Presented by EA Game Changers

Yep, you read that title right. Mermaids are finally here! They come with The Sims 4: Island Living and they are better and more powerful than ever! Read on to learn more about these enchanting (and sometimes deadly) creatures of the deep sea…

Creating Your Mermaid

Mermaids can be created directly in CAS by selecting the occult option when choosing to add a new Sim to the household. Existing Sims cannot be made into a mermaid in CAS (but they can become mermaids in-game! More on that later!)

Like aliens and vampires, mermaids have both a human form and an occult form. You can dress up their human form the same way you would with any human Sim, but the mermaid form only has one outfit category; swimwear. Mermaids have a variety of customization options tailored specifically for them. You can choose both the style and colour of their fins. Some fin swatches have neat patterns or shimmering scales. For feminine mermaids, you can also choose from a variety of tops, ranging from human swim tops, to coconuts and seashells, to chest scales that extend up from the tail. Mix and match fin and top styles and colours as much as you like!

Mermaids also have some new glowing/patterned eyes and face presets designed just for them. Create the perfect recreation of Ariel, or opt for a style more like the eerie merfolk out of the Harry Potter films. It’s all up to you.

TIP! Don’t want your mermaid to look anything like their human form? Unlink the two forms in CAS and any changes you make to one form won’t apply to the other! Link them again whenever you want a change to stick for both forms. Neat, huh?

Mermaid Biology

Mermaids age at the same pace as human Sims. Sims of all ages can be mermaids, but toddlers and children won’t grow their fins or display any mermaid abilities until they become teenagers.

Mermaids have all the same motives human Sims do except for one. The hygiene motive is replaced with a new hydration motive for mermaids. Mermaids can walk on land as humans, but they can’t stay out of the water for extended periods of time. They need to be in water frequently in order to thrive. The Hydration motive will decay slowly over time if a mermaid is not in water. Baths, showers, and drinking water can help restore the hydration motive, but mermaids are happiest when outside in open waters.

The hydration motive serves a second function; it is also a mermaid’s power source. The more hydrated a mermaid is, the more powers they can use. A dehydrated mermaid will not be able to use their powers. More on that in the next section.

Mermaids will automatically switch into their human form while on land and return to their mermaid form while in water; however, mermaids can wade in very shallow waters in their human forms.

PSST! Did you know mermaids gain Fitness skill from swimming just like human Sims? Since mermaids spend most of their time in the water, this makes them super athletic!

Mermaid Abilities and Limitations

Mermaids do not have a skill tree. All mermaids have the same abilities and limitations, but their traits do influence what actions they can and can’t do. Mermaids with the Good trait will not be able to do any serious harm to human Sims with their powers. Mermaids with the Evil trait will not be able to use certain powers that benefit human Sims. Mermaids that have neither of these traits are more neutral and can use all mermaid abilities.

Every power a mermaid uses costs Hydration Points, which comes from the Hydration motive. Using a mermaid power depletes the Hydration motive. The more a mermaid uses their powers while on land, the faster their Hydration motive will deplete. This means that mermaids are most powerful while they are in water because they have an unlimited source of Hydration Points while in the water.

Ability List

• Siren’s Lullaby (-30 Hydration) – Can be done both on land and in water. The mermaid can sing a variety of haunting melodies to put other Sims into specific emotional states. This ability works on other mermaids as well.
  • Aegean’s Question – Makes the target Sim Tense.
  • Charmer’s Lullaby – Makes the target Sim Flirty.
  • Inspiring Berceuse – Makes the target Sim Inspired.
  • Night’s Requiem – Makes the target Sim Sad.
• Mermaid’s Kiss (-30 Hydration) – Can be done both on land and in water, but has a more powerful effect in water. The mermaid can kiss another Sim without needing to build a romantic relationship first.
• Siren’s Call (-100 Hydration) – Can only be done in water. The mermaid sings a haunting melody to lure an unsuspecting Sim out into the water. When the Sim reaches the mermaid, the mermaid drags the Sim underwater. This immediately depletes all of the target Sim’s motives. If a Sim cannot swim back to shore fast enough after having Siren’s Call used on them, they can drown. Good mermaids cannot use this power.
• Summon Ocean Threat (-30 Hydration) – Can only be done in water. The mermaid sings to cause the target Sim to flounder and panic in the water. There is a chance the target Sim can drown from this, especially if they recently had Siren’s Call used on them. Good mermaids cannot use this power.
• Call Clear Skies (-75 Hydration) – Requires Seasons. Can be done both on land and in water. The mermaid blows into a conch shell to change the weather. Cannot be used when the weather is already clear. Evil mermaids cannot use this power.
• Call Rainstorm (-75 Hydration) – Requires Seasons. Can be done both on land and in water. The mermaid blows into a conch shell to change the weather. Cannot be used when the weather is already rainy.
• Call Thunderstorm (-75 Hydration) – Requires Seasons. Can be done both on land and in water. The mermaid blows into a conch shell to change the weather. Cannot be used when the weather is already stormy. Good mermaids cannot use this power.
• Aquatic Lure (-30 Hydration) – Can only be done at fishing spots or on boats. The mermaid blows into a conch shell to attract more fish and rarer fish to that area.
• Call Over Azure Dolphin (-30 Hydration) – Can only be done while in water. Both humans and mermaids can interact with dolphins, but only mermaids can call them at will without having to become soulmates with one, first. Mermaids instantly become soulmates with any dolphin they interact with.

All mermaid abilities that cost Hydration Points have a cooldown period after it’s used. The more Hydration Points an ability costs, the longer the cooldown period.

For more information about dolphins, check out our article, The Sims 4 Island Living: All About Dolphins!

Other Mermaid Abilities

Mermaids have some other abilities that do not cost Hydration Points. They are just innate perks of being a mermaid.

• Mermaids can sleep in the water. They don’t need to use beds at all. Combined with the fact that all Sims (including mermaids) can relieve themselves in the water when their Bladder motive becomes desperate, your mermaids can live almost entirely in water, rarely needing to come to shore except to grab a bite to eat now and then. All other motives can be satisfied in the water, including the Social motive.
• Mermaids can sunbathe in the water; however, if their mermaid form has a special occult skin tone, they will not be able to do this. Occult skin tones do not tan or burn.
• Mermaids can free dive without having to reach Fitness level 3 first.
• Mermaids will occasionally make dolphin noises while on land. They will also frequently clasp their hands and hum to themselves while on land.
• Mermaids turn into their mermaid form when taking baths.
• Mermaids can swim in swimming pools.
• Mermaids can talk to fish in aquariums.

  

  

Mermaid Limitations

Mermaids don’t have many limitations. The ones they do have are pretty minor, but there are a few things your mermaid Sims will not be able to do.

• Mermaids cannot snorkel. It’s apparently a touchy subject in the mermaid community…
• Mermaids cannot use ladders. Their fins make climbing them a bit difficult.
• Mermaids cannot scuba dive. They don’t need scuba gear to go diving, so they don’t have the option to purchase any; however, mermaids can still free dive and do all the same things scuba diving Sims can do while free diving, so this isn’t really much of a drawback at all.

Becoming a Mermaid

You don’t have to make a mermaid in CAS. Human Sims can become mermaids by eating mermadic kelp.

Mermadic kelp can be purchased for 500 satisfaction points, but if your Sim is the more adventurous type, mermadic kelp can also be found by exploring the cave on Mua Pal’em. Sims also have a chance of finding mermadic kelp while scuba diving.

Once your Sim has some mermadic kelp in their inventory, click on it to have your Sim eat it. They will immediately get an Energized moodlet called Strange Sensations which hints that your Sim should probably find some open water to go swimming in. This moodlet lasts 24 in-game hours.

If your Sim enters the water while they have the Strange Sensations moodlet, they will transform into a mermaid!

TIP! Tired of the aquatic life? Have your mermaid eat two mermadic kelp in a row to instantly become human!

We hope you enjoyed this guide to mermaids! You can help us make this guide even more complete! If you have any other information about mermaids not mentioned in this guide, please let us know so we can add it to the guide with credit given to you!

Special thanks to our readers, Hugandkissasim, Angie, Thomas, and Aria, for providing valuable information for this guide.