Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl - Release 19th Nov 2021

I'm getting Brilliant Diamond if the last Gyms and Elite Four's teams are updated for Platinum/Grand Underground because I had Diamond. (Over a decade later and I'm still annoyed that I lost all my Gen 4 games.) If Flint still has 2 Fire Types, this game's a pass for me. (Never thought I'd say that about a main series game...) I have pretty high hopes for that though. ORAS completely changed everyone in Victory Road and changed two of their Elite Four's teams and they wouldn't want everyone bringing up Flint's team with all 2 Fire types all the time again.

I'd pick Piplup as my starter because again because it was my starter in Diamond, but I have a pretty good reason to pick Turtwig. I'll catch a Budew and run around in circles so it evolves ASAP for Toxic Spikes and Leech Seed before Turtwig learns it at Level 29. (Hopefully he learns it earlier in BDSP) I never thought I'd want to use Stunky because its cry sounds like a fart and Stuntank's sounds like lots of farting, but I'm actually finally thankful that it's Diamond exclusive because of nice bulk, a good defensive typing, and learning Toxic by Level Up. I'll need Will-O-Wisp and I feel safe guessing Dusclops is in because of Dusknoir being Gen 4 and the Platinum Dex. I can't say no to that Eviolite boostable bulk and Pressure! Hippowdon would be fun with Roar if he can get Stealth Rock in the main game but really annoying without it. I know my in game team seems kind of weird compared to everyone else's, but I play a little more defensively than most people. (And by that, I mean I like making slight understatements. :P) As for the last one, no idea. I'll use Zubat for Supersonic but ditch it ASAP unless it gets Toxic eventually. It'd be nice to have a team slot open in case I find a Shiny. *looks at what I have* Hmm... I can't wait to get swept by Flint!

I'd consider Dialga, but Toxic, Swagger, and Roar weren't TMs in SwSh, so that means just Sandstorm. Awesome stats and Pressure still suck without usable moves. That makes me wonder, how many people here use the Cover Legends? I kind of assumed that no one here does because I never see anyone here mention them and there's the "so OP they ruin anything resembling a challenge" thing.
 
I never use cover legends. Not because I'm against sweeping things silly (if so I wouldn't have taken the Mega Lucario in X) but because by the time I catch it my team is already full and I'm too attached to replace anything. It also does feel weird using the Literal God of Time on my team, but maybe if I have a slot open when I catch Dialga I'll give it a shot
 
StarFalcon555 said:
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My preliminary teams for each version! BD is on the top and SP is on the bottom. For BD I went with Sinnoh Pokemon that I've never used in-game before, and SP is my "classic" team that I used the first time I played through Platinum as a kid (underleved HM slave Bibarel included ofc). These might change as time goes on (particularly the BD one) but this is what I have so far :3
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You know that’s funny, you reminded me about the fact that I also got both versions. I may build a team out of mons that I haven’t really used. Out of the 3 starters, I’ve used Torterra the least (my last run through was a Nuzlocke where I chose Empoleon), and it could be cool to give Honchkrow and Magmortar both a try. I’ll have to get back to you guys on the rest of that team in addition to the remaining two slots of my first team
 
So I've been thinking about this for a long time and I just wanna lay down an observation.

Let's talk starters. Not the Sinnoh starters or PLA ones, the full collection and spectrum of generations in general. Let's take a look at which ones are represented between the Gen 8 games so far:

SWSH: Kanto, Hoenn, Alola and Galar (duh)
BDSP: Sinnoh (also duh)
PLA: Johto and Unova (unknown if we'll see the other components of their trios but that's still representation even if only with one member)

Chespin
Fennekin
Froakie

After looking at this list you should quickly realize the Kalos starters are conveniently the only ones not accounted for. Especially strange considering how one of 'em is Greninja who is, y'know, only the most popular Pokemon of the 21st century.

But of course, where can they possibly go? It's currently unclear if SWSH will get any more Pokemon updates, PLA seems laser-focused on its self-contained starter mix-and-match, and ofc BDSP can't be it cuz it's just the simple OG Sinnoh remake... right?

DreamPrince said:
You know, I could see Megas coming back because in Pokémon XY, Professor Sycamore’s assistant mentioned that Sycamore studied under Rowan while he was younger. And Professor Rowan studies evolution as well... This is a great opportunity to bring back Megas as well as give Sycamore a chance to return.
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...Hmm.
 
Dece1t said:
What are you guys doing in terms of teambuilding for your BDSP in-game teams
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Personally I'm being boring and going with my usual plan, aka "grass starter then pick team on the fly".

I don't like "planning" the team, other than the starter as I'm "team grass" since basically always. I tend to skew toward Pokemon I haven't used in the past (and new pokes in new generations) or that are pink and cute, but other than that, I like to improvise.

Edit: Though I'll bring Bidoof to its glory and show he's not a HM slave only!
 
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Yung Dramps said:
So I've been thinking about this for a long time and I just wanna lay down an observation.

Let's talk starters. Not the Sinnoh starters or PLA ones, the full collection and spectrum of generations in general. Let's take a look at which ones are represented between the Gen 8 games so far:

SWSH: Kanto, Hoenn, Alola and Galar (duh)
BDSP: Sinnoh (also duh)
PLA: Johto and Unova (unknown if we'll see the other components of their trios but that's still representation even if only with one member)

Chespin
Fennekin
Froakie

After looking at this list you should quickly realize the Kalos starters are conveniently the only ones not accounted for. Especially strange considering how one of 'em is Greninja who is, y'know, only the most popular Pokemon of the 21st century.

But of course, where can they possibly go? It's currently unclear if SWSH will get any more Pokemon updates, PLA seems laser-focused on its self-contained starter mix-and-match, and ofc BDSP can't be it cuz it's just the simple OG Sinnoh remake... right?



...Hmm.
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I mean, they'd have to have Sylveon, right? I think BDSP will have at least some Gen 5-8 Pokemon, including the starters not in PLA. Maybe Professor Sycamore will even get a cameo and introduce the Gen 6 starters that way?
 
Nickeljorn said:
I mean, they'd have to have Sylveon, right? I think BDSP will have at least some Gen 5-8 Pokemon, including the starters not in PLA. Maybe Professor Sycamore will even get a cameo and introduce the Gen 6 starters that way?
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oras had a few other sets of starters available (johto, sinnoh & unova, iirc?), so there's precedent there
 
Yung Dramps said:
So I've been thinking about this for a long time and I just wanna lay down an observation.

Let's talk starters. Not the Sinnoh starters or PLA ones, the full collection and spectrum of generations in general. Let's take a look at which ones are represented between the Gen 8 games so far:

SWSH: Kanto, Hoenn, Alola and Galar (duh)
BDSP: Sinnoh (also duh)
PLA: Johto and Unova (unknown if we'll see the other components of their trios but that's still representation even if only with one member)

Chespin
Fennekin
Froakie

After looking at this list you should quickly realize the Kalos starters are conveniently the only ones not accounted for. Especially strange considering how one of 'em is Greninja who is, y'know, only the most popular Pokemon of the 21st century.

But of course, where can they possibly go? It's currently unclear if SWSH will get any more Pokemon updates, PLA seems laser-focused on its self-contained starter mix-and-match, and ofc BDSP can't be it cuz it's just the simple OG Sinnoh remake... right?
Click to expand...
I think if the Grand Underground starts including Gen 5-8 Pokemon in the postgame, the Gen 6 starters will be included through there.
 
Nickeljorn said:
I mean, they'd have to have Sylveon, right? I think BDSP will have at least some Gen 5-8 Pokemon, including the starters not in PLA. Maybe Professor Sycamore will even get a cameo and introduce the Gen 6 starters that way?
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That last sentence is more or less what I'm implying yeah

To prevent this from being a one-liner, I'm actually making an attempt to plan my squad for once. My original plan was Torterra, Bibarel, Mismagius, Gliscor, Gardevoir and Flareon but with the Grand Underground's reveal I'm considering replacing the lattermost with Torkoal if available.
 
It all depends on availability restrictions (especially on how the Grand Underground will work, and whether the dex could have Pokémon that weren't present in the originals) and whether I can get certain Pokémon by trading, but the initial team I have planned is this one:

:torterra: :empoleon: :staraptor: :bibarel: :crobat: :steelix: :rampardos: :bastiodon: :machamp: :golduck:
:mothim: :beautifly: :floatzel: :gastrodon-east: :drifblim: :gengar: :mismagius: :honchkrow: :bronzong: :clefable:
:raichu: :noctowl: :spiritomb: :garchomp: :quagsire: :pelipper: :azumarill: :drapion: :octillery: :milotic:
:weavile: :dialga: :rotom-mow: :gliscor: :gardevoir: :lickilicky: :altaria: :togekiss: :magnezone: :rhyperior:
:porygon-z: :absol: :golem::chatot:

Yes, 44 Pokémon (and I might be forgetting someone...). I don't intend to hold back and will try to use every single Sinnoh Dex Pokémon I like (that is available before the post-game, of course). It does not matter if I used it before. It does not matter if it's trade-exclusive. It does not matter if it's not a reptile.

Of course, this assumes PC on the fly is a thing. If not... well, of course, I will only be able to pick six, giving priority to the following ones:

:rampardos: :bastiodon: :machamp: :floatzel: :mismagius: :bronzong: :clefable: :raichu: :noctowl: :spiritomb: :octillery: :milotic: :weavile: :rotom-mow: :gliscor: :lickilicky: :togekiss: :magnezone: :rhyperior: :porygon-z: :golem::chatot:

22 options for a six-mon team, of which around 7 require trading.
 
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Aight, PSA time. Dunno if anyone in this thread needs to hear it, but I figure it can't possibly be harmful.

Dear Frontier fans: Look, I get it. This feature meant a lot to you, it had a lot of cool stuff in it that didn't deserve the boot (Dahlia :pleading_face:). After so many other fan dreams like following Pokemon as a series staple and an open world Sinnoh game got fulfilled, it's frustrating that 7 years of sustained whining feedback about ORAS' failure to keep the Emerald Frontier fell on deaf ears.

But god damnit people, PLEASE STOP THE COPE. I'm seeing these utterly insane denial-fueled mutterings like "Oh the map is probably hiding it like the Platinum one!" or "Haha but what if the facilities are INSIDE the Tower as different floors?" and it's like. No. The former argument is total nonsense cuz it fails to consider that Platinum's map hid the Frontier with trees, not by deliberately drawing an accurate recreation of the DP Battle Tower site in an active attempt to make the game appear as if it had less content. And if I have to explain how laughable the latter argument is, you're probably already too far gone.

I'm not writing all this to act smug about foreseeing the obvious (last time thread was open I said Frontier had a chance but before this Presents came up I woke up and changed my mind). I'm writing this for you guys' sake. You're only hurting yourselves by not accepting the end. You don't gotta like it, you just gotta acknowledge that's how it is.
 
Yung Dramps said:
I'm not writing all this to act smug about foreseeing the obvious
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Not gonna lie, you kind of gave the opposite impression when you first posted the picture of the Tower in the new map and all you had to say about it was "cope harder". Even ignoring the Smogoff post you just made about it, which I'm assuming was a shitpost because it's Smogoff, it's hard not to feel like you were taunting the people who held out hope for the full Frontier until the new reveals.

That said, yeah, the full Frontier is almost certainly not coming back and I wouldn't hold out hope for it. We've seen interviews about the lack of a Frontier in OR/AS indicating that the top dogs at GF don't think the full thing has enough of an audience to be worth making, and now we have a map with the Tower but no Frontier. There was discussion in another thread about the potential for the full Frontier to be released as DLC, but that's pure speculation and will be for the foreseeable future. Don't get your hopes up. The Tower can still be a decent post-game experience if they don't fuck it up.
 
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