Vehemoth Phosbat
Artwork of a Vehemoth Phosbat.
Appears in Pikmin 3
Scientific name Unknown
Family Unknown
Areas Distant Tundra
Mission Mode Collect Treasure! stages None
Mission Mode Battle Enemies! stages None
Side Story days None
Bingo Battle stages None
Attacks Sucks up Pikmin
Emits poison

The Vehemoth Phosbat is a boss in Pikmin 3, and the second boss encountered in story mode. It is a large, bioluminescent moth-like creature with massive orange wings, yellow eyes, small stumpy limbs, and a large gaping whale-like mouth. 


The hideous creature resides in dark caves, where it renders itself completely invisible by turning off all of its biolights, which also allows it to safely roam the cave undetected. When a captain approaches the Vehemoth Phosbat, it lights up its entire body with bioluminescent hairs which glow pink, and an orange torso. Upon lighting up, it will opens its mouth and inhale ferociously, creating a powerful vortex that will trap pikmin and the captain. After a few seconds, any number of Pikmin up to 5 will be inhaled into its mouth and become the Phosbat's meal.[1] When distressed, it will also frantically flap its wings, releasing a cloud of toxic dust that chokes nearby Pikmin. Since White Pikmin are not in the Story mode of Pikmin 3, no Pikmin types are immune to this attack. However, the poison is not fatal to the Pikmin. They will eventually stop being choked and become idle. This attack is merely to scatter Pikmin so the Phosbat can suck them up more easily.[2]


Background

At the beginning of the game, Charlie takes shelter in a cave, where he finds larval Phosbats crawling on the cave floor. He uses his Yellow Pikmin to kill them, which leads to the parent Phosbat abducting him. He is not playable until Alph and Brittany rescue him later in the game.[3]

Killing Strategy

Unlike the Armored Mawdad, the Vehemoth Phosbat's arena is much more expansive, giving the player more room to move about. As the player enters the area, the only light present will be from the variously-placed Common Glowcaps. In this darkness, the Phosbat is invisible, and it will quietly move throughout the area, only revealing itself when it tries to inhale Pikmin. To stun the Phosbat, the player can lure it near a light and then activate it with Yellow Pikmin, which will cause the creature to reveal itself and fall to the ground, stunned. However, once the player has done this, the Phosbat will retaliate by summoning its larvae to attack the player. Its larvae can eat 1 Pikmin at a time. However, they're slow and easy to kill, making them pose little threat, but can be somewhat of a nuisance when trying to do something else.

The Phosbat Larvae are spawned from large eggsack-like objects that are placed throughout the area, which can be destroyed to prevent further spawning. Continue the previously mentioned stun method to buy some time, as the Phosbat will constantly follow you after you've begun to attack its children. You can hide under glowcaps,

which will prevent it from coming towards you, at least until the next phase, 

Scattered around the cave are 2 piles of Fragments, used to build a bridge to a large red box. Having 20 Yellow Pikmin stand atop this box will light up a large light bulb attached to the cave ceiling, which illuminates the entire area. This light results in the stunning of the Phosbat and renders it incapable of becoming invisible for the remainder of the battle. After this happens, the player can simply throw Yellow Pikmin onto its back to weigh it down whenever the beast stops to eat Pikmin. After it gets back up, it will begin to release a toxic powder that chokes all nearby Pikmin. During this time, it will retreat onto a wall in the cave to rest and regenerate health. It is recommended to throw several Rock Pikmin at its back while it rests, as normal Pikmin will just be thrown off after the Phosbat begins to continue flying.

Continue this process until the Phosbat is defeated. Upon defeat, the Phosbat will erretically fly around the area until it electrocutes itself on the lightbulb dangling from the ceiling, afterwhich it will fall to the ground and writhe in pain, just before its life finally ends.

After its death, the player unlocks Charlie as a playable character and is also rewarded with the Heroine's Tear.

Gallery

Trivia

  • The Vehemoth Phosbat is the first airborne boss in the Pikmin series.
  • Interestingly, "Vehemoth" (derived from Behemoth) is a colloquial term used to describe someone who appears to be abnormally-large.
  • Sections of the creature's name seems to be derived from "moth" and "bat" contributing to its apperance of being part moth and bat, and "phos", referencing its bioluminescent abilities.
  • The Vehemoth Phosbat is the third boss in the Pikmin series to have an actual larval form.

References

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