Little things you like about Pokémon

Another thing I really like is how Pokémon change from generation to generation (and sometimes within generations too). New Pokémon are introduced in every generation, but most of the old ones get some new tools that sometimes change their usefulness drastically for the better. Certain Pokémon have been an utter waste of space for several generations, and then suddenly GameFreak throw them a bone that allow them to soar up on the rankings, and become one of the most talked-about 'mons out there. We've seen it happen to Scizor, Politoed, Mawile, Kangaskhan, Altaria and a bunch of others. Jokémon for several generations, then suddenly they soar to the top of OU (and sometimes even beyond) and become among the most sought-after Pokémon to catch and train in the games. Giving useless Pokémon an evolution works in a similar way, although it hasn't been utilized for almost a decade now.

This gives the impression that no Pokémon is truly hopeless. Anything can get a surprising upgrade that allows it to fight among the best - if only for a short period. That gives lots of consolidation to fans of currently-weaker Pokémon, while us old veterans can get a pleasant surprise from time to time as old conventions are tumbled completely. Two generations ago, everybody would have laughed at people predicting Mawile and Kangaskhan would one day be broken in OU. And they would have given up on Smogon completely if they heard Charizard would top the usage statistics among veteran players.

Conversely, though, Pokémon very seldom get nerfed in a similar manner. Over time, they might be overshadowed by something even better, but the tools they acquire will remain pretty solid for generations to come, bar any unfortunate mechanics changes. This has some implications for competitive battling, sending previous superstars plunging through the tiers, but it is a boon to in-game use of Pokémon. Jokémon in competitive are usually useless in-game. Pokémon like Delcatty and Illumise are a burden to their teams and trainers more often than not. But buffed Jokémon remain good and fun to use in-game, even after their time in the competitive limelight is over. No matter how outclassed Mawile might become in later generations of competitive battling, bringing a Mawile to a Gym battle will remain a solid choice. A Drizzle Politoed might not pull you as far up the ladder as it used to, but it will run through the story mode like a wrecking ball. Thus, this gradual buffing of poor Pokémon really benefit all sides.

However, I don't think every bad Pokémon should get buffed at once. That would just set a new standard for what constitutes a bad Pokémon. The barrel has to have a bottom, and all that. It's easier to appreciate the power and versatility of 'mons like Garchomp and Gengar when there exists stuff like Unown and Plusle.
Granted Plusle and Minun did receive a small buff this generation via access to their hidden abilities Lightning Rod and Volt Absorb respectively, and last generation via Ampharos, Manectric, and Klingklang having access to Plus and/or Minus as well as the mechanics change to those abilities. (Plus can work with Plus, Minus can work with Minus. As long as two are out with either ability they benefit) But yes, we'll never be rid of 'bad' Pokemon. Something has to be at the bottom of the barrel, and the ones with the cute little gimmicks tend to be it and remembered fondly for it. Though it's appreciable when these otherwise bad Pokemon are practically GODS in competitions that don't involve battling. Who would think that SUNKERN could be so beastly in the Pokeathelon, able to go toe-to-toe with ARCEUS?
 
I think that Game Freak does a really solid job on hold items. Not all are great and some are mostly for gimmicks like Iron Ball and Sticky Barb, but there are a lot of good items whose effects are wonderfully balanced. The Choice Items, for example, are great. You get a great 50% boost at only the cost of being stuck with one move until you switch out. I feel similarly to my favorite Generation VI item: the Assault Vest. Again, a 50% boost to Sp. Def. at the cost of being able to use status moves. This is a more difficult to use item than the Choice Items, but in the case of some Pokémon, like my Excadrill, it isn't a hindrance at all.

Another thing I love is Kricketune's cry. Who doesn't love Kricketune's cry. It's amazing.
Now I am hoping that next year, someone pulls a Se Jun Park with Kricketune at Worlds and makes it the summer of DELELELE WHOOOOP!
KRICKETUNE 2016!
 
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Well, there is probably a huge list, so I'll probably just list one thing every other day.

1) The music. Since the first generation, most tracks have been amazing, and it is relaxing to listen to them while doing work. I might not've stuck with the series if not for the great soundtracks.

2) It's a great way to make friends.
I'm a pretty introverted guy, so I don't really make a lot of friends. That is one reason I got into Pokémon. I mean, if so many other kids liked it, how bad could it be? And it is great, talking with you fine folks over the finer points of this popular franchise!
 
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Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
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Those Tepig family cards are freaking adorable. I absolutely love that.

More card art discussion:
One of my favorite things is with certain cards from the HeartGold/SoulSilver expansion. If a Pokémon evolves through a stone, such as Arcanine, said stone is in their artwork:
That's neat. Reading the HeartGold & SoulSilver TCG trivia it was also the first and only one to feature Pokemon (and a location) on its Energy Cards. That's another idea they should have continued with, every other Energy Cards look the same except colored differently, even when they change the design its the same design for all the cards. What HGSS did helps give them identity to the card. Even if they don't put a Pokemon on it at least have them have different card designs.

Speaking of Energy Cards I kind of wished they came up with energy symbols for all the other elements. Now I perfectly know why they keep things simple and completely agree with it (even if its sometimes create odd weaknesses and resistances due to them having to cram certain types together), I would just like to see the symbol. And yes, I also know there are tons of picture online which does it, I just wondering what the official symbols would look like.

Granted Plusle and Minun did receive a small buff this generation via access to their hidden abilities Lightning Rod and Volt Absorb respectively, and last generation via Ampharos, Manectric, and Klingklang having access to Plus and/or Minus as well as the mechanics change to those abilities. (Plus can work with Plus, Minus can work with Minus. As long as two are out with either ability they benefit) But yes, we'll never be rid of 'bad' Pokemon. Something has to be at the bottom of the barrel, and the ones with the cute little gimmicks tend to be it and remembered fondly for it. Though it's appreciable when these otherwise bad Pokemon are practically GODS in competitions that don't involve battling. Who would think that SUNKERN could be so beastly in the Pokeathelon, able to go toe-to-toe with ARCEUS?
And even if they have bad stats if they have gimmicks they could be fun to play around with for a bit. Castform (with Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Hail, and Weather Ball), Ditto (especially if it has Imposter), Kecleon (especially if it has Protean).

New Like: MORE TCG STUFF!
Here's something REALLY little that I kind of like, the set's logo. I know, they're just a symbol which shows the TCG is from this expansion and that's it. But still I like the symbology (correct term?) that's used, especially in the English sets which always try to use symbols (the E-Series, DP series, Platinum series, HGSS series, and BW series were just letters for the most part in Japan. In XY they started making actual symbols again, though even then they used the same symbols for some sets so new ones were still needed to be created).

Not to sound completely shallow, there's one certain expansion that I REALLY liked from the TCG due to the lore it created: Delta Species. During the EX Series (our version of the E-Series plus the other Gen III-based expansions) they introduced Pokemon known as Delta Species which were Pokemon that were types they weren't. Electric-type Dragonite, Fire-type Tyranitar, Water-type Bellossom, etc.. Actually that's wrong, pre-evolutions were mono-type while fully evolved Pokemon were part Steel-type (dual-type wasn't a new thing, the previous expansions Team Aqua & Magma and Team Rocket had some Pokemon part Dark-type. Actually they never did this again either which is odd since some Pokemon are two types). Anyway the backstory is that this all takes place in a Region called Holon where people searching for Mew set up a city and did so by using electromagnetic waves. Well like all stories involving people messing with nature, the waves had an odd effect on the wild Pokemon by radically changing their type and those fully evolved becoming part Metal-type. And they fleshed out the region by including locations and glimpses at the life of people living. I sounds like such an interesting gimmick and place I kind of wished they either had a game take place in Holon or someway had the games introduce Holon energy that is able to change a Pokemon's type (with limits of course).

Actually since the TCG and get away with doing these strange gimmicks they can have things like Dark Pokemon and Crystal Pokemon. Plus since they weren't restricted by data space they could make up ALL the moves.
 
Mostly, I like how varied the designs are.

You want tough? Have Garchomp, Tyranitar, Aggron, Nidoking, Machamp, Gyarados, Steelix, Sharpedo, Groudon, Zekrom, most fully evolved starters...
You want cute? Have Raichu, Whimsicott, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Blissey, Lilligant, Cinccino, Furret, even Dragonite and Goodra...
You want elegant? Have Gardevoir, Suicune, Articuno, Milotic, Lilligant, Aurorus, Diancie, Absol, Altaria...
You want weird? Have Slowbro, especially Mega Slowbro, Reuniclus, Mawile, Forretress, Stunfisk, Shedinja, Masquerain, Claydol, the Regis, Klefki, Malamar, Zygarde...
You want ugly? Have Weezing, Garbodor, Bastiodon, Purugly, Skuntank, Seismitoad, Diggersby, Barbaracle...

This also extends to the various inspirations: real animals or plants including pretty some obscure ones, but also a bunch of weird Japanese folklore, and even the object-based Pokémon some people utterly despise (I generally don't, plus at the very least Bronzong is pretty high in my favourites list). Pretty much every design, even the weirder or uglier one, is bound to be liked or even loved by someone, somewhere.

And belonging to a category doesn't preclude competitive viability, as some of the cute ones are every bit as viable as the toughest-looking ones.

I also like how it feels like most Mega Evolutions were designed "differently" from normal evolutions. Normal evolution is a natural process, while Mega Evolution is a temporary power boost given to an already "adult" form: therefore, it is completely sensible that in most cases Mega Evolutions look like just a fancier form of the base Pokémon instead of something completely new. Compare, for example, the difference between Electrike and Manectric and the one between Manectric and Mega Manectric, the same goes for Gengar, Tyranitar, Medicham, Camerupt, Ampharos... no more growth, just power.
 
The attachment to your Pokemon I've found is something that keeps me playing the series. I write this because I have started my first Nuzlocke challenge, and my first Pokemon to die is my Kakuna BuzzBuzzBuzz. I had only had it for about a hour, but I'm already very sad to let it go. I always get attached to things in video games easily, but with Pokemon it just makes it easier. RIP BuzzBuzzBuzz, who I would of enjoyed transferring to my copy of AS to Mega Evovle when the time came.
 
The attachment to your Pokemon I've found is something that keeps me playing the series. I write this because I have started my first Nuzlocke challenge, and my first Pokemon to die is my Kakuna BuzzBuzzBuzz. I had only had it for about a hour, but I'm already very sad to let it go. I always get attached to things in video games easily, but with Pokemon it just makes it easier. RIP BuzzBuzzBuzz, who I would of enjoyed transferring to my copy of AS to Mega Evovle when the time came.
Worst deaths are E4 deaths imo.
 

Pikachu315111

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The attachment to your Pokemon I've found is something that keeps me playing the series. I write this because I have started my first Nuzlocke challenge, and my first Pokemon to die is my Kakuna BuzzBuzzBuzz. I had only had it for about a hour, but I'm already very sad to let it go. I always get attached to things in video games easily, but with Pokemon it just makes it easier. RIP BuzzBuzzBuzz, who I would of enjoyed transferring to my copy of AS to Mega Evovle when the time came.
You could have moved BuzzBuzzBuzz to a "Death" box in the PC if you wanted to transfer it over.
 
Can I just say that the Quick Ball is one of the most convenient items ever? Dusk Balls are also very neat if you tend to do a lot of night playing.
Or spelunking in caves. Repeat Ball is also very handy if you happen to come across a shiny or a Pokemon with a hidden ability in gen 5 onward provided you've already caught that species before. And given how prolific Water types are, Net Ball is very handy.

...actually, most of the special balls are quite handy if available, though sadly that excludes most of the Apricorn balls. (yay, a bonus for catching something of the same kind as what's out but different gender... or a bonus for catching any of the 5 Pokemon that evolve through use of the Moon Stone, one of which doesn't actually appear in HG/SS)
 
Or spelunking in caves. Repeat Ball is also very handy if you happen to come across a shiny or a Pokemon with a hidden ability in gen 5 onward provided you've already caught that species before. And given how prolific Water types are, Net Ball is very handy.

...actually, most of the special balls are quite handy if available, though sadly that excludes most of the Apricorn balls. (yay, a bonus for catching something of the same kind as what's out but different gender... or a bonus for catching any of the 5 Pokemon that evolve through use of the Moon Stone, one of which doesn't actually appear in HG/SS)
Also, Repeat Balls are great for catching repeat legendaries (like say you want to FINALLY capture a competitive version of a legendary now that you know how to do it without wasting your Master Ball).
 
While I like the practical use behind the special Poké Balls introduced in Gens 3 and 4, I like the standard Monster, Super, and Hyper (known as Poké, Great, and Ultra in the dub) Balls as they are. No, it's not because they were introduced in Kanto. I just catch most of my Pokémon in regular Poké Balls regardless.
 
While I like the practical use behind the special Poké Balls introduced in Gens 3 and 4, I like the standard Monster, Super, and Hyper (known as Poké, Great, and Ultra in the dub) Balls as they are. No, it's not because they were introduced in Kanto. I just catch most of my Pokémon in regular Poké Balls regardless.
Meh, since gen 4 I Quick Ball the hell out of near everything I come across as soon as they're available. Though since Poke, Great, and Ultra are available nearly everywhere, that can play a significant part as to why you'd gravitate to them more. Running low? Just walk into the closest city and purchase more. (even get a Premier Ball for purchasing 10 or more of any ball in this generation, one of the smarter things they've done IMO)
 
I love that Lapras gets its own Surfing sprite. I also love that it's never a terrible pick for a team member. Have I mentioned how much I love Lapras?

Okay, okay. I also like that every so often you get a Gym leader who does something more than just sit there and wait for you to challenge them. Like Korrina, who shows up in a couple of spots, and also hands you an instant win button Mega Lucario.
 

brightobject

there like moonlight
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I like Cheryl / Candice / Cynthia / Elesa / Rosa / New Misty / New Flannery / Gardenia / Viola / Skyla / Professor Juniper / Dahlia / Fennel / Professor Burnet / Mars / Female Plasma Grunt / ORAS Shelley / ORAS Female Artist / ORAS Female Swimmer / FRLG Sabrina / ORAS Female Delinquent / Zinnia / Roxie, they are cute! :333333 xD!
 
I like Cheryl / Candice / Cynthia / Elesa / Rosa / New Misty / New Flannery / Gardenia / Viola / Skyla / Professor Juniper / Dahlia / Fennel / Professor Burnet / Mars / Female Plasma Grunt / ORAS Shelley / ORAS Female Artist / ORAS Female Swimmer / FRLG Sabrina / ORAS Female Delinquent / Zinnia / Roxie, they are cute! :333333 xD!

...I second Female Delinquent in ORAS and Professor Juniper. Might I add 6th gen Hex Maniac as well?

...because reasons.
 

Karxrida

Death to the Undying Savage
is a Community Contributor Alumnus
I like Kalos Power Plant music, too. Something about it reminds me of Paper Mario: TTYD and it's just a really sweet track.
 
Side note on this: We have so many bird pokemon, why didn't they make the confused birds be tiny models of one of the bird Pokemon? :v
Because Psyduck would take offense... if it could wrap its head around it. Not a bird Pokemon, you say? Psyduck is a yellow duck-like Pokemon that always has that dim, perplexed look on its face, and is well known for being able to use Confusion despite not being a Psychic type even after it evolves into Golduck.

Back on topic, I've always loved the underwater music in the Hoenn region. It's so peaceful, yet slightly mysterious, perfectly fitting a world humans rarely explore and nicely contrasting the more lively and energetic Surf theme. I also appreciate OR/AS having added the diver trainers in places to give opportunities for earning a little more experience, and also feels as though it fits the idea that wherever Pokemon may be found, trainers may be there too.
 

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