Squidcada

Squidcadas are neutral insectoid creatures that are often found in large groups around many of the regions in Rain World.

Abilities & Behavior
Squidcadas' primary form of movement is flight, generally hovering aimlessly around their environment until something catches their attention. Squidcadas can also press their bodies against a surface, drifting slowly along them.

Their behavior towards the player is generally harmless, though they may attempt to headbutt. When they do this, the Squidcada pauses midair, flutters their wings, and darts in a straight line towards wherever they were aiming. This behavior is not lethal in and of itself, but can be an annoyance, or knock the player into dangerous situations.

Should they miss the player with their headbutt, Squidcadas continue on their path. They bounce off of any level geometry in this state, and only regain control of their movements once their momentum is fully stopped.

Squidcadas are incredibly social creatures, staying close to other Squidcadas and even playing with each other by spinning around in circles.

The primary prey of Squidcadas is, or es in watery areas such as. In the case of Batflies, it should be noted that because Squidcadas tend to spawn in large groups, they may end up causing a scarcity of food.

If necessary, Squidcadas can be stunned or repelled by, s, and other weapons, though they may be difficult to hit due to their erratic flight.

Appearance and Variations
Squidcadas are cephalopod-like creatures that sport four insectoid wings.

There are two significant varieties of Squidcada, white ones and black ones. The white Squidcadas have a bright cyan color on their eyes and wings, while the black ones have a deeper blue.

With the exception of the major color distinction, Squidcadas don't have much other variation in their appearences.

Relationships

 * -|Vanilla=


 * -|Downpour=


 * -|White Squidcada=


 * -|Black Squidcada=

Reputation
Being social creatures, Squidcadas' relation with the player varies depending on their actions. Giving gifts to Squidcadas and saving/defending them from threats increases reputation among them, becoming less antagonistic and, at sufficiently high levels, ignore Slugcat completely. On the other hand, harming or killing them decreases reputation sharply, turning more aggressive towards Slugcat, and attempt to ram and grab them off of poles and platforms. At a very low reputation, Squidcadas with low bravery (about half of the colony) seek to avoid the player when carrying a weapon, and attempt to keep some distance. The other half tries to bully the player regardless.

Leech Fishing
Squidcadas occasionally attempt to 'fish' for by diving into the water and trying to grab a single leech. This can sometimes result in multiple leeches latching onto a Squidcada, causing it to drown.

The targeted leech does not need to be swimming - in some cases, even a leech attached to another creature may be grabbed.

Jumping
Squidcadas can be invaluable movement tools to, especially in high altitude areas like. They require both hands to hold onto, and, if grabbed, can be used to increase the height and distance of jumps and allow Slugcat to reach normally difficult or impossible-to-reach locations. However, Squidcadas grow exhausted with continued movement and need to stop flying to rest. When this happens, the player must stay still in order for it to wake up. Squidcadas wake faster if released. Black Squidcadas have less stamina than white ones, making White Squidcadas a better choice for crossing large gaps.

Starve Flight
If is starving, their weight decreases dramatically. When this is used in conjunction with a Squidcada, large distances can be traveled very quickly. If a White Squidcada is used rather than a black one, a backflip or pounce can be performed which allows Slugcat to fly indefinitely, holding jump to ascend whenever they want. Touching any surface with Slugcat or grabbing a pole ends this effect, forcing the player to set it up again.

As, starving is not required, as they are so light naturally that they can fly even without starvation.

Trivia

 * Despite holding onto a Squidcada requiring two hands, is still able to climb poles.
 * If Slugcat is holding onto both a Squidcada and a pole, the Squidcada drags them up the pole. If the Squidcada is exhausted, however, Slugcat is dragged slowly down the pole due to the weight.
 * A Squidcada held by Slugcat remains attached if Slugcat is eaten by Worm Grass.
 * While items usually cannot be carried in conjunction with a Squidcada, can still be grabbed if Slugcat lands directly on one. Moreover, eating the Batfly does not cause Slugcat to release the Squidcada.
 * It is possible to bring multiple Squidcadas from one region to another, starting with a white one and then multiple black ones. This results in a new Squidcadas 'colony' in that region.
 * The metal plate asset on the front of the Squidcadas is reused in-game on the upper bodies of.
 * Batflies that are being carried by Squidcadas can be knocked out of their mouth by hitting them with an object.
 * It's possible to get killed by a Squidcada but it's very situational and unlikely. This is most easily achievable by being light (either starving or playing as should suffice) and standing next to a Squidcada nest. Due to their somewhat territorial nature a Squidcada may become aggravated. If a Squidcada grabs the Slugcat, it attempts to drag them into their den, which causes a death.
 * Squidcadas are referred to by the Expedition mode as White and Black Cicadas.
 * Squidcadas are based on a Kickstarter backer creature suggestion.