Machamp and Slowbro, among other things, can learn Fire Blast. Where do they get fire from? Especially Machamp.
If I recall the Slowpoke family are slightly based on salamanders which as we all know has been linked to fire in mythologies.
As for Machamp, maybe from its burning spirit? Fire Blast's Japanese name is "Daimonji" which is a festival where five giant bonfires are lit in Japan (it signifies when deceased family members return to the spirit world after visiting during an earlier festival called "O-ban"). Also the specific symbol called "Daimonji" means large/great, so maybe there's a reason there. *shrugs*
I just want to know why Rampardos doesn't have Rock Head to abuse its Head Smash. I mean, look at it.
Probably the same reason why Aerodactyl doesn't get Head Smash/Double-Edge/Brave Bird, it would maybe make them too overpowered? Personally I'd still would have given it to them, just to watch the (probably temporary) chaos it would cause, but with Mega Aerodactyl being a thing and Rampardos being both slow and have weak defenses it probably wouldn't change that much.
OK, here's a little odd one:
Togepi's moves immediately after hatching. They consist of Growl, which lowers Attack by one stage... and Charm, which lowers Attack by two stages. Was it really necessary for Togepi to learn both? At the same time?
Once again their Japanese names seem to be the reason.
Karxrida already pointed out Charm is "Spoiled Pout", but Growl in Japan is called "Cry". So while we see it learning Growl and Charm which is a bit odd, Japan players are seeing it as crying and pouting which makes much more sense for a baby.
I demand to know why it doesn't learn Baby-Doll Eyes as well.
In Japan its called Round Eyes, and do these eyes look round to you:
... wait, they are round(-ish). So yeah, why doesn't it get it? Actually a LOT of Pokemon have round eye, why is this such an exclusive move?
Okay but Mean Look
Also I assume Ice Punch requires an arm but
Maybe Zubat uses its giant ear opening as surrogate eyes? It works for Roggenrola.
Maybe Wooper uses its antenna? Or maybe it uses its tail (who says a punch has to come from arms?) or foot (a kick is just a punch with your foot).
While talking about some team options I realized this.
Excadrill can't learn Stone Edge.
How does this even make sense? Almost all Ground types and most Steel types learn Stone Edge, and it definitely isn't a move alien to Excadrill's flavour. So, what is the reasoning behind this? Can't be balancing, Rock Slide is a much more annoying move in Doubles enviroments.
Stone Edge says you stab the opponent with sharp rocks. But Excadrill has steel blade for fingers, why would it need a sharp rock when it could do stabbing much more effectively with its own hands?
Thunder Wave has an odd and varied distribution. From Hypno to Drifblim to Aggron, and yes, even Qwilfish; it's weird just how many Pokémon are able to generate enough electricity to cripple an opponent. This can of course be in part owed to it being a TM; and I think a lot of exceptions could be made in this case - there's just so many Pokémon able to get so many odd moves and coverage from TMs and tutors alone, and that could even make it's own topic.
Same deal with Toxic. Almost every Pokemon can learn Toxic meaning every Pokemon is able to create a highly poisonous substance within themselves... including Pokemon who are weak to Poison-types.
Manectric also gets Flame Burst. I think that because Manectric is just based on discharge in general, it's just discharging heat in much the same way it would electricity.
Plus it's based on a yokai which is blue and appears engulfed in lightning and something else. If this is fire, I think it's pretty conclusive. Posting from phone though, I can't check rn.
Edit: To clarify, the yokai appears in lightning or something else (which might be fire), not both at once.
I would go with the theory that just in general what is electricity but another form of intense heat? Lightning strikes ignite fires, when an electronic short circuits it can sometimes catch fire, and just in general when is use an electronic gets hot.
Also the yokai you'r thinking of is a Raiju, a lightning beast (and where Raikou gets some of its inspiration from). But from what I read on the Raiju it doesn't really have anything to do with fire, the most is that it jumps from trees to tree during thunderstorms causing lightning to strike them thus causing them it ignite on fire.
Thundurus, the "Bolt Strike Pokemon". Guess what move it doesn't learn?
Also, Normal-types are, I think, representative of all types combined. Thus you see pure Normals getting every move under the sun (see: Tauros, Chansey, Clefable (yeah yeah it's Fairy but it used to be pure Normal)). Normal/X typings don't exhibit this (as much).
Well Bolt Strike is a Signature Move but it is still odd and I would support
pika pal idea of making it a Move Reminder move like they did with Entei and Sacred Fire. Though another funny thing about this? In Japanese both the move Bolt Strike and Thundurus' species is also the same as "Lightning Strike". For some reason the translators must have found it important to keep them the same, lol.
I always sort of say Normal-types as being sorts of jack-of-all-trade/masters of none. Yes they can learn all sorts of elemental type moves since they don't align themselves with one element, but that results in their elemental moves mostly coming from TMs/Egg Moves/Tutors and they don't get STAB on moves which can do super effective damage.
It also just feels weird to me that Tornadus cannot use Roost despite its obviously Avian Therian form. Even if the Incarnate form is the reason it didn't get it at first, I'm more perplex that the Therian form lacks avian themed moves than I would be at Incarnate having them.
For that matter, how the heck do the Genies use Sludge Wave? The closest I could think of would be oil spewing from the ground for Landorus, but Landorus's role as the "Abundance" Pokemon, with every Pokedex entry stating it brings crops and harvests to soil, would contradict that since I doubt oil is healthy to plants.
The Incarnate and Therian forms probably should be given different level-up moves since their different body shapes allow for different moves it can learn.
And maybe Landorus is removing the impurities from the soil and using it as the Sludge Wave. Not sure about the other two, maybe its a result of their destructive natures?
I also found an old lit of movepool and Ability oddities I had. For now I'll just post the ones I had mixed in for the Kanto Pokemon:
1. Shouldn't all Pokemon who learn Bubble be able to learn Bubble Beam and vice versa? Even if Bubble Beam is an "advance" technique, surely the Pokemon who can learn it should be able to learn Bubble. For example, the Squirtle family, Masquerain, Froakie family, Skrelp family, and Goomy family can learn Bubble but not Bubble Beam. On the flip side Poliwrath, Tentacool family, Staryu family, Politoed, Remoraid family, Suicune, Ducklett family, and Keldeo can learn Bubble Beam but not Bubble.
2. Shouldn't Caterpie has the Stench Ability?
3. I'm sure the Pidgey family would like the ability to use their beak by learning Peck.
4. Raticate are said to be good swimmer, but they can't learn Surf.
Err.. I have to end this a bit early. My next post I'll have more.
