Recent content by Cobalt Empoleon

I used Armaldo once in a mono-Bug Emerald run. I was already committed to a very grindy experience (just getting Nincada to 20 takes ages), so I didn't mind raising Anorith. In general, I've found that I enjoy replaying Pokemon games a lot more if a) I only start a run when I really feel like...

The distribution for the fully evolved starters makes sense to me, although the reasons I'd give definitely don't apply to all the other mons that learn Focus Blast. I'd argue that Swampert is bipedal enough for that criterion to still apply here (it's on two legs in all of its 2D spites)...

The average adult Pokemon fan's ideal difficulty level is "hard enough that I don't just OHKO anything but not so hard that I'm ever at risk of actually losing" EDIT: also "no niche strategies or combos that I don't have prior knowledge of >:(((" (that's cheating ofc)

Am I the only one who thinks that's not a bad thing? Virtually zero first-time RSE/ORAS players will obtain a Shedinja, let alone keep it on their team throughout the game. I think it's appropriate that it should get a few easy Ws against important lategame trainers to reward players for...

What I find frustrating about Gen 7 boss trainer design is the really blunt use of EVs right from the beginning. In older games, the lack of EVs (and very gradual introduction of IVs) gives players a psychological boost, because their mons can often overcome level disadvantages with their...

"Numel got hit with, like, 10 Ice Beams!" -Sidequest-giver in Wild Zone 12

Beldum's catch rate feels like it was designed to specifically spite me, a player who loves Steel-types and prefers to catch everything in regular Poke Balls

For that cutscene in particular it's more because Lyra has an extra moment with Marill where she catches a Pokemon 'too fast' for the player to properly observe: It's definitely true that the female rival/counterpart tends to have more dialogue than the male one, though.

Ah good pick! It's definitely true that the early parts of B2W2 and SM/USUM simply can't handle a strong Steel-type. Buffed Sturdy makes the line even stronger and more flexible, making virtually every 1v1 favourable and letting them soften up ace mons and Totems with utility moves. Mag's more...

Yes 100% agreed. They also take up valuable 'rustling grass' encounter slots that could otherwise be given to more interesting Pokemon (or just Audino, to make mid-game grinding more efficient!) and they drag down the quality of Cheren and Bianca's teams. I've only ever raised one of them as...

I like that RS May had a collared shirt. Designers often just think 'hot location -> show more skin' but collars are much more sun-smart. For the most part, the redesign makes her outfit slightly frillier and girlier without adding anything interesting, which is a shame. To me it's her waist...

Idk I'm a fan of all three and I find Snivy much more consistently competent than the others (besides ORAS Treecko specifically), even if that's just because of Leech Seed and, to a lesser extent, Coil.

Wrong on both counts! Top-level speedrunners absolutely do play Voltorb Flip to get Thunderbolt. It takes a little under 3 minutes to get the coins needed and buy the TM (plus Abra for Teleport and Dratini for water HMs) thanks to RNG manipulation. The old route used Thunder, but you generally...

Mawile's been mentioned as a success story, thanks to its busted Mega Evolution and its new Fairy typing, but I think you could also frame it as an intergenerational loser, along with Aron and Sableye. All three are victims of the new Granite Cave layout in ORAS, which makes the lower floors...

both literal and figurative drip