Tuatara

Tuataras belong to their own guild and play in certain areas of the New Zealand server. It is a living fossil, being the last playable Rhynchocephalid. Its name comes from the Maori word meaning "peaks on the back".

## Overview

This build does not really have much in terms of Health at all. Its teeth gives it a high Power stat and allow it to decimate shorebird noobs and insects with ease. Its spines give it moderate Defense. Finally, it has low Mobility.

## Moveset

**Third Eye (Passive, Utility)**- Tuataras also have a third eye that can regulate your player's circadian rhythm and thermoregulation and boosts perception  but it is only present early-game.

**Autonomy (Active, Utility)**- Like Lizards, it can cutt off its own tail. However, it costs more HP and regenerates slower.

**Speed Burst (Active, Mobility)**- Provides a quick burst of speed.

**Cold Resistance (Passive, Support)**- Less penalty on cold environments.

**Saw Bite (Active, Attack)**- Inflicts [Heavy Bleed]. Guranteed instant kill on critical.

**Spines (Passive,Defense)**- Deals a small amount of damage back to the attacker.

## Tier Placement

This Reptile is a rather surpring powerhouse, capable of decapacitating and destroying builds smaller than it, while having good [Cold Resistance] and [Spines]. However, these did not save it from its invasive species and before 1895, it was an F-tier. Following the extermination of the *kiore*, the tuatara's worst matchup, the reintroduction of the tuatara build to the main New Zealand server catapulted it back to C-tier again.

## Summary

### Pros:

* Cold Resistance allows this build to survive in colder temperatures.
* Spines allows this build to deflect damage.
* Capable of speed bursts.
* Starts early-game with [Third Eye].
* High Power.
* Deadly [Saw Bite] move.
* Is capable of autonomy.
* Above-average Defense.

### Cons:

* Lacking in other stats
* Island tameness
* Has slower regeneration fron [Autonomy].
* [Autonomy] costs more
* Bad matchups against introduced builds.
* Loses [Third Eye] in late-game.

## Referrences

1. ↑ https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/reptiles-and-frogs/tuatara/
2. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/immunology-and-microbiology/rhynchocephalia
3. ↑ https://www.wired.com/2013/12/the-creature-feature-10-fun-facts-about-the-tuatara-or-just-the-tuatara-of-us/
4. ↑ https://www.britannica.com/animal/tuatara
5. ↑ https://www.newscientist.com/definition/tuatara/
6. ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S096843282030158X#:~:text=Dorsal%20crest%20scales%20and%20those,noticeably%20involved%20in%20these%20activities.
7. ↑ https://theconversation.com/tuatara-are-ancient-slow-and-endangered-but-their-super-speedy-sperm-could-boost-conservation-efforts-165173
8. ↑ http://www.anapsid.org/parietal.html#:~:text=The%20parietal%20eye%20is%20a,a%20rudimentary%20retina%20and%20lens.
9. ↑ https://www.wired.com/2013/12/the-creature-feature-10-fun-facts-about-the-tuatara-or-just-the-tuatara-of-us/#:~:text=The%20tuatara%20has%20a%20third,after%20four%20to%20six%20months.
10. ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00222938400770131
11. ↑ https://theconversation.com/not-a-lizard-nor-a-dinosaur-tuatara-is-the-sole-survivor-of-a-once-widespread-reptile-group-75921
12. ↑ https://collections.tepapa.govt.nz/topic/1400#:~:text=One%20of%20the%20tuatara's%20unusual,its%20tolerance%20for%20cool%20temperatures.&text=Even%20at%20a%20chilly%206,slowly%20in%20the%20tuatara%20world.
13. ↑ https://www.businessinsider.com/tuatara-facts-reptile-dinosaurs-2017-5
14. ↑ https://www.doc.govt.nz/nature/native-animals/reptiles-and-frogs/tuatara/#:~:text=In%201895%20tuatara%20were%20protected,protection%20and%20remote%20habitat%20locations.
15. ↑ https://www.pestdetective.org.nz/culprits/kiore/
16. ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/mar/20/tuatara-reptile-new-zealand