Monster Kelp

Monster Kelp is a stationary predator often found in or around bodies of water, which hunts by dragging unsuspecting prey into its den.

Appearance
Monster Kelp are plant-like organisms which consist of a stipe (something akin to a stem) and blades (leaf-like growths). Monster Kelp is primarily black in coloration, accented by red or green edges around its blades.

Combat
Monster Kelp present a large and mostly-stationary target, and as such are fairly easy to kill, dying in ~3 hits. Thrown spears should be retrieved quickly to prevent the Monster Kelp from jerking them out of reach. For the same reason, it is also preferable to target the base of the stipe, as this remains the most stationary during combat. Monster Kelp may be impractical to kill when partially or wholly submerged in water, e.g the partially submerged sewers in.

Evasion
Monster Kelp can be stunned long enough to get past by throwing a Spear, a, or alternatively (although this stuns it for a considerably shorter time) at it.

It is possible to distract Monster Kelp with objects that have player collision, such as or hydrated. Throwing one such object near or at the tip of their stipe may prompt them to grab the object and retreat into their den with it, granting a decent window of time to pass through.

Stealth
It is also possible to sneak past Monster Kelp by moving slowly. This is possible on both land and water (although the water must not be disturbed by something such as a waterfall) and can be executed by tapping the move button a bit at a time. If this is performed successfully, the Monster Kelp will not react to the player.

Senses
Monster Kelp utilize movement-based vision which takes the form of a full radial view from the tip of their stipe.

Monster Kelp are unable to hear sounds of any kind, including explosions.

Taking Damage
Upon taking any amount of damage, Monster Kelp writhe around before either retreating into their den if the damage is lethal, or returning to an active state after a period of time determined by the damage taken. While writhing around, Monster Kelp are unable to grab anything. While not being damaging to Monster Kelp, Flashbangs are able to stun them for a considerable period of time.

Variants & Attributes
Monster Kelp vary in stipe length, stipe width, blade density, and individual blade length. They can have either green or red blades, but green-bladed Monster Kelp are exclusive to Shoreline.

Trivia

 * Monster Kelp cannot be tranquilized by Dart Maggots.
 * While Kelp are only found in regions with lots of water, they are often found on land.
 * Some have a chance to lineage into a Monster Kelp when killed.
 * If the player is grabbed while carrying a, there is a chance the Monster Kelp drags the Lantern under the ground to eat, instead of the player.
 * Developer commentary on the design of this creature as well as that of can be found here.
 * While Monster Kelp is usually found growing out of the ground, there are various instances in Shaded Citadel and Subterranean of it growing out of the walls or ceiling.