I feel it's fair to list off preferences based off of my experiences with both Garden Warfare 1 and Garden Warfare 2, since the classes behave very differently between the games. There are some classes that I feel need a boost while others I think are fine as they are.
Plants:
Citron: Normal/Toxic: Personally, everyone seems to give Ice Citron a lot of praise, but I have always preferred different methods, even though you'll see me giving a different tune down this list. Stock Citron is pretty reliable on damage and if you know what you're doing, can be quite a great character. Toxic Citron is one of those characters that rewards you for stacking toxic DOT stacks, so it lends itself well as a Toxic variant. I like it, but I have a strong liking towards beam weapons, so I'm biased more to stock.
Rose: Stock/Druid: Exact same reasons in some respect. Stock Rose is pretty reliable if you get around her style of play, and Druid Rose plays well for a toxic variant in my eyes. I'm not amazing with Rose characters, but I can see her being a really great support combat character if I figured out her style a lot more. I know people like the Fire and Ice variants, but I deal with enough charge mechanics on some other characters that I'm still trying to figure hers out.
Corn: BBQ Corn: This kind of speaks for itself, and is one of the few plants I have at super high rankings with. Fair damage, fire DOT, and amazing accuracy. Despite how hard this guy has been hit by the nerf hammer, he's still viable. Put a ammo update and fire upgrade on him and you can go to town well with him. Just not as much of a sweeping force he originally was, I've heard, but I've always enjoyed playing as him.
Peashooter: Plasma Pea/Toxic Pea: This applies to both GW1 and GW2, actually. I've always enjoyed the Plasma Pea, and found the charge mechanic rewarding on him, especially when combined with his Hyper. Allows you to rain down a great artillery and support fire when need be, and this carries over to GW2 as well. With the classes in GW2 being what they are, Plasma Pea has survived the test of time and continues to be one of my favorites. Toxic Pea as well suits this explanation as well, with his great splash and toxic DOT. There's a reason he was one of the few characters who could solo CRAAZY mode in Garden Ops in GW1. I've always enjoyed Toxic variants of the classes, and the Toxic Pea is probably my favorite of the entire bunch, Plants and Zombies alike. While there are other good Peashooters out there in the game, such as the Electric Pea, Agent Pea, and Fire Pea, both the Plasma Pea and Toxic Pea have remained my favorites.
Sunflower: Fire Flower/Shadow Flower (GW1)/ Sun Pharoah (GW2): This is where the list will differ, because I've always held myself as a Sunflower main in both games. I'm always enjoyed combat medic roles, playing support when needed but being fully capable of dishing out the pain when needed. This played strongly on the Fire Flower and Shadow Flower in GW1, as the Fire Flower was my go-to Sunflower when I needed a stronger support role on the team with a fair DOT on her fire damage. The Shadow Flower in GW1 was much more of a beast than she feels like in GW2, but that might be because of all the new classes in GW2 among other things. Solid damage and fire rate on her in GW1, and probably rocked the Pumpkin hat the most out of any Sunflower. When it comes to Garden Warfare 2, my preferences have shifted accordingly. While in GW1, the Sun Pharoah was left behind so badly compared to her competition, in GW2, she is a true beast. A very strong burst fire now, reliable damage, and is the perfect fit for a combat support role that I like to play. She was the first Sunflower that I grabbed when I started playing GW2 because I wanted to see how she was changed, and I was not disappointed. Been one of my favorite Sunflowers to play ever since. Honorable mentions to the Alien Flower, Power Flower, and Vampire Flower for GW2 on this list. Alien Flower for the exact same reason as the Sun Pharoah: left behind in GW1, is a solid beast in GW2. Power Flower because of the changes in gameplay make her variant style much more viable, and Vampire Flower for that sweet life drain, keeping you in the fight longer, especially if you need to tactically retreat from the field.
Chomper: Hot Rod Chomper/Armor Chomper/Fire Chomper: These choices apply to both GW1 and GW2, but for different reasons, really. To be honest, playing as a Chomper has changed between games, since the shift to both offense and defense play on Turf Takeover has made life as a Chomper harder, being primarily a defensive plant. In GW1, a group of Chompers defending a garden could make your life hell. Now, it's not as much as difficult as it used to be. This means that the Chompers are much less dominant in a way than they used to be, and playing offensively as one is not a great idea with how many ways there are to completely screw over any push. With that said, I do still have favorites, even if I don't play Chomper in GW2 as much as I did in GW1. The Hot Rod Chomper is a definition of ambush and retreat guerrilla tactics, and that's one thing I've enjoyed about him. Get in, chomp, get out. It worked well before and it kind of still works in GW2. Always found the concept amusing, even if people can sometimes hear you coming. Armor Chomper was the king of defensive Chompers in my eyes back in GW1. Get a few guarding a garden and you'll be hard pressed to see it penetrated let alone captured. Nowadays, especially with the recent nerf, which I honestly only see a slight difference in playstyle with, he's the most strictly defensive Chomper of the bunch still. He's not at all meant for offensive play, and it shows by how easily you can get focus-fired if you play him wrong. Great character if you play him right, rage-inducing if you play him wrong. Fire Chomper suffers the same way. Run up, roast someone, get out. Not that easy anymore. Chompers in general feel a lot different to play in GW2, but they manage.
Cactus: Fire Cactus/Power Cactus/Bandit Cactus: I've liked the Cacti, but I've felt that she usually can easily get destroyed if you get in her face, which is kind of the whole gimmick of the Cactus as a ranged fighter. Still, with the changes to her, you need a fair bit more skill now than you used to to use her really well than in GW1. I do really enjoy playing the Fire Cactus in GW1, and the Power Cactus is probably my most dominant Cactus in GW1, but I've not put as much time into them in GW2 as I probably should have, but that might be due to the change from going from using a controller to a PC mouse. The controls for playing Cactus are the most strongly different on the transition, since the twitch-shooting control do cause me to relearn a lot of how to play her. This means that my best Cactus in GW1, the Bandit Cactus, suffers in GW2 due to my inexperience with a mouse aiming system, whereas I could more reliably line up my shots before. It will take some time, but I know I could do much better with her in time. I always enjoyed playing the Fire Cactus to be able to four shot a lot of things or such in GW1. Was certainly a lot of fun to lay into someone and watch the Fire DOT take them down if the initial damage didn't. Great for those sniping Soldiers on Cactus Canyon. Power Cactus still holds my record for highest Vanquish Streak for a Cactus on GW1, and Bandit Cactus is always a good assault character if I need her. Shoutout to the Jade Cactus in GW2 though, because I like how she plays a lot more in GW2 than in GW1. Picked her back up during the Battle of Accuracy event and grew to enjoy her again ever since.
Zombies:
Imp: Z7 Imp: I know a lot of people will tell you that the S.H.R.Imp is one of the best Imps out there, but I have a bit of a soft spot for the Z7 Imp. Maybe it's because I'm a huge Mass Effect, and always enjoyed the whole Grass Effect crossover style that they ran even in GW1. This factored into GW2 with my choice of Imp's. Don't get me wrong, I've tried every single Imp in the game and their mechs, but I'm the most comfortable with the Z7 Imp, even with his mech. He doesn't feel weak to me, and most people don't really understand the power of a forced reposition on a character like that, where you can literally just yank someone to you and put them down. Has helped me with a lot of situations and I'm happy for it. Same thing with the Zomni-Blade. A clean 80 damage swipe in a wipe radius can literally wipe a Graveyard clean of Plants if you plan it right. A great counterpart to the stomp of the stock Imp, and it works really well when you land it. Granted, you feel like an idiot when you miss, but it's nice when it works. Outside of his mech, the Z7 Imp is not slouch and I've been focus-fired on before because of his damage output and I've gotten super aggressive with him. A really fun Imp to play, and my go-to anytime I want to play an Imp.
Super Brains: Electro-Brains: Really, I own 3 of the Super Brains right now, and out of stock, Cosmic, and Electro, I enjoy Electro the most. Granted, whenever I get Breakfast or Toxic brains, my stance may change, but for right now, I really enjoy playing Electro Brains. Great damage output, excellent damage for a Electric variant, and his beam is great if you're close enough to an enemy and a great harassment tool at range. His punches may feel a little underwhelming unless you're good at dodging enemy fire while using them, but out of any of the Super Brains so far, I've found him the most fun to play as.
Captain Deadbeard: Captain Flameface/Captain Sharkbite: I'm really tied between these two, because I have a special interest for Flame-based sniper classes, but Sharkbite is a great sniper by and far. Both have good points to them and weaknesses, but I can't really provide a strong reason for one or the other. I just like playing both of them equally for their damage output, style of gameplay and versatility. Has anyone actually seen the penetration mechanic actually work though, because I've never seen it happen and I've been in plenty of situations to see it supposed to work.
Foot Soldier: Sky Trooper (GW1)/Arctic Trooper(GW2): This one is super cut and dry in it's own right. The Foot Soldier is one of my favorite Zombie classes to play as, both in GW1 and GW2. I don't know what it is about his voice lines, but his spawn lines especially always make me smile. There's something about his voice that I like, in comparison to the All-Star's gravel gargling and the Scientist's slightly sickly tone. In gameplay perspective, I've always enjoyed playing as the Sky Trooper in GW1, I still do, in fact. Compared to just about any of the other variants, I've dropped the most time into the Sky Trooper, and that's even with the enjoyment I've had of the Centurion. Fast, hard-hitting, excellent rate of fire, and a good magazine to make up for that damage. Punishes you a bit for spraying, but I like that kind of skill-based mentality. That same mentality crossed over to the Arctic Trooper in GW2, who feels so much more satisfying to use now. His damage may be at times a bit lacking, but use him well and he will reward you. I've dropped a lot of time into him, and he's one of my favorite Foot Soldiers now in GW2. I normally don't use Ice variants unless they really interest me, and the Arctic Soldier fits that bill. I've used the Sky Trooper in GW2 recently and grown to like him, but with his decreased mag and damage, he's not the devastating powerhouse he used to be, but he's still usable. I do really kind of wish I could get my hands on his Showoff gesture though, since that was one of my favorite gestures in the entirety of GW1. Same with all the rocking out gestures that each class seemed to have. Shame I can't get my hands on any of those.
Scientist: Chemist: Beyond any shadow of a doubt, my favorite Scientist is the Chemist. What he lacks in range, he makes up for in pure stopping power. Admittedly, the main reason I pumped so much time into leveling him up in GW2 was solely for that damage upgrade, because it sickens me just how hard he's been nerfed in GW2. I could understand a bit of a nerf down to like 40-45 damage, but doing only 35 at base is insulting to what is essentially the Lv. 10 reward in GW1 and the hyper exaggeration to the Scientist class that is pretty unmatched in pure power in GW1, save the Marine Biologist, who's a lot easier to control in GW1 than GW2 it feels, I would add. I adore the Chemist and the high demand for strategic gameplay he asks for. You have to be point-black to use him, and that works as both a help and hindrance. I like some of the other Scientists as well, but I just wish that the Chemist was a little more of a shadow of his former self, because the current one doesn't hold a candle to the original, despite how fairly decent I am with him in both games.
Engineer: Landscaper (GW1)/Welder (GW2): The Engineer has the least playtime out of any class in the entire Garden Warfare series for me. Interestingly enough, compared to other Engineer-style classes out there, his gameplay style doesn't feel as satisfying to use. That, and the changes made to him in GW2 does lend of lot of difference in his playstyle. In GW1, where it was all about Offense for the Engineer in Gardens and Graveyards, the Landscaper was my preferred class for even, even over the Painter. A much higher fire rate, solid near base damage, and good reload make him a slight update/sidegrade to stock, and he worked quite well as a counter-defensive character, especially against defending Chompers trying to ruin your teleporter. He doesn't feel as satisfying to use in GW2 nowadays, but maybe that's because I still don't play Engineer that often. The Welder kind of took that mantle in GW2 as my Engineer to play, but really, I don't have much reason to pick him aside from the explosive fire damage he provides, which I'll go into depth about on the next pick.
All-Star: Stock/Wrestling Star (GW1)/ Rugby Star/Tennis Star (GW2): This one plays on personal experience and preference, given anything else. In GW1, I enjoyed the fair setup that the stock All-Star had to provide. It was solid damage and suppression while at the same time being a powerhouse that he is now. Plus, his Imp Punt actually freaking worked effectively every single time in GW1. You didn't have to bunny hop just to get the stupid thing off the ground. I always viewed the Wrestling Star as the hyper exaggeration of the All-Star in GW1, trading fire rate for huge damage output, and it worked well. The Wrestling Star was one of my favorite All-Stars for defense on Gnome Bomb, and great for Gardens and Graveyards. In GW2, the All-Star feels much different, maybe a bit weaker than he used to be. Probably with the addition of Super Brains and Citron as other 200 HP classes, the All-Star doesn't feel as powerful as a tank as he used to be. GW2 made me rethink my stance on All-Stars, and I've kind of grown to like Rugby Star a bit because of that. Explosive damage variants are super few and far between among this series, and I've always enjoyed explosive plants like the Doom Shroom in the entire series. When it comes down to explosive variants, the Rugby Star is probably my favorite due to his reliable set of damage if you can get his shots downrange fairly. He is a bit weak in some respects, but there's a style to him that I enjoy. I do wish there were more explosive variant classes in the series. The Tennis Star is one I only recently picked up, but I like him to a degree. Being able to get where you're going quicker counters one of the big problems with the All-Star, and I enjoy that. Fair damage, reliable accuracy, and a solid character overall. For being a class that I sparingly use, the All-Star has some good tricks in his bag. Now if only PopCap would actually fix his stupid Imp Punt in GW2 so I don't have to chunk the freaking thing and put everything into it to make it actually work half the time compared to how reliable it was in GW1, then I might actually use him more in that respect as a offensive tank.
