#rowlet and arceus itself

[agentc0rn]

Happy 3rd year Pokemon Legends Arceus!

[tokiro07]

I want my stance to be clear:

I am not bothered by Tepig's inclusion in the ZA Starters

I'm bothered by the idea of the ZA Starters being "Gen 2 but Cyndaquil got replaced"

This is a "do not separate them" situation

Simultaneously, it is a question of "if you were going to separate one, why not separate all?"

Obviously because I'm a Totodile main, I would have replaced Chikorita with another Grass Starter, but I'd have no complaints if hypothetically Totodile had been replaced with any other Water Starter so long as every option was from a different generation

...Actually, thinking about it, with Tepig and Chikorita/Totodile, that means that the ZA Starters are from Gens 2 and 5

Legends Arceus' Starters were from Gens 2 (Cyndaquil), 5 (Oshawott) and 7 (Rowlet)

As much as it absolutely pains me to say it, Totodile should've been replaced with Popplio

It would have been weird having the exact Generational lineup twice, but at least it would have been consistent, and my OCD brain wouldn't be twisting itself in knots

[fawkes2357]

Into the Eye of the Storm

Three years ago, Morgan sealed the space-time rift above Hisui and saved the universe. Three years later, space-time distortions continue to plague the land - and Morgan's doing what she can to slow down the tide.

Fandom: Pokémon, Pokémon Legends: Arceus

Rating: Teen

Genre: Action, Fantasy

Word Count: Approx. 4,400 words

Author's Note: This is a one-shot which I wrote up about a month ago, but today I'm deciding to take that terrifying step forward and publish it.

This fanfic doesn't quite star Akari, but it does star my own interpretation of the Legends Arceus MC. Basically, she's an OC who went through the events of Legends Arceus in lieu of a blank-slate protagonist, acting on and reacting to them her own way. And this story takes place about three years after the Temple of Sinnoh's destruction, and about two years after the final postgame mission; essentially, she's doing "post-postgame" stuff.

You can read it on AO3, or you can read it below the cut. I hope you enjoy!

----

Thunder boomed.

Within a split second, the Heracross charged forward like a bullet. Its horn glowed bronze with the energy of a Fighting-type attack; its red eyes glowered with killing intent at the human in its way.

And within a split second, the human dodged. With a practiced motion, expending no more energy than she needed to expend, she side-stepped out of the path of her certain doom.

Fury gave way to surprise. The Heracross couldn't stop its charge, having devoted too much of its momentum towards this one attack. And thanks to the dark purple glow of the energy dome which caged the Heracross and its opponent, it couldn't notice the bog it was headed for until it was too late.

The bog arrested its movement with a lurch and a splash. The Heracross snarled, pushing against the marshy water in a bid to quickly turn around.

It was too distracted by the bog to notice the human's counterattack.

With another practiced motion, the human pulled a red stone-and-wood ball out of her pocket, throwing it at the back of the occupied Heracross. It opened with a pop just before it could make contact with the frenzied Pokémon. And with a glow of blue light, the ball summoned forth another Pokémon: a predator of the night, perfect for sneak attacks and back strikes.

A Rowlet.

Sent out at point-blank range, and flying a safe distance above the bog, it wasted no time. It crashed down with an axe kick at the back of the Heracross' head, and immediately followed up with an upward kick.

Caught completely unawares, the Heracross had no chance to brace itself for the one-two punch of Rowlet's Aerial Ace. It cried out, before stumbling forward in a daze, trying to look for its enemy and where they came from.

Frenzied and enraged thoughts filled its head. This super-effective blow would have knocked out any ordinary Heracross, but it wasn't an ordinary Heracross. It was an alpha Pokémon, twice the size of its kin, blessed with primordial power and wild might. It wasn't out of the fight just yet. Once it found its enemy, it would have its vengeance.

But its blind rage sealed its fate, as the human capitalized on her partner Pokémon's attack. She pulled out another ball from her satchel - this one black and painted with gold patterns - and threw it at the Heracross' back. The Heracross cried out again as the ball hit it and then opened up, forcing it to shrink, drawing it inside before closing shut.

The ball fell into the bog with a splash. It weakly jumped up into the air, before a miniscule firework flew out from a metal vent on its top.

The Rowlet looked back at the human and chirped. The human nodded as she pressed the metal latch on the red ball, upon which the Rowlet shrank into energy and returned to the contraption.

The human pocketed her Rowlet's ball, then adjusted her flat blue cap. She took a step forward towards the bog containing her new Heracross' ball, but stopped when she heard the sound of ball lightning.

Four bursts of purple lightning crackled around her. Four new Pokémon suddenly appeared within the energy dome: a Luxio, a Floatzel, a Snorlax, and a Flareon.

While none of their eyes glowed red like the Heracross' did, they each glared at the human with hostility. They encircled her within a ten-meter radius; instinctively, she knew that she had no choice but to fight them all at once.

The human knew that it would be unwise to rely only on her agility and tools against these adversaries; she would need her Pokémon's support to take them down. At the same time, she knew that her Pokémon couldn't shield her from all of these aggressors at once; she would have to remain vigilant and dodge any errant attacks that would come her way.

And, of course, she remained aware that the distortion could summon new Pokémon at a moment's notice.

Illuminated by the purple glow of the space-time distortion, the human reached into her pocket again. This time, she pulled out a blue ball, painted with a pair of red stripes.

The four hostile Pokémon glared, ready to attack at the first sign of provocation.

Morgan raised the Great Ball containing her Garchomp, ready to dodge and counterattack at the first sign of a Pokémon's move.

Above them, the hole in reality flared a hostile white.

Thunder boomed.

----

"I assume that you two should know why I summoned you here," Cyllene said, looking up at Morgan and Rei from behind her office desk.

"...Not exactly, ma'am," Rei responded from his position of attention. Both he and Cyllene were clad in the standard Galaxy Team Survey Corps uniform: a blue kimono, shortened so that their trouser-clad legs could move freely in the field. Rei had garnished his uniform with a red cap and scarf, in contrast to Cyllene wearing the same basic uniform as her grunts. "I'm not sure about Morgan's summons, but mine were left vague about what they were for."

Cyllene looked over at Morgan, who was also standing at attention. Morgan's clothing was different: she wore a thicker black shortened kimono and blue snow pants, complemented with a flat blue cap. Her long blonde hair flowed behind her; somehow, she never found it a problem despite how often she found herself in motion.

Three years ago, when Morgan was seventeen, she wore the same uniform as the rest of the Survey Corps. But after a desperate battle left both her and her uniform torn and bloodied, she instead elected to wear prototype protective equipment devised by the Supply Corps' R&D, and never changed back.

Cyllene and Kamado decided to allow it. Everyone in Hisui knew who Morgan was at this point - for better or for worse.

Blue eyes locked with blue eyes, as Morgan looked back at her captain.

"Do you know, Morgan?" Cyllene asked.

"If I were to make a guess, ma'am, it has something to do with the space-time distortions," Morgan said, a practiced sense of formality underlying her words. "In particular, the frequency of their appearances."

Cyllene nodded. "That is correct, Morgan. Three years ago, you forged the Red Chain of old, and Rei forged it anew." She looked over at Rei, before turning back to Morgan. "And with the twice-forged chain, you closed the space-time rift which threatened us all."

A desperate battle, Cyllene silently noted to herself, before continuing.

"And yet, the rift's effects linger. The space-time distortions it has left in its wake have not diminished over the past three years, but have instead increased in frequency. And the rift's lingering Noble Energy has beckoned aggressive Pokémon who desire to feast on it." She paused, looking over at Morgan and Rei, as if waiting for one of them to finish her sentence.

Morgan spoke up before Rei did, as if in reflex. "The massive mass outbreaks. Am I correct, ma'am?"

Cyllene nodded again. "These outbreaks contain a disproportionately high number of aggressive Pokémon, alpha or otherwise. They threaten our base camps, as well as the settlements of the Diamond and Pearl Clans. Furthermore, while Jubilife Village has yet to be afflicted by any such outbreak, we fear that the increase in aggressive Pokémon will only impede the village's developing human-Pokémon relations."

Her gaze settled on Morgan's neutral expression. Cyllene tried to conceal her small pang of emotion, but still frowned ever-so-slightly.

Then, everything she's been through in Hisui will all be for nothing.

"Permission to speak, ma'am?" Rei said, breaking the small silence.

"Granted," Cyllene quickly responded, turning back to him.

Rei nodded. "The professor's been busy. He's trying to make sure that his family in Galar is okay, since the revolution's still simmering down. The new government seems better than the king, but he wants to be 100% sure."

Morgan looked over at Rei, her expression still neutral.

"But - he left a theory in his notes," Rei continued. "Do you know about that, ma'am?"

Cyllene nodded. "I do. Professor Laventon's hypothesis is that wild Pokémon summoned via space-time distortions act as a vector for the specific energy that attracts massive mass outbreaks. Only a small percent of summoned Pokémon remain stranded in this era when a distortion vanishes, so this energy wasn't a problem when the distortions first appeared. But with the distortions appearing more frequently, this energy spreads more thoroughly across Hisui's biomes. This not only results in unnatural weather like heavy rain, but it also creates massive mass outbreaks."

Morgan's eyes ever-so-slightly widened, as if she realized what Cyllene wanted them to do.

Cyllene noticed this, but kept speaking. "That's why I've summoned you two. I want you to test this hypothesis of Professor Laventon's. You are to hunt for space-time distortions across Hisui, and try to minimize the number of wild Pokémon that escape them. Defeat them, catch them - do whatever you must, but try to reduce the number that can escape into Hisui's wilds. If you can reduce that number, then hopefully we can reduce the number of outbreaks.

"This is a dangerous mission," she continued. "It's classified because the lower-ranked members of the Survey Corps are not skilled enough to undertake it, and I won't let them unnecessarily risk their lives. On the contrary, you are two of the strongest Pokémon wielders in the Galaxy Team, so you should be able to fend for yourselves. Are my orders clear?"

"Yes, ma'am," Morgan and Rei responded in unison. Morgan nodded, confirming to Cyllene that she assumed correctly about the mission's nature.

Cyllene nodded. "I'm counting on you. Dismissed."

Morgan gave a salute, still maintaining her neutral professional expression, before turning around and leaving through the doors of Cyllene's office. Rei saluted as well, preparing to follow Morgan.

"Rei," Cyllene spoke up.

Rei stopped and turned around. "Yes, ma'am?"

"I doubt Morgan will allow you to directly assist her on this mission," Cyllene said. "She works most efficiently in the field without the assistance of other people, only with her Pokémon. But..."

Rei remained silent, his expression softening.

"But she should not have to bear our burdens all by herself, whether they be big or small. She's done enough of that for us. If you can gather ample data for this experiment, I'll promote your rank by a star."

Rei nodded, smiling somewhat somberly.

"You can count on me, ma'am."

----

Morgan was beginning to get tired.

Her first few attempts at corralling space-time Pokémon refugees were abject failures. After receiving her orders from Cyllene, she lay in wait in the Alabaster Icelands, talking with Irida, until her Arc Phone alerted her to a space-time distortion. Because the majority of distortion-summoned Pokémon would be sent back to whence they came, Morgan figured that she could just wait outside the distortion until it ended, and then catch the Pokémon that remained.

In theory, it sounded flawless. In practice, it just resulted in multiple Rapidash, Raichu, Scyther, and Glaceon fleeing into the tundra before Morgan even had the chance to approach them.

After two of these failures over the span of 12 hours, Morgan changed her plan. She would simply deal with the Pokémon in the space-time distortions the old-fashioned way: by drawing their ire and aggression. Either she would catch these aggressive Pokémon, using the stabilizing properties of Poké Balls to eliminate the hypothetical Noble Energy coursing through their bodies; or she would have her own Pokémon knock them out, upon which the distortion would send them back to where and when they came from.

Or they would maul her to death, which thankfully had yet to happen.

Morgan decided to try this out in the Crimson Mirelands, thanks to a Security Corps report that the area was apparently getting even more distortions than normal. And the scouts were right about that: the space-time distortion that Morgan was currently fighting her way through was the second one she entered within two hours.

Fighting through the first distortion was a simple enough endeavor. It was a non-stop gauntlet where she and her team had to ward off dozens of hostile Pokémon, but they outlasted it. After three and a half years in Hisui's frontier, they were used to distortions.

So she figured that the second distortion, appearing less than an hour later on the other side of the Crimson Mirelands, would be just as simple. At first, it was; she was able to subdue and catch several Pokémon, including an alpha Heracross, with only minimal help from the Pokémon in her party.

But despite her borderline supernatural dexterity and reflexes, Morgan was still human.

And humans get tired.

Even as the melee went on, she still accounted for all of the Pokémon and attacks she saw heading her way. The Snorlax fired a Hyper Beam from its mouth; she sent out her alpha Gallade to block the attack with his body, counting on his natural resilience against ranged attacks to let him weather it. With her Gallade occupying this enemy, Morgan caught her breath and fought off the ache of her muscles, devoting her attention towards two Floatzel with hostile intent.

One Floatzel prepared what looked like either a Water Pulse or a Hydro Pump in its mouth. Morgan wasted no time and threw two green Sticky Globs into its face, one after the other, dazing it and interrupting its attack. She then charged towards the Floatzel and threw a jet-black Gigaton Ball at close range, which drew it in. The ball closed shut, hopped once on the ground, and gave a small firework which indicated a successful catch.

The other Floatzel surged towards her with a near-supersonic Aqua Jet, but she deftly rolled out of the way, striking it in the back with another Gigaton Ball the instant it passed her. The ball drew in the surprised Floatzel, before closing shut and creating a firework as well.

Morgan exhaled, looking back at her Pokémon. Her Gallade knocked out the Snorlax with a one-two Drain Punch, causing the large Pokémon to vanish in a flash of purple ball lightning. Gallade let out a triumphant cry, before returning to his Great Ball in a flash of blue light, on standby to be called out again.

Off in the distance, her alpha Garchomp was much the same. She had already made short work of the Flareon and Luxio, and was now finishing off an alpha Luxray with an explosive Earth Power from beneath its feet. With a cry of defeat, the Luxray also vanished in a flash of lightning, returning to whence it came. Garchomp gave her own triumphant roar, before returning to her own Great Ball.

Because Morgan was starting to feel fatigued after hours of action, she was momentarily transfixed by her Pokémon's victories. As such, she didn't notice the Lopunny rocketing towards her with a High Jump Kick until it was too late.

She turned to face the Lopunny but was unable to dodge, so the kick impacted her in the abdomen, sending her flying. She tumbled across the ground, only stopping close to the space-time distortion's edge thanks to the peat in the ground slowing her down. She coughed, feeling the taste of blood in her mouth, before looking up in a daze.

The Lopunny wasn't alone. There were two of them, both slowly walking toward her, as if ready to finish her off.

And they were flanking a giant Porygon-Z, with the glowing red eyes indicative of a wild alpha.

Morgan grunted, gritting her teeth as she slowly and painfully pushed herself up.

The Porygon-Z stopped its erratic movement, a sign that it was preparing to attack. The energy of a Hyper Beam, far more luminous than that of the Snorlax, began to charge in its beak.

Morgan reached for one last Poké Ball in her pocket. With a yell, and without a moment's hesitation, she threw it.

The Porygon-Z fired, releasing the Hyper Beam, pouring all of its power into the attack. The beam's white-gold glow filled Morgan's vision, spelling her certain death.

But Morgan wasn't afraid.

The first thing she saw when her vision cleared was the Pokémon she managed to send out. Four-legged and over three meters tall, its white and gold form stood in front of its Trainer, using its body as a shield to protect her. Its body showed extremely faint scorch marks; it had taken the full-force Hyper Beam on Morgan's behalf, and had only shown superficial damage.

It was the Original One. The first deity known as almighty Sinnoh. The Alpha Pokémon.

Its name was Arceus.

And it was here to defend its chosen champion.

The two Lopunny stopped in their tracks, wary of this new enemy. The Porygon-Z could not move, still recovering from the recoil of using Hyper Beam. Morgan took advantage of this reprieve and finally pushed herself up to her feet. With her thumb, she wiped away a streak of blood dripping down the side of her mouth.

She then glared at the three hostile Normal-type Pokémon, vocalizing a command.

"Judgment."

A glowing rectangular bronze tablet appeared floating above Arceus' head, as it glowed white for a brief moment. When the tablet and glow vanished, Arceus looked different: all the gold parts of its body were now reddish-brown, its green sclerae now yellow.

Raising its front legs, it then summoned a glowing orb of bronze energy above its head. Barrages of bronze homing energy missiles began to shoot out of this orb, intent on striking down the three hostile Pokémon.

Three of the energy missiles quickly struck one Lopunny, one after the other. It keeled over, fainting as it vanished into purple lightning. The other Lopunny dodged the first salvo, but it could not outpace the follow-up missiles, getting knocked out and banished as well.

With the two Lopunny gone, Arceus focused the rest of its Judgment beams on the Porygon-Z. More and more salvos of Fighting-type energy struck the strange futuristic Pokémon, its disconnected body parts getting knocked around as if glitched, before the orb itself dissolved into one final barrage which left a large explosion in its wake.

Morgan, clutching her abdomen, remained alert. She had a feeling that because Arceus divided its Judgment barrage across multiple Pokémon, the Porygon-Z may have endured the attack. It was a wild alpha, after all.

And she was right. Three beams of fire, ice, and lightning shot out of the smoke as it cleared, impacting Arceus. It didn't flinch, even as a burn formed on its body where it took the beam of fire.

The Porygon-Z was still intent on battle, floating defiantly even as its erratic movements slowed down from the critical damage it endured.

Morgan frowned. Removing her hand from her abdomen, she reached into her satchel and pulled out an Ultra Ball, throwing it at the red-eyed Virtual Pokémon.

The ball hit the weakened alpha Pokémon, pulling it in. It bounced once and let out a firework.

Porygon-Z was caught, and thus neutralized as a threat.

Morgan grimaced as she recalled Arceus into its Poké Ball. It had sustained a burn from that last Tri Attack, but burns on a Pokémon quickly healed themselves outside of battle.

The Arceus which she carried in her party was not the real thing, but a mere fragment, an avatar of a god. The real, incorporeal Arceus bestowed this avatar upon Morgan as a blessing, after she had saved the universe and sought out all Pokémon in Hisui on its behalf.

The avatar was not like Dialga or Palkia: it could not warp space or time, at least not on Morgan's command. And though it could wreak plenty of destruction, it could not wield the true Arceus' power of creation. Essentially, Morgan's Arceus was a god that willingly reduced itself to a powerful yet mortal Pokémon.

And while it was powerful, its attacks weren't very efficient. Though it could battle defensively for a very long time, using its strongest attack with abandon would quickly exhaust it. Even now, Arceus could only use Judgment two or three more times before it would need to recuperate at the Galaxy Team's base camps. Morgan wondered if that was Arceus' way of weakening itself, keeping its corporeal form in check so that Morgan would not neglect her other party Pokémon.

Either way, this meant that Arceus was a last resort during expeditions, so Morgan used it sparingly. She figured that getting cornered by those Lopunny and Porygon-Z was a desperate enough situation, but she didn't want to get lazy or complacent. Not like she just did.

Fighting down the pain of her injuries, but racing with adrenaline, Morgan remained on guard for any other Pokémon that the space-time distortion would summon. But the crack in the sky instead gave a loud whoosh, and the purple dome whirled with strong winds. A few seconds later, the distortion faded away, and the sky returned to its natural dusk gold.

Morgan exhaled, still gritting her teeth in pain. No wild Pokémon were in the area, so she figured now was as good a time as any to dress her wound. She walked over to a nearby rock, sitting down on it. Her clothes were already covered with peat from her bad landing after the Lopunny's kick, but she still didn't want to get them any dirtier than she needed to.

She removed the satchel wrapped around the sash of her short black kimono, putting it on the rock next to her. She then removed the sash, allowing her top to open. Her modesty was preserved by a sarashi wrapped around her chest, but the abs she developed from over three years of Survey Corps work were now exposed.

She shuddered a bit from the sudden chill on her body. Bracing herself on the rock with her right hand, Morgan felt her abdomen with her left. After a moment of feeling around, she winced.

Morgan couldn't see her abdomen from her current position, but she was absolutely sure that it had a large bruise. Her Cascoon-silk kimono had done its job and softened the High Jump Kick enough that it most likely didn't break any of her bones, but it evidently didn't stop everything.

And where there was bruising, there was internal bleeding.

She thought of a morbid joke from someone she used to know. Internal bleeding ain't so bad, they laughed, 'cause my blood's supposed to be inside of me! Morgan almost chuckled at that memory, but stopped as she wondered if they were just downplaying the injury they suffered that day.

Besides, that person was in her past now.

Still supporting herself with her right hand, Morgan used her left to root through her satchel. After a few moments, she pulled out a glass jar filled with a petroleum jelly-like substance, its label reading "Super Potion." These topical balms worked miracles on wounds sustained by Pokémon, but they could still heal humans to a somewhat lesser degree. Morgan made liberal use of Potions on herself, to help offset the wounds that she would inevitably sustain while in the field.

Morgan opened the Potion jar, scooping out some of the ointment with her fingers, and then applied it onto where she felt the bruise. She winced again at a sudden surge of pain, but exhaled when she felt the balming, numbing effect of the Potion kick in. Even if she couldn't see the bruise, she could tell that it was beginning to fade. The ointment would take some time to fully take effect, but it would help her blood vessels repair themselves.

She sighed, looking around as she slowly closed her kimono. There were nine Poké Balls scattered across the peatland, each one containing a Pokémon she caught in the space-time distortion: an Eevee, a Quilava, an Umbreon, two Luxio, the alpha Heracross, the two Floatzel, and the alpha Porygon-Z. If Laventon were still on duty, he would say that he was proud of her.

As she put on her kimono's sash, followed by her satchel, she entertained the idea that maybe she could leave the Poké Balls there for now, and pick them up later. Maybe she could take a moment away from her mission. Maybe she could take a moment to relax.

That moment was interrupted by the buzz of the Arc Phone in her pocket. She looked at it, and frowned.

According to the Arc Phone's map, a third space-time distortion was beginning to form in the Crimson Mirelands, once again on the other side of the area.

If Irida was here, she would tell Morgan to stop and take a break. That she didn't have to throw herself into every single dangerous mission that the Galaxy Team gave her, while refusing the help of the rest of the Survey Corps, all just to prove some vague point to nobody.

Unfortunately for Irida, she wasn't here. And Morgan felt like proving a vague point, her fatigue and injuries be damned.

Morgan adjusted her hat, which managed to remain on her head throughout this entire ordeal, and then pushed herself up off the rock. She walked across the peatlands at a brisk pace, her stalwart posture and stride concealing the fact that she had just been injured, as she picked up each of the nine Poké Balls and put them in her satchel. She didn't plan on using them in battle, but she would still need to hold on to them until she could drop them off at Jubilife's pastures.

Once she put the Porygon-Z's Ultra Ball in her satchel, she looked up at the sky.

The sun was setting, and it was getting dark. But the night was still young.

Morgan pulled out the aptly-named Azure Flute from her satchel, and played two notes. In a flash of golden light, the Noble Braviary appeared before her, having answered the call of almighty Sinnoh's melody.

She lay prone on the hang-gliding apparatus that Braviary wore, and Braviary took to the skies.

"Let's go," Morgan told Braviary. "Into the eye of the storm."

And on her command, Braviary soared towards the thunder booming in the distance.

[ohthehypocrisy]

Hisuian Decidueye for Pokémon Unite!

Season 1

Season 2

Season 3

Prev: Iron Valiant - Primarina - Garganacl - Passimian - Incineroar - Cofagrigus - Glimmora - Galarian Stunfisk - Krookodile - Kricketune - Magearna - Turtonator - Farigiraf - Spinda - Darmanitan - Slaking

Here's an interesting bit of trivia about Decidueye. It is based on an extinct species of owl that was native to the Hawaii islands, hence its Ghost Typing. As such, when Pokemon Legends Arceus was revealed, savvy fans expected Rowlet to evolve into something different from regular Decidueye, since the game is set in the past, and the owl pokemon would not have 'gone extinct yet', so to speak.

And thus, the Hisuian form of Decidueye came to light, sporting a Fighting Typing as a testament to its athletic skills in combat and archery. Surely, such an interesting pokemon should have a fair shot in Pokemon Unite next to its Alolan cousin, right? Let's see if it can make the cut.

-

In addition to being a distant relative of the islander owl, Hisuian Decidueye shares many of its base stat patterns with Alolan Decidueye. They're almost too similar, though, and many of the tweaks and shifts in base stats are so minor they're almost negligible. Lower Speed for higher HP, slightly higher Defense in exchange for slightly lower Sp. Defense, and a slightly reduced proficiency in Sp. Attack in exchange for Attack. I'll be honest, I'm not sure where they were going with this spread. But since Hisuian Decidueye is a Fighting Type, that makes it a pokemon well suited to fast paced fights, as well as long range attacks and enough bulk to shrug off a hit or two. On that note, I designate Hisuian Decidueye with the role of an...

All-Rounder

-

Basic Attack - Melee/Attack

Becomes a boosted attack after two hits. The boosted basic attack has the user dash forward and swipe with its sharp wing, slinging sharp leaves outward to deal damage in a small area.

The basic attack has Rowlet and Dartrix attack with their beaks and talons. Hisuian Decidueye attacks with only its talons.

The boosted basic attack has the pokemon dash forward and use their wings like a sword, swinging in a wide arc forward. The attack sends a small volley of sharp leaves or leaf quills outward in a conical area, with each leaf adding an extra bit of damage to opposing pokemon caught in the attack.

Naturally, since there is already a Decidueye on the roster in Pokemon Unite, Hisuian Decidueye must make itself different and unique in order to stand out. The easiest way to do that is to do things that regular Decidueye cannot do, and that would be to engage in close combat.

It's still a sharpshooter, though, so the basic attack has an extra bonus attack tacked on to it. When boosted, Hisuian Decidueye will charge in and deliver a swipe with its wing, letting fly loose leaves and quills from its feathers. This covers a surprising amount of space and is great for charging into a horde of enemies.

However, there is a limit to the number of sharp leaves and quills that can be launched out, and that limit is your HP. More specifically, your HP as it ties to your Ability.

-

Ability: Overgrow

The lower the user's HP, the more sharp leaves and quills the user unleashes during its attacks.

All of your attacks and moves summon sharp leaves and quills, the amount of which can be increased by the Overgrow Ability. This includes your Unite Move.

An extra leaf quill projectile is launched for each 10% of your max HP missing.

Again, in order to differentiate from Decidueye, it was decided for Hisuian Decidueye to have a different ability. Thankfully, not only does it suit the pokemon, but it helps the bird excel in what it is meant to do.

As stated, all of your moves and attacks launch extra projectiles when used. They might be sharp leaves if you're playing as Rowlet or Dartrix, but they're leaf quills when you fully evolve into Hisuian Decidueye, and I'll be referring to them exclusively as such.

The leaf quills vary in area of damage and how many are shot out, but the amount is influenced by your HP. The lower it gets, the more leaf quills are shot out. At low HP, those caught in your attacks will be suddenly overwhelmed by the sheer number of leaf quill projectiles, magnifying the potential damage. It makes Hisuian Decidueye dangerous to fight up close, but it's only as powerful as its moves allow.

Speaking of which, let's start going over the moves now, shall we?

-

At the beginning of the game, Hisuian Decidueye will start out as Rowlet. You can choose between Aerial Ace and Razor Leaf as your first move. By Level 3, you'll have learned both.

-

Move 1: Aerial Ace (Dash)

The user dashes forward with its wings stretched out. If the user hits an enemy, the user will jump back and deliver a second swipe with its wings, dealing damage in a wide area. 8s cooldown.

When the pokemon dashes back, it covers half the distance of the initial dash forward. The leaf quills are shot out in a conical pattern on the rebound.

The name of the move Aerial Ace is based on a real life sword technique called the Swallowtail Cut. It is where you slash with the sword, then, in one quick motion, reverse the blade and swing backwards to cut the opponent that dodged your attack. The sheer weight of the sword makes this an incredibly difficult technique to pull off, but it is often the killing blow for dispatching the enemy caught unaware. Also, that is why the attack is a Flying Type attack, since it is named after a bird.

And bird you are. It is sort of odd to see a Rowlet get very physical, especially since the Alolan version prefers to stick to long range. On that note, Rowlet still shares the same fragile stats as its distant cousin, so this attack is treated more like a hit-and-run tactic.

It covers a bit of range, though, both the Dash attack and the sharp leaves that are shot out. It helps in both starting a fight or catching an enemy on the retreat, and can also be used for retreating as well, even though your jump back is at a reduced distance. Against melee attackers, this is serviceable, but ranged attackers will have too much space to work with.

Good thing you have another Dash move to close the gap.

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Move 2: Razor Leaf (Dash)

The user dashes forward, cutting down enemies with sharp leaves from its wings. If the user uses a boosted basic attack shortly after attacking, this move can be used again. This attack has a high chance to deal critical hits. 7.5s cooldown.

You have 1.5 seconds to use a boosted basic attack shortly after using Razor Leaf to reset the move. This effect will not repeat the second time and will go on cooldown afterwards.

The Critical Hit Rate of each hit of Razor Leaf is 12.5%.

As adorable as Rowlet is, do not forget that it is an owl, one of the more efficient birds of prey in the real world. They move quickly and silently, and always seek to get their kills in one hit.

But Rowlet is still just a baby, so it doesn't quite have that killer instinct quite yet. It does have the capacity for brutal damage, though, and that is where its Razor Leaf attack comes into play. As Rowlet charges forward, it lets loose sharp leaves from its wings that cover the area. It's functionally identical to Aerial Ace without the rebound jump, which makes it useful as an extension to your combo.

I say combo specifically because of how the move interacts with your boosted basic attack. If you use it shortly after using Razor Leaf, you get to use Razor Leaf one more time to attack again. Keep in mind that the move has a high critical hit rate, and that affects each individual sharp leaf let loose during the attack. The odds are low, but never low enough that it won't happen, especially if you can repeat the effect. Sadly, you only get one loop of Razor Leaf in this way, but Rowlet needs it, since it is just as frail as its islander cousin.

It does make you much better equipped at getting KO's. And the easier it is for you to KO the enemy, the easier it will be to Level up.

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At Level 5, Rowlet will evolve into Dartrix.

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At Level 7, Dartrix will evolve into Hisuian Decidueye. At the same time, Aerial Ace becomes either Triple Arrows or Reversal.

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Move 1a: Triple Arrows (Dash/Sure-Hit)

The user jumps forward and delivers a flying heel strike. If the user hits an enemy, it will jump backwards and load three arrow quills into its wing bow. The arrows will be fired shortly afterwards, locking onto the enemy and damaging them and any opposing pokemon caught in the attack. The attack button can be held to charge and increase the damage dealt by these arrows. 9s cooldown.

At Level 12, Triple Arrows becomes Triple Arrows+.

The jump distance of the attack on advance and on retreat is lengthened. In addition, the arrow attack can be charged for a little longer for even more damage.

Triple Arrows sends Hisuian Decidueye forward with a jumping heel strike. On hit with an enemy, Hisuian Decidueye will jump backwards and load arrows into its wing bow. The arrows are then fired, flying in a conical formation but then quickly hone in on the enemy damaged by the initial attack. The move deals damage to all opposing pokemon caught in the attack.

While airborne, the move button can be held to charge the attack for up to 1.5 seconds. The charge time increases the damage dealt by the flying arrows and lets Hisuian Decidueye linger in the air for a bit. Triple Arrows+ extends the potential charge time to 2 seconds and appropriately further increases the damage that can be dealt.

Extra leaf quills are launched out in a conical area from Hisuian Decidueye, and these projectiles will not hone in on the target. The amount of leaf quills shot out is determined by the power of Overgrow.

Triple Arrows+ sends Hisuian Decidueye flying further when it attacks and when it jumps back into the air.

While Rowlet and Dartrix both evolve at the same Level as their Alolan contemporary, their stats are slightly tweaked due to the specialized training they've undergone to fulfill the All-Rounder role. It's called 'EV Training', and I would advise against looking into it as pokemon is just a game. None of that 'VGC' stuff is important here.

What is important, however, is how to use and master Triple Arrows, the signature move of Hisuian Decidueye. The attack sends you rushing forward with a flying heel kick, same as it goes in Pokemon Legends Arceus. All the same, Hisuian Decidueye then flies back and nocks three arrows into its wing bow and then fires at the target.

Triple Arrows is a 'hit confirm' attack, where if the flying heel kick misses or fails to deal damage to a viable enemy target, the pokemon will stay in the spot they land in and the move will go on cooldown. It works well enough as a Dash move outside of combat, especially if you're in a hurry and got somewhere to be, but the high cooldown makes it inconvenient to use for anything other than combat.

When it does land its mark, the move is a powerful asset in a fight. First, whoever the flying kick hits becomes the target of the rest of the attack, and anyone caught in between will be damaged by the arrows when they fly out. The arrows, also, hone in on the target, no matter where they go, so the farther they retreat, the more distance this attack covers, barring extreme cases. This move is most damaging when targeting slippery enemies like Speedsters and mobile Defenders like Blastoise and Greedent, who don't know how to stay still.

Sometimes, though, the enemy will prefer to stay close. If they have the bulk to survive the attack, they will not needlessly endanger their allies. Of course, in a team fight, you are not the only one dealing high damage, as the enemy will have to contend with your allies threatening to KO the opposing team. Again, the move is most effective with distance, so an ally Defender like Snorlax can force the target back with Block.

Also, staying close to Hisuian Decidueye is not the safest spot either, as extra leaf quills are shot out in a conical pattern when the arrows fly loose. Only the three big ones have homing capabilities, though, but the area the attack covers is more than enough to ward off aggressors.

It is a bit on the weak side, but that's a compromise for ease of use and safety. The alternative is a bit more risky, though.

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Move 1b: Reversal (Dash/Ranged)

The user charges forward with its talons held out. On hit with an enemy, the user jumps away and can start launching arrow quills repeatedly, aiming in the designated direction. The attack button can be pressed repeatedly to fire multiple arrows until the move ends, damaging multiple enemies. This stalls the user's descent, allowing it extra time to attack. 8.5s cooldown.

At Level 12, Reversal becomes Reversal+.

Makes it easier to fire more arrows during the attack.

Just like with Triple Arrows, Reversal has Hisuian Decidueye flying forward and dealing damage on hit before jumping back in order to load arrows into wing bow and then firing.

However, unlike Triple Arrows, the followup attack is aimed and used at the player's discretion. Using the attack button repeatedly has Hisuian Decidueye launch arrow after arrow in the designated direction, which can also be aimed. The more arrows fired, the longer Hisuian Decidueye can linger in the air.

Extra leaf quills are launched with each arrow fired in a very tight angle. It is hard to tell how many arrows are being shot at once until the arrows land on the ground.

Reversal+ shortens the draw time of each arrow being nocked, making it easy to fire more arrows during the attack.

Most of the time, when a pokemon uses an attack, you have to suspend your disbelief and just enjoy the fantastical side of the games. I mean, with all those leaf quills Decidueye fires out, you'd wonder if it will eventually run out of feathers and end the battle looking like a plucked chicken.

Funny as that would be, we should be grateful that there isn't an ammo system in this game and nock arrow after arrow at our leisure. Hisuian Decidueye is definitely grateful, since it needs all the projectiles it can get to use Reversal. The move sends Hisuian Decidueye flying forward, just like with Triple Arrows. However, when the hit connects, instead of launching three arrows, you'll launch as many arrows as your fingers can muster.

Now, the move Reversal is exclusive to the TM Shop in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. While I could have come up with something more thematic, it's not exactly clear what kind of attack Reversal is supposed to be, so I've taken to creative liberties in designing this move. The attack also best describes the function of the move, so it's fitting, in a sense. Seems like you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Anyway, once you hit an enemy with Reversal, Hisuian Decidueye performs a similar song and dance to Triple Arrows, where it jumps back and nocks arrows to attack with. However, as stated, the number of arrows you can shoot will be determined by your ability to mash the attack button. You'll only have enough hang time to fire 8 or so arrows, and that's with diligent mashing, but you can aim each shot until you are forced to touch down.

The single arrow of each shot doesn't scale all that high with your Attack stat, but that's where the Overgrow Ability comes into play. In addition to the one arrow you fire, Hisuian Decidueye will shoot out a lot more arrows in secret. They come out in a tight conical area in the direction you are facing, dealing damage along with the arrow you fire. The lower your HP, the more arrows you fire, as per your Overgrow Ability. Letting loose this many projectiles in such a small space will amplify the damage you can deal, but the risk comes at fighting while at low HP, hence the move Reversal being chosen for this moveset.

This works very well with Hisuian Decidueye's ability to handle fights at close range, since it can dash about with its boosted basic attack and Razor Leaf. Speaking of which, comboing Razor Leaf with your boosted basic attack helps you cover a lot of distance in a team fight, slinging damaging leaf projectiles in every which way. You'll most definitely get beaten up and brought low, but Hisuian Decidueye is built for this kind of stuff.

Although, you're gonna need something sharper than Razor Leaf to cut it here.

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At Level 8, Razor Leaf becomes either Leaf Blade or Brave Bird.

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Move 2a: Leaf Blade (Dash)

The user rushes forward, cutting everything down around it with its sharp leaf wings. This move has a high critical hit rate. If the user uses a boosted basic attack shortly after using Leaf Blade, the cooldown of the move is reset. The user's basic attack will become boosted again if the user damages a different enemy. 9s cooldown.

At Level 13, Leaf Blade becomes Leaf Blade+.

Expands the range of the sharp leaf quills that are shot out from this attack.

Leaf Blade sends Hisuian Decidueye dashing forward while cutting in a circular shape all around itself. At the same time, a set amount of leaf quills are shot out from the pokemon during the attack. Additional leaf quills are shot as per the Overgrow Ability.

Leaf Blade+ extends the distance these leaf quills are shot out by 15%.

You have 2 seconds to use a boosted basic attack to refresh the use of Leaf Blade. If successful, your basic attack will become boosted again if you damage an enemy that was a different pokemon from the previous attack. This recursive loop can persist as long as you target a new enemy each time, similar to Lucario's Extreme Speed move in function.

The Critical Hit Rate of Leaf Blade is 15%. This applies to each leaf quill shot out as well.

I'm certain it was on purpose, but I really dig how Hisuian Decidueye looks more like a swordsman from old Japan, what with that leaf hat taking on a particular shape, almost like a kasa.

And just like a swordsman, Hisuian Decidueye is not only well versed in archery but also swordsmanship. It truly is a well rounded pokemon, a perfect fit for the All-Rounder archetype.

Leaf Blade has Hisuian Decidueye attack all around itself as it dashes towards the designated area. At the same time it does this, loads of leaf quills are shot out all around itself, covering a large area. The move has a Critical Hit Rate of 15%, meaning not only will the dash attack potentially deal a lot of damage, but so will each leaf quill shot out from the pokemon's sleeves. And that's a lot of projectiles, especially if Leaf Blade is used at low HP, as per its Overgrow Ability.

However, just like Razor Leaf, Leaf Blade has some bonus synchronization effects with your basic attack, amped up. If you're familiar with how Lucario's Extreme Speed works, the concept is similar. Basically, you can use Leaf Blade again if you use your boosted basic attack, and your basic attack will become boosted again if you hit a different target. The combo of Leaf Blade and your boosted attack can loop so long as you have fresh targets in the area.

All the while, each use of Leaf Blade will continue to sling barrage after barrage of leaf quills, each one with a heightened critical hit rate. If you're adept enough to use this move proficiently during a fight, the number of leaf quills shot out will increase as you take damage from the enemy, exponentially boosting your damage output.

Just be sure that you don't miss. This move is easy to use repeatedly if used effectively, but if you miss, you'll have to deal with the high cooldown and find some way to get out of the mess you got yourself in. I can't imagine a Hisuian Decidueye lasting long in a horde of enemies tired of its arrow slinging antics.

Don't shy away from fights. You should be brave, like a bird. A brave bird.

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Move 2b: Brave Bird (Dash)

The user charges forward in a veil of sky energy, rushing through opposing pokemon. Each time an enemy is damaged, Brave Bird extends in duration and distance. The user loses a bit of HP for each target hit, whereas the user restores HP for each opposing pokemon KO'd by this attack. 8s cooldown.

At Level 13, Brave Bird becomes Brave Bird+.

Deals increased damage.

Brave Bird sends you charging forward with your wings stretched out. The leaf quills of this attack are shot out backwards in a fan shape pattern.

When an opposing pokemon is damaged from this attack, Brave Bird extends in distance and duration slightly.

The pokemon loses 6.25% of its max HP in piercing damage for each opposing pokemon you hit. However, you restore 7% of your HP for each opposing pokemon you KO, 9%, if that pokemon was on the enemy team.

Brave Bird+ increases the damage dealt by 30%.

Bravery isn't the absence of cowardice. It is the ability to act in spite of cowardice. For most birds, colliding with something head on is a death sentence, so doing so deliberately can be called either bravery or stupidity. We're gonna give these pokemon the benefit of the doubt and call it bravery, even if you were to charge recklessly into fights with this move without a plan in mind.

For Hisuian Decidueye, it isn't just colliding with an enemy with Brave Bird, it is running through them. Of course, this is a video game, so it's not to be taken literally, but the metaphor is an apt description of how Brave Bird interacts with opposing pokemon. Brave Bird sends you charging forward recklessly and, when you hit an enemy, you lose a bit of HP from the exchange, just like in the games.

However, this loss of HP is a tradeoff as the attack powers on from the impact. Hitting an enemy causes the attack to persist afterwards, extending its dash distance and duration. Basically, Brave Bird goes the extra mile on hit with an enemy, which not only helps in starting fights, but also leaving them.

And each confirmed hit continues to extend the dash distance and duration of Brave Bird, kind of like how Mimikyu's Shadow Sneak extends in distance if it is targeted through walls and tall grass. Of course, each hit cuts into your HP, so maybe you should manage that a bit carefully.

Or don't. Losing HP means more leaf quills you launch during your attacks, including Brave Bird. Granted, the quills come out behind you at the start of the move, but for attacks like Triple Arrows and Reversal, it's like a minor buff to your damage output.

The combo can also work in reverse, as Brave Bird can heal you instead if you KO an enemy with it. The amount of HP healed varies depending on if the target was a Wild Pokemon or not, but it is an option to go for when you and the enemy are at low HP.

It's easy to be brave when you can end fights as easily as you start them. Having an easy escape option also helps. Speaking of easy escape options...

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Unite Move: Bow Out (Area)

The user lets loose a flurry of autumn leaves and sharp leaf feathers that cover the pokemon's escape. The user then reappears in the designated area before unleashing multiple arrow quills in a large area at the spot where it disappeared from. Opposing pokemon damaged by the feather foliage will take increased damage from the attack. 120s cooldown

Target an area. That area will be where Hisuian Decidueye appears at the end of the attack. When the area is chosen, the pokemon jumps into the air before revealing a pile of autumn leaves from its cloak, it then jumps into the pile and disappears. Opposing pokemon hit by the flurry of leaves will be marked with an orange leaf icon, but receive no damage. The user is Invincible during this sequence until it reappears in the designated area.

If you target an area that is mostly blocked off by obstacles or borders, Hisuian Decidueye will appear close to the original area of effect it jumped away from.

The flurry of leaf quills cover a massive area centered on the original spot the pokemon jumped from. A base number of leaf quills is shot and the amount can be increased by the Overgrow Ability.

Opposing pokemon marked by the initial attack will receive 75% more damage from the arrows.

To solidify the difference in playstyle between Alolan Decidueye and Hisuian Decidueye, we have to achieve the same thing Decidueye's Unite Move, Nock Nock, does but in a different way. Alolan Decidueye shoots volley after volley of arrows in the designated direction, capable of dealing gradual damage to targets if they linger for too long in the path of attack.

Hisuian Decidueye decidedly deploys its entire depot of darts in a designated destination.

As an All-Rounder, Hisuian Decidueye is a mix between a Speedster and an Attacker, with some extra bulk to glue it all together. As such, it needs crafty tricks to help it out of sticky situations a Speedster might find itself in. Using a Unite Move for such an occasion is an expensive option, to be sure, but this is another case of how the Overgrow Ability amplifies the entire moveset for the pokemon in Unite.

First, Hisuian Decidueye opens up its cloak and drops a pile of orange and brown leaves onto the ground. It then does what we've all wanted to do and dive into it and disappear, with onlookers none the wiser as to where you've gone. Hisuian Decidueye then reappears in the spot you've selected to appear in, with a slew of arrows already nocked on its bow, then launches them towards the pile of leaves, covering the entire area in arrows.

It's quick, it's flashy, and it's powerful, provided you hit the enemy with the swirl of leaves on your way out. Bow Out marks enemies hit by the flash of leaves with an orange leaf icon, the kind of shape and color that makes you think of autumn. If a marked enemy gets hit by the flurry of arrows from the followup attack, they will see drastically increased damage. A marked enemy will not only want to run away, but they have to choose carefully about where to go, since you could reappear anywhere during the attack.

A healthy All-Rounder or Defender may feel bold enough to tank the followup attack, so this move is best used during the middle of a fight, when you have pelted the enemy with loads of arrows and lowered their HP significantly. Granted, this means that you might have a move on cooldown, but securing the KO is often more important.

Just watch out for enemies with faster reaction times. There is a brief moment in between the leaf attack and the surprise arrow barrage where an opposing pokemon can briefly disappear or dodge the move, like with Talonflame's Fly or Zoroark's Unite Move, Nightfall Daze, or cancel your surprise attack altogether with Slowbro's Unite Move, Slow Beam. You are invincible during the disappearing act, yes, but not when you reappear, so watch out for that.

Remember, Alolan Decidueye is the Ghost Type, don't try to act like one yourself.

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Achievements

Deal a total of 15,00 damage in a single match with your Overgrow Ability.

Because of the way the Overgrow Ability augments every single one of your attacks, this is one of the easier Achievements to earn. However, it's not that simple, since the leaf quills scale very low to your Attack and you would need to be fighting at half or low HP to get any meaningful damage from the Ability.

For starters, you don't shoot out any extra leaf quills at max HP, since the Ability adds a projectile for each 10% of your max HP missing. Another thing to consider is the cooldown of your moves, as not a single one is shorter than 8 seconds, barring Razor Leaf, which is a starting move. Speaking of which...

Both Razor Leaf and Leaf Blade have the ability to be used repeatedly with clever combat skills, but it is a Dash move that forces you to engage in fights very closely. Brave Bird, on the other hand, deals great damage at the cost of HP, which ends up powering Overgrow when you resort to your other move, your basic attacks, and your Unite Move.

Regardless, as an All-Rounder, you need to be involved in fights, especially in fights you can win. Losing HP is what makes you stronger, just as the Overgrow Ability does in the games, which makes you much more threatening against slower enemies who have trouble dashing away from danger. Spreading damage in this way makes it harder for the enemy to maintain their position, even if it's not a lot of damage.

To earn this Achievement, you must be constantly engaged in fights, as the extra damage from Overgrow is worth every bit of HP you lose in each conflict. Of course, it's risky to be brought so low, but it's also when you are at your strongest, as the slew of arrows you shoot out cover a wide area and can deal so much damage when aimed just right.

It's also quite the tall order to deal so much damage with just your Ability. For example, if you end a battle with 75,000 damage, you will earn this Achievement if your Overgrow Ability was responsible for a fifth of that. Even getting to that number without Overgrow requires everything to go right, even for other All-Rounders, which is why this Achievement insists that you constantly engage in fights at half or low HP.

Some trainers seek glory, but Hisuian Decidueye seeks honor. If you share that desire, you will bestow honor unto the pokemon and also yourself.

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Holowear

Most pokemon are analogous to animals, and as such, they are not always well suited for clothing, even the holographic ones we make here. However, Hisuian Decidueye is a lot more humanoid than you would expect an owl to be, as it's not only wearing a hat, but a cowl as well, all part of its look. I bring this up because there is enough space on its body to put pants on this pokemon, fashionable pants even, and that is an opportunity we must take.

First up, Armored Style Holowear gives Hisuian Decidueye the layered armor of a samurai, giving it spaulders, a cuirass, greaves, tassets, and a waist sash. Western Style Holowear flips the style from East to West and gives it jeans and chaps, a sheriff's star pinned to its chest, and an ascot hanging around its neck. With Hunter Style Holowear, Hisuian Decidueye wears a fur cowl over its shoulders, has a quiver with toy arrows strapped to its back, and brown short pants with satchels tied to its waist. Wanderer Style Holowear gives it a large, flowing cloak tied to its shoulders, somewhat raggedy pants, and a utility belt with pouches and stuff. Lastly, Dark Hero Style Holowear gives Hisuian Decidueye a specialized face mask that covers its beak, a flowing cape, cool bell bottom pants, and a belt with a pokeball belt buckle design.

Pants on pokemon are such a rare sight as most of them are designed with stubby legs, you ever notice that?

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Strategy

The number one important distinction between Alolan Decidueye and Hisuian Decidueye is the playstyle, along with, well, everything else. Alolan Decidueye is a long range fighter, preferring to stay out of reach while dealing damage from afar, and can use Leaf Storm or Shadow Sneak to maintain that safe distance.

Hisuian Decidueye, meanwhile, gets most of its value from engaging in close combat with the opposing team, thanks mostly in part to its Overgrow Ability. As all of its moves launch extra leaf quill projectiles depending on the amount of HP it is missing, Hisuian Decidueye gets stronger the less HP it has. This makes it well suited to fights against multiple opposing pokemon. It can even stomach some Burst Damage and retaliate with a whole barrage of leaf quills from all of its attacks.

As such, Hisuian Decidueye can get a lot of value out of certain held items. Weakness Policy is an obvious pick, but so is Rocky Helmet and Focus Band. Also, each leaf quill scales very low with your Attack stat, but the sheer amount you can unleash at low HP means that any buff to your Attack stat will magnify the damage dealt by Overgrow. As such, Attack Weight is also a decent choice, along with Choice Scarf and Muscle Band.

Anyway, Hisuian Decidueye really likes getting up close and personal, as is evident by its different basic attack. Its boosted basic attack is a dash attack, just like other pokemon, but the attack covers a deceptively wide range thanks to all the leaf quills it shoots out. Like I mentioned before, Hisuian Decidueye excels in combat against multiple opposing pokemon, so its boosted attack not only is difficult to evade, but can deal unexpectedly high damage if Overgrow is powered up.

One thing I have to bring up is how all of your attacks sling leaf quills when they come out, but each attack has a base number of leaf quills that are used. By that I mean, every attack shoots out a small number of leaf quills without the extra ammunition unleashed by Overgrow. This is so that, even at full HP, Hisuian Decidueye can cover a large area with its attacks. It's not a lot of damage, potentially, but it makes the start of fights easier and less dependent on your overall HP amount.

Another thing I have to point out is that, while Alolan Decidueye and Hisuian Decidueye have slightly different stats, Hisuian Decidueye is tougher, can take more hits and is a lot faster too. That doesn't make it a bulky All-Rounder like Buzzwole. It's got average defenses like Lucario, which make it seem way bulkier than Alolan Decidueye in comparison. It's better to think of it as an All-Rounder trained to deal damage like an Attacker with the speed of a Speedster, leaving its defensive potential untouched for the most part.

Now, since Hisuian Decidueye likes to engage in fights with multiple opposing pokemon, the most effective moves it can use depend on the composition of the opposing team. If there are Supporters on the opposing team, you can expect each engagement to consist of about 2 or 3 enemies, which makes Triple Arrows the optimal choice in these fights. Likewise, Leaf Blade is also a great option, as the combo of Leaf Blade and your boosted basic attack can easily tear the enemy team to shreds if you hit your marks.

Alternatively, if the Supporters are really good at healing, Brave Bird might be the better attack to lead with. Healer Supporters are typically not very strong, but they can make their teammates difficult to KO thanks to their powerful healing moves. This is what Brave Bird is designed for, as a dead-on hit with Brave Bird reduces your HP, dealing more damage to yourself than the enemy Supporter can deal, which in turn powers up Overgrow. This, in turn, improves your damage output considerably, helping you deal more damage than the enemy can heal, finishing the fight with a KO streak.

Against Defenders and bulky All-Rounders, Brave Bird is also a good option to use to escape rather than to engage with, as Hisuian Decidueye has long cooldown on its moves, which can also be stifled with Hindrances. Defenders and All-Rounders are notorious abusers of Hindrances that can incapacitate their enemies, so Brave Bird is a handy option to disengage from the fight. Disengage, not retreat, as Hisuian Decidueye still has to win the fight. It's just much more lucrative to avoid the Hindrance attacks than it is to charge at them head-on. Step out of reach with Brave Bird, then step back into the fight while these disruptive attacks are on cooldown, dealing damage while you have the advantage.

Speaking of stepping out of reach, both Triple Arrows and Reversal showcase some fancy footwork and archery skills, using momentum to attack, jump away, then launch multiple projectiles. The difference between the two attacks is a bit more nuanced than that, as both have different utilities to take advantage of.

For one, Triple Arrows locks on to the enemy hit by the flying kick, launching multiple arrows at them regardless of where they go during the charge. Any enemy caught in between will be collateral, but that's the optimal outcome, as you want this move to cover as much distance as possible. Triple Arrows is best used against flighty Attackers and Speedsters, as they expand the range of the attack as they move away from you and your teammates during a team fight. Landing the initial hit is the hard part, but if you get the lock-on effect successfully, you can hold the charge of the attack, letting the enemy create more distance, before you released the nocked arrows.

Admittedly, this is very matchup dependent, as certain team compositions get stronger or weaker, and certain archetypes get better or worse with time. That's why you can't go wrong with Reversal, which does something similar to Triple Arrows, but doesn't require hitting specific targets to be effective. With a similar song and dance, Reversal jumps and attacks and sends Hisuian Decidueye flying backwards from the point of impact. But instead of nocking three arrows, it nocks one arrow, repeatedly, one after the other, at your discretion. You can mash out the arrows and Hisuian Decidueye will try to keep up, shooting arrow after arrow in whichever direction you're aiming at.

All of your attacks launch extra leaf quills when used, and Reversal is no exception. It's just really hard to see how many extra projectiles are being shot out with Reversal because of how compact the area of damage is. It's not hard to guess, though, as Overgrow damage scales up the less HP you have, but it does require you to be more accurate. To be specific, Hisuian Decidueye is airborne as it is launching arrows, during which time you have to aim your attack as you're launching volley after volley of arrows. It's technically your longest reaching attack, but it can only be used when connecting the initial hit of Reversal.

Ahh, but that's the irony of it all, isn't it? In Pokemon Unite, most All-Rounders have issues fighting at long range. Hisuian Decidueye is also condemned to the same burden of lacking in range, despite being proficient in archery. It's the cost of multitasking, or multi-classing for you geeks, in that, in order to patch up its flimsy bulk, Hisuian Decidueye sacrificed its long range potential. It plays a bit more like a warrior than an archer, but with some quick draw boons in its skill set.

That is made abundantly clear with its Unite Move, Bow Out, where it pulls off some secret ninjustu technique, disappears into a pile of leaves, then reappears with its bow already nocked and loaded before spraying a hail of arrows at its enemies. Like with all attacks, the amount of arrows you can fire can be increased with its Overgrow Ability, and since the Unite Move is structured like an escape move, it can be used to get out of a really bad situation, especially thanks to the Invincibility you have until you reappear.

When the Unite Move is used, you select the area where you are to reappear. Hisuian Decidueye will then scatter the leaves all around itself, disappear into a pile of leaves, and then reappear at the chosen area. You are Invincible throughout this entire event up until you pop back up to attack, so don't be afraid to be daring. Let your HP whittle down before pulling off this disappearing act, as the hail of arrows becomes more damaging thanks to Overgrow responding to your HP decreasing. But if you move predictably, you will be surrounded by the enemy by the time your quiver is empty. Naturally, the enemy will want to evacuate the immediate area when you start the attack, but the bulkier enemies will want to ambush you at your escape path, so try not to make your showstopper predictable.

I've already mentioned before that Hisuian Decidueye, as an All-Rounder, has issues with fighting at range, which is why it is so adept at fighting in close proximity to the enemy. That said, it is just as susceptible to Hindrances as any other pokemon, especially since it doesn't have a way to muscle past them like other All-Rounders can, like Falinks or Urshifu. And because of the high cooldown of its moves, it cannot really afford to be stifled by these Hindrances midfight, so it is best to play patiently.

Bait the enemy into throwing their attacks out, then move in when they've exhausted their offensive and defensive options. Once you're in range, move swiftly, deftly, with the intent to make it quick and painless. Different opponents require different approaches, different plans of attack. As an All-Rounder, Hisuian Decidueye is well equipped to handle all kinds of situations, but it does not excel in all of them, especially in extreme cases. Identify the correct path to victory, and walk with honor.

A true warrior changes his fighting style with the enemy, like the earth when seasons come and go.

-

And that's Hisuian Decidueye for Pokemon Unite! I, for one, am hoping that if a Hisuian pokemon joins the roster, it would be Hisuian Decidueye. It'd be kind of funny to have two slightly different pokemon on the same roster, kind of like what they did with Pokken Tournament, giving us two Pikachus and two Mewtwos. Heh.

Anyway, that'll be it for now. The next pokemon is actually gonna be a request someone sent to me. And given the...drastic change in roster, I have to oblige. Here's a hint.

Until then, see ya.

[avernale]

Have You Seen my Pokémon Y Team? Have You SEEN It?

So I've been anticipating making posts or videos about the new Pokémon in Legends Z-A when they get revealed and my rating system for them. And by "Rating System," I mean indicating whether or not I'd put them on my team. If you've read my more recent "Have You Seen This Pokémon? Have You SEEN It?" posts, you might recall that I end them by revising my anticipated in-game team. This is a team of six Pokémon, naturally, but only four slots are actually contested. The top slot always goes to one of the Starters, since I never drop them, and the second is Gardevoir because at some point I decided to have one as my "Buddy" Pokémon (like Ash with Pikachu). Of course, that's on the BIG assumption that 1) Ralts can be caught fairly early (no HOME access at launch, remember) and 2) I actually find it. In Legends Arceus, I didn't see a single member of that line until I got to the temple where you get access to Noble Hisuian Braviary and then discovered them in some ruins near the starting point of the second area. I don't know if I didn't have access to that area or was just too impatient/scared to actually explore the are much, but I'm annoyed either way.

Anyway, in anticipation of making a theoretical team of newly-revealed Pokémon (which are likely to all be regional/historical variants, but whatever. It still counts) I thought I'd slap together a "Dummy Team" of stand-ins so I don't have to fill those four slots by the end of the first trailer.

For slot 1, the Starter, I chose Chespin. There's no telling what will actually be available, but I thought the Kalos starters were as safe a bet as any. Besides, this is just a stand-in. Of the three starters, Chespin is the only one I haven't put on a playthrough team yet. I chose Fennekin when I played Y itself, and use the Battle Bond Greninja transferred from the Sun & Moon demo in Sun. As good a reason as any, I feel. But if I go about choosing my starter in Z-A like I would for a mainline game (and it's not the Kalos starters), I'll probably go Fire or Water since I chose the Grass-type Rowlet in Legends Arceus. Gotta cycle through them all, don'cha know.

Slot 2 is Ralts. No notes. Considering a seventh slot in case I don't find it fast enough, but this is just a theoretical team. It's not unusual for me to cycle through a full team of about twelve, but I've been trying to kick that habit (and Box Link isn't helping). There's no guarantee I'll get any new Pokémon early enough to matter, aside from the Starters. Even if I do, they might turn out to suck like Gimmighoul in ScarVi and I'll have to sideline them.

Four contested slots, I decided to go through Bulbapedia and see what Pokémon were available on early routes. I figured it was a safe assumption you'd find these early in Z-A, also. Incidentally, looks like I'll finally be able to pull my Beedrill out of HOME. Hooray! There's not a lot of Pokémon you can't take back out of HOME, but I'm hoping to get them all back off-line soon.

Anyway, here's what Team Z-A looks like right now:

Chespin Ralts Fletchling Bunnelby Scatterbug Panpour

Given two of these Pokémon account for the remaining Starter Types, I feel like I might have to switch out Panpour and Fletchling depending on which Starter I actually choose. Given I'll likely replace them with completely different Pokémon anyway, it's not super important right now. Wouldn't be a hard guess, anyway. And if I can't find a Ralts, I'll probably use an Espurr or Flabébé.

Then today I remembered that I still have a save file active on Pokémon Y! So I booted up the game, discovered the Pokémon Center was just around the corner from Looker's Detective Agency this whole time (where I last saved, and I always have a hard time finding it for some reason), and went straight to the PC to check out my Hall of Fame. Weird that ScarVi doesn't have that function, huh?

Anyway! Here's the team I cleared the game with:

Delphox Gallade (!?) Blastoise Diggersby Doublade Gogoat

Likely not the entirety of my team, but you can only beat the Champion with a six-'mon team. What'cha gonna do? I was surprised to see Gallade on here. He's been around since Black & White, but I'm not sure when I decided I needed to have Gardevoir on every team. It's possible I just happened to catch a male Ralts and somehow hadn't gotten a Gallade in the previous games. Doublade I liked better than Aegislash because I thought dual-wielding swords was cooler than having a sword and shield. Kind of a stupid reason, but it doesn't really matter that much outside of competitive. Blastoise was a stand-in for the one I trained in the original Blue, 'cause I thought it was cooler than the other two. I should see if that cartridge still works so I can hack them out of it. I think that Gogoat knew Milk Drink and I was using it as a healer. Such a rip-off that you could only ride it on that one ranch. Diggersby likely had Dig and could get me out of a dungeon quickly. Not sure if it's here for coverage or because I was that attach to it, though.

Part of me wants to use this as the "Dummy Team," but I don't think it really works. I mean, the Dummy Team is effectively expendable. They're there to be replaced. These guys I have more of an emotional connection to, so it'd be harder to replace them with new ones. Also, I don't think you get them early enough, meaning I'd be starting off with that first Dummy Team anyway. Then again, if the new ones I like don't show up until after I find these "Ancestors", I might use them all again anyway. For nostalgia if nothing else, 'cause I think I'd evolve that Doublade this time around.

Well, it's probably going to be a while before they reveal anything anyway. If they reveal anything before release at all. I have until then to decide what I'm doing. If I do anything. That remains to be Seen.

[greenysoliatre]

BOY I HAVE SOME AUS!!

But my main two i have are:

Miracle of Chu: Puyo Puyo x Miraculous Ladybug but it's really about the Magic Primp students (my Oc included) as Miraculous Holders and Ms Accord being the Guardian of the Miracle Box.

It was a collaboration effort with @camirazone

She did the designs mainly and she even written a One-Shot fic starring Amitie as Pig Miraculous heroine.

Here's the one shot fic: https://archiveofourown.org/works/46711798

And we are working on the main fan fiction itself, even got the first chapter written out.

https://archiveofourown.org/works/49625554/chapters/125253097

As for my other AU. It's basically Sig, Schezo and Carmen being isekaied into Hisui called Mages in Hisui.

How that happened was they were having a Puyo Battle but it went on for too long along with Arceus's power it transported them into Hisui. Oh and to add salt to injury the Alpha Pokémon took the liberty of putting a symbol on them to seal their magic which rendered them literally powerless so they need to rely on Pokémon to defend themselves. (Though Schezo can defend himself with his sword but the Dark Sword in unable to communicate with him thanks to Arceus which makes things more stressful for the Dark Mage.)

Basically it's the PLA plot but the SSC trio are the main characters, Rei and Akari do co-exist.

Sig gets a Cyndaquil, Carmen gets a Rowlet and Schezo gets an Oshawott.

I already got a team in mind for all three of them individually, I have been planning on writing a fic about this but it's a slow progress.

Other than that fic ideas are just students interaction especially with Carmen or shipping.

Question!

What are any Puyo AUs or fanfiction ideas you have?

You guys have really interesting ideas, and I’d love to see more! 💕

[zorua-adorable]

Hisui Does Not Have Enough Money to Deal with This Child's Impatience

Barry Arrives in Hisui

Okay, I wrote this in about two hours instead of sleeping, because I just had to after getting the thought in my head. Someone on a discord server mentioned Barry, and I brought up my AU, and we were coming up with ideas, and it all went from there.

This series will be a collection of connected one-shots, so don't be surprised if we jump around in the plot.

Anyway, I hope you enjoy! (Also, this was unbeta'd, so let me know if you spot any grammatical errors.)

Word Count: 1081

When Barry opened his eyes, he very quickly noticed that he was not in the Pokémon Center bed he went to bed in last night. Instead, he was in some sort of… void.

“Where am I? How did I get here?” Barry asked, as he went to adjust his bag strap, only to find it wasn’t there.

“Hey, where’s my bag? Where are my Pokémon? WHERE’S MY SCARF?!”

It was at this moment that Barry noticed the large glowing light also there in the void. He was honestly surprised he didn’t notice it sooner.

‘Young Barry.’ It… spoke? At the very least, the words reverberated through his mind.

“Hey! Who are you? Where am I? How did I get here?”

‘I am the one humans refer to as Arceus. We are in a realm beyond the flow of time and the expanse of space. I brought you here as I have a task for thou to complete.’

“Uuuh… could it wait? I was actually planning to challenge the Battle Tower tomorrow.” Barry responded to Arceus. ‘Why does that name sound familiar? I think Dawn or Lucas mentioned that name once? Man, I should’ve focused more during their ramblings; they always focus on mine.’

‘It will still be there once you complete thine mission.’ Arceus’ glowiness got even glowier, and somehow pulled Barry’s Pokétch (‘Huh, didn’t notice I had that on me.’) off his wrist and toward itself. Despite floating, Barry felt like he was falling. As he reached out to grab his Pokétch (‘It looks kinda different now?’) so he didn’t lose it, the last thing Barry heard was:

‘Seek out all Pokémon, and thou shalt find me once more.’

~~~~~

Professor Laventon tried to catch his breath as he ran after the three Pokémon he brought to Hisui from other regions, wondering what had them in such a rush. As he approached Prelude Beach, he noticed something – or rather, SOMEONE – falling from the sky. They miraculously landed upon the shores, without being injured to boot! When he got closer, he noticed the rift-fallen was a young male with blond hair (‘What even is that hairstyle? Extreme bedhead?’) and clad in strange looking clothes: gray pants and a long-sleeved shirt with orange and white stripes. He started to awaken as the professor got closer, and then stood up.

“You gave me quite the shock, falling from the sky like that… But thank goodness, you seem unharmed!”

“Yeah, but who are you? And where am I?” he asked. ‘My dear, he seems to be naturally quite loud.’

“Well, my name is Laventon. I am something of a Pokémon Professor. And this is Prelude Beach. May I ask who you are?”

“I’m Barry from Twinleaf Town.”

“Hmmm, I can’t say I’ve heard of that town before. What region is it in?”

“Oh, it’s in–! It’s, it’s in… where is it again?” Barry asked himself, not at the proper volume to be considered muttering.

“Oh dear. I’m presuming this means you do not have an acquaintance in these parts?”

“Yeah, I seriously doubt that–” Barry said, only for his attention to switch to my cumbersome little companions “–ooooh! And what kinds of Pokémon are those?” ‘Ah, at least he knows what Pokémon are.’

“These three are known as Rowlet, Cyndaquil, and Oshawott. They had run off and I only caught up when you tumbled out of the sky… It’s almost as if they knew you’d appear here! However, I’ve had some difficulty controlling them.  You see, they have a tendency to–” proving the point he was about to make, the three took off back toward the practice field “–run off. I’d catch them if I were more skilled…”

“Don’t worry, Professor! I’ll catch them for y– oooh, shiny!” The boy began to offer, before noticing something on the ground, picking it up, and securing it around his wrist?

“What was I saying? Oh yeah, I’ll catch ‘em for ya!” Before Professor Laventon could even give him any Poké Balls, he took off after the three. The professor followed to find young Barry chasing the three around the practice field, with his arms outstretched. Eventually, he managed to get hold of Rowlet.

“Here ya go, Professor! I caught one of them!” He looked so excited presenting the little owl. ‘I’m gonna have to be gentle with this.’

“Ah, excellent job! But by catching them, I meant with Poké Balls.” Barry stared at him for a moment, blinking a couple times.

“Oh~ yeah, I should’ve realized.” He then proceeded to release his hold on Rowlet.

“Why are you letting Rowlet go? It would be very simple to just tap it with a Poké Ball.”

“Because that wouldn’t be fair! At least, I don’t think it would.” As Professor Laventon handed the young lad fifty Poké Balls, he gave a strange look, but said nothing. He then proceeded to make quick work of catching the three. Rowlet and Oshawott were caught with the first ball, while Cyndaquil was caught on the second. Interestingly enough, he made a sound each time he threw a ball; it was something like “ngyeh!” Additionally, after Cyndaquil broke out of the first ball, Barry stomped in place while waving his arms up and down for a moment.

“My, you are quite skilled with Poké Balls!” Professor Laventon praised.

“Eh, wasn’t that big a deal.” Barry responded with nonchalance, only for a sonar ping to ring out. He then proceeded to look at what he strapped to wrist earlier.

“Huh, that’s weird;  I don’t think I set any alarms on this… Seek out all Pokémon, huh?” “What’s that about seeking out all Pokémon?” the professor asked, curiosity rising.

“Well, this thing – it called itself an Arc Pokétch, but I think I’m just gonna call it an Arc-etch – is telling me to seek out all Pokémon. I dunno why, though…”

“Why, this works out perfectly for us! You see, my dream is to compile this region’s first complete record of its Pokémon! We in the field call such a catalog a Pokédex. But to document them, they must be caught. Thus, I propose we assist one another, as our goals are entwined. You possess such skill when it comes to catching Pokémon, that we could knock out two Starly with one stone! What do you say?”

“Uh, sure! It’s not like I’ve got any other plans.” Barry agreed.

“Splendid! Then let us be off to Jubilife Village! It’s not too far a walk from here.”

[demifiendrsa]

Pokémon Legends: Arceus - Announcement Trailer. It’ll launch for Nintendo Switch in early 2022.

Logo

Male and Female protagonist character artworks

Poké Ball artwork

screenshots

Overview

■ About

The fun of exploring while catching Pokemon and filling in a Pokedex has always been a core part of the Pokemon video game series. Pokemon Legends: Arceus was developed with the desire to deliver an experience infused with new action and RPG elements that go beyond the framework established thus far, while honoring the core gameplay of past Pokemon titles.

As Trainers explore the natural expanses in Pokemon Legends: Arceus, they’ll encounter Pokemon that call these grand vistas home. To catch wild Pokemon, players can study the Pokemon’s behaviors, sneak up to them, then throw Poke Balls. Players can also battle wild Pokemon with their ally Pokemon. By throwing the Poke Ball holding their ally Pokemon near a wild Pokemon, players will seamlessly enter battle. This new gameplay angle is intended to provide Trainers with an immersive experience.

Pokemon Legends: Arceus brings Trainers to the vast Sinnoh region as it existed in the past, long before the setting for Pokemon Diamond and Pokemon Pearl was established. Rich in nature and with Mount Coronet towering at its heart, this is a Sinnoh unlike anything Trainers have experienced before as they embark to create the region’s first Pokedex.

As they start off on their adventure, Trainers will be able to choose either Rowlet, Cyndaquil, or Oshawott as their first partner Pokemon. These three Pokemon arrived with a Pokemon Professor, who encountered them on research excursions to various regions.

■ Pokemon

Rowlet

Category: Grass Quill Pokemon

Height: 1′

Weight: 3.3 lbs.

Type: Grass/Flying

This Pokemon from the Alola region uses photosynthesis to store up energy during the day and becomes active at night. It can silently glide to its target and begin pelting it with vicious kicks.

Cyndaquil

Category: Fire Mouse Pokemon

Height: 1’8″

Weight: 17.4 lbs.

Type: Fire

Cyndaquil, a timid Pokemon that is often curled up in a ball, is from the Johto region. The flames on its back flare up when it’s surprised and can also be used to protect itself when attacked.

Oshawott

Category: Sea Otter Pokemon

Height: 1’8″

Weight: 13 lbs.

Type: Water

Oshawott is from the Unova region and has a scalchop on its stomach. It uses the scalchop to retaliate against attacks and to break open hard Berries.

Arceus

Category: Alpha Pokemon

Height: 10’6″

Weight: 705.5 lbs.

Type: Normal

Arceus is said to have shaped all there is in this world.

[wobblewokgaming]

Legends Arceus theory! (Potential Spoilers)

Okay, so this theory is going to be based upon some observation from the trailers, the Legends Arceus Website and a supposed leak from a fired Nintendo Employee (which I would take with a massive amount of salt).

Okay, so first, we have the Wardens. The Update Trailer showed us 4; Mai, Iscan, Liam, and Arezu. The most of them wear a Dialga color schemed outfit, with the majority being Mai, Iscan and Arezu, and Liam is the only one who wears a Palkia color schemed outfit. Mai, Iscan take care of Wyrdeer and Basculegion, the two ride Pokemon we'll use to traverse the landscape and surf upon the water, Arezu is said to take care of a feminine Pokemon (as mentioned on the games website), which people assume to be the rock climbing Pokemon from the leaked slideshow a while back. Liam, though, looks after the Noble Pokemon known as Kleavor, who is the "Lord of the Woods", and will act as a major boss encounter right next to the Alpha Pokemon (the wild Pokemon with the red glowing eyes). Out of all of them, my theory is that those who wear the blue outfits look after the Ride Pokemon, and those who wear the white/pink outfit look out these Noble Pokemon.

Now, onto the supposed "leak" from that employee.

He states that they're will be five Noble Pokemon, which are the following:

Kleavor, the Bug/Rock Regional Evolution fo Scyther.

Salamoss, the Grass/Ground Regional Evolution of Quagsire.

Drifmarine, the Water/Ghost Regional Evolution of Driflim.

Yetank, the Ice/Steel Regional Evolution of Snorunt.

and Qwanzaibonzai, the Rock/Fighting Regional Evolution of Sudowoodo.

These five Nobles take residence in the Obsidian Fields (Kleavor), Malachite Marsh (Salamos), Quartz Lagoon (Drifmarine), Garnet Plateau (Yetank) and Galaxy Settlement (Qwanzaibonzai). My best theory is that these Noble Pokemon are going to act as some of D/P's HM/TMs. Kleavor is Cut, Salamoss is Dig, Drifmarine is Dive, Yetank is Defog (that's my take on it at least), and Qwanzaibonzai is Rock Smash.

Then there's the Pokemon known as Matterelic, who can be found a Coronet Peak. This Pokemon is said to have no type, which I find to be impossible. Rather, I think that Matterelic is going to be all types at once, much like Arceus, and is going to have the default type of Normal, with this Pokemon somehow tying into the creation of Arceus's Elemental Plates. Matterelic itself is also compared to Eternatus, in the sense that you can still catch Matterelic, but can't use its true form (much like how you can catch Eternatus, but you can't use Eternamax Eternatus), which probably means it has a souped up form that we'll have to take down. We'll also have to help it by doing specific tasks across the Hisui Region.

And finally, we have the final Regional Evolution of the Starters (Not really having any theories with this one, I'll leave those up to you guys), which are the following:

Yamawott, the Water/Ground Final Evolution of Oshawott in the Hisui Region.

Abarrow, the Grass/Steel Final Evolution to Rowlet in the Hisui Region.

And Volquilno, the Fire/Rock Final Evolution of Cyndaquil in the Hisui Region.

Now remember, this "leaked information" could very well be forged/fake, so please take this with a massive amount of salt, until we have official confirmation from a Trailer from Nintendo themselves. Until then, have a nice day!

[danwhobrowses]

Pokémon Direct 26th Feb 21 Thoughts (Happy Pokémon Day)

Happy Pokémon Day everyone! 25 Years since Red and Green hit stores and would change gaming for so many people.

Yesterday though, Pokémon dropped a special Direct revealing new info and titles, which compared to the Nintendo Direct and Playstation State of Play had a lot more hype towards it, at least for me. So I’m gonna run down the contents - a combination of stuff learned from the video and the website

Spoilers for the Direct below if you haven’t watched it yet

Part 1: Pokémon New Snap - New Information

More information about the New Snap game came up first, revealing that it’ll be releasing on 30th April and available for Pre-Order.

On top of throwing apples to encourage new behaviour, there is also the possibility to play tunes. Most unique though is the ‘Illumina Orb’, this item when thrown at Pokémon will cause a glowing aesthetic either on the Pokémon or any elements they may summon, the Illumina phenomenon seems to be a core part of the game’s story alongside getting the Photodex (each Pokémon having 1-4 Star photo slots).

You can also upload your photos via Switch Online, though that’s not really for me so I’ll probably just use an SD to transfer pics or something.

The characters include Professor Mirror (missed chance to use an adult Todd Snap), Phil - you seems to be your rival and Rita - who seems to be the tutorial guide character. The environment of some expeditions will vary by level as well so there will be cause for repeatability.

The New Snap is more of a ‘does what it says on the tin’ kinda game, you’re there to take photos. But the new stuff does look to entice players to play around with it all and see how good they can get out of the photos, it is definitely something that will live to expectations.

Part 2: Pokémon Day Commemorative Events

Afterwards we got some info on the events happening around today. Pokémon Café Mix is having a login promotion for Golden Acorns, Pokémon GO is doing Kanto Legendary raids and in Masters EX Leon is in the game with Charizard

For SwSh G-Max Pikachu is back until the 28th, there are chances for a Shiny. If 1 million are beaten you’ll also get 100 of Dynite and Armorite ore.

These Pikachu are not that easy though in Solo raiding, AI is usually awful but this Pikachu will know a combination of Surf, Disarming Voice, Volt Tackle (and a special G-Max variation that paralyzes Neighboring Pokémon), Discharge, Brick Break, Iron Tail and its usual spamming of either Nasty Plot or Double Team. So be careful of accuracy issues or your AI failing you...a lot

On top of this if you use  P25MUS1C as a code you’ll get a Pikachu that knows Sing.

Part 3: DP Remake

Years of People demanding and you got this. Perhaps a lesson to be constructive in criticism since the remakes have already drawn its own controversy for being different to the other games fans criticized and even boycotted for a short while.

Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl brings the old DS games to a new form with the same top-down camera from the games of old, blending an old-Final Fantasy and Animal Crossing-esque chibi type overworld character that has received mixed reviews and, along with the next part, comparisons with the Legend of Zelda series, particularly for this one Link’s Awakening.

Other than the new graphics, the trailers haven’t revealed any new content that is genuinely new to the series, but the website suggests ‘player-friendly conveniences’ which may help in reducing the grind. Of course, this is only the first taste, there still can be plenty more.

I must confess, but DP was always a bit of a Red-Headed Stepchild for me in terms of the series, I certainly didn’t hate it, I just felt like the main story lacked a bit. It could simply be because Cyrus’ story only really peaks for Platinum but most of it is due to the fact that I was able to get through the whole game within 24 hours of play. I am also in the party that’s not too thrilled about the chibi design, I had always feared that Pokémon Player and NPC models would fall into Mii territory and this does feel like a step in that direction, I also love customization (though male characters do not get as much choice) so it always feels a bit of a let down when we remove that. Also I think that the shaders could’ve been upped because you look at these 3D artworks and they are magnificent.

Also the names are a bit, uninspired. I mean we usually get dichotomy in the new names too: Fire and Leaf, Heart and Soul, Alpha and Omega, so going to Brilliant and Shining seems weird. What about Hope Diamond and Faith Pearl? Stone Diamond and Sea Pearl? Time Diamond and Space Pearl? I felt like there were more options.

On the positive side though, Underground is back with will be fun, maybe they’ll update bases too. They might add the Platinum stuff in there too, revamped Distortion World sounds cool, and I hope the Pokétch comes back, it was a handy tool especially the Day Care app

Part 4: Pokémon Legends - Arceus

Now this, is more like it.

Sticking with Sinnoh comes a prequel story of ancient times, where humans are only slowly settling into the region and the landscape is vast with free roaming Pokémon. The series takes its RPG-style deeper with the open world as players go on to complete the first ever Sinnoh Pokédex.

Battle or sneak up on Pokémon by using ancient steampunk-esque Pokéballs, this becomes a pure capturing adventure light but not completely devoid of being a ‘trainer’. No Elite 4 or Pokémon League, this is all about exploration leading all the way to Arceus.

Coming in 2022, the art and landscape is beautiful drawing parallels to Breath of the Wild, the UI is clean and simplistic and we get a new shift in our starters being different to the generation’s 3, instead you pick between Oshawott, Rowlet and Cyndaquil, but with sightings of Piplup in game you can be sure that the Sinnoh starters will be catchable.

The idea of going into the past is fresh for Pokémon fans, it’s something that looks very promising as a new recurring title for the series, the character design of old clan robes is also a nice touch. I do hope that future main series titles adopts this more open world environment and art style, the piano music is also very Ghibli esque which is a huge plus for me. I am keen to see how the journey develops as we go up to face god itself.

Part 5: Conclusion

The direct was good, even though there was stuff I’m not thrilled about it continues to reiterate my love for this series, which has been a core part of my life ever since getting a Game Boy Color & Pokémon Blue bundle for Christmas as a kid. I may still hold out on getting the DP remakes just yet but Snap and Legends will definitely be something I intend on buying, Pokémon continues to develop and evolve which has kept it going for 2 and a half decades, and I look forward to more evolutions to come.

[zorua-adorable]

Okay, so thoughts on Legends: Arceus characters.

First off, I find it interesting that the player and professor are both part of Galaxy Expedition Team.

I’m not gonna say much about Cyllene, given I’ve already reblogged this post which covers her nicely, I believe (with a theory to boot!)

Professor Laventon… I don’t have much to say. I can’t find anything for the etymology of the name. I do wonder if that poof is part of the hat or not. (Just noticed before posting that the name might come from lavender; which might explain the purple in their color scheme and their eye color.)

Kamado is very clearly Rowan’s ancestor. His name has meanings along the lines of ‘hearth’. (Combo-relation to wood and fire.) I do find it interesting and odd that he’s the leader of GET, not the professor.

Rei and Akari. I’m glad they got names! According to this, ‘rei’ has meanings relating to manners, customs, and spirits; I think this fits for a game set in the past. As for Akari, I found that her name has meanings mostly related to light, which fits with Hikari/Dawn.

As for the region itself, one of the meanings of Hisui is ‘jade’; while this fits with the games being named after gemstones, I do find it strange that this wasn’t used for an ancient Hoenn, given that jade is a shade of green.

There we have it! Not so much theories, but my thoughts and some (potential) etymology. Your thoughts?

Edit: perhaps Laventon is originally from Alola, given the darker skin tone than other characters and that one of the Pokémon he has you can choose from is Rowlet.

Edit 2: fixed section about Kamado