Squidcada



"These buzzing aerial beasts inhabit a few regions of Rain World, and feature prominently into your movement through the Sky Islands region. They are smart, territorial and will compete with you (and other creatures) for batflies. Perhaps they can help you somehow as well..."

Squidcadas, called simply cicadas in the game's files, are nonaggressive flying insectoid creatures that form small nests and colonies found in several locations throughout Rain World. They hunt for small prey to bring back to their nests, and are generally passive towards a slugcat, though they can be both useful and dangerous to the player in certain situations. They prey upon batflies, rarely dead baby noodleflies and leeches. Squidcadas can be fed to or otherwise eaten by lizards, vultures and other predators.

Behaviour
Squidcadas are cuttlefish-like creatures that flutter across the regions they inhabit on four small wings; they generally possess detailing in various shades of blue, and two main variations exist: black and white versions. They generally make nests in enclosed spaces, where they bring food they catch and return to after a hunt.

The primary prey of squidcadas are batflies, like slugcats, and for this reason the player may often find themselves in contention with these creatures for food if pressed for time by the rain. They catch batflies and other small animals using their great mobility and aerial speed, before bringing it back to the nest where it is later consumed. While generally passive, these creatures are somewhat territorial and will sometimes attack the slugcat if it steals their prey or intrudes on their territory; though they are generally not deadly, they will grab and hold onto the player, dragging them down and potentially throwing them over the edge of a cliff or into a dangerous area. However, if grabbed, their flight capabilities can be quite useful; see below.

If necessary, squidcadas can be stunned or repelled by rocks and other small objects; spears and more dangerous weapons are also able to damage them, though they may be difficult to hit due to their erratic flight.

Squidcada varieties
These creatures are found in two varieties or “genders”: black and white squidcadas. The black kind are the ones most commonly encountered, as they often stray far from the nest in search of food and are more widely spread out. The white variety, on the other hand, stay closer to the nest, and are both larger and slower than their counterparts. Both otherwise follow generally similar behaviour.

Reputation
Squidcadas ignore Slugcat completely at very high reputation levels. They attempt to charge into slugcat and knock them off of poles and platforms if the player has sufficiently low rep with squidcadas globally or is intruding on one at neutral rep. At very low reputation levels, squidcadas will attempt to avoid the player when carrying a weapon. "Brave" squidcadas however, 50% of the total squidcada population, will still attempt to ram the player at very low rep levels, even when armed.

"Leech Fishing"
In areas of the world with leeches, squidcadas will occasionally attempt to "fish" for them by diving into the water until one latches on. Unfortunately, this can end with multiple leeches latching on to the squidcada, making it too heavy to fly and consequently drown.

Use in extended jumping
Although only usable as a food source by the Hunter (providing three food pips), squidcadas can be invaluable to the slugcat, especially in high areas like the Sky Islands. If grabbed, the squidcada’s constant attempt to fly away will allow the player a greater jump both in height and distance, allowing one to reach normally difficult or impossible-to-reach locations as long as such a specimen is held. Be warned though as a squidcada will sometimes take a breath and lie down on the ground, acting as a dead weight to the slugcat's movement. When this happens, the slugcat needs to stand still for a short while to let the squidcada wake back up. Black varieties tend to get worn out more frequently than white varieties, so if the player is crossing a dangerous gap with one, they may wish to select a white squidcada. They do, however, take both hands to keep still, so other items cannot be carried at the same time.

Trivia

 * Despite holding onto a squidcada requiring two hands, the player is still able to climb poles.
 * If the player is holding onto both a squidcada and a pole, the player will be dragged up the pole as the squidcada struggles. If the squidcada is resting however, the player will be dragged slowly down the pole due to the weight.
 * While usually items cannot be carried in conjunction with a squidcada, if the player lands directly on a batfly, the slugcat will still grab it. Eating the batfly does not release the squidcada.