10 Best Botanists In Video Games

Summary

• Botany isn't just for cozy games - video games feature botanist characters like Dedue and Plant Man.
• Plant-based abilities in games like Overwatch 2's Lifeweaver and Genshin Impact's Tighnari showcase the importance of plant knowledge.
• Protagonists like you in Plants vs Zombies prove that having a green thumb can lead to survival in the face of a zombie apocalypse.

Botany is as healthy a passion as you can have. Learning about plants, studying their habitats, knowing their uses and keeping them alive are all daunting tasks - but they're rewarding. A green thumb isn't something you're born with: it has to be cultivated.

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Surprisingly, botany isn't the exclusive domain of simulators or cozy games. Video games have seen quite a few characters who are botanists - their knowledge of plants helps them in times of conflict. Here are some of the most notable ones.

10 Dedue

Fire Emblem: Three Houses

Dedue looks stern and is a man of few words, but that's simply due to his shy personality. Despite his stoic demeanour, this loyal retainer is kind, gentle, a good cook and freely shares his knowledge of plants.

Born in Duscur, Dedue had to flee his homeland when it was destroyed. He grows plants that were exclusive to the region, because they remind him of what he has lost. Dedue's botanical haven is where several of his support conversations with Byleth take place.

9 Plant Man

Mega Man 6

The Mega Man series has a boss character for everything, and plants are no different. Plant Man is the keeper of a botanical garden, and is so skilled in his care that he can actually talk to plants.

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One of the eight Robot Masters, Plant Man uses a modified weapon called the Plant Barrier that deploys petals to fight Mega Man. Plant Man isn't especially evil: he's simply been reprogrammed by Dr. Wily.

Plant Man's popularity led to him being included as a boss character in Mega Man: The Power Battle and Mega Man 2: The Power Fighters.

8 Arabella Greene

Botany Manor

Botany Manor proudly advertises itself as a walking simulator: set in 19th century England, this is an interactive puzzler where a disillusioned botanist pieces together her past. The gameplay is largely de-emphasized in favour of narrative.

Arabella Greene has a bit of a tragic backstory: she was denied success in her field due to her inability to grow the Forgotten Flora. Now retired, Arabella decides to give it one last attempt and grow the plant that will get her research published.

7 Leif

Animal Crossing: New Leaf And Animal Crossing: New Horizons

Animal Crossing is filled with cozy activities, but there's always the stress of running a town and paying off your debt to a raccoon hanging over your head. If you can't manage the weeds in your town, you need to find Leif. This sloth appears when your town's vegetation gets out of control, and holds regular weeding days to make sure your local flora thrives.

When he's not busy helping you with your garden, Leif also runs a shop that sells botany supplies. Despite being a self-declared lazy mammal, Leif is an expert in horticulture. He also appears in Animal Crossing: New Horizons in a smaller role, buying weeds at a high price.

6 Erik

Monster Hunter Wilds

Erik is one of Monster Hunter Wilds' most memorable characters, not least due to his complete disregard for personal safety. An expert on flora and fauna, Erik throws caution to the winds when he discovers an interesting plant - going so far as to walk into a monster's trap.

According to his guildmate Olivia, this is nothing new. Erik is known to gain knowledge on plants by eating them, even if they're poisonous. So strong is his passion that Olivia just lets him be: it's too much work trying to keep him from his plants.

5 Lifeweaver

Overwatch 2

Overwatch 2 is one of the ultimate hero shooters, and its 37th hero finally gave green-thumbed audiences something to crow about. Lifeweaver is a scientist and activist who advocates for plants.

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In combat, he uses plant-based abilities: being a support, most of them revolve around healing or helping his teammates. But every rose has its thorns, and Lifeweaver can ward off aggressors if need be.

Lifeweaver's passions are reflected in his name. Translated from Thai, the name Niran Pruksamanee means 'eternal jewel of the forest.'

4 Gatherer

Stardew Valley

Stardew Valley lets you choose from a variety of professions depending on your skill set. If you choose the Foraging skill and pick the Gatherer profession at level 5, your character will be on their way to becoming a certified botanist. Foraging for plants and chopping down trees will help you accumulate the experience you need.

Once you hit level 10 as a Gatherer, your character can choose to be a Botanist or Tracker. It's best to go into botany, because it ensures that foraged items will always be of the highest possible quality. Being a botanist also comes in handy during berry-picking season, as you get to dump all items of one type in a single inventory slot.

3 Poison Ivy

Batman: Arkham Knight

Poison Ivy is generally a villain from Bruce Wayne's perspective. But Batman: Arkham Knight casts the character in a new light: rather than vilifying her for being evil, it explores her dedication to nature.

When her beloved plants are at stake, Poison Ivy is willing to put her rivalry with Batman aside and help him. As part of the deal, Batman will help her preserve Gotham's plant life. Ivy ends up sacrificing herself - it's clear that she never even thought of betraying Batman. Her last words sum up her motivations: nature always wins.

Poison Ivy also appears in other Arkham titles, though in an exclusively villainous role.

2 Tighnari

Genshin Impact

Tighnari isn't just an expert botanist, he's a genius researcher and an excellent leader. Though he got high marks at Sumeru's Akademiya, he chose to live on the outskirts of the city in order to look after the area's lush rainforests.

His long soliloquies on different plants may annoy Paimon, but they reflect a character who's exactly where he's supposed to be. Tighnari is happy in the rainforest: preventing fires, looking after the local plant life, and mentoring the other Forest Watchers.

Tighnari is a Dendro character, meaning his combat gameplay is also plant-based.

1 You

Plants Vs. Zombies

Yes, we may be pulling a move worthy of Time Magazine by putting you in our ranking, but you are the protagonist of Plants vs Zombies. In this delightful PopCap title, you fend off zombies using sentient plants. It seems that in the zombie apocalypse, having a green thumb is the best thing for your chances of survival.

As the zombies adapt and get smarter, so do you: you get access to new plants level after level, ensuring you've got a solid line of defence. If all else fails, you can always break out the lawnmower.

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