It’s the next installment of the “Defining the Types” series. We are halfway there, so bear with me! As with the previous three parts, we analyse the Pokémon found in each type to determine how a type is defined. Another three types have been chosen, but what will they be? If you are ready to check it out, you may proceed.
Electric
The first type of the day is Electric. It is largely popularised by Pikachu, so if Electric is a popular type, Pikachu is a contributing factor, for Pikachu’s legacy begets future electric rodents. Of course, there are other Electric-types as well.
Defining the Electric-type is rather simple. Basically, if any Pokémon exhibits the ability to charge and store electricity, then they are of the Electric-type. The most notable group made into Electric-types are those who are based on animals with electric abilities, such as Eelektross and Stunfisk. The signs that explain their innate electricity is the tricky part.
Some of these Pokémon have marks that is associated with electricity. For example, Magnemite and family are magnets, which aren’t necessarily electricity, but electromagnets are magnets powered by electricity. Plusle and Minun have tails and cheeks with a plus and minus symbol respectively. Those polarities are required to form a complete electric connection or attract each other.
Perhaps there are Electric-types with pointed places, as Jolteon and Zapdos demonstrate. The fur of certain Electric-type might be thick enough that makes it ideal for static, with Mareep and Electrike as examples. Rotom is notable in that it is pure electricity, for it could possess objects like how electricity is used to run electric appliances.
So, that’s about it. Perhaps the definition is too simple that anything that wasn’t originally Electric-type could fit, but Electric-types have the ability to store a charge a common ability, which would give them an edge in electric power, and thus Same Type Attack Bonus (STAB). Here’s a rundown on Electric-types:
- Based on electric animals
- Ability to store generated electricity, sometimes showing pointy parts
- Have marks or signs based on electrical items
Ice
Next up, we have the Ice-type. It is one of the least abundant types, only beating Ghost and Fairy in terms of numbers. The thought of it being a very unpopulated type makes it a rather elusive one, since its members are not typically found early. It’s easy to say that Ice-types are Pokémon with ice powers, but the type of Ice-types we have is more diverse than a simple explanation.
For one, Ice-types contain Pokémon made of ice. Regice is famous for being a golem made of ice, and Cryogonal is a snowflake (a formation of ice crystals). Recently, Avalugg shows off its ice armour. One trait among Ice-types of this group is that their ice is very resistant to defrosting.
Ice-types also contain animals that typically live in cold places. Typically they need to have some form of fur or blubber to be able to do that, in order to protect their warm bodies. We have quite a few Pokémon to do this, including Beartic, Walrein and Mamoswine. It could even include animals that are mythical, which is where Abomasnow and Lapras come in.
Some animals don’t typically thrive in cold places, but the Pokémon based on them might be. Dinosaurs, being cold-blooded, don’t do well in the cold, yet we have Amaura and Aurorus. Cloyster, Sneasel and Weavile follow the same principle. In the same vein, Kyurem is an ice dragon. What I am saying is that Ice-types also contain animals given ice powers.
Certain Ice-types don’t quite fit the above categories. Rotom-Frost is not quite an Ice-type, but it’s understandable since it is a freezer, an appliance for refrigerating things. What about Snorunt? It’s possible that Snorunt is an Ice-type because it is not yet developed as one (but showing signs of it such as its garbs), considering its evolutions are clearly Ice-types. So the only explanation is Snorunt is an Ice-type because it live in cold places. Smoochum and Jynx are great mysteries for Ice-types since they don’t display anything remotely icy. Since that’s that case, I would also chalk them up as being Ice-types by living in cold places.
That’s all for this one. Here’s a rundown on what constitutes as Ice-types:
- Made of ice and/or cold things
- Based on animals that live in the cold
- Thrives in cold places, if based on something that don’t normally thrive there
Poison
The abundance of Poison-types is an odd one. In terms of population, it is somewhere in the middle among the types. If you don’t take into Generation 1’s introductions, it would be among the least populated types. Even then, we have a varied cast of Poison-types.
The first type of Poison-types we have are plants with a poisonus attribute. Not every plant could be eaten, since they might have something that aren’t safe for both humans and animals to consume, save for certain animals. Naturally, all the Grass/Poison-types fit this group. It should be noted that the plants some of them are based on are normally not poisonous, but scented. Perhaps the scent is indicative of something sweet yet poisonous.
Poisonous animals are another group that Poison-types are based on. As with plants, some real-life animals are poisonous and could even excrete them when the time is right. As such, eating certain groups would be a big mistake, and it’s essential for their survival. Their unsavoury bodies does well in discouraging further predators from taking advantage of them. Some use poison as a main means of offences, such as certain species of snakes (cobras, vipers) are inspirations to Arbok and Seviper, and we have Scolipede, a centipede.
And then, there are Poison-types based on pollutants. Waste form could be hazardous for health, which is why contact with these Pokémon could be treated with care. Weezing, Muk and Garbodor, and to a lesser extent, Gastly are in this category. Swalot’s not a pollutant, but its acidic abilities are quite poisonous itself.
Perhaps the animal the Pokémon is based on isn’t poisonous. Bats, skunks and rabbits aren’t poisonous, but the Pokémon are Poison-types. It is a possibility that the Pokémon are poisonous versions of the animals. Therefore, Poison-types consist of animals as if they have poisonous attributes.
With that said, the Poison-types include:
- Based on poisonous plants
- Based on poisonous animals
- Based on pollutants
- Poisonous version of animals
The three types we just covered were surprisingly easy to figure out. However, the next two parts are when things get trickier, since some of the types that are yet to be covered will not have as much common ground among its members compared to other types.
With that said, the next article will cover another three types we haven’t covered yet. What will they be? That’s for you to find out when the time comes. I hope you enjoyed reading this article as much as I have writing it.
Thanks for reading.
