Welcome to going through another generation, though I would be at least done with the first two gens, but time slipped from me and before you know it, Sun & Moon had released and my focus had shifted towards the new generation. Of course with the new Pokémon there are other new things as well including UBs and Alolan Forms which will add to the list (UBs will be talked about alongside the legendaries while Alolan Forms will get its own post). So let’s get started!
001: Rowlet, 002: Dartrix, 003: Decidueye
Of course, like with EVERY Pokemon game before it, we have the starters with Grass, Fire, and Water. So I found it interesting that of the three, Rowlet is the 2nd time where a starter begins with a dual type (this time with Grass/Flying). The only other time is Bulbasaur back when. Also, the only other Pokemon it shares that with is Tropius & Sky Forme Shaymin. Though once Dartrix evolves into Decidueye, it changes its secondary typing to Grass/Ghost (sharing with Gourgeist & Trevenant’s line & fellow gen-mate, Dhelmise). I actually dug this design and seeing that many fans loved its archer look and the surprising typing in its final evolution it sticks out…though many find it meh due to speed (which is a COMMON problem with this generation in comparison to past ones).
A Gen later we get introduced solely to Hisuian Decidueye and I was like many others, not so enthusiastic about the design even though it does kind of give me samurai vibes about it. It changes to a Grass/Fighting type which is kind of meh, but I’ll take it for now. Though it is interesting that the main colors are more Autumn-like with the gold/red mix versus the rest of the line remaining the same. Interesting.
004: Litten, 005: Torracat, 006: Incineroar
Like I mentioned in previous Pokemon posts, I had concluded that I wanted Litten as my starter because it brings me back to a pattern that I had since the beginning of the series. Though many had feared that its typing would be the almighty Fire/Fighting as it had been most times with past Fire starters, Incineroar’s final dual type ended it at Fire/Dark (typing shared with the Houndoom line). Besides the speed issue, Incineroar was pretty awesome on my team and making it to the Elite 4 was great and he saved my ass a lot and hell, Incineroar was good enough to join Smash Bros!
007: Popplio, 008: Brionne, 009: Primarina
After the last gen with its sheer winner in Froakie, It seems the popularity of the starters went mostly to Litten and Rowlet this time and Popplio ended up with the short end of the stick. At the final evolution, Primarina ends up with a Water/Fairy type (sharing with Azumarill & Marill). Though I do wonder why Primarina is more of a feminine Pokemon despite the M/F ratio to be equal…the males are Primorino? About the same feeling of weirdness like with Mr. Mime.
010: Pikipek, 011: Trumbeak, 012: Toucannon
Another one of those, how does one thing end up as another thing. This time it’s the typical early bird Pokemon, Pikipek and its line. Naturally, the three are of Normal/Flying type (very common!). Though I feel like it has some purpose and Toucannon being focused on Attack is pretty cool (on top of having Beak Blast, its signature move). Still, a woodpecker at its beginning that ends up as a toucan? Little strange, but I definitely had this one in my Elite 4 team! OH yeah, I feel so strange that Toucannon has those angry eyes…
013: Yungoos, 014: Gumshoos
Of course after the generation bird Pokemon, we have a generational rodent Pokemon with our mongoose Pokemon, Yungoos and its evolution Gumshoos. Nothing too unique about it to really talk about it besides the fact that it evolves during the day and keeps its Normal typing throughout
015: Grubbin, 016: Charjabug, 017: Vikavolt
So unlike previous generations where we would have two bug lines early in the Dex, we just have the one this time around with the Vikavolt line. You get Grubbin quite early enough as a pure Bug type and eventually evolves into Charjabug after leveling up and gains the Electric typing (this dual type shared with the Galvantula line). Though what bums me out is that you get Vikavolt way late into the game (4th Island, Poni because it’s evolution involves the magnetism gimmick like Magnezone and Probopass did). I was also expecting it to be fast, but damn its not! Still, I kept it in my team for the Elite 4! Though in Gen 8 onward, Charjabug evolves with a Thunder Stone!
018: Crabrawler, 019: Crabominable
When I first saw Crabrawler, I expected it to be like previous Crabs in having it be a Water type, but I was happily surprised that it just turned out to be pure Fighting. You can find them in Berry piles throughout Alola, but like Vikavolt, Crabominable is a late game gain because you can only obtain it by leveling it in the caves of Lanakila (Alola’s Victory Road). I have to say though Crabominable’s unique typing of Fighting/Ice is awesome (yet incredibly fragile) and its design is funny, yet cool!
020: Oricorio
Our next Pokemon brought something a little different to the table. Depending on where you find them they will be of different typing (and design) on each of the islands. On Melemele, you will find the Pom-Pom style (the yellow one) which is Electric/Flying and for an early catch, I think it’s a good start. Then you travel to Akala and you end up with the Baile style (the red one) and that’s Fire/Flying! Then there’s the Ula’ula variation with the Pa’u style (the Psychic/Flying pink one) and then the Poni variation with Sensu style (the Ghost/Flying blue one). All of them don’t stray too much in stats from one another and they have their unique move, Revelation Dance which caters to the different typings they can take.
Oricorio do return in Gen 9, but it’s mainly around the Pom Pom & Baile styles while the other two can be changed over with items.
021: Cutiefly, 022: Ribombee
Awwwww! I have to say that I really love the Ribombee line as being pixie-like bees! As the first Bug/Fairy types, the Ribombee line is only one in a couple Pokemon who are decently fast! Pollen Puff is what I think of because it’s its thing and signature move so it really is cute, fast, but not totally a powerful Pokemon.
023: Rockruff, 024: Lycanroc
Wow, I didn’t realize the Lycanroc line is found at the end of the first island. Anyways, as our pure Rock type, Rockruff is just SOOOO adorable and being based off a Spitz is just as cuuute! Though what makes it interesting is that depending on the game you have you can get a Midday Lycanroc or a Midnight Lycanroc. Though they aren’t version exclusives (you can find the opposite towards the end of the 4th island). The difference between the two is that the Midday form is faster and has more battle options, but Midnight form has more power. Though for me, I had a Midnight on my team for majority of the game (though got taken out when I caught Lunala).
HOWEVER, Ultra Sun/Moon introduced us to a 3rd form named, Dusk Form Lycanroc and it’s essentially a fusion of the previous two gaining both signature moves, but it’s orange and has green eyes (it was shown off initially in the anime as Ash’s Rockruff evolved into it. In USUM though, you get this form from a special gift Rockruff who can only evolve only in a space time of like one hour in the morning and evening.
As of Gen 9, Dusk Form is a little more available in Paldea, but you still have that limited time if you want to evolve it from the HA Rockruff.
025: Wishiwashi
The last Pokemon of the post, we have our Water type Wishiwashi and it’s a VERY strange addition to the metagame. So Wishiwashi is unique in that it doesn’t actually evolve, but its ability, Schooling has it change into this beast that even beats out Gyarados! Sadly there’s a catch, once its HP goes below half, it becomes the solo form and its stats are sheer embarassment, where its stats altogether are even worse than Sunkern (the previous holder of weakest Pokemon with total base stats). I could see the School form opening a battle with power and destruction, but once its HP goes and enters its Solo form, you might as well just put it away. It’s mostly a risk/reward kind of Pokemon basically!
NEXT TIME, GETTING MORE INTERESTING!~
Kurayami Monogatari 