Judge-a-Pokémon Express: The Beasts of the Crown Tundra (part 2)
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Codraroll
Welcome back to Judge A Pokémon Express! A few weeks ago, the second part of the DLC for Pokémon Sword and Shield arrived. The Crown Tundra is home to a whole host of Legendary Pokémon, including a few that have never been seen before. In the last JAPE, we put the spotlight on Calyrex and its mighty steeds. This time, we turn our attention to the rest of the Crown Tundra's new legendaries. For the first time, we're seeing regional variants of Legendary Pokémon: it turns out Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres have built nests in Galar and diverged from their Kantonian cousins over the generations. Additionally, two hitherto-unknown Pokémon in the Regi family have been unearthed: the electric Regieleki and the draconian Regidrago. There's a lot to have a look at here, so let's get at it, shall we?
| Articuno | Zapdos | Moltres | |
| Regieleki | Regidrago | ||
| Click on the images to reveal everyone's thoughts! | |||
Max. Optimizer
When I originally saw Galarian Articuno revealed during the live streamed trailer, I was immediately reminded of Mamoru Chiba, also known as Tuxedo Mask, from the Sailor Moon universe. Not only do both of them possess psychic powers, they also share the same mysterious and enigmatic countenance. This characteristic is for example notably visualized, not only with the help of the protective mask but also with the help of Galarian Articuno's overall body language, particularly characterized through the way in which it crosses its wings. In this sense, James Turner manages to kill two birds with one stone. When we humans cross our arms, we typically take on a notably more defensive posture and signal that we wish to keep the people around us at a safe distance. In a similar sense, Galarian Articuno resorts to its psychic powers to create illusions of itself to distract and confuse foes that get dangerously close to ruffling its feathers. Incidentally, this also gives a new meaning to the idiom about how birds of a feather flock together. In addition to this, the mask also greatly reminds me of Scott Summer from the X-Men universe, more commonly known under the alias of Cyclops. The way in which Cyclops's mutant powers allow him to shoot laser beams through his eyes strongly reminds me of how Galarian Articuno uses Freezing Glare, its new signature move that can freeze its foes. I genuinely feel like the way in which Galarian Articuno tends to give people the cold shoulder is a very fitting characteristic for a Pokémon that is partly an Ice-type. The Trainers among our readers that have attempted to hunt Galarian Articuno will definitely be able to attest to how tricky it can be to try and unmask this illusive bird of passage.
Ununhexium
Galarian Articuno just screams "elegance" to me in almost every way. From its pose to its sleek design and flowy tail, it is a Pokémon that seems beautiful and confident. I also love the way it folds its wings in front of itself as a kind of cloak. In addition, its color scheme is really great, as it keeps it different from Articuno while also maintaining its vibe.
The superhero mask confuses me, though.
Blitzamirin
With poise, Articuno stands out compared to its icy counterpart as one of the most elegant Pokémon introduced in Generation 8. It's accentuated by the chase you have to give to it in the icy fields of Crown Tundra, where it creates copies of itself and surrounds you with a trance-like dance. And then it gets knocked out by hail because it's annoying as hell to catch something with a catch rate of 3.
Also, EYE LASERS.
Lockjaw
Who needs wings to fly when you have psychic powers. I liked the Articuno Cyberpunk Hipster Peaky Blinders. Unlike Kantonian Articuno, which has an expression of many friends, Articuno Galar is technically a classic "Don't touch me". In addition, it is the first Pokémon in the franchise to cosplay Cyclops from the X-Men, as it releases laser beams through its eyes.
Of the three birds, Galarian Articuno is probably the most arrogant in personality; this shows in Sword and Shield when we found it and it literally said in its mind: "Do you think you have the permition to battle with me?" and does that bizarre test where it multiplies itself.
In competitive terms, it will probably have a good reputation, because Heavy-Duty Boots always brings miracles for flyers. In addition, it has a RECOVERY move unlike the other two (yes, they gave recovery to one of the the most offensive Pokémon of the trio). Its stats are exactly what I imagined, a Psychic-type Articuno with a great Special Attack and a Psychic-type Ice Beam. Competitive is an ability that wasn't that relevant compared to Defiant, precisely because the Pokémon with this ability were very ... mediocre to begin with. Now in Galarian Articuno's hands (or wings), things will change for the better.
The only thing that annoys me is that this bastard only uses it as wings to look more "fabulous".
Pikachu315111
Galarian Articuno is a Psychic / Flying type that fires eye beams that hold you into place as if you're frozen, hence why it's called Articuno. Of the Galarian Legendary Birds, Articuno's pun works alright in English (Articuno's Japanese name is "Freezer"). On a conceptual level I think it pulls off the alternate interpretation the best. While the games never portray them as such, in the anime and manga Psychic-types have used their powers to hold beings in place. Its design doesn't divert too far from normal Articuno aside from the mask; instead it shows its Psychic typing through aesthetic, levitating with its wings folded in front of it instead of flying with them, showing off. The "keep your eye on the real one" minigame it plays before you can battle it also nicely shows off its Psychic ability in presentation (creating illusory copies of itself and floating around) and reasoning (it's playing a mind game with you, laughing at you for guessing incorrectly). Altogether I think it's the best of the bunch, I just wished it looked more distinct from Kantonian Articuno.
The changes to Galarian Articuno's stats make you wish they did the same with normal Articuno. It's frailer (as if the high defense stats ever helped an Ice / Flying type) but has high Special Attack and is faster. Its ability changes from the always handy Pressure to the situational Competitive (though this generation has made getting the boost easier if switched into the right Max Move). Its signature move, Freezing Glare, surprises me because, despite all the depictions of a Psychic-type immobilizing its foes, this is the first Psychic move to have a chance of freezing. Overall, Galarian Articuno feels like an improvement on normal Articuno, notably in stats and typing (at least not being double weak to Rock-type moves and Stealth Rock).
Bandkrook
I'm really fond of the new Galarian bird designs. Articuno has this slick back "hair", making it seem very cold and serious, compared to its Kantonian counterpart. The visor gives it a dangerous vibe, as it is about to freeze you with its glare. The new color scheme, to me, reeks even more of cold than the original design. This light lavender and Articuno's new pose make it seem almost kind of royal, like its looking down upon you. It looks meaner, and with reason, as its now classified as the "Cruel Pokémon". The tail floating just around the lower part of its body gives it an air of grace and stillness, maybe derived from its new Psychic typing.
Zephyr2007
Yay, a Pokémon/X-men crossover. In all seriousness, Galarian Articuno is probably my least favorite of the three birds, which isn't to say that I dislike it, it's just the most ehhh out of all of them. How do I put it... it's the perfect embodiment of how Game Freak's newer designs have been moreso "characters" than animals. Galarian Articuno's visor and pose, although awesome, are just very... human. The Pokémon looks like something from a supervillain hideout on Cartoon Network. Its chilliness comes from human traits and attributes, it doesn't look animalistic. Its colors aren't ones found in nature, and it's floatiness feels... artificial, in a way. I could probably go on and on about this, but I feel like I've given you the gist of it.
This isn't to say that the design has no positives, though. Galarian Articuno is so much more vibrant than its plain Kantonian form, and it definitely sells itself as a beast of elegant danger. Alongside that, the constant teleportation and the arrogance it exuded in the games really helped flesh it out and boosted its coolness factor by a few notches. Unfortunately, that's really everything I can say about Galarian Articuno... other than the fact that it's not the coolest bird around (heh).
deetah
Galarian Articuno has to be my favorite design of the Galarian bird trio. Its sleek wings, tail, and posture make it look elegant and poised. A pretty shade of lilac as well as a darker purple complement its design and Psychic / Flying typing quite nicely. I found it interesting that it is nicknamed "The Cruel Pokémon," though it makes sense when you see that Galarian Articuno thinks highly of itself and casts its Freezing Glare (haha) down upon others. Overall, I think Galarian Articuno is definitely a refreshing alternative to its Kantonian counterpart.
Ryota Mitarai
Galarian Articuno's eyes remind me of those futuristic glasses that performers wear in music videos or something similar. Despite its futuristic design, there are also hints of traditional elements in its design, mainly through its pose in the official artwork, which make it look more gracious. I personally like its purple color, though I wish it were a bit darker, because I prefer darker purple. All in all, Galarian Articuno has an interesting design and there isn't really anything bad I can say about it, though it can certainly be improved.
Diophantine
Galarian Articuno boasts an aura of arrogance. Lavender all over works very well on Articuno's slender appearance and is a great touch to express how it's the more refined bird, much like its typing would suggest. Its signature attack, Freezing Glare, attempts to freeze opposing Pokémon psychologically rather than physically like its non-Galarian counterpart, so it still retains its name's origin. The "mask" is an interesting choice, but I think it works well here; it reminds me of Elite Four member Will, who happens to be a Psychic-type expert himself. Hypnosis is another interesting move it now gets, allowing to to disrupt enemy teams much more easily than its frosty cousin. Galarian Articuno is both beautiful and frightening!
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
Let's get right into this: This forme of Articuno is totally ATROCIOUS. Now don't get it twisted, I like the idea of a Psychic / Flying type, as Lugia has always been a favorite of mine. But the color scheme is totally nauseating. It reminds me of Arkana the Magician from the Battle City Tournament in Yu-Gi-Oh with how ridiculous the mask on his face looked. Thinking even harder, it may actually be a weird hidden nod to Elite Four Will from the Johto region. Regardless of the reasoning, the black is just wrong on Articuno. The blue to offset the purple would have been better. I get that new regions need to make things look different, but without homage to what came before, you ruin what worked in my opinion.
Codraroll
Articuno was always the elegant one among the three birds of Kanto. It seems to have retained this status when the birds moved to Galar. Its colors are subtly changed from the original blue, gaining a purple-ish "aura" colour so often associated with Psychic-types. I think the choice of its new typing is nice too, with its elegance and grace working rather nice with the Psychic typig, as we have seen before with Pokémon such as Espeon, Cresselia, Meowstic, and Gardevoir.
However, I find myself asking: "why must this be Articuno?" Its original typing is right in its name, even as everything else has changed. There's nothing arctic about Galarian Articuno. It takes a name associated with a specific design and typing and changes them both while pretending it's still the same Pokémon. It retains a "freezing" shtick as a nod to the original typing, but it comes off rather contrived to me. I would rather have had an entirely new and freshly designed Psychic bird, without the ties to what was already a complete design, than this incomplete makeover. They made more Regis for the Crown Tundra, so why not make more legendary birds as well?
Taptricity
So I must start off by saying this is my favorite Pokémon among Galar's set of legendary birds. When reminded of icy bird designs, I think of Anivia from League of Legends. Blend Anivia in with K/DA's diamond and neon aesthetic (I've quickly become a K/DA stan) with shades of violet and you get this baddie among the flock. The design is reinvigorated by the flavor, with those glaring shades prepared to beam anyone who dares slander Articuno. It regally and delicately floats in midair, further cementing its dangerous beauty. It may not be the most competitively viable bird for Smogon's standards, but it is S-rank for style and breathes new life into its rather bland original form.
Max. Optimizer
When it comes to Galarian Zapdos, I think that it is safe for me to assume that I am by far not the only one that immediately thought of the Road Runner from the Looney Tunes cartoons. I think that most of our readers will agree with me when I say that it is indeed a bizarre sight to see Zapdos, the iconic Electric / Flying bird from Kanto, with two feet firmly planted on the ground. Speaking of "ground", I also think that the earthy colors of its plumage greatly manage to complement the motif. However, while Galarian Zapdos looks quite different from its Kantonian counterpart, the sharp and pointy feathers still bear a strong resemblance to Kantonian Zapdos's jagged feathers. I honestly feel like Galarian Zapdos's design manages to strike a great balance between both regional variants: it is different enough to count as innovative, all while still remaining faithful to the original. I am even willing to say that the difference between Galarian Zapdos and its Kantonian counterpart is the most contrastive one out of all the birds. Not only am I a big fan of the concept of regional variants, but I have also always found the concept of roaming Pokémon very interesting, let alone challenging. It is not running around like a headless chicken, meaning that you actually have to come up with strategies to actually catch it. For me personally, Galarian Zapdos is the most fun roamer Pokémon to date and I am glad that the Pokémon franchise's main game series has reached the point where we can actually track and hunt the roamers as they run circles around us and, if Galarian Zapdos is the Road Runner, then we are the Wile E. Coyotes that definitely got a run for our money.
Ununhexium
If you want to knock down some green pigs, Galarian Zapdos is the Pokémon for you. Since lengthening its legs and embracing a more land-based lifestyle, it has really become one angry bird. I love how intense Galarian Zapdos's design is and how it gives the feeling it's about to chase you down and mess you up. That said, there are a couple of things I would change. While it does make sense that its wings got smaller, I think they should have been a bit more streamlined to make it a bit more aerodynamic, but that might just be me.
Blitzamirin
This bird, in comparison to its Kantonian counterpart, is not one I'm a huge fan of. Not only do I think it's pretty ugly, but the roadrunner aspect is only endearing for a few minutes before you realize that it looks pretty unnatural for something with Zapdos' reputation. Not much more to say about it.
Lockjaw
I'd make the Final Fantasy Chokobo joke / reference here, but my friends here were faster than me. Of the six legendary birds (both Kantonian and Galarian) this is by far one of the best-looking. It seems that the light orange color fits really well with the Pokémon, giving it a more wild and intimidating look than Kantonian Zapdos. In competitive terms it would be clear that this would probably be the best of the 3 birds. I really got it right, a physical Zapdos focused on doing as much damage as possible. I still believe this Pokémon is a reincarnation of Staraptor, with both having the same Speed stat, Brave Bird and Close Combat, and Band and Scarf sets with U-turn; they are literally cousins. I really thought that Galarian Zapdos would have a greater potential in OU because it is a good Defiant user, but unfortunately it did not. It's a shame because I really liked this Pokémon.
A curious fact is even though Galarian Zapdos does not appear to be able to fly, it has the ability to learn the move Fly. Which explains that Game Freak did not learn from the mistake of giving Fly to Dodrio and Dodrio. The method of capturing this Pokémon in the games resembles the legendary cartoon character Road Runner. We have to run after Zapdos like crazy. The only thing missing for the Pokémon was the sound effect: "meep meep".
Pikachu315111
Galarian Zapdos is a Fighting / Flying type that runs so fast it sounds like clapping thunder, hence why it's called Zapdos... okay, this pun doesn't work in English (Zapdos' Japanese name is "Thunder"). I'm mixed on the concept, I like the alternate interpretation, but I'm not sure if Fighting was the best type to represent it (I'm leaning more towards Ground). However, all of this is forgiven with its top-notch Road Runner / ostrich / Chocobo design (instead of being this spiky hummingbird / Thunder Bird), which makes it my favorite. I also like its chasing minigame in the Wild Area, a nice and fun twist on past gen's "legendary chase" (it getting tired out is also a nice anti-frustration mechanic). If there's only one disappointing thing about Galarian Zapdos, it is that we're not allowed to ride on its back blaring Final Fantasy XIII-2's "Crazy Chocobo".
Looking at Galarian Zapdos's stats, I'm shocked its highest stat isn't Speed (Zapdos is the fastest of the Legendary Birds, and Galarian Zapdos still is, but its whole gimmick is about Speed). The main change was just swapping its Special Attack with Attack, which makes sense with it being Fighting type and having those thick, bulky legs that would make Colonel Sanders salivate. It loses the never useless Pressure for the situational Defiant (though Max Moves make it much easier to get the boost this generation). Its signature move, Thunderous Kick, is essentially a buffed Rock Smash, hitting harder and always decreasing Defense. There wasn't much "fixing" to do with Zapdos, so I like how Galarian Zapdos does its own thing, allowing both to have their own niches.
Bandkrook
Galarian Zapdos actually is my favorite from the new Galarian birds. The constrat between its vibrant yellowy-orange body and its black legs screams "danger" to me, and the feathers are very pointy, giving Zapdos an even more dangerous look, as though it's hazardous. The yellow claws and iris almost look like they are glowing, like Zapdos is full of energy. Its legs are extremely muscular, and its beak is very sharp, making it the most "predator-like" of the new birds. The Pokédex states "Zapdos's legs can pulverize a dump truck", and if that's not some brutal stuff, I don't know what is.
Zephyr2007
Galarian Zapdos is definitely my favorite of the three new birds, and it is objectively the most improved bird. It took a Pokémon that looked like a preschooler's arts and crafts project and turned into a much cooler arts and crafts project. The dark orange really sells it as a more violent, "corrupted" Zapdos, which seems to be a theme with all of the birds. I also love the roadrunner theme with Zapdos, the fact that the body shape is very different but the Pokémon is instantly recognizable as a form of Zapdos shows that a lot of thought went into this 'mon. The "roadrunner" theme also plays into the method of catching this Pokémon, which I just love.
In regards to Galarian Zapdos competitively, it's probably the bird that's the most drastically different from the original version. Kantonian Zapdos is a Defogger and a defensive pivot, while Galarian Zapdos is a cleaner and a wallbreaker. This may be due to the fact that Galarian Zapdos's typing, alongside it's plethora of coverage, lends itself to offensive roles much better. Or maybe people just started using Gapdos offensively because it's an angery birb. Whatever. The point is, the contrast between the Kantonian and Galarian formes of Zapdos is just... shocking. Badum-tssshhh.
deetah
Galarian Zapdos looks pretty badass! It takes on the look of a fierce battle-ready wrestler. The transition of it being unable to fly but instead able to run at speeds of 180 miles per hour (290 km/h) makes sense when you see how bulky and muscular its legs have become. It definitely looks like it packs a Thunderous Kick! (hehe) The color combination of black and orange really suits Galarian Zapdos and its Fighting / Flying typing, and honestly it reminds me a lot of the Road Runner from the cartoon Looney Tunes.
Ryota Mitarai
Galarian Zapdos is probably the design I find the least interesting, because it mostly looks like a recolor of Kantonian Zapdos. The only thing that sparks out as notable in its design is its legs, because they make me associate Galarian Zapdos with condors, which grab their targets with their powerful claws. I have not played through Crown of Tundra (or Sword and Shield), but I do hope there is an NPC in there that would jokingly refer to Galarian Zapdos as "Klepto" and thus make a legendary Super Mario 64 reference. Its signature move, Thunderous Kick, is also my favorite signature move of the Legendary Birds.
Diophantine
Galarian Zapdos looks as menacing as its Electric-type counterpart. Dark orange emphasizes its rugged appearance exceptionally well. Eliminating its Stealth Rock weakness and giving it a new angle to attack from, the Fighting type is an interesting choice, but it works surprisingly well. I can see the route they were taking while trying too preserve its naming; supposedly, it is so quick that it sounds like thunder when it runs, and so fast that it looks like lightning when it strikes. Thunderous Kick lowers the enemy's Defense stat, meaning lightning strikes even harder the second time around! Galarian Zapdos is a warrior.
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
LOVE IT!! Now here's a Pokémon that looks battle ready in every sense of the word. This new design does have its flaws, like the "atrophied" wings. I totally think that you could have grounded Zapdos without making it look like an ostrich. That said, I truly appreciate the rust orange color because it better accents the black in the color scheme that existed in Zapdos's previous formes. The shift to a Fighting / Flying type, even though Zapdos can no longer fly, is something so rare that only Hawlucha boasts that typing. I can love and appreciate the swagger this version of Zapdos carries, and I feel like it was given justice in the changes made for Crown Tundra.
Codraroll
Galarian Zapdos has a great design, that's for sure. It takes the Road Runner concept in a wholly different direction than the Doduo family, being much more compact and aggressive. It retains its signature spiky theme of its original design, which I have to admit looks much better on a flightless bird—Zapdos never looked very flight worthy anyway.
A few issues stand out, however: why is Galarian Zapdos not a Ground-type? Its design base of a flightless bird would work better, and the electricity pun is right there. I guess this has something to do with Game Freak's fixation on the Psychic / Fighting / Dark type triangle, meaning that once the typing for Articuno was chosen, Zapdos and Moltres's fates were sealed. The second question is, why still call it Zapdos? For all intents and purposes, this is an entirely different creature than Zapdos. It has no credible connection to electricity anymore ("it runs so fast it sounds like thunder"? Really?). What made a name like Zapdos work for the original design is no longer present here. It has a theme, and it no longer adheres to it, so why insist it still is the same? I think the Pokémon could have benefited from a new name and a unique dex number, severing the remaining ties to electricity yet maintaining a relation to Zapdos instead of sharing the name.
Taptricity
Kantonian Zapdos felt like it carries a lot of intensity much like lightning. The Galarian forme only treads onward with that spirit. Galarian Zapdos is regarded in its Dex entry to have muscular legs and sir thunder thighs holds up to that title. It takes on the form of more terrestrial and land wandering birds that can reach remarkable speeds on foot. Its flavor and signature move, Thunderous Kick, play into the marvel of Zapdos's legs. It doesn't yield a color pallet that I enjoy, but Galarian Zapdos has a fascinating design to look into.
Max. Optimizer
Right off the bat, while Galarian Moltres's design is not bad from a technical point of view by any means, I still have to admit that it is the least innovative one out of the three. The element that stands out the most is the new, darker color palette that draws attention to its new Dark / Flying dual typing, but other than that, not all that much is new in terms of corporality and form of body. As a matter of fact, it looks like they took Kantonian Moltres and tarred and feathered it in an attempt to create a better shiny version, as opposed to a brand new regional variant. Our proverbial phoenix has risen from the ashes once again regardless, baptized again by fire, and still features some interesting characteristics nonetheless. For example, a part of me wants to believe that James Turner took inspiration for Galarian Moltres's black flames from the Naruto universe. The people among our readers that are familiar with the manga and/or the show will remember that members of the Uchiha clan like Itachi and Sasuke can use their Mangekyō Sharingan dōjutsu to create black flames that can burn anyone and anything and will not be extinguished until its target has been destroyed and only ashes remain. It can even burn regular fire and is usually described as "the fires from hell". The translation of "heavenly illumination" definitely adds to this theory as well, considering the fact that Moltres soars the heavens and lights it up with its fire. Maybe it is a reference to this technique, let alone the eponymous Japanese goddess of the sun, maybe not. Nonetheless, I originally could not help but make that association when Galarian Moltres's design was revealed for the first time during the live streamed trailer.
Ununhexium
Maybe it's the orientation of its head and the fact that it looks like it's screaming in this art, but Galarian Moltres gives off some funny chaotic vibes. I think the black and red color scheme was a perfect fit for a slightly off-its-rocker version of Moltres, and the way that the flames come off its wings complements it well.
Blitzamirin
I think Galarian Moltres is one of the sickest designs we've gotten in Generation 8 due to how sinister it looks, and imo, makes it seem like the trio master among the Galarian birds. It just seems like it's fitting: imagine a Galarian Moltres commanding the elegant Articuno and the wild Zapdos to claim the Galarian lands for themselves.
Lockjaw
The famous Punk Moltres; it seems that Team Skull hijacked the Kantonian Moltres and made a super customization on it. Of the three, this was the one that filled me most with surprise. First, who has not heard anyone theorize that this Pokémon would be Poison / Flying, and according to its stats and comparing its look with the original Moltres, I did not expect that the Galarian forme would be a Pokémon more focused on (Special) Defense despite not really having another viable stats distribution. Another thing that completely shocked me is that this Pokémon doesn't have Roost; yes, a bird that doesn't have Roost, a defensive bird that doesn't have Roost. This is very disappointing, I was expecting Pokémon to be the new ghost killer in OU, but after that, it becomes more focused on the offensive force.
Yeah, I don't have any good references about this Pokémon in my database. Only that I can call him an Edgy Moltres where the only thing left to complete his transformation would be a Fedora.
Pikachu315111
Galarian Moltres is a Dark / Flying type that exudes an evil aura that burns like a molten flame, hence why it's called Moltres. The pun with its English name probably works the best out of the Galarian Legendary Birds (Moltres's Japanese name is "Fire", I kid you not), but that's really the only thing about Galarian Moltres that works. The concept is flimsy, and I think it would have worked better if it was a fiery Dragon-type, wispy Ghost-type, or smokey Poison-type (the Legendary Birds didn't have a type triangle before, why enforce one now?). The design is just a black and red Moltres; cool-looking had it been a shiny normal Moltres, but as a regional variant, it feels weak. Finally it has the worst of the minigames, where it flies around the Isle of Armor in a set path and you have to cut it off; doesn't really say anything about its personality like the other two's mini-games. It's the most disappointing of the bunch, which is sad for me to say, as Kantonian Moltres is my favorite Legendary Bird.
At first glance you'd think that Galarian Moltres's stats also didn't work out just like its design, but that's far from the truth. Yes, they made its Special Defense its highest stat and Special Attack (Kantonian Moltres's highest stat) its second highest stat, which is what I call the "Articuno treatment". But there's a rather scary reason for this. First it got a good ability trade-in, swapping Pressure for Berserk, buffing its Special Attack after losing half its HP (which should be easier to do with a higher Special Defense; Dark / Flying is also a decent defensive typing with no double weaknesses). Second, its signature move, Fiery Wrath, is a souped-up Dark Pulse that has more power and hits both foes in a Double Battle! Scary and evil indeed.
Zephyr2007
Galarian Moltres is weird for me, because although I love the design, I agree with basically every criticism thrown at it. Yes it isn't innovative, nor is it detailed, and it's definitely emo bait.... but it's SO COOL. The wings, beak, dark fire feathers... the entire design just exudes this feeling of "I could burn your body and soul and eat the ashes for dinner", and I'm just in awe when I look at it. I don't have much else to say that the other panelists haven't, though.
deetah
I agree with many of my fellow judges on the opinion that Galarian Moltres has the most boring design of the new bird trio. It really does just look like a recolored version of our beloved Kantonian Moltres, so I wish Game Freak had been a bit more innovative here. Perhaps a typing of Ghost / Flying and a more ghostly design would have been a bit more exciting than what we received. With that being said, Galarian Moltres certainly does look menacing, and you might experience some of its Fiery Wrath (heh) if you get too close.
Ryota Mitarai
To the surprise of absolutely nobody, Galarian Moltres looks like some sort of a psychopath. This is further supported by its Dark typing, because it's related to evilness, which on its own is often related to insanity, and its ability Berserk. It is also stated that the sinister energy within itself is so oppressive that Pokémon cannot even approach it. The most interesting element of the design is the fact that Moltres keeps the flames from its lost Fire typing, unlike the other Legendary Birds, which have lost all association with their lost typing. All in all, Moltres's design can be summed as something being corrupt by insanity, because it still retains the flames from its lost Fire typing but nevertheless has gone insane.
Diophantine
Galarian Moltres is my least favorite of the new variations of legendary birds. It has the most boring redesign—simply a black Moltres. I can't help but think it would have worked better as a Ghost type, given how Will-O-Wisp is seemingly a link between the Ghost and Fire types. Its signature attack, Fiery Wrath, seems to be an upgraded version of Dark Pulse that hits all enemies in double battles. I guess it's supposed to be a representation of wrath, the deadly sin, which would make sense that it still retains some resemblance to fire. It's OK, but it doesn't really seem that unique.
{Pokemon_Vigilante}
This just in: Yveltal is available in Crown Tundra!! Wait, that's not Yveltal?! I'm shocked!! They look almost exactly alike. In any event, Galarian Moltres has a wicked appeal, because its typing is totally dope. The design is slightly pedestrian in my opinion though. I feel like the typing change should have necessitated something resembling lava if the designers were looking to keep a Fire tie-in. If you like it, then I'm glad, but this design was just vastly underdone in my opinion.
Codraroll
When the time came to design Galarian Moltres, it seems like the designers realized one thing: This bird is around 50% fire, and the flames are far too integral to its design to take away. A re-typed Moltres without the fire would not look like Moltres at all, giving the designers perhaps the clearest hint that this whole "re-typing Pokémon whose very names and theme are all about their typing" idea was monumentally stupid and should not have happened to begin with. I imagine the head designer then said: "but what if we pretend they are Dark flames, eh?" and swiftly removed the absolutely crucial Fire type from Moltres' design. I don't know what response he got, but I imagine it was polite applause of the "this-idea-is-bonkers-but-he's-the-boss-so-let's-keep-him-happy" sort. You can't have a bird that's 50% fire while removing the Fire typing. It's just not done. Change Moltres all you want, but the fire has to stay, or it's not Moltres anymore. Yes, the design looks unquestionably cool, but either Dark / Flying is not the right typing for it, or Moltres is not the right name for it.
Or to put it in the words of one John Ronald who wrote a book once: "The dark fire will not avail you, flame of Galar. Go back to the drawing board. You cannot pass the design review!"
Taptricity
Now where Articuno and Zapdos brought unique twists and fantastic designs, Moltres's design feels rather uninspired. Its in-game model looks like it's ready to cough up its evil phlegm. As a massive fan of Dark-types, there have been far more interesting ways to utilize dark color pallets (Krookodile's dark patches enhancing its burgundy scales for example), and unfortunately, Galarian Moltres feels more like a reskin of its Kantonian counterpart instead of its own concept. It's rather ironic, as it is implied in the dex entries that the Galarian Legendary birds are separate entities and aren't the Kantonian birds we're so familiar with.
Max. Optimizer
When it comes to Regieleki, one of the new golems, I want to start by saying that I originally disliked its name. Compared to the other golems, its name stands out notably, and I dare say that it would have been better to pick a name that rolls off the tongue better. Personally, I would have gone with either Regivolt or Regijolt. I am sure that some of our readers could also come up with better alternatives. Feel free to share some of your suggestions in the comment section. However, when it comes to Regieleki's overall design, I feel like James Turner did a lot of things right. Typically, when we think of the golems that we have already seen in previous generations, they all seem to share the same clunky and heavy designs that are very consistent with the bodily habitus of the golem from Jewish folklore. So, while this causes the previous golems, especially Regigigas, to be notably slow, Regieleki's aerodynamic body composition allows it to move incredibly fast in comparison. In my honest opinion, I think that it was a good idea that James Turner decided to break with certain traditions here, as it helps Regieleki solidify itself as a unique golem that, contrary to its predecessors, plays significantly differently and can subsequently successfully adapt to a plethora of different playstyles. Speaking of Regieleki's design, my good friend Kanon90 pointed out that Regieleki is in fact shaped like a light bulb, surrounded by Tesla coils. That being said, I am going to conclude by saying that Regieleki's innovative and pioneering design gives me hope for even more new golem Pokémon that will develop into many different directions. However, for the time being, no golem can currently steal its thunder, both in a literal and figurative sense.
Blitzamirin
While it's my favorite of the new Legendaries, there's not much to touch upon with this golem. The name is awkward and clunky, it has a pretty cool design resembling a light bulb, it is SUPER fast, and it has a movepuddle rather than a movepool. With that said, there's a cute perk about Regieleki that hasn't been mentioned: in-game, its idle animation is that of a little dance where it alternates between both of its... feet, and these "thumps" can be heard in the overworld. It's a pretty cool little detail that makes Regieleki even more endearing.
Lockjaw
Is this why Game Freak took Hidden Power out of the game? Were they planning this all along? Would this really get Hidden Power? Yeah, we're talking about him, the fastest Pokémon in the game, the Pokémon allergic to earth, the Pokémon that collapses if a little earth falls on its head, Tapu Koko's best friend, the electric Dracovish, the walking lamp head, Regieleki.
It was like everyone theorized, the fastest Pokémon in the franchise, even surpassing Deoxys-S, but no one expected its coverage to be one of the worst of the legendaries; who thought it would not have Ice Beam, Energy Ball or Focus Blast. But it doesn't; its movepool is 70% Electric moves and 30% unviable Normal moves. Well, despite all that, it is the fastest Pokémon in the game, and it really needed respect and use. Regieleki is technically a moral lesson for you to love Ground-types, since if you don't have any on your team, this Pokémon can clean up your entire team on its own.
Its power is incredible, but the reality of losing 100% of the time to Ground-types makes it very dependent and useless in certain cases. It was pretty overrated in the beginning. But it still works for the tier where it is; imagine what it would be like if it had a strong move for Garchomp and Landorus-T.
So friends, love the land and love the Ground-types.
Pikachu315111
Regieleki was the new Legendary Golem I was least interested in. Not saying it's bad, it just didn't look as interesting as Regidrago. I also felt unsure about its lore, particularly its relation with the other Legendary Golems. While the others are made of physical material, Regieleki is made of electricity. Its Dex entry didn't help matters; while it explains Regieleki does have a solid material (a single organ that generates electricity), it then goes into fantastic territory about powering the entire Galar region. I never felt the Legendary Golems were "those" kind of Legendaries; they were certainly powerful but not world-changingly powerful. Combined this with its small size, and it certainly feels like the misfit of the group. It's believed the Legendary Golems all represent an "age" of humanity, and, while the other titans represent past ages, Regieleki represents the "modern age" (heavy reliance on electricity, devices getting smaller as new technology develops). It being the oddball could be an intentional choice, and this continues into its stats.
Regieleki is crazy fast and both its offensive stats are good, trading these for having low defenses. Its signature ability Transistor is a free jaw-dropping 50% boost to its Electric-type moves! This works in tandem with its signature move Electric Cage, which is a powerful Electric-type version of trapping moves like Fire Spin and Whirlpool. In a way it reminds me of Xurkitree and how at the time we thought it was the most ridiculous Electric-type, with how much power they gave it. Well, move aside Xurkitree; while it may not hit as hard, Regieleki has proven itself to be the most ridiculous Electric-type with how much juice they packed into this small package.
deetah
Regieleki gives us a nice change to what we're used to seeing with the Legendary Golems, with it not only being faster than the rest of them but even the fastest Pokémon ever, beating out Deoxys-S with an insane base Speed of 200. I like the change of having a fast, offensive Legendary Golem as opposed to only slow, bulky ones. I can see Regieleki moving around at the speed of light, quite literally, and trapping unsuspecting foes in its Thunder Cage. Unfortunately for Regieleki, it hasn't been blessed with too great of a movepool.
Ryota Mitarai
I personally like Regieleki myself, though that may be because I enjoy spamming Rising Voltage in Electric Terrain. I also like how it is lightning fast, compared to the other Regis, which are generally very slow. The most interesting element in the design is the leash, which was apparently put to restrain its power and prevent it from tormenting Regigigas. Considering how powerful it can be already, I don't want to see how much damage a Rising Voltage in Electric Terrain would deal without the leash. As a whole, I think I like Regieleki more because of its concept rather than its design.
Codraroll
"Hear me out, mister head designer. What if we made a Pokémon all about spamming Electric moves?"
"We did, Mr. Game Director. It's called Tapu Koko."
"I mean, all about spamming Electric moves. We'll trim its coverage options to a minimum and pump all its stat points into one stat"
"Oh, you mean Xurkitree?"
"I had in mind something faster."
"Like Electrode?"
"Like Electrode, but more like Electrode. Electrode is too slow and too versatile. I want something faster with an even smaller movepool!"
"But what will it look like?"
"Take this lightbulb and give it arms of pure electricity. And an ability that boosts Electric-type moves! And let that be it! It must be all about Electric-moves! All! Aaaaaalll about Electric-moves! I ate something funny for breakfast and got a really specific vision! Now excuse me, I must go and talk to the sound designer about a great idea I got for the sound settings ..."
Taptricity
Game Freak continues the nostalgia by creating new Regi forms. The Regi forms were never applauded for having groundbreaking designs, so I suppose the trend can continue with Regieleki. Both of the new Regis this generation receive a gargantuan 200 base stat, and Regieleki was blessed with a more significant alteration by receiving this into its Speed. It's not only the fastest Regi by a long shot, but it also outpaces speed demons like Deoxys-S and Ninjask. The problem lies in its barren movepool almost totally locked to Electric-type moves. But with blistering speed and decent attacking stats, Regieleki was bound to be effective despite its crippling weakness to a universal defensive typing. In other news, oh my god it has such a fun and bouncy model!
Rabia
I really like this thing's in-game model. Seeing it hop around all happily and whatnot just makes me filled with joy, and I think the great amount of movement it exhibits does a good job of conveying its key stat: Speed. Similarly, I feel the model does something similar with the little lightning rods it has for... feet? I'm unsure where the leg ends and the foot begins, but hey, so long as Regieleki is happy, then so am I.
Max. Optimizer
When it comes to Regidrago, I will have to start by saying that I do not find its design quite as innovative as Regieleki's. As I have mentioned in my entry about Regieleki, my personal favorite aspect consists in the fact that there was a solid attempt made with the goal of deviating from the classic formula, especially the heavy and hulking bodily habitus, of the golem-themed Pokémon. Regidrago unfortunately appears to notably lurch back into the old familiar patterns. While there is, technically speaking, nothing wrong with that, especially given the fact that the golems from Jewish folklore are shaped this way, a part of me still wishes to see more deviating artistic liberties being implemented, especially with there already being 898 Pokémon now. I also wish that James Turner would have done a little "more" with the "dragon" motif, aside from turning Regidrago into a bizarre sideways Venus flytrap with a head that strongly resembles Charizard, a certain Pokémon that has enjoyed a lot of favoritism ever since its creation. Ironically, however, despite the fact that Charizard looks like a dragon, it is in fact not a dragon at all, except when it makes use of the Charizardite X item. However, please do not misunderstand me, my intention is not to disrespect James Turner's work, and I also do not want to say that Regidrago's design is bad per se, but I cannot help but think that there still is some untapped potential somewhere along the lines. I personally think that it would have been a better idea to shape its actual body like a dragon and maybe give it some wings and a tail, as opposed to just using the "dragon" theme as a mere accessory for a golem that would honestly look notably generic without it.
Ununhexium
The first thing I don't understand about Regidrago is why it had to exist. I don't think anyone wanted to expand a legendary trio into a group of five, moreso the Legendary Golems, but here we are. Furthermore, while the other four are made of some sort of substance or elemental property, Regidrago is made of... dragon energy? Come on. Rant about its mere existence aside, I really don't like the dragon head for its arms and I think the lines on its face to give it a more dragony appearance are just ugly.
Blitzamirin
Regidrago is a peculiar one. While the rest of the golems can be said to be made out of something tangible, as well as being representative of different eras in humanity's timeline, Regidrago is just... Dragon Energy? (haha). I just don't see how Regigigas could conceivably make this, but maybe it's some dormant power that it's channeling from the Creation Trio or something. Regidrago is also small and cute compared to the other Legendaries, and this coupled with its Charizard-esque "arm cannon" gives me very Necrozma-esque vibes and comes off as an incomplete creation.
Lockjaw
It's just a cherry with a DAMN MEGA CHARIZARD X as arms.
Yeah, that's it.
move down to the next review.
I hate Charizard.
Pikachu315111
Regidrago was the new Legendary Golem that caught my interest the most mainly due to being Dragon type. While electricity is an odd element to make a Legendary Golem out of, it is still an element, whereas "dragon" is more of a concept. When we learned a little more about Regidrago, that it was made from crystallized dragon energy and technically unfinished because Regigigas couldn't' find enough crystal to make more than the head, it got me curious if this was possibly leading anywhere, such as Regigigas getting a new forme or Gigantamax. Turns out it was just all flavor text. Oh well, Regidrago still looked cool with the dragon skull for arms and it forming into a dragon's head to attack. Also, going along the theory that the Legendary Golems represent the "ages" of humanity, Regidrago is believed to represent the Dark and/or Medieval Ages, which would fit along with Sword & Shield's real world basis: the United Kingdom.
I feel Game Freak weren't sure what they wanted to do with Regidrago's stats; it's like they made Regieleki's stats first and decided to just swap HP with Speed. But high HP doesn't gel that well with its low defenses. I think a better idea would have been making Regidrago offense focused, lowering Speed to 100 and adding 50 points to Attack and Special Attack each. This would work better with both its signature ability Dragon's Maw and signature nmve Dragon Energy, rapidly building up as much damage as possible (since the only type that's weak to Dragon is itself I don't think it would be too OP). But as it stands now, even with the massive amount of HP and Dragon's Maw buff, any threat to Regidrago will be able to attack first and mitigate Dragon Energy's power.
deetah
Regidrago has a colorful design that suits it well; it's nice to have a colorful Legendary Golem as opposed to the bland-looking ones we are used to. I really like the concept of having literal dragon skulls as its own arms. Everything about Regidrago screams badass, though it's not as good as Regieleki in the competitive scene. Better watch out when Regidrago starts powering up with its Dragon Energy though, it can certainly pack a punch! I will also add that both Regieleki and Regidrago have abilities that give a free boost to moves of their respective type, undoubtedly raising their viability.
Ryota Mitarai
Regidrago's most interesting element is the hand that resembles a dragon skull a lot, which is probably the best argument to justify a Dragon typing for it. According to Bulbapedia's biology section, Regidrago has the single most powerful Dragon-type moves. This doesn't sound quite Farfetch'd (pun intended), because a full-power STAB Dragon Energy with Dragon's Maw looks incredibly powerful. Other panelists have also mentioned that Regidrago resembles a Venus flytrap, though I want to add that Regidrago is also a little bit pink, similarly to those flytraps' mouths (although they aren't the same shade).
Codraroll
I've got a feeling that Regidrago was the coffee-and-desperation-fueled answer to the question: "Okay, we've found one more material to conceivably build golems out of, but the director wants there to be two new Regis, and the deadline is tomorrow. Any ideas?" At some point somebody must have said "what about bones?", and rather than making one incredibly morbid Ghost-type right out of Dark Souls, they decided to spin it on further with dragon bones, and then ended up with a dragon skull assembled around a generic-looking core of "we'll think of that later".
Like the other panelists, I suspect the designers simply didn't have that many ideas for Regidrago. The design is neat enough (for one, it's notably asymmetric, which is kind of rare in Pokémon), but it just doesn't seem to do anything. It's there, and that's it. Granted, there are many worse designs out there, but also many that are more memorable in some way. Regidrago feels like it was made to tick off a box on a checklist.
Taptricity
Regidrago, while not as impactful as Regieleki, still has an idea for its gameplan. Where Regieleki was given record-breaking Speed, Regidrago gets natural bulk with base 200 HP. It is made with the intention of allowing Regidrago to utilize its signature move, Dragon Energy, to its fullest extent while losing less health in the process. Perhaps if they improved its other defensive stats instead of leaving it at an abysmal 50 for each, Regidrago would feel more complete. And did I forget to mention that both of these new Regis have abilities that boost their STAB attacks? These Pokémon swim in polarization, as they can obliterate almost anything that is not immune to their attacks but become liabilities vs their respective weaknesses. And as you can see, I don't have much critique to offer to Regidrago's design or Regieleki's. It would undermine their flavor and simplicity, as I love intricacies over straightforward designs.
Rabia
Regidrago's design is really weird. There wasn't a whole lot that they could go for once they decided on a Dragon-type Regi... but I still was let down. Thankfully, they went 100% with the overall theme of the Pokémon, with both its model and ability connecting to each other quite well. I just don't understand how the body of this thing is supposed to work. Frankly, I don't expect how any of Regidrago is supposed to work. Can it even use its maw-like arms for anything practical?
Codraroll
With that, we have talked about all the new Pokémon in the Crown Tundra. New legendary Pokémon are always interesting, because the designers seem to go all out with them. This makes it possible to see the designs in many different lights, and I hope this JAPE has helped you think about these Pokémon in some new ways. I certainly feel like that!
Even though there are no more new Pokémon for now, there are still many others out there that have not been covered by JAPE yet. We will be back with some of them next time! Until then, have a nice and safe holiday season!
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