| Decorated Cannon Beetle | |
|---|---|
| File:Decorated Cannon Beetle.jpg | |
| Appears in | N/A |
| Scientific name | Granitus decorum |
| Family | Lithopod |
| Areas | Valley of Repose, Wistful Wild |
| Attacks | Launches magnetic boulders |
Decorated Cannon Beetles have an appearance similar to Armored Cannon Beetle Larvae, but are red instead of green, and have orange eyes. They, too, spit out stones, but their rocks home in on the currently active captain due to the magnetic field which envelops the boulders. This particular species is never found buried in the ground like Armored Cannon Beetles. Even when they are found in caves which are made of metal (which is rusty, indicating it contains iron), the spacesuits are the only thing the boulders homes in on.
The best way to defeat it is to go alone and wait for it to spit out a rock. Since the rocks follow you, you can manipulate them. However, it is nigh impossible to get a rock out of a lower water-filled area. The rocks can follow you into the same Beetle that spat them out and damage themselves. This is the most simple and easy way to kill them. These rocks can also be used to defeat other enemies with the same method, but know that one rock can be crushed by another rock, so keep in mind when you are guiding a rock. The longer a rock rolls, the more damage it'll do to the enemy it hits. As a note, the rocks it shoots out cannot be petrified. These boulders also act quite well against other enemies as well, killing small ones instantly and larger ones in one or two hits (depending on where they hit; if the boulder strikes the target's head, it will cause significantly more damage, even to the beetle itself).
Glitches
Activate the Piklopedia. Select the archive for this creature. Throw Pikpik carrots at the Beetle, making sure that they land in front and to the side of it. The Beetle will then spit out a rock, which will roll around to hit the Beetle if you have done it correctly. When the rock crashes on the Beetle, the Beetle doesn't die, no matter how many times you do this.
In the end of day sequence at the Valley of Repose, a Decorated Cannon Beetle often appears. Sometimes it will shoot rocks (which occasionally strike and injure/kill other enemies), inhale, and walk much faster than normal.
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How to Kill
Pikmin
It is advised that you don't use Pikmin for this, but if there's not enough room to kill it with its own attack, use the Armored Cannon Beetle Larva strategy.
Captains
Wait for it to shoot out a rock, then slowly walk back around toward the beetle, making sure to avoid sharp turns, and you can direct the rock to hit the beast. The impact should lower its health about half-way, depending on how far you let the rock follow you. Repeat if necessary. Boulders can also be led into other enemies, often defeating smaller ones with a single blow. If there's not enough room to do this, use the Armored Cannon Beetle Larva strategy.