What Is a Pliat in Oxygen Not Included?

Understanding the Pliat

Players searching for information on a “Pliat” are often looking for a creature known in Oxygen Not Included as the Puft. The term “Pliat” appears to be a colloquialism or point of confusion, as the game does not feature a creature with that name. The creature that fits the functional description of a slime-producing critter is the Puft, a floating, gas-consuming organism.

These docile, airborne critters are useful for several resource loops. They are mobile resource converters that drift through gaseous environments, inhaling one substance and excreting another. Understanding their behavior and byproducts allows players to leverage them effectively for colony sustainability.

The Puft’s Characteristics

The standard Puft’s diet consists exclusively of Polluted Oxygen. A tame Puft will consume this gas at a rate of 50 kilograms per cycle. This process results in the excretion of Slime, with 95% of the consumed gas mass being converted, meaning a single Puft produces approximately 47.5 kilograms of Slime per cycle.

Pufts have a broad livable temperature range from -30°C to 105°C. For them to be happy and reproduce efficiently, a more comfortable temperature between 15°C and 35°C is required. They naturally spawn in the Swamp Biome, an area characterized by its high concentration of Polluted Oxygen.

The life cycle of a Puft is straightforward, with a maximum lifespan of 75 cycles. Reproduction occurs through the laying of an egg, which requires the Puft to be happy. While wild Pufts reproduce slowly, taming and grooming them increases the reproduction rate. The resulting Puftlet hatches from its egg and matures into an adult.

There are several variants of the Puft, each consuming a different gas and producing a different solid material. For the purpose of generating Slime, the standard Puft is the specific variant players need. Other types include:

• The Squeaky Puft, which breathes Chlorine and excretes Bleach Stone.
• The Dense Puft, which consumes Oxygen to produce Oxylite.

Ranching Pufts

To establish a Puft ranch, you must first capture them from Swamp Biomes. A player builds an Airborne Critter Trap baited with Slime or Polluted Dirt. Once a Puft is caught, a duplicant with the Critter Wrangling skill can transport it to a designated stable.

A proper stable is needed to manage Pufts effectively. A room must be large enough to avoid being cramped and contain a Grooming Station and a Critter Drop-Off. The Grooming Station keeps critters happy, while the drop-off sets the desired population for the room.

Automating the ranch simplifies management and increases efficiency. An Auto-Sweeper can be installed within the stable to automatically collect the Slime excretions as they are produced. This Slime can then be moved by a Conveyor Loader to storage or directly to processing facilities, which minimizes duplicant labor.

Strategic Applications

The primary application for the Slime produced by Pufts is its conversion into Algae for oxygen production. By placing Slime into an Algae Distiller, players can generate Algae and a byproduct of Polluted Water. This Algae can then be used in Oxygen Diffusers or Terrariums to supply breathable air for the colony’s duplicants.

Slime is also a required fertilizer for farming Mushrooms. Mushrooms are a high-quality food source that provides a morale boost to duplicants when cooked. To cultivate them, a farm must be established in a Carbon Dioxide atmosphere and supplied with a steady stream of Slime. Ranching Pufts provides the consistent input needed to sustain a large-scale mushroom farming operation.

Common Challenges and Solutions

One of the main difficulties in Puft ranching is managing the Slime byproduct. If left in an open-air storage pile, Slime will constantly release Polluted Oxygen, which can fill a base with unbreathable gas. To prevent this, Slime should be stored in a container submerged in a liquid, like water, which prevents sublimation entirely.

Another significant challenge is the management of Slimelung germs. Slime produced by Pufts that have consumed germy Polluted Oxygen will be contaminated. This contaminated Slime will then release Polluted Oxygen carrying Slimelung. Deodorizers can be used to purify the air, and placing washbasins at the entrance to the ranch ensures duplicants do not spread germs.

Sustaining a Puft ranch requires a reliable source of Polluted Oxygen. A large population of Pufts will consume more gas than their excreted Slime can produce. Players must ensure a supplementary source is available, such as from a natural biome, off-gassing polluted materials, or industrial byproducts. Without a consistent food source, Pufts will stop producing Slime.