Puffstool
| Puffstool | |
|---|---|
| File:Puffstool(PikminNPC).jpg | |
| Appears in | Pikmin |
| Scientific name | Aspergilla podronis |
| Family | Sporovid |
| Areas | The Forest Navel |
| Challenge Mode stages | The Distant Spring |
| Attacks | Possesses Pikmin |
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The Puffstool is a boss in Pikmin that appears to be a huge walking fungus, strongly resembling a red-capped bolete. It has twin antennae ( much like a jellyfloat), a red-capped mushroom head and a tender yellow torso which is vulnerable to swarming. Only minimal details of the creature's biology of the game are supplied. The Puffstool is one of the enemies with which the crushing glitch happens fairly regularly; the frequency increased in the Wii version of the game.
The Puffstool will try to run when attacked, but its legs are clearly not made for sprinting and it trips easily, landing on its head with feet in the air. Since the cap is invulnerable to attack, Pikmin must be thrown onto its undersection once it's on the ground. After a few seconds, the Puffstool will right itself up and blow out a purplish cloud of spores which cause a strange change in nearby Pikmin, which the Puffstool acts as a Captain for. Affected Pikmin turn purple and grow small brown mushroom caps on their stalks. These Pikmin are known infamously as Puffmin.
Strategy
The best way to kill a Puffstool is to bring a large amount of Pikmin (anywhere from 60-100, though the more Pikmin the better). Bring the Pikmin down into it's lair and get the Puffstool to chase you, and therefore trip. Once it falls over, swarm it. Throw as many Pikmin as you can. Don't stop throwing Pikmin until it dies. You can usually kill it without it releasing any spores, but if it does manage to get back up, run away with all you Pikmin so they are not affected. Repeat the cycle again if nessecary. Usually you only need to do it once, but sometimes twice. Overall, the Puffstool is not too hard to defeat.
Edit: Another easier way to kill the Puffstool is to just take Olimar alone, his throw acts like a punch when there are no pikmin around dealing damage to the boss. It takes a little over 4 minutes to punch the boss to death, and there is no need to worry about losing any pikmin.
Notes
To see Ship Log and Reel notes, see here.
Guide Book
"Red Sporovids seem to have developed higher functions than other fungi, as evidenced by the protruding reproductive organs on their caps. These organs act much like a flower would on a normal plant. This species appears to be able to seperate for a short time from the fungal colony to which it belongs. This occurs when the mushroom cap has reached a certain size and the spore sac is full. It will then sever its connection to the colony to walk around a limited area to spread the spores. This walking form can no longer absorb nutrients from the colony, but if the released spores contact another living creature, spore-encased fungal filaments will begin an explosive cycle of reproduction within the host, taking over its central nervous system. The host will be controlled by the Red Sporovid within its area of activity. Edible, considered a delicacy. Referred to as "punchstool" in some locales."
Locations
A single Puffstool can be found in The Forest Navel, where it holds the Omega Stabilizer. Once defeated, its cap can be returned to an Onion where it will produce 30 Pikmin seeds. Two Puffstools can also be found in The Distant Spring in Challenge Mode. According to the early screenshot to the right, a Puffstool would have appeared in The Forest of Hope on the plateau overlooking the small body of water where the trio of Burrowing Snagrets are in the final game.
Appearances in other games
- See also: the Puffstool article at Zeldapedia
In The Legend of Zelda: The Minish Cap for the Game Boy Advance, Puffstools are enemies that are encountered in a dungeon known as the Deepwood Shrine. If the player does not kill the Puffstools, they will leave clouds of gold spores everywhere, which must be disposed of with an item known as the 'gust jar'. Their appearance has been slightly altered. They now have eyes, a white ring around the cap of the mushroom, are taller, and have bigger feet. They are presumably about the same size as they are in Pikmin, in which Olimar's size makes them appear relatively much larger.
Trivia
- In the official guide book for the New Play Control! Pikmin game, The Puffstool's page states that its name is commonly pronounced incorrectly as "Punchstool" by Hocotatains, indicating that they may have different spelling rules than Earthlings.
- If the player kills the Puffstool as it begins to get up, it will still do so and release its spores with its health indicating it is dead; a similar effect occurs when a Wollywog is defeated when jumping.
- Being one of the five enemies from the first game that do not reappear in the second game, the Puffstool seems to have been replaced by the Jellyfloats, which have the same antennae and general body shape.