After 8 years of languishing in the base game, The Sims 4‘s PlantSim Update is finally coming! Unfortunately, it isn’t free.
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EA recently released the Gameplay Trailer for the upcoming Enchanted By Nature Expansion Pack and early on we noticed a green-skinned sim who looked like an Occult sim, but he didn’t bear some of the more recognizable features of a Fairy sim such as wings. Our assumption (like many others) was that this fellow wasn’t a Fairy at all, but instead a new updated PlantSim.
Well, a few days ago on the EA Discord Server we finally received confirmation that PlantSims were indeed being updated, so it looks like we were correct in our assumption about the trailer! Unfortunately it seems that the PlantSim update will only apply to simmers who purchase Enchanted By Nature. Read on to learn the details of the upcoming changes, and decide if it’s worth spending the money on the new EP if you’re still undecided.
🌿The Long-Awaited PlantSim Update🌿
Some players may consider this information to be spoilers, so proceed at your own risk!
An admin on the Discord Server known as Petal Pinesong posted the following information about the upcoming PlantSim Update.
More PlantSims!
As of the time of this writing PlantSims only remain in this Life State for 5 in-game days (this will vary depending on how long of a Lifespan you play with). According to the PlantSim update notes there will be a way to “extend the Plant Sim [sic] Timer,” although we don’t know yet by how long or if there will be an option to make the Life State permanent. With the new EP installed you will also notice PlantSim walkbys in the World of Innisgreen.
Up until now your sim could only become a PlantSim by consuming Forbidden Fruit (not to be confused with Bizarre Fruit from Strangerville) that they could grow after earning a variety of emotional Magic Beans, which combine to grow the Mystical Magic Bean Portal Tree. Originally locked behind a Scenario sims can now get random Magic Beans from rare seed packets. With the PlantSim update, existing PlantSims will be able to give Forbidden Fruit to others directly without all of those Magic Bean hoops to jump through, making it easier and faster to convert sims into PlantSims.
Updates To PlantSim Needs
PlantSims have a Water Need in lieu of a Bladder Need, and will require sunlight instead of food to fill their Hunger. Things like bathing and drinking water helps their Water Need and being outdoors or siphoning energy from other plants will fill their Hunger Need.
With Enchanted By Nature installed your PlantSims will also be able to boost their Water Need through newer means, such as playing on a Splash Pad, and they’ll be able to absorb solar energy from Potted Plants as well.
New PlantSim Powers
With the new Expansion Pack your PlantSims will have new abilities that can help or hinder themselves and others, much like the mischievous Fairies we’ll be getting. Using the Nature’s Breath ability your PlantSims can cause plants to bloom much like Fairies’ Bloom Plant ability. They can also afflict others with a unique Ailment known as Green Meanie, and sims will have to visit a Naturopath or craft their own Elixirs to remove it.
More on SnootySims: You don’t need Enchanted By Nature to have a robust, deep PlantSim playing experience. Check out the Expanded PlantSims Mod for all sorts of new ways to play with plants!
🌱Playing Without The PlantSim Update🌱
If you don’t plan on getting Enchanted By Nature soon or at all, you can still play with PlantSims. For the most part the changes that are coming only apply to concepts included in Enchanted By Nature with a few exceptions.
- PlantSims can extend the duration of the Life State by continuing to consume Forbidden Fruit, thereby resetting their timer.
- Water is plentiful in The Sims 4 with baths, showers, pools, rivers, and the classic glass of water all being able to fill their Need. Most of these activities have other advantageous effects as well, such as raising Hygiene or increasing Fitness and Fun, so getting enough water as a PlantSim isn’t that much of a slog.
- Even with just the base game and Seasons, there are enough Worlds that your PlantSim shouldn’t struggle too hard to get sunlight (it can be harder with Seasons installed due to cloudy and stormy days hiding the sun). There are harvestable plants all over the place so even a desperate PlantSim can absorb their energy in a pinch.
- Sims will need Gardening Level 10 to purchase the rare seed packets needed for Magic Beans. Base game PlantSims may not have any special abilities for helping plants grow, but at Level 10 they will already have a host of other abilities that aid in growing plants.
How To Become A PlantSim In Base Game?
You can play with PlantSims right now with just the base game by starting the “Plant-a-Sim” Scenario. It immediately gives your sim several Forbidden Fruits they can use to transform, no Gardening necessary! This Scenario lets you choose between using an existing sim or starting fresh so you can play with whoever you want.
For even more of a challenge you can get a regular sim up to Gardening 10 and then gamble on rare seed packets, like lilsimsie did in a recent YouTube video.
🪴Conclusion🪴
If you intend on purchasing Enchanted By Nature, your PlantSims will have some welcome changes that integrate them into the World of Innisgreen quite nicely. More ways of filling their Needs and new abilities might even push them into one of your favorite “Occult” types! For simmers without the EP however, you can still use PlantSims whenever you want and download mods to enhance your PlantSim gameplay, free of charge.
What do you think of the upcoming PlantSim update? Are you excited for new abilities? Frustrated that they’re locked behind an EP? Or would you rather play with the Expanded PlantSims Mod? Let us know in the comments!
And in the meantime, make sure you’re getting enough water and sunlight yourself! Happy simming!🌞