But back then you had no idea Castform existed :P
Castform was like "Here, get this gimmick so that you don't feel you wasted your time here". At least they had a bed in which you could heal.
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ORAS General Discussion - Mark 2 - Spoilers Inside
- Thread starter Stellar
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But back then you had no idea Castform existed :P
Castform was like "Here, get this gimmick so that you don't feel you wasted your time here". At least they had a bed in which you could heal.
Well if we do get the mega bangle just before the weather institute, I guess we could be given a Castform holding Castite in the same manner like we were given lucario holding its mega stone. By that stage, iirc the grunts and what not are hovering at around level 27, so people may not have fully evolved their starter by then, and the rival certainly hasn't by that point.
Don't think Castform will get a Mega, and the rival never evolved their starter. (they were at 34 by the Lilycove Dept. Store battle, which was entirely skippable) Using the Grunts as a measure is probably unwise given you're supposed to be able to plow through them easily. After Norman, you should be around the low-mid 30's so getting the Mega Bangle around this point seems feasible. Game Freak may not even feel the need to push the Mega Evolution gimmick on players so hard this time.
I'm not so sure about that, personally - not only do you have the same amount of characters with a Mega (You, champion, evil team leader, rival wally) except for a gym leader (but hey, maybe one of them'll get one. Wouldn't be so hard to see norman with a mega; maybe juan since he doesn't get the gym? idk; just baseless speculation.), and not to mention there's a Mega Legendary that's actually central to the storyline, and then you have Steven researching Mega Evolution, and mechanics wise Primal Devolution is for all intents and purposes the same as Mega Evolution... if anything this is actually starting to look more mega-centric than XY.
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Wah? No, he's a secret base expert - I don't think he had anything to do with mega evolution at all.Don't forget about that guy who is supposedly a "mega evolution expert travelling the world with his Flygon" or something like that: Aarune is his name (not saying Flygon is getting a mega...). Also, don't forget about the contest idol, Lisia, and her mega Altaria...
Imagesstolentaken from Serebii.
But yeah forgot about Lisia, that's a point
Push as in force a Pokemon with its Mega Stone upon the player like Korrina's Lucario. There's still going to be all the Mega Evolutions and Primal box legendary (who may or may not receive a huge buff to their capture rate if the player is forced to catch them) shown so far, I'm just thinking they'll let the player's first Mega to be their starter this time.
Of course, the only ones who know what Game Freak is going to do is Game Freak themselves, so the only thing we can do is wait and see.
I think we'll be getting the Mega Bangle from Steven on this route:
which is likely Route 118, so I think between the Norman and Winona fights is likely. It could also be Route 120, but the screenshots of Steven there are only on the bridge with Kecleon, so Route 118 is the only other likely place from the original games where we meet him before then other than Granite Cave.
That's what I first thought, especially since in XY you got the mega ring around the time your kanto starters were about to evolve and going by RSE's level curve Route 118/119/Fortree city is the part of the game where your starters are close to lvl 36. But how are we supposed to understand what Maxie said at Meteor Falls on the japanese video (your pokémon are not the only ones that can mega evolve)? I don't think the translation is wrong and I don't think GF would put a random sentence like this on a promotional trailer. After all, it's mega evolution we're talking about, the most strongly advertised point of the game so far. So this points to us getting the Mega Bangle before getting to Meteor Falls, even though the screenshot you posted seems like the most fitting moment for Steven to introduce us to this new mechanic.
I'm in on the idea that we'll get the Mega Bangle at a point where our starters are at around lvl. 36 and fully evolve. That sounds plausible, given what others have argued in this thread.
However, I don't think we'll get the Mega Stones for the starters until later on. I think GameFreak would want players to play around with their fully evolved starter for a bit before accessing the Mega form. Show us their strengths and shortcomings in regular form, so we get to familiarize ourselves with the non-superpowered versions before giving us Megas.
We'll see a Mega at or shortly after the time we get the Bangle (Metagross nonwithstanding - that event won't run forever, so GameFreak won't base the pace of the game on it, and it'd be underleveled anyway), but I don't think it'll be the Starter. I think it will be one of the new Megas, though, so time will tell which one it will be. So far, there are quite few suitable candidates to appear at that point of that game, so it's still open for speculation.
As for when we get the Starter Mega Stones? My guess is Mossdeep City, at Steven Stone's place, just before or just after beating Tate&Liza. That would be a suitably long time after seeing the fully evolved Starter for the first time (literally for the first time for many players too, given the target age group and the time passed since the original RSE), though not so late that the adventure is almost over by the time you get it.
Though, the seas of Hoenn have changed a lot for the remakes, so time will tell how much that part of the game has changed/been stretched out or compressed. Tate&Liza might be fought at a vastly earlier (or later) point of the game than in the originals, so I might be way off with my estimate.
However, I don't think we'll get the Mega Stones for the starters until later on. I think GameFreak would want players to play around with their fully evolved starter for a bit before accessing the Mega form. Show us their strengths and shortcomings in regular form, so we get to familiarize ourselves with the non-superpowered versions before giving us Megas.
We'll see a Mega at or shortly after the time we get the Bangle (Metagross nonwithstanding - that event won't run forever, so GameFreak won't base the pace of the game on it, and it'd be underleveled anyway), but I don't think it'll be the Starter. I think it will be one of the new Megas, though, so time will tell which one it will be. So far, there are quite few suitable candidates to appear at that point of that game, so it's still open for speculation.
As for when we get the Starter Mega Stones? My guess is Mossdeep City, at Steven Stone's place, just before or just after beating Tate&Liza. That would be a suitably long time after seeing the fully evolved Starter for the first time (literally for the first time for many players too, given the target age group and the time passed since the original RSE), though not so late that the adventure is almost over by the time you get it.
Though, the seas of Hoenn have changed a lot for the remakes, so time will tell how much that part of the game has changed/been stretched out or compressed. Tate&Liza might be fought at a vastly earlier (or later) point of the game than in the originals, so I might be way off with my estimate.
I was thinking the same thing a while ago. It's to the point where I almost feel like Mega Evolution is this Hoenn thing that they just sort of started to introduce earlier in game releases. Don't forget that gen 3 also gets the most megas of every region. It really feels like the concept was actually made up specifically for Hoenn remakes.
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Castform is one of the Pokemon which I think would have a problem getting a Mega Evolution due to it's gimmick. In addition it's stats are too low that a +100 BST won't really do much. Now that could be mitigated with an Ability... BUT Castform's gimmick is its Ability. They only way they could make a Mega Castform is if they gave it an upgraded version of Forecast and gave it an additional bonuses. I can think of a few things they could do, but that's neither here nor there. In addition let's not overlook the possibility of them getting rid of the form change gimmick entirely and just make Mega Castform a single "weather elemental". Also form a design standpoint there's no much they could do with Castform except make it a bigger Castform. It's a head on a cloud body.
Yeah, that was the annoying thing about the opposite gender rival. They never fully evolved their Starter which meant that in order to register their starter's final evolution you needed to do it via trading with someone else. You're unable to complete the Hoenn Dex without outside help! Hopefully they'll let the opposite gender rival be battled long enough so they evolve their starter (then again nowadays it doesn't really matter since there's the GTS).
Speaking of starters, I'm hoping that post game they'll give you the starter neither you or your "first" rival took. I'm hopeful for this since in XY, though all the starters were taken, Shauna gave you the base stage of the starter she picked (which makes you wonder did she do that just for you? If that's the case Shauna is by far a better friend than the opposite gender rival...).
Don't forget about that guy who is supposedly a "mega evolution expert travelling the world with his Flygon" or something like that: Aarune is his name (not saying Flygon is getting a mega...). Also, don't forget about the contest idol, Lisia, and her mega Altaria...
Imagesstolentaken from Serebii.
So let's do the Mega Evolution counting game!
XY:
Player. (1)
Serena/Calem. (1 since they both use a Mega Absol)
Lysandre. (1)
Korrina & Diantha. (2)
TOTAL: 5
ORAS:
Groudon & Kyogre's Primal Devolutions and Rayquaza's Mega Evolution are centric to the game. (3)
Player. (1)
Maxie & Archie. (2 since they use different Mega Evolutions even though you'll be facing one)
Steven, Wally, & Lisia. (3)
TOTAL: 9
It does seem like they're making ORAS Mega Evolution heavy. And who knows if the opposite gender character doesn't have a Mega Evolution or it'll be revealed Aarune does have a Mega Flygon.
Hmm, do we see Archie talking to the player? Or it just shows him saying that, he could be talking to Steven.
I think Mossdeep would be a bit too late. At that point you're more then halfway done with the game.
Just like the Kanto Starter megas, right?
It would be a challenge, but not all megas need to be OU/VGC monsters. Something simple like forecast but changing type rather than forme with the stats 70/70/70/130/80/100 would still be nice, even if it wouldn't be very good.
Well I mean, Mega Altaria pretty much just had a bigger cloud, Sableyes main change is it has its chest gem become huge and Salamence has a few changes but is still pretty similar. They could easily go for different forms for the mega or just one central form with subtle elements of each form in them.
Hmm, if I recall in the trailer we see Steven Stone using a Mega Charizard X. Maybe Steven will just give us a Mega Evolution tutorial where we use his Pokemon and not ours, and at the end of it we'll be given the Mega Bangel and our starters Mege Stone? That way we're still shown how to Mega Evolve and technically our first Mega Evolution isn't a Pokemon forced upon us. Oh, and bonus points if its skippable. Like he'll still tell us when we press the Battle button the option would be there, but there won't be a simulation battle.
Well then what's a point of a Mega Evolution...
Anyway, if I was designing it I would have done more of a 70/70/80/110/90/100//520 and change its Ability to an upgraded Forecast (let's call it Doppler). It has the same effect as Forecast plus give priority to moves with STAB (Weather Ball would always have increase priority). Actually I would do more then that but I think for a starting point.
And you are right about the design. Hmm, I guess they could just make normal Castform fluffier and for its other forms they could maybe make that bubble aronnd its head bigger and the clouds form a right around it. I think that would look nice.
No! Steven never used a Mega Charizard X in a trailer. There was just a picture of a Mega Charizard X next to Steven's picture in June's edition of CoroCoro. We discussed it back then and came to the conclusion it was a case of Wolverine publicity (using a popular character to promote a new installment to a series, even though said character doesn't even show up in the installment). Rumors of Steven having a Zard-X died down after Mega Metagross was revealed. Last month we learned that Mega Charizard X will continue to play an important role in the Mega Evolution Special Act 2, where Alain (the protagonist) will meet up with Steven and battle his Mega Metagross (for confirmation you can check Serebii's news from September 14th). So in the end, Steven does keep his Mega Metagross and the only Mega Charizard he has something to do with is Alain's and it will be his opponent.
I posted the video on a previous post. You can find it here. Just watch from 7:14 onwards.
http://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/oras-mark-2.3514952/page-54#post-5776626
You see Archie on one side and he could pontetially be talking to the Team Magma member's, the player or the rival. However, Maxie is not in this scene and he's the only Team Magma member that can mega evolve one of his pokémon. So probably Archie is talking to the player. One could argue he's talking to Team Magma as a whole and means that Team Aqua (he) can also use a mega evolution just like Team Magma (Maxie). This would sound more plausible if Maxie were there, though.
I see. I'm probably stating the obvious, but we'll probably won't find out until the game comes out. Probably for the better, a little surprise never hurt.
Hmm, looking at the video the character isn't wearing a Mega Bangle on their left wrist. Isn't that where the Mega device usually on the player?
Interesting point! In the video we can only see the player and rival's left arm. I double-checked watching the Mega Altaria/Salamence/Lopunny video and got a bit confused but I think Brendan/May wear their Mega Bangle on their left arms. So this means any mention of mega evolution made by Archie can't be directed to the player, since they don't have their Mega Bangle yet. So looks like you debunked my theory!
Sad thing is: now Brawly and his lvl 16 Makuhita seem real again... which means a lower level curve and difficulty level :/
I just checked Brawly's Bulbapedia page and I have some bad news:
Brawly's Team in RS:
Machop: Level 17
Makuhita: Level 18
So yeah, it seems like it could be very possible he Pokemon's levels were lowered by two. According to Brawly's bio TVTropes Character's page, Brawly is considered a Wake-Up Call Boss so the creators could have decided to lower his Pokemon's levels to make him a bit more easier.
His Makuhita's moveset is Bulk Up, Knock Off, Arm Thrust, & Sand Attack. Now there are two moves which I think we should keep in mind now:
1. In XY they changed it so that Makuhita can learn Vital Throw at Level 10, so if they don't change that in ORAS then they could have it knowing that.
2. The new move Power-Up Punch essentially does what Makuhita's Bulk mainly did, but instead of also increasing its low Defense stat it does damage which for Makuhita would get STAB.
So unless they want to stay with the original movesets, I think that a Makuhita with a moveset of Power-Up Punch, Knock Off, Vital Throw/Arm Thrust, & Sand Attack would be challenging. Actually I would also get rid of Sand Attack and give it the move Smack Down/Sand Tomb so that it could hit Flying-types for Super Effective damage.
So even if they weaken Makuhita, they could compensate by giving it some stronger moves/better utility moves.
That said, they should also improve his Machop's moveset since it can be completely walled by Ghost-types (though they apparently haven't learned that lesson since Korrina's Mienfoo and HAWLUCHA can be walled by a Ghost-type. Only her Machop can hit a Ghost-type because it knows Rock Tomb, but otherwise it can't do anything either. I wouldn't be surprised if a newly caught Honedge could take her down no problem).
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Not quite!
The Kanto Starters were handed to us with their Mega Stone attached, and according to interviews
However, the very starters of the game would not - should not - be used to promote the same feature in the same way. Choosing your starter is supposed to be the launch point of your game. It is the companion you set out on your adventure with, the trio is designed to be appealing and stick with you the whole game through. You're supposed to learn how to battle with your starter, overcome challenges together, and watch it grow as you progress through the game. In a sort of way, it is a measure of game progress, and the point of the starters' full evolution is so deeply rooted in the game we actually use it as a measuring stick of game progress (such as when the various Gyms will be).
Instant access to the starter's Mega Evolution essentially skips one point of that progress curve. You start your adventure with a cute and cuddly starter, as you get a grip on things and beat a Gym or two you see it evolve and become tougher, you battle with it some more, assemble a team, beat four or five Gyms, and then... logically you should watch it grow once again, into its kick-ass final form, the third stage, the pinnacle of progress, a form which will stick with you to the very end. However, if you're presented with its super-powerful temporary Mega forme just after seeing that third evolution, you never get to experience the third stage of the starter. It goes straight from sorta-tough-but-can-improve, to full super mode over the course of a handfull of battles and a story event. That's not good game design. Mega Evolution should be a late-game feature, and the fourth stage of your starter's power should only come so late in the game that its power reflects that of the opponents (or, since this is a kids game, give you the power to plow through opponents that would give you some resistance otherwise), and only after you've familiarized yourself with the third stage evolution. A fully evolved starter already kicks butt at the time of its introduction, but slapping the Mega on top of that too? It would make it way too powerful, way too fast.
I'm not saying GameFreak wouldn't do it. They've shown some sloppy game design before. But I'm saying they shouldn't, and I have hopes that they'll be sensible enough not to give us the Starter Megas so soon after they've reached their final form. We will probably see a Mega Evolution or two at that point of the game, but I think the actual Starter Megas will be pushed back a Gym or two later. They should give players time to explore the powers of the final stage evolution first.
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Forget that, let's get the Johto or Unova starters in the Safaris.
Johto starters are already catchable in most balls thanks to Colosseum
Let's compromise, let's have all the Starters available in the Friend Safari.
Perhaps it will be a feature combined with Secret Bases – you could include some grass in your Secret Base that would have Pokémon, just like a Friend Safari. That might be a clever way of supporting online interaction, while still allowing the old Safari Zone to be kept.
If they do keep the old Safari Zone or something like it, though, I expect them to rework the system quite a bit to make it less luck-based. Maybe it would include the 'sneaking' mechanic shown in one of the trailers, with different available Pokémon appearing randomly in the overworld. If you manage to sneak up on the Pokémon from behind, then you initiate a battle (maybe a conventional battle where you can use your Pokémon?) with it.
I guess the more likely option is still replacing it with a Friend Safari, although I'm not a fan of the "we haven't had a Safari Zone since HGSS" argument. We haven't had Pokémon Contests (or their variations, you know what I mean) since Platinum, and we haven't had Secret Bases since Emerald.
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Didn't the Professor give us Johto starters in Emerald after we complete the Hoenn Dex or something like that? Do you reckon they might do that again this time? (Johto starters need Megas to not be shit)
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