Rarity: Rare
Plort Starting Value: 50+?
Pun: There are approximately 6.022×10^23 of these slimes on the planet. That seems like a lot, but they're so hard to get a hold of!
Diet: Roots (no favorite?)
Slimeology: The Mole slime is known for its dark color, tightly-closed eyes, and unique pink nose. They are a subterranean species that surfaces only to feast upon their preferred diet of vegetables. After eating, they tend to stay above ground for a short period of time. Scientists are unsure whether or not they are sunning themselves or are having a breath of fresh air. It gets stuffy in the tunnels!
Unlike most slimes, the Mole slime is covered by a smooth, velvety substance. On some occasions, they may approach humans they do not perceive to be a threat in order to receive scratches and pets. They are not very bouncy, and when above ground, tend to move about by rolling.
An adventrous rancher might be able to capture a Mole slime while it is rolling about in such fashion, but they are easily frightened by the sound of the Vacpack and will attempt to escape when they hear it.
Risks: While normally very placid, the Mole slime becomes a threat to vegetable farmers everywhere as soon as it becomes hungry. When it cannot find food, it will point its nose to the ground, using it as a drill, and begin furiously digging towards the nearest tasty root!
Their ability to tunnel to even the most out-of-the-way plots make them a constant nuisance to farmers, who may come back to their plot to find their entire crop dug up and devoured. To make matters worse, their plort disintegrates quickly when exposed to light, making it difficult to recover from the damages a Mole slime attack might have on a rancher's crop. Should a rancher wish to avoid Mole slime encounters, they should make sure to equip their root gardens with Scareslime upgrades and harvest them regularly.
Ranchers attempting to house Mole slimes should be very careful to make sure they are adequately fed, so they do not attempt to dig out of their corral. Traditional methods of containing slimes do not account for their tunneling, and the slimes may be well underground before the rancher realizes are gone (along with half their carrot harvest).
While the Mole slime gets along with any other slime, it is not recommended to house them with Phosphor slimes, as their bioluminescence produces enough light to degrade the Mole plort. Creating a Phosphor Mole Largo is a similarly bad idea.
Plortonomics: When properly packaged, the Mole slime's plort makes for excellent plant food, without the unpleasant smell of manure or side effects of synthetic fertilizer. It also has the beneficial effect of attracting helpful insects like ladybugs and bees, making it a favorite of farmers who can pay the premium for it.
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Hello forums! I created this slime to encourage more active ranching and gardening, since at some point in the game, there is little sense of urgency to pick up all the fruits and vegetables your gardens produce. This slime may have a more appropriate place in a multiplayer environment where players can specialize in their chores, so they can maintain their upkeep well enough to still be able to explore.
I am unsure if the plort value is enough to justify raising this slime, or if its current risks make it too hard to raise. Please let me know what you think!