Abilities or stats are traits of creatures determined by their genes. The abilities are Strength, Speed, Gathering, Digging, Crushing, Fishing, Swimming, Underwater Breathing, Underwater Gathering, Venomous, Poisonous, Spikyness, Sight, Hearing, Smelling, Fertility, Cold Resistance, and Heat Resistance.
Strength
The Strength ability determines how much damage a creature will do. If a creature doesn't have it can attempt to attack the other creature but this will only damage the other creature by 1 day.
Strength is given by the genes Big Body (+2), Normal Body (+1), Spiky Body (+2), Ram Horns (+1), Antlers (+1), Megaloceros Horns (+2), Hammer Tail (+1), Claw (+2), Bearyena Claw (+3), Saber Tooth Fangs (+2), Bearyena Snout (+2), and Bearyena Hind Legs (+1).
The maximum amount of strength is 14 (Big Body, Megaloceros Horns, Saber Tooth Fangs, Hammer Tail, 2 Bearyena Claws, and Bearyena Hind Leg).
In a recent update, if a creature has 10 strength or more, they can destroy rocks.
Speed
Creature movement range
The Speed ability determines how many tiles a creature can move, provided it has vision of those tiles from either itself or a pack mate. It is not possible to have 0 speed because all hind leg genes give at least +1 Speed
Two movement icons
Speed is given by the genes Lean Body (+2), Medium Body (+1), Runner Leg (+1), Hind Leg (+2), Webbed Hind Leg (+1) and Bearyena hind leg (+1). The maximum amount of speed is 6 (Lean Body, 2 Runner Legs, and Hind Legs).
Flight
Flight allows the nichleing to fly and allows to go on trees. Nichlings that can fly can only fly so speed doesn't matter for flying nichlings.
Flight is determent by Big Body (-1) and Wings (+4). Flight is only given by having 2 wings.
Camouflage
Makes creatures less noticeable in their associated environments. Standing on a tile with long grass on it gives an automatic +2 to camouflage regardless of genes.
Fur colors and patterns affect this ability. Colors depend on what kind of biome the tile the creature is currently standing on, and only one gene of the color is required (one black gene and one white gene will still give the camouflage bonus when standing on Jungle tiles, for example). Stripes grant bonus camouflage while in long grass, and Dots grant bonus camouflage when on Jungle biome tiles. If the pattern matches the the environment it gives +3 camouflage and if the color matches it gives +2.
Collecting
The Collecting ability determines how many berries per turn a creature harvests. If a creature has no collecting ability, its can try and collect from berry bushes but with a low chance to succeed and only gives 1 piece of food. Certain kinds of berry bushes and twig plants cannot be collected from without a minimum amount of collecting.
Collecting is not required to pick up meat from meat piles.
Collecting is given by the genes Nimble Fingers (+2), Runner Leg (+1), and Velvet Paw (+1). The maximum amount of Collecting is 4 (2 Nimble Fingers).
Cracking
The Cracking ability allows creatures to harvest acorns and clams. This will only give 2 food even if you attempt it and succeed.
Cracking is given by the Cracker Jaw (+2) and Nimble Fingers (+1). The maximum amount of cracking is 4 (Cracker Jaw, 2 Nimble Fingers).
Defense
The Defense stat reduces the amount of damage dealt to a creature, and any attacker with a lower attack stat than your creature's defense will be harmless.
Defense is given by Armored Body (+3), Big Body (+1) and Mammut Foot (+1). The maximum amount of defense a creature can have is 5.
Digging
The Digging ability allows creatures to dig up a tile that has a root in it, which are only visible on the smell vision. The more digging a creature has, the more food a root will provide when dug up and if you attempt it and succeed it will only give 1.
Digging is given by the Digging Paw (+2) and Digging Trunk (+3). The highest amount is 5.
Distasteful Appearance
Makes predators less likely to attack your creatures.
Distasteful Appearance is given by the genes Toxic Body (+1), Bearyena Snout (+1), and Derpsnout (+1). The maximum amount is 2.
Distasteful Scent
Makes predators less likely to attack your creatures. Also wards off mosquitoes, stopping the creatures from getting Sleeping Sickness.
Distasteful Scent is given by the Stinky Tail (+1).
Attractiveness
Attractiveness will attract wandering nichling of the other gender. Only males can have this ability.
Attractiveness is given by Peacock Tail (+1)
Fishing
The Fishing ability allows creatures to "Harvest" fish for food. Fish swarms may be gathered by any creature with 1 or more fishing, and will provide as many fish as the creature has fishing points, provided there are still that many fish left in the swarm. Larger fish (Razorhana and Clownkoi) require 4 fishing to successfully catch.
Creatures without the required amount of fishing can try and fish, but their success rate is much lower.
Fishing is given by the Claw (+2), Bearyena Claws (+1), and Fishing Tail (+2). The maximum amount of Fishing is 6 (Fishing Tail, 2 Claws).
Hearing
The Hearing ability helps to find animals within range. All creatures will have a minimum of 2 Hearing, it is not possible to have any lower.
Hearing is given by the genes Medium Ears (+3), Round Ears (+3), Bearyena Ears (+3), Big Ears (+4), and Blind Eyes (+2). The maximum amount of Hearing is 6 (Big Ears and Blind Eyes).
Odor Disguise (Scentless)
Odor Disguise makes creatures harder to be smelled by other creatures and/or predators. It can also be gained by rolling in mud (+3 for three turns).
Given by the genes Medium Body (+1), Lean Body (+3), Water Body (+1), and Spiky Body (+1). The maximum amount of Odor Disguise is 3.
Poisonous
The Poisonous ability poisons the attacker when the creature is bitten, and will poison pack mates that lick the creature's wounds. The poison deals 1 damage to the affected predator or creature each day for 3 days. Poisonous creatures are also immune to the poison from Toxic Berry Bushes.
Poisonous is given by the gene Toxic Body (+2).
Spikyness
The Spikyness ability causes damage to the attacker when bitten, it also hurts a packmate if one licks their wounds. However if another packmate licks the wounds and has spiky body, they will not take damage.
Spikyness is given by the Spiky Body (+1).
Spikey body disables the tail gene, so although you have attack and a little bit of defence (spikyness hurts predators if they strike).
Stealth
Creatures make less noise when moving.
Stealth is given by Medium Body (+1), Runner Leg (+1), Lean Body (+2), and Velvet Paw (+2). The highest amount of Stealth you can get is 6 (Lean Body, 2 Velvet Paws).
Sight
The Sight ability allows a creature to see. For each point of sight, a tile around the creature is lit. For example, 1 sight means all adjacent tiles are lit (6) and 2 sight means all of the adjacent tiles of the adjacent tiles are lit (12 tiles).
Sight is determined by the gene for Normal Eyes (+2), Short-Sighted Eyes (+1), or Blind Eyes (0). A creature with Blind Eyes is unable to see any of the tiles surrounding it, and cannot interact with these tiles unless another creature is near them with either Normal Eyes or Short-Sighted Eyes.
Smelling
The Smelling ability allows creatures to see places to dig, unexplored berry bushes, and prey.
Smelling is given by the genes Big Nose (+3), Digging Trunk (+3), Blind Eyes (+2), Poison Fangs (+1), Spit Snout (+2), Normal Snout (+2), Cracker Jaw (+2), and Sabertooth Fangs (+2). The highest amount is 5 (Big Nose or Digging Trunk and Blind Eyes).
Strong Voice
The Strong Voice ability gives the creature the ability to growl at a predator, which causes the predator to flee,
Strong Voice is given by Sabertooth Fangs (+1) and Bearyena Snout (+1)
Swimming
The Swimming ability determines how many water tiles a creature can move. It is not possible to have 0 swimming as all hind legs have at least 1 swimming.
Swimming is given by Webbed Paw (+1), Water Body (+2), Webbed Hind Legs (+2), Hind Legs (+1), Bearyena Hind Legs (+1), Swimming Tail (+1),and Tail Fin (+2).
The highest amount of Swimming is 8 (2 Webbed Paws, Water Body, Webbed Hind Legs and Tail Fin).
Underwater Breathing
Underwater Breathing ability determines whether a creature takes damage underwater. Having at least 1 or 2 points of Underwater Breathing means a creature can move without getting damage and can sleep (end turn) underwater without taking damage.
Underwater Breathing is given by the Gills (+2) and Water Body (+2). The highest amount of underwater Breathing is 4 (Gills and Water Body). It is not required to have both.
Underwater Gathering
The Underwater Gathering ability allows creatures to dig up underwater tiles for 1 food.
Underwater Gathering is given by the Platypus Beak (+1).
Venomous
The Venomous ability poisons the victim when the creature attacks it. The poison deals 1 damage to a victim each day for 3 days. However, some predators will be immune to venom. It also allows a Nichling to eat poisonous berries without being poisoned.
Venomous is given by the gene Poison Fang (+2), and Scorpion Tail (+1). The max is three (Poison Fang and Scorpion Tail).
Poison Resistance
The Poison Resistance ability prevents a creature from taking poison damage.
Poison Resistance is determined by the genes Poison Fang, Toxic Body, and Scorpion Tail.
Cold Resistance
The Cold Resistance ability determines how much cold a creature can stand; if it's too cold, the creature will lose an action point, and would eventually freeze if they aren't warmed up in time. Creatures can gain an additional 3 points of Cold Resistance by being adjacent to two other creatures.
Cold Resistance is determined by the genes Big Ears (-1), Tail Fin (-1), Big Body (+2), Medium Body (+1), Mammut Foot (+1), Medium Tail (+1), and Heat body (+4). The maximum amount of Cold Resistance is 7 (Heat body, two Mammut Feet and Medium Tail).
Heat Resistance
The Heat Resistance ability determines how much heat a creature can stand; if it's too hot, the creature will lose an action point.
Heat Resistance is determined by the genes Big Ears (+2), Big Body (-1), Medium Body (+1), and Lean Body (+3). The maximum amount of Heat Resistance is 5 (Big Ears and Lean Body).
Heat Radiation
Heat radiation will give heat to the tiles next to the nicheling. This can melt snow.
Heat Radiation is determined by Heat Body (+1).
Fertility
The Fertility ability determines if the creature can reproduce, or if it can have twins. It is a gene slot; both genes are active to add up to a total of 0 to 6.
The Fertility gene slot tells how high the creature's fertility is, determined by the genes High Fertility (+3), Medium Fertility (+2), Low Fertility (+1), and No Fertility (+0). The highest amount of Fertility that a creature can have is 6 (2 High Fertility).