Acolyte

An Acolyte is a leafling that is a loyal follower of a cult or religious movement.

=In fanon games=

In Pikmin Evolution
Acolytes refer to leaflings that align themselves with the Order of the Wraiths and are major antagonists appearing in Pikmin Evolution. As leaflings, they share the same general appearance as the playable captains. These leaflings follow the Order of the Wraiths, a cult that is attempting to summon their god, the Plasm Wraith, to form a universe united under a singularity in time and space. One of the playable captains, Leni, was among them but left after seeing the damage the Plasm Wraith's incomplete form, the Waterwraith, did to her colony, and so she fights against her former peers. Acolytes appear in and around the entrances of dens involved in the Secrets of the Wraiths storyline. Each group of acolytes has a different colored uniform based on which area they are found in: those of the Vast Glade wear green uniforms, those of the Bleached Dunes wear orange uniforms, those of the Mountain of Sakuras wear purple uniforms, those of the Chamber of Advancement wear gray uniforms, those of the Creek of Tranquility wear cyan uniforms, those of the Midnight Jungle wear indigo uniforms, and those of the Titan's Castle wear yellow uniforms.

Acolytes utilize a variety of fighting styles and tactics, with those that focus on a specific battle tactic labeled a specific class. Acolyte Fighters wield a baton tipped with a specific hazard, most often fire and electricity, and attack by swiping with their batons, applying that particular hazard to struck Pikmin as well as pushing them back with the force of their attack. Acolyte Guards wield a pointed spear that they hold out while charging forward, skewering any Pikmin unlucky enough to be in the way. Acolyte Paladins wield a shield made of a particular hazard, meaning only a specific type of Pikmin can break it. However, the Paladin can unfurl their shield to fire a blast of hazardous energy, allowing all Pikmin types to attack it. Acolyte Riders mount and ride tamed dwarf bulborbs of the local species, commanding a pack of fellow dwarf bulborbs to attack. Acolyte Witches have a staff they use to summon clouds of spores, turning all non-Roach Pikmin into Puffmin, which they then command as their own Pikmin. Acolyte Healers periodically cast a healing aura that heals and even resurrects other Acolytes and the animals they domesticated. Acolyte Bombers lob explosive grenades from afar and often flee to gain a better vantage point. Acolyte Raiders swing clubs to attack and are very good at destroying walls, and also have the highest health of all acolytes. Lastly, Acolyte Summoners use dark wraith magic to conjure monsters to command, including some minibosses, and summon a squad of Acolytes when defeated.

Each class of Acolyte can be one of four ranks, which are bronze, silver, gold, and platinum, and those of a succeeding rank have more health and powerful attacks than those of the previous one, being more difficult to take down overall. Acolytes are also common sights in raids, fighting alongside monsters they personally tamed, and since they are sentient beings, the raids they participate in will be more organized and therefore more dangerous. To make raids organized by them less likely to occur, it is necessary to clear out each den related to the Order of the Wraith and destroy the shrine on the final floor, accomplished by defeating the boss present with it. Doing so causes the Order of the Wraith's influence to falter in that particular area, making it less likely to be overrun by Acolytes. Overall, the Acolytes are a unique but no less dangerous threat, a more humanoid and intelligent one never seen before.