Beginner's Guide

Created: 1 September 2020, 19:46:02 UTC
Last updated: 17 February 2024, 09:44:25 UTC

Hey there! Welcome to Leech Monsters!

We hope you enjoy your stay!
Here's a quick rundown on how to get set up and going on site and the discord server, and some pointers on how to get started if you're unfamiliar.

Click on each section toggle to expand it!
 
Registering On The Site
To use the website, you're gonna have to follow a couple quick steps!
  • Register your account:
    • When registering you should use the same username you do on Deviantart and other plaforms for easy identification.
  • Confirm your email:
    • It may take a couple of minutes, but you should get a verification email. If you don't, you can ask for a mod to manually verify it via the discord server.
  • Sync your Deviantart acc:
    • Most actions will be unavailable until you verify your deviantart account. Once you try going to settings, the site will prompt you to link your DA account.
    • Your deviantart does not have to be used to be linked, if you're making a new one! It's just a tie-in for verification.
    • If you had leeches through the DA group prior to making an account, by using that account any designs/myo slots under it will automatically transfer to your account.
    • If you had leeches through the DA group but have since remade, use the account you're currently comfortable using - you'll just need to prove your old account ownership to have the leeches transferred.
A site account is not required for leech ownership, but it may make masterlist updates difficult, and any leeches transferred to or from your ownership may have verification issues in the future.
If you're having trouble, you can ask in #leechsite-help in the Discord server.
Joining the Discord
We have a discord server, and most of our sales and such are done there! It's also an easy way to contact the mods for any issue, get live feedback, or read news and updates on things that aren't major enough to warrant a news post on site.
Please familiarize yourself with our Server Mods (info page under construction) - we all have different roles, and can be contacted for specific things!
Occultic should only be DM'd if directed to by a mod, so if you have a concern please send it through one of us first.

To join:
  • Click the invite link, also found in the Quick Links dropdown!
  • Once you've joined, read the rules and post an introduction. You will need to have an active, viewable page such as deviantart, toyhouse, or any social media where you frequent - it does not necessarily need to involve art (though that is a plus; your own artwork, commissioned things, character uploads, or otherwise), but activity needs to be seen.
    Note: You still need to do an intro if you are a returning member!
  • A mod will view your introduction post and let you into the server manually.
  • Be sure to familiarize yourself with the channels! We do like to keep everything in the correct place, and too many infractions may result in a mute.
  • Interaction is not necessary! We have a lot of lurkers.
What is a leech monster and how do I acquire one?
Leech monsters are a closed species and therefore can't be freely made.
Most of the time new leeches will only be acquired by paying money for them, particularly in official sales, gachas, and MYO slot sales.
Leeches can be acquired in the following ways:
  • Adoptable sales on Deviantart, Toyhou.se and Discord.
  • Special events - These are announced in news and through Discord!
  • User trading and selling on Deviantart, Toyhou.se and Discord.
  • Tadpole/Partial MYOs, through user trading or doing prompt work to purchase one
  •  MYOs (Requires a MYO Slot)
  •  Very rarely, a raffle or DTE may be held in the discord or through Leech Prompts.
Leeches that have been obtained through non-paid means, such as a DTE, raffle, or a trade-in MYO slot, do not have a monetary value and cannot be resold. If buying a leech from another user, check for resellability on a leech's masterlist page, under the leech's image.

If it is able to be resold but the value is at $0, this is okay and usually just means we cannot remember exact listing price! Reselling can be done using any set amount.
 
Cooldown
There is a two week cooldown on ALL leeches! A leech cannot be offered at all while its cooldown is active and should not be advertised in a preemptive trade. The cooldown can be seen under a leech's masterlist image - if there is one in place, it will be stated.
If there is no cooldown, you are free to engage in trading!

 

Official Leeches
If you obtain a leech via toyhouse, please check that it has a coinciding masterlist listing - the DeviantArt ML list is no longer updated, but listing in TH profiles is still considered valid. It's still best to update this with the site's listing though, to prevent ownership confusion.
A mod may be able to help you search the site masterlist if you get stuck!

Leeches that are very old and do not have a Masterlist listing tend to be from around the period where leeches were a partly-open species.

Some leeches acquired through Google Plus might therefore not be officially recognized, but there are also some very old deviantart ones that have slipped the net during masterlist upload.
You will need to ask in #questions-and-answers in the Discord server and a mod will direct you, but if they are deemed unofficial, you are still welcome to obtain a MYO slot to make them official that way - provided they have a fullbody image and adhere to the current traits, of course!
Traits and rarities
 
Leeches have a large variety of traits!
  • Normal traits are freely available to all leeches.
  • Common and Uncommon myth traits may be applied with an upgrade tadpole, which you can buy from the shop as a gacha ticket!
    • Leeches can have a maximum of five myth traits!
  • Potion traits require specific items, buyable usually when event shops are cycled in, or from special art prompts.
    • There is no limit to potion traits, and they are counted separately to myth traits.
  • Unlisted and Legendary traits may only be applied to a Legendary leech; outside of this, Unlisted traits may only be applied by a mod.

The rarity of a leech merely coincides with the highest Myth rarity of its traits, outside of subclass. Potion and Unlisted traits are separate from rarity, and Legendary traits are exempt when found on non-Legendary leeches.
Snacks and Currencies
Snacks are our site currency, used for purchasing trait items, pets, and more expensively, Tadpole MYOs.
These can be bought respectively from Shops, or through the Tadpole Nursery!
They are earned through doing Leech Prompts, or from user-to-user trading. Commissions may use snacks as payment.
They have a $1:100 exchange rate, but cannot be bought with real money; this is simply to better value user trading.

There are other event currencies for more special trait items, too, so watch out for those!
Redesigns
Redesigns are free and allowed for any type of leech, but they must still have a resemblance to the original design.  

A leech can be redesigned with new mythical traits/potion traits using upgrades from the shop.

A leech can be redesigned to remove traits freely or to change minor colors or patterns, which does not require an item.

Saltwater and Cave class leeches are unique in that they require an item and a design update to be switched to. They have specific features that need to be shown! You can swap from these classes to a regular leech for free, but they will need to have a redesign.

Legendary and luxury leeches cannot have their classes swapped due to their unique traits.
Quitting and Voiding Leeches
You're free to leave the discord server at any time! Participation is never mandatory, and we don't want to pressure anyone into thinking otherwise.
If you feel you no longer want your leeches, you are free to sell, trade, give away, host a DTE, or any such means to put them back into the community.

If you no longer want your leech to be part of the leech monster species but would like to keep it, you can remove it to turn it into a one-off design. 

This means your leech will be permanently VOIDED and will not be able to become a leech monster again, so please make sure you are certain you want to do this before proceeding.

One of our mods can direct you to contact Occultic to do this through Discord.

 

This guide will eventually link to other, more in-depth pages as they are completed, so if it's a little empty, that's why! We're still working on it, pardon our dust.