Pomelo

Overview

Pomelo is a Broadleaf tree that fights as a heavily armored support wall. It is native to South Asia and invasive across Africa, East Asia, Oceania, and South America, so the arena can cast it either way — as a native buffer or as an invasive attacker. As a tree it is one of the sturdiest cards you will field, and it actively props up your bench. See nativity.

Moves

Its starter attack, Limb Lash, unlocks at level 1 and costs 2 Sun, dealing about 38 damage native and 44 invasive while splashing onto the enemy bench. The free once-per-battle ability, Stand Replacement, comes in at level 25: A fire that takes the whole stand — the foe burns, and so do its neighbours. It mends the plant. The advanced attack, Lignin Lockdown, unlocks at level 40 for 6 Sun (23 native / 26 invasive) and also mends as it strikes. Most of your pomelos sit below level 40, where only the starter is available. No move carries an initiative rider. See moves.

Abilities

Pomelo keeps two always-on traits. Mycorrhiza arrives at level 10 and heals a benched ally each turn — but it triggers only about 60% of the time, so its support is steady rather than guaranteed. Network arrives at level 68 and projects a gold Sun overshield bar onto your active plant from the bench, the canopy-tree signature. See abilities.

Features

Pomelo carries no trait keywords and is non-toxic, so it shows no hazard ring and gives attackers no contact recoil or poison. Its growth habit is terrestrial, so it is not eligible for a Moss Pole. As a native, defensive field gear doubles down on its wall-and-support game; as an invasive, offensive gear presses its damage while it still heals.

Stats

At level 40 pomelo reads 103 HP native / 89 invasive, with ATK of 20 native versus 30 invasive (native ATK 20 to invasive ATK 28). DEF is 32, high in the broadleaf-tree band, so it soaks hits far better than any herb or bulb. Its tempo is slow and back-loaded: turn 1 runs on its low initiative (29) and every turn after on its higher SPD (34), so it is out-paced on the opening. Retreat costs 16 Sun. As a native it gains a +15% HP cushion and a bench HP overshield; as an invasive it draws higher ATK from its trait line, pays Faustian self-damage to its bench, and concedes 2 prizes when knocked out. See Stats.

At Level 100

Matured to level 100, pomelo swells to 190 HP native / 165 invasive and 36 / 60 ATK, and its DEF climbs all the way to 74 — as a tree it becomes an armored wall, the endgame payoff its class is built for. Retreat rises to 33 Sun, and its tempo has sunk to roughly 1% of cap, so a mature pomelo acts late but is very hard to remove.

Weaknesses & Resistances

As a broadleaf tree, pomelo is in the Competitor succession group. It hits Ruderal plants (annual forbs, grasses, aquatics, bulbs) for x1.5 and takes only x0.667 from them; it is weak to Specialist plants (succulents, conifers, ferns, epiphytes), which strike it for x1.5 while resisting its blows. Against other Competitors and the off-wheel Weird group the matchup is neutral. See Weaknesses & Resistances.

Gameplay uses

Play pomelo as a native anchor: park it up front as a wall, splash the enemy bench, mend when pressed, and let Mycorrhiza and Network keep your active and bench topped up. As an invasive it is a slower but tanky attacker that still heals. It is a strong support card overall. Its economy is good — it is an edible fruit plant, so feeding it Phosphorus pays x1.25 coins, and any other nutrient banks x1.25 XP. It fights as a slow skirmisher until about level 17, after which its armor takes over; keep leveling it.