Pyroclasmic Slooch

The Pyroclasmic Slooch is an enemy in Pikmin 3 and Pikmin 4. It is a slug-like creature that leaves behind a dangerous trail of fire. They are black in appearance, with stripes of yellow-reddish gradient looping around their body in a pattern resembling that of flowing lava. They have two antennae near the top of their cone-shaped bodies. The Pyroclasmic Slooch is also covered in a combustible slime which it leaves behind as it moves. When killed, the Slooch shrinks considerably and loses its bright red stripes. It will also cease to burn, allowing all types of Pikmin to carry it.

Behavior
The Pyroclasmic Slooch's only threatening quality is its fire. It has very few hit points, moves at a sluggish pace, and its tongue attack is relatively slow, predictable, and can get only a few Pikmin at a time. Red Pikmin are the only type of Pikmin that can be used to consistently damage it when it sports its coat of fire. If a Slooch is lead into water, however, it can easily be attacked by any type, as its flame goes out. Though it is not too threatening when it is confronted directly, the Slooch's trail of fire can became a dangerous hazard for any non-Red Pikmin carrying items anywhere, as they will not attempt to avoid it. After being defeated, the creature's body will shrink and the trail of fire will linger behind it for a few seconds before fading.

Strategy
The Slooch is easy prey for Red Pikmin. Due to the creature's low speed and incredibly weak defense, you can take it out with ease with only a few Red Pikmin. It may try to shake them off, but it will likely not succeed in this provided you have at least five Pikmin on the creature, and if you swarm it with a group of 10 or more, it will likely not even be able to begin this animation. Provided you have Red Pikmin with you, its best to defeat any Pyroclasmic Slooch the first time you see it, as overlooking it may result in it catching a few Pikmin as you pass by or its fire trail later harming Pikmin on their way back to the Onion.

Other types of Pikmin can attack the creature if they latch on to some points of its body. Rock Pikmin will also cause impact damage if thrown at it, however they must be called back before burning to death.

The leaders can damage the Slooch, however, you must position yourself just right; the punch range is short, but getting too close will result in a damaging burn, unless you have the Scorch Guard. If done correctly, you can defeat a Pyroclasmic Slooch relatively quickly with only leaders, due to its few hit points.

Also, if a Slooch goes in some water (for example, the puddles near the bamboo gate in the Distant Tundra), its fire will go out, allowing all Pikmin types to attack it more easily. In Pikmin 3 only, they will not regain their flame without touching another fire hazard (which includes other on-fire Pyroclasmic Slooches); this is not true in Pikmin 4, where the creature will reignite itself after a few seconds of extinguishment. Touching a fire geyser will restore its fire.

Glitch
If they are correctly launched on the Pyroclasmic Slooch, Blue, Yellow Pikmin and Winged Pikmin will be able to attack it without burning up.

Trivia

 * The Pyroclasmic Slooch was one of the first new enemies in Pikmin 3 revealed, in Nintendo's E3 2012 presentation.
 * In the Distant Tundra, there's a group of Pyroclasmic Slooches in the cave where the Bulbear and fire geysers are found. If the protagonists have discovered the ultra-spicy spray, the middle Pyroclasmic Slooch will sometimes drop a dose of it.