Pokémon Thread XXVIII: Get. In. The. BAG.

[Vaz]

And now we've reached the point where someone resorts to condescension.

As opposed to ignoring that the colours red and blue don't actually mean red and blue, and that rather than referring to the colours, you're instead relying on the order of when a word is placed? That's like saying that because Rosie and Jim are named Girl/Boy, then Bill and Ben is actually Girl/Boy.

You're damn right I'm going to descend con on you.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Have fun then.

[TheSummoner]

So irrelevant they keep a continuous theme.

K.

The theme that there's two games in a set. But you're the one who suggested that White might not be grouped with White 2 and that it's all based on color even though they abandoned that naming scheme after Gen 5, so if it makes you feel better to act condescending, go for it.

I'm not sure how I feel about Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon...need more information. The new solgaleo/lunala lookingmonsters revealed remind me of Type:Null/Silvally, like they're wearing a weird control armor or something. Which is intriguing, but I don't feel especially optimistic about this one.

It looks like they're wearing Necrozma. His ability is Prism Armor. The clues were there all along.

Getting one of the gen 2 games on virtual console is extremely tempting though.

If they do as they did with the Gen 1 VC versions, it means an easily obtainable Ho-Oh with Regenerator or Lugia with Multiscale.

[Vaz]

With pleasure. To side things away from discussions like that, and back to the meat of the matter.

The Version Legendaries are wearing Necrozma as armour; Prism Armour etc, so there's some sort of fusion mechanic being involved. Not sure I really liked the Kyurem-White/Black form fusion story line, despite the fused mon's being awesome in their own right.

[Hiro Protagonest]

Man, I'm not a fan of Kyurem's gimmick. And the obvious parallels with two new versions and all makes me hope the story quality isn't a sharp dropoff even if we get all things gameplay like B2W2.

[Qwertystop]

User has been added to your ignore list.
Man, I'm not a fan of Kyurem's gimmick. And the obvious parallels with two new versions and all makes me hope the story quality isn't a sharp dropoff even if we get all things gameplay like B2W2.

I thought it was more of a remake that happens to be sticking to two versions instead of having some of the version-exclusives from each? So most of the story isn't new?

[cobaltstarfire]

It looks like they're wearing Necrozma. His ability is Prism Armor. The clues were there all along.



If they do as they did with the Gen 1 VC versions, it means an easily obtainable Ho-Oh with Regenerator or Lugia with Multiscale.

I don't know anything about Necrozma (I stopped and then restarted the game somewhere in the middle of the ultra beasts?) So I wouldn't have noticed the clues.

The gen 2 VC games are mostly just calling to my nostalgia, I started with Red, but Silver was my favorite for a very long time (my top 3 are Silver, White, and Yellow).

[Spore]

I'm not sure how I feel about Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon...need more information. The new solgaleo/lunala lookingmonsters revealed remind me of Type:Null/Silvally, like they're wearing a weird control armor or something. Which is intriguing, but I don't feel especially optimistic about this one.

The cynical part of my brain thinks it was too hard to port Diamond/Pearl to the expansive 3D-Engine so they do a quick revamp of Su/Mo and grab additional money.

As for the control armor. If they get to be a thing ingame now I fully expect an "Armored Mewtwo". We had Ultra Beasts, Z moves and mega evolution so why not "armor mode". Like this:

Spoiler

Show

[TheSummoner]

I'm really not sure how there's any doubt of what's in the preview.

Spoiler: Large Images

Show

At a glance, it's very clear that the mons shown in the preview are Solgaleo and Lunala somehow fused with Necrozma. Whether this is a Black/White 2 style thing like they did with Kyurem and Reshiram/Zekrom or something similar but different it's a bit early to say, but it it's definitely different than what was going on with Type: Null.

Colress and Grimsley were both featured in Sun/Moon, and though their roles were small, they actually showed up in the main story, not just post-game battle tree cameos like Red, Blue, Wally, and Cynthia. That combined with the new forms of the Alola legendaries makes me think they'll have some relevance in US/UM. Another thing worth mentioning is how completely irrelevant Zygarde was, both in Sun/Moon and X/Y as well. despite a large role in the anime and a game-spanning sidequest, Zygarde really hasn't done anything yet. On route 16, there's even this quote about it from Dexio

"Zygarde is said to maintain the order of the Kalos region...then why is it in Alola...? Is it a sign that something is about to happen?"

Again, I think they're building towards something. A final theory I've seen is the possibility that gyms will be returning in US/UM. The evidence I've seen people argue for this one is that there are several places in the game where construction is clearly being done for something - large, building sized plots of land being developed for an unknown purpose - but nothing comes of it throughout Sun/Moon. The most obvious one is in Haoli City where there are a bunch of Machamps working on flattening the land, but there's also one in Seafolk village, on an island on Route 15, and in a few other places. I don't remember all the specifics, but there were 7 that were very obvious and an 8th that was a bit of a stretch.

Really though, the biggest thing I'm hoping for from US/UM is them doing more with Ultra Space and the Ultra Beasts (and throwing Ultra in front of the names of the games makes me hopeful).

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I don't know anything about Necrozma (I stopped and then restarted the game somewhere in the middle of the ultra beasts?) So I wouldn't have noticed the clues.

The comment was a bit tongue in cheek, but the only really relevant bit is that Necrozma's ability is called Prism Armor. That's all there is to it.

The cynical part of my brain thinks it was too hard to port Diamond/Pearl to the expansive 3D-Engine so they do a quick revamp of Su/Mo and grab additional money.

Too hard? No. Too time consuming to have ready so soon. That I think is a much more likely. It's also possible Diamond and Pearl wont be remade until Gen 8. They skipped a gen between the remakes of Gold/Silver and Ruby/Sapphire after all.

[Vaz]

I'd be surprised if there was An armoured Mewtwo. It gained self awareness and then destroyed the Team Rocket lab on Cinnabar when it understood nature and horror of what Giovanni had done. It soon discarded the armour. Another one was created at another time by a different group, but that one seemingly escaped on its own, but it too hates humans.

Why would a human hating Mewtwo (seemingly universal to the species once they gain sentience) deign to wear armour, almoat universally a symbol of civilisation and humanity?

Even Nebby/Solgaleo/Lunala are UB's naturalized to the world Alola (hence losing Beast Boost), which means that human intervention is expected in the same way that Fused Kyurem to Resh and Zek.

[cobaltstarfire]

I already said I didn't realize the necrozma thing because I didn't know anything about it, no need to beat me over the head with my earlier thoughts being wrong.

[Velaryon]

Does anyone else feel that it's a bit soon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon? The games aren't even a year old and they're already getting the... (remake? sequel? combination of both?) treatment?

[TheSummoner]

Does anyone else feel that it's a bit soon for Ultra Sun and Ultra Moon? The games aren't even a year old and they're already getting the... (remake? sequel? combination of both?) treatment?

Definitely. Another thing that makes me think this was planned from the start.

[Qwertystop]

Uncertain. Japanese Blue was released in under a year after Red and Green (initially exclusive to CoroCoro subscribers). Yellow actually released before the Japanese Blue. Emerald had about a two-year gap after Ruby and Sapphire, but under a year from FireRed and LeafGreen. Similar spacing for Platinum to Diamond, Pearl, Heart Gold, and Soul Silver. Black 2 and White 2 came about two years after Black and White...


...yeah. Yeah, it's faster than usual.

[Spore]

Definitely. Another thing that makes me think this was planned from the start.

You didn't realize Pokemon made full priced expansion packs since day 1? Pokemon Yellow is an upgraded R/B, Crystal, Emerald, Platinum, BW2, even ORAS is that to XY since XY misses Hoenn Pokemon.

Sure, ORAS is a completely different game but all others feature large portions of the same maps, enemies and pokemon. That is why people like LG/FR, HG/SS and OR/AS. They are remakes rather than expensive expansion packs.

[Togath]

Getting back in to moon. And wondering... does steenee get better when it evolves? I have the one from the lilipup trade and at level 20 it's... really weak seeming, falling behind most of my party(grimer, rattata, brionne, magnemite, crabrawler, and charjabug) in everything but speed. Is it just because the others have higher EVs from battling a bunch? Or does steenee just have really low stats?

[Vaz]

Tsareena can make an okayish tank, but story mode is let down by its inability to take Synthesis or Play Rough without breeding, which means it doesn't have any healing or ability to hit Dark/Fighting easily. That said, Tsareena still has pretty low overall stats, and while it has a decent Attack, there isn't much that's overly worried by Grass type offense. In Battle Royale or the Battle Tree though, you can get quite a lot of mileage out of the ability to prevent Priority.

It's also better than Lurantis. As much as I love Lurantis, with only 105 attack and 45 speed, even with Contrary it's pretty poor.

[Togath]

Might try using her then. Level 20 now, so 10 left until she evolves(and hopefully improves)?
I kind of wonder if this one has really bad IVs or something...
Like, I don't normally worry too much about stats in the story mode of pokemon games... but when I'm having to use a triple attack boost(z-splash!) to make her fairly relevant on stuff that isn't weak to vine whip... ^_^;;
Makes me consider swapping my magnemite back in, or trying out diglet or mudbray perhaps(or taking the time to level up my newly acquired level 10 female litwick).

[Qwertystop]

You didn't realize Pokemon made full priced expansion packs since day 1? Pokemon Yellow is an upgraded R/B, Crystal, Emerald, Platinum, BW2, even ORAS is that to XY since XY misses Hoenn Pokemon.

Sure, ORAS is a completely different game but all others feature large portions of the same maps, enemies and pokemon. That is why people like LG/FR, HG/SS and OR/AS. They are remakes rather than expensive expansion packs.

It's more that the relatively short difference in release date (relative to the advertised difference in content) makes it feel less like "we put some more time into extra features that we couldn't finish or didn't think of" and more like "we held some stuff back so we could make it exclusive to the rerelease".

[Togath]

Meow! Does saving before I trigger an island scan let me potentially reroll the encounter until I get the gender/stats I want?
Given it's sunday for me(or will be in a few hours) I was thinking of trying to get a female cyndaquil.

[OracleofWuffing]

I hadn't really figured Tsareena as a tank. I guess that's probably the best role for it in a competitive environment, but it felt kinda defensively weak as far as single-player went, and there's only a handful of really fast pokemon in Alola that it felt like a sweeper in that lens.

Anyone available to help with some tradebacks? I want pokedex entries for Kartana, Buzzwole, and Solgaleo, not looking for long-term trades at this moment.

[Vaz]

Trop Kick gives it the ability to drop offense and can free switch into Priority Moves. Mono Grass is already a pretty tanky type and she doesn't have much coverage or a second STAB.

She can Swagger/Teeter Dance and Captivate to further limit offense against her, but grass kind of sucks on the offense, and going by the level of the mon, you're around the 3rd Island Challenge, which puts you up against Fire/Poison, 4th is Grass with a Sunny Day Fire Type Weather Ball, and a Flyer, then a Bug in the 5th electric challenge, and special attacking Ghosts with Poison type at 6th, 7th has a Bug/Steel Scizor, and that without Leftovers, Tsareena has no means of healing, there is literally a good portion of the Island Challenge which has little use for offensive Grass types, especially not those with "only" a 70BP move.

Even as a Tank, it falls short, no healing outside of leftovers and cannot even SubSeed.

I preferred Lurantis, because it meshed with my Sunny Day abusing Salazzle Wall Breaker (31IV's and a Modest nature, and female on my second Salandit after accidentally killing the first, without realizing that it took female to evolve), and could pretty much sweep the Rock E4 with her, especially once I got a Metronome and went back and picked up a Drought Torkoal.

Also during Story mode, Lurantis had some Bug Coverage with Leech Life with its new BP80 which was useful against the few Psychics, Raticate and other Dark types that were pretty common and keeping healed.

But tradebacks, yes please! Looking to get some trade evolutions done myself :)

[Togath]

Daaang.
Sounds like I'm at about the worst possible part of the game to try to use a mono-grass.

[Vaz]

It helps against the rock type I did forget about though which isn't too far off, but yeah, with Brionne and Crabrawler, you should be pretty okay anyway.

Sorry dude :( on the brightside, with Salandits around (soon?), you can have a nice little Fire/Poison type which really comes into its own later; Toxic, Venoshock, with a Charcoal'd Flamethrower and Triple Nasty Plot against the Fairy Types and Bug Types later in the game are all good fun for story mode. Setting up against a Clefable which hit for only hit for like 15% damage at a time was fantastic fun.

[OracleofWuffing]

But tradebacks, yes please! Looking to get some trade evolutions done myself :)

I can help there when you're around. Friend code is 2234-7142-0224 and in game name is Wuffydude.

[SaintRidley]

To celebrate finishing chapter one of my dissertation I decided to complete my living dex. Some GTS work got me a Guzzlord, and I progressed my ultra beast quest to Kartana. Currently trying to get the last one to be Jolly and have good stats.

That leaves claiming Magearna to have a complete living dex again.

Feels good.

[Vaz]

I can help there when you're around. Friend code is 2234-7142-0224 and in game name is Wuffydude.

No worries. Will double check mine when I get in, in game name "Hesha", without quotes obviously.

Working on BST myself, so don't know if you want to arrange a time over PM? Give me a heads up of what you need? If you've got any spare dusk stones I wouldn't say no either haha 😂 😂

[OracleofWuffing]

No worries. Will double check mine when I get in, in game name "Hesha", without quotes obviously.

Working on BST myself, so don't know if you want to arrange a time over PM? Give me a heads up of what you need? If you've got any spare dusk stones I wouldn't say no either haha 😂 😂

Only thing I really want right now is dex entries for Buzzwole/Kartana/Sun Lion Man Dude Steel Guy, but if you don't have them, I can still do trade backs anyway. Looks like I got 3 Dusk Stones I'm not using, so I can send those over in the process. I'm in CDT (UTC-5, the time on this post is approximately 4:30pm for me if you have configured your board settings correctly) but I'm all crazy hours for scheduling, so like, I'm probably gonna be out for an hour or two eating, then I'll be up for quite some time so maybe I'll catch you in your morning? Otherwise I... Should be off work on Friday and Saturday (it's complicated!), so like anytime then I'll try my best to have my 3DS online.

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In other news, I know this doesn't say much, but wow, they really could have done the PokeFinder better. I know they can't just spin off a sequel to Pokemon Snap, but once you hit that plateau from Tier 4 to Tier 5 you just feel how cruddy it really is if you haven't already. It's a further bummer that the "best" way to advance is pretty much take repeated pictures of the same pokemon. It's obvious someone worked really hard on all this, but I don't think anyone came by and reviewed it for improvements and fun factor. Well, outside the water comment, I guess, but that's only funny once.

[enderlord99]

What do you think of this battle?

[Svata]

Maybe coulda sent out Oranguru a turn earlier, or swapped in the manaphy that was essentially dead already, and not just fed Raquaza to Heliolisk.