I've noticed recently that plant teams are becoming Citron teams, with Citron in the majority and all over the leaderboards. I played around as one and realized really quickly, they're really overpowered and easy to play. They deal instant direct damage. They can output alot of damage quickly, accurately and at any distance removing the need to lead targets. That makes it nice and easy to deal all your damage to a moving target with less missing. Not to mention that they don't have to reload, but we won't touch on that.They have tons of health. The base citron starts with 200 health. If thats not already enough to chew through, they have a shield that reduces all the damage they take, making them absolute tanks. To kill a Citron you will need to reload, and that precious time will get the best of you. They can completely disarm you with E.M. Peach. When prescious time matters, E.M. Peach completely takes away your ability to attack or use any ability, making you a sitting target. Most classes that get hit with it will die right as the effect wears off. They can move around the map faster than any other class. Most of the time when you have a tank of a character, they are slow moving but can take a ton of damage while outputting an average amount. Not this time. They can zip around the map as a ball and easily reach graveyards faster than the responding zombies. Adding all of those together gives you a super easy, way overpowered class to play. It saddens me whenever you see everyone on a team playing as a single class because you can win the game everytime. It really takes the skill and fun out of it.

@Peecone I agree with alot of what you say about the Citron. I too see teams loaded with Citrons. However, OP or not, the Citron in its current form is the only reason the plant team has a chance to win now. I say that, because the other team is loaded every time with Imp/mechs (newly buffed even). If we want to take the Citron down, the imp/mechs have to come down with it or we are just back to an OP zombie team that always wins. I will slightly disagree with one thing though, i have been on plenty of winning zombie teams (turf takeover). Yes the plant team is now winning its share of rounds, but i dont fell as if the zomies cant win now by any stretch.

Whens Imps can summon mechs more frequently, I could careless about multiple citrons on the plant team. I'll admit Citrons are extremely strong right now even from sniping range, but they aren't so OP they need to be nerfed.

Absolutely. Citron and Frozen Citron are far too effective at any range, and in any situation. He's the jack of all trades; I can't find a single disadvantage to these two variants. If you look at it plainly, these two subclasses have the highest movement speed in the game, the most health in the game (a whopping 275 with peel shield), and arguably the most powerful weapon in the game, able to deal seemingly unending damage from afar or up close. On top of that, he also has a disable. To me, the orange/frozen beam outdoes every other weapon in the game. The character definition "laying waste to the Zombies with his Orange Beam" is more accurate than anyone wants it to be. The only other similar weapon would be the all star's, but the beams last longer before overheat, deal more damage, have a higher speed, and are in a constant stream, unlike the periodic damage of the all star. New players will find this easy to use, as it is difficult to miss when you're simply pointing a flashlight at an enemy. The other citrons on the other hand, have a different type of weapon that I find completely fine. Aside all that, I think largely the most unbalanced aspect of the citron is it's large amount of health. According to PvZWiki, he was designed to be a "tank" class, yet he seems far more than that role. I've never seen a game where the tank can become faster than everyone else. The peel shield gives citron 200 health plus 75 every once in a while. While technically it is possible to kill him from the sides with peel shield on, I never see a decent citron take 200 damage before being able to turn to face his attacker and use up the rest of the shield. Even a scientist will lose a 1v1 at close range, and a captain will lose at long range. He simply has too much health to withstand an entire clip from any class; as soon as the zombie has to reload, they're finished. If I were to adjust these two varients, I would give them 150 or 175 base health, and reduce the peel shield health to 50. The "tank" description can die with him, because it doesn't really fit his bounty hunter description. If you think I'm biased because I've had a few unpleasant games against these two variants, think again. Citron and Frozen citron were the first two plants I mastered. I know just how overpowered they can be. The reason citron has gone so long without a nerf is because Popcap/ea base character balancing largely on kill/death ratio, which is a huge mistake. Citron is the type of class to risk their own life for the objective, which means they die a lot more than a plant such as a cactus, who's job is to sit back and get kills slowly without dying. It seems the balancing team does not understand the importance of role when it comes to kda. Anyone can choose to have a good kda in a game just by sitting at the back of the crowd, rather than rushing the objective. It's not a good piece of data to use to determine a variant's strength. But fear not! In Friday's stream, it was revealed that the most verbose opinions from the community on character balancing will be dealt with in the next content update. This means that cactus will likely be rebuffed, and more importantly, citron's reign of power will end. I can't wait to see him no longer used so freely ingame.

I really like the fact that this community is pratically made by a bunch of lunatic yogurt kid crybabies who come here and spam the most absurd things. Most of things you stated were already in their kit, and he was considered "weak character" But here we go Zaheen 2016 "Citron is a giant flying ball that likes running like a *" And here we go, Electro, Toxic, and Iron Citron are pretty much balanced right now (well, except for Iron Mode, but who cares), so let's just state those who are breaking the game right now + 1 Splash Damage (+1 damage at long range for Frozen) + Slighly overheat (still less than beta) And now is: - overpowered - counterless - easy noob character KKK. I hate PopCap for had listened your actual complaints when he was already a very good character. But i hate you mostly that come here and throw almost false accusation and sentences without ever thinking.This wasn't going to happen honestly if Community was actually being able to address itself alone. (Less kernel Corns + Citrons) as Citron was already the key of victory

Says a lot about the game when you have to use a bunch of one type of plant to win. Yes I too see a lot of citrons now on a team. I still see zombies winning most of the time. Plants are winning more than before at least. Oh that mini game on TT where zombies melt the ice for yeti forget it. I have played that map so many times and zombies win it 95% of the time.

Citron nerf maybe? | EA Forums

16 Replies

jacknutt33
10 years ago
@Peecone

I agree with alot of what you say about the Citron. I too see teams loaded with Citrons. However, OP or not, the Citron in its current form is the only reason the plant team has a chance to win now. I say that, because the other team is loaded every time with Imp/mechs (newly buffed even). If we want to take the Citron down, the imp/mechs have to come down with it or we are just back to an OP zombie team that always wins.

I will slightly disagree with one thing though, i have been on plenty of winning zombie teams (turf takeover). Yes the plant team is now winning its share of rounds, but i dont fell as if the zomies cant win now by any stretch.
Anonymous
10 years ago
I really like the fact that this community is pratically made by a bunch of lunatic yogurt kid crybabies who come here and spam the most absurd things.

Most of things you stated were already in their kit, and he was considered "weak character"

But here we go

Zaheen 2016 "Citron is a giant flying ball that likes running like a *"

And here we go, Electro, Toxic, and Iron Citron are pretty much balanced right now (well, except for Iron Mode, but who cares), so let's just state those who are breaking the game right now

+ 1 Splash Damage (+1 damage at long range for Frozen)

+ Slighly overheat (still less than beta)

And now is:

- overpowered

- counterless

- easy noob character

KKK.

I hate PopCap for had listened your actual complaints when he was already a very good character. But i hate you mostly that come here and throw almost false accusation and sentences without ever thinking.

This wasn't going to happen honestly if Community was actually being able to address itself alone.
(Less kernel Corns + Citrons) as Citron was already the key of victory
sunmoonstars101
10 years ago
Says a lot about the game when you have to use a bunch of one type of plant to win. Yes I too see a lot of citrons now on a team. I still see zombies winning most of the time. Plants are winning more than before at least. Oh that mini game on TT where zombies melt the ice for yeti forget it. I have played that map so many times and zombies win it 95% of the time.
Anonymous
10 years ago
Maybe it's just me but I see a good spread of characters on the map as plants. I feel like I see more imps than I do citrons. Not a complaint about imps just an observation.
IronCatFish47
10 years ago
Whens Imps can summon mechs more frequently, I could careless about multiple citrons on the plant team. I'll admit Citrons are extremely strong right now even from sniping range, but they aren't so OP they need to be nerfed.
Anonymous
10 years ago
I think there should be a limit of 2 citrons and 2 imps per match. It's super annoying being on plants and going up against 6 mecs. Also annoying when there's 3 citrons on one rooftop and 3 others rolling around on the ground. Switch it up people, there's other characters in the game.

I just play as toxic brainz when I see a team of citrons. I got 63 kills in one match this morning. When in toxic overload you can reck 3 citrons before they know what happened. Lol
Anonymous
10 years ago
@jacknutt33 wrote:

@Peecone

I agree with alot of what you say about the Citron. I too see teams loaded with Citrons. However, OP or not, the Citron in its current form is the only reason the plant team has a chance to win now. I say that, because the other team is loaded every time with Imp/mechs (newly buffed even). If we want to take the Citron down, the imp/mechs have to come down with it or we are just back to an OP zombie team that always wins.

You are forgetting about Corns. Citrons AND Corns (and I like to think Chompers as well) are the only reasons the Plant team stands any chance against the menacing Imp Mechs.
Boolerex
10 years ago
@Superjesse124 wrote:

You are forgetting about Corns. Citrons AND Corns (and I like to think Chompers as well) are the only reasons the Plant team stands any chance against the menacing Imp Mechs.

Peashooter in general and pea gatling/sunbeam is good against Z-mech too.

As for corn,while he's one of the best char to deal with a Z-mech, He kinda struggle against a imp.
Sassbre
10 years ago
If they undid the damage buff for stock citron, frozen citron and party citron. They would be more balanced again. It was an unnecessary buff in the first place the movement buff was enough. Just an opinion from someone that mastered all the citrons before the buff their beam is OP

Iron Citrons Iron Mode is deadly. Can take out a mech no dramas
a35756669
10 years ago
The best balance isn't always to nerf the strongest rolls you consider because next time you still think other rolls are op.

We can buff the weaker side.

So,I disagree to nerf citron. Now each character in plant team are fine.

Citrons now have beautiful grade and participation rate after buffing,not like before the roses and citrons are very rate.