Moldy Dwarf Bulborb
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|---|---|---|---|
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| 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 | ||
| Night expeditions | The Sylvan Gate, Autumnal Gully | ||
| 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.
While they appear to be another variant of Dwarf Bulborb, they are, in reality, effectively reanimated husks, their body completely controlled by the parasitic spores of a Toxstool. As the parasite completely suppresses the Dwarf Bulborb's consciousness and body, it is classified as being a member of the sporovid family rather than the grub-dog family. While they behave similarly to all other Dwarf Bulborb species, the parasitic growths on their back will release spores if disturbed or directly stomped that will poison all types besides White Pikmin and Glow Pikmin, which are immune. They are also notably immune to poison themselves, and will not suffer any damage from consuming White Pikmin.
If a Toxstool notices a deceased Moldy Dwarf Bulborb, it will revive it by spewing its spores on them. The same parasite species also infects the Moldy Slooch.
Stats[edit]
| Weight | Max. carriers |
Seeds | Value | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 6 | 3 (0 glow pellets) |  × 3
|
150 |
Behavior[edit]
Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs largely behave similarly to their uninfected variants, idling in place and sniffing the ground, waiting for prey to pass by. They are quite alert and will almost instantly detect nearby prey, making a guttural growl and pursuing them. As with all Bulborbs, they have a rather strict territory radius and will refuse to leave it; if lured outside of it, they will disengage the chase entirely and return to resume idly waiting for prey.
Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs primarily attack with bites, as with most Dwarf Bulborbs. They are rather slow eaters and can only eat one Pikmin (two on Fierce) at a time, slowly chewing their catch before swallowing it; if killed, or if their back is stomped during this animation, they will release the Pikmin safely.
Their advanced stage of infection, however, lends them several new avenues of attack. Most notably, a direct Pikmin stomp to their back will agitate the parasitic mold growths on it, causing them to spew spores on everything nearby, poisoning all Pikmin that aren't immune to it. This also happens when they shake attacking Pikmin off; assaults with anything other than White Pikmin, Glow Pikmin, or a sufficiently upgraded Oatchi are quite risky as a result.
Toxstools can revive fallen Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs by spewing spores on their corpse. Once revived, the behavior remains the same.
Appearance[edit]
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[edit]
Strategy[edit]
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The following article or section contains guides. |
With Pikmin[edit]
Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs are fought much like other Dwarf Bulborbs, with a few key differences; namely, throwing a Pikmin directly onto their back will cause a miniature spore-burst that will poison Pikmin that aren't immune: White Pikmin and Glow Pikmin are largely recommended as both are innately immune to this. The Dwarf Bulborb is also durable enough to require multiple stomps to kill, but this is a non-issue if using the aforementioned types, as one can simply rapidly throw them at it to stun-lock it to death.
In situations where White Pikmin are not available and Glow Pikmin are scarce, such as in the Engulfed Castle, it is, paradoxically, often a better idea to simply throw your Pikmin in front of it so they attack it's front. While it will almost certainly successfully bite at least one, with enough Pikmin attacking it, it will likely die before successfully swallowing it. Avoid throwing Pikmin directly on it at the risk of the spore cloud poisoning all attackers, and be quick with the whistle regardless, as it will also scatter spores when it shakes Pikmin off.
To prevent a Toxstool from reviving them during the encounter in Cavern for a King, destroy the nearby Poison Spotcaps first to lift the sticky mold, and then deposit the corpse in the S.S. Beagle before the Toxstool notices. Alternatively, their bodies could be shattered by having Ice Pikmin freeze them.
Alternate methods[edit]
While it's technically possible to punch one to death, given the rookie Rescue Officer's innate immunity to poison, this will take quite a while, even with the Triple Threat upgrade.
Oatchi can handle Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs, although it will be a somewhat tricky affair without his 
Pup Sniff Saver. Send him at it directly head-on, since attacks from the back will cause it to spread spores. If he is poisoned, either whistle him to purge the poison, or if actively controlling him, wiggle the joystick to recover faster. If he is immune to poison, simply fight it as any other Dwarf Bulborb; his bites will make extremely short work of the enemy and, if his Rush is sufficiently upgraded, he can simply bowl over it for an instant kill.
Notes[edit]
Dalmo's notes[edit]
Olimar's notes[edit]
“This is an example of a young Bulborb body that's been infected 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[edit]
Pikmin Garden[edit]
- Text
“菌糸に体を乗っ取られたデメマダラの幼体。宿主の意思はなく、胞子をまき散らしながら餌を食べ回り、いずれ動かなくなる。
特徴 その1 操られる
- ドクナメコの菌糸によって筋肉を操られ、餌を食べて栄養を蓄える。
- (Image text: 背中の胞子嚢から毒の胞子を吹き出し獲物を捕まえやすくする)
特徴 その2 養分になる
- 体が腐敗して動けなくなると、死骸を元にコロニー（菌の集まり）が形成される。
- (Image text: 生えてきたドクフキコマダラを母体として、ドクナメコの幼体が成長する)”
- Translation
“A young Bulborb whose body has been taken over by fungal filaments. With the host's will gone, it eats food while scattering spores, and eventually stops moving.
Feature #1: It is controlled
- Its muscles are controlled by the Toxstool's hyphae, making it eat food and store up nutrients.
- (Image text: "It sends out toxic spores from the sporangia on its back, making it easier to catch prey")
Feature #2: It provides nutrients
- When the body decays and becomes unable to move, a colony (a group of fungi) forms from the corpse.
- (Image text: "With the newly-grown Poison Spotcap as its parent body, a young Toxstool grows")”
Other information[edit]
- Pikmin 4 Piklopedia number: #76
Naming[edit]
- 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. "Ko Chappy" is Japanese for the Dwarf Bulborb, referring to how it's an infected Dwarf Bulborb. "Kino" is short for キノコ? (lit.: "mushroom"), referring to how it is infected by the Toxstool's spores. - Prerelease: None.
Names in other languages[edit]
| 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[edit]
A group of Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs.
Some Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs eating Pikpik carrots.
A defeated Moldy Dwarf Bulborb in the Piklopedia.
Five defeated Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs in the Piklopedia.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb in the Engulfed Castle.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb on some sticky mold.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb expelling poison gas.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb being revived by a Toxstool.
Two Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs in Primordial Thicket.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb eating a White Pikmin.
Three Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs at night.
A Moldy Dwarf Bulborb under the Life Controller.
A pair of Moldy Dwarf Bulborbs as seen in the "Once Upon a Creature" comic.
Trivia[edit]
- 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.
