Pokémon Movepool Oddities & Explanations

Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
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Shedinja'd by TerrickTerran but still posting some images:

I have some good ones.

Doduo, a flightless bird, can use fly.


Litten, an innocent cute looking cat, can learn scary face.
Litten innocent, lol! Cute, yes, but it is a cat. While Ash's Litten stays pretty calm face most of the time it did once or twice look like it's ready to brawl:

Not to mention what its evolutions are.
 
So TM/TR data recently leaked for every Pokemon (yes, ALL OF THEM) via Home, and uhhh...

Scald Raikou. Wha..?
Protect Regigigas. Oh god.

Edit: Apparently the Budew line gets Life Dew via breeding, but NOTHING about them mentions healing properties. Not their Pokédex entries, not their movepools, not their design, NOTHING. Life dew is learned mostly by Water types, Psychic types, or Fairy types. The only exceptions are Lucario (probably Aura-related), Goomy (pretty much a water type in every way except typing) and...the Budew line.

Why?
 
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Protect Regigigas. Oh god.

Edit: Apparently the Budew line gets Life Dew via breeding, but NOTHING about them mentions healing properties. Not their Pokédex entries, not their movepools, not their design, NOTHING. Life dew is learned mostly by Water types, Psychic types, or Fairy types. The only exceptions are Lucario (probably Aura-related), Goomy (pretty much a water type in every way except typing) and...the Budew line.

Why?
clearly is because it has dew in the name, ya fool /s

egg moves always felt less like making sense with the pokemon itself and rather how it could inherit something from another pokemon imo
 
Protect Regigigas. Oh god.

Edit: Apparently the Budew line gets Life Dew via breeding, but NOTHING about them mentions healing properties. Not their Pokédex entries, not their movepools, not their design, NOTHING. Life dew is learned mostly by Water types, Psychic types, or Fairy types. The only exceptions are Lucario (probably Aura-related), Goomy (pretty much a water type in every way except typing) and...the Budew line.

Why?
Maybe something to do with the fact they're roses?
What's JP name for Life Dew, maybe it's another case of name not quite representing what it means in english
 
Here are the Pokedex entries of Appletun and Flapple:

Eating a sweet apple caused its evolution. A nectarous scent wafts from its body, luring in the bug Pokémon it preys on.
Its body is covered in sweet nectar, and the skin on its back is especially yummy. Children used to have it as a snack.


It ate a sour apple, and that induced its evolution. In its cheeks, it stores an acid capable of causing chemical burns.
It flies on wings of apple skin and spits a powerful acid. It can also change its shape into that of an apple.

Guess which one learns Apple Acid, a move in which "the user attacks the target with an acidic liquid created from tart apples."
 
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Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
is a Community Contributoris a Top Smogon Media Contributor
Hi everyone. How do you like my new horses? They have very High Horsepower.

:Nidoking::Nidoqueen::Poliwrath::Golem::Pinsir::Azumarill::Heracross::Donphan::Swampert::Slaking::Aggron::Groudon::Regigigas::Krookodile::Tyrantrum::Zygarde::Guzzlord::Stakataka:

I get horsepower is strength and all, but why does the move animation have a giant horseshoe smashing against the other pokemon
To be fair, Snorlax and Golurk also was able to learn High Horsepower in Gen VII (and Phanpy got it as an Egg Move in USUM). While the name directly references horses thus the horseshoe animation, the context behind the move is where the term "horsepower" came from. When the steam engine was made draft horses were the main source of hauling labor so it was a natural comparison to make: "this steam engine has 100 times the power of an average draft horse". So while the move was certainly made for Mudsdale in mind, GF did realize that any Pokemon which packed huge physical power should be able to do High Horsepower with no problem. Thus the above Pokemon (a nice batch whom are Ground-types).

Here are the Pokedex entries of Appletun:
Eating a sweet apple caused its evolution. A nectarous scent wafts from its body, luring in the bug Pokémon it preys on.
Its body is covered in sweet nectar, and the skin on its back is especially yummy. Children used to have it as a snack.

... and Flapple:
It ate a sour apple, and that induced its evolution. In its cheeks, it stores an acid capable of causing chemical burns.
It flies on wings of apple skin and spits a powerful acid. It can also change its shape into that of an apple.

Guess which one learns Apple Acid, a move in which "the user attacks the target with an acidic liquid created from tart apples."
If you want to look at it in a certain way, maybe the reason Appltun is so sweet is because it gathers any of the malic acid in its body (and from the fruits it eats) so that it can use it as an attack. Meanwhile Flapple doesn't do such a thing, infact it may need all that malic acid so that it can essentially dissolve most of the apple's inside so it can use it as a protective covering.
 

Jerry the great

Banned deucer.
Well I hope you don't mind if I mention one more move on a Pokemon that makes no sense. Don't worry though, as this time I did far more thinking and research.

Galarian Darukuma gets to learn fire moves like fire blast. I mean, I checked both it's sword and shield pokedex entries, and one version mentioned how the organ it once had that allowed it to use fire... Is gone and is now completely replaced by one that produces fire's rival: Ice and cold. And the other ONLY mentions stuff about the cold! Nothing about fire! Nothing about it's design or typing says it can learn fire moves either. Now I won't question why Machop or Tauros can learn such a move as at least they don't have stuff explicitly saying they are incapable of using fire and mentions it can only use other types of elements, but with this one it's certainly worth wondering. And don't just say it's because it's a galarian variant, as that doesn't stop galarian Ponyta from not learning Flare blitz or any other fire move besides mystical fire!
 
Galarian Darukuma gets to learn fire moves like fire blast. I mean, I checked both it's sword and shield pokedex entries, and one version mentioned how the organ it once had that allowed it to use fire... Is gone and is now completely replaced by one that produces fire's rival: Ice and cold. And the other ONLY mentions stuff about the cold! Nothing about fire! Nothing about it's design or typing says it can learn fire moves either.
Well, Darmanitan's Zen Mode is a burning snowman, so it might be related to that.
 

Jerry the great

Banned deucer.
Well, Darmanitan's Zen Mode is a burning snowman, so it might be related to that.
Then why not just make it to where it cannot learn fire moves until it evolves? Game Freak has done moves pokemon cannot get until evolving so it's not like they could use "Oh because that'd be too hard for us" as an excuse
 
Then why not just make it to where it cannot learn fire moves until it evolves? Game Freak has done moves pokemon cannot get until evolving so it's not like they could use "Oh because that'd be too hard for us" as an excuse
Sometimes they just don't care and let pre-evolutions learn evolution moves. arm-less pokemon learning punches has been a longstanding tradition for people to point out as "haha weird" and that's never really gone away. The TM/TRs even point to Fennekin getting Fire Punch and things like that.
Maybe it's convenience. Maybe they just didn't think about it. They never really talk abotu move balancing, I'm pretty curious if it might be Person A just makes sure the movesets match while Person B goes "oh this would be good to only have on the evolution"
 

Pikachu315111

Ranting & Raving!
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Then why not just make it to where it cannot learn fire moves until it evolves? Game Freak has done moves pokemon cannot get until evolving so it's not like they could use "Oh because that'd be too hard for us" as an excuse
Could also have to do with Breeding. Passing down TMs (and I'm assuming TRs now) are programmed to take priority over level-up moves, so if Galarian Darumaka was going to be able to get the move via breeding anyway might as well make it simple let it learn via the TMs & TRs as well.

Also, TMs and TRs are supposed to be artificial ways to teach a Pokemon a move they wouldn't normally be able to learn. If Galarian Darumaka learned a Fire-type move naturally then, yeah, that doesn't make sense. However using a device to artificially reactivate the way Darumaka used Fire-type moves doesn't feel too far-fetched considering all the other wacky things TMs & TRs have let other Pokemon do. "When you say it that way kind of makes it seems TMs and TRs are kind of unethical". Honestly I think a lot of things which we do to our Pokemon would be considered unethical if they were living creatures but they're magical so don't think about it.
 

Jerry the great

Banned deucer.
Could also have to do with Breeding. Passing down TMs (and I'm assuming TRs now) are programmed to take priority over level-up moves, so if Galarian Darumaka was going to be able to get the move via breeding anyway might as well make it simple let it learn via the TMs & TRs as well.

Also, TMs and TRs are supposed to be artificial ways to teach a Pokemon a move they wouldn't normally be able to learn. If Galarian Darumaka learned a Fire-type move naturally then, yeah, that doesn't make sense. However using a device to artificially reactivate the way Darumaka used Fire-type moves doesn't feel too far-fetched considering all the other wacky things TMs & TRs have let other Pokemon do. "When you say it that way kind of makes it seems TMs and TRs are kind of unethical". Honestly I think a lot of things which we do to our Pokemon would be considered unethical if they were living creatures but they're magical so don't think about it.
Then I suppose it actually makes sense now if TMs and TRs truly supposedly work that way... That last sentence you said though does prove my point on " I won't question why Machop or Tauros can learn fire blast though as at least they don't have information directly saying it cannot use fire" as pokemon are creatures of their own league.
 
Oh boy there's a lot to unpack.
IT DOES NOT KNOW ICE PUNCH.
What's wrong with that? The only other electric types to learn it are Electivire and Arctozolt.
For being a James Bond and snipping Pokemon, it lacks Mud Shot, Parting Shot (come on, really?!?), Gunk Shot, Anchor Shot, or String Shot.
It has Mud Shot
Anchor Shot is Dhelmise's sig move and doesn't fit Inteleon
Parting Shot isn't shooting anything
Inteleon doesn't have Gunk or String to shoot.
I see missed opportunities for Knock Off, Trick, Smokescreen, Role Play, etc.
Inteleon doesn't have an appendage to use Knock Off with.
Ability-wise, Torrent again?!?
Every water starter has Torrent. If you meant the HA, I agree it could have been something better.
Unfortunately, Toxtricity is going to have fun harassing Hatterene, as the witch herself lacks Curse, Grudge, Hex, Spite, Torment, Beat Up, or Smog.
Hatterene could only use Curse to boost and not to actually inflict a curse.
Hatterene can't make Smog. Beat up and Torment also go against flavor.
yet it lacks moves like Trick, Switcheroo, Charm, Trick Room, Astonish, Smokescreen, Mimic, Power Trick, Power Swap, and Role Play.
Thievul isn't charming enough to use Charm, and doesn't have the powers to summon Trick Room.
It can't make smoke for Smokescreen and Power Trick isn't a trick with the opponent.
King's Shield
Aegislash's sig move, and it doesn't seem fitting for Zamazenta.
It has no coverage moves
Crunch, Play Rough, and Wild Charge don't fit coverage? Like yeah Earthquake would be great, but it has existing coverage.
No Body Press, no Brick Break, no Counter, no Superpower, no Bulk Up, no Quick Guard, or no Detect (and the first and last two moves listed should already be there!).
Zamazenta should have been able to learn Body Press.
It lacks something to chop with to use Brick Break.
Have you ever seen a shield counter? Have you ever seen a shield up its bulk?
Zamazenta isn't big and burly enough for Superpower.
It doesn't need Quick Guard because it has Wide Guard.
It has Protect so Detect isn't necessary.
 

Pikachu315111

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HanSoloIndie:
Zeraora:
  • Since Hidden Power Ice is gone, this guy is dead meat against Ground-types. IT DOES NOT KNOW ICE PUNCH. Grass knot sure, but other that, it's dead weight
While I do agree it should have no problem getting Ice Punch, how is it being dead meat against its only weakness any different then all the other mono Electric-types? Infact, even with an Ice coverage its "dead meat" against Ground-types. That's a point of a weakness and why it's on a party of Pokemon which can help cover its weaknesses and it covers there.

Inteleon:
  • The first thing I see immediately wrong with this guy is its typing. Could have been Water/Ghost, but plain Water? It already isn't looking good against the slew of Water-type Pokemon.
  • It's movepool is mediocre. For being a James Bond and snipping Pokemon, it lacks Mud Shot, Parting Shot (come on, really?!?), Gunk Shot, Anchor Shot, or String Shot. For "stealth" or "sneaky" moves, it knows barely: I see missed opportunities for Knock Off, Trick, Smokescreen, Role Play, etc.
  • Ability-wise, Torrent again?!? Geez, I see Infiltrator or Protean working with Inteleon's theme.
  • Personally I found it a bit refreshing the Starters were mono-type. Also the "ghost sniper" theme was kind of done by Decidueye. And the "dark spy" theme was also kind of done by Greninja. I think GF was probably comparing Intelleon to other Water Starters rather then all Water-types. Besides I don't really see Ghost-type giving it anything more then more weaknesses and STAB Shadow Ball.
  • Don't see why it would learn Anchor Shot. If you want to give it a trapping move I think Mean Look is the only option. Though Intelleon isn't a trapper, it's an assassin (hence why it gets Sniper as a Hidden Ability, the ideal scenario for it is to score as big a hit as possible which would be a Critical).
  • Water Starters get Torrent, annoying I know and sadly Sniper isn't much better. To go with its theme I could see Infiltrator, Mold Breaker, or Super Luck. Cinderace got the Protean copy this gen and they don't want to copy Greninja.
Hatterene:
  • According to its lore, Hatterene can teleport and levitate (short distances at least). Well, guess what's missing in its movepool? It doesn't know Magnet Rise or Teleport. It doesn't even have Levitate as an Ability!
  • Hatterene is said to be based off a witch, and retaliates against people who disturb it with loud noise. Unfortunately, Toxtricity is going to have fun harassing Hatterene, as the witch herself lacks Curse, Grudge, Hex, Spite, Torment, Beat Up, or Smog.
  • They really need to make a Magnet Rise clone simply called "Hover" for all the other Pokemon which have the ability to hover though hard to justify them having Magnet Rise. Though even then, you can justify if still getting hit by Ground-types by saying it doesn't hover enough off the ground to ignore it bursting up on it (not to mention all the projectile Ground-type moves that for some reason are also nullifed by Flying-types/Levitate/Magnet Rise).
  • While I agree it should have been given some if not all of those moves, that wouldn't really deter Toxtricity. Not that it needs to, its part Psychic-type, that's more then enough to send a Toxtricity packing. The Types that Hatterene needs to worry about is Steel and Ghost.
==========

CoolMan6001:
What's wrong with that? The only other electric types to learn it are Electivire and Arctozolt.
It would fit with Zeraora's battling style. It's a punching Pokemon and there's really not Type conflict that would prevent it from learning Ice-type moves.

Parting Shot isn't shooting anything
Inteleon doesn't have Gunk or String to shoot.
Parting Shot still makes sense even if its not a technical projectile, it's a threat the user gives to intimate the opponent being switching out to a partner.

Gunk Shot you need to take liberties with, I think Intelleon having its membrane gadgets is more then enough to qualify it getting it.

String Shot you could also stretch by saying it has a membrane that creates sticky fluid it can shoot in a string. Fun Fact: Swirlix learns String Shot from level-up and in HGSS it was a tutor for Bulbasaur, Mew, Remoraid, Mantine, Lileep, & Shellos.

Inteleon doesn't have an appendage to use Knock Off with.
It's arms, legs, and tail? Knock Off is just the user slapping away the targets held item, doesn't require the Pokemon needing a special appendage like Power Whip does.

Beat up and Torment also go against flavor.
Why? Beat Up and Torment actually does seem in flavor as that what it does if it senses your strong emotions.

Thievul isn't charming enough to use Charm.
It can't make smoke for Smokescreen.
WHA? You look at this suave mofo and say it's not charming:

As for Smokescreen I think if the Froakie family can muster if smoke then Thievul can have a few trips up its sleeve, or rather tail.

Aegislash's sig move, and it doesn't seem fitting for Zamazenta.
They've been going out of there way this gen to disassociate a lot of former Signature Moves so other Pokemon can learn them. Also, while Aegislash needs King's Shield to trigger a form change, it's not the actual trait that's making it change form, that's it Ability "Stance Change". Thus there's nothing mechanically keeping for King's Shield from being spread.

And how does it not fit Zamazenta? It's a royal wolf that's mane is a shield.

  • Have you ever seen a shield counter? Have you ever seen a shield up its bulk?
  • Zamazenta isn't big and burly enough for Superpower.
  • It doesn't need Quick Guard because it has Wide Guard.

  • And any other character that fights with a shield.
  • Marill, Trapinch, Bidoof, Inkay, Basculin, Cramorant, and Falinks can learn Superpower so I think Zamazenta will be fine.
  • Two completely different moves: Quick Guard defends against priority and Wide Guard defends against moves that target multiple opponents.
[/quote][/QUOTE]
 
HanSoloIndie:


While I do agree it should have no problem getting Ice Punch, how is it being dead meat against its only weakness any different then all the other mono Electric-types? Infact, even with an Ice coverage its "dead meat" against Ground-types. That's a point of a weakness and why it's on a party of Pokemon which can help cover its weaknesses and it covers there.


  • Personally I found it a bit refreshing the Starters were mono-type. Also the "ghost sniper" theme was kind of done by Decidueye. And the "dark spy" theme was also kind of done by Greninja. I think GF was probably comparing Intelleon to other Water Starters rather then all Water-types. Besides I don't really see Ghost-type giving it anything more then more weaknesses and STAB Shadow Ball.
  • Don't see why it would learn Anchor Shot. If you want to give it a trapping move I think Mean Look is the only option. Though Intelleon isn't a trapper, it's an assassin (hence why it gets Sniper as a Hidden Ability, the ideal scenario for it is to score as big a hit as possible which would be a Critical).
  • Water Starters get Torrent, annoying I know and sadly Sniper isn't much better. To go with its theme I could see Infiltrator, Mold Breaker, or Super Luck. Cinderace got the Protean copy this gen and they don't want to copy Greninja.

  • They really need to make a Magnet Rise clone simply called "Hover" for all the other Pokemon which have the ability to hover though hard to justify them having Magnet Rise. Though even then, you can justify if still getting hit by Ground-types by saying it doesn't hover enough off the ground to ignore it bursting up on it (not to mention all the projectile Ground-type moves that for some reason are also nullifed by Flying-types/Levitate/Magnet Rise).
  • While I agree it should have been given some if not all of those moves, that wouldn't really deter Toxtricity. Not that it needs to, its part Psychic-type, that's more then enough to send a Toxtricity packing. The Types that Hatterene needs to worry about is Steel and Ghost.
==========

CoolMan6001:


It would fit with Zeraora's battling style. It's a punching Pokemon and there's really not Type conflict that would prevent it from learning Ice-type moves.



Parting Shot still makes sense even if its not a technical projectile, it's a threat the user gives to intimate the opponent being switching out to a partner.

Gunk Shot you need to take liberties with, I think Intelleon having its membrane gadgets is more then enough to qualify it getting it.

String Shot you could also stretch by saying it has a membrane that creates sticky fluid it can shoot in a string. Fun Fact: Swirlix learns String Shot from level-up and in HGSS it was a tutor for Bulbasaur, Mew, Remoraid, Mantine, Lileep, & Shellos.



It's arms, legs, and tail? Knock Off is just the user slapping away the targets held item, doesn't require the Pokemon needing a special appendage like Power Whip does.



Why? Beat Up and Torment actually does seem in flavor as that what it does if it senses your strong emotions.



WHA? You look at this suave mofo and say it's not charming:

As for Smokescreen I think if the Froakie family can muster if smoke then Thievul can have a few trips up its sleeve, or rather tail.



They've been going out of there way this gen to disassociate a lot of former Signature Moves so other Pokemon can learn them. Also, while Aegislash needs King's Shield to trigger a form change, it's not the actual trait that's making it change form, that's it Ability "Stance Change". Thus there's nothing mechanically keeping for King's Shield from being spread.

And how does it not fit Zamazenta? It's a royal wolf that's mane is a shield.




  • And any other character that fights with a shield.
  • Marill, Trapinch, Bidoof, Inkay, Basculin, Cramorant, and Falinks can learn Superpower so I think Zamazenta will be fine.
  • Two completely different moves: Quick Guard defends against priority and Wide Guard defends against moves that target multiple opponents.
I edited my post for some thoughts for clarity. I just found it wonderfully ironic that Hatterene wouldn't "curse" or "get mad" at a Toxicity for making loud sounds, it was a joke but I decidedto cut it out so people don't assume I don't know typing effectiveness. I should have edited that earlier. Thank you guys!
 

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