Pokémon Movepool Oddities & Explanations

[Castersvarog]

I don't know how you came to that conclusion? My explanation above is just for why Sharpness powers up "slicing" Moves and no "claw" Moves.

As for why Zangoose doesn't get Cut, just another tally mark for GF logic.

That likely has to do with the Japanese name for Cut, where it’s called Iai Cut when the blade is unsheathed, cuts the opponents and is sheathed again. So the idea is that Zangoose is not a Mon that will ‘sheath’ its blade, always ready to strike down its opponent Seviper.

 

[R_N]

That likely has to do with the Japanese name for Cut, where it’s called Iai Cut when the blade is unsheathed, cuts the opponents and is sheathed again. So the idea is that Zangoose is not a Mon that will ‘sheath’ its blade, always ready to strike down its opponent Seviper.

I am glancing at the list of Pokemon that can learn cut and honestly I lean more towards they just overlooked it and never corrected because it's Cut rather than a specific attempt at flavor.

The only time they "updated" the Cut movepool for reasons other than giving it to new Pokemon (or so SOMEONE learned it when it stopped being a HM) was gen 3, where it exclusively updated a variety of Gen 1 pokemon to learn the move I assume more so there was more options for when they did the FRLG remake.

 

[KalosianPorygon]

That likely has to do with the Japanese name for Cut, where it’s called Iai Cut when the blade is unsheathed, cuts the opponents and is sheathed again. So the idea is that Zangoose is not a Mon that will ‘sheath’ its blade, always ready to strike down its opponent Seviper.

If Cut requires the idea of a sheathed blade, then some users make no sense:

(At leasthas the excuse of hiding its claws at all times.)

 

[Low-Key]

If Cut requires the idea of a sheathed blade, then some users make no sense:

(At leasthas the excuse of hiding its claws at all times.)

Beedrill definitely makes some sense to learn Cut. It could technically just slash its drill.

 

[Talpr0ne]

gallade got shadow claw in gen9 despite not being a slash move (why?) And gallade barely having hands. stone edge Also isn't a slicing move, somewhy. Giving slicing category to kowtow cleave, behemotg blade and aura cutter was Also strange, since none of the sharpness users can learn it. And population bomb, Also. Did gamefreak targetted skill swap gallade on friend guard maushold for duels? seems p fait to me. Also, crabhammer being given to gliscor despite not being a crab seems odd to me, scorpions live in deserts lol. At least garchomp liquidation makes sense. Then, why, WHY did gardevoir got vacuum Wave this late? always have been said that gardevoir would go up to create a void to protect its trainer. it's more of a flavor move, and Also, why tf does ursaluna bm have harden? Why doesnt it have dark pulse and shadow ball, shiftry having wind rider makes no sense since shiftry creates.wind, is heavy and slow and has a bad shiny.

What the hell is a "aura cutter"

 

[Kin+ak (✧∇✧)]

What the hell is a "aura cutter"

Air cutter but I got a french autocorrect

 

[KalosianPorygon]

Beedrill definitely makes some sense to learn Cut. It could technically just slash its drill.

The drills look more like stabbing-only weapons to me.

 

[Kin+ak (✧∇✧)]

The drills look more like stabbing-only weapons to me.

Then explain why it has X-scissors

 

[Ironmage]

Speaking of X-scissor:

It was clearly designed to fill the role of "basic attack" like many other gen 4 moves, and you would expect it to show up on every physically-inclined fully-evolved Bug as a result. But for whatever reason, it took until b2w2 for Ariados to learn it.

 

[Axiemeister]

the problem with x-scissor is that, much like megahorn and most physical flying moves, it implies certain body parts and therefore can't be given to Everyone that actually needs it

... and then they came up with skitter smack, which comes much closer to that goal, and then make it kinda mid?! at least it exists, unlike a physical flying move that doesn't require wings or being a bird. poor gyarados

 

[R_N]

the problem with x-scissor is that, much like megahorn and most physical flying moves, it implies certain body parts and therefore can't be given to Everyone that actually needs it

X-Scissor kind of avoids this mostly

like looking through the list of bug types, the ones that don't get it are ones that don't really mind not getting it. Either they're special attackers, go for a more defensive niche (Shuckle, Forretress, Ledian...), or have a hypothetically-better-move (ie: Heracross)
I guess the most notable ones would be....Mothim, Buzzwole, Pheromosa, Slither Wing?
But by the time the latter 3 showed up they could have buffed Leech Life or Lunge. Mothim could at least pivot to Special Attack (which it probably wants more anyway)
Ariados would also be on this list but only had to wait a gen and a half.

Actually having written al this out, I guess that's partly why Lunge got made (& maybe Leech life got its buff), an even more generic alternative (because let's face it, X-Scissor is pretty generic) solid physical move for future proofing.

 

[Pikachu315111]

Actually having written al this out, I guess that's partly why Lunge got made (& maybe Leech life got its buff), an even more generic alternative (because let's face it, X-Scissor is pretty generic) solid physical move for future proofing.

If only they would do that for Flying-types (a generic move that doesn't have to do with the Pokemon being a bird or having wings).

 

[Axiemeister]

Actually having written al this out, I guess that's partly why Lunge got made (& maybe Leech life got its buff), an even more generic alternative (because let's face it, X-Scissor is pretty generic) solid physical move for future proofing.

i mentioned skitter smack because lunge is SUCH a flavorless move that is bug type just by arbitrariness that i mostly forget it is already there as an accessible physical bug move

also, you know what type lunge could have had with that name? among some others, flying type missed opportunity

 

[Scorpio]

i mentioned skitter smack because lunge is SUCH a flavorless move that is bug type just by arbitrariness that i mostly forget it is already there as an accessible physical bug move

also, you know what type lunge could have had with that name? among some others, flying type missed opportunity

It might be some sort of Japanese thing lost in translation. Or maybe just that lunging (or, for another example, pouncing) are just heavily associated with bugs in Japan.

 

[Kin+ak (✧∇✧)]

Nah I Can only see a pseudo brave bird for a physicak flying move w/o wing/bird as flavor and Well, itd be a brave bird but only useful on gyarados/scyther/landorus-T. And gf won't do it imo. Hopefully dlc2 brings a Good flying type physicall move that I can't think off

 

[woodgoldtwo]

Nah I Can only see a pseudo brave bird for a physicak flying move w/o wing/bird as flavor and Well, itd be a brave bird but only useful on gyarados/scyther/landorus-T. And gf won't do it imo. Hopefully dlc2 brings a Good flying type physicall move that I can't think off

Scyther has Technician boosted Dual Wingbeat

 

[Kin+ak (✧∇✧)]

Scyther has Technician boosted Dual Wingbeat

But the hell is not 100% accurate

 

[Pikachu315111]

It might be some sort of Japanese thing lost in translation. Or maybe just that lunging (or, for another example, pouncing) are just heavily associated with bugs in Japan.

I tried looking up both Lunge's and Pounce's Japanese name but no matter what angle I approached it nothing. It MAY have to do with the first two Japanese characters that appear in both Japanese names (and are the only characters they share): とび , which seems to be the Japanese word for "jump". When I just used those two characters and the word "bug" in searches I got a few hits... though mainly something relating to Animal Crossing and another is a brand of Japanese cigarettes called "BUG" which motto had the word jump in it; yeah, I don't think that's it.

So, as you said, it could just be that either Japan or just GF relate these sudden jumping actions to bugs. Bugs to tend to jump out as you when startled, so makes sense to make a move out of it (or two).

 

[Kin+ak (✧∇✧)]

when a bug jumps, The average kid:








(couldnt find a meme, it fled)

So The kid is afraid of bugs And ligically either can't attack

 

[Ironmage]

I've generally considered a lack of reliable Flying STAB as a deliberate balance limitation on mons like Dragonite, Gyarados, Salamence, and Landorus-T. Though with generational gimmicks frequently providing workarounds, I can see the argument to giving up on that approach.

 

[Kin+ak (✧∇✧)]

I've generally considered a lack of reliable Flying STAB as a deliberate balance limitation on mons like Dragonite, Gyarados, Salamence, and Landorus-T. Though with generational gimmicks frequently providing workarounds, I can see the argument to giving up on that approach.

Not true for salamence as it naturaly learns dual wingbeat this gen. And they gave dnite wingbeat via tutor move in swsh

 

[Worldie]

I've generally considered a lack of reliable Flying STAB as a deliberate balance limitation on mons like Dragonite, Gyarados, Salamence, and Landorus-T. Though with generational gimmicks frequently providing workarounds, I can see the argument to giving up on that approach.

It is,and you have seen for example how Lando sees a spike in usage every time it gets a viable way to get its second stab due to how well it compliments the ground one (max airstream and tera blast flying were both strong enough to justify using lando well knowing it would be demanding you to use dynamax/tera on it)

 

[R_N]

Considering how they treat moves I think they would either:
-not care and give it to them anyway
-do care and very "arbitrarily" not give it to them even if it would fit

For an extremely recent example of the latter: they brought back Scald, Knock Off & Toxic as TMs and nerfed their learnsets. For another example, look at how Tapu Koko and Tapu Bulu still didn't get Play Rough.

 

[Axiemeister]

i doubt the balance concerns because, well, people have always said the lack of strong ghost moves (physical and special) is also intentional, and now there are a bunch of overtuned ghost-type signatures moves, and also poltergeist, a move clearly suited for competitive use over in-game use.

(as a tangent, astral barrage is the most egregious of these moves to me because they really gave a 120 bp, 100% accuracy, spread ghost-type move to a mon with deoxys-attack level of offenses that Would do just fine with shadow ball, as base spectrier does. who is balance i don't know her)

 

[Worldie]

There is also the fact that (I know some people disagree) it is important to not arbitrarly just have every type having reliable wide distributed stab.

Part of the allure of competitive pokemon is the fact that types are different. If every type had a accurate 120 BP phisical stab (with recoil or -def/spdef) and a 80 BP accurate special + 130 BP with -2spdef move, then we would just have a rock paper scissor with no other shenenigans.

This is even more important for strong offensive types like rock or flying.
Flying type is specifically designed with the idea that they don't have an accurate special stab unless they want to commit to rain, and their phisical stab is only distributed to birds and bird-like pokemon.

i doubt the balance concerns because, well, people have always said the lack of strong ghost moves (physical and special) is also intentional, and now there are a bunch of overtuned ghost-type signatures moves, and also poltergeist, a move clearly suited for competitive use over in-game use.

Emphasis: *signature* moves.
Signature moves are important because they are that, unique to the pokemon. Ogerpon cornerstone has had usage for example *specifically* because of its accurate 100 BP rock stab. If every rock type had a 100 BP rock stab, noone would have ever considered it.
Calyrex Shadow would not have had the massive impact it had if it wasn't for Astral Barrage and had to just use Shadow Ball (note: AB is a spread move, extremely relevant for VGC).

Distributing strong "unique" special moves is fine. Poltergeist has, unsurprisingly, been kept away from certain pokemon like Dragapult intentionally, because their intent is that "if you want to use this mon to its highest potential, you have to commit the gimmick to it, you don't get a free out of jail card".

There is a major impact difference in "giving one pokemon a reliable strong move" and "giving 300 pokemon a reliable strong move".

So no, I don't see a issue with Gyarados, Dragonite and few others flying type not having access to a flying stab that doesn't suck or require a gimmick (note: Dragonite actually has Dual Wingbeat which is a pretty strong move regardless, 90% accuracy is a fine price to pay for the benefit of disregarding focus sash).