Pokémon Presents - Pokémon Day 2025 - Pokemon ZA Info & Pokemon Champions Announced

[Karxrida]

I think you've missed my point entirely.

Im apprehensive of megas returning period from a gameplay perspective because unless you were running stall or a specific team set up, you dedicated a slot for your mega. Then in gen 7 you also dedicated one for your z move mon. Mh apprehensiveness is looking futureward to the gens beyond, not a new wave of powerful megas but rheir very presence casting a shadow over future mechanics. Gen 8 was wise to let dynamax atand on its on, as was tera. But with Megas back in a huge way, even if Champions is a way to keep them relevanr...are we expectinf even more megas in gen 10? Or will the new mechanic, if there is any, take center stage?

It's already been implied that Megas and other gimmicks will be rotated in and out periodically in Champions. And there's a good chance players will be restricted to a single gimmick even if multiple are available during a format. I don't see the need to worry about Megas monopolizing the battle system yet.

While I do think even more Megas are likely in the future, I doubt they will present in the games coming immediately after PLZA. The 30th anniversary is approaching and Game Freak will probably want to jerk off Kanto some more disperse the love a bit.

 

[Eriorguez]

Bad news, this isnt relevant for this discussion, because surprise, that's the thing for smogon too! You don't see people using Mega Audino in OU do you? (And let me tell you, you can ban every single mega from OU, and people would STILL not use Mega Audino)

Sure you can go down the trash tiers and find a use for Mega Butterfree somewhere, I guess. But the situation remains. If people play to win (which they do, usually), they will use the good megas, not the "funny looking but actually terrible or simply inferior" ones. Well, above the 1100 rating, I suppose, i'm sure some random Mega Audino user will show up in the lower elo brackets.

Good news, there are multiple tiers of usage and different metagames, as usual in grassroots PvP scenes. Mega Audino was good in NU in both gens it was around.

It's already been implied that Megas and other gimmicks will be rotated in and out periodically in Champions. And there's a good chance players will be restricted to a single gimmick even if multiple are available during a format. I don't see the need to worry about Megas monopolizing the battle system yet.

While I do think even more Megas are likely in the future, I doubt they will come in the games coming immediately after PLZA. The 30th anniversary is approaching and Game Freak will probably want to jerk off Kanto some more disperse the love a bit.

I mean, Megas are far from being centralizing compared to Dynamax and Terastal; those two don't even require specific held items, and the former is built for snowballing and the later to turn things upside down. I swear it has been consistently the biggest meme, I remember how awful discussion would get around those back at TV Tropes (from people with no awareness of comp play)...

 

[Hugin]

So, to recap:
-Mega and GMax Kanto Starters
-Mega Hoenn & Kalos Starters
-Hisuian Typhlosion, Samurott & Decidueye
-Almost certainly Mega Meganium, Feraligatr & Emboar
-Exclusive Z-Moves for the Alola trio
-GMaxes for Galar trio
-Paldea starters are most recent so who cares

press f to pay respects

Meganium, Feraligatr, and Emboar SHOULD get a regional form, not a Megaevolution. This would mean:
Mega+GMax Kanto starters
Regional Variant Johto starters
Mega Hoenn starters
Nothing for Sinnoh starters
Regional Emboar/Samurott, nothing for Serperior
Mega Kalos starters
Regional Decidueye, no alt forms for Incineroar/Primarina
Gmax Galar starters
Nothing for Paldea

In other words, Sinnoh and Paldea get nothing, and Incineroar/Primarina/Serperior get nothing. But almost every trio is perfectly balanced internally. If you give Meganium/Feraligatr/Emboar megas instead of regionals, you're never getting things back to normal.

Also, I'm still annoyed at Bulbapedia using the "first partner pokemon" term. Could you imagine how weird typing that would have looked in that list?

 

[R_N]

I still have to believe you'll be able to have multiple mechanics on a team in Champions (and imo maybe even gen 10, I still think megas will show up there for the anniversary and also so you can have achance to use megas in a normal game), even if they really shouldn't just because again man why would you ever want to choose Z-Moves over anything else if there's that option. One super-de-duper move that takes an item slot vs:
-Mechanic that also uses an item slot, but can give you a busted Pokemon. (Also one of those Pokemon can just use an extra item anyway!)
-Mechanic that doesn't use an item slot, changes your typing, then either gives you an extra stab or super charges your existing stab so you're probably firing off mini-nukes anyway
-Mechanic that doesn't use an item slot, then for 3 turns doubles your HP and lets you use super-less-duper moves that also give you (/a partner in doubles) a stat buff or debuffs the opponent(s) or does a cool useful secondary effect like damage every turn or weather or terrain or w/e.

I mean heck dynamax has enough behind it that it'll have some issue enough wanting to not be chosen if it's available but I can at least envision a situation where you might want to opt for Mega or Tera instead

 

[Eriorguez]

Honestly, Hisuian Typhlosion was dumb. I've already evolved Quilavas in Mount Coronet and the Typhlosion that came out wasn't part Ghost. They should have gone with Delphox in Legends Arceus ffs.

Regionals are being winded down, we only got 2 Paldeans (well, 3 Tauros), with ecologically similar stuff replacing them (and paralleling the paradoxes), and, all in all, I don't think Regionals in revisits of old regions, with species already obtainable there, is a good approach, SPECIALLY if they are just regional evolutions.

And hell, Sneasler should had been an Ice/Poison split evo of Sneasel the same way Kleavor worked, and Overqwil should had evolved from regular Qwilfish the same way Wyrdeer works. Growlithe and Voltorb get a pass due to being domestic/manmade species, but Hisuian Typhlosion has no inner logic.

 

[Count Bleck]

I still have to believe you'll be able to have multiple mechanics on a team in Champions (and imo maybe even gen 10, I still think megas will show up there for the anniversary and also so you can have achance to use megas in a normal game), even if they really shouldn't just because again man why would you ever want to choose Z-Moves over anything else if there's that option. One super-de-duper move that takes an item slot vs:
-Mechanic that also uses an item slot, but can give you a busted Pokemon. (Also one of those Pokemon can just use an extra item anyway!)
-Mechanic that doesn't use an item slot, changes your typing, then either gives you an extra stab or super charges your existing stab so you're probably firing off mini-nukes anyway
-Mechanic that doesn't use an item slot, then for 3 turns doubles your HP and lets you use super-less-duper moves that also give you (/a partner in doubles) a stat buff or debuffs the opponent(s) or does a cool useful secondary effect like damage every turn or weather or terrain or w/e.

I mean heck dynamax has enough behind it that it'll have some issue enough wanting to not be chosen if it's available but I can at least envision a situation where you might want to opt for Mega or Tera instead

The answer as gen 7 has shown is that its the move that kills the one mon that can stop your snowballer from unleashing hell, if memory serves. Plus a mega you can see a mile away, z moves were a bitt less known until meta settles.

 

[Mario With Lasers]

I don’t really get where you’re coming from with this; Mega Raichu X and Y clearly build off of base Raichu’s design, so it wouldn’t really make sense for Alolan Raichu to Mega Evolve into either of them.

Besides that, they’ve never had a problem with barring certain forms from certain mechanics before. Only Alolan Raichu could use Stoked Sparksurfer, for example, and only Kantonian Meowth could Gigantamax. Stands to reason that Alolan Raichu won’t be able to Mega Evolve if GF just want the Megas to be for base Raichu.

My counterpoint was that it would be stupid but you already offered a rebuttal that they have been stupid before

RIP Alolachu in that case lol

 

[Count Bleck]

Outside of Natdex memes running far too long, there is no reason nor evidence that would ever work. Regional variants have vastly different types and biology, why would it turn into a mega form of something it has little relations with anymore?

Think for a moment if someone like Kantonian Ninetales got a mega. that amplified its fire and psychic prowess Why would Alolan Ninetales, an Ice Fairy Type, also be able to mega evolve that way? Some regionals event have evolutions base forms do not, The whole thing kinda falls apart under the slightest scrutiny.

 

[Hugin]

Honestly, Hisuian Typhlosion was dumb. I've already evolved Quilavas in Mount Coronet and the Typhlosion that came out wasn't part Ghost. They should have gone with Delphox in Legends Arceus ffs.

I dislike how resistant this series is to pure retcons. "Oh, you only get Azurill if you breed while holding a specific item and that's why you never got an Azurill when breeding Marrill before" isn't a clever workaround, it's silly. Either retcon it and trust the fandom to accept it, or don't change anything. And under those rules, I'm perfectly happy with them adding new variants of existing mons, new evolutions, etc, and only loosely explaining them at best. No, there's no reason why a Typhlosion on modern Mt Coronet should evolve into pure fire, and one in the past should evolve into Fire/Ghost, except that the Fire/Ghost version didn't exist in 2007 and now it does. I'm normally a stickler for internal logic, but there's limits.

Regionals are being winded down, we only got 2 Paldeans (well, 3 Tauros), with ecologically similar stuff replacing them (and paralleling the paradoxes), and, all in all, I don't think Regionals in revisits of old regions, with species already obtainable there, is a good approach, SPECIALLY if they are just regional evolutions.

I don't think you're wrong, but I dislike that. Convergent evolutions are a good idea handled incredibly poorly, whereas regional variants can be done well and seem to be a good way to both reduce the workload on TPC while also increasing the number of new mons in a game.

And hell, Sneasler should had been an Ice/Poison split evo of Sneasel the same way Kleavor worked, and Overqwil should had evolved from regular Qwilfish the same way Wyrdeer works.

I agree.

Growlithe and Voltorb get a pass due to being domestic/manmade species, but Hisuian Typhlosion has no inner logic.

I disagree.

 

[R_N]

The Celestica peoples just had more lingering regrets, or whatever, in Hisui. 200 years later they chilled out.

 

[Mario With Lasers]

Outside of Natdex memes running far too long, there is no reason nor evidence that would ever work. Regional variants have vastly different types and biology, why would it turn into a mega form of something it has little relations with anymore?

Think for a moment if someone like Kantonian Ninetales got a mega. that amplified its fire and psychic prowess Why would Alolan Ninetales, an Ice Fairy Type, also be able to mega evolve that way? Some regionals event have evolutions base forms do not, The whole thing kinda falls apart under the slightest scrutiny.

Now that you said it... do they use "Kantonian" anywhere in official promo? Or is it "Raichu" and "Alolan Raichu"? Not that this is consequential, just curious.

 

[R_N]

Now that you said it... do they use "Kantonian" anywhere in official promo? Or is it "Raichu" and "Alolan Raichu"? Not that this is consequential, just curious.

I think "Kantonian" only ever gets used sparingly in in-game dialog.

Kantonians and Galarians both seem to like
waiting in lines...

I’m lookin’ for a Pokémon trade. How ’bout your
Obstagoon for my Kantonian Mr. Mime?

Otherwise they just don't append a name to them, probably just for simplicity.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Thoughts On Mega Kalos Starters:

Official Site's Pokemon Page
Official Site's News Announcement
Bulbapedia Pages for: Chesnaught, Delphox, & Greninja

Design & Lore

Designs & Lore:

Probably the best new Mega designs we've seen yet. Like, when I imagine what a "Mega" Pokemon is, it's implied to be the ideal form of that Pokemon; it's the Pokemon taken up to 11. Now I know that's not true for all Mega Pokemon, each has its own unique case, but mixed in with the goofy I do want cool designs and up till now we've essentially had goofy designs ("goofy" is of course subjective). Sad to see that none of them changed Types, like I could see Chesnaught becoming Grass/Steel, Delphox becoming Fire/Fairy, and Greninja... hm, Water/Flying would be bad, so maybe make it pure Water. Like, nothing wrong with them keeping their original Types, but I would like to see some new Mega Pokemon change Type at some point. Already we have to wait to see what their Abilities are going to be, usually the only other exciting thing about Mega is a Type change and they're not even doing that. But we can talk about that more later.

Mega Chesnaught has gone from a verdant knight to a venerable king. The mail coif has turned into a visor-like crown and its grown out its fur to not only have a mighty beard but also a long red cape (and it's furry body looks like those pieces of armor trimmed with fur). It's also taken Samurott's shtick of being able to remove part of its shell and turning it into a weapon, it's large back spikes having turned into shield-like plates which it can transform into a battle axe. It feels very Viking-inspired, which isn't something I originally associated with Chesnaught. Sadly it's lore doesn't really mention anything more, just that the Mega Energy went into its armor & fur to give it powerful defenses and the shell the transforming capability (I guess of note is that it says the fur is strong enough to absorb blows, it has become confident of its defenses but remains level-headed, and its axes somehow gains weight that it needs to handle it two-handed).

Mega Delphox does what any witch does to get an advantage: takes to the skies on a flying broom! I'm guessing the "broom" it rides on is its original wand, and I guess the two sticks its said to control with its greater psychic powers are splits off of it. Much like with Mega Chesnaught, Mega Delphox looks to have aged, it's cheek hair has grown longer and the fur making up the bottom of its "dress", "sleeves", & tail have darkened looking like they were burned black (it also has some long black "hair"; not sure why they're their, I guess it just cause they look good in motion waving behind it). Overall I like it, even if it loses some details like the flame patches on its knees. Lore doesn't really say much else aside it uses the floating sticks to disorient foes before coming them together with its flame breath into a huge fireball. Now I know some have an issue with the longer cheek hair looking like a beard, giving it some elder wizard vibes for a Pokemon usually female coded. If that's your problem, well just think of the cheek hair instead has long strands of hair going down either side of the face instead.

So, we've seen with Mega Chesnaught & Delphox there is a visual theme of "ageing" and progressing to the next "rank". So with Mega Greninja... it just dresses even more like a ninja while hanging upside down on a giant water shuriken. Huh. Let's address (one of) the Cufants in the room, how they handled making Mega Greninja different from Ash-Greninja. Their answer is actually not much, they just made it black, changed the head piece to look like a mask made from two cyan water shuriken, and instead of having a large one on its back it's "riding" it from underneath. It makes it feel a bit derivative of Ash-Greninja but I think that's the point, where Ash-Greninja is a Greninja that has taken design cue from Ash's outfit (notably his red had), Mega Greninja leans into its ninja basis including a ridiculous method of flying. Sadly I do feel its the weaker of the Kalos Starter designs, but still leaps and bounds over some previous new Mega. Lore suggests its done with stealth and now focuses on surprising its opponent into action which it then swiftly dodges and counters (either wrapping them with its tongue or slamming them with its giant water shuriken; I guess those water shuriken on its side is just for show).

It's also interesting that these Mega seemingly take cues from their Shiny, more so Greninja followed by Delphox and only a little bit with Chesnaught. Either a coincident or on purpose, it does make me wonder what they'll do for their Shiny forms then. In a previous post I joked about Greninja becoming green, Delphox hot blue, and Chesnaught a royal purple; but now I think that maybe they should do that. Like, sure, maybe they can give them their original colors (though Chesnaught could still be turned brown), but Mega forms are a chance for them to be creative with the Shiny once again.

Abilities & Moves

Abilities & Moves:
With so much emphasis put on defense they could just give Mega Chesnaught its Hidden Ability Bulletproof and call it a day. But there's plenty of other options. Battle Armor/Shell Armor fits as it wouldn't have to worry about unlucky crits messing with its defense buff. If it has a way of creating Grassy Terrain than it could get Grass Pelt, would explain all the extra fur; On a similar vein Fur Coat I'd imagined would be very welcomed. And if you just want Defense increases can just have it have good Stamina.

Delphox's Hidden Ability is Magician, so Mega Delphox is gonna need a new Ability. But your guess is as good as mine. The other "magic" Moves, Magic Guard and Magic Bounce, while appreciated, doesn't quite fit with its behavior. You'd think Dazzling may be a good choice, but problem is Dazzling's Japanese name is "Vivid Body" and that's what GF is gonna see so that's also likely a skip. Okay, let's focus on what it can have. Well, with it now flying on a broom but not being Flying-type, the immediate answer would be Levitate, a Fire-type would love an immunity to Ground. But we have non-flying airborn Pokemon that don't have Levitate, so I think we can think of a few more. With an increase to Psychic power Psychic Surge seems like a possibility (huh, that suggestion feels familiar). I would also suggest something for its Fire Typing like Flash Fire, but I'd like to think the lore means something (as its the only thing to go off of).

Would Mega Greninja want anything except Protean? Speed Boost? Storm Drain? I guess you can say its a bit of a Prankster now.

Now all of them had a Signature Moves, but they've all since been learned by at least one other Pokemon. And while their lore may indicate a new stronger Signature Move, that I would believe is them just commenting on how stronger the attack animations look though is just using a normal Move; Chesnaught using Wood Hammer, Delphox any Special Fire-type Move, and Greninja any Physical Water-type Move. So I'm just gonna leave this topic alone.

Stats

Stats:
They really like making Mega Pokemon more defensive? Chesnaught was already pretty defensive, and assuming they don't lower a stat like Speed: 88/107/122/74/75/64//530 > 88/142/157/74/105/64//630.

Honestly for all of them they're just going to increase all their good stats, so Mega Delphox would be 75/69/72/114/100/104//534 > 75/69/72/159/145/114//634.

You know what, Ash-Greninja is never coming back, so Mega Greninja can have its stats (well, with 10 less BST): 72/95/67/103/71/122//530 > 72/140/67/148/71/132//640.

So, pretty good looking Megas finally.

So of course GF has to mess it up!

Like, why? Why lock them behind Ranked Battle Seasons?

Okay, sure, they're not the Starters of Z-A so they likely had a decreased role in the game much like the Sinnoh Starters did in Arceus. But still, at least the Sinnoh Starters were all given something new in the form of sorta-Signature Moves. But here you gave the Kalos Starters the most obvious upgrade they should have gotten in the first place... and yet people aren't allowed to play with them going through the main story (you know, the part of the game that most people are going to play through and probably nothing else). Oh, but I bet you the Kanto Starters and Hoenn Starters are going to have their Mega available main story. Couldn't have the previous Gen I Pokemon locked behind the Ranked Seasons. And who cares about the Hoenn Starters, right, no one is going to touch Ranked Seasons if it was just them. Nor the Legendary Pokemon, who would want the Mega Stones for Mewtwo, the Eon Duo, Diancie, and Hoenn's Superancient Trio.

Okay, now with that rank out of the way, let's take a step back. Does it suck we can't use the Kalos Starters Megas? Yes. But looking at the glass half full, does mean you have no reason not to try out the other new Mega Pokemon. And it sounds at least by the time the DLC's story is available, at long as you competed in the Ranked Battles (I don't think they would make it too hard to go up a Rank if highly sought after Mega Stones are the reward) you should have the Mega Kalos Starters by then. Also, with the DLC featuring Mega Stones, maybe it's not considered "regular gameplay" and it would be the "casual" way of getting them.

Still, it can't be explained enough how much of a major misstep this is. Conspiracy theory time: This feels like originally they were going to give the Kalos Starters Megas. But they realized, just like when they weren't going to have a DP remake for Legends: Arceus, that was a stupid idea and so rushed make them. However, with them not originally planned there was no room to place them anywhere in the main game, so they just made them Ranked Battle rewards and dusted their hands of it.

 

[Snoozer (Zzz...)]

Updated Legends: Z-A checklist:

Large Image

Original X & Y Pokedex for comparison:

Large Image

Color code:
- Green: This Pokémon is present in the Legends: Z-A Pokedex.
- Light Green: This Pokémon was introduced in Generation VI and remains unconfirmed.
- Blue: This Pokémon is from a family that can Mega Evolve and is present in the original Kalos Pokedex.
- Purple: This Pokémon is from a family that can Mega Evolve and is not present in the original Kalos Pokedex.
- Light Purple: This Pokémon is capable of Primal Reversion.
- Grey: Special case (Kleavor).


New confirmations:
- Aron, Lairon, Aggron,
- Meditite, Medicham,
- Electrike, Manectric,
- Beldum, Metang, Metagross,
- Gible, Gabite, Garchomp,
- Audino,
- Chespin, Quilladin, Chesnaught,
- Fennekin, Braixen, Delphox,
- Froakie, Frogadier, Greninja,
- Phantump, Trevenant,
- Bergmite, Avalugg,
- Hoopa (DLC).


Almost every Kalos Pokémon is already confirmed. Only Xerneas & Yveltal, the Fossils, two Mythicals, and Carbink are not accounted for. The omission of Carbink is interesting. According to the lore, this Pokémon is related to the Mythical Diancie. Maybe they are planning something special for it. Perhaps a sidequest that would eventually yield Diancie or its Mega Stone?

Also, almost every Pokémon family capable of Mega Evolution is confirmed as well. The missing ones are just Venusaur & Blastoise lines, Hoenn Starters, Hoenn Legendaries, Mewtwo, and curiously, Sharpedo & Glalie lines.

Surprisingly, regional forms of confirmed Pokémon are actually coded into the game. Alolan Raichu, Galarian Slowpoke, Hisuian Goodra, and Hisuian Avalugg could be seen in the promotional materials. The website seems to imply that they are only available through transfer, however. This makes Kleavor much more likely to make an appearance. Although it will probably also be transfer-only.

The fact that it’s Raichu that gets to Mega Evolve and not Pikachu basically confirms that, unlike Gigantamax, Mega Evolution effectively capstones that evolutionary family. Unfortunately, this means that Pokémon like Banette and Audino will never be allowed to evolve further. Personally, I would have preferred if Mega Evolutions were limited to Three-stage lines and Legendaries, but alas…


As for the new Mega Evolutions:

I love Mega Victreebel! Bellsprout line is not exactly popular, but it’s one of my Gen I favorites. I distinctly remember that Bellsprout was the very first Pokémon I ever saw, and I have had a soft spot for this family ever since. I’m super happy that it has finally gotten something good. And the design suits it perfectly.

Mega Hawlucha is alright.

Mega Malamar is great. I have expected that any additions to the Malamar line would simply flip the design upside down, returning it to its “correct” configuration, but the Megamind Mindflayer is a much more inspired design. I really like its idle animation, where it constantly tries to hypnotize its opponent.

All five Megas from the current batch are amazing. My favorites are Mega Chesnaught and Mega Raichu Y. I am a big Raichu fan, so I am very happy that it has gotten not one, but two new Mega Evolutions. Kalos Starters getting Megas is deserved, and I’m very glad that all three designs are so good, but their Mega Stones being locked behind online shenanigans is unfortunate...

 

[CynicalGiant]

Thoughts On Mega Kalos Starters:

the most busted and cool thing they could do for Mega Chesnaught is its own version of Stance Change + King's Shield and a Grass-type version of Gigaton Hammer. Probably just a lot simpler to do the it gets bulkier with no ability change thing since Bulletproof is very good but it has a Hammer/Axe now with unique animations according to the Japanese trailer so it would be cooler if they went all in on it.

 

[Count Bleck]

Thoughts On Mega Kalos Starters:

*reads final section*

Or...hear me out...they want to give an incentive to play the ladder. Weve had several years where starter mons got titles for 7 star raids, this is likely a step up. Iirc, the Galarian Legendary Bird Shinies were also ranked rewards.

I just find it funny that pokemon players are so repulsed to actually playing with others. Its the very lifeblood of the series: catching trading and battling, yet everytime theres a reward too good out of it (trade evolutions, version exclusives, battle rewards) there seems to be a stink behind it

 

[pharaohcalvin]

Bad news, this isnt relevant for this discussion, because surprise, that's the thing for smogon too! You don't see people using Mega Audino in OU do you? (And let me tell you, you can ban every single mega from OU, and people would STILL not use Mega Audino)

Sure you can go down the trash tiers and find a use for Mega Butterfree somewhere, I guess. But the situation remains. If people play to win (which they do, usually), they will use the good megas, not the "funny looking but actually terrible or simply inferior" ones. Well, above the 1100 rating, I suppose, i'm sure some random Mega Audino user will show up in the lower elo brackets.

26 is still greater than 5-6, mate. And the 26/22 comes from the viability rating for OU; you know what the players playing the tier say works man. Not even going into lower tiers. So I think a persons wish of a variety of them being viable (note they never wished for all of them to be) here is more perfectly fine wish not a 'Copium Overdose'. So, instead of being an a** because you like to pretend Smogon doesn't exist despite posting on the site; perhaps try to find something more productive to do. Hell, you may even be happier for it.

 

[Karxrida]

*reads final section*

Or...hear me out...they want to give an incentive to play the ladder. Weve had several years where starter mons got titles for 7 star raids, this is likely a step up. Iirc, the Galarian Legendary Bird Shinies were also ranked rewards.

I just find it funny that pokemon players are so repulsed to actually playing with others. Its the very lifeblood of the series: catching trading and battling, yet everytime theres a reward too good out of it (trade evolutions, version exclusives, battle rewards) there seems to be a stink behind it

There's a huge difference between partaking in PVP for fun and feeling compelled to engage with it to get something. You are only there for a chore and not its own sake, so any minor inconvenience becomes much more frustrating because you are actively being denied progress towards your prize.

I have had some extremely shitty experiences with Halo for that specific reason.

 

[Esserise]

Honestly, Hisuian Typhlosion was dumb. I've already evolved Quilavas in Mount Coronet and the Typhlosion that came out wasn't part Ghost. They should have gone with Delphox in Legends Arceus ffs.

Well, Hisuian Typhlosion has the convenient excuse of being the product of vague, inscrutable mysticism. While it probably would have been cleaner to just pick a Pokémon from after Gen 4 as the Hisuian Fire-type starter, we also can’t really rule out the possibility that the spiritual energy of Mt. Coronet is able to change in a way that lessens its impact on Pokémon like Typhlosion. Sinnoh has clearly changed a lot since the days of Hisui — the Diamond and Pearl Clans are seemingly no longer a thing, a lot of the region’s worship for Arceus and its sub-deities has fallen into obscurity, and the region is much more modernized and populated. Maybe that all has an effect on the spiritual “matrix” of the region, if you will.

Mind you, I don’t actually think GF really cared about this that much. It’s just kinda how I choose to look at it. I’m open to the possibility that, if regional forms are the product of specific environmental factors, then those factors changing over time would also have an effect on the existence of those forms. Though personally, I would probably choose to illustrate that with a less-abstract example than spirit energy from Mt. Coronet…

Regionals are being winded down, we only got 2 Paldeans (well, 3 Tauros), with ecologically similar stuff replacing them (and paralleling the paradoxes), and, all in all, I don't think Regionals in revisits of old regions, with species already obtainable there, is a good approach, SPECIALLY if they are just regional evolutions.

I’m hesitant to believe that GF are “winding them down.” I think the next main generation game will give us a better idea of how they feel about the concept. The reason I think this is because we basically got two whole generations’ worth of regional forms in Gen 8. Sun & Moon introduced 18, and then Sword & Shield (plus the DLC) introduced 19 for Galar (plus 6 regional evolutions). So about on par with the precedent set by Gen 7… but then Legends: Arceus came and introduced another 17 regional forms (plus 3 regional evolutions).

Since Paradox Pokémon are sort of a similar concept in terms of recontextualizing older designs and were going to be a major theme in Scarlet & Violet, I get why they would have dialed back on regional forms while instead experimenting with convergent species and the recently-revitalized option of traditional cross-gen evolutions. They’d just pushed out 36 regional forms over the course of two games (and had very rapidly escalated the scope of how regional forms could be applied — it started out as just Gen 1 Pokémon getting alternate forms, then went into multiple generations while adding cross-gen evos just for those forms, in addition to giving a regional form to a Pokémon that had its own form-changing mechanic (Darmanitan), then they did them for a Pokémon with a branched cross-gen evolution path (Slowpoke) and a Legendary trio, and then even did them for a set of starter Pokémon).

And while we don’t have confirmation of regional forms not being in Z-A, if there indeed aren’t any, then I kind of understand that as well — not only is this Mega Evolution’s big comeback, but also the entire game is set in a relatively neutral urban environment with zones specifically built to accommodate various Pokémon, and judging from how old Emma looks, it’s probably not been long enough in-universe since X & Y for the emergence of regional forms to occur. Brand-new regions are brand-new regions, so they’re kind of a blank slate when it comes to defining an old Pokémon’s relationship to their environments, and Hisui was Sinnoh vaguely over a century ago, which is a span of time sort of primes the mind to accept that there could have been big changes in the intervening years.

Presumably, none of that will be a factor with the next big, new region, so I could see them bumping the number of regional forms back up. Maybe they won’t, but I’m not really expecting one thing or another. I think it’s probably better to think of all these things as tools in the creative toolbox. Just like cross-gen evolutions and now Mega Evolutions, they can clearly come back in full force at any time. It just depends on what exactly they’re in the mood to focus on for the current game.

 

[AztecCroc]

Sad to see that none of them changed Types, like I could see Chesnaught becoming Grass/Steel, Delphox becoming Fire/Fairy, and Greninja... hm, Water/Flying would be bad, so maybe make it pure Water

Already dual type Pokemon very rarely change types when Mega evolving. Only Charizard X (because Y already keeps the regular type), Mega Aggron (becomes monotype instead of gaining a different second type), Mega Altaria, and Mega Gyarados.

*reads final section*

Or...hear me out...they want to give an incentive to play the ladder. Weve had several years where starter mons got titles for 7 star raids, this is likely a step up. Iirc, the Galarian Legendary Bird Shinies were also ranked rewards.

I just find it funny that pokemon players are so repulsed to actually playing with others. Its the very lifeblood of the series: catching trading and battling, yet everytime theres a reward too good out of it (trade evolutions, version exclusives, battle rewards) there seems to be a stink behind it

There's a difference between doing it for nice but not necessary bonus, you can just not have the title or use the non-shiny birds, and having to do it in order to get something unique.

 

[Lontra Assassina]

Funnily enough, the first thing that came to mind when I read "Hyperspace Lumiose" was the Dark World from ALttP. Essentially the same assets, but slightly different aesthetic and a different map layout.

...people are gonna be SO MAD about this DLC

 

[Mad Ram]

Counterpoint: Perhaps we wait before judging a fan reaction to the actual content when we know what the content will be instead of just inventing ideas for people to be mad at. Especially when the basis for doing so is a name reminding you of something else.

Besides, the announcement already got people upset for some legitimate reasons and some not so legitimate.

 

[Count Bleck]

Already dual type Pokemon very rarely change types when Mega evolving. Only Charizard X (because Y already keeps the regular type), Mega Aggron (becomes monotype instead of gaining a different second type), Mega Altaria, and Mega Gyarados.

There's a difference between doing it for nice but not necessary bonus, you can just not have the title or use the non-shiny birds, and having to do it in order to get something unique.

I suppose it all depends on what is considered "necessary". This isnt a "traditional" mainline game, and thus it isnt "necessary" to have every mon or mega available. The main people affected are either collectors, people without NSO, or fans of the mons themselves. But outside of just having it, what is it necessary for?

I feel like im missing something fundamental in these discussions...its not exactly a new or strange practice to have cool exvlusive rewards for battling. Kinda the same when people complained about paid dlc before the game releases: several games, even nintendo ones like smash, did the same. Is it simply because Pokemon is doing it and also rather latento the party? Is it the need to have all non mythical pokemon and formes available within the confines of trading? What is it?

 

[Mad Ram]

I feel like im missing something fundamental in these discussions...its not exactly a new or strange practice to have cool exvlusive rewards for battling. Kinda the same when people complained about paid dlc before the game releases: several games, even nintendo ones like smash, did the same. Is it simply because Pokemon is doing it and also rather latento the party? Is it the need to have all non mythical pokemon and formes available within the confines of trading? What is it?

I mean kinda. Different games/genres have different expectations for DLC. A fighting game is more or less expected to have DLC in the form of more fighters and more stages and the like, and they announce those really early or at least announce the existence of it. On the contrary, RPGs tend to wait a bit for people to play the game before announcing DLC so people can finish the story first. There is also expectations based on what the company's previous practices are. Plus, it's not like releasing exclusive megas/pokemon for limited time events has never had detractors. Plus, there's the outrage culture to consider in all of this, so when something like this happens, you can expect people to gang up and use other frustrations as an excuse to do so. Is it fair? Sometimes yes, sometimes no, but that's not the point.

 

[Valoo]

I suppose it all depends on what is considered "necessary". This isnt a "traditional" mainline game, and thus it isnt "necessary" to have every mon or mega available. The main people affected are either collectors, people without NSO, or fans of the mons themselves. But outside of just having it, what is it necessary for?

I feel like im missing something fundamental in these discussions...its not exactly a new or strange practice to have cool exvlusive rewards for battling. Kinda the same when people complained about paid dlc before the game releases: several games, even nintendo ones like smash, did the same. Is it simply because Pokemon is doing it and also rather latento the party? Is it the need to have all non mythical pokemon and formes available within the confines of trading? What is it?

It’s just frustrating that 3 popular Kalos pokemon (the starters no less) have their highly anticipated megas time gated and locked behind online play. it’s gonna be pretty much impossible for a day one player to use mega chesnaught in their first playthrough, and anyone who gets the game a little later will be locked out of mega Greninja until it comes back around again.

If it was Diancie or something I don’t think people would’ve cared as much.