Mermaid

Mermaids are a life state that was introduced in The Sims 3: Island Paradise. They are creatures of the ocean and water, but they have also adapted to land living.

Becoming a Mermaid
A Sim becomes a Mermaid by ingesting the special Mermadic Kelp.

Mermadic Kelp can be gotten either by befriending a mermaid and using the Ask about Fish Parts interaction while both the sim and Mermaid are underwater, or by purchasing the "Mermadic Kelp" Lifetime Reward which costs 25,000 Lifetime Points.

Mermaid characteristics, like most other life states are genetic. Thus meaning that if a Mermaid has a child with a human or an other type of supernatural creature, the child will have a 50% chance to either be a Mermaid or be like the non-mermaid parent. If both parents are Mermaids, the child is guaranteed to be a Mermaid as well.

Appearance
On land, Mermaids look no different than normal Sims. Although there is one easy way to distinguish a Mermaid from a normal sim, and that's by their legs.

Mermaids have colorful scaly legs while on land. The scales first appear when a Mermaid Sim reaches the toddler stage, and the color of the scales can be costumised via the Change Scale Color interaction via mirrors.

Although children have scaly legs, they do not morph their legs into tails when they swim in Pools or the Ocean. Mermaids first gain the ability to morph their legs into tails once they reach the Teen Life Stage.

The color of the tails is the same as the color of the scales on their legs while in "Human" Form, thus meaning that it can be changed via the Change Scale Color interaction.

Both genders have their own unique tail flipper. Males have a more classic mermaid style flipper, while females have a more curved and swirly style. Females also have seashell bras, it's color can also be costumised via the Change Scale Color interaction.

Needs
The color of a Mermaid's needs are blue instead of green, which the normal Sims have, and their needs are not much different than that of normal Sims, except for two differences.

Their Hunger need is a little different than that of normal Sims. Mermaids do not get much satisfaction from eating normal meals, thus it doesn't fill up their Hunger as much as it does for normal Sims.

A Mermaid's main food preference is Fish and mainly Kelp. Fish can be cought in Underwater Diving Lots located in various parts of Isla Paradiso, as well as fishing in water pools. Mermaids can eat Fish raw, and although it seems a tad bit cannibalistic, it does give them a large boost to their Hunger need. Vegeterian Mermaids should stear clear from eating Fish.

Even though Fish gives a Mermaid alot of Hunger satisfaction, the primary food preference for a Mermaid is Kelp. It can be harvested from Diving Lots, again located in various parts of Isla Paradiso. Eating two pieces of Kelp is enough to restore a Mermaid who has a really low Hunger Need, to full.

It's to be noted, that when a Sim is transformed into a Mermaid, their Favourite Food stat changes to Kelp. This does not seem to happen to natural born Mermaids when they age into Teenagers, who keep the Favourite Food stat they were born with.

Another big difference is the fact that Mermaids do not possess the Hygiene need, and in it's place they have the Hydration need.

Hydration works just like Hygiene, except that it's more deadly. Mermaids should be constantly kept Hydrated, thus requiring frequent swimming sessions either in a Pool or in the Ocean. Their Hydration can also be satisfied by taking Showers, Baths and even relaxing in a Hot Tub. And if The Sims 3: Seasons is installed, they can also satisfy it by simply standing in the rain.

Once a Mermaid's Hydration need goes too low, they will start to dehydrate and dry out. First they become Chapped, which is a neutral moodlet, and then they become Flakey ( which is a negative moodlet ). Eventually they will fall unconscious, and if another Sim does not splash water on them, the Mermaid will perish and become a Ghost (Death by Dehydration).

Another unique mechanic for Mermaids is their constant requirement for Salt Water, meaning that they will need constant dips in the Ocean, or else they will develop the Salt Water Deficiency moodlet. If they continue to abstain from swimming in the Ocean, they will eventually lose their scales and Mermaid status and become normal Sims.

The Lifetime Reward "Permanent Mermaid", which costs 5,000 Lifetime Points, makes this requirement obsolete.

('Note: The Permanent Mermaid Lifetime Reward is only available to Mermaids, thus it will not appear in the list to Non-Mermaid Sims)

Abilities
Mermaids have various special abilities and advantages that make them different from normal Sims.

For instance, Mermaids can breathe and stay underwater indefinitely, and will not get the Depressurising moodlet when Returning to the Surface, they also swim much faster than normal Sims, both underwater and above. Once a Mermaid reaches their Teen Life Stage, they automatically gain Max Diving Skill.

Like normal Sims, Mermaids who possess a Conch Shell are able to summon another Mermaid they have met. Also, Mermaids who have the Evil trait are able to summon Sharks to attack other divers.

There are also other small little benefits to being a Mermaid, such as never being attacked by the Kraken or the Underwater Cave tentacle monster.

Trivia

 * The mermaid was mentioned in The Sims Medieval, in one of the random events in docks.
 * The Sims 3: Seasons has two clothing pieces and a hairstyle which have a look akin to a mermaid.
 * Mermaids are unable to get a tan.
 * Just like other life states, Mermaids cannot become another supernatural without having their Mermaid status revoked first.