peas that deal 40 damage per shot down the lane. This is multiplied for every pea plant nearby, maximizing at 135 peas dealing 5400 damage per shot total.

Strategies
While 300 sun for something no more powerful than a Peashooter may seem pretty steep, in the right strategies, Podfather has the potential to do the most damage of any plant in the entire game. Podfather is boosted by every pea plant nearby, including other Podfathers, so a player can completely surround Podfather with cheap plants like Peashooter, maximizing his damage output quickly. However, if the player is generating copious amounts of sun, or has coins to spare if they are using Lavendor, it can be more optimal to surround him with plants like Gatling Pea, or even other Podfathers to allow for excessive amounts of damage. Pea Pod can especially be a good plant to pair with Podfather, as it is cheap to start out, but its damage can be built up over time. At maximum power, Podfather alone is able to deal with a Gargantuar in a matter of nine shots, which takes 27 seconds. This is not however, taking into account other pea plants being used alongside Podfather.

Since Podfather is a peashooting plant, he works with Torchwood, doubling his damage output. This effectively halves the time Podfather takes to take out any other zombie, as well as providing it with area-of-effect damage it would otherwise be missing out on. However, this prevents it from being used alongside powerful ice-based plants like Cold Snapdragon and Winter Melon, so the player may want to consider using different slowing plants, like Milkweed, Stallia, or Sickamore. Alternatively, the player can use Electric Peashooter to make up for lost area-of-effect damage, allowing Winter Melon and Cold Snapdragon to still be used. Snow Pea also can slow zombies and additonally boost Podfather, but doesn't slow an entire area at a time without Plant Food.

Since Podfathers in the top and bottom rows can not reach maximum power, using lane diversion to divert zombies into lanes with the most powerful Podfathers may be recommended. Garlic, Sweet Potato, and Decomposing Pumpkin can all push or pull zombies into a Podfather's lane, but the player should note that some zombies may be able to avoid being diverted, or will otherwise tear through defenses once moved. As such, Off-Lemons may also want to be kept handy to be safe.

Trivia

 * Unlike in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, Podfather does not have an integral article in front of his name.
 * His placement in Nocturne Streets is a reference to the fact that The Godfather is a mafia-themed crime drama, allowing Podfather to fit in thematically to the 1950s gang war theme.
 * The first sentence of his Suburban Almanac entry references his old description in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes.