Putrid Bulbear

The Putrid Bulbear is a foul-smelling member of the grub-dog family appearing in Pikmin: Wide World. No dwarf counterpart of it is ever encountered. They are perpetually engulfed in a cloud of poison, and have the ability to breathe poison onto Pikmin and leaders in front of it. Putrid Bulbears do not wander and are instead found sleeping, much like Sleepy Bulbears, on dry land, alone, away from even other creatures, and wake up upon being approached, touched, or harmed, or hearing a sound loud enough to rouse it from its slumber. Upon waking up, a Putrid Bulbear will pursue Pikmin and leaders in its territory, attempting to eat or poison them when close enough. Should they be far enough away, a Putrid Bulbear will eventually find a spot near where it was originally resting and return to its slumber. Notably, Putrid Bulbears stay awake slightly longer than other grub-dogs after being awoken. Like most bulbears, the Putrid Bulbear will flip any Pikmin or leaders in its mouth into the air to catch them in its mouth before swallowing them. If a leader is in its mouth, a Putrid Bulbear will chew them up, and then spit them out alongside any Pikmin currently in its mouth with them.

Putrid Bulbears are colorful in appearance and have a body shape and size similar to other bulbears. They have a green face, and their lips and legs are also green. Their fangs are yellowed, and so are their claws. Their backside is white with purple spots, and their clawed feet are white as well. Their eyes have turquoise irises and white sclerae.

Defeating a Putrid Bulbear is often a task that can be fulfilled quickly and with minimal Pikmin losses, but a battle against one can go wrong just as swiftly. Because it is always surrounded by a cloud of poison, White Pikmin are the only Pikmin type that can be used to directly kill a Putrid Bulbear without being poisoned. However, objects like bomb rocks, rocks, and other tools can be used to take one down, and Rock Pikmin throws and Purple Pikmin pounds will cause damage to the creature but poison the Pikmin used. The optimal method of defeating a Putrid Bulbear is to sneak up behind it, as it sleeps, with a large number of White Pikmin, charging them at the creature's backside after getting close enough to it that it remains asleep and does not prematurely awaken. The White Pikmin should latch on and begin pummeling the creature before it can even stand up, often resulting in its swift demise by the time it does. White Pikmin can also be thrown onto the creature normally, and throwing them at its eyes will inflict damage to the creature, cause it to flinch, and make it release any Pikmin it may have in its mouth. While awake, a Putrid Bulbear can blow its breath onto Pikmin in front of it, poisoning any that are not White Pikmin. Unlike the attack used by Poisonous Blowhogs, this cannot push Pikmin around or knock them over. If faced with a Putrid Bulbear while unprepared, it should be fled from, and as a last resort, Pikmin should be thrown at its eyes to distract it long enough to make a quick escape. Upon defeat, a Putrid Bulbear will yield and its body will cease emitting poison gas. Aboveground, its corpse can be taken to either the Dolphin Lander to receive or the Master Onion to receive twelve Pikmin seeds. Underground, its body can be taken to the Lander Pod to either gain or be stored to later gain twelve Pikmin seeds of any chosen discovered main Pikmin type in the Master Onion, but only if the cave is exited using an escape geyser.



Olimar's notes

 * "This particular bulbear appears to indulge in procrastinating practicing self-hygiene. Why it does this and whether it is deliberate is unknown, as other bulbears fend for themselves quite well without any extra measures. It reeks of body odor, and its breath is rancid. The stench is so bad that it affects Pikmin and other creatures as if it were poison! Interestingly, this is one of few bulbear species that can be seen sleeping, but this is assumed to be part of its apparent general lack of self-care."

Shacho's notes

 * "Surely I could use these creatures to keep any trespassers and debt collectors away! The only drawback is having to deal with their horrible musk and foul attitudes."

Marie's notes

 * "I wouldn't recommend having one of these as a pet. I can't even get close to one without feeling nauseous just from the smell."

Louie's notes

 * "The flavor of this beast's meat is just as pungent as its smell. Only the bravest of consumers should try it after thoroughly cooking it. Its smell lingers for quite some time, so be sure to have a few mints and air fresheners handy!"

Dolphin Lander's notes

 * "Fortunately, or unfortunately, I was created without the ability to smell. Olimar and the others always complain of a horrible odor when faced with one of these creatures and how their smell lingers in my hold. I wish I could find out for myself just how bad a putrid bulbear smells... but maybe I shouldn't."