Pokémon Presents - Pokémon Day 2025 - Pokemon ZA Info & Pokemon Champions Announced

[Hugin]

Thoughts:
I like Mega-Lucha well enough, though it's very simple. Is that the least changes possible for a mega-evolution?
The trailer absolutely needed to give us GMax Machamp, otherwise Hawlucha needing the supermechanic is just weak.
That said, I like the idea of monotype tournaments. In-universe they make sense, and I legitimately enjoyed the Sky Battle concept and wish they'd tried it again but better.

 

[R_N]

Thoughts:
I like Mega-Lucha well enough, though it's very simple. Is that the least changes possible for a mega-evolution?
The trailer absolutely needed to give us GMax Machamp, otherwise Hawlucha needing the supermechanic is just weak.
That said, I like the idea of monotype tournaments. In-universe they make sense, and I legitimately enjoyed the Sky Battle concept and wish they'd tried it again but better.

Honestly if you break down the design there's probably about as many as on something like Aerodactyl, Sableye, Kangaskhan (the little one), etc.
Like, aside from the cape he bulked up, got the head feathers, the feathers got larger & the tail in particular is more visible.

But I think there's just something about the neck feathers, mask and "cape" that makes it seem lesser to people. Probably because it does its job of looking like a costume too well? I think if the design was exactly the same but the primary color scheme changed on the body, people would probably not second guess it.

 

[Sulfurian]

Maybe Mega Hawlucha may get a buffed version of Stamina in that every hit your Hawlucha has ever taken gives it a boost, so it'd be like Rage Fist. Let's say Hawlucha comes in on a U-Turn. If it is forced out and then comes back in and Mega Evolves, it'll have a +1 boost to Defense immediately since it'll have a counter like Rage Fist.

Before you say this is impossible, Gamefreak has been going off the wazoo with powercreep in modern gens, such as Zacian and Zamazenta getting free stat boosts, with it giving Dracovish Strong Jaw and Fishious Rend, Darmanitan-Galar Gorilla Tactics, the Urshifu forms' Unseen First, the horses' Abilities, the Ultra Beasts Beast Boost, Magearna Soul-Heart, Annihilape Rage Fist,Chi-Yu unga boonga Beads of Ruin, Baxcalibur, Chien-Pao, Espathra, Flutter Mane, Iron Bundle, Ogerpon-Hearthflame, Palafin-Hero, Palkia-Origin, Roaring Moon, Archaludon, Gouging Fire, Sneasler, and Terapagos-Stellar.

Maybe it could be like Supreme Overlord everytime Mega Hawlucha comes into the ring (is sent out) it gets a small attack boost each time (not a flat 1+ mind you, but a stacking damage increase every time that is tracked and stackable.)

 

[johnkneebravo]

Mega Hawlucha is my favorite new Mega so far, but its mask isn't as glittery in-game. It looks way better here:

 

[a blue banana]

immediately thinking it gets a defense boost or it gets stamina but it would be classic game freak if its like big pecks lmao (we wouldnt know what the real abilities are until gen 10 obviously)

Apart from datamining when Z-A releases, I think it’s likely that Champions will provide information on what (at least some of) the new Megas’ abilities will be. Champions will be used for the ‘26 VGC season, and the first ranked battle format has at least Mega Dragonite usable, which may indicate other newly introduced Megas will follow suit. Additionally, we don’t have any concrete info on the gen 10 core games so far.

 

[Pikachu315111]

The trailer absolutely needed to give us GMax Machamp, otherwise Hawlucha needing the supermechanic is just weak.

Especially since I think under normal circumstances Hawlucha shouldn't have a problem defeating a Machamp (who looks to only be using Fighting-type Moves)?

Obviously they couldn't use GMax, though maybe they could have done something more subtle: changing Machamp's trainer. Both Hawlucha and Machamp's trainers were kids, making it feel both are early in their careers. As I said, in this scenario, unless Hawlucha & its trainer slacked on their training which we see they didn't, Hawlucha shouldn't have had too much problem dealing with Machamp as it did. However, had Machamp's trainer been an older adult, maybe even a Black Belt or at least a muscular guy, that would instead have suggested they were veteran fighters. It would make sense for a veteran Machamp to know how to handle & overcome its weaknesses, especially against those who are fresh. Can't be overpowered nor the usual tricks would work on it, Hawlucha would need to Mega Evolve. It would still seem like a crutch, but it gets the point across enough that Mega Evolution can even overcome stronger & more experienced opponents.

Maybe it could be like Supreme Overlord everytime Mega Hawlucha comes into the ring (is sent out) it gets a small attack boost each time (not a flat 1+ mind you, but a stacking damage increase every time that is tracked and stackable.)

Think it would be a Defense increase.

Hm, say, maybe they could do something with the number of turns? We know # of turns are already tracked due to the Quick/Timer Ball, maybe use that an Ability/Move.

Ring Champ: For every turn the battle has lasted, this Pokemon's Defense stat gets an additive +10% up to 100%.

So in 5 turns it'll be as if it has an auto +1 to Defense and in 10 turns a +2. And it can still increase its Defense stat via normal stat modification on top of that.

 

[AztecCroc]

Actually looking back in the animated short, Machamp used Darkest Lariat. Incineroar was there through the Heel replacement!

Given that it was a solid ring of red-black, not black flames, I'm pretty sure that was Brutal Swing not Darkest Lariat. It's pretty much 1-to-1 with how Brutal Swing was depicted in SwSh.

Spoiler

 

[Sulfurian]

Interesting to note I guess GF messed up M-Dragonite's pose when it Mega Evolves. In the anime, the pearl is between the two wings and above the head. However in both legends and Champions you can only see the tail tip. I wonder if they'd ever update it to correct it.

 

[R_N]

Interesting to note I guess GF messed up M-Dragonite's pose when it Mega Evolves. In the anime, the pearl is between the two wings and above the head. However in both legends and Champions you can only see the tail tip. I wonder if they'd ever update it to correct it.

I'd wager that the pose in the games are the "proper" pose and the anime just had the ability to do more with the pose to show it off.
Wouldn't surprise me if the pose looked awwkardw ith how it had to contort the tail in game.

 

[CynicalGiant]

thinking more about mega hawlucha, it getting a defense boost even a large one probably won't matter since it is going to be stuck with 78 base HP unless they break their megas don't get more base HP rule

 

[Avira]

thinking more about mega hawlucha, it getting a defense boost even a large one probably won't matter since it is going to be stuck with 78 base HP unless they break their megas don't get more base HP rule

If Mega Hawlucha has a signature Ability in that every hit Hawlucha has ever taken gives it a boost to Defense much like with Rage Fist or Supreme Overlord's stacking boosts as I've speculated, Mega Hawlucha could end up being decently tanky on the physical side. If it really will have that Ability, I doubt such an Ability would be limited to just after you've Mega Evolved to Mega Hawlucha given Gamefreak's coders probably aren't good enough to differentiate between hits taken as base Hawlucha and Mega Hawlucha, or staffers are just lazy and coded it the simplest way, which will result in hits taken in the base form counting as well, so switching into a U-Turn and Knock Off would net it two boosts to Defense, however strong that boost is. Gamefreak has been increasingly leaning on giving strong mons free stats in modern generations (Gen 6 and onwards), so I don't think this is even unlikely.

Mega Hawlucha with Base stats of 78 HP/135 ATT (+43)/115 DEF (+40)/92 SPA/63 SPD/135 SPE (+17) and a Defense-boosting Ability would be more than viable in OU in spite of the loss of an Unburden boost.

 

[BlueRay]

thinking more about mega hawlucha, it getting a defense boost even a large one probably won't matter since it is going to be stuck with 78 base HP unless they break their megas don't get more base HP rule

It depends. I was quite surprised when I noticed both Hawlucha and Charizard shared the same HP stat. Historically, Mega Charizard X tended to run a lot of bulk investment in VGC. And back in gen 6 - and perhaps gen 7 as well -, it sometimes run lots of bulk to be more flexible on a team and tank hits better. Ofc, it also helps Charizard knows Will-O-Wisp to improve its resilience.

So, depending on how the developers want Mega Hawlucha to be played, I wouldn't be surprised if it could reasonably pull off a somewhat tanky set, with a good mix of speed and bulk investment, like Zamazenta-Crowned does. We have so many Fighting / Flying Pkm, I'm quite curious to see if and how the developers are going to make bulky Mega Hawlucha work. For all we know, they could give Mega Hawlucha the Heracross or Salamence treatment where one stat get significantly increased.

If I had to guess, I think + '40-45' Def and + '15-20' SpD wouldn't surprise me, with the remaining points going into Atk and, perhaps, a little Spe as well. Non max HP Mega Hawlucha could almost always survive Heat Wave from Timid Mega Charizard-Y and Dazzling Gleam from Timid Flutter Mane. And it can also take Double-Edge from 4 Atk Mega Salamence after one drop of Intimidate or at +1 Def. If it does run max HP, it can also survive Hyper Voice from max SpA Mega Salamence and Thunder Clap from Modest Raging Bolt. Also has very good odds of living Icicle Crash from Jolly Chien-Pao depending on base Def. At the very least, with a potentially good bulk increasement, Mega Hawlucha may function well enough in Singles, switching in and out throughout the game, boasting key resistances, not worrying about Spikes, and being able to run moves like Bulk Up more efficiently.
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[Pikachu315111]

Hawlucha also learns Drain Punch.

 

[CynicalGiant]

So, depending on how the developers want Mega Hawlucha to be played, I wouldn't be surprised if it could reasonably pull off a somewhat tanky set, with a good mix of speed and bulk investment, like Zamazenta-Crowned does. We have so many Fighting / Flying Pkm, I'm quite curious to see if and how the developers are going to make bulky Mega Hawlucha work. For all we know, they could give Mega Hawlucha the Heracross or Salamence treatment where one stat get significantly increased.

you made a lot of good points and now I'm imagining we get a situation like that where they dump all 100 of its new bst like 132 ATK / 135 DEF with or without Stamina and suddenly my doubts they could make it strong seem really dumb lol

even like 122 atk/125 def/83 sdef is probably very absurd

 

[R_N]

Going to be real funny if after all this talk about being super bulky it gets, like, +25 defense & no defense boosting ability

 

[CTNC]

Going to be real funny if after all this talk about being super bulky it gets, like, +25 defense & no defense boosting ability

Honestly, I can see that happening. 25 is 1/4 of the Base Stats gained and Legends: Z-A doesn't have Abilities, so why would its bulk come from the Ability it doesn't have?

While we're talking about Defensive Abilities... How much of Mega Hawlucha's bulk (as is lore bulk, not game stat bulk) is actual increased mussel and how much is just increased feathers making it look bulkier than it is? Asking because the "belt" makes it look kind of Fluffy. :P

 

[Pikachu315111]

Going to be real funny if after all this talk about being super bulky it gets, like, +25 defense & no defense boosting ability

I think by now everyone here knows that, with GF, we're to expect nothing and shouldn't be surprise if something dumb is done. This is all harmless speculation for fun with what information they decide to give us. That said, we're also in our right to call out these dumb decisions when we do learn what they are and it's not what they told us.

 

[R_N]

I think by now everyone here knows that, with GF, we're to expect nothing and shouldn't be surprise if something dumb is done. This is all harmless speculation for fun with what information they decide to give us. That said, we're also in our right to call out these dumb decisions when we do learn what they are and it's not what they told us.

I mean, I am also mostly joking about how speculation can kind of take root based on so little.


That said since you leapt right to the GF are incompetent part of the discussion horseshoe: All they said was it had a buff to attack & defense! I don't think there's any dumb decisions to call out on unless it mysteriously doesn't buff defense beyond like 10 points. And even then at that point my raised eye brow goes towards the people responsible for writing the blurbs.

 

[Pikachu315111]

All they said was it had a buff to attack & defense! I don't think there's any dumb decisions to call out on unless it mysteriously doesn't buff defense beyond like 10 points.

... AND made an animated video where in its base form it went from getting crippled by a karate chop to the neck to the Mega no-selling it.

Had they ONLY released that in-game trailer and the blurb on the site saying an increase to Attack and Defense, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Many would honestly speculate a moderate increase to Attack as you suggested. "Oh, they'll probably increase it to get it over 100, but most will probably go into Attack; boy I hope they don't decrease Speed".

BUT NO! Not only did they go the additional mile to give it a fancy animated trailer, a point of it was to show its Defense didn't just go up, it went REALLY up; infact they make it look like the mask/chest guard absorbed the blow. This isn't just "hype" from what a blurb said, they advertised that it can shrug off attacks, which for a Pokemon with base HP & Defense in the 70s is a pretty bold claim.

 

[CynicalGiant]

I mean, I am also mostly joking about how speculation can kind of take root based on so little.

speculation is fun

 

[R_N]

... AND made an animated video where in its base form it went from getting crippled by a karate chop to the neck to the Mega no-selling it.

Had they ONLY released that in-game trailer and the blurb on the site saying an increase to Attack and Defense, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Many would honestly speculate a moderate increase to Attack as you suggested. "Oh, they'll probably increase it to get it over 100, but most will probably go into Attack; boy I hope they don't decrease Speed".

BUT NO! Not only did they go the additional mile to give it a fancy animated trailer, a point of it was to show its Defense didn't just go up, it went REALLY up; infact they make it look like the mask/chest guard absorbed the blow. This isn't just "hype" from what a blurb said, they advertised that it can shrug off attacks, which for a Pokemon with base HP & Defense in the 70s is a pretty bold claim.

The same trailer had Machamp shrug off several of Mega Hawlucha's blows followed by still managing to send Machamp sky high

I think, perhaps, there might be some exaggeration of actions in this wrestling performance

 

[CynicalGiant]

AND made an animated video where in its base form it went from getting crippled by a karate chop to the neck to the Mega no-selling it.

the whole point of wrestling is that it is a performance, I wouldn't read much into it especially if the short was using pokemon anime logic

boy I hope they don't decrease Speed".

obviously there's no real way to know until it happens but it wasn't very common at all for a stat to be lowered amongst the existing megas (9 out of the 48-50 that exist) so I'm not really expecting that to be likely unless their vision of mega hawlucha is minmaxed out to hell. also think it's unlikely for special attack to be increased because hawlucha itself has like 6 special moves, lol.

 

[Pikachu315111]

The same trailer had Machamp shrug off several of Mega Hawlucha's blows followed by still managing to send Machamp sky high

I just rewatched the trailer, it looks like Machamp used a Detect to block the Mega Hawlucha attack you're thinking of.

EDIT: Actually Machop family haven't had access to Detect since Gen II. Looking though it's moveset, my second guess is a Bulk Up. It did some Move just before the hit (which was some kind of energy attack?) which was the reason it was able to take it.

EDIT 2: Looking through the moveset a bit more, as odd as it sounds I think for that segment Hawlucha charged up a Sky Attack, Machamp used Endure, and thus it took the Sky Attack without flinching. Which, if that is the event that took place, would be hilarious as that means Machamp was probably down to 1 HP when M-Hawlucha did its super Flying Press.

obviously there's no real way to know until it happens but it wasn't very common at all for a stat to be lowered amongst the existing megas (9 out of the 48-50 that exist) so I'm not really expecting that to be likely unless their vision of mega hawlucha is minmaxed out to hell. also think it's unlikely for special attack to be increased because hawlucha itself has like 6 special moves, lol.

I was partly thinking about M-Garchomp when I said that, I remember it being disliked because they lowered its Speed (even the Smogon set suggestions push for a normal Garchomp set before suggesting a Mega).

As I said, if I would decrease any stat to additional points to distribute, it would be Special Attack. However GF may either not want to touch Special Attack or even add some points into it for a few reasons. One is, as you said, the general idea of Mega is the Pokemon becomes usually stronger all around, a decrease only happens seemingly for aesthetic, balance, or needed. The min-maxing they did for Beedrill was needed because of its low BST; Hawlucha's BST is 500, it doesn't need to min-max. If it was to decrease in a stat it would be from aesthetic, and this is where the worry of the Speed decrease comes from. They're trying to tell Mega Hawlucha as a tank, the trailer having it slowly strut up to Machamp cause it knows it can't do anything to it. That I can take as an argument for showmanship, though it does get more bulky (and the mask/chest guard brings to mind the concept of weighted clothing trope).

 

[Krockodile]

Just a question, is there any significiant difference in fps or graphics between the switch and switch version 2 of pokemon legends za?

Or do we have to wait till the game is released for a better comparison?

Edit: The price difference between the two is $20, so i'm not sure whether the switch 2 version will be worth it.

 

[CynicalGiant]

Just a question, is there any significiant difference in fps or graphics between the switch and switch version 2 of pokemon legends za?

from the nintendo website https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/pokemon-legends-z-a-nintendo-switch-2-edition-switch-2/
"Pokémon™ Legends: Z-A – Nintendo Switch™ 2 Edition features improved performance, enhanced resolution, and smoother frame rates—meaning Lumiose City is now more vibrant than ever!"

They are also charging 10 dollars for the upgrade pack, rather than it be a free performance upgrade, so it might run really poorly on the Switch 1. The performance difference between Tears of the Kingdom on Switch 1 vs Switch 2, a game that also has a paid upgrade, is pretty large and notable for comparison. Might also be so they can justify charging 70 dollars for it on Switch 2? Who knows, not like we could get an official answer that isn't PR deflection if we asked TPCi about it.

Also, most of the footage of it has been running on the Switch 2 and all the demos for it are on the Switch 2 as far as I've seen people speculate. The performance of the game in trailers also got a lot better once the Switch 2 was officially announced which doesn't help with the cynicism.

Edit: The price difference between the two is $20, so i'm not sure whether the switch 2 version will be worth it.

In the US its 59.99 vs 69.99, only a 10 dollar difference, but maybe the diff is larger in other territories.