Volatile Dweevil

Volatile Dweevil
Appears in	Pikmin 2
Scientific name	Mandarachnia explodus
Family	Dweevil
Areas	None
Caves	Subterranean Complex, Shower Room, Submerged Castle, Hole of Heroes
Challenge Mode stages	Concrete Maze, Cave of Pain, Bully Den
2-Player Battle stages	None
Attacks	Self-destructs

The Volatile Dweevil (サクレショイグモ^?, lit.: "Exploding Carrying Spider") is an enemy in Pikmin 2. At first glance, they appear to be bomb-rocks with legs, but are actually Dweevils that have picked up bomb-rocks, much like how other members of the Dweevil family pick up treasures and corpses; unlike other members of that family, Volatile Dweevils are known to only carry bomb-rocks and are never seen without one.

A Volatile Dweevil's bomb-rock will start the countdown fuse as soon as the creature is startled, and it will chase leaders and Pikmin until the bomb-rock explodes, killing itself and anything else caught in the blast. With that in mind, the best way to deal with a Volatile Dweevil is simply to run away from it until it blows up. They cannot be directly attacked unless petrified, which also freezes the bomb-rock in mid-detonation, making it useful in an emergency. While Volatile Dweevils drop nectars and spray nectars when killed whilst petrified, they will drop nothing in 2-Player Battle.

In terms of gameplay, Volatile Dweevils are more-so hazards than enemies. They can unexpectedly drop from the ceiling and are often found around treasures, making them extremely dangerous to Pikmin attempting to retrieve the treasure.

Volatile Dweevils are roulette options in 2-Player Battle. When activated, a Volatile Dweevil drops onto the opponent player and begins to detonate. It is best to use this power-up when the opponent is preoccupied with many tasks.

While the species is absent from Pikmin 4, other Dweevil species can be encountered carrying a bomb-rock. Functionally, the only difference is the presence of the Dweevil's recoverable corpse after the explosion. Aesthetically, these bomb wielding Dweevils do not sit down like the Volatile Dweevil does.

Stats

Weight	Max. carriers	Seeds	Value	Health	Regen.
N/A	N/A	N/A	0^{[note 1]}	150	No

^ Although the creature does not leave a corpse, the Piklopedia states its value as specifically 0 instead of the usual "----".

Notes

Olimar's notes

GameCube

“The volatile dweevil is one member of an insect family known for mimicking objects by carrying them on their backs. The dweevil family exhibits a most unusual characteristic whereby the creature's behavioral patterns actually change based upon the object the creature carries on its back. The volatile dweevil has one of the most potent attacks of all species in within the dweevil family, due to its habit of carrying explosive devices. Approach with caution and/or body armor!”

Wii

“The volatile dweevil is one member of an insect family known for mimicking objects by carrying them on their backs. The dweevil family exhibits a most unusual characteristic whereby the creature's behavioral patterns actually change based upon the object the creature carries on its back. The volatile dweevil has one of the most potent attacks of all species within the dweevil family, due to its habit of carrying explosive devices. Approach with caution and/or body armor!”

Louie's notes

“This scorching species combusts upon contact with the tongue. Only edible by the adventurous and asbestos-tongued.”

Pikmin 2 Nintendo Player's Guide

“Bomb-rock-carrying spiders charge at your Pikmin and pilots as soon as their explosives are triggered and the countdown has begun. When you see a Volatile Dweevil, gather your Pikmin and run. The good news is that once a Volatile Dweevil's bomb-rock detonates, the creature will be history.”

Behavior

Volatile Dweevils frequently fall from the ceilings of various caves. Once one does, it will proceed to pursue the closest leader or Pikmin. At first, it will walk at a moderate pace towards its target, and once it gets considerably close, the bomb-rock on its back will activate and begin a normal countdown until it explodes. The countdown can be sped up by attacking the creature, and once the bomb explodes, the Dweevil will die, leaving behind no corpse, and any Pikmin caught within the radius will also be killed. Additionally, if the Dweevil is lured into any other creatures nearby, the explosion will deal great damage to them, killing small ones, like Dwarf Bulborbs, and taking chunks of HP from larger ones.

Before the bomb-rock activates, if the Volatile Dweevil's target escapes its range of interest (this is particularly easy for a leader with the Rush Boots upgrade), then it will switch it target to the next closest leader or Pikmin. If no other targets are nearby, it will go into a dormant state, lowering its head to the ground and remaining dormant. At this point, it looks like a bomb-rock with little evidence of thin legs underneath it. The creature will only reactivate once approached again by a leader or Pikmin.

Strategy

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

Typically, Volatile Dweevils will fall from the ceiling in certain caves, so always be cautious in those caves. If a Volatile Dweevil drops down, it is best to stay near it long enough to begin its count-down process, and then run away to allow it to explode away from your Pikmin. Dealing with Volatile Dweevils while carrying treasures is a little more difficult, as it makes you call your Pikmin back, often more than once. When carrying objects back to your ship pod, and a Volatile Dweevil falls upon your group, you can lead the Dweevil away from the Pikmin with your leaders. Just make sure to get out of the way of the explosion, as it deals a decent chunk of damage to your leaders.

Technical information

Pikmin 2 technical information (?)
Internal name			`bombotakara`
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	0 (0%)
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 (remnant from other dweevils; treasure HP?)	80
fp10	ノーマルアタック	Unknown (normal attack?)	1
fp11	オタカラアタック	Unknown (remnant from other dweevils; treasure attack?)	1.25
fp21	オタカラキャッチ	Unknown (remnant from other dweevils; treasure catch?)	2.5

Other information

Size: Leg span: 54mm, as per the e-card
Pikmin 2 Piklopedia number: #41

Naming

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	サクレショイグモ^? Sakure Shoi Gumo	Exploding Carrying Spider
French	Araknéak Volatil	Volatile Dweevil
Spanish	Bombaraña	Portmanteau of "bomba" (bomb) and "araña" (spider)

Gallery

This article or section is in need of more images. Particularly:
Capture a photograph of the creature as it falls from a cave ceiling. Because it and its bomb rock fall separately, like the Waterwraith and its rollers, the Volatile Dweevil's body can be seen unobscured.
You can help Pikipedia by uploading some images.

Olimar in front of a Volatile Dweevil. The Dweevil's black head is visible here.
A Volatile Dweevil about to explode in the Piklopedia.
The creature's e-card, #42 (13^th yellow card).

Trivia

In this enemy's Piklopedia entry, petrifying the creature just as it breaks free from another spray makes it possible to freeze it and its bomb-rock separately.
It is not known how Louie collects the corpse as it doesn't drop one during the explosion of the bomb rock.