Red Leeches are the smallest and lightest variety of Leech. 3 or more Red Leeches are typically needed to drown Slugcat. They are commonly found in Drainage System and Garbage Wastes.
Red Leeches are small, red, tubular creatures. While out of water, their usual color gradually fades to black.
Tips
Combat
While Leeches are vulnerable to common sources of damage such as Spears and have very little health, their high numbers, small size, and underwater habitat make combat impractical.
Evasion
Red Leeches are relatively slow, meaning Slugcat can often swim past them without issue. Careful utilization of swim boosts is generally sufficient to evade Red Leeches. However, large groups can sometimes be dangerous. Leeches can be stunned for a significant period of time using a Snail's shockwave, allowing Slugcat to pass safely. It is also possible to use an Infant Centipede to electrocute them or a Cherrybomb to scare them away.
Abilities & Behavior
Red Leeches swimming
When idle, Red Leeches swim through bodies of water aimlessly. When they detect prey, they swim towards them and make short lunges in an attempt to latch on. They are only capable of latching on during a lunge. They are relatively slow and can be outpaced by Slugcat's normal swimming speed, but their weight slows creatures down while they are attached, making them dangerous in large numbers. As with other Leeches, they remain attached for a short time after drowning a creature, then leave to search for new prey.
While outside of water, Red Leeches gradually 'dry out', visually indicated by their coloration darkening and turning black over time. After some time out of water, they detach from creatures and attempt to return to the nearest body of water. Their mobility on land is limited, and they are only capable of slowly crawling along the ground and clearing 1-tile-high jumps. Their movement slows the longer they are outside of water. If they remain out of water for ~23 seconds, they die.
Red Leeches drowning an unfortunate Slugcat
Red Leeches swarming the water's surface attempting to grab Slugcat
Red Leeches releasing Slugcat when they begin to dry out
After drowning a creature, Leeches stay latched on for a short time, then leave to search for new prey, allowing the body of their victim to float to the surface.
Leeches present in a shelter during hibernation are destroyed.
Overseers (0.0) • 
Red Leeches (0.0) • 
Sea Leeches (0.0) • 
Pole Plants (0.0) • 
Monster Kelp (0.0) • 
Garbage Worms (0.0) • 
Hazers (0.0)
Snails (0.5) • 
Dropwigs (0.4) • 
Big Spiders (0.3) • 
Spitter Spiders (0.3) • 
Eggbugs (0.3) • 
Squidcadas (0.2) • 
Infant Noodleflies (0.15) • 
Adult Noodleflies (0.15)
Brother Long Legs (1.0) • 
Daddy Long Legs (1.0) • 
Jetfish (0.6) • 
Salamanders (0.3)
