Ruffians
Ruffians are Professor Pester's diminuitive minions. There are four unique Ruffian designs in total, each appearing at a higher level than the last.
Behavior
Ruffians have many methods of wreaking havoc in the garden, including breaking objects, coughing up Sour Candy, starting fights with piñatas, and filling in ponds.
Ruffians will always win fights with piñatas.
If a Helper is trapped in your garden, Ruffians may let them out. If this happens, both the Helper and the Ruffian will run out of the garden together.
Dealing with Ruffians
There are several ways to get rid of Ruffians. Hitting them with an upgraded shovel will scare them off, but until you reach that point you may need to get more creative.
The simplest method is to bribe them with chocolate coins. Doing so will prompt them to leave you alone for a little while, though they will come back.
Certain piñatas can also help. If you have tamed a Mallowolf, you can direct it to an invading Ruffian. As long as it's eyes are glowing red, it will howl and scare the Ruffian from your garden. In Trouble in Paradise, you also have the option of using a S'morepion. It will sting and paralyze the Ruffian. After it has recovered, the Ruffian will flee. Smelba will also work, spraying the Ruffian and scaring it away.
If you want to make Ruffians leave for good, you will need to invest in a Captain's Cutlass. You can purchase it from either Ivor (Classic) or Lottie (TIP). Ruffians will never visit your garden again so long as the sword is placed in your garden.
Individual Ruffians
While all Ruffians have exactly the same gameplay, there are four distinct designs that can appear. Each will appear at a higher level than the last, listed below.
| Ruffian | Appears at | Journal Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Ruffian 1 | Level 15 | |
| Ruffian 2 | Level 20 | |
| Ruffian 3 | Level 25 | |
| Ruffian 4 | Level 30 |
Leafos Gossip
- "Mum always told me that if I didn't control my temper, I'd become a Ruffian. What a horrible thing to say to a child."
Trivia
- Despite having four unique designs, multiple of the same Ruffian can appear in the garden at once.
- Ruffians cannot walk through ponds. If a pond is in a Ruffian's way, they will cough up dirt, filling in the pond.
- According to Leafos, her mother used to scold her by saying she may turn into a Ruffian. It is unknown if this is true, or if it is simply a fairy tale told on Piñata Island to convince children to behave.
- Like piñatas, Ruffians have an attack object. They will throw loathers at any objects or piñata they decide to destroy.