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Ice-type Reviews – Generation 2 (Part 1)

We’re back for more Ice-type reviews, and this time, we will be looking at Generation 2’s whole set. We are yet to reach the point where the more interesting Ice-types are, so be patient. That’s not to say there aren’t any fascinating Ice-types this time around, because there are at least some cool ones here. So let’s chill out and take a look at them.

Sneasel

The first Ice-type of the day is also another Pokémon that doesn’t look too much like an Ice-type. We haven’t reached a stage where Ice-types really look like Ice-types, but we are closer to that point. Sneasel’s animal likeness is a little difficult to identify, but it is generally agreed that Sneasel is more weasel, with some cat-like characteristics (such as learning Assist, a cat-based move).

Sneasel is not easily identified as an Ice-type early on because it didn’t exist in icy areas (Mt. Silver was, before the remakes, not a cold place), which changed since Crystal because from that point onwards, Sneasel would mainly be found in icy areas. It’s odd how a skinny animal like Sneasel is able to survive in the cold. Ice-types based on mammals are usually fat, or are icy in nature (Glaceon), so this makes Sneasel and its evolution an oddity because they are thin, so they don’t look like they have enough insulation. I have a trivial theory that Sneasel was originally not Ice-type, but it “evolved” in such a way that makes them able to adapt cold surroundings, so they gradually gain an Ice-type, which is how I think they could be Ice-type in the first place.

Sneasel is most likely based on a kamaitachi, a weasel demon in Japanese legends. They basically look like weasels with sharp claws and could ride a gust of wind. It’s possible that this wind-riding ability is the source of Sneasel’s Ice-type. The kamaitachi usually travel in groups of three, in which one knocks down the victim (Knock Off), another slashes them (Night Slash) and the last one heals (Sneasel doesn’t learn any move that heals the target, so there’s no equivalent). They are speedy as well, so no one could suspect them. This is the reason Sneasel has high Speed.

A PokéDex entry mentioned how Sneasel cooperate in pairs to get their provisions, so it is possible that Sneasel could be based on the sneaky cat demon due to the sneakiness. Their provision involves eggs, but it’s not just any egg, because not every egg might be tasty (Koffing eggs or Magnemite eggs might not be too good to eat). Their preferred eggs are bird eggs, and Pidgey is the main target. They would chase the parents away or steal them straight, but if they are threatened, they would just attack anything that looks like hostility or something edible.

In other appearances, Sneasel is one of Silver’s Pokémon, both in the games and Pokémon Special manga. It is one of the few that are in both, alongside one of the starter Pokémon. In the anime, Harrison possesses one Sneasel, which is a formidable wild Pokémon, but he caught it after knocking it out with Blaziken (at that time, a new Pokémon). Another appearance is during Candice’s battle with Ash, as well as in an episode where a female Sneasel tried to stop a feud between two Weavile. Finally, there is one in Hail to the Chef, where it is owned by Rhoda, to compete with fellow sister Rhonda and her Mr. Mime for the ownership of their father’s restaurant.

In competitive battling, Sneasel is more associated with Physical attacking since its two highest stats are Attack and Speed. It has some nice Physical attacks to make use of this privilege, along with Swords Dance for further boosts. Its Dark STAB comes in handy, for it has STAB Knock Off and Pursuit. Still, this is one of the Pokémon that would have work best with Technician due to all those low Base Power attacks. Remember that Sneasel’s defensive type leave it with some dangerous weaknesses, especially Fighting, and of course, like almost every Ice-type, the Stealth Rock weakness. Sneasel actually was worse off in Generation 2 and 3 because its STABs are Special, so it has to use non-STAB attacks if it were to stand a chance.

Sneasel will one day receive an evolution in the form of Weavile, which we will look at in the future. One thing I observed about evolutions in the future like this is that the evolution would have a more natural colour scheme that leaves the impression that the original Pokémon looks more artificially coloured in comparison. It happened with Misdreavus and Golbat, it happened with Sneasel.

My opinion on Sneasel is that it looks authentic for its ancient look, and it is a pretty good battler as well. It is interesting not only for its origins, but it defies the typical appearance of a conventional Ice-type. I appreciated it more as a Dark-type than an Ice-type, only because there’s not much “Ice” with Sneasel.

Swinub & Piloswine

The next Pokémon on the list is also the first one to have more than one Ice-type introduced at once in the family. Introducing Swinub and Piloswine, who have the new type combination of the Ice-type that embodies their habitat, their blizzard abilities and Piloswine’s ice cold tusk, and the Ground-type that embodies their terrestrial animal nature, their great sense of smell and the power to shake the earth.

Swinub is supposed to be a pig, thanks to its snout, but I can’t help but feel that Swinub doesn’t really look like a pig. What I usually expect from a pig, besides a snout, are a pair of ears that could be seen, as well as a tail. Still, it’s an animal found in cold places, so the extra fur is justified. Swinub does indeed have a trait found on wild piglets, which is their striped fur. Piloswine, on the other hand, looks a bit more like a wild pig, because there are tusks in addition of a snout. The tusks, according to the PokéDex, are made of Ice, even though it looks like keratin. Its floppy ears look less like pig ears, but more like a dog with floppy ears. The hump behind Piloswine also gives it a hunchback look, so it’s possible that it could be ridden on, or used on sleighs to pull it, as the anime had shown us. Piloswine’s increased fur makes it difficult for it to see, so it uses it snout to sense its surroundings, especially mushrooms buried under frozen ground, like how pigs are able to detect truffles thanks to their great sense of smell. One unseen trait on both Pokémon is their eyes. Swinub’s are always closed, while Piloswine’s are covered. Their eyes are dotted if you could see them, giving them a more dopey look.

In the games, Piloswine is Pryce’s main Pokémon, which is also the only Ice-type in his team that is newly-introduced. That’s right: the other Ice-types are not used by him, which is a common problem in Johto: the Gym Leaders didn’t use every new Pokémon introduced. So, in the anime incarnation, Piloswine, as Pryce’s main Pokémon, was at one time used in a tournament, and while they had many victories, a battle with Magmar left both Pryce and Piloswine with burns. Piloswine was basically frozen in the search for some herbs for the burns, so Pryce initially thought it abandoned him, so when it was found, they were reunited and then the match for the seventh badge commenced not long after that. Unlike the other Johto Gym battles, the result is a forfeit, since Pryce didn’t want to see Piloswine hurt too much and Ash refused to throw in the towel. Piloswine isn’t one of Pryce’s Pokémon in Special, but instead Swinub is used as his lap Pokémon. Piloswine is instead featured as a manipulated Pokémon used for the destruction of Ecruteak City until it is taken out by Gold’s Politoed.

In battling, before the Physical and Special split, Swinub and Piloswine were unpopular choices because Ice was a Special type that conflicts their higher Physical attack, so they can’t use their Ice STAB well. Moreover, the many weaknesses of Ice made them an unattractive choice compared to the other Ground-types, such as Rhydon, because at least those other Ground-types could utilise their other STAB (if there are any) or have a better defensive type. After the split, things are better for them, for they are able to use their STAB combination well. Ice Shard was also introduced, giving them a way to hit first to compensate for their low Speed. This move even works well with Focus Sash and Endeavour, and because of their immunity to both Hail and Sandstorm, weather won’t thwart this combo. Stealth Rock is another new tool they could use, for extra damage. Snow Cloak is a cool ability to increase their evasion, so it could save them from a potentially fatal hit in Hail.

It is when Generation 5 came along would they shine better. Because Mamoswine (Piloswine’s evolution) exists, Eviolite works on them. Piloswine especially is able to use the extra defence to set up Stealth Rock better, or use its powerful Earthquake and newly-introduced Icicle Crash to do a lot of damage. Moreover, Thick Fat was given as a new ability, nullifying their Fire weakness and giving them an Ice resistance. Icicle Spear received a power up, so that is another weapon Piloswine could use in case it faces an opponent who could set up a Substitute. If you want, Superpower and Stone Edge could be used for coverage moves on things it wasn’t able to reliably cover, such as Ferroseed or Bug-types.

If Piloswine currently has Ancient Power and then level up, then it will be able to evolve to the faster, stronger and bulkier Mamoswine, which is a big improvement over Piloswine in every way. Even though it is possible for Swinub to acquire this move through breeding since its introduction, it cannot evolve this way, so there is a retroactive continuity here. Not that it matters, because it is better late than never.

The design of Ice-types gets better, starting from this Pokémon. I admire Swinub, but I don’t quite like Piloswine’s design, but I have to admit it is a very good effort at the diversification of the Ice-type. The fact that Pryce only have Piloswine as a new Ice-type could say something about how the other Pokémon doesn’t look like Ice-types, besides the next one I will be reviewing.

This marks the end of today’s article. More of Generation 2’s Ice-types will come next time, so please look forward to that. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it.

Thanks for reading.