Floater (Fallout 76)

Floaters are creatures found in Appalachia.

Background
Floaters are flatworms mutated by the West Tek FEV experiments. Floaters are known to be friendly toward super mutants and behave almost as domesticated hunting companions, similar to mutant hounds. Some floaters that encountered super mutants in the wilderness even began to follow the roving gangs.

Biology
Floaters are large, soft-bodied invertebrates, named after the flotation sacs that allow them to hover in the air. Noxious, flammable gases are generated by the creature and stored in the large flotation bladders atop their heads, giving the creature its distinctive appearance and ability to hover.

When killed, floaters bring their arms to their head and emit a loud shriek as the flotation sac violently expands. Upon rupturing, the explosion spreads volatile entrails in a circular radius, leaving a lingering pool for a short duration.

Gameplay attributes
Floaters primarily hunt using ambush tactics, burrowing beneath the ground and lying in wait for prey. They leave their long tongues sticking out of the dirt and emit a bright, colorful mist to attract curious prey. When provoked, the floater leaps out from under the ground with its mouth gaping open in an attempt to intimidate and startle the prey.

Elemental affinity
Appalachian floaters have developed elemental abilities. Floaters have either acidic-based, incendiary-based, or cryogenic-based capabilities, primarily stored in the sacs covering the body and limbs. This pus can be harvested and turned into volatile grenades, which, when thrown, emulate the dying explosion of a critically wounded floater.

Gnasher floaters are green in color and use acid-based attacks, releasing highly corrosive pus with every bite. Unlike other floater variants, gnashers cannot utilize ranged attacks and instead opt for melee combat. Flamer floaters are orange in color and are capable of long range fire-based attacks. Freezer floaters are bright blue in color and specialize in cryogenic attacks. Freezer pus is kept at low temperatures and can be sprayed at will in a large radius, causing damage to any technological parts it comes into contact with.

Floater flamer
A glowing, bright red variant with incendiary capabilities.

Floater freezer
A glowing, bright blue variant with cryogenic capabilities.

Floater gnasher
A glowing, bright green variant with acidic capabilities.

Fierce floater
A stronger variant that can deal more damage from their attacks based on their attribute to either acid, fire, or frost.

Savage floater
An even stronger variant that has more Damage Resistance and delivers stronger attacks based on its attribute to acid, fire, or frost.

Deadly floater
The strongest variant found in Appalachia.

Locations

 * A large number must be fought during stage two of The Ol' Weston Shuffle, though this is not repeatable.
 * Six can be found at Big Maw.
 * Six can be found at Lake Eloise
 * Six can be found at Old Mold Quarry.
 * Six can be found at Solomon's pond.
 * Four can be found at Spruce Knob Channels.
 * Three can be found at Darling sister's lab.
 * Three can be found at the Red Rocket filling station.
 * Three can be found next to Nicholson's End.
 * Three can be found in Grafton.
 * Three can be found near Hornwright air purifier site 03 and The Sludge Works.
 * Three can be found at Big B's Rest Stop.
 * Three can be found at Safe 'n Clean Disposal.
 * One may be found in Eastern Regional Penitentiary in Cell Block D.

Appearances
Floaters appear in Fallout 76, introduced in the Wastelanders update.