Floater (Fallout)

Floaters are mutated flatworms found in New California.

Biology
The floater is a large, soft-bodied invertebrate, named after the flotation sacs that allow it to hover in the air. Noxious, flammable gases are generated by the creature and stored in the flotation bladders, giving the creature its distinctive appearance and ability to hover. The sacs are of various sizes and dangle along the underside of the mouth. As the flotation gases are highly flammable, energy and flame weapons are notably effective and may cause the creatures to suddenly combust.

The primary mouth comprises a majority of the top of the creature's disk-like "head." Surrounded by sharp teeth, the funnel-shaped aperture can be radially opened or closed. A long tentacle is able to rapidly protrude from the mouth, ending in a prehensile cross-shaped maw. When a floater attacks prey, the head lowers with the mouth pointing directly toward the target. Its tongue-like tentacle maw is abruptly launched forwards, spiraling through the air while grasping at the target. A smaller mouth, denoted the fore mouth, appears as a slit running from the bottom brim of the head into the gaping primary mouth.

Despite its awkward and uncoordinated appearance, floaters are remarkably fast. Aided by flotation sacs, the creature uses its flexible body and tail to slither and propel itself along the ground. At the base of the head, floaters have an ovipositor used to lay eggs, although only asexual reproduction was observed in the original FEV samples.

In place of a brain, floaters have a rudimentary ganglion inside the bow of the head, similar to non-mutated flatworms. The pathways are sufficient for the creatures to recognize prey and members of its pack, but leave them unable to work in cohesion. Floaters often haphazardly swarm any target in sight, making them tenacious adversaries despite their relative simplicity.

Gameplay attributes
Floaters are often found in groups with centaurs.

Floater
Floaters are durable creatures, and move very quickly due to their unique ability to hover. They often travel in groups with super mutants and centaurs, and can pose a great threat to anyone unprepared for combat.

Bloody floater
A floater that gorges on bodies, they are more aggressive and have slightly more health but other stats remain.

Nasty floater
If normal floaters are bad, then the nasty floaters are far worse. Even more durable and tenacious than their counterparts, they are indeed capable foes. Just like common floaters, they are very susceptible to fire, due to their flammable gasses.

Appearances
Floaters appear in Fallout and Fallout 2.

Behind the scenes
Floaters were set to reappear in Fallout: New Vegas, but were cut during game development. However, they make an appearance in Fallout 76 and are depicted as three variants.