You are a type specialist in a hostile region. How do you best represent your chosen element?

[DrPumpkinz]

A gloomy trainer who prefers to hide.

:(

Silcoon
- Iron Defense
- Poison Sting
- Tackle


Zorua-Hisui
- Rest
- Snarl
- Bitter Malice
- Sludge Bomb


Sliggoo-Hisui
- Rest
- Shelter
- Dragon Pulse
- Sludge Bomb


Cherrim
- Rest
- Absorb
- Draining Kiss
- Sleep Powder


Basculegion
- Rest
- Hex
- Calm Mind
- Water Pulse


Goodra-Hisui
- Rest
- Shelter
- Draco Meteor
- Sludge Bomb

 

[Pikachu315111]

Harkening Back
Pokemon Legends: Arceus is a game which takes place in the past. And as CTNC pointed out, the very first challenge in this thread was Sinnoh Dragon. Now I'll admit my first attempt in this thread was a bit rough, I and QuentinQuonce didn't see eye-to-eye. But that was the past, I've since grown from my preconceived notions on thinking what this thread was trying to do and just going with the flow that it's a competition just for fun. Now my first team was disqualified, however since we're looking into the past I've decided to give that team a do-over, so here's my Hisuian version of my first ever team:

Garchomp (Dragon/Ground. Dragon Claw/Bulldoze/Iron Head/Aerial Ace)
Hisuian Goodra (Dragon/Steel. Draco Meteor/Steel Beam/Hydro Pump/Shelter)
Abomasnow (Grass/Ice. Outrage/Wood Hammer/Icicle Crash/Bulldoze)
Gyarados (Water/Flying. Outrage/Aqua Tail/Bulldoze/Ice Fang)
Rampardos (Rock. Outrage/Head Smash/Iron Head/Thunder Punch)
Snorlax (Normal. Outrage/Giga Impact/Zen Headbutt/Rest)

I got some re-explaining to do

Garchomp (Originally: Staraptor)
Staraptor's Moveset: Brave Bird/Close Combat/U-turn/Pursuit
Reason Picked:
In lieu of not wanting Garchomp due to the strict restrictions I was giving myself back then, I had picked Staraptor as the team's ace. Though it didn't learn any Dragon-type Moves, it's respectful Speed and Attack combined with just enough strong coverage I think made it worthy enough; combined with the admittedly loose connection of it being a "dragon" via birds = dinosaurs = dragons. But that was then, if we done a repeat of Dragon Sinnoh now I would have most definitely added Garchomp to my team (and also probably Gabite). So making up for my mistake, here's Garchomp now and, looking back now, I actually still feel Staraptor made for a suitable (though obviously lesser) substitute for Garchomp as they fill similar roles. So in honor of my original pick, I added Aerial Ace to Garchomp's moveset; Garchomp's other Moves pretty much cover all its other weaknesses so Aerial Ace is just nice wider "Super Effective" coverage on Grass, Bug, and especially Fighting.

Hisuian Goodra (Originally: Gastrodon)
Gastrodon's Moveset: Surf/Earthquake/Sandstorm/Recover
Reason Picked:
A gastropod for a gastropod (albeit a snail for a slug), Hisuian Goodra slots in nicely as both a Dragon-type and as a replacement for Gastrodon. I has originally picked Gastrodon using the excuse that there's a sea slug called the "blue sea dragon" (Glaucus atlanticus), even specifying it was the Eastern from which is blue & green. Gastrodon isn't a bad choice for a more defensive team member, though now with H-Goodra available it has that AND power (and is also an actual Dragon-type). Because of that extra power the two do play differently, while Gastrodon focused on being a stalling Sandstorm setter, H-Goodra's Shelter is the only defensive skill it needs; I also still gave H-Goodra a Water-type Move but it does cover one of its weaknesses so not completely out-of-the-box.

Abomasnow (Originally: Torterra)
Torterra's Moveset: Wood Hammer/Earthquake/Leech Seed/Worry Seed
Reason Picked:
I forgot how rough making a Dragon-type team in the first challenge was as it was DP Sinnoh and not Platinum. Now we were given permission to give Pokemon Tutored Moves from Platinum, but I try to stick what's at least technically possible in the origin game (I say technically as I do allow Egg Moves even if one of the required parent isn't isn't in the native Pokedex). Thus I didn't have the wide distribution of Outrage as I do now helping me mold the team. Now I could have used Torterra again, it does learn Outrage, but I wanted to ignore doubling on non-Dragon-types so Garchomp disqualifies all other Ground-types (I didn't realize how Ground heavy my team was last time); though to honor Torterra I did have Abomasnow learn the useful Bulldoze (covers some of its weaknesses, notably Fire, and slows down the opponent). So keeping this spot to Grass-types, I swapped in Abomasnow. Based on the ape-like Yeti and part of the Type that Dragon is famously weak to, you wouldn't think Abomasnow would make sense on a Dragon team. But, though it doesn't have its Ability in Legends: Arceus, Abomasnow is more than just a yeti: it's a force of nature. Able to summon blizzards wherever it wanders and can commune & absorb nutrients from the trees & plants in the forests that it lives, combined with its brute strength and fierce attitude it can compete with any dragon's raw power and influence.

Gyarados
Original Moveset: Dragon Dance/Waterfall/Earthquake/Ice Fang
Reason Picked:
The only returning member, and of course it's Gyarados; what Dragon-type team would be complete without one? While I did have to change up its Moves I kept close to the original moveset and honestly the new one isn't that bad. Sure it misses Dragon Dance, but if there's any Pokemon which I can see doing an Outrage it would be Gyarados.

Rampardos (Originally: Steelix)
Steelix's Moveset: Gyro Ball/Earthquake/Double-Edge/Thunder Fang
Reason Picked:
If we're using the logic dinosaur = dragon, then Rampardos and Bastiodon should have been shoo-ins on the team. Well the reason they weren't is the same reason I didn't want to use Garchomp. I wanted my teams to feel like they could be something you'd see in the games, and in the games notable NPCs rarely used another's Signature/Ace Pokemon. So I couldn't use Garchomp because it was Cynthia's ace (she's not a Type Specialist, let alone a Dragon Specialist, so I wasn't making a trainer to replace her), couldn't use Bastiodon as it was Byron's, and Rampardos would be Roark's. But now I'm over those tight restrictions, the only ones I use now are more creative open ones such as not reusing a Type, and it just so happens Rampardos' Pure Rock-type fits right in. Steelix was one of my powerhouses and Rampardos plays a similar role, though the difference is Steelix was also a tank able to absorb attacks while Rampardos is a glass cannon where it will destroy what's in front of it... if it's not easily KOed first. Though Rampardos has one notable advantage: I felt I had to give Steelix the lackluster Double-Edge because it had the Rock Head Ability. But no issue here, so I was able to give Rampardos a pretty good moveset, having Iron Head and Thunder Punch as both a nod to Steelix and coverage.

Snorlax (Originally: Blissey)
Blissey's Moveset: Softboiled/Thunder/Blizzard/Fire Blast
Reason Picked: WIP
What probably feels like the most lateral swap though with key differences. Even in the very challenge we were making oddball choices, and Blissey was mine because in most media dragons laid eggs. When I saw Snorlax was available I instantly knew I'd swap Blissey out for it, but Snorlax is no egg so and it's certainly not a dragon. Much like with Abomasnow, Snorlax may not be a dragon, but it does have dragon-like qualities. Let's go back to the idea of common depiction of dragons, aside from being lizards with massive wings they use to fly and breath fire to burninate the villagers, what else are dragons known for? Sleeping on a hoard of treasure (and kidnapping maidens, but in this case he dragon is more replacing the maiden). Snorlax has the sleeping part down, and while it doesn't have a hoard of treasure, its gluttony would certainly rival any dragon's greed (what is gluttony but greed of food?). Original Blissey's moveset was its Signature healing move and the 3 strongest Special elemental Moves. While made sense for Snorlax to have a matching healing Move, Rest, for the rest I decided to go with attacks that would make sense for it to have: Outrage to qualify, Giga Impact for STAB, and Zen Headbutt for coverage.

I'll admit, this is a pretty meta team rather than having in-game lore reasons. However I also feel Legends: Arceus isn't really a game which has notable Type Specialists because it takes place around the time that people and Pokemon are forming the modern day bond we know today (at least in Sinnoh). Back then specializing in Pokemon taming was already a niche (and dangerous) profession, to focus on just one Type on top of that would probably be a foreign idea (until Poke Balls became more commonplace you bonded with the Pokemon you got available).

 

[Castersvarog]

Gotta say, it's been fun just watching what people think of for teams and their unique choices to work around the constraints of the type and theme. Given that it's gonna be the last one, I feel like I gotta at least try something too.

My theme of the team is simple. Big scary (Often dragon-adjacent) Monsters that would strike fear into a poor Hisuian Settler, eventually becoming something that would be described as myths with time.

Built Team

@ Leftovers
Ability: Solid Rock
- Rock Slide
- Earthquake
- Outrage
- Stealth Rock

"It was one Morning where an old Miner was out looking for Iron Chunks for the Galaxy Teams escapades. That Afternoon, he returned from the mountain, terrified out of his wits saying he saw a great beast of Stone that blasted the mountain itself at him. Since then he refuses to go without an escort from the Galaxy Team."

Rhyperior is an Iconic Gen 4 mon, I think it deserves a little love this go around.

@ Loaded Dice
Ability: Intimidate
- Barb Barrage
- Throat Chop
- Scale Shot
- Liquidation

"It was one afternoon where a friend of mine was out fishing in the sea. His boat went to far north and he was attacked by what he called 'violence and toxic spikes'. Poor guy has since given up on fishing, he's been terrified of the water since"

So, Gyarados, It exists, it's based on a Dragon, it's in the Dragon Egg group, its a perfect fit onto this team. So why isn't it here?
It's one of those that felt too obvious.

Enter Overqwil. It fills a similar role, and it's still an aggressive swimming Seamine that still wants to get you that, I feel, people would speak about in lesser known myths.

@ Heavy-Duty Boots
Ability: Speed Boost
- Bug Buzz
- Air Slash
- Giga Drain
- Protect

"I knew of a medic who went out seeking supplies for her patients inspite of the sightings of a great flying monster. Though the creature stopped appearing after that, she herself never returned."

It's a bit of a freebie, but it's a Giant Dragonfly and provides some much needed Speed this slower and tankier team needs.
Plus Dragonfly? People wanted to have it be part dragon for years solely because of that.

@ Air Balloon
Ability: Sturdy
- Heavy Slam
- Body Press
- Earthquake
- Dragon Tail

"They said an old Warrior fought for 3 days against a great serpent of Steel. Nobody knows what happened during that clash, but they said her Armour was stronger then any other in the land."

How I wish this line got Coil+Dragon Rush. Anyway, it's a giant Steel Wyrm, fits on theme and is here to be a wall with Heavy Slam and to annoy with Dragon Tail.

@ Assault Vest
Ability: Gooey
- Draco Meteor
- Flash Cannon
- Flamethrower
- Sludge Wave

"It's believed that a soldier of old Hisui once befriended a great Dragon by a lakeside.
Little was know about it, but it was described as forever loyal, never leaving their side even after their passing."

The old Dragon of Hisui, it's here to be a counterpart to Garchomp and provide some more powerful Special Attacks for this physical heavy team..

@ Rocky Helmet
Ability: Rough Skin
- Dragon Claw
- Earthquake
- Stone Edge
- Liquidation

"It was on an expedition to the Alabaster Icelands when I saw it, a blue baby Dragon with a great big Maw. He was stuck inbetween two rocks with an injured leg, and it was unable to free itself.
I didn't have the heart to leave it stuck there so went to help it, got it unstuck and help patch up its injury, it was very grateful for the help the cute little guy."
"Then she appeared. Flying in like an arrow, I thought she was gonna eat me right there and then, only for the little guy to stop and, talk, with her that is. When she looked at me again all of her fury was gone, and they both left."
"I may not understand what these Pokemon say, but I think she was grateful for what I did."

Gotta go for the Dragon of Sinnoh, it's Garchomp, it's here and it's in charge.

 

[WarriorGallade]

Ideas have been hard to come by for recent topics in here, but since this is the last one for a while, I figured I'll try anyway even if this idea may lack a bit - basically I feel the same way as Castersvarog. Thread's fun to theorize with.

I wanted to use my go-to pun of Dragons making battles drag on, but PLA's mechanics have both status afflictions and stat changes wear off after a few turns. There's not much stall potential here unfortunately. What else comes to mind about Dragons? For one, Hisui's fixation on them, with two clans and a renegade Celestica(?) each believing in a legendary dragon. To our hypothetical type specialist, someone not a part of any of the three factions, such ideals would be naught but a dream. Still, but given that a majority of settlements believe in such ideals, they too would grow fixated with these ideals, hoping one day to figure out what all the conflict is for. In doing so, they make the hero's journey across Hisui, meeting many Pokemon revered in the different biomes, and forming their team based on these experiences.

..but that being said, what are Dragons? In short, something that have awe-inspiring power, and get people to fear them. Hisui already has something like this - the noble Pokemon! Anyway, Dragon type moves in Hisui are limited, to say the least. Claw and Pulse are pretty basic, Twister is a bit too weak, and Outrage, which has its own new status condition just for this game. We've got plenty to work with, so here's the team!

@ Meadow Plate
- Victory Dance
- Petal Dance
- Recover
- Baby-Doll Eyes
First up, Lilligant.
With this seemingly odd moveset, Lilligant tries to remind you of its boss fight with double-dance, though not quite in the way you'd expect. It's out to stay on the field for as long as possible, chipping away at the foe. Baby-Doll Eyes reduces the foes' Attack stats for 5 turns, a large amount when compared to most other debuff moves. With this setup, it catapult Petal Dance's fixation damage boost with that of Victory Dance to devastate any foe unfortunate enough to not resist Grass. And when it's low on health, it can just Recover and start it all again.

@ Icicle Plate
- Power Shift
- Ice Ball
- Ice Shard
- Bulldoze
Second up, Avalugg.
The sheets of ice drag on slowly along the floor, but Avalugg aims to change that notion up a bit. Anyway, Avalugg is another noble that gets access to another fixation move, this time, Ice Ball. With its large defense stat, it can Power Shift to bring all that to its Attack...but what if it never gets to use that strength? Ice Shard and Bulldoze solve that problem, by raising Avalugg's own speed, while reducing the foe's, giving it far more chances to snow (or ice) ball the foe into a frosty finale.

@ Stone Plate
- Rollout
- Swords Dance
- Rock Smash
- Aqua Tail
Third up, Bibarel.
Wait, this isn't a noble! You're right! Though you're pretty likely to remember this Bibarel as the guaranteed alpha guarding the entrance to the Heartwood at the dam (though it's not too hard to sneak by). It follows a similar fixation strategy, but this time with Rollout, further boosted by Swords Dance. Rock Smash and Aqua Tail act as more coverage for those pesky Rock resists, with the former potentially able to snowball Rollout even further.

@ Choice Dumpling
- Take Heart
- Icy Wind
- Moonblast
- Water Pulse
Fourth up, Phione.
Well, this is certainly an unexpected addition to this team. For one, Phione is neither noble, nor can it be obtained as an alpha. For two, it doesn't learn any fixation moves...so why is it here? However, it's important to take into account where you find it - it's found very rarely in the Seaside Hollow - a very small cave above the ocean floor, seems pretty similar to the place Dragons might like to call their home. As for the second problem, it "holds" a Choice Dumpling (easiest way to convey the trainer uses it on Phione), which when used, fixates the user on an attacking move! That being said, Phione's moveset is primed to Take Heart and launch dizzyingly powerful attacks - even more so if Moonblast receives the Choice Dumpling boost. With Moonblast's good chance to lower the foe's Attack stats, Phione is free to fixate and attack.

(if Phione's semi-legendary status is an issue, it can be replaced with Octillery, who is the only other Pokemon found in the Seaside Hollow)


@ Draco Plate
- Shelter
- Iron Head
- Acid Spray
- Outrage
Fifth up, Goodra.
Similar to Bibarel, this Pokemon isn't a noble either - it's an alpha at Lake Verity, found during Mesprit's trial. It would be a reasonable assumption that this Pokemon presides over Verity Cavern in Mesprit's absence, giving it a similar degree of respect when compared to the nobles. Shelter and Outrage combine for something pretty devious - the former granting Goodra the obscured status, making incoming attacks more likely to miss means that Outrage can be fully fixated on without the need to recover HP. Iron Head is a reliable STAB if Outrage isn't convenient to use, and Acid Spray lets any further fixations pack a lot more punch.

@ Flame Plate
- Raging Fury
- Snarl
- Bulldoze
- Outrage
Last up, Arcanine.
With boundless anger, Arcanine has two ways to unleash it - out, or raging. Being the third noble included on its team, it commands sizable respect from the average Hisuian. With its two technical moves, it can lower the foe's attack stats or speed, giving it even more turns to get angry, unleashing hefty damage. This one's about the most perfect Dragon-adjacent inclusion, given that it learns two of the strongest fixation moves.

 

[QuentinQuonce]

Good evening to you all - new poll is up.

https://strawpoll.com/mpnb1bNOGy5​

You have until December 16th, 9PM GMT to cast your vote!

Let's look at the numbers one last time.

Numbers

Goodra: 7

Garchomp: 6

Sliggoo: 2

Arcanine: 3

Lilligant: 2
Avalugg: 2
Yanmega: 2
Abomasnow: 2
Gyarados: 2
Rampardos: 2

Bastiodon: 1
Electrode: 1
Gengar: 1
Dusknoir: 1
Braviary: 1
Magnezone: 1
Rhydon: 1
Infernape: 1
Torterra: 1
Kleavor: 1
Phione: 1
Bibarel: 1
Rhyperior: 1
Toxicroak: 1
Porygon-Z: 1
Cherrim: 1
Lucario: 1
Overqwil: 1
Snorlax: 1
Mothim: 1
Zorua: 1
Silcoon: 1
Basculegion: 1
Steelix: 1


Analysis

The word "ancient" has always been one I've liked. It evokes mystery, awe, and complexity in equal measure, ascribing power and reverence to the people and places it describes. And even though Hisui isn't, by any measure, truly ancient, both it and the region it eventually becomes are wreathed in ancient mythology, giving it a characteristic quite unlike most other regions in the Pokemon world.

A trainer in Blackthorn Gym describes Dragon Pokemon as being full of life energy, which one of Dratini's Pokedex entries also concurs with. But what is life energy exactly? It's kind of a nebulous term, but given the series' origin can probably be assumed to be analogous to the concept of ki - a fundamental energy powering the mind and the spirit. It's something that actually comes up a lot in Pokemon lore - the idea of loosely-defined spiritual power - and this is reflected in several of the Hisuian forms. Typhlosion's new appearance is theorised to have been prompted by the mystical energy flowing from Hisui's central mountain. Basculegion clads itself in the souls of departed Basculin - using energy of another sort. Zorua's form change came about as a result of concentrated lingering resentment. All of this paints Hisui as a mystical and metaphysical sort of place - in other words, just the sort of environment you'd expect dragons to thrive in.

So it's kind of surprising Hisui doesn't have more Dragon-types. Modern-day Sinnoh has Altaria, but that particular species isn't found in Hisui. Even the legendary species inhabiting the region are a more diverse spread of types than one might expect - Flying and Psychic show up more commonly among their ranks than Dragon does. With that said, Hisui does have its fair share of reptilian, lizard-like, and monstrous species, some of which lend themselves to Dragon associations more than others.

Our two principal Dragon species here are very much a study in extremes: the ferocious, brutally powerful Garchomp and the gentle, passive Goodra. Both pseudo-legendaries but as unalike in temperament as you could ask for. Incidentally, though, they're two of the handful of Dragon-type species which have never been able to learn Dragon Dance. And yet they each embody the idea of life energy in their own way. Garchomp is a Pokemon brimming with vitality, notorious for its colossally powerful tactics, while Goodra is a Pokemon very much in touch with the environment, thought to have developed a defensive new form due to its body reacting to mineral-rich water. Of the two, Goodra pulls slightly ahead, though the addition of its pre-evolved form on some teams gives it a more convincing lead, perhaps demonstrating that the line is considered more emblematic of Hisui than its opposite number.

Looking to the wildcards chosen, a lot of them embody that same strength and acclimatisation to harsh terrains. Arcanine was the most common choice: a Pokemon long capable of wielding draconic moves and overwhelming, aggressive force which changed its form due to the volcanic composition of its habitat. Avalugg, too, wields immense power and changed as a result of exposure to the mineral-rich landscape. Rampardos couldn't have felt more fitting - an ancient dinosaur Pokemon known for its overwhelming force and rampaging. And then there's Yanmega - a primeval and brutish insect evolution capable of great destruction. Dragons might be mythical and sacred - but they're also dangerous, and pretty much every team concept here emphasises that innate menace and potential for devastation.


Stuff I expected to see more (or at all)

Atypically for a Dragon round, not much of a showing for Gyarados. While its menace and destructive power is often emphasised, I guess that by the standards of this region it's almost considered unremarkable. A couple of other Pokemon which occasionally show up in Dragon rounds - Crobat, Tentacruel, Gliscor - went unselected too.

Basculegion was used once, but I did expect to see it crop up more. Though not perhaps the showiest or flashiest in terms of spectacular power, it's spoken of as unrivalled in terms of strength among aquatic Pokemon and certainly wields some awe.

A Water-type I was surprised not to see at all was Whiscash - it's long had associations with the Dragon-type and is found in both Sinnoh and Hisui. Feel like there's room for expansion there.

Only one appearance for Lucario? Okay, that's crazy. In terms of "life energy=Dragon", Lucario fits the bill massively and has always been one of the very, very few non-Dragons to learn Dragon Pulse naturally.

If there was one other Pokemon I'd have expected to have seen more usage, it'd be Braviary. Its L:A Pokedex entry is one of my all-time favourites and is infinitely more terrifying than most dragons could ever hope to be:

Screaming a bloodcurdling battle cry, this huge and ferocious bird Pokémon goes out on the hunt. It blasts lakes with shock waves, then scoops up any prey that float to the water's surface.

A few species notable for their raw power - Hippowdon, Ursaluna, Tangrowth, Golem, Mamoswine - jumped out at me as I scanned the Pokedex listing. Similarly to Gyarados, maybe the standards for strength just feel so much higher here.

I did wonder if anyone would use Wyrdeer, but that turned out not to be the case.

Surprisingly, Sliggoo made a couple of appearances but Gabite didn't.

I'm not sure, but I think this might be the first time ever we've had Eeveelutions in the mix and not a single one got selected...?

 

[DrPumpkinz]

Surprisingly, Sliggoo made a couple of appearances but Gabite didn't.

Big Sliggy is just that awesome.