#idk why my brain forgets this is a core part of the game lmao they're so cute and squishy littol guys

[aeriona]

I kept forgetting that swim forms existed so this was a long time coming, but here it is! The xeno beasties! Here's my page on Inklings and the one on Octolings if you'd like more information!

These guys function basically the exact same as they do in the game, the only difference is that each species has slightly different stats.

Inklings are faster and have higher manoeuvrability, but they struggle to climb walls and they're easier to splat. Octolings are much slower swimmers, but they are bulky (harder to splat) and can climb terrain with ease.

Swim forms are a temporary state an inkfish can revert into as a defence mechanism, or to better traverse their environment. IT's a very complicated process, but essentially it works by the Inkfish contracting and squishing themselves into a smaller shape, combined with a rapid reconstruction/reorganisation of the guts. All the systems stay the same, but some will shrink into uselessness while other organs are enlarged. Examples include the lungs which shrink and develop primitive gill structures, and the ink sac which stretches and grows to fill nearly the entire body.

It's also why Inkfish expel ink everywhere when transforming, as their ink sacs are smaller when bipedal so they need to forcefully eject the excess through the mouth/siphon/skin when shifting forms.

Also the reproductive system shrivels entirely, minus the egg pouch so any eggs that might be in there aren't squished too bad in the process. It's still a bad idea, gravid Inklings will find the shifting process extremely uncomfy and even painful so don't do it please. No turf war when preggo! It's a rule! you'll hurt baby!

Also as I briefly mentioned eariler Inkfish swim forms can breathe both air AND through ink/water! Yes they can swim, no it's not fantastic for them if the water's dirty they get sick from that easily. but they can still do it! Yay! return to ocean!