GUIDE: The Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids Mod by SpinningPlumbobs

With the release of The Sims 4 Enchanted by Nature, which included the release of the fairy occult type, its become more noticeable when occult states are lacking detail and gameplay in comparison. If that’s something you’ve noticed and you’re open to modifying your game to your tastes, then The Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids Mod by Spinning Plumbobs may fill that void!

Vampires, Werewolves, Spellcasters, and Fairies all have perk trees and skills, with gameplay that is unique to them. They also have variation within their skill trees, allowing for unique stories each game, typically based on the moral line that your sim decides to walk. However, the occult types of Mermaids, Aliens, and even Plant Sims all have very little gameplay and progression in comparison. They all lack skill trees, unique powers, and ways to play the game differently.

SpinningPlumbobs is a creator centered around expanding and adding more content to different occults; From their Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids Mod and Sims 4 Expanded Plant Sims Mod, to smaller mods like animated tails for werewolves and new tails for mermaids, they really flesh out what’s available for your sims who live on the supernatural side of life!

Current Mermaid Gameplay

Becoming a Mermaid

To play as a mermaid sim, you can start from fresh in CAS, choose a premade household with mermaids in it, or use Mermadic Kelp. Mermadic Kelp can be found while exploring the cave on the island of Mua Pe’lam in Sulani, while deep diving in the oceans of Sulani at buoys, or as a purchasable aspiration reward costing 500 satisfaction points. After eating the kelp, your sim must enter the water while the buff is active to get the transformation, and the buff typically lasts 24 hours. Mermadic Kelp is also the key to returning to a human sim state.

The Mermaid Experience and Powers

While they don’t carry a skill tree or a special UI to represent a powerful magical force (like fairies, spellcasters, and werewolves), mermaids do have one motive change; Their Hygiene meter turns into a Hydration meter. While you would assume that completely drying out as a mermaid would be detrimental and maybe even fatal, it really just functions like hygiene and makes them a little stinky and grungy. The hydration meter is the primary source of energy for mermaid powers, requiring them to recharge by a dip in the pool or the ocean to use them again after their cooldown expires.

Entering any body of water as a mermaid, from something as small as your bathtub and up to the expansive oceans of Sulani, will use the mermaid form instead of the sim form. This comes complete with a tail and any other details you may add, including different teeth, skin tones, eyes, etc.

Some of the basic gameplay for mermaids including faster water travel, no extra gear needed to free dive, etc. However, outside of their mermaid form and the water in general, they don’t really function any differently from other sims except for a dolphin-like chirp as an idle animation or in response to a conch shell and a few powers they can access in their human form.

Regarding powers for mermaids, the list isn’t super long, and many powers fall under the same general category but with slightly differing effects. I also want to recommend taking a look at our article from the release of mermaid’s, detailing the exact hydration drain from each power and other important details to note. Read it here!

• Siren’s Lullaby (Mood Control Powers)
  • Aegean’s Question – Gives the target sim a tense moodlet.
  • Charmer’s Lullaby – Gives the target sim a flirty moodlet.
  • Inspiring Berceuse – Gives the target sim an inspired moodlet.
  • Night’s Requiem – Gives the target sim a sad moodlet.
• Weather Control (The Sims 4 Seasons is required)
  • Call Clear Skies – Clears the weather, only usable when it is anything but clear. Not castable by mermaids with the “Evil” trait.
  • Call Rainstorm – Creates a rainstorm, cannot be used while it is rainy.
  • Call Thunderstorm – Create a thunderstorm, cannot be used while it is storming. Not castable by mermaids with the “Good” trait.
• Other Powers
  • Summon Ocean Threat – Causes the target sim to panic and flail in the water, possibly leading to death by drowning. Commonly lethal when paired with a Siren’s Song. Cannot be cast by mermaids with the “Good” trait.
  • Aquatic Lure – Draws fish to fishing spots or boats, including rarer and more valuable fish.
  • Call Over Azure Dolphin – Dolphins can randomly appear, but only mermaids have the ability to call them. They also develop a soulmate relationship with any dolphin they meet.

Lastly, mermaids have a few benefits compared to other sims that can make playing with them a bit easier.

• Mermaids can use the bathroom (like other sims) while in the water, but can also sleep in the water.
• Mermaids can float and sunbathe in the water.
• Mermaids will show their mermaid tail form in pools, bath tubs, and other bodies of water that are not the ocean.

As well as a couple cons…

• Mermaids do not snorkel or scuba dive.
• Mermaids cannot use the ladders.

The Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids Mod

Ranks and Leveling Up!

Two skills come into play with leveling in the Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids mod, primarily the new Mermaid Rank and Mermaid XP skills. Both appear in the UI as any other trait, as its not easily possible for modders to implement the skill tree added to more in-depth user interface to include skill trees.

Mermaid Rank is five total levels. It influences what perks your mermaid is allowed to have and how powerful they actually are. It can be increased by just about any mermaid interaction, from swimming to just existing in their mermaid form.

Mermaid XP is three total levels. This tracks the actual perks your sims can gain, and will also require them to pick a weakness when picking their perks. The same interactions that level Mermaid Rank also level Mermaid XP.

Mermaid Perks

• Hydrokinesis – Manipulate water, condense it from thin air, or absorb it for a hydration boost with the power of Hydrokinesis!
• Cryokinesis – Give enemies the cold shoulder or something slick to slip on with the power of Cryokinesis!
• Thermokinesis – Radiate heat from the palms of your hands to melt a frozen friend or give a nemesis a hot flash with Thermokinesis!
• Electrokinesis – Channel the electric current of an eel to bring other sims a shock, or tap into the energize atmosphere to summon lightning!
• Aerokinesis – Harness the power of wind and air to summon gusts that can throw other around or trap them in a cyclone.
• H2O Efficient – H2O Efficiency grants superior water-retention and bladder control! This sim will no longer need to worry about using the bathroom and will lose a hydration at a slower rate.
• Octopus’ Gardener – Michaela will be able to go for extended dives to collect as much kelp as she wants.
• Motion of the Ocean – This sim will prefer to sleep underwater, gaining energy at a higher rate and also increasing their fun need a bit.
• Siren Voice – With an angelic tone and the clarity of a bell, this sim’s voice will tantilize and inspire .Their singing will enamor anyone nearby and make them more accommodating!
• Mesmerizing Melody – Enchant minds with a tranquil song and bring them to a screeching halt, leaving them wide open for your influence…
• Rehydration Meditation – Feeling a little flaky around the edges, but you’re nowhere near a pool or the ocean? No problem! Draw moisture directly from the air and boost that hydration without needing even a sip of water!
• Sea Shanties – Gain a selection of enthralling nautical tunes that are sure to affect listeners in interesting ways.
• Speed Swimmer – Give that fluke some extra kick and cut through water like a flying fish! Travel from one part of the ocean to the other in the blink of an eye.
• Immortality – Stop the hands of time and bathe in vitality as an immortal deity of the sea.
• Tidal Terror – Because an aquatic menace by manipulating the currents around a sim to overpower and drown them!
• Sea Savior – Be a benevolent guardian of the waves by rescuing those who have found themselves in a water grave!

Mermaid Weaknesses

• Call of the Sea – This sim will feel a pull to the ocean that occasionally makes them sad.
• Fish are Friends – This sim will feel guilty when eating seafood and become sad when seeing mounted fish, but they’ll also have a much better conversation with their aquatic friends!
• H2O Intolerant – This sim will have a harder time maintaining their bladder and hydration needs.
• Harpy Voice – This sim will have the horrific voice of a harpy, making their siren songs dissonant and giving them the ability to screech at enemies.
• Moonspell – This sim will be susceptible to the moon’s influence when outside at night, which will have strange effects on their powers.
• Restless Fin Syndrome – This sim will feel pain in their legs when away from water or hiding their mermaid form too long.
• Scent of the Sea – This sim will give off a nasty scent of fish and seawater every so often that will offend nearby sims.
• Sensitive Scales – This sim will be extra sensitive to contact with water, causing her tail to appear when in the rain or having any other exposure to H2O.
• Uncontrollable Squealing – This sim will have uncontrollable outbursts of dolphin squealing, which may offend nearby sims.
• Water Demon – This sim will be a danger to nearby sims while swimming, causing them to get fatigued and be at high risk of drowning!

Brand New Interactions!

With improved actions that can lead to new events and even collectible items, the world of a mermaid sim has never been more exciting!

New Ocean Interactions

With an expansion on Ocean interactions, Mermaids can now seek out new types of kelp, do tons of diving, hunt fish, do tricks like tail flips, and other options through the usage of potions or spells that expand your sims underwater world.

New Mermaid Mythology Skill!

Introduced as a new skill with 10 levels, Mermaid Mythology adds backstory and the groundwork lore to mermaids as an occult in the sims, new options for asking sims if they are a mermaid, and much more added to the gameplay. Books are purchasable from computers or Build & Buy mode for §100. They are all under the same object, so you just have to choose another swatch for the higher levels.

Sea Witches & Wizards

Sea Witches & Wizards are a new sub-type of mermaid sim, allowing for them to be a magic-focused aquatic sim. This includes a new skill with 10 levels called Sea Sorcery, and the introduction of the motive Tidal Energy, which can be recharged through swimming or meditation.

To become a sea witch or wizard, go deep diving in Tartosa or Sulani until your sim retrieves the book Poseidon’s Grimoire. This book is vital to the sea witch or wizard gameplay, because it both shows your sim how to become one, and then later teaches them more spells.

Make sure to purchase the Sea Witch’s Cauldron in Build & Buy mode to unlock the ability for your sea witch or wizard sim to craft new potions and tinker with their own form of alchemy. This also allows your sim, once they reach level 5 of Sea Sorcery, to craft physical contracts to give to sims in exchange for different forms of payment. After being crafted, place it on the cauldron so nearby sims can sign the agreement. The available contracted spells include…

• Heartstopper – The sea witch must grant the signer freedom from the torments of love and heartbreak by using the Heartstopper Elixir on them.
• Heartwarmer – The sea witch must restore the signer’s heart if they have a tainted love or have lost the ability to love.
• Love Spell – The sea witch must grant the signer an enchanted love by using Love Potion #9 or Aphrodite’s Love Spell on them.
• Poseidon’s Luck Charm – The sea witch must catch Poseidon’s Luck Charm on the signer for a boost of good luck.
• Turn into Human – The sea witch must transform the signer into a human.
• Turn Immortal – The sea witch must grant the signer immortality.
• Turn into Fairy – The sea witch must transform the signer into a fairy.
• Turn into Kelpie – The sea witch must transform the signer into a kelpie.
• Turn into Mermaid – The sea witch must transform the signer into a mermaid.
• Turn into Spellcaster – The sea witch must transform the signer into a spellcaster.
• Turn into Witch – The sea witch must transform the signer into a witch.
• Cleanse Curses – The sea witch must cleanse any curses from the signer by using the Water of Cleansing potion.

Another form of craftable from the Sea Witch’s Cauldron is potions, and there is quite a few of them. These are able to be drunk, sold, gifted, or cast upon another sim. They require specific ingredients for each individual one. The available potions include…

• Hydration Solution – Feeling dry and flakey? Smelling like the catch of the day? Well, this hyper-hydrating serum is sure to keep your skin moisturized and keep the briny scent of the ocean away for hours!
• Love Potion #9 – A pinch of affection, a dash of infatuation, and a few drops of lust are all you need to concoct a vial of potent love! WARNING: True love not guaranteed. Contents may turn sour.
• Bottled Davy Jones’ Curse – Aye, matey! Let it be known that a terrible curse fills this here bottle… One gulp and ye shall be thrown to the sea to serve in Davy Jones’ crew!
• Merfolk Elixir – For those who’s hearts belong to the sea, this elixir will provide the necessities of living below the waves…
• Bottled Fae Blessing – Glittering wings and a knack for nature await the drinker of this potion. One sip will grant the whimsical life of a fairy!
• Sea Monster’s Brew – Slick scales, flapping gills, and glandular slime await the one who drinks this brew. One gulp will turn the drinker into a deep-sea-dwelling kelpie!
• Humanity Tonic – For the extraordinarily afflicted who wish to become simply ordinary.
• Elixir of Immortality – Drink this potion and you’ll never grow even one day older. Don’t drink it and you’ll continue to watch yourself rot.
• Water of Cleansing – Use this distillation to rid yourself of a curse or illness.
• Heartstopper Elixir – One sip of this brew will rid the drinker of any feelings of love or romance and prevent any future flirtation…
• Heartwarmer Elixir – If you find yourself feeling the effects of a tainted love or inability to love at all, this brew will surely rekindle your heart’s fire.
• Aquatic Grave Brew – Many lives have been lost to the sea, and the one who takes this potion will surely be next…
• Witch’s Brew – Pure magic of the ancestral witches dwells in this vessel. Taking this brew will grant the powers of a witch!
• Elixir of Ascension – Tap into the power of the Magic Realm with this bottled spellcaster magic!
• Bottled Sunlight – Bask in the glow of the summer sun with just a splash of this sunlight infusion. WARNING: May be harmful to those that are UV sensitive.

To fulfill a Sea Witch’s Contract, choose the contract and the action “Initiate Contract Fulfillment”, and complete the special event using the actions suggested. Make sure your Sea Witch or Wizard can create or use the proper spells and potions to complete the contract! For payment, the sea witch can choose…

• Love – The signer must give up all romantic connections and lose the ability to love whatsoever, before the time limit expires.
•  §1,000 – The signer must pay  §1000 to the sea witch before the limit expires.
•  §500 – The signer must pay  §500 to the sea witch before the limit expires.
•  §5,000 – The signer must pay  §5000 to the sea witch before the limit expires.
• Soul – The signer must present the sea witch with the urn of a deceased sim before the time limit expires.
• Voice – The signer must give the sea witch their voice, with which to do whatever he/she pleases, before the time limit expires.
• Youth – The signer must relinquish years of their life to the sea witch before the time limit expires.

If a sim does not pay the Sea Witch or Wizard back within a certain time period, set during the crafting of the contract itself, your Sea Witch or Wizard can choose to enforce consequences.

These consequences include…

• Davy Jones’ Curse – Gives the signer Davy Jones’ Curse.
• Lose Emotions – Take the signers ability to feel emotions.
• Lose Money – Take the signers household funds.
• Lose Skills – Make the signer lose all their skills.
• Give Mermaid Weakness – Give the signer a debilitating weakness.

Kelpies

Kelpies, inspired by the Scottish Gaelic shape-shifting folklore creature, are another life state possible with The Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids mod. This form is different from mermaids as they’re covered in scales, with full gills and fins to boot, and they appear much closer to fish and aquatic being than sim.

Kelpies can be created through cheats, Sea Witch potions and spells, or finding a specific piece of kelp while deep diving in the ocean or near a buoy!

Using the Kelpie Form pie menu, you can select your sims form to include different color, pattern, and style variations for their fishy form. Make sure to watch for their Shapeshifting Power motive, as this will force a transformation similarly to werewolves if it depletes.

Mermadic Children

Something I always found a bit disappointing is that Sims 4 occult sims, in general, do not differ much from human sims prior to the teen life stage. However, Spinningplumbob’s has actually converted most adult animations so you can truly play as a mermadic child! Using the Mermaid pie menu on your child sim with the mermaid occult life state, you can choose a custom mermaid tail (Both ones converted from Island Living, as well as ones custom created by Spinningplumbob themself from their “Down Under” and “Atlantica” CC Sets!) that will appear when swimming, lounging, using the basking rock, etc.

New Items

Spinningplumbobs also added some new unique items, as well as recolors of existing items to add more variety to the animations and actions available in the mod. This includes a basking rock, unique potions, new shells, new scales, and so much more!

What’s Next?

While they aren’t implemented just yet, SpinningPlumbobs also noted on the downloads page for The Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids mod that they have multiple future plans to expand existing mechanics and add in some new ones. These primarily focus on adding more sea witch spells, potions, and contracts. Other future updates are likely to include more visual variety to the kelpie life state and more activities and interactions for the ocean!

Bonus Mods

SpinningPlumbob’s “Sea-nery Stuff” Build/Buy Set!

While not a requirement for The Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids mod and can standalone as well (Except for the “harvestable kelp” item, which requires the mod), I found that my gameplay was made a lot more fun by using this build & buy set, especially allowing for me to make a sort of “underwater” area my mermaids could hang out and relax in!

SpinningPlumbob’s Mermaid Tail Sets

The Atlantica Set

Based around Disney’s The Little Mermaid, Spinningplumbob’s Atlantica set, available for both adult and child mermaids, adds new tails, tops, and even a set of octopus tentacles for some added variety to your mermadic form!

The “Down Under” Set

And secondly, inspired by the movie Sabrina Down Under, Spinningplumbob’s Down Under set adds a new tail and top that creates the illusion of the continuation of the scales, making a seamless transition from tail to torso.

Have you played with SpinningPlumbobs’ Sims 4 Expanded Mermaids mod yet, or are you planning to? Make sure to follow SpinningPlumbobs’ patreon for updates and mods that are sure to come!