Insect

Insects are currently the most dominant guild in the current meta. They are a diverse group of arthropods, that inhabits every server in the game. They have the largest player base in the game as well, being playable ever since the Ordovician expansion and currently taking up half of the entire player base. Traits for insects include the ability to fly, a chitinous exoskeleton, 3 body segments (head, thorax and abdomen), 6 legs, compound eyes and exclusive access to antennae, a sensory appendage.

## Pros & Cons

### Pros

* Access to Flight
* Access to Wall Climb
* Access to Venom & Poison
* Access to Stealth Abilities
* Access to all 5 Zones (Aerial, Terrestrial, Aquatic, Underground & Arboreal)
* Very Adaptable
* Very Short Respawn Time
* Extremely Low Fall Damage

### Cons

* Low Base Intelligence
* Low Base Defense
* Stuck in Lower Weight Class
* Bad Matchup against Vertebrates
* Pathfinding bugs in urban biomes (such as around light sources and glass)

## History

**O** During the Ordovician expansion Insects had first hit the game when they evolved from crusteceans.

**D** During the Devonian, insects left the water behind to explore more niches. With no competition other than other insects, they spent evolution points on things like wings and soon enough became the first ever builds to unlock flight.

**C** The Carboniferous had some of the most major changes in the arthropod guilds history, the devs thought that by buffing the spawn rates of plants it would help the new tetrapod players become more welcomed onto land. Little did the devs know, by buffing the spawn rates of plants they were also buffing oxygen levels and arthropods (including insects) gain HP by the oxygen levels in the atmosphere. By buffing the oxygen levels up to 35% compared to 21% today. Arthropods didn't even need to spend any points on HP for them to be massive. The period was considered by many to be the golden age of the entire insect guild. This left the new tetrapod players to getting absolutely griefed by arthropods. Builds like the Griffinfly and Mazothairos were the main insects known to grief the new tetrapod players that were trying to explore new niches.

This lasted for 60 million years until the devs finally released an patch update called “The Great Rainforest Collapse”

**P** During the Permian extinction insects were one of the least affected builds having 30% of its player base quitting unlike other guilds which had more like 90% of their playerbase quitting. Insects small size and adaptability would prove again useful.

**T** During the Late Triassic some lizard mains gained the ability to fly, this made them the second builds to unlock flight, Insects used to be untouchable but now they had huge competition and were in for an uphill battle, this made them fall out of the meta with most insects speccing into stealth abilities to hide from players.

**J** In The Late Jurassic the first Termites had gained the powerful Eusocial Ability.

**K** Since Pterosaurs had mainly moved on and became huge, they didn't need to grief insects anymore but as soon as insects thought they were safe The 3rd guild of flying builds came along, the first Birds that evolved from dinosaurs. Still leaving the insect player base greifed.

During the KT balance patch (Cretaceous Tertiary Extinction Event) insects again barely suffered from their small size and adaptability.

**P** During the Paleogene, insects were mainly griefed by small mammals.

**N** During the Neogene insects diversified greatly into many groups occupying different niches.

Now in the Quaternary Meta even though insects are griefed by many vertebrates their adaptability makes them one of the most popular choices in the game. With them having the most adaptable player base even more than humans.

## Groups

There are currently many groups (Orders) of Insects. So only major/meta relevant groups will be listed, they will have their advantages and disadvantages showcased.

### Coleoptera (Beetles)

Ex: Stag Beetle, Bombardier Beetle, Ladybird Beetle

#### Pros

* High Defense (Shell)
* High Power
* High HP Compared to other Insects
* Most Diverse Class
* Access To High Land Mobility

#### Cons

* Low Default Stealth
* Mainly restricted to Tank/ Defense Based Builds
* Lack In Intelligence

### Lepidoptera (Butterflies, Moths)

Ex: Monarch Butterfly, House Moth, Luna Moth

#### Pros

* Intimidating Aesthetics
* Access to Pollinator Skill Tree

#### Cons

* Mostly Specialists
* Way too many Aesthetics
* Very difficult early game
* Low Default Stealth Stat
* Not Very Adaptable

#### Pros

* Very High Mobility
* Access to Parasite Playstyle
* Loud Intimidation Buff
* Access to Trolling

#### Cons

* Often Instakilled by Human Players
* Low Default Stealth Stat

### Hymenoptera (Bees, Ants, Wasps)

EX: Honeybee, Leafcutter Ant, Yellowjacket

#### Pros

* Best access to Eusociality
* Best Default Intelligence of all insect groups
* Great access to powerful venom
* Great Intimidation Abilities
* Access to Pollinator Skill Tree
* Great Matchup Spread
* Access to parasitic playstyle

#### Cons

* Fall into the Glass Cannon Archetype
* Low Stealth Stat
* Helpless against large AOE attacks.

#### Pros

* Very Invasive
* Able to grief Trees
* Great Access to Powerful Abilites
* Access to Aquatic Zone
* Nonexistent respawn time, even compared to other insects.

#### Cons

* Mostly Specialists
* Mainly drop the wings attribute

### Orthoptera (Grasshoppers, Locusts, Crickets)

Ex: Grasshopper, Giant Wētā, Bush Cricket

#### Pros

* High Intimidation
* High Stealth Stat (When Not Chirping)

#### Cons

* Specialist Playstyle
* Specced into a Unneeded Mobility Perk
* No Offensive Capabilities
* Loud Chirping gives location away to Predators

### Blattodea (Cockroaches, Termites)

Ex: American Cockroach, Termites, Madagascar Hissing Cockroach

#### Pros

* Access to Eusociality
* Over Average Stealth Stat
* High Intimidation
* Access to Trolling

#### Cons

* Low Default Power
* Startup Lag when Flying

#### Pros

* 360 Degree Movement (Max Mobility)
* 360 Degree Eyesight
* Ability to Catch Builds Midair
* Powerful Nymph Stage
* Very High Success Rate

#### Cons

* Vulnerable to Pollution
* Loud Wings Lower Stealth

#### Cons

* Horrible Adult Stages (Not Mantidfly)
* Low Mobility even compared to Non-Flying Builds
* Low Defense
* Not Many Combat Abilities
* Mainly Flimsy Exoskeleton

#### Pros

* Access to Parasite Playstyle
* High Stealth

#### Cons

* Very Specialized
* Completely Doomed if left with no Host
* Extremely Low HP
* Extremely Reliant on Fur

#### Cons

* AFK Playstyle
* 2 Year Wait, 1 Day Playthrough
* Extremely Easy XP
* Extremely Low Stealth
* No Offensive Capabilities

#### Pros

* Advanced Level Stealth
* High Intimidation
* Ability to Change Color

#### Cons

* Very Low Land Mobility
* No Offensive Capabilities

### Mantodea (Mantises)

Ex: Praying Mantis, Flower Mantis, Conehead Mantis

#### Pros

* High Default Power Stat
* Very High Intimidation
* Very High Stealth Stat
* Ability to Mimic other Builds
* Great Climbing Ability
* Extremely Great Perception Ability (Compound Eyes)

#### Cons

* Low Default Mobility
* Usually cant fly
* Fall into the Class Cannon Archetype

#### Pros

* Access to parasite play style
* Extremely High Stealth (Microscopic)
* Extremely High Jump (Mobility)

#### Cons

* Extremely Low HP (Borderline Microscopic)
* Extremely Reliant on Hosts