Template:HeropicBarrel of Deadbeards is a premiumlegendaryzombiecard in Plants vs. Zombies Heroes, and a member of the Crazy class. It costs 2 to play, and has 1. It does not have any traits, and its ability does 1 damage to every plant and zombie on the field, then makes a Template:PvZHLink on its place when it is destroyed.
Its name is a portmanteau of the names Barrel of Monkeys, a toy game released by Lakeside Toys in 1965 involving a barrel and monkeys, and "Deadbeards", referring to the zombie made by its ability.
Its description is also a reference to Barrel of Monkeys.
Statistics
Class: Crazy
Tribes: Pirate Barrel Zombie
Traits: None
Abilities: When destroyed: Do 1 damage to all Plants and Zombies, then make a Captain Deadbeard here.
Set - Rarity: Premium - Legendary
Card description
No monkeys, just Zombies.
Strategies
With
When the player is playing this, keep in mind that if the opponent is smart enough, as they may simply ignore it. However, to counteract this, the player can use Fireworks Zombie, which not only forces Barrel of Deadbeards to create a Captain Deadbeard, but also deals two damage to everything on the field. It can also be played in front of a damaging plant already on the field. Another clever strategy is to boost it using cards like Brute Strength, Orchestra Conductor, Loudmouth, or Template:PvZHLink to put your opponent into a dilemma: If left unblocked, it will keep doing damage. If they play a plant to block it, that plant will be badly hurt or destroyed. Do not boost this too much, as your opponent is going to destroy it without hesitation if you make it stronger than Captain Deadbeard.
It is a better idea to play this along with either Teleport or Teleportation Zombie, as the player can play this zombie during the Zombie Tricks phase, and allows the player to place it in a lane with attacking plants. However, you can only do this with Professor Brainstorm.
Combining this with Super Stench as Impfinity can make this a cheaper and weaker version of Zombot 1000's ability, which would be ideal as it would destroy every plant on the field that doesn't have the Armored trait, or is Shielded. When this is played and Barrel of Deadbeards is destroyed, its Deadly trait will be able to destroy every plant on the field, resulting in a player that is either low on cards or health to easily lose. This effect does destroy zombies as well, however, making it a last resort. If Super Stench is not available, then Impfinity could use Barrel of Barrels, Laser Base Alpha, or Template:PvZHLink (technically) for the same effect.
Each card has its own strengths and weaknesses:
Super Stench is the cheapest option tied with Barrel of Barrels, and gives you a card from your deck with no restrictions. You can also use it in any deck due to it being a superpower. However, this is more luck-based than the other three cards, and obtaining it is harder too. Also, your other zombies gaining Deadly will be useless since they will be destroyed by Barrel of Deadbeards.
Barrel of Barrels is the cheapest option tied with Super Stench, with the added benefit of gaining another barrel, including another Barrel of Barrels if you are lucky enough. However, it is a one-time use card, and is the least powerful out of the three.
Laser Base Alpha is more expensive than Barrel of Barrels, yet does the same thing as its ability does not benefit from the Strikethrough trait. However, it can later support the Captain Deadbeard made from it, as well as other zombies later on if it stays on the field.
Zombot Sharktronic Sub is the most expensive but best option, assuming you have enough cards to keep it alive. Compared to both Barrel of Barrels and Laser Base Alpha, your opponent will also have to face a boosted Zombot Sharktronic Sub at minimum. Since Zombot Sharktronic Sub's ability acts like giving Barrel of Deadbeards the Deadly trait, but does not actually give the trait itself, you can wipe out all non-Armored plants while not destroying your own zombies as well. This means your opponent cannot destroy it as a suicidal attempt to wipe the field clean. However, your opponent will prioritize on destroying this due to it being more of an imminent threat compared to the former two.
But whatever the card is, your opponent may destroy it to purposedly to activate "When destroyed" abilities of their own plants right away such as Punish-Shroom or Grapes of Wrath's, so watch out for that.
Even if you don't consider giving it Deadly, you can boost it with Template:PvZHLink since it is in the pirate tribe, with the bonus of boosting the Captain Deadbeard it makes as well. However, you will need to boost its strength first.
Note in mind that its ability damages zombies as well, and destroys 1 zombies such as Pool Shark, Cuckoo Zombie, and Impfinity Clone. However, you can take advantage of this by pairing it with zombies that benefit from being hurt or destroyed. A good example is Jester, as Barrel of Deadbeards will activate his ability upon being destroyed. Having a Jester or two and a Barrel of Deadbeards on the field before playing a Fireworks Zombie on the field can do lots of damage, as the Jester will first be hurt by the Fireworks Zombie, then by the Barrel of Deadbeards, causing 4 damage to the plant hero for each Jester that gets hurt. Template:PvZH Link is also a good zombie to use with this, as he will gain +4 when Barrel of Deadbeards is destroyed.
But if you don't want your zombies to get hurt at all, using Armored zombies or shielded zombies will do. However, this is only possible as Z-Mech.
Against
The player can simply ignore it, as it does absolutely nothing until it is destroyed. Later on, when the player has replaced weak plants with stronger ones, then it can be a good time to destroy Barrel of Deadbeards. Take note that any plant teammates with the Splash Damage trait like Template:PvZHLink, plants like Sour Grapes, or Template:PvZHLink can end up hitting Barrel of Deadbeards indirectly. However, you can use Sour Grapes or Template:PvZHLink to additionally damage zombies.
Avoid using Wild Berry against this zombie. If there are two Barrel of Deadbeards on the field, chances are, it may end up moving to the lane the Barrel of Deadbeards are in, which ends up destroying it, which also destroying Wild Berry in the process, and weaken most of the player's plants.
Be careful if this zombie appears on Laser Base Alpha as when it is destroyed, it can destroy all non-Armored or non-shielded plants on the field. This same goes if Impfinity has used Super Stench, Barrel of Barrels, or has a Zombot Sharktronic Sub on the field.
A great strategy is destroying this when the field is filled with nuts along with Mirror-Nut, and if there are many nuts, it could result in the zombie hero being heavily damaged.
Citron's Template:PvZHLink can also be a very good call as the damage done when it is destroyed will not affect any plants, resulting in a negative effect for the zombies. From there, it should not be too hard to destroy Captain Deadbeard, mainly because he has rather low health albeit he hits hard.
Gallery
Plants vs. Zombies Wiki has a gallery for Barrel of Deadbeards.
Despite being named Barrel of Deadbeards, only one Captain Deadbeard is made out of its destruction.
However, if the player listens closely, it sounds like there are multiple Captain Deadbeards.
When a Barrel of Deadbeards on an aquatic lane (via Mixed-Up Gravedigger) is destroyed, it would not make a Captain Deadbeard there, as he does not have the Amphibious trait.
Crazy class. It costs 2
to play, and has 1
. It does not have any traits, and its ability does 1 damage to every plant and zombie on the field, then makes a Template:PvZHLink on its place when it is destroyed.
Armored trait, or is Shielded. When this is played and Barrel of Deadbeards is destroyed, its 
Deadly trait will be able to destroy every plant on the field, resulting in a player that is either low on cards or health to easily lose. This effect does destroy zombies as well, however, making it a last resort. If Super Stench is not available, then Impfinity could use Barrel of Barrels, Laser Base Alpha, or Template:PvZHLink (technically) for the same effect.
Deadly will be useless since they will be destroyed by Barrel of Deadbeards.
when Barrel of Deadbeards is destroyed.
Brainy
Crazy
Hearty
Sneaky