Plymouth took their unbeaten run to nine games with their second home victory in five days thanks to goals from Martin Phillips, Ian Stonebridge and David Norris.
Pilgrims boss Paul Sturrock rang the changes following the Boxing Day victory over Notts County, dropping Paul Bernard and Osvaldo Lopes and resting Lee Hodges. In came David Worrell, Jason Bent and Phillips.
Cheltenham brought back central defender John Brough in place of on-loan Cardiff defender Michael Simpkins.
The Pilgrims gave their lowly West Country visitors a goal start when Worrell headed into his own net after 12 minutes.
Worrell was attempting to clear Damian Spencer's lob after the Cheltenham striker latched onto a miscued clearance from Graham Coughlan.
However, Phillips cancelled out that strike ten minutes later when Stonebridge's cheeky back-heel wrong-footed the entire Cheltenham defence.
Fifteen minutes later, Stonebridge put Arygle ahead when he finished off a sweeping move that began when the inspirational Phillips robbed Hugh McAuley on half way.
Phillips slipped the ball to the overlapping Worrell who crossed from the byline for Stonebridge to lash the ball home.
Phillips and Stonebridge then spurned glorious chances to add to the score, Phillips firing high after good work from Norris, and Stonebridge being thwarted in a one-on-one with goalkeeper Steve Book.
Norris put the issue beyond doubt 11 minutes into the second half, cutting in from the left wing to latch onto Steve Adams' inch-perfect pass, brushing off Brough and firing into the roof of the net.
Cheltenham's misery was made complete in the dying moments when Julian Alsop shot over from no more than two yards right in front of Plymouth's vociferous home supporters.