| “ | What is this?!? I can see it with my optical receptors, but my sensors cannot detect it! Could its physical form be anchored in another dimension? ...Attacking it is futile! If only we could force it to take on physical form... But in its current state... Krzzzt-zrrrk! Danger! Danger! Danger! | „ |
| ~ The Research Pod on the Waterwraith. |
Waterwraiths are minor albeit notorious antagonists and bosses from Pikmin 2 and Pikmin 4 that lacks a physical form in the Pikmin dimension. It is found on all sublevels of the Submerged Castle, which only Blue Pikmin can be brought into, although it is possible to find Bulbmin on levels two-four and White Pikmin on level three. It rolls around using two massive stone rollers and tracks down the captains and their Pikmin to crush them. Its only weakness is the strength of the Purple Pikmin, which can anchor it into Olimar's dimension.
Biography[]
Pikmin 2[]
While traveling through the floors of the Submerged Castle, the player must clear the first four floors quickly, because after five minutes, the Waterwraith will fall from the ceiling with its rollers and automatically chase after the active captain, no matter where they are. On the first four floors, it is useless to attack the Waterwraith, even when petrified with the Ultra-Bitter Spray, as it is physically present in another dimension and thus there is nothing for the Pikmin/Bulbmin to attack. However, since it only chases after the active captain and will not chase them in tight corners or dead-ends, as well as kill every enemy and deactivate all traps it rolls through, one could use this as an advantage to collect the remaining treasures and escape to the next floor. It cannot destroy gates.
On the fifth and final floor, there are two Violet Candypop Buds, which can be used to turn ten Pikmin/Bulbmin into Purple Pikmin. Use nectar from the nearby eggs to flower the Purple Pikmin. Break down the gate leading to a large room, and the Waterwraith will fall down once the captains get close to the center of the room. Throwing Purple Pikmin next to or on the Waterwraith will anchor it into the dimension, allowing Pikmin to attack it at last. However, it will try to shake Pikmin off and unanchor itself after a certain amount of time passes. Repeating this procedure will eventually break the rollers. The Waterwraith will then run around the floor in panic, knocking back any Pikmin who it runs into, though this is a harmless push. Continue chasing the Waterwraith and soon it will tire out. After a few more Purple Pikmin pounds, the Waterwraith lets out a final scream of pain and explodes, finally killing it. The Waterwraith drops the Professional Noisemaker, which allows the captains to pluck Pikmin out of the ground using their whistles.
Two Waterwraiths appear in the Bully Den, the 28th level in challenge mode, both appearing once the timer clicks 270, leaving only 30 seconds of preparation. It is tricky dealing with two Waterwraiths, but both should go down easily if a second player is active. One drops the Key and the other drops the Silencer.
Pikmin 4[]
The Waterwraith returns in the Engulfed Castle, where it plays an almost identical role as it did in the Submerged Castle from Pikmin 2. It will spawn after five minutes on each of the first four floors. It moves slower than it did in Pikmin 2, but is just as deadly and cannot be attacked. It can also defeat the player and Oatchi instantly should they have no armor upgrades. On the fifth floor, the player can turn their Pikmin into Purple Pikmin with two Violet Candypop Buds, with their stun anchoring the Waterwraith to the dimension and allowing the player to defeat it and it drops the Glinty Circular Disc. Once defeated, the Waterwraith will never respawn, allowing the player to return to the earlier sublevels and collect any missing treasure without a time restraint.
Two Waterwraiths appear on the sixteenth sublevel of the Cavern for a King. There are two Violet Candypop Buds should the player have no Purple Pikmin in their arsenal. One of the Waterwraiths holds the Connection Detector, and defeating both of them is required to open the gate that grants access to the next sublevel.
One last Waterwraith appears as a hazard in the tenth and final Trial of the Sage Leaf, The Purple Key. It will pursue the Pikmin or Oatchi when they carry the Purple Onion, but will cower away once its rollers are destroyed.
Piklopedia Notes[]
Dalmo[]
| “ | A living thing is a living thing, even if it transcends our understanding. This unnerving creature is translucent and has no actual physical body to speak of. Yet, somehow, it clutches its rollers with zealous devotion. It's both eerie and fascinating, don't you agree? | „ |
| ~ Dalmo's Notes. |
Olimar[]
| “ | All that is known about this creature stems from a few sightings deep underground. All reported sightings feature the same core set of details: a giant, viscous form with a clear, hazy sheen not unlike hard candy. One theory holds that it may be the ectoplasmic incarnation of a kind of psychic phenomenon, but as is usually the case with such theories, it is very difficult to prove. All witnesses report being suddenly overcome with fear upon sighting the creature, approaching a state of panic and near insanity. In fact, every report contains an inordinate amount of extremely vague details, which has led to suspicions that exhaustion and fear have caused some simple natural phenomenon to be viewed as a living creature. | „ |
| ~ Olimar's Notes |
Louie[]
| “ | Inedible. Known to cause mass hysteria, followed by leg spasms and internal thunderings. | „ |
| ~ Louie's Notes |
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Trivia[]
- The Waterwraith has many similarities (and might be related) to the Plasm Wraith, the final boss of Pikmin 3. Olimar even mentions the Waterwraith in his notes on the Plasm Wraith in Pikmin 3 Deluxe.
- Both are made up of a liquid-like form, the Waterwraith made up of a transparent liquid and the Plasm Wraith made up of a golden liquid.
- Both have the suffix "wraith" in their names.
- In the Japanese versions, both are named "Amebouzu" and are based on the Umibōzu legend.
- Both of their initial forms are completely invincible and Pikmin can only fight against them at the end of their respective level, Waterwraith in the Submerged Castle and the Plasm Wraith in the Formidable Oak.
- The Waterwraith's scientific name Amphibio sapiens roughly translates to "Wise amphibian", alluding to the creature's water-based body.
- The Waterwraith, the Giant Breadbug and the Titan Dweevil are the only bosses in Pikmin 2 to have their own musical theme. The Waterwraith and the Titan Dweevil are also the only bosses to have more than one battle theme. The Waterwraith has three with the chasing music for the first four sublevels of the Submerged Castle, the regular boss battle theme, and the distorted and incomplete boss theme when it flees missing its rollers. The Titan Dweevil is the final boss of Pikmin 2 and has five themes.
- In Pikmin 4, if the Waterwraith is first encountered in the first four sublevels of the Engulfed Castle, Collin's gives the player the advice to run away. But on the fifth floor, Collin will give the player advice to fight back as they just obtained the Purple Pikmin.
- The Waterwraith in Pikmin 2 became a meme after Let's Player Chuggaaconroy gave a notable reaction to encountering it in his LP of the game; when he encountered the Waterwraith moments after saying he thought he wouldn't encounter it, Chugga replied with "I just had to open my mouth! I just had to say it! As soon as I finished saying it!"
- The Waterwraith is considered one of, if not the most notorious enemy in the series. To say encounters with it are stressful is putting it lightly, as it has the ability to instantly wipe out the player's entire Pikmin army, is impervious to harm outside of its boss arena, and forces players to scavenge quickly due to its spawn timer.
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