Hello, Tamers! It's our weekly date with the Downbelow, and today we're talking mounts!

Since we reached the Stretch Goal for the improved mount system with the help and support from all our Backers, here’s an extra-long update talking about the Mount system, how it was originally planned and how reaching the Stretch Goal positively influenced it. It’s a really interesting update with a couple of desired surprises, so we hope you’ll read it in full!

The Downbelow is huge, and although you can absolutely go exploring on foot, why not let your Temtem partners help you along? Mounts are, as the name suggests, Temtem you can ride on to go further, faster, and in better company.
Our original idea was to have 12 Temtem mounts, 3 for each type of terrain. Now, thanks to you, we’re doubling that number and creating mounts that are mixed-terrain.

The terrain issue is pretty simple: you wouldn’t take your Chimurian swimming, right? For now, the categories for mounts are: running, gliding, climbing and swimming. Every mount was meant to pertain to a certain type of terrain, and to carry the player across specific types of landscape. But now, thanks to Backers smashing this Stretch Goal, we’ll get to work on mounts that can take you across multiple kinds of terrain! A package deal, if you will!

Some running mounts that you’ve already seen include Chimurian and Momo, and you’ve also seen the Gliding Wiplump and Drackle.
But did you know Osukai can carry you to the top of some mountains and cliffs?

Early exploration of the Osukai Mount

And can't you imagine Piraniant taking you across huge lakes and bodies of water?

Early exploration of the Piraniant Mount

Just like different Mounts are suited for different terrain, the Temtem species of your mount plays a role in its performance. Faster species, like Chimurian, make for faster mounts than slower Tem species, like Wiplump. But since we reached the Stretch Goal, we’re ready to add another layer to it: stat-based mount performance!

A Temtem’s stats will influence their performance after they’re converted into a mount. Higher stats will help them run faster, glide longer, or climb faster and for longer periods. To give you a practical example, a base Chimurian will always be faster than a base Wiplump, but a Chimurian with higher SPD stat will be faster than the base Chimu.

These stat-based changes work on an individual level, specific to each unique Tem, while the preset values of speed affect the entire species. A Temtem mount that comes from a fast species can become an authentic powerhouse of speed with the right Temtem stats!

In contrast with the original Temtem game, where Mounts were a separate item, in Temtem: Pioneers your own Tems become your mounts. To transform a battling Temtem into a traveling mount Temtem, you attach a saddle to it. We’re still not final on the details about saddles, but the gist of it is that you will craft them and attach them to a Temtem to turn it into a Mount. Pretty easy, right?

Early exploration of the Wiplump Mount
But one of the biggest perks of your own Temtem becoming your mount is that now, thanks to thie Stretch Goal, your mounts can be Luma! All you have to do is select your differently-flavored Temtem, attach the Saddle unto them, and bam, Luma Mount!

We can't stop recommending you all join our Discord server because it's fun and full of great people, and you can ask questions to us devs!

And if you can, add Temtem: Pioneers to your Steam wishlist! We hate to ask but it does help us a lot!
https://store.steampowered.com/app/2961930/Temtem_Pioneers/

Now, let's saddle up and Temtem up! Yeeehaw!