As a colorblind art student, what are some good Pokemon from Sinnoh to help me with my colors?

There are a few that may be able to help. Some artists prefer the more direct approach of using a psychic-type, such as a member of the abra or ralts lines, to use their telepathic abilities to impose images of the colors their trainer wishes to capture on their mind. However, this is also a rather invasive approach, so not that many artists prefer to use it outside of more complicated pieces. (Additionally, excessive use of an abra, kadabra, or alakazam’s abilities may induce rather nasty headaches due to overexposure to psi waves.)

For that reason, most artists in your situation prefer a more synesthetic approach. Rather than forcing themselves to see the colors they need, they prefer using sight or sound to compensate. For example, they may catch a chingling or chimecho (or any pokémon with a very distinctive call) and train these pokémon to emit very specific tone-and-syllable combinations that match different shades of a certain color. A high-pitched “chime” may indicate a lighter shade of red, whereas a lower-pitched “echo” may refer to a dark green. This pokémon can then be asked to survey a model for any color that may present a challenge for their trainers, then indicate that object’s general color and shade with the corresponding tone they were taught to use. They can then guide their partners through the mixing of these colors by observing the artist’s paints and emitting tones until the pokémon’s sound matches the one they used while observing the model exactly.

The olfactory technique works in a similar manner, wherein an artist uses a pokémon capable of controlling their scent (such as pokémon that can use Sweet Scent, members of the budew family, or—in rare cases involving more eccentric artists—stunky or skuntank) to match the scent of a model with the scent of the paint an artist uses. However, because odors can sometimes take time to dissipate, it’s a less popular technique than the auditory one.

Best of luck, anonymous!

How long do sawsbuck leave their young alone? I live in front of a forest and theres been a deerling in my backyard for over a day. This is unusual as they are normally scared of my houndooms, so I am a little worried that it could be abandoned.

Sawsbuck generally leave their young in safe areas for hours on end, actually, and if your houndoom have done nothing to harm the local wild pokémon, it’s possible that the sawsbuck still view your yard as a safe place to leave their young. It’s important to keep in mind that most of the time, young deerling are left behind so sawsbuck can journey into more dangerous areas to forage for food without having to worry about their young being picked off by predators (trainers included). You won’t normally see the mother sawsbuck until much later, after the sun has fallen and the area has gotten dark enough to move the deerling without being seen. In some cases, you may think the deerling has been left for over a day, but in actuality, the sawsbuck simply retrieved their young in the dark and left them again shortly before sunrise, when they’re far harder to spot by human eyes.

You’ll know if the deerling has been abandoned, however, if you see signs of orphaning, such as a dead sawsbuck by the road or in the forest. (Sawsbuck with young that can’t fend for themselves will do anything they can to avoid being captured by trainers, but it’s worth it to keep an eye out for visitors with a new sawsbuck on their team as well.) Alternatively, you can watch during the night for any sign of movement, and if, after a week, you still have not seen the slightest hint that the deerling are being moved, then it’s possible that they’ve been orphaned.

In the meantime, yes, keep your houndoom away from the deerling as much as possible. Otherwise, try to avoid interacting with the deerling unless you’ve spotted the above mentioned signs. Young deerling are rarely abandoned, and the last thing you’ll want to do is accidentally cause one to attach itself to you while its mother is gone.

Bill, my Gengar keeps making it excessively cold in my room at night. Is there anyway to prevent this without putting him is his Pokéball or knocking up my heater?

Unfortunately, the cold a gengar generates comes from the ectoplasm that makes up his body. It would be much like telling a human to stop being warm.

However, there are ways to keep your gengar’s temperature low. For example, although gengar tend to be nocturnal, try switching his sleep cycle to coincide with yours. Gengar will put out much less cold while asleep, as their body temperatures will seek an equilibrium with their environment at rest.

Alternatively, ensure your gengar remains across the room from you, and have him engage in activities that would require less energy (such as lounging). Also invest in a few more blankets or an extra sleeping bag to add more insulation for yourself.

If all else fails, keep him outside your door as you sleep. If you’re traveling, this is still an option, as few people would think to bother a well-trained gengar.

Good luck, reader!

How do pokemon choose their mates? And can they be attracted (not the move) to another simply because they have a pretty face?

It depends on whether you’re referring to a wild or a tame pokémon, anonymous. Wild pokémon typically choose mates based on suitability, which itself is actually a combination of factors, including hardiness, health, and physical attractiveness. Tame pokémon focus less on the first two factors and more on both physical and mental attraction (or, in other words, a combination of looks and personality, much in the same way humans choose their mates), largely because the need for a hardy mate is less important when a pokémon has someone to care for them.

Of course, beyond that, it also depends on the pokémon itself. For example, to psychic-types, intelligence or empathy may be seen as attractive traits, grass-types sometimes seek out the best-smelling mate, and male fighting-types, for reasons that are somewhat (but not entirely) beyond yours truly, are attracted most to females who can defeat them resoundingly in battle. And even then, what determines attractiveness to one member of a type may be different from the definitions held by all other members. For example, magikarp select mates who can propel themselves the highest while using Splash, which is something no other water-type looks for (seeing as Splash is otherwise not a particularly useful skill, generally speaking).

In short, yes, some pokémon can be attracted to a pretty face and not much else, but there are a wide variety of factors that go into what defines an ideal mate in each species.

Thus, we come to the end of our impromptu Hoenn Week, which I should hope was sufficient enough to please my edi—I mean, please those of you out there who may have been inquiring as to why we don’t do more Hoenn-based entries.

It didn’t on either count, but good try, Bill. Furthermore, you are still not allowed out of the shame box for the last entry. —LH

Relicanth

Relicanth
The Longevity Pokémon
Type: Water/Rock
Official Registration #: 369
Entry: This rare, coelacanth-like pokémon is considered a living fossil. In the 100 million years that it has existed in the deep seas of Hoenn, it has not changed in the slightest. While civilizations, species, and even its own environment itself have changed with the passing of eons, relicanth continued onward through time, surviving just as its ancestors had in the Cretaceous Period. Thus, remember, readers. No matter how harsh the world is around you, do as the relicanth does and remember that it’s relicanth, not relican’tth.

How long does it normaly take for a wild bunnelby to settle down with a new trainer?

Generally speaking, a few weeks, but it depends on how well you care for your bunnelby and your bunnelby’s personality. Skittish bunnelby will obviously take a little more time to acclimate than those that are more relaxed, and the more you handle your bunnelby in its earliest days, the more skittish it will be (ironically enough).

When you first obtain your bunnelby, take it easy for the first three days. Allow it to become used to its poké ball and, if you’ve given it one, its hutch. Once it seems comfortable in both, begin the gradual process of allowing it to get used to both your home and you. Always let it make the first move; never reach out to grab it unless it’s in danger. Likewise, supply it with plenty of food, water, and distractions as usual, but be present (first at a distance, then gradually closer) as it interacts with these things. With enough care in this manner, it will be easier and quicker for your bunnelby to get used to you.

Of course, spaying and neutering your bunnelby helps too.

I noticed you get quite a few asks like “how to care for this pokemon”. Would you ever consider doing a brand new set of entries (or possibly updating existing entries) about how to care for each pokemon, or do you find it easier to simply wait for someone to ask? I understand if this would be a lot of work for you,it’s simply something I thought would be interesting!

Thank you for the suggestion, anonymous. I must admit that doing a series on pokémon care is something that’s crossed my mind recently, especially with the finite amount of material I have for writing straightforward pokédex entries. For now, my main focus is on general pokémon information (though I’d be happy to offer general tips on pokémon care at any time), and I plan on seeing how I feel about creating a set of information for domesticated pokémon once I run out of entries to write for the pokédex itself.

Nonetheless, thank you again for the suggestion, anonymous.

There’s a guy around town I often seen who always has a pretty beaten up looking Granbull with him. It has an obvious severe limp, rather torn up ears, and normally has fresh bruises whenever I see it. I’ve never seen him enter a pokemon centre to have it treated, and I don’t like to jump to conclusions, but I think it may be in trouble. Is there anything I can do to find out what’s happening or is it simply best to contact an officer?

Notify your local authorities immediately—not just your local Officer Jenny but also your local pokémon welfare agency. (The number is different in every region.) They’ll be required to investigate and determine whether pokémon abuse is happening or if the trainer is just particularly unlucky. Likewise, be sure to document what you’ve seen as well, as you may be asked to testify in court if it’s a case of gross pokémon abuse. If you can, try to take pictures of the granbull without its trainer noticing.

Whatever you do, however, do not engage directly with this man. You never know what he may do as a result, either to you or his granbull, and you also don’t want to risk alerting him to a potential investigation (and, therefore, any potential help for the granbull). That and there is always the potential that this isn’t a case of abuse on the trainer’s part but rather either fantastically bad luck or a case of past abuse (meaning the granbull could be a rescue). Allow authorities to figure out what’s going on, but do place a call as soon as possible.

I have a few Steel-type partners, a Mawile and Bisharp, and I’ve noticed that especially during Summer, it can be a little difficult to regulate their temperatures. I don’t have enough room in my home to let them get their proper exercise, but, leaving them outside in the sun for too long makes them visibly uncomfortable as all the metal uncontrollably heats up. Can you recommend any ways to keep them cool besides leaving them indoors? I can’t afford the restless biting and clawing damage.

As neither of these pokémon are partially rock-types, you can actually give them a pool or other body of water to keep them cool. Ensure, of course, that the water is always as cold as possible by stationing a water-type at its side.

Alternatively, many steel-type trainers give their pokémon a form of shelter, such as a lean-to or hut, to provide them with additional shade. Planting more trees may be beneficial to the bisharp in particular, as they tend to be forest-dwelling pokémon and will take comfort in the presence of a forest shade. Mawile are cave-dwelling pokémon, meanwhile, so a hut, a shed, or even a small, cave-like structure dug into your yard will do for its needs.

If all else fails, however, consider partnering them with water-types and have them periodically spar with their water-type teammates. Water from a pokémon is typically of the optimum temperature to cool most pokémon down, so this may be sufficient short-term solution.