Guide

Mechanics Index

A compact reference for PVZ: Voyage mechanics that are otherwise split across encyclopedia entries, patch notes, and the FAQ. Exact values and edge cases still follow the in-game build.

Combat interactions

Crossbreeding

Peashooter is the clearest crossbreeding base in the current encyclopedia: click one Peashooter, then another, to crossbreed them and inspect their genes.

  • Peashooter's A, B, D, and F genes affect pea type, size, three-lane behavior, and attack speed.
  • Peashooter can also crossbreed with Wall-nut in a special way, creating a Pea-nut Shooter.
  • Version 0.17o polished Chess Grid behavior: Rook no longer double-spawns or hybridizes when it strikes a Peashooter.
Peashooter Wall-nut 0.17o changelog

Terrain

Liquids and smoke

Hygro Plantago absorbs nearby liquids and converts them into effect smoke. Lava, puddles, and other liquids each create their own effects.

  • By default, clicking Hygro Plantago absorbs liquids in a 3×3 area and creates 3×3 effect smoke.
  • Corchid can boost Hygro Plantago: when placed on Corchid, it absorbs in a 5×5 area and expands the smoke effect.
  • After Magnet-shroom removes a bucket, it can pass the bucket liquid to nearby Hygro Plantago or CocoBottle Shine.
  • In 0.17o, honeydew, rotting honeydew, and swamp fluid vanish when they enter water.
Hygro Plantago Corchid CocoBottle Shine

Combat interactions

Magnetism

Magnet-shroom removes metal objects and passes them to plants that can use them. Mechanical Snowfield builds many of its enemies and terrain ideas around electricity and magnetism.

  • Magnet-shroom handles buckets, poles, firefly lamps, lanterns, and some metal heads; if no receiver fits, it throws the metal out.
  • In 0.17o, Magnet-shroom can pull iron projectiles, including Charm Staff, Lantern, and iron items thrown by other Magnet-shrooms, only when the projectile targets its faction.
  • Magnet Truck Zombie attracts nearby projectiles; Magnet-shroom can temporarily disable it.
  • The world codex describes Mechanical Snowfield as the kingdom of electricity and magnetism.
Magnet-shroom Magnet Truck Zombie Mechanical Snowfield

Terrain

Swamp grid points

Corchid is Mysterious Swamp's corner-grid plant: place it on tile corners, and four occupied corners create a usable tile.

  • Corchid can only be planted on tile corners. Four Corchids on the same tile's corners create a plantable tile.
  • The created tile ignores swamp, liquids, and some other terrain restrictions.
  • Swamp plants planted on that tile are buffed.
  • Click-and-drag Corchid to plant in batches, spending more sun and taking longer recharge.
Corchid Mysterious Swamp Lorus

Progress systems

Pond Crystals

Pond Crystals are a 0.17o resource: a general-purpose currency that zombies can randomly drop; legacy saves are backfilled based on progress.

  • The 0.17o changelog states that Pond Crystals drop randomly from zombies and act as a general-purpose currency.
  • Legacy saves receive Pond Crystals automatically based on progress.
  • Snowbloom Palace now includes a Shop option for the new consumables.
0.17o changelog: Pond Crystals & Consumables Mechanical Snowfield

Progress systems

Consumables

Version 0.17o adds consumables that can be carried into each level and are spent only on victory.

  • Consumables are a new in-level support system for the current build.
  • Legacy saves receive any story-granted consumables they should already have.
  • Snowbloom Palace gains a Shop option, and the Wall-nut bandage item was added.
0.17o changelog: Pond Crystals & Consumables 0.17o changelog: Snowbloom Palace

Progress systems

Trials

Trials belong to the Snowbloom Palace flow. Version 0.17o improves the exit flow so players can return to the same area more easily.

  • After exiting a Trial, the game opens the Trial window directly.
  • When possible, the window centers on the Trial you just left.
  • This note comes from the 0.17o Snowbloom Palace section; exact Trial contents still follow the game itself.
0.17o changelog: Snowbloom Palace Mechanical Snowfield

Progress systems

Difficulty meter

Version 0.17o retunes nearly every level, smooths the difficulty curve, and makes every level display a difficulty meter.

  • The meter is a stage-selection and progress-reading hint, not a guaranteed win/loss formula.
  • The same update adds Conehead and Buckethead zombies and adjusts several bosses and level details.
  • For specific stages or enemy interactions, read the encyclopedia, changelog, and in-game hints together.
0.17o changelog: Level Adjustments Encyclopedia

Progress systems

Story skip

Most story scenes now have a Skip button that jumps the entire scene, with a few special-case exceptions.

  • If the ending includes an intro for a newly unlocked feature, plant, or other content, that intro still plays.
  • Version 0.17o also adds a story log for dialogue you have encountered.
  • The backpack to-do system tracks quests and main-story progress, and can jump directly into a level from the to-do view.
0.17o changelog: Story 0.17o changelog: Backpack

Controls

Active skill

Active Skill is one of the game's extra key actions. The mouse handles most interactions; the Active Skill key triggers active abilities.

  • The FAQ lists Pause/ESC, Active Skill, Time Stop, and Screenshot as extra keys.
  • The Active Skill key can be rebound in the in-game settings.
  • Specific active effects depend on the plant or scene; check in-game hints and matching encyclopedia entries.
FAQ: keyboard controls Wall-nut Enzymei

Controls

Time Stop

Time Stop is one of the game's extra keys. It freezes time and can be rebound in the in-game settings.

  • The FAQ explicitly lists the Time Stop key as the control that freezes time.
  • Time state affects some day/night or time-related mechanics; for example, Alloysuckle switches form when day/night or time state changes.
  • Specific restrictions, costs, and stage edge cases for Time Stop still follow the in-game build.
FAQ: keyboard controls Alloysuckle