Morphs
Some esk can look very different from others while still being common.
Certain categories of Esk can have different default body types depending on the type of nature features they have or the environment they inhabit. These morphs are considered common esk forms despite having traits that would normally be considered uncommon or rare. If you have a MYO or are claiming from the nursery, you are permitted to use morphs for your design without any extra costs as long as your esk meets the morph's qualifications.
In exchange for having access to rarer features, esk which have morphs must fit more specific descriptions and limitations compared to esk who do not have morphs. These could be body types, sizes, or specific traits. However, in many cases it is possible to obtain conflicting traits if they are paid for in the energy exchange or in your transformation tier.
Each morph has unique traits associated with it, which are always required for the design. Unique traits are anatomical changes that would normally only be obtained through Abnormal mutations or special distribution during events (see the Unique Traits page for more info). With morphs you are allowed to give common esk these special traits without having to do anything extra.
Below, you can see an overview and example of each morph. In addition to a checklist of required elements to aid you in your design, we'll also provide some optional design elements which are considered common for the morph, but not required.
Existing esk cannot change morphs except through Abnormal transformation and event purchases.
Certain categories of Esk can have different default body types depending on the type of nature features they have or the environment they inhabit. These morphs are considered common esk forms despite having traits that would normally be considered uncommon or rare. If you have a MYO or are claiming from the nursery, you are permitted to use morphs for your design without any extra costs as long as your esk meets the morph's qualifications.
In exchange for having access to rarer features, esk which have morphs must fit more specific descriptions and limitations compared to esk who do not have morphs. These could be body types, sizes, or specific traits. However, in many cases it is possible to obtain conflicting traits if they are paid for in the energy exchange or in your transformation tier.
Each morph has unique traits associated with it, which are always required for the design. Unique traits are anatomical changes that would normally only be obtained through Abnormal mutations or special distribution during events (see the Unique Traits page for more info). With morphs you are allowed to give common esk these special traits without having to do anything extra.
Below, you can see an overview and example of each morph. In addition to a checklist of required elements to aid you in your design, we'll also provide some optional design elements which are considered common for the morph, but not required.
Existing esk cannot change morphs except through Abnormal transformation and event purchases.
Here is the checklist to reference when designing a morph:
Morph qualifications: Always required; this is what the esk needs to qualify for the morph. Could be a location or a nature feature.
Morph trait: Always required. A trait usually only available as a mutation that makes the morph unique.
Required traits: Always required; cannot purchase a conflicting trait. These help to distinguish the morph visually.
Design element checklist: Required unless you purchase a conflicting trait.
Optional design elements: Suggestions or clarifications on other available design elements.
Morph qualifications: Always required; this is what the esk needs to qualify for the morph. Could be a location or a nature feature.
Morph trait: Always required. A trait usually only available as a mutation that makes the morph unique.
Required traits: Always required; cannot purchase a conflicting trait. These help to distinguish the morph visually.
Design element checklist: Required unless you purchase a conflicting trait.
Optional design elements: Suggestions or clarifications on other available design elements.
Ocean Morph
This morph only applies to esk that inhabit the ocean or coastline and are part of the marine biome. The ocean morph has sleek fur with a short, triangular-shaped tail. Their wedged-shaped, fully sleek tail is exclusive to the Ocean morph. Morph qualifications: must be in the marine biome Morph trait: wedge-shaped tail with sleek fur Required traits: sleek fur Design element checklist: none Optional design elements: webbed feet click here for more examples of this morph! |
Air Plant Morph
This morph only applies to esk that have air plants as nature features. All nature features of this morph must float without any of them being connected to the body. Other than abnormal esk with this mutation, this trait is exclusive to the airplant morph. Common esk always need a nature feature attached to their body. The air plant morph’s only requirement is that it must have an air plant as a nature feature. Air plants, in this case, are terrestrial, holo-epiphytic plants. This includes plants like the Tillandsia genus, epiphytic orchids, and epiphytic ferns. For our purposes, air plants do not include parasitic plants, aquatic plants, or mosses. Feel free to note the group if you are unsure if your air plant will qualify!
Morph qualifications: must have at least one air plant as a nature feature. In this case, air plants are plants adapted to living off nutrients in the air, like the Tillandsia genus, or Epiphytic Orchids. They do not require other plants or rocks to grow on. Morph trait: all nature features levitate off the body; animated air plant nature feature Required traits: at least one air plant nature feature Design element checklist: none! this esk does not have morph-determined form requirements Optional design elements: secondary nature features that are not air plants click here for more examples of this morph! |
Fungi Morph
This morph only applies to esk that have fungi, lichen, or slime mold nature features. The fungi morph is very small and has very short velvet-like fur, a round nubby tail, and stubby legs without toes. Their stumpy, toe-less legs are exclusive to this morph. Morph qualifications: must have a fungus, lichen, or slime mold as a nature feature Morph trait: stumpy legs without toes Required traits: small size, nubby tail (should resemble manx trait) Design element checklist: sleek fur Optional design elements: none! click here for more examples of this morph! |
Grasslands Morph
This morph only applies to esk that have a type of grass as a nature feature. The grasslands morph is large with a hunchback and shaggy fur on the front half of the body that covers the front legs, and an ox-like tail. Morph qualifications: must have true grasses from the Family Poaceae as a nature feature Morph trait: a flexible, ox-like tail (can be any length) Required traits: hunchback body shape, large size Design element checklist: shaggy front half (you can make the morph fully shaggy, fully sleek, or have common fur lengths with trait purchases) Optional design elements: hoof-shaped feet (which must still show toes) click here for more examples of this morph! |
Aquatic Morph
This morph only applies to esk that have an aquatic plant as a nature feature. The aquatic morph is a short-legged morph with a sail-like tail that flows like waves whether they are underwater or on land. The tail connects to a long cape of fur on their backs and has a forked end. Webbed feet are common for the back legs but not a requirement. The aquatic morph can be part of any biome except marine, so long as the boundary is freshwater related. This morph also has whiskers! Morph qualifications: must have an aquatic plant as a nature feature. In this case, aquatic plants are species that live submerged or floating on the water's surface, not at the edge or on the banks. They should also be specifically adapted to water, not simply able to grow in a wet or flooded environment. Morph trait: whiskers (the design is your choice) Required traits: short, stubby legs Design element checklist: sail-like tail with a forked end and a fur cape along the spine connecting to the tail. (If the cape is removed with the sleek trait, or the tail is removed with the manx trait, the other must remain - cape but no tail is allowed, and tail but no cape is allowed, having neither is not) Optional design elements: webbed back feet click here for more examples of this morph! |
Seafloor Morph
This morph only applies to esk whose boundaries are on the ocean floor. The seafloor morph has a fan of fur around its body that can spread out, forming a stingray-like silhouette. The tail is long and flat and flows behind them in the water. They all have antenna-like false ears, and sponge familiars. These are the only esk who can start with familiars at their initial transformation. They are not long-bodied, they just have extremely tiny legs! Morph qualifications: must have a boundary on the ocean floor Morph trait: a sponge familiar that must be attached to the body Required traits: antenna-like false ears, tiny legs (starting out the legs should be twiggy. Leg girth and shape can be changed, but they must remain tiny) Design element checklist: fan of fur around the body, a long and flat tail (should be entirely fur, not ox or lion-like, and not flexible/prehensile) Optional design elements: glowing markings or a full-body glow (these will be considered common if included) click here for more examples of this morph! |
Arctic Morph
This morph only applies to esk within the polar biome, and can apply to both northern or southern hemispheres. Esk with the arctic morph have the ability to colorshift into a white coat for the winter. This winter coloring retains one bold, dark marking (or a small area of markings) but otherwise is completely solid white (eyes are not affected). The summer coat includes high contrast bold markings. These esk have the long-bodied trait with small, short legs and a thick neck shape even when sleek. They have a somewhat flat head and thick coat with shaggy fur that covers most of the legs. In general, the maximum length of the morph from the shoulder to the base of the tail should be no longer than roughly two-times their height. This is subjective and there is place for wiggle room that is discussed on a case by case basis. Here is a rough visual height-to-length ratio guide. Morph qualifications: must have a boundary in the polar biome Morph traits: long-bodied (length of body must be within 2x of height); color shift (winter form must be white and retain one small dark marking or area of markings from their summer coat.) The retained marking(s) must be one single, solid dark color. Required traits: small and short legs, bold markings on summer and winter coat, thick neck Design element checklist: flat head, shaggy fur that covers legs to wrists/heels Optional design elements: none! When making an arctic morph with a Transformation or Nursery/Greenhouse you must have the white "winter" version only retain one marking (or cluster of markings) and the marking(s) must be all one solid, dark color that is retained from the "summer" version. Ex: summer version has brown patches around the eyes and brown spots on the tail, winter version can only retain one of those markings and it must stay brown (not change to a different color). If you want to add more markings to the winter version later you may do so using the EE. All new markings added to the winter version must be the same color as the initial retained marking. click here for more examples of this morph! |
Rock Morph
This morph only applies to esk that have predominantly rocks as nature features. The rock morph is bipedal, and a chain of floating rocks or raw, unpolished minerals follow their form. At least one rock must be connected to their body. Rock morphs may also include smaller plant nature features, such as moss, succulents, algae, or ivy, but the rocks and rock trail must be a salient part of their design. The small plant nature features do not come with the morph from the start, they count as their own separate nature feature and need to be purchased via Energy Exchange if your MYO does not come with a second nature feature (for example, in clone or common transformation slots). Morph qualifications: must have mostly rocks as their nature feature. Morph traits: bipedal; rock tail (combines overgrowth, and flexible tail) Required traits: rocks as predominant NF (any additional plant NF must be small in size, such as moss, ivy, etc) Design element checklist: manx Optional design elements: small nature features, such as moss, succulents, algae, or ivy if your MYO tier permits (they do not come packaged into the morph). click here for more examples of this morph! |