Traits

The body is much denser and nutrient-rich, allowing the growth of plants.

While not all of the leech must be covered in or replaced by leaves and flowers, the trait refers to the potential rather than what can be seen. An unmaintained plant body leech may eventually become a miniature walking jungle, but most like to selectively groom themselves.

These leeches maintain a symbiotic and often codependent relationship with the plants that grow on them; the leech provides nutrients, while the plants keep the leech alive beyond its years. That being said, a garden leech is only as healthy as the plants on its back.
Many owners like to cultivate and maintain a single plant type on their leech, and particularly traditional enthusiasts like to introduce bonsai trees as a symbol of longevity.

Note: Body types cannot be partially applied or mixed outside of an official or legendary capacity. A leech can only have ONE type of body mutation. These are any traits in the trait list with the name 'body' in the title, e.g Fur body, Solid body, Feathered body, etc. OR their official partial variant.

The body is soft and looks like it's made of various arts and crafts materials, with the insides being made of cotton.

Leeches with these traits won’t bleed out even from deep wounds, and can stitch themselves back together.
These leeches' needs are completely opposite from the norm when it comes to moisture: the drier the better. Too much exposure to damp will actually make them sick. They're highly popular as pets for homes with children.

Note: Body types cannot be partially applied or mixed outside of an official or legendary capacity. A leech can only have ONE type of body mutation. These are any traits in the trait list with the name 'body' in the title, e.g Fur body, Solid body, Feathered body, etc. OR their official partial variant.

The body consists of thick slime which drips and melts off as the leech moves.

Leeches with this trait are able to digest pretty much anything simply by enveloping it and they can almost entirely melt into a puddle, and can reform as long as their organs remain intact inside. With all that being said however, they dissolve in deep water.

Note: Body types cannot be partially applied or mixed outside of an official or legendary capacity. A leech can only have ONE type of body mutation. These are any traits in the trait list with the name 'body' in the title, e.g Fur body, Solid body, Feathered body, etc. OR their official partial variant.

[Potion item]: Bone Juice

An outcrop of skeletal structures attached to or emerging through a leech's body.

Leeches don't naturally have bones, therefore leeches with this trait are considered cursed and they are often outcast by other leech monsters. To make it worse, the process of growing bones itself is incredibly painful, and a leech will often have chronic pain due to unnaturally forced nerves and connective tissue around the bone structures.

Note: The bones can be free-standing such as vertical rib shapes, but must still be a fused part of the leech's body; for example, a skull replacing the upper portion of a leech's face is allowed, but a free-hanging skull on a pelt hoodie is not.
Limbs and traits such as hand ears or wings can be combined with this to create skeletal limbs, but it cannot be used to replace parts of a leech that require vital tissue, such as the entire head or neck.

[Potion item]: Harpy Feather

The leech has sprouted feathers all over its body!

Much like fur body, this trait cannot be partial - the leech's entire body must be covered in feathers. However, not all of these feathers are large and gaudy; like a bird they often possess smooth body coating and down, giving them a sleek appearance.

It was thought to be a mutation of fur, but closer analysis revealed it to be a mutation of scales, resulting in soft branching keratin  with a texture much like human hair. Leeches with this trait frequently have skin irritation and will engage in dust baths, scratching, and in some cases where it becomes neurotic, they will stress-pluck themselves bare, leading to a spiral in health as regrowing the feathers is even itchier than having them stay.

Note: Body types cannot be partially applied or mixed outside of an official or legendary capacity. A leech can only have ONE type of body mutation. These are any traits in the trait list with the name 'body' in the title, e.g Fur body, Solid body, Feathered body, etc. OR their official partial variant.

[Potion item]: Snack Sorbet

This  mutation allows for a completely new palette to be added, allowing the leech to swap between the two at will.

Occasionally a leech has been known to develop chromatophores, the same skin color alteration found in octopi and cuttlefish. While not able to sport the wild color and pattern flashes and movement of their cephalopod friends, leeches with color change have been known to flicker rapidly between two different sets of colors.
Despite hopeful breeders, the pattern on the leech's body remains the same.

Note: This is not a free reign ticket to swap out a leech's palette on redesign; it is a trait. The leech's main colors should be its primary image, with the second palette added as an alternative.

Only one additional palette per upgrade can be added; multiple palettes will require multiple items.

[Potion item]: Sham Ham

A mortal injury that should otherwise result in death. This covers open wounds, guts hanging out, impalement, and even decapitation - though in the case of head removal, the head must remain with the leech somewhere.
Refer to this information sheet and its description!

Given that the wounds stay perpetually open, it's likely that it's a mutation tending towards Legendary-tier; a mild telekinesis that instead perpetuates life and function of the main body.

Decapitated leeches must be fed down their exposed neck. Their head cannot be taken too far away or cremated without killing the leech itself.

Note: Healed limb amputations and scars can be used freely, and do not need this trait.

[Potion item]: Natural Soap

A simple elemental mutation which allows a leech to create long-lasting bubbles or foam from its mouth or on its body.

It is recommended to keep children away from Bubble Breath foam as it is created using a somewhat potent mucus, which can be mildly toxic if ingested, and incredibly difficult to clean out of clothing.

[Potion item]: Glass Caps

A trait that only partially presents Glass or Transparent, allowing for significant amounts of the leech's body to remain normal.

Because they are neither fully normal nor fully glass, these leeches have a lot of physical difficulties, including movement. Healing rate is often greatly reduced, especially in the glass portion of the body, as its cells become confused due to the change of texture. Owners must be extremely thorough with their care.

Note: Body types cannot be partially applied or mixed outside of an official or legendary capacity. A leech can only have ONE type of body mutation. These are any traits in the trait list with the name 'body' in the title, e.g Fur body, Solid body, Feathered body, etc. OR their official partial variant.

For Partial Glass, the trait can only use glass OR transparent; not both. Be aware of the visual distinctions between the traits!

[Potion item]: Mange-on-a-String

A mutation in which a leech is covered in patches of fur. Unlike the Fur Body trait, fur doesn't have to cover every inch of the leech's body.

A result of improper breeding for a fur body leech, most often this trait resembles mange and is just as itchy and irritating.
Hopeful breeders attempt to turn the situation around by trying for leeches that look like they have prizewinning haircuts, but the skin irritation that comes with it is more than enough evidence against the practice.

Note: Body types cannot be partially applied or mixed outside of an official or legendary capacity. A leech can only have ONE type of body mutation. These are any traits in the trait list with the name 'body' in the title, e.g Fur body, Solid body, Feathered body, etc. OR their partial variant.

Similar to Siren, wyvern-bodied leeches have developed only their hind legs. So far this has only been recorded in cave leeches, where there is less emphasis on the aquatic lifestyle of their aboveground cousins.

Many leeches with this trait are seen with wings which they use as rudimentary forelegs, resulting in an odd hopping or wiggling gait (completely different to leeches who have wings attached as a side-trait to their existing forelegs!), while those without wings have larger tails to act as a counterweight and could be better compared to dinosaurs.
These leeches have a very aggressive prey drive, and will bite first and ask questions later, striking hard and fast to both kill and swallow their food as without forelegs they do not have the mobility to hunt by other means.

Saltwater fins come in many different lengths and shapes - from fancy frills to strong and pointed flukes, crests, and tendrils - and they can grow anywhere on the body. They are exclusive to the saltwater class.

Saltwater fins can be based on any marine creature even if they're not depicted! Be sure to check the masterlist for examples.

Highly specified head variations that enable saltwater leeches to thrive in various predatory niches.

While these don't have individual traits to list, there are many unique presentations; please refer to the trait sheet here!

Small, fleshy, nublike feelers that are used to detect vibration.

Their shape varies, but they tend to be thinner at the base and tip, fattening around the middle. It's not unheard of for these feelers to be completely spherical!

Note: They should remain similar in size to the illustration. Bunches of feelers cannot occur from one point in groups of more than three.
Deviations of these (i.e extremely large, wide, or more than three bunched feelers) will require the clustered feelers upgrade.

Long tapering feelers that are highly flexible.

Tentacle feelers can grow numerously in a flat array, appearing as a mantle.
The tentacles can have suckers along their undersides; those without suckers are used to detect movement in deep water.

Note: They should be visibly smaller and thinner than a basic tail. Bunches of feelers cannot occur from one point in groups of more than three.
Deviations of these (i.e extremely long, thick, or bunched feelers) will require the clustered feelers upgrade.

Flat extrusions of sensitive skin.

These are highly standard in leeches and are often bred along with colors and patterns in various mimicry attempts, including stylized approximations of fur or feathers. They're less sensitive than their other feeler counterparts, but detect humidity easily and often act as a stabilizer when a leech is in the water.

Note: They should remain similar in size and shape to the illustrations. Bunches of feelers cannot occur from one point in groups of more than three.
Deviations of these (i.e a long line of segmented or pleated feelers, more than two or three points, or more than three bunched feelers) will require the clustered feelers upgrade.
Take care to shape these individually so they do not get confused with fur or feather body; they should not have a thicker center rib or veins like a leaf.