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Lumiknolls are burrow-like mounds that Glow Pikmin use to reproduce themselves. They also can produce Glow Sap.
Overview
Making their first (and currently only) appearance in Pikmin 4, Lumiknolls are a special organic structure able to produce glow sap, a compound containing a number of dissolving properties. It is this sap that allows Rescue Corps doctor Yonny to produce a cure for the leaflings' affliction. Unfortunately, they only release glow sap when morning arrives, and these mounds will glow throughout the entire night, luring the aggravated local wildlife to beeline towards these mounds and destroy them.
Tricknoll
A small mound that resembles a Lumiknoll. Though it cannot produce glow sap, it can still take Glow Pellets to produce more Glow Pikmin, seemingly acting as a conduit to the primary Lumiknoll. Tricknolls also produce their own glow, meaning they can function as decoys to lure wildlife away from the Lumiknoll.
Gameplay
Lumiknolls only appear in night expeditions, acting as the primary protection target for the level. Some stages contain two Lumiknolls, though the mission will end if just one is destroyed. After some time passes in a night expedition, the local wildlife will become aggravated and take the shortest path to the Lumiknoll(s), attacking and destroying any active Tricknolls before advancing on the Lumiknoll(s) itself. If the Lumiknoll(s) is destroyed, no sap can be harvested, and the expedition will end in failure. Thus, the player must coordinate with Oatchi and the Glow Pikmin to either eliminate all the hostile beasts or protect the Lumiknoll(s) until morning comes.
Notes
Dalmo's Notes
“Nature is a high-risk, high-reward type of environment. The Lumiknoll braves the danger, risking self-destruction to emit a light that lures creatures so it can propagate more Glow Pikmin using glow pellets! But is that all? Could the glow sap also be luring us?”
Olimar's Notes
“Besides the fact that they serve as incubators and nests for Glow Pikmin, we know very little about the Lumiknoll's ecology. When nocturnal creatures die, a Lumiknoll can break them down into glow pellets through its strong dissolving enzymes. This matter, when condensed, becomes glow sap. One might assume glow sap is then an extremely dangerous substance, but it has hardly any negative effects. In fact, I've had it administered to me personally as a curative medicine to break down growing leaves. Lumiknolls will only appear in places where an Onion was located earlier in the day, and since they propagate Glow Pikmin, one could surmise that they are rhizomes from those Onions. Perhaps, using its dissolving powers, it returns the nectar that supports the ecosystem back to the soil.”
Louie's Notes
“Smells a lot like an Onion. The green juice is particularly delicious!”
Trivia
- Yonny theorizes that the Lumiknoll's glow luring hostile fauna is a kind of natural selection stressor, intentionally causing danger to itself to stimulate adaptation and growth.