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As you continue on your mission in Pikmin 4 to rescue Captain Olimar and the rest of the Rescue Corps, you will meet a wide variety of characters. You will progressively save members of the Rescue Corps, who will often unlock a new feature you can use in the game. After you rescue the team's doctor, Yonny, you will gain access to night expeditions.
Yonny needs glow sap in order to heal the leaflings you find back to their original state, but this sap can only be collected by going on night expeditions. Lasting the night can be tough, but here are some tips to keep in mind.
Get More Glow Pikmin
Your first priority anytime you start your night will be to gather more Glow Pikmin. The illuminated Glow Pikmin are one of the new types of Pikmin in Pikmin 4, and they have a unique mechanic to them. They only come out at night or in caves, which makes them your go-to while the rest of your Pikmin rest, as they don't come out at night.
Glow Pikmin are also resistant to fire, electricity, water, ice, and poison, which makes them useful against a variety of the new enemies you'll have to fight. Unfortunately, Glow Pikmin can still be squished and eaten, so they aren't indestructible.
Glow Pikmin also can't truly "die," as they will just break down into photons and return to their home Lumiknoll. So don't feel too bad if some of them get squished.
It's incredibly important to get as many Glow Pikmin as possible before your enemies become frenzied and start to attack. Glow Pikmin are typically your first line of defense. Collect the star-like Glow Pellets to spawn more Pikmin, but make sure not to stray too far from the Lumiknolls once your enemies start to attack.
Plus, the more Glow Pikmin you have, the stronger their unique Glowmob attack becomes. Using the Glowmob charge against your foes will temporarily blind and stun them, giving your Pikmin and Oatchi a chance to strike.
Watch your Glowmob cooldown, and time it wisely against larger enemies.
Upgrade Oatchi To Protect The Lumiknolls
Oatchi will become an integral part of your plan to protect the Lumiknolls. You can use a Command to tell Oatchi to protect a specific Lumiknoll. You can use this if you need to protect a Lumiknoll while you run off to fetch more Glow Pikmin. You can also use that Command if you initiate a night expedition on a map with two Lumiknolls, as you'll want to make sure both are always protected.
If you upgrade Oatchi by training him with Captain Shepherd, you can increase his attack via his Chomp ability. Make sure to also upgrade Oatchi's Rush ability, as a shorter cooldown for the ability means you can crash into your enemies more often.
You can also convert Raw Materials at the Lab to get gear for Oatchi. Some gear will increase Oatchi's health and defense, which would be helpful when Oatchi is defending Lumiknolls by himself.
Clear Out Enemies And Their Spawn Points
There will occasionally be smaller enemies that spawn from tunnels, such as Bulborb Larva. Rather than continuously fight off these enemies, and running the risk of them sneaking past you to attack your Lumiknoll, use your Glow Pikmin to dig out the spawn tunnels.
As you go around collecting the Glow Pellets to get more Glow Pikmin, you should also take out enemies you come across. If you can get rid of some of the larger enemies before they become frenzied, this will help you survive the night.
Laying Traps, Using Items, And Other Tips
Keep a handy supply of items such as Bomb Rocks and Mines. These can be used as additional ways to take out your foes. Try and set out a Mine in the path of your enemies as a deterrent.
Here are some other miscellaneous tips to keep in mind for night expeditions:
- Use your Survey Drone to get an idea of where everything is at night. This can also be a good way to scope out Glow Pellets, spawning tunnels, and larger enemies.
- Some larger enemies drop Glow Pellets, which can be a great way to get more Glow Pikmin in the midst of protecting the Lumiknolls.
- Always activate Tricknolls that you find. These will function as a decoy for enemies to attack first before they get to your real Lumiknolls. Glow Pellets can also be deposited here.
- If you find yourself low on Glow Pikmin, you can throw down some Glow Seeds to immediately spawn more.
- Any obstacles you clear or pathway you make during the daytime will carry over to the night version of a map. Make sure to build those bridges!
- Become familiar with maps during the daylight, so they will be easier to navigate at night.
Rewards And Benefits Of Night Expeditions
Going on night expeditions will be essential to progressing the game. You will secure Glow Sap at the end of every night for each Lumiknoll you protect. This in turn will be used to create a cure for the phenomena affecting the leaflings.
You will also be rewarded with Glow Seeds at the end of the night, based on how many Glow Pikmin you gather.
Having a collection of Glow Seeds can be a benefit when attempting to complete difficult caves underground, as you'll be able to add more Pikmin to your party right away. These are Pikmin that have a bunch of resistances, too.