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Pokémon Legends: Z-A General Discussion
- Thread starter DHR-107
- Start date
https://plza-news.pokemon-home.com/en/page/10.html
Another official announcement has been made about the planned Mega Stone changes, as well as other Ranked adjustments.
I'm glad to see they're responding relatively quickly to feedback. Honestly I think speeding up the grind/probably making the placement point floor 0 to make 3rd and 4th feel less bad and making it more worthwhile (ideally also after capping out rank) is a pure plus here.
Another official announcement has been made about the planned Mega Stone changes, as well as other Ranked adjustments.
I'm glad to see they're responding relatively quickly to feedback. Honestly I think speeding up the grind/probably making the placement point floor 0 to make 3rd and 4th feel less bad and making it more worthwhile (ideally also after capping out rank) is a pure plus here.
So should we yell at them for giving that uninspired stat spread to Mega Pyroar or
It probably also has to do with people complaining before the game was even released. It could add to the sensitivity they have to the complaints of people using it now since it was already a touchy subject.
Personally though, I don't care so much about the why. Making ranked even better is always welcome even though it was already so good in the first place. Do I NEED sprinkles on my cake? No. Will I complain if they add them? No.
Personally though, I don't care so much about the why. Making ranked even better is always welcome even though it was already so good in the first place. Do I NEED sprinkles on my cake? No. Will I complain if they add them? No.
Zygarde quest
Lysandre took a few tries mostly because his AI is a little weird. Sometimes he just doesn't use plus moves even when he should, or uses them at other weirder times and it messes with all the damage ranges & timing. One time his Garbodor used Metal Claw instead of Gunk Shot, and neither of these were plus moves so its like??
Can I say that I really dislike how the game handles targeting on new targets. There's always this delay and if something happens to disrupt it you have to hold it again. It just feels like if I hold the button it should auto do it. When you're dealing with a dangerous target every delay is just extra annoying. It's not just here, it's in so many fights throughout the game.
As for Zygarde...I'm pretty high level and have a good Pokemon (Gardevoir basically rope-a-dopes him and she only died because I mistimed something during one of the AOE attacks; then Meganium just held firm for a bit while I used a max revive lol), so I almost beat this pretty safely on the first try....until Core Enforcerer.
This feels like a really weird move to put on in a 3-stage fight you have to start over from the start. It's basically an insta-kill (you CAN survive the initial laser but not the shock wave), there's no markers on the ground to indicate targeting (I wasn't sure which way the laser would start, or if it would be focused on me, or if it was fully static) and you only have a small safe spot that I just did not see at all. It's basically a "gotcha!" on a first run if you don't sight read it properly.
I didn't feel like doing a salty runback and I still need to do another 11 royales anyway so I'll just come back later. But does anyone have an image of where to stand to avoid all this
Can I say that I really dislike how the game handles targeting on new targets. There's always this delay and if something happens to disrupt it you have to hold it again. It just feels like if I hold the button it should auto do it. When you're dealing with a dangerous target every delay is just extra annoying. It's not just here, it's in so many fights throughout the game.
As for Zygarde...I'm pretty high level and have a good Pokemon (Gardevoir basically rope-a-dopes him and she only died because I mistimed something during one of the AOE attacks; then Meganium just held firm for a bit while I used a max revive lol), so I almost beat this pretty safely on the first try....until Core Enforcerer.
This feels like a really weird move to put on in a 3-stage fight you have to start over from the start. It's basically an insta-kill (you CAN survive the initial laser but not the shock wave), there's no markers on the ground to indicate targeting (I wasn't sure which way the laser would start, or if it would be focused on me, or if it was fully static) and you only have a small safe spot that I just did not see at all. It's basically a "gotcha!" on a first run if you don't sight read it properly.
I didn't feel like doing a salty runback and I still need to do another 11 royales anyway so I'll just come back later. But does anyone have an image of where to stand to avoid all this
I'd say probably. A lot of the hype surrounding the Mega Kalos starters reveal was deflated by them being locked behind ranked PVP. Adjusting the numbers was likely a quick and simple job.
I’d rather yell at them for Mega Flygon.
Speaking of Megas, what are some of your guys faves/least faves? (mine I’m purely talking design but if you wanna go stats you do you)
Mega Drampa is the big winner for me, came out of nowhere and blew me away. Was a real shame that Drampa came too late in the game for me to want to add it to my team. Others I really liked include Excadrill, Skarmory, Froslass, Dragalge and Scrafty.
Greninja’s was really disappointing fsr. It seems like a good idea but idk. I can’t get behind Emboar’s but I just hate Emboar so its probably not that bad really. Chandelure’s and Eelektross’ felt very meh too.
Floette’s was really predictable and Zygarde’s is uh just kinda ridiculous imo and not in the good way - though for a Pokemon already looking like that a good mega would’ve been hard. Maybe just the glowing green part and with the XYZ being a lightup on its chest firing Nihil Light from there could’ve worked better for me.
I do think its pretty funny that people are justifiably mad at the +20 to 5 stats Mega Pyroar but I've seen like almost no discussion about Mega Drampa just being +25 to 4 stats, which feels just as "eh whatever"
there's another thing about Mega Drampa that I find very funny, it is so incredibly similar to Mega Ampharos in stats
I've always liked Emboar so I'm happy with its Mega, and I think its pretty good. Not many things live Flare Blitz, Close Combat, or Head Smash
I used Mega Emboar for most of the rogue fights since Fire and Fighting are incredible coverage.
the random +10 to its special attack stat was weird at first but after seeing its like Wizard-esque animations for special attacks, they probably couldve given it even more special attack lol
I mean, Drampa looks really cool, the stat boosts are helpful even with the Attack boost, and the design and Dex entry enable a top-tier ability for it (Drizzle). Pyroar has nothing of that and its Attack boost is just a repeat of the stupid design decisions of the base form. +25 in everything but Attack would be "uninspired" but wouldn't add insult to the injury that is... everything else in Mega Pyroar.
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What about the after shock?
Faves have got to be Scolipede, Barbaracle and Chesnaught with Excadrill tailing close behind. Scoli has amazing colors both in regular and shiny and it’s just so cool seeing it gallop around ingame. Barb I love for being one of the most drastic design changes and looking absolutely badass. The boss fight ingame only added to my enjoyment with its Jojo stand ahh attacks. Chesnaught just looks really good as an upgrade to the original design, love seeing justice to my favorite Kalos starter line. Excadrill is honestly mostly cause it’s my second favorite mon, the design itself isn’t suuuper amazing but it works well for what it is and I’ve seen some dope fanart of it that has helped me get over its derpy face ingame lol.
Least favorites… Chandelure and Pyroar by far. I’ve seen a lot of comments saying “What else could be done” for Chandelure’s design and while I do agree that regular Chandy is straight peak, idk the Mega is just… really boring to me. Like, wow that really is just a bigger chandelier… yeah. Pyroar took the most boring design route (what if both manes?) and barely did anything else. Could’ve used some more of a facelift at least.
The shiny version makes the purple eye a different more saturated, less yellow green than the rest of the head.
Y'know, I used to like Emboar a lot back when I was a kid. And then once the games went 3D, I noticed that its beard does not actually cover his stupid muppet mouth and his aura just died right on the spot. Wish the mega fixed that.
In terms of the other new mega designs, I've gotta give a shoutout to Mega Froslass, who diva'd so hard that she served up a category 5 baddiestorm with 10 inches of slayfall and turned an entire park into a winter motherland just by existing. Also Mega Falinks is pretty perfect too.
The big issue for me is that Drampa's design as a Mon is already pretty complete, so the +25 spread is less squandered design-wise, especially because the fact they stayed away from Drampa's Speed indicates some awareness of how it's played (Slow, Bulky-ish Dragon, good for Trick Room etc). The spread out is reasonable since it benefits from the defenses and its SpA is already high, making ATK the only "we need to not-use some stat points" category.
Pyroar's +20 everywhere feels incredibly boring because Pyroar is clearly not designed as a "do whatever you aim for" mon like the Mythicals or Arceus try to be at a Legendary level. It's clearly designed as a glass cannon with high speed and offenses relative to its defenses, but then the rest of its kit is incoherent with iffy-coverage, as well as a heavily-physical learnset and main ability. It feels more like they didn't bother doing anything with Pyroar than going a simple way with what it already did, since it benefits far less from anything besides 1 Attack stat and speed boosts (obviously bulk is never USELESS but it's not going to change what Pyroar can fight effectively).
Drampa felt like they took a simple-but-effective approach to a mon they knew the design concept behind. Pyroar feels like they took a simple approach because they didn't know what the mon should do.
I'd also like to point out that comparing Drampa to M-Ampharos, which was RU(?) the last time it was properly available, implies that Drampa should function as at least a solid mid-tier pokemon as well. It can probably even be better than Ampharos, too, given that it essentially trades electric stab for a ton of really good coverage options AND can still get an actually good ability AND it has a kickass design.
Pyroar meanwhile not only has gameplay issues, but has kinda been forgotten from a casual standpoint even though it has a unique typing and is prominently used as a pseudo-ace of both the main villain and an e4 member in the game it came from. Getting a mega was its main chance at redemption, but it didn't fix any of the gameplay flaws, is only accessible at the very end of the game while somehow not even being the final promotion match trainer's ace, and most importantly is widely and uncontroversially considered to be THE worst new mega in terms of visual design. Drampa's mega is a pleasant and appreciated surprise that might make a more niche 'mon actually good, but Pyroar's mega was its probably one and only chance at a very necessary redemption and it still managed to flop for a second time.
If we're talking about Casual play, as someone who used Pyroar from the start I think the best buff it got wasn't the mega it was Earth Power. Hyper Voice (& Swift, earlier), Flamethrower and Earth Power all contribute to a pretty solid core of attacking options, not to mention doing group work or sneak attacks.
Which is good because also for some reason it is, like, the last mega you get to unlock. Mine wore Wise Glasses basically the entire game and even after getting the mega stone I eventually just...swapped it back for the glasses since I wasn't using it that often and the buffs weren't so substantial to make it worth while.
Which is good because also for some reason it is, like, the last mega you get to unlock. Mine wore Wise Glasses basically the entire game and even after getting the mega stone I eventually just...swapped it back for the glasses since I wasn't using it that often and the buffs weren't so substantial to make it worth while.
Ye I get that, Earth power is great(and not just for koing trainers rofl.)
I like pyroar ok(not sure we need such a try hard minimum answer these days, but it extends to flutter if these guys play together,) but the other megas temd to be mons i really like. And none I'm like pfft never gonna use. Victreebel, malamar, drampa, etc. shout out to floette too. It's no florges, but I'm obliged to like the line given my fondness for florges. Also didn't even evolve flabebe till way late in story(for a flabebe.)
Edit: only dislike of new megas is how few got new types. They mostly keep previous dual type.
I like pyroar ok(not sure we need such a try hard minimum answer these days, but it extends to flutter if these guys play together,) but the other megas temd to be mons i really like. And none I'm like pfft never gonna use. Victreebel, malamar, drampa, etc. shout out to floette too. It's no florges, but I'm obliged to like the line given my fondness for florges. Also didn't even evolve flabebe till way late in story(for a flabebe.)
Edit: only dislike of new megas is how few got new types. They mostly keep previous dual type.
In fairness this wasn't that common with the first two batches. Only 6 of the 30 from XY set had type changes (Charizard X, Mewtwo X, Pinsir, Gyarados, Ampharos, Aggron lost the Rock type), 5 of 20 from ORAS (Sceptile, Altaria, Lopunny, Audino and Groudon).
So 4 out of 25 could be higher, but really not that far off.
I do however raise an eyebrow at our next batch having 2 Raichu and both being pure electric.
Beat Zygarde
And while weaving in & out of Royales, only 7 more to go, I was cleaning up the catch tasks & since Zygarde was the last mon I needed...
Just. The deepest sigh. It's the 100 point deficit that really sells it, you know?
I found the tiny little safe spot. Not too bad, a fun little fight beyond the gotcha.
Although the 10% portion was weird. It opened with just spamming thousand arrows this time.
I caught it in a Fast Ball, for fun.
I like the capstone with Lysandre. He lost everything but at least he has a goal. I wonder if Legends: The Next One will also have a quasi-immortal character who leaves the final confrontation with new goals in mind and this just becoems a Legends calling card.
I do feel like maybe Emma should have been here. Hey Em remember when you were like investigating this whole thing? Want some resolution to that here? no? Just going to continue being offscreen? Alright. Glad you're here.
Although the 10% portion was weird. It opened with just spamming thousand arrows this time.
I caught it in a Fast Ball, for fun.
I like the capstone with Lysandre. He lost everything but at least he has a goal. I wonder if Legends: The Next One will also have a quasi-immortal character who leaves the final confrontation with new goals in mind and this just becoems a Legends calling card.
I do feel like maybe Emma should have been here. Hey Em remember when you were like investigating this whole thing? Want some resolution to that here? no? Just going to continue being offscreen? Alright. Glad you're here.
And while weaving in & out of Royales, only 7 more to go, I was cleaning up the catch tasks & since Zygarde was the last mon I needed...
Just. The deepest sigh. It's the 100 point deficit that really sells it, you know?
Which I find to be an extremely stupid restriction. Come on guys, you gave us Draco Meteor Jirachi once and the world didn't end. Arceus and Silvally can learn it in every form in Gen8. The Dragon megas can be trusted with it.