Hydro Dweevil In-game icon.
Icon for the Hydro Dweevil, from Pikmin 4's Piklopedia.
Appears in Pikmin 2Pikmin 4
Scientific name Mandarachnia aquadis
Mandarachnia sulfurnid (Before Pikmin 2 (Nintendo Switch))
Family Dweevil
Areas Serene Shores, Hero's Hideaway (Olimar's Shipwreck Tale)
Caves Frontier Cavern, Hole of Heroes, Dream Den, Doppelgänger's Den
Challenge Mode stages Dweevil Nest, Hazard Training
Dandori Challenge stages None
Dandori Battle stages None
2-Player Battle stages None
Attacks Sprays water

The Hydro Dweevil (ルリショイグモ?, lit.: "Lapis Lazuli Carrying Spider"), named Caustic Dweevil in the GameCube and Wii versions of Pikmin 2, is an enemy in Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 4. Non-aggressive members of the dweevil family, Hydro Dweevils pick up any treasure or enemy corpses they can find, only releasing when Pikmin interfere, at which point they will attack by spraying water, which suffocates and drowns all Pikmin types except Blue Pikmin, Bulbmin and Glow Pikmin, making those the best choice in battle against them.

Stats

Game Weight Max.
carriers
Seeds Value Health Regen.
  3 6 5[note 1]   × 2 150 No
  2 4 3   × 2 300 No
  1. ^ This enemy cannot be delivered to Onions in-game. This information is obtained from the game files.

Notes

Olimar's notes

The caustic dweevil is one member of an insect family known for mimicking objects by carrying them on their backs. Several points of differentiation with other members of the species have been confirmed, such as body color and behavioral patterns, but none of these suggest major deviations in the creature's genetic structure. This makes it clear that it is a relative of the family. When attacked by enemies, the caustic dweevil spits out bodily fluids in response. Space suits corrode and oxidize when they come in contact with this highly acidic liquid.

Louie's notes

Inedible. Effects of consumption include uncontrollable arm flailing and enthusiastic dishwashing.

Pikmin 2 Nintendo Player's Guide

They'll make your skin crawl on sight, but the worst Caustic Dweevils can do to your troops is to spit water at them. Use only blue Pikmin in the battle if you can, and toss them at the beast's body. If you use other types of troops, be ready to whistle them free from the bubbles.

Pikmin 2 (Nintendo Switch) Olimar's notes

The hydro dweevil is one member of an insect family known for mimicking objects by carrying them on their backs. Several points of differentiation with other members of the species have been confirmed, such as body color and behavioral patterns, but none of these suggest major deviations in the creature's genetic structure. This makes it clear that it is a relative of the family. When attacked by enemies, the hydro dweevil spits out bodily fluids in response. Space suits corrode and oxidize when they come in contact with this liquid.

Dalmo's Notes

It's bewitching to behold the way it skitter-skitters around on those long, slender lapis-lazuli blue legs while carrying treasure on its back. If, in an excess amount of excitement, you reach out a hand to touch it, a startling plash should deter you! Be calm and quiet around this beastie.

Behavior

Hydro Dweevils scurry about randomly and take no note of the presence of any leader or Pikmin if left undisturbed. When provoked one will attempt to defend itself by releasing a pressurized spurt of water below it. Hydro Dweevils are frail creatures and will die quickly if attacked by even a few Pikmin, or by the punches from a leader.

When a treasure or a corpse of another creature is nearby, a Hydro Dweevil will lift it up onto its head and carry it, making it impossible for Pikmin to collect until it is broken free. When a Dweevil has an item in its possession, it will stay at rest, crouching down, appearing as if it is only the item, until it is approached by a leader or Pikmin, at which point it will stand up and run away.

In Pikmin 4, as with all dweevils, the Hydro Dweevil's range of objects it can carry has increased. Any object that is directly carryable by Pikmin, notably useable items from the Pack, can now be carried by the Dweevil. This even includes fire starters, although this can only be seen with Fiery Dweevils in the Giant's Hearth in-game. Items that can explode, like bomb rocks or ice blasts can be used by the Dweevil when it has a target in its sights, replicating the ability of the Volatile Dweevil from Pikmin 2. It should be noted that Dweevils are not immune to the effects of these bombs, and will immediately die or become frozen as a result of the blast.

Strategy

The following article or section contains guides.
The strategies shown are just suggestions.

Pikmin

Either swarm the creature with a group of Pikmin, or throw Pikmin at its head. While it's technically safest to attack it with Blue Pikmin, the creature is weak enough that it oftentimes will die before it can attack at all. Even if the Dweevil manages to attack before it dies, you can simply whistle the water off to prevent casualties. As with most Dweevils, Purple Pikmin are incredibly effective against them. A stomp nearby is guaranteed to stun them, and a direct stomp to their head will almost instantly kill it.

Do note that, if the Dweevil's health is completely depleted while it is preparing to attack, that the attack will not be interrupted, the Dweevil not dying until the moment the attack ends. Additionally, take care to make sure your Leaders are not hit by the water spray; it will always stun your Leaders regardless of upgrades, and you won't be able to whistle to any drowning Pikmin during this stun.

Leaders

Simply punch the creature until it dies. While it's water spray will stun leaders if it hits, it won't actually damage them.

Technical information

Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
Internal name waterotakara
Global properties (List)
ID Japanese comment Property Value
s000 friction(not used) Friction 0.5
s001 wallReflection Unknown (wall bounce speed multiplier?) 0.5
s002 faceDirAdjust Unknown 0.25
s003 accel Acceleration 0.1
s004 bounceFactor Unknown (bounce when it hits the ground?) 0.3
fp00 ライフ HP 150
fp01 マップとの当り Unknown (related to slopes) 30
fp02 ダメージスケールXZ Horizontal damage scale 0.1
fp03 ダメージスケールY Vertical damage scale 0.1
fp04 ダメージフレーム Damage scale duration 0.5
fp05 質量 Unknown (weight?) 0.01
fp06 速度 Move speed 80
fp08 回転速度率 Rotation acceleration 0.25
fp09 テリトリー Territory radius 200
fp10 ホーム範囲 "Home" radius 75
fp11 プライベート距離 "Private" radius 70
fp12 視界距離 Sight radius 200
fp13 視界角度 FOV 180
fp14 探索距離 Unknown (exploration radius?) 300
fp15 探索角度 Unknown (exploration angle?) 90
fp16 振り払い率 Successful shake rate 1
fp17 振り払い力 Shake knockback 250
fp18 振り払いダメージ Shake damage 1
fp19 振り払い範囲 Shake range 25
fp20 攻撃可能範囲 Unknown (shock attack max range?) 25
fp21 攻撃可能角度 Unknown (shock attack max angle?) 25
fp22 攻撃ヒット範囲 Unknown (attack hit range?) 60
fp23 攻撃ヒット角度 Unknown (attack hit angle?) 0
fp24 攻撃力 Attack damage 0
fp25 視界高 Unknown (height visibility?) 50
fp26 探索高 Unknown (exploration height?) 50
fp27 ライフの高さ HP wheel height 75
fp28 回転最大速度 Rotation speed 4
fp29 警戒時間 Unknown (warning time?) 15
fp30 警戒ライフ Unknown 50
fp31 ライフ回復率 Regeneration rate 0
fp32 LOD半径 Off-camera radius 50
fp33 マップとのあたりポリゴンの選定 Collision processing radius 25
fp34 ピクミンとのあたり Pikmin damage radius 5
fp35 石化時間 Petrification duration 1
fp36 ヒップドロップダメージ Purple Pikmin drop damage 50
fp37 地震気絶確立 Purple Pikmin stun chance 1 (100%)
fp38 地震気絶時間 Purple Pikmin stun time 5
ip01 振り払い打撃A Shake mode 1 – hit count 6
ip02 振り払い張付1 Shake mode 1 – Pikmin requirement 5
ip03 振り払い打撃B Shake mode 2 – hit count 12
ip04 振り払い張付2 Shake mode 2 – Pikmin requirement 10
ip05 振り払い打撃C Shake mode 3 – hit count 17
ip06 振り払い張付3 Shake mode 3 – Pikmin requirement 20
ip07 振り払い打撃D Shake mode 4 – hit count 22
Specific properties
ID Japanese comment Property Value
fp01 オタカラライフ Unknown (damage until treasure is knocked off?) 80
fp10 ノーマルアタック Unknown 1
fp11 オタカラアタック Unknown 1.25
fp21 オタカラキャッチ Unknown 2.5

Other information

  • Size: Leg span: 54mm, as per the e-card
  • Pikmin 2 Piklopedia number: #39

Naming

See more: Dweevil family#Naming.
  • Common name: Hydro Dweevil. Hydro is a prefix referring to water. The Hydro Dweevil attacks with high pressure water. In the original English translation, it was named the Caustic Dweevil. Something that is caustic can corrode living tissue, like acid. In this translation, Olimar's notes mentioned that the dweevil attacks with an acidic liquid. This however was a liberty of the localization, and in the Switch port, the dweevil was renamed to the Hydro Dweevil.
  • Japanese nickname: ルリショイグモ?, lit.: "Lapis Lazuli Carrying Spider". Lapis lazuli is a blue stone.
  • Japanese name: セオイカナエグモ?, lit.: "Carrying Ding Spider". It is shared with the Fiery, Anode, Munge and Volatile Dweevils.
  • Scientific name: Mandarachnia aquadis. "Aquadis" is similar to "aqua", relating to water. Prior to the Switch port, the scientific name was "Mandarachnia sulfurnid". It uses the word sulfurnid, referring to sulfuric acid.
  • Internal names: Internally, it is called waterotakara, a combination of "water" and "otakara" ("treasure").
  • Prerelease: Before being named Caustic Dweevil in the original version, they were initially called Acidic Dweevils, according to the early English script left unused inside Pikmin 2's files.[1]

Names in other languages

Language Name Meaning Notes
  Japanese ルリショイグモ?
Ruri Shoi Gumo
Lapis Lazuli Carrying Spider
  Chinese
(traditional)
琉璃藍背蛛
Liúlilán Bèizhū
Lapis Blue Carrying Spider
  Chinese
(simplified)
琉璃蓝背蛛
Liúlilán Bèizhū
Lapis Blue Carrying Spider
  Dutch Sproeiende tooiwagen
  French Araknéak Caustique (Pikmin 2)
Araknéak aquatique (Pikmin 2 Switch version and Pikmin 4)
Caustic Dweevil (Pikmin 2)
Aquatic dweevil (Pikmin 2 Switch version and Pikmin 4)
  German Acidarak (Pikmin 2)
Aquarak (Pikmin 4)
Acidarach
Aquarach
From "acid" and "-arak" (dweevil), derived from "arachno-"
From Latin "aqua" and "-arak" (dweevil), derived from "arachno-"
  Italian Opiliode caustico (Pikmin 2)
Opiliode acquatico (Pikmin 2 Switch version and Pikmin 4)
Caustic Dweevil
Aquatic Dweevil
  Korean 파랑업어거미
Parang-Eobeo-Geomi
Blue Carrying Spider
  Portuguese Aquaranha Aquapider The name is a portmanteau of "aquática" (aquatic) and "aranha" (spider)
  Spanish Caustiaraña (Pikmin 2)
Hidroaraña (Pikmin 2 Switch version and Pikmin 4)
Caustipider (Pikmin 2)
Hydropider (Pikmin 2 Switch version and Pikmin 4)
The name is a portmanteau of "cáustico" (caustic) and "araña" (spider)
The name is a portmanteau of "hidro" (hydro) and "araña" (spider)

Gallery

Pikmin 2

Pikmin 4

Other

Trivia

See also

References

  1. ^ Pikmin 2/Early English Script on The Cutting Room Floor


 

This article was a featured article from January 26th to May 6th, 2009.