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Weekly Article – Broken Traditions in Pokémon

In the Pokémon games, there are certain patterns over the Generations that are observed, so we would come to expect them to show up in subsequent Generations. As an example, the starter Pokémon. Every Generation gave us a Grass-type starter, a Fire-type starter and a Water-type starter. The starter types belonging to those three types are still a thing, since Kalos is going to have a Grass-type starter (Chespin), a Fire-type starter (Fennekin) and a Water-type starter (Froakie). It is considered a tradition for this reason.

Even though there exist traditions in Pokémon, that doesn’t mean every element is continually showing up as a tradition. In fact, there are quite a few broken traditions in Pokémon. It should be noted that sometimes a broken tradition might actually be for the better, so while some might have felt opposed to the pattern break, the change might be good. Newer fans might not even realise that a certain element is a tradition in the first place, so they take what was new or convenient for granted.

When I view something as a tradition, I would need that element to have happen in at least two Generations in a row, because if something happens once and never happen again, would you even think that there is a pattern in it? Without further ado, let’s get on with some of the broken traditions I have seen.

Let’s start things with something that shows that certain traditions could prove detrimental when it is broken. I suppose that it’s not much of a tradition as much as it is a required feature, considering that the Generation 2 to Generation 3 leap is the only one that missed it. This had driven quite a few early fans away from the franchise, since it meant that their favourites were stuck in the past.

Luckily, this won’t happen again, because every future Generation gives users the option to move their Pokémon up a step. With the Pokémon Bank, it seems that this will be used for future Generation, eliminating the need to create new ways to transfer new Pokémon. This means that your grandchildren might even see the Pokémon you raised while you are in your youth!

Due to memory constraints, earlier games doesn’t allow you to carry every item in the game. In Generation 1, every item you carry counts, so your Poké Balls and Key Items take up a precious slot in your bag, requiring you to manage them properly. Your PC could be used to store excess items, so if you don’t need something, you can store them there. Generation 2 sorts items in various categories, so you don’t need to worry about TMs blocking where you need to store your Nuggets and Vitamins.

Generation 4 abolished the limited inventory, making it so that you can store everything (and I mean everything) in your bag. This means you don’t need to worry about whether an item you will collect is new (because otherwise you might not be able to collect it!). This meant that your PC cannot store excess items. Some people wished that you could still store those excess items, mainly because it will reduce the clutter in the bag. Either way, one has to question how a bag can store all those items (a question that plagued many RPGs).

HMs are a way of life. You need them to get to parts you cannot normally go to. In fact, every HM you receive is required to finish the game in earlier games. To prevent sequence-skipping, players need certain badges to use a HM move out of battle, even when it comes to surfing and pushing boulders. Players would prefer to use a Pokémon solely to learn HMs to make the quest more streamlined, at the expense of a potential battler. They are known as the HM slaves.

Generation 5 is about streamlining the quest, therefore requiring HMs to travel would hinder that. This is the reason you don’t need to have all HMs to finish the game, nor do you need badges to use them, although it helps that you have them to make it even more streamlined. The only exception is the beginning of the quest in Black and White, which requires you to use Cut to continue. It’s a minor thing, but at least that’s the only time when you need a HM.

Fishing is another way to obtain Pokémon, but to prevent players from encountering strong Pokémon early, there are three different rods to attract three different classes of Pokémon. There’s the Old Rod, which attracts weak stuff like Magikarp and Tentacool, there’s the Good Rod for better stuff, and then there’s the Super Rod, for the best catch.

When Generation 5 rolls by, only one rod was present, which is the Super Rod. It is possible that only one rod is available because if you have three rods, every area needs to have its own roster on what Pokémon you will meet. Since this is the game with Seasons, making a chart of 12 possible combination could be too much. Because the Super Rod is obtained post-game, it gives the developers reason to make whatever you fish very strong Pokémon. That means that to catch Pokémon in water, Surf is the only way before you get the rod.

Shops have been a staple in any RPG, and Pokémon is no exception. There is a separate Poké Mart in any town you visit, which is usually the blue one (if you can see colour). It shares the same music as the Pokémon Centre (the red one) in Generation 1, but it received its own theme in Generation 3 (which got implemented in HeartGold and SoulSilver). In any case, Generation 5 merged both utilities into a single building.

When you enter a Pokémon Centre for the first time, you will see two people at the side, selling you different goods. There is only one market building in Generation 5, though, and that is the Department Store. It’s typically the place that have everything under the roof in every Generation, so you can get what you need in one place. On a lesser note, Generation 5 is so far the only Generation that give you more items to purchase depending on how many badges you have, giving extra purpose to collecting those badges as you go.

From the beginning, every type has its own category. For example, a Fire-type will use the Special stats, while a Ground-type will use the Physical stats. This meant that certain Pokémon are great offensively because their stats match their attacking type of choice, while others are not so lucky since their STAB (Same Type Attack Bonus) attacks does not go well with their stats. Starmie, for example, is blessed from the beginning because its Special Attack is good, and its Water and Psychic STABs work well together with it. That’s not even mentioning its coverage moves of choice, which are usually Electric and Ice-based. Gengar is not so lucky, for its STABs lean more towards the Physical side, which means it needs to resort to non-STAB attacks to pose a threat.

In Generation 4, every attack is assigned to its own category. No longer do the type of the attack dictate which stat it uses. Now this extra category means that stuff like Fire Punch, Ice Punch and Thunder Punch becomes Physical, while Ancient Power, Signal Beam and Hyper Beam becomes Special. Because of this, the amount of usable Pokémon increased, for they now are able to use their higher attack stat to do big damage. Take Crawdaunt, for example. Its STABs are Specially-inclined, but after the Physical-Special split, it can use its higher Attack with its STABs. This have been one of the most refreshing changes in the game, because it meant that every Pokémon gets to show what they are made of.

Game Corners have always been a distraction, having minigames that will potentially reward you. Slot machines are a staple, while the other game could be something else. The purpose of those games are to gain extra coins, which is used to exchange for a price, such as a TM, doll or a Pokémon. Usually, the best way to get those prices is to get the money, because luck is a requirement to win games, and not everyone has it.

The European’s HeartGold and SoulSilver games is likely foreshadowing when the Game Corner is disappearing, for it locks users from using Slot Machines, due to a gambling regulation in the laws. Seeing as Pokémon is becoming quite universal, I won’t expect Game Corners to return to Kalos.

TMs were a way to allow a Pokémon to learn moves they don’t normally learn, such as Protect. It even expands a Pokémon’s movepool, leading to a greater amount of move combinations. The idea of the TM is great, but there was just one problem. A used TM is as good as gone, which makes it sacred in practice. While some TMs are easy to stock up on, making them safer to use, some of the TMs are either very difficult to restock or only obtained once per game, which is where the problem is. You won’t feel safe using Earthquake knowing that it could be important to a future Pokémon, or perhaps Roost. Sure, you can use breeding to spread this move to other Pokémon, but what if you taught this move to a genderless or legendary Pokémon?

Thankfully, the designer took notes, which is why we have reusable TMs. Some may say that this will reduce the value of the TM, but this setback is nothing compared to making the lives of other players easier. No longer would you have to worry about using Earthquake on a certain Pokémon, but the only downside could be that certain TMs are made expensive. Still, a high price for unlimited usage is a great thing in the long term.

Starter Pokémon are special in the games, because you don’t see just any trainer using a Pokémon you normally start with. There are quite a few exceptions like the Battle Frontier trainers, but for the most part, you don’t see an ordinary trainer using a starter Pokémon battling, unless that trainer is your rival.

One requirement you need to get the National Dex in Diamond and Pearl is to fill the Regional Dex, which is why ordinary trainers are required to have a member of the starter Pokémon, since you cannot see three starters at once, considering that you only have one rival. Even Flint of the Elite Four carries an Infernape, although that’s more of a case of too few Fire-types in Sinnoh.

You won’t expect an ordinary trainer to use a legendary Pokémon simply because they are titans not worthy of just any trainer. Pseudo-legendaries is probably the closest thing you may see, but since they are not exactly legendaries (they are more commonly available), they don’t count.

The Battle Frontier is a space where any Pokémon could be used, save for those big-time ones like Groudon or Mewtwo. This give way to Frontier Brains using the legendary birds and the legendary golems, which is something different. Even in the Battle Factory (the rental one), there is a chance a new trainer use a legendary Pokémon. Even Gym Leaders get to wield legendary Pokémon themselves in the Pokémon World Tournament, as it the case with the Legendary Pokémon Tournament (for one, Fantina has Giratina in the team). In any case, it’s not a surprise if a trainer used a legendary Pokémon in the future, at least in a special battling facility.

In the games, you don’t normally see a Pokémon in the wild that evolved by trading. It’s impossible to find an unsuspecting Gengar, Golem or Scizor out there, which makes it a requirement to actually trade them. It’s troublesome to fill the ‘Dex if you want these Pokémon, but you shouldn’t be completing the ‘Dex if you are not willing to trade.

In Generation 4, there exists Pokémon that evolve by trade in the wild. I admit that I was surprised to see Steelix available in Iron Island to be captured, because normally you need to have an Onix with a Metal Coat to do the trick. Gengar is also available with trading, although that requires a Generation 3 game attached into the DS. Generation 5 continued this trend with rare Pokémon spots, giving us some of them like Milotic, Huntail and Steelix without needing to trade. Note that I didn’t count Pokémon through in-game trades, so the Machoke you obtained in Yellow or Alakazam you obtained in Black 2 & White 2 aren’t Pokémon you obtain in the wild.

Likewise with the previous point where trade evolutions are not available in the wild before, you never meet any stone evolutions in the wild until Generation 5. Because the method in which you obtain an evolution stone becomes indirect in future Generations (a far cry from Kanto, where you can buy them directly), it’s not as easy when it comes to getting certain Pokémon that evolves through an evolution stone.

Currently, you are able to do that, thanks to the rare Pokémon spots once again. Think you needed the appropriate stone for Minccino or Sunkern? If you persevere enough, you can get them without needing to use up an evolution stone. It’s useful if you are just using them to fill the ‘Dex. With the increased Pokémon count, this could be a useful feature to have.

Typically, the type chart will never change. When Generation 2 changed certain things from Generation 1, everyone would have thought that the changes are ultimate, as in there won’t be any changes from that point onwards. It was most understandable when things were new and not set, so changing it will not have much of an effect. Besides, Generation 1 was a little rough on game mechanics, such as critical hits. Still, some held on to hope that it would change, due to how certain types have a bigger advantage over others. It wasn’t until Generation 6 that we have another Type Chart change. Basically, the reason Generation 6 was represented instead of also mentioning Generation 2 is due to both the general expectation that the type chart won’t change after that day and Generation 1’s rough gameplay (that was refined in Generation 2).

Besides the addition of the Fairy-type, there are two matchups that were modified, namely Steel losing two resistances. The changes are not as drastic as Generation 2, when there are changes like Poison doing neutral damage to Bug, Fire resisting Ice and Psychic being weak to Ghost.

So that’s it for a few broken traditions I observed. There are probably more broken traditions in Pokémon that I didn’t think of, so if there are others, you could even mention them in the comments, so I can learn from you. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it.

Thanks for reading.