Raw material
Raw materials are collectible items in Pikmin 4. They appear as light blue pebbles and are mainly found in piles around areas and caves, but can also be found from completing missions, destroying obstacles, defeating certain enemies, or digging in dirt-mounds. To collect them, they must be carried to the S.S. Beagle, with each Pikmin carrying 1 raw material at a time. If not enough Pikmin are sent to carry all the raw materials in a pile, they will walk back and forth between the pile and the S.S. Beagle until the pile is depleted, and all Pikmin will wait at the S.S. Beagle when they are done. Raw materials can be used to buy gear and items, and can be converted to clay for use in building structures.
Uses
Gear
Raw materials are necessary in the construction of certain pieces of gear.
- Brace Boots (80 pieces)
- Charging Horn (20 pieces)
- Gunk Busters (240 pieces)
- Headlamp (30 pieces)
- Headlamp+ (100 pieces)
- Homesick Signal (80 pieces)
- Idle Counter (40 pieces)
- Idler's Alert (80 pieces)
- Plucking Whistle (240 pieces)
- Power Whistle (120 pieces)
- Rush Boots (120 pieces)
- Survey Drone (10 pieces)
- Treasure Gauge (40 pieces)
- Treasure Gauge+ (100 pieces)
- Triple Threat (40 pieces)
- Anti-Electrifier (Leader: 50 pieces, Oatchi: 100 pieces)
- Scorch Guard (Leader: 50 pieces, Oatchi: 100 pieces)
- Sniff Saver (Oatchi exclusive: 100 pieces)
- Thermal Defense (Leader: 50 pieces, Oatchi: 100 pieces)
- Air Armor (Leader: 40 pieces, Oatchi: 80 pieces)
- Air Armor+ (Leader: 80 pieces, Oatchi: 120 pieces)
- Air Armor++ (Leader: 120 pieces, Oatchi: 160 pieces)
- Tuff Stuff (Leader: 40 pieces, Oatchi: 80 pieces)
- Tuff Stuff+ (Leader: 80 pieces, Oatchi: 120 pieces)
- Tuff Stuff++ (Leader: 120 pieces, Oatchi: 160 pieces)
Some Gear doesn't require raw material, namely the Extra Hand and Lineup Trumpet. These are instead earned by completing specific side missions assigned by castaways.
Items
Raw materials are also needed to create some items. The first time the player obtains an item, it will be free and will not require any raw materials.
- Scrummy bone (3 pieces)
- Emergency kit (5 pieces)
- Pikpik carrot (2 pieces)
- Bomb rock (8 pieces)
- Ice Blast (8 pieces)
- Lightning Shock (30 pieces)
- Trackonator (10 pieces)
- Mine (10 pieces)
Construction
Raw materials can be converted to clay to build clay bridges, clay mounds, climbing walls, and clay valves. Russ must be rescued before this is possible. When a Pikmin is ordered to work on one of these structures, it will run back to the S.S. Beagle, from which a piece of clay will come out that the Pikmin catches. The Pikmin then carries this piece towards the destination and throws it into place.
Each blob of clay costs one piece of raw material, and the raw material counter decreases as soon as the clay comes out of the S.S. Beagle. If the player has 0 raw materials, the Pikmin will idle under the S.S. Beagle waiting for more to be retrieved so they can continue. 1009 raw material is required to build all 43 structures in the main game, and 169 is required to build all structures present in Olimar's Shipwreck Tale.
Gallery
Pikmin carrying raw materials back to the S.S. Beagle.
Pikmin bringing lumps of clay from the S.S. Beagle.
The same lumps of clay being used to build a clay bridge.
A large pile of raw materials in the Drafty Gallery.
The rookie Rescue Officer carrying raw material.
Names in other languages
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese |
シザイ? Shizai |
Raw material |
 Chinese(traditional) |
材料 Cáiliào |
Material |
 Chinese(simplified) |
材料 Cáiliào |
Material |
 German |
Rohmaterial | Raw material |
 Portuguese |
Matéria-prima | Raw material |
 Spanish |
Materia prima | Raw material |