(Little) Things that annoy you in Pokémon

[Pikachu315111]

Pokemon that straight up cant fly would be one. Controlling the air doesn't actually correlate to flying, and flying doesnt correlate to controlling the air (just like swimming doesnt mean you have a mastery of water or being able to use one move from a fighting style doesnt mean you have a mastery on it). Sure they would often be found together, but they wouldn't need to. Kinda like that two circles diagram with the middle being the overlaps. Its 2 am and I can't remember the name please give me a break

Ah, so an air bender like character. I see what you mean, on the surface it would certainly seem strange and could be causing a subconscious bias with Flying-type design where they need the Pokemon to have a flying/gliding/jumping theme to it. This actually reminds me of a fakemon I made which was a Flying-type but it was essentially a snail combined with bellows which inflated its shell with air and then collapse its shell to release a tornado (think sort of like Sandaconda but a bellows instead of shotgun). Sure, odd to call it a Flying-type as it's a bellows snail that create tornadoes, but looking at the Flying-type moves I can see it getting many Flying-type moves like Defog, Hurricane, Gust, Tailwind... well, okay pretty much these four but hey Defog & Tailwind are good utility moves, Gust is a nice low level move to start with, and Hurricane for a high level move (not to mention potential for its Ability or getting a Signature Move).

So, yeah, it's not impossible to make a non-flying/gliding/jumping Flying-type, but it's a known issue that with Flying-types if it doesn't have wings or a beak it's going to struggle getting some decent Flying-type STAB moves. And I don't know how my snail bellows is immune to Ground-types.

 

[Cobalt Empoleon]

two circles diagram with the middle being the overlaps. Its 2 am and I can't remember the name please give me a break

a Venn diagram lmao

This actually reminds me of a fakemon I made which was a Flying-type but it was essentially a snail combined with bellows which inflated its shell with air and then collapse its shell to release a tornado (think sort of like Sandaconda but a bellows instead of shotgun). Sure, odd to call it a Flying-type as it's a bellows snail that create tornadoes, but looking at the Flying-type moves I can see it getting many Flying-type moves like Defog, Hurricane, Gust, Tailwind... well, okay pretty much these four but hey Defog & Tailwind are good utility moves, Gust is a nice low level move to start with, and Hurricane for a high level move (not to mention potential for its Ability or getting a Signature Move).

I tend to prefer it when a Pokémon’s unique design logically gives it access to moves outside its typing, rather than forcing a certain typing on a Pokémon because of the moves it gets (if that makes sense lol). I’ve discussed it before in OI, but the outsized importance of having powerful STAB in newer gens (to the point that it often dictates competitive viability) undermines a Little Thing I Like About Pokémon: how the complex interplay between a Pokémon’s typing, abilities, stats, and movepool (hopefully influenced by its design) makes it unique and ideally gives it some kind of niche.

Like, a snail with a pneumatic shell doesn’t seem like a Flying-type Pokémon to me, but it should absolutely get those Flying-type moves you listed. Powerful special Flying-type coverage is pretty unusual, especially as a consistent theme in a non-Flying mon’s level-up movepool, and conceptually I find it really cool!

 

[Bakugames]

And I don't know how my snail bellows is immune to Ground-types.

We already do have that issue in a small scale with dodrio and galar zapdos (who both can still fly despite their anatomy. I think if youre flying type you can just Always fly, no matter how odd it is.)

The only two solutions I have would be
1. Change the reasoning for an air immunity (going to use air instead of flying just to make clear we're talking about the rename type, not the canon one we have today).
I mean, the air itself isnt really affected by the ground, not even the strongest earthquake has made much impact on the winds. It could just be a property of air to dissipate ground attacks or something. Someone else could probably come up with a better idea, but thats just an example

Pros: easy to do. No major game changers
Con: doesn't solve the issue of pokemon who can fly but arent air/dont have levitate still being hit by ground moves like eq

2. Your idea: making levitate/flying a trait of the pokemon instead of the ability

Pros: you can choose if air is immune to ground or not afterwards with no effect on the pokemon that fly. Solves both issues
Cons: kinda complex, introducing a whole new mechanic. Also idk how to feel about some pokemon just getting a free immunity outside of ability and traits.

I think unless theres some major changes, we cant really fix all inconsistencies of being able to fly and being hit by ground. It is a kids cartoony game so some logic can be removed i guess. After this is way too theorymonning though

 

[Pikachu315111]

I tend to prefer it when a Pokémon’s unique design logically gives it access to moves outside its typing, rather than forcing a certain typing on a Pokémon because of the moves it gets (if that makes sense lol). I’ve discussed it before in OI, but the outsized importance of having powerful STAB in newer gens (to the point that it often dictates competitive viability) undermines a Little Thing I Like About Pokémon: how the complex interplay between a Pokémon’s typing, abilities, stats, and movepool (hopefully influenced by its design) makes it unique and ideally gives it some kind of niche.

Well this then goes back to the problem we having with Flying-types: can there being a Flying-type that is a wind elemental but doesn't necessarily have to be flying/gliding/high jumping. Best I could think of is an air/wind "bender" creature, like a creature which can create tornadoes. My bellows snale isn't Flying-type because it learns Flying-type moves, it's Flying-type because I wanted to make a grounded Flying-type and thought a creature which summons tornadoes and windstorms via breathing would be one option (don't know why I made it a bellows/snail combo, like I get the bellows part but no clue where I got snail). And of course it would get other moves, probably some of the sound moves (Hyper Voice, Round, Echoed Voice, Uproar, Sonic Boom, maybe Boomburst, Roar, Snarl, Disarming Voice), Supersonic, Whirlwind, Belch, Smog, Poison Gas, Silver Wind, Ominous Wind, Heat Wave, Leaf Storm/Leaf Tornado, Frost Breath, Icy Wind, Twister, & Fairy Wind. Could also probably learn a batch of Water moves too, or any move that's a "stream".

Like, a snail with a pneumatic shell doesn’t seem like a Flying-type Pokémon to me, but it should absolutely get those Flying-type moves you listed. Powerful special Flying-type coverage is pretty unusual, especially as a consistent theme in a non-Flying mon’s level-up movepool, and conceptually I find it really cool!

Don't know what other Type it would be. Normal and Water sounds too generic.

I think unless theres some major changes, we cant really fix all inconsistencies of being able to fly and being hit by ground. It is a kids cartoony game so some logic can be removed i guess. After this is way too theorymonning though

The only thing I can think of also is adjusting animations:

• Flying/Levitate Pokemon who are already in midair are fine (maybe could lift them a bit higher either normally or when a Ground-type move is used show them going higher in the air to avoid the attack).
• Flying-type Pokemon standing on the ground could have a "flying" model when a Ground-type move is used and we see them fly up into the air (for Pokemon like Doduo/Dodrio/G-Zapdos they can have them just do the bounce animation, implying they jumped really high to avoid the attack).
• Pokemon that aren't part Flying/have Levitate but a shown hovering do so really low to the ground, thus while they're technically in the air they're still so close to the ground that Ground-type moves would still hit them as if they were grounded).

 

[Scorpio]

And I don't know how my snail bellows is immune to Ground-types.

Maybe it’s able to create a strong-enough whirlwind around itself to lift it off the ground for those crucial few seconds?

IDK I feel that while it wouldn’t be impossible to make a theoretically ground-bound Flying type, one kinda has to go out of their way to do so.

 

[Siggu]

So this is a partial meta complaint, but...

Why did Game Freak suddenly stop making offensive Pokémon with Regenerator? The only three examples were introduced in Gen V (Ho-oh, Mienshao, and Tornadus-Therian).

I think it's an idea with potential but it's been completely unexplored.

 

[Nokocchi]

So this is a partial meta complaint, but...

Why did Game Freak suddenly stop making offensive Pokémon with Regenerator? The only three examples were introduced in Gen V (Ho-oh, Mienshao, and Tornadus-Therian).

I think it's an idea with potential but it's been completely unexplored.

While I can agree about Mienshao and Tornadus-T not being very defensive(but the latter at least has better defenses than its Incarnate forme), How is a Ho-oh not bulky? It's highest stat is Special Defense(24 higher than its second highest stat, which is Attack) it doesn't like physical hits as much with its 90 Defense but 106 HP helps, too. It's bulkier than Galarian Slowbro in most ways(just slightly less defense), a Regenerator Pokemon you didn't list above.

 

[Ironmage]

So this is a partial meta complaint, but...

Why did Game Freak suddenly stop making offensive Pokémon with Regenerator? The only three examples were introduced in Gen V (Ho-oh, Mienshao, and Tornadus-Therian).

I think it's an idea with potential but it's been completely unexplored.

Now I'm stuck thinking that Regenerator would fit perfectly in-universe on Staryu and Starmie, probably more so than Analytic.

As for a reason why, I'm blaming the increased focus on VGC, where switching is rarer and most pivots would take intimidate instead of given the opportunity.

 

[DreamPrince]

Now I'm stuck thinking that Regenerator would fit perfectly in-universe on Staryu and Starmie, probably more so than Analytic.

As for a reason why, I'm blaming the increased focus on VGC, where switching is rarer and most pivots would take intimidate instead of given the opportunity.

Adding on to this, Tornadus-T was never really that good of a pick in either VGC or BSS. Even after receiving Nasty Plot and STAB Max Airstream this generation, it faces stiff competition from Zapdos for STAB Max Airstream user as well as Naganadel for a Nasty Plot sweeper.

 

[ScraftyIsTheBest]

Okay, can I talk about how much wasted potential these three are? Because I sure as hell will, because these three had so much potential that Game Freak just did not use.

For those who don't know, the three in this image are Cilan, Chili, and Cress, the first gym leaders you encounter in BW1.

What makes these three so much wasted potential? Gen 5 was the generation that introduced Triple Battles and Rotation Battles, both of which are three-on-three battles at once. And lo and behold, we have the perfect opportunity to showcase Triple and Rotation Battles right off the bat, with these three, who are triplet brothers, and their signature Pokemon are a trio of Elemental Monkeys: again, with these, there are three of them.

But what does GF do instead? Instead, they turned the Striaton triplets into a tutorial on type advantages, with you battling the triplet who has a type advantage against your starter, and often forcing you to use a monkey of your own against theirs. It's a Single Battle, and one that exists mainly to teach players on type advantages and disadvantages.

What a waste! I mean come on, the last time GF introduced a new type of battle before this was in Gen 3, which was Double Battles. And not only did they show these off prominently in RSE, they even created a pair of Gym Leaders, Tate and Liza, who are twins, and served to promote Double Battles with you battling them both simultaneously. And Gen 5 goes and introduces Triple and Rotation battles, cool right? And lo and behold, they did not use the perfect opportunity they had to show them off: a group of triplet brothers who use a trio of monkeys. This was the perfect chance to show off Gen 5's newest type of Battles, and they sure as hell blew it.

Cilan, Chili, and Cress would've been so much more interesting if you had to battle all three of them at once, battling all of Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour using three Pokemon of your own to show off the Rotation/Triple Battle mechanic. What a huge missed opportunity here.

 

[Siggu]

Okay, can I talk about how much wasted potential these three are? Because I sure as hell will, because these three had so much potential that Game Freak just did not use.

For those who don't know, the three in this image are Cilan, Chili, and Cress, the first gym leaders you encounter in BW1.

What makes these three so much wasted potential? Gen 5 was the generation that introduced Triple Battles and Rotation Battles, both of which are three-on-three battles at once. And lo and behold, we have the perfect opportunity to showcase Triple and Rotation Battles right off the bat, with these three, who are triplet brothers, and their signature Pokemon are a trio of Elemental Monkeys: again, with these, there are three of them.

But what does GF do instead? Instead, they turned the Striaton triplets into a tutorial on type advantages, with you battling the triplet who has a type advantage against your starter, and often forcing you to use a monkey of your own against theirs. It's a Single Battle, and one that exists mainly to teach players on type advantages and disadvantages.

What a waste! I mean come on, the last time GF introduced a new type of battle before this was in Gen 3, which was Double Battles. And not only did they show these off prominently in RSE, they even created a pair of Gym Leaders, Tate and Liza, who are twins, and served to promote Double Battles with you battling them both simultaneously. And Gen 5 goes and introduces Triple and Rotation battles, cool right? And lo and behold, they did not use the perfect opportunity they had to show them off: a group of triplet brothers who use a trio of monkeys. This was the perfect chance to show off Gen 5's newest type of Battles, and they sure as hell blew it.

Cilan, Chili, and Cress would've been so much more interesting if you had to battle all three of them at once, battling all of Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour using three Pokemon of your own to show off the Rotation/Triple Battle mechanic. What a huge missed opportunity here.

I think it's okay that they didn't show Triple Battles straight away (Ruby and Sapphire didn't either, although Emerald had some tag battles available before beating Roxanne), but that they weren't able to be challenged in a Triple Battle later (not even in BW2!) was indeed a waste.

 

[Pikachu315111]

I think it's okay that they didn't show Triple Battles straight away (Ruby and Sapphire didn't either, although Emerald had some tag battles available before beating Roxanne), but that they weren't able to be challenged in a Triple Battle later (not even in BW2!) was indeed a waste.

Worse then that, there is actually a Triple/Rotation Battle against the Elemental Monkey's evolutions in the game, but it's against a random Ace Trainer in Opelucid City.

Then in BW2, where they were no longer Gym Leaders, you learn they quit being Gym Leader because they got defeated by the Shadow Triad (a heavy de-confirm from GF about a popular theory at the time that the triplets were the Triad) and decided they needed to become stronger... individually. When you visit the former Striaton Gym in BW2 they now do Double Battles where you team up with one of them and battle the other two. A little bit closer to what we wanted, but still missing the mark even though it's a size of a broad side of a barn.

 

[Volt-Ikazuchi]

Okay, can I talk about how much wasted potential these three are? Because I sure as hell will, because these three had so much potential that Game Freak just did not use.

For those who don't know, the three in this image are Cilan, Chili, and Cress, the first gym leaders you encounter in BW1.

What makes these three so much wasted potential? Gen 5 was the generation that introduced Triple Battles and Rotation Battles, both of which are three-on-three battles at once. And lo and behold, we have the perfect opportunity to showcase Triple and Rotation Battles right off the bat, with these three, who are triplet brothers, and their signature Pokemon are a trio of Elemental Monkeys: again, with these, there are three of them.

But what does GF do instead? Instead, they turned the Striaton triplets into a tutorial on type advantages, with you battling the triplet who has a type advantage against your starter, and often forcing you to use a monkey of your own against theirs. It's a Single Battle, and one that exists mainly to teach players on type advantages and disadvantages.

What a waste! I mean come on, the last time GF introduced a new type of battle before this was in Gen 3, which was Double Battles. And not only did they show these off prominently in RSE, they even created a pair of Gym Leaders, Tate and Liza, who are twins, and served to promote Double Battles with you battling them both simultaneously. And Gen 5 goes and introduces Triple and Rotation battles, cool right? And lo and behold, they did not use the perfect opportunity they had to show them off: a group of triplet brothers who use a trio of monkeys. This was the perfect chance to show off Gen 5's newest type of Battles, and they sure as hell blew it.

Cilan, Chili, and Cress would've been so much more interesting if you had to battle all three of them at once, battling all of Pansage, Pansear, and Panpour using three Pokemon of your own to show off the Rotation/Triple Battle mechanic. What a huge missed opportunity here.

A Triple/Rotation battle in BW1, with those horrible, horrible early-game choices would be straight up a nightmare...

But what about BW2?

Instead of a Triple/Rotation battle with them as late-game leaders you get a Multi Battle with one of them being a Tag Partner Post-Game!?

Ok, points for creativity, but WTF?

That's a huge waste alright. They were creative with what they did, but now that you brought that up? Man, I want that badly.

 

[Excadrill Trainer]

 

[R_N]

Triple Battles & Rotation Battles were never set up to be "tag" battles so I imagine that was the big reason they didn't do a striaton triplet battle even if it would have been relatively trivial to have a "twins" type battle internal where they all just share a sprite and have one party that it pretends is 3 people.

 

[Sonikku A]

View attachment 303171

Baloney, the Clefairy is a run killer far more times than Miltank

 

[jordanthejq12]

Baloney, the Clefairy is a run killer far more times than Miltank

"I have a female Geodude, the proven reliable counter to Miltank! Immune to Attract, resists Stomp, resists Rollout, can possibly one-shot her depending on Magnitude luck. I got this!"

"Clefairy used Metronome!"
"Wagging a finger let it use Surf!" (Or Giga Drain, or Aeroblast/Brave Bird/whatever for Machop or Heracross, Earthquake for a Nido, etc.)

...

I will say this, Whitney's Miltank is the mon that taught me to always have two checks for a boss fight, because of shit like that and because unless you can one-shot everything, your perfect counter to the ace will get worn down by the others.

 

[cityscapes]

Baloney, the Clefairy is a run killer far more times than Miltank

obligatory

 

[Sonikku A]

obligatory

Exactly what I was referencing
Heck, for the recent Caterpie+ run, Clef completely undid the X setups twice. Surprised that moment isn't on Ytube yet
Though admittedly he still won that battle

 

[Antihaxxer]

I didn't know this video
This is the best video of the Internet ! I love it :D

Thanks for sharing

 

[Volt-Ikazuchi]

"I have a female Geodude, the proven reliable counter to Miltank! Immune to Attract, resists Stomp, resists Rollout, can possibly one-shot her depending on Magnitude luck. I got this!"

"Clefairy used Metronome!"
"Wagging a finger let it use Surf!" (Or Giga Drain, or Aeroblast/Brave Bird/whatever for Machop or Heracross, Earthquake for a Nido, etc.)

...

I will say this, Whitney's Miltank is the mon that taught me to always have two checks for a boss fight, because of shit like that and because unless you can one-shot everything, your perfect counter to the ace will get worn down by the others.

I deadass got hit by Sacred Fire off it once.

My reaction was pretty much this lmao:

Edit:

obligatory

Wait, it happened to someone else too!? WTF Clefairy, you wildin'!!!

 

[PsychicAcademic]

VEES!! Everyone loves them, right? I know DHR hates them.

Anyway, for all its mythology gag of Umbreon's dex entry having the poisonous sweat, carryover from the 1998 demo, how it loses Toxic in Gen8 is just.... In fact, it can't learn any Poison moves. (And yes, its Sword entry still mentions that)
Also, for all the baggage of Vees being masters of their respective elements, only Sylveon learns Misty Terrain. I checked, Leafeon can't learn Grassy Terrain. Jolteon can't learn Electric Terrain. Espeon can't Psychic Terrain. This kind of rubs me in a wrong way.

 

[Siggu]

VEES!! Everyone loves them, right? I know DHR hates them.

Anyway, for all its mythology gag of Umbreon's dex entry having the poisonous sweat, carryover from the 1998 demo, how it loses Toxic in Gen8 is just.... In fact, it can't learn any Poison moves. (And yes, it's Sword entry still mentions that)
Also, for all the baggage of Vees being masters of their respective elements, only Sylveon learns Misty Terrain. I checked, Leafeon can't learn Grassy Terrain. Jolteon can't learn Electric Terrain. Espeon can't Psychic Terrain. This kind of rubs me in a wrong way.

Which reminds me of this:

All these entries come from Wooper. A Pokémon that is not a Poison-type Pokémon, does not evolve into a Poison-type Pokémon, does not have the Poison Point or Poison Touch abilities, and, until Generation VIII (which is why I'm not showing its dex entries there), did not learn a single Poison-type move by level up.

(Honestly, Wooper should be able to learn Baneful Bunker)

 

[Ema Skye]

VEES!! Everyone loves them, right? I know DHR hates them.

Anyway, for all its mythology gag of Umbreon's dex entry having the poisonous sweat, carryover from the 1998 demo, how it loses Toxic in Gen8 is just.... In fact, it can't learn any Poison moves. (And yes, it's Sword entry still mentions that)

Beta Umbreon was even a Poison-type instead of a Dark. Keeping the lore and changing the type is just weird.

I mean, they let Mandibuzz learn Toxic via level up.

 

[Imperial Magala]

Beta Umbreon was even a Poison-type instead of a Dark. Keeping the lore and changing the type is just weird.

I mean, they let Mandibuzz learn Toxic via level up.

Vultures and Buzzards are known for having extremely potent stomach acid and for vomiting when feeling threatened, making Mandibuzz one of the few non-Poison types to make sense learning Toxic. Umbreon should still learn Toxic though, if the dex entries are going to keep bringing up its toxicity.
Edit: I'll add that many species of amphibians have varying levels of toxicity, which is why even non-Poison amphibian Pokemon like Quagsire, Swampert, and Seismitoad learn Toxic, Sludge, Sludge Wave etc.