Pokémon Movepool Oddities & Explanations

[Pikachu315111]

I think it's probably cause there's no real fitting electric move for them... can't learn Thunder Punch cause no arms

Eh, it's trunk is sort of like an arm, especially on the Cufant family.

Also, though its a better Physical Attacker, it's Special Attack isn't bad (not great, not good, maybe borderline decent/usable as a surprise). Thunderbolt, Discharge, Zap Cannon, and Thunder Wave wouldn't be out-of-place.

 

[DrPumpkinz]

Zekrom and Reshiram have two pairs of signature moves: Fusion Bolt / Fusion Flare, and Bolt Strike / Blue Flare. They also have exactly one blue signature move each, but while Reshiram's is obviously Blue Flare, for Zekrom it's Fusion Bolt and not Bolt Strike.

 

[Imperial Magala]

Zekrom and Reshiram have two pairs of signature moves: Fusion Bolt / Fusion Flare, and Bolt Strike / Blue Flare. They also have exactly one blue signature move each, but while Reshiram's is obviously Blue Flare, for Zekrom it's Fusion Bolt and not Bolt Strike.

Zekrom and Reshiram have blue and red as their secondary colors to black and white respectively. We can see this with their Fusion moves.

For Bolt Strike and Blue Flare, the colors change to signify how powerful they are, with Bolt Strike turning yellow while Blue Flare is blue.

However, Bolt Strike was only yellow in Gen 5, turning back into blue starting in Gen 6. My guess is that since Reshiram's fire being blue is an integral aspect of the move's name, and fire turning blue when extremely hot is relatively well-known, they decided to change Bolt Strike to better match Zekrom's blue electricity and kept Reshiram's Blue Flare.

 

[CPU]

This isn't a movepool oddity, but related to Reshiram and Zekrom's signature moves, I will forever hold a chip on my shoulder for the poor localization of fused Kyurem's moves.

Reshiram's signature attacks are Fusion Flare and Blue Flare.

Zekrom's signature attacks are Fusion Bolt and Bolt Strike.

The Japanese names of fused Kyurem's signature attacks are Cold Flare and Freeze Bolt, respectively. The recurring usage of Flare and Bolt in the attack names is clearly deliberate.

So what are the official English translations of these attacks?

Ice Burn and Freeze Shock.

Weak-sounding attacks and an inexcusable oversight.

(I also think the translations of Flame Charge, Razor Shell, and Drill Run are a little suspect, but at least for those they didn't miss a pattern present in the Japanese names.)

 

[ScraftyIsTheBest]

The Japanese names of fused Kyurem's signature attacks are Cold Flare and Freeze Bolt, respectively. The recurring usage of Flare and Bolt in the attack names is clearly deliberate.

So what are the official English translations of these attacks?

Ice Burn and Freeze Shock.

Weak-sounding attacks and an inexcusable oversight.

The only possible explanation I can come up with here is that the localization team failed to realize that those moves were supposed to be associated with Kyurem since at first in BW1 no one could actually learn them initially. I know it sounds dumb but I really wouldn't put it past them to fail to realize that when the moves had no direct attachment to Kyurem at first (even though it was blatantly obvious to most of us that they were supposed to be associated with Kyurem and tie it to Reshiram and Zekrom).

 

[Hugin]

The only possible explanation I can come up with here is that the localization team failed to realize that those moves were supposed to be associated with Kyurem since at first in BW1 no one could actually learn them initially. I know it sounds dumb but I really wouldn't put it past them to fail to realize that when the moves had no direct attachment to Kyurem at first (even though it was blatantly obvious to most of us that they were supposed to be associated with Kyurem and tie it to Reshiram and Zekrom).

Okay, there's a rule when writing comics that you're supposed to surprise your readers, not your artist. So if you write "Secret Bad Guy is seen in silhouette, it's not clear who it is" into a script, then you need to tell your artist who it is. The readers aren't supposed to know, but that way the artist won't give the silhouette wide shoulders when it's going to be revealed in 6 months as the Damsel.

So WHY do they not have notes for the translation team about any puns, references, or similar information that the translation should convey? These are international releases, making sure the correct information is conveyed shouldn't be hard.

 

[R_N]

I am assuming they probably did, in fact, know the context of the moves, but decided on more punny names for one reason or another. Maybe they thought burn & shock demphasized them being fire/electric moves while emphasizing they burn/paralyze, maybe they just wanted a different flavor, maybe the guy doing it just was asleep at the wheel, who knows.

but they probably knew they were meant ot be kyurem moves

 

[ZettaiRyouiki]

.
(I also think the translations of Flame Charge, Razor Shell, and Drill Run are a little suspect, but at least for those they didn't miss a pattern present in the Japanese names.)

Is it they're already in English in the Japanese version, but got changed in the localization process? That happens a lot since Gen 5 or so (Crafty Shield is another example). I don't get it either, if the name is already English and it sounds good, they should leave it alone. But that's not good enough for English teams it seems.

Meanwhile the non-English European translations just leave the original name alone (or translate it into their language) instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

 

[CPU]

Is it they're already in English in the Japanese version, but got changed in the localization process? That happens a lot since Gen 5 or so (Crafty Shield is another example). I don't get it either, if the name is already English and it sounds good, they should leave it alone. But that's not good enough for English teams it seems.

Meanwhile the non-English European translations just leave the original name alone (or translate it into their language) instead of trying to reinvent the wheel.

Yeah that's part of it! Flame Charge is the biggest one; its Japanese name is Nitro Charge, which I think sounds cooler, plays up the Speed boosting aspect of the move, and would add more variety to Fire-type move names. Razor Shell (Shell Blade) is a fine translation but I'm not sure why it got changed in the first place.

Drill Run is "Drill Liner," and I'll admit that I was remembering it slightly wrong (I thought it was a more direct reference to Drill Dozer), and Drill Run definitely sounds better than Drill Liner in English.

 

[TailGlowVM]

I've been researching movepool oddities for the relaunch of LogicMons (you can join the Discord if you DM me), and I have used a lot of stuff from this thread but also found a few more:


Pincurchin joins Stunfisk as the only other Electric-type that can't learn Volt Switch.


"Aggron has a horn sharp enough to perforate thick iron sheets. It brings down its opponents by ramming into them horn first."
Doesn't learn Megahorn, the move where "Using its tough and impressive horn, the user rams into the target with no letup."


It's clear the logic with the distribution of Coaching was "if you're a Fighting-type (or you were supposed to be one in the case of Cinderace and Zeraora) you get this". Therefore why doesn't Incineroar get it? It's clearly a would-be Fighting-type, and it does a sport it could coach people in.


"If this Pokémon's body is damaged in battle, it is said to seek out suitable rocks on its own to repair itself."
"If any part chips off in battle, it attaches rocks to repair itself."
Yet it doesn't get Recover or any sort of recovery outside Rest.


Why don't they get Tri Attack? Other Pokemon with a theme of three do so (like Hydreigon, Dodrio and Dugtrio's three heads, and Magneton and Probopass's three magnets).


"Torkoal digs through mountains in search of coal."
"They dig tirelessly in search of coal."
Doesn't learn Dig.

 

[Siggu]

It's clear the logic with the distribution of Coaching was "if you're a Fighting-type (or you were supposed to be one in the case of Cinderace and Zeraora) you get this". Therefore why doesn't Incineroar get it? It's clearly a would-be Fighting-type, and it does a sport it could coach people in.

Because it's Dark AKA Evil-type.

 

[R_N]

more relevantly he's a heel wrestler

he would NEVER coach, he instead gives a Parting Shot

 

[spookysocialist]

Incineroar is like, tho opposite of a fighting type. Fighting types are based on martial arts and often feature themes found in east Asian culture. Incineroar is based on American wrestling, aka fake fighting as a performance. He's specifically based on a heel fighter, who are known for using cheating and other underhanded tactics, and never fighting on an even footing. And as a villain, it's unlikely he would coach others.

Also coaching being on Zeraora and Cinderace is probably less because they're "supposed to be fighting type" (what martial art does Cinderace use?) but probably more because, Cinderace is literally based on a team sport, and Zeraora had a prominent anime appearance helping train Ash and pikachu

 

[Worldie]

"If this Pokémon's body is damaged in battle, it is said to seek out suitable rocks on its own to repair itself."
"If any part chips off in battle, it attaches rocks to repair itself."
Yet it doesn't get Recover or any sort of recovery outside Rest.

This one is likely due to this not seeming a "quick" process. It probably involves slowly regenerating or "fusing" with the newly founded rocky parts over time, and not something it'd be able to do just by concentrating energyes like Recover implies.

Pincurchin joins Stunfisk as the only other Electric-type that can't learn Volt Switch.

I assume that's because Volt Switch implies a very fast movement, usually either due to the pokemon itself being fast, or being able to execute a rolling movement that lets it accumulate velocity.
And if you look at the list of learners, it's all either relatively fast pokemon (which, incidentally, is most electric types), or ball shaped ones. Also, most of the non-electric learners are steel type or evolve in a steel or electric type (most likely, just for compatibility sake, see ice punch ghastly and wooper), likely because they would be able to generate electricity by performing the fast movement/rolling.

Neither Stunfisk nor Pincurchin look like able to execute either of those motions, in fact Pincurchin doesn't learn Gyro Ball either, further supporting its inability to execute volt switch by rolling into the enemy like Alolan Golem for example would.

"Aggron has a horn sharp enough to perforate thick iron sheets. It brings down its opponents by ramming into them horn first."
Doesn't learn Megahorn, the move where "Using its tough and impressive horn, the user rams into the target with no letup."

I was going to say that probably Megahorn assumes an actual horn capable of perforating, and not the small horns that Aggron has, but Tauros also learns it... Might just be a oversight.

 

[Ironmage]

Aggron can at least learn Smart Strike, which is often a horn-associated move.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

Why don't they get Tri Attack? Other Pokemon with a theme of three do so

Exeggutor has more than three heads.

 

[CPU]

Aggron can at least learn Smart Strike, which is often a horn-associated move.

There are a handful of exceptions (Kartana probably gets it to give it Steel STAB, though it kinda has the samurai-helmet horns thing going on), but the Japanese name is explicitly "Smart Horn." It's objectively a horn move.

 

[Worldie]

There are a handful of exceptions (Kartana probably gets it to give it Steel STAB, though it kinda has the samurai-helmet horns thing going on), but the Japanese name is explicitly "Smart Horn." It's objectively a horn move.

Afaik Smart Strike is not strictly linked to "horns" but rather to perforating ability (which well... you'd perform with a horn). It's why certain Pokemon that can't learn megahorn can learn it, like Cloyster, Togetic or Tapu Fini.
Kartana being based on sharp paper definitely has the pointy appendages to perforate something.
The localization for the move's name also reference sharpness, and "Smart Strike" despite being a weird name could also be implying the idea of a precise stab.

Basically Megahorn would assume the user rams itself with all its force using the horn as focal point for the attack, while Smart Strike is rather a precise stab with a pointy edge (generally but not necessarly a horn).

As stated above, feels like Aggron lacking Megahorn may just be a oversight, as other pokemon with relatively small horns like Seaking are able to learn the move.

 

[TailGlowVM]

Exeggutor has more than three heads.

No, it definitely has three:
"Its three heads think independently."
"When the time comes, one of its three heads falls off."
"Each of Exeggutor's three heads is thinking different thoughts."
Pictures of it in the Pokedex verify this too. This leads to another question though - what happens to the other eggs when Exeggcute evolves?

 

[Bug Maniac Aydon]

No, it definitely has three:
"Its three heads think independently."
"When the time comes, one of its three heads falls off."
"Each of Exeggutor's three heads is thinking different thoughts."
Pictures of it in the Pokedex verify this too. This leads to another question though - what happens to the other eggs when Exeggcute evolves?

They grow and meld into the body

 

[Bull Of Heaven]

On Regirock: I think an easy way to rationalize it is that the Dex entries are talking about the actual integrity of its body, not its stamina for battle. So it's just not the same thing as regaining HP.

On Cinderace and Zeraora: Maybe I'm more annoyed by this kind of rhetoric than I should be, but if they were "supposed to" be Fighting-types, they would be Fighting-types. No one is stopping Game Freak from assigning the types they intend to assign.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

Maybe I'm more annoyed by this kind of rhetoric than I should be,

Mmmyeah I think you're taking that a little too seriously

 

[Bug Maniac Aydon]

I'm not sure this is on subject, but i've never got the point of "Why does Primeape learn Iorn Tail? Mankey has a tail, but Primeape doesn't!" Yeah, if they didn't want Primeape to have it, they wouldn't give it to Mankey. Pokemon can't just lose moves upon evolving.

 

[CPU]

Afaik Smart Strike is not strictly linked to "horns" but rather to perforating ability (which well... you'd perform with a horn). It's why certain Pokemon that can't learn megahorn can learn it, like Cloyster, Togetic or Tapu Fini.
Kartana being based on sharp paper definitely has the pointy appendages to perforate something.
The localization for the move's name also reference sharpness, and "Smart Strike" despite being a weird name could also be implying the idea of a precise stab.

Basically Megahorn would assume the user rams itself with all its force using the horn as focal point for the attack, while Smart Strike is rather a precise stab with a pointy edge (generally but not necessarly a horn).

As stated above, feels like Aggron lacking Megahorn may just be a oversight, as other pokemon with relatively small horns like Seaking are able to learn the move.

They're pretty clearly taking liberties with what constitutes a horn when assigning the move to Pokémon but the Japanese name really is "Smart Horn" in katakana.

It's a bit of an odd move in general; not sure why piercing attack with a horn that always hits is Steel-type. Maybe it's using the horn as a radar to home in on opponents?

 

[Worldie]

It's a bit of an odd move in general; not sure why piercing attack with a horn that always hits is Steel-type. Maybe it's using the horn as a radar to home in on opponents?

It's likely steel type purely because the only types that would have possibly made sense for it would have been steel, ice or rock.
In order to be able to perforate properly, said extremity has to be pretty smooth, resistant and obviously pointy.
Rocks tend to be rough, ice tends to lack the resistance, steel on other hand can have all the above qualities.

Ice also already had a similar BP widely distributed accurate phisical attack (ice punch) so having another attack that's basically a worse ice punch felt redundant.

Wild assumption is that they went for steel specifically because on top of the above, since they wanted to have a 100% accurate move, it would have been a bit antithetical with rock type which usually sports higher power inaccurate moves with strong secondary effects, while steel type attacks tend to have lower BP but make up for it via utility.

Also, for what matters, the way less complicate approach is that (sawing) needles are made of steel and they are used to perforate with precision, which is exactly what this move does.