Moldy Dwarf Bulborb

Moldy Dwarf Bulborb
Appears in	Pikmin 4
Scientific name	Parasitus pseudofungi elasticis hostus
Family	Sporovid
Areas	Primordial Thicket
Caves	Engulfed Castle, Doppelgänger's Den, Cavern for a King
Dandori Challenge stages	Toggle Training, Oasis of Order, Trial of the Sage Leaf
Dandori Battle stages	Final Battle
Attacks	Eat Pikmin, emits poison

The Moldy Dwarf Bulborb (カビコチャッピー^?, lit.: "Mold Small Chappy") is an enemy in Pikmin 4. It is the body of a Dwarf Bulborb being controlled by a parasitic Toxstool. As the parasite has full control over the host's body, it is classified as being a member of the Sporovid family rather than the Grub-dog family. It acts similar to a typical dwarf bulborb of any variety, but differ as they expel poisonous gas from their backs which are harmful to non-White Pikmin. If killed, they can be revived by the Toxstool. The same parasite species also infects the Moldy Slooch. This creature alongside the Moldy Slooch can eat White Pikmin, and not be poisoned whatsoever.

Stats

Weight	Max. carriers	Seeds	Value	Health
3	6	3 (0 glow pellets)	× 3	150

Behavior

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin 4.
Particularly: Describe its behavior when it sees Pikmin, when it attacks, when it shakes, when it loses interest, etc.

The Moldy Dwarf Bulborb behaves similarly to Dwarf Bulborbs idling and pacing around until engaged in combat. Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs are thought to have a larger detection radius, which is something not truly confirmed, more health points and a more aggressive disposition. Unlike Dwarf Bulborbs, Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs can't be one-shot with a direct strike to their back and instead stagger, spew toxic spores and take a chunk of damage.

Toxstools can revive Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs by pathing to them and spewing spores over them.

Appearance

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Particularly: Describe the appearance of the creature and, if it applies, how it compares to similar creatures.

The Moldy Dwarf Bulborb is identical in size and shape to a Dwarf Bulborb, barring the clusters of fungi on its body. Its face is a light stone blue, its hindquarters turquoise, and its spots white. The sky-blue fungal mass is nearly the size and span of the Dwarf Bulborb host and it wobbles and sways as the host moves. Direct strikes to the back of the Moldy Dwarf Bulborb squash the fungal clusters and expel clouds of toxic spores.

The Moldy Dwarf Bulborb is implied to be close to death (if not actually dead) in Olimar's log, and its turquoise pallor and black eyes are likely a product of fungal colonization and decomposition.

Locations

Strategy

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

The following article or section is in need of assistance from someone who plays Pikmin 4.
Particularly: Add a guide on how to beat it.

The Moldy Dwarf Bulborb can be taken care of by throwing White Pikmin on its back and repeatedly stun-locking it. Any color of Pikmin will deal contact damage and stagger it, but with the risk of scattering or losing Pikmin due to the spores released on a direct hit. If the player does not have White Pikmin, it is better to simply have the Pikmin charge at the enemy, as it will not release poison if engaged in that way. Alternatively, Oatchi can make short work of them provided he's equipped with the Pup Sniff Saver, either biting them or flattening them with a charge.

Notes

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Particularly: Transcribe notes about this enemy, though remember that all transcribed notes will be replaced with notes from the game files eventually.

Dalmo's Notes

“Picture this scenario: like this poor darling, you're conscious but no longer in control of your own body. Someone or something else has taken you over. A horrifying concept, isn't it? But what if the thing controlling you couldn't live if it didn't do that? Sometimes it's simply a matter of survival.”

Olimar's Notes

“This is an example of a young Bulborb body that's been infested by fungal filaments. Now a host, it unconsciously continues to seek out and ingest food, all the while scattering large amounts of spores out of the spore sacs on its back until it can no longer move.

After all host-body activity ceases, the specimen mutates into a fungal culture that will eventually become a juvenile Toxstool.”

Louie's Notes

“Tastes best if eaten just before the meat spoils. Once all the mold has been removed, enjoy a unique flavor reminiscent of dry-aged meat.”

Other information

Pikmin 4 Piklopedia number: #76

Naming

See more: Sporovid#Naming.

Common name: Moldy Dwarf Bulborb. Mold is a type of invasive fungus.
Japanese nickname: カビコチャッピー^?, lit.: "Mold Small Chappy". "Small Chappy" is Japanese for the Dwarf Bulborb and "Kabi" means mold, referring to how the mold is infecting the Dwarf Bulborb.
Japanese name: ボケナメコモドキとその宿主^?, lit.: "Pseudo-Stupid Nameko and its host". It refers to how it is a host for the Toxstool.
Scientific name: Parasitus pseudofungi elasticis hostus. Parasitus pseudofungi elasticis is the scientific name of the Toxstool, with the added hostus to signify that these species chooses a "host" body to control.
Internal names: KINOKOCHAPPY. "Chappy" is Japanese for Bulborb, referring to how it's an infected Dwarf Bulborb. "Kinoko" means mushroom, referring to how it is infected by the Toxstool's spores.
Prerelease: None.

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning	Notes
Japanese	カビコチャッピー^? Kabi Ko Chappī	Mold Small Chappy
Chinese (traditional)	黴菌小恰比 Méijūn Xiǎo Qiàbǐ	Mold Small Chappy
Chinese (simplified)	霉菌小恰比 Méijūn Xiǎo Qiàbǐ	Mold Small Chappy
Dutch	Schimmeldwergbulborb	Mold dwarf bulborb
French	Sporobulborbe nain	Dwarf Sporobulborb
German	Giftiger Zwerg-Punktkäfer	Toxic Dwarf Bulborb
Italian	Coleto nano sporico	Dwarf bulborbsporic	"Coleto" may come from "boletus" (Latin for mushroom), as a bulborb's spots resemble those found on certain mushrooms
Korean	곰팡이꼬마차피 Gompang'i-Kkoma-Chapi	Mold Small Chappy
Portuguese	Bulbolho-anão mofado	Moldy dwarf bulborb
Spanish	Bulbo mohoso enano	Dwarf moldy bulborb

Gallery

A group of Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs.
Some Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs eating Pikpik carrots.
The corpse of a Moldy Dwarf Bulborb in the Piklopedia.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb in the Engulfed Castle.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb being revived by a Toxstool.
Two Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs in Primordial Thicket.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb on a Sticky Mold.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb expelling poison gas.
Five defeated Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs in the Piklopedia.

Trivia

Olimar's notes classify the fungal host body as that of a "young Bulborb", rather than that of a Breadbug mimic like the Dwarf Bulborb. This is possibly a mistake, as the host body features multiple traits (short snout, fewer spots) that are consistent with that of a Breadbug mimic. Notably, the Dwarf Frosty Bulborb is both considered an actual Bulborb and has these characteristics.