Mermaids are unique creatures that grow a tail when they come into contact with water. In The Sims 4, you can become a mermaid, and it's quite easy, although many players are unaware of it. It's important to know that mermaids were added to the game with the "Island Living" expansion pack. If you don't have this expansion pack, your character won't be able to become a mermaid and won't encounter these creatures in the game world. 

Features, Advantages, and Disadvantages of Mermaids in The Sims 4

Naturally, characters should have their own advantages and disadvantages. Mermaids are unique creatures, and the first thing you notice after becoming a mermaid is a new need. When a character becomes a mermaid, the "Hydration" need appears, and hygiene simply disappears. Essentially, to satisfy the hydration need, you should do the same actions as for hygiene, although it's slightly easier to satisfy "hydration" for a mermaid. Here's a list of actions:

- You can swim somewhere, for example, in a pool;

- You can simply wash your hands, take a shower, and perform other standard interactions;

- You can simply drink some water, which will help;

- You can simply get caught in the rain. This will be enough to increase hydration. 

Some mistakenly believe that if hydration drops too low, the character can die. We're here to debunk this. The character will be uncomfortable, but a low hydration level won't lead to death. 

Advantages of Mermaids in The Sims 4

As mentioned above, mermaids have various advantages and disadvantages, their own abilities. Replacing hygiene with hydration is one of the advantages because it's easier to satisfy hydration than hygiene. But that's not all. Let's consider each one in turn:

- Mermaids don't need to find a bed to sleep. If you have your own pool or you're near a water source (like an island where water is everywhere, for example), you can simply sleep there. Now you don't have to constantly look for a bed or a couch. 

- Mermaids can breathe underwater. It makes sense since mermaids are half-fish and don't need any equipment to stay underwater for extended periods. Additionally, their swimming speed is much faster than regular characters (regardless of their fitness skill level). You can immediately go on treasure hunts or perform other water-related actions without fearing drowning or not having the necessary equipment!

- Mermaids have many abilities related to weather. For example, you can change the weather conditions. It's a wonderful opportunity. However, when using such abilities, mermaids lose a lot of their "Hydration" need, so it's best to be close to a water source to quickly replenish the need and avoid discomfort. To use these abilities, click on your character, select the "Mermaid" section, and use the desired abilities.

- Unique appearance. Mermaids have two forms: normal and with a tail. Logically, the normal form is their disguise, meaning it's the regular appearance of your character. In the character customization menu, you can easily adjust both the default appearance of your character and the appearance with a tail. This is a true paradise for character customization enthusiasts.

- In addition to triggering various natural disasters (or the opposite) with the "Seasons" expansion pack, the character has a range of other abilities. However, it's better not to choose the "Good" or "Evil" traits as they impose certain restrictions and may prevent the use of certain abilities. Thus, your mermaid can summon a dolphin and have various interactions with it, summon different natural disasters (even drown a person), give the mermaid's kiss that allows characters to breathe underwater for a long time, use various abilities to inspire or give unpleasant sensations to Sims.

- Many other interactions are available. For example, you can communicate with fish if you find or buy an aquarium, and so on. 

Disadvantages of Mermaids in The Sims 4

Naturally, mermaids have their own disadvantages. For example, they often react poorly to fishing. Of course, this doesn't apply to all mermaids, but if there is a trophy with fish nearby, it can negatively affect the character's mood. In addition, mermaids don't like eating fish. This is normal because mermaids are fish. So if you decide to play as such a character, you'll have to give up fish.

Ways to become a mermaid in The Sims 4

There are several ways to become a mermaid in the game. The first and most obvious way is to create a mermaid character in the character creation menu. Yes, the game allows you to do that. Simply create a new character and when creating it, click on the plus sign, choose the dolphin icon, and then select the mermaid option (see screenshot).

Next, create the new character. The character will immediately have a tail and the default form. Customize everything beautifully, and there you have it—a mermaid. Simple, quick, and effective. 

However, this method only works if you want to create a brand new character. If you already have an existing character, you can also turn them into a mermaid. It's quite easy and can be done using a few different methods. To be more precise, there is one method, but there are several ways to reach that method.

By completing life goals, characters in the game earn points that can be spent on various rewards. For 500 points, you can purchase the so-called "mermaid kelp." This item is the key to becoming a mermaid. Simply buy the kelp, and it will be added to your inventory. 

After eating the mermaid kelp, you need to swim somewhere within 24 hours. It's best to just jump into the ocean or a pool, and that's it—your character will become a mermaid. However, it's not necessary to spend points in the rewards store to become a mermaid in The Sims 4. Here are a few more methods:

- Visit Sulani, explore the island, and with a certain probability, you'll find the mermaid kelp. After that, proceed as usual;

- When cleaning up at the beach, you can find the mermaid kelp among the trash;

- If you find a dolphin and play ball with it, there is a chance that the dolphin will bring you the mermaid kelp, and you can finally become a mermaid.

How to stop being a mermaid in The Sims 4

If you're tired of being a mermaid, you can naturally get rid of this "gift." Once again, you'll need mermaid kelp. Within 4 hours, the character needs to eat 2 kelp, and your character will lose all mermaid abilities and transform into a standard sim.