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FAQ

In preparation for the reopening of the ask box (which may occur sometime this weekend, if all goes well), I’ve had Bill compile an FAQ covering some of the most common questions we’ve gotten. Please note that we’d like to keep these questions to a minimum to avoid, as one of our more colorful colleagues puts it, “beating a dead rapidash,” so don’t forget to read through the FAQ carefully before sending in an ask, just to be sure that your question hasn’t already been answered.

Also, some common questions for specific species or types may be located in their respective tags. Click here for our most common tags, as well as a tutorial for navigating our tag system: http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/taginfo

Thank you!

Q. What are some good service pokémon?
A. It depends on your needs. Every pokémon has their own specific set of abilities and strengths, and as such, different pokémon fill different niches, depending on what a human may need. There are plenty of service and guide pokémon programs out there to match a human with a specially trained pokémon partner; you may receive a recommendation to consult one, or you may wish to reach out to one on your own.

That having been said, there are really no limitations to what pokémon may be used in which region, although some are indeed rarer than others. For example, although solosis may make excellent partners for those suffering from anxiety disorders, they’re harder (but not impossible) to obtain in Kanto as opposed to Unova.

Generally speaking, yes, psychic pokémon work best to help those with sensory disorders or other neurological conditions, as they can sense even the most minute changes in their partners’ psychological state. Likewise, they can often help ease a human’s mind in an emergency through empathic therapy, and some are also trained in meditative techniques (to guide their partners into a calmer state of mind). Grass-types are also occasionally used for their ability to use aromatherapy, although this is rarer due to the possibility of an allergic reaction to their pollen.

For other suggestions, please see our service pokémon tag: http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/tagged/service-pok%C3%A9mon

Pokémon for those with anxiety or sensory issues tend to be the most popular topics, and several posts (such as this one: http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/post/152322784586/hey-bill-i-have-a-lot-of-anxiety-and-depression ) outlline some popular choices.

Q. My [insert pokémon here] has turned hostile! What do I do?
A. Pokémon are very rarely suddenly hostile for no reason. If your pokémon is not newly evolved and they’ve suddenly begun displaying hostile behaviors, determine what the actual cause is first and foremost. Communicate with your pokémon if you can, and if you can’t, observe their actions and look out for any sign that they’re about to exhibit the violent or otherwise hostile behaviors you’ve noticed. When you see it happen, try to remember what the trigger was, then work from there. As hostile behavior can be rooted in any number of things (from a new pokémon to actual, imminent danger to you or them or an actual medical issue), it’s impossible to answer this question without observing your pokémon for ourselves, so it will be up to you to help your pokémon as best as you can.

Please note that this advice also applies to pokémon that are hostile towards themselves as well, although this is a strong indicator that there may be some underlying medical condition that should be addressed by a professional pokémon nurse as soon as possible.

Q. What can I do to guarantee my pokémon won’t be hostile to a new recruit? / My new pokémon is shy or socially anxious due to past abuse; what can I do to help it adjust to the rest of my team?
A. Take it slowly. Set up the introduction in an environment your new pokémon considers to be safe, such as a large, open room with plenty of toys or other distractions. Have your new pokémon sit in this room and introduce your team one team member at a time. As in, choose one team member to introduce to your new teammate, then allow them to be in the same room until your new pokémon seems comfortable with them. Then, remove your older pokémon, wait for a bit to let your new one relax, and send in another one, perhaps with the first if your new one seems more comfortable with them in the room. Keep doing this until your pokémon has met your entire team.

However, also pay very close attention to the body language of both pokémon. If at any point, it looks like either pokémon is uncomfortable with the meeting, withdraw them and try again later. Don’t go too quickly; this will only harm your new pokémon’s mental state or drive your older pokémon into displaying hostile or intimidating behaviors.

Q. How do I take care of a newborn pokémon?
A. For the most part, the mother will care for the hatchling until it’s old enough to live independently. If the mother isn’t available, it tends to vary by species. Most of them (except ice-types that are literally made of ice) will need warmth of some sort to keep their body temperatures balanced. Use soft blankets and beds for this, and always keep your hatchling’s room at a warm, even temperature.

Moreover, it may need to be bottle-fed and weaned. In the first few weeks, you’ll likely be seeing your local Nurse Joy frequently to monitor your hatchling’s growth. Simply follow the pokémon center’s directions regarding feeding and when to wean for your hatchling’s specific species, and you should be fine.

Otherwise, it’s more or less a simple matter of caring for the hatchling the way you would an adolescent or adult form of the same pokémon, so be sure to consult guides (located under our pokémon care tag) for more information: http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/tagged/pok%C3%A9mon-care

Alternatively, you can view pokémon care guides for specific species or lines by searching through its own tag.

Q. How do water-type pokémon move about on the land?
A. Either barely at all or supported by an energy net emitted by the poké ball system. See this post for further details: http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/post/153030192831/hello-bill-how-often-do-fully-aquatic-pokémon

Q. How do you know what type pokémon/moves are? / Why did no one realize that _____ was a fairy-type?
A. Type classifications tend to be tricky, as a lot of what goes into classifying pokémon into the (currently) eighteen types is pure observation. Moreover, it’s important to keep in mind that because the physiologies of each pokémon species tend to be wildly different from one another, it might not be entirely apparent that a certain pokémon is displaying the hallmark weaknesses or resistances of its elemental affinity until researchers can get a closer look. For example, because of gardevoir’s fragility, it didn’t strike pokémonologists as odd that gardevoir would take quite a bit of damage from a steel-type attack until it was discovered that it took more damage than usual due to the interactions between its fairy typing and the steel element. Conversely, clefable’s resistance to the fighting type was attributed to its bulky appearance before it was discovered that its defensive capabilities are average at best and that its fighting resistance comes from its elemental affinity instead. The definitions of types tend to be about as mutable as any other taxonomic classification in biology; even when we’re certain that we’re correct for a specific reason, that doesn’t always seem to be the case.

The same can be said for moves. While researchers can detect elemental affinities a lot easier with moves (because we simply need to sample the energy resonance via standard lab equipment, if it’s not already visually obvious what type a move is), sometimes, even when we’re sure that a move resonates with one type of energy, it might actually resonate with something completely different, such as in the cases of Charm, Sweet Kiss, and Moonlight. (Or even Curse, for that matter, before it was re-evaluated and classified as a completely ghost-type move.)

For further information, please read this post: http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/post/160242832496/how-did-no-one-realize-pokemon-like-the-clefable

Q. How do I cheer my pokémon up?
A. Through a lot of time and patience, just as you would a human friend. Don’t force your pokémon to feel better, but do everything you can to make them feel comfortable and reassure them that you’ll always be there to support them. You might also consider cheering them up with distractions—more training or play time, for example—and never discount the importance of basic care (including and especially ensuring that your pokémon gets enough sleep and exercise, as well as a balanced diet and plenty of fluids).

Q. How do I stop my pokémon from ______?
A. Use its poké ball.

Alternatively, most bad habits can be trained out of a pokémon through positive reinforcement. Establish a good behavior (or otherwise what you want your pokémon to do instead of the bad behavior) through visual teaching. Show them and verbalize to them in as clear a manner as possible what it is you want. Then, allow them to practice this good behavior and reward them (with treats or affection) whenever they perform it successfully. Afterwards, any time they perform the good behavior, reward them, and any time they perform the bad behavior, don’t reward them but do give them a stern but gentle warning. (You may also wish to employ a clicker to reinforce good behavior and dissuade bad.)

Q. My pokémon has separation anxiety! What do I do?
A. Always stick to a routine. Routines normalize things for a pokémon and helps them adjust to any sudden changes. So if you feed them at a very specific time, always feed them at exactly that time in order to help them stabilize themselves and give them something reliable and predictable to count on.

This can be vital for pokémon that need to be left at home. Always leave at the exact same time every day to establish that in your pokémon’s daily routine. Always come home at exactly the same time as well, and couple your comings and goings with a specific cue (jingling of keys, announcing your departure/arrival, or so on) so your pokémon has something concrete to help them anticipate how long you’ll be gone. The more you do this, the more your pokémon will begin to understand how long your absences feel, so it’ll be easier for them to pass the time.

Additionally, always leave something of yours behind (such as a piece of clothing that smells like you) so your pokémon can seek comfort from it while you’re gone. Finally, if they can handle being away from you for that period of time calmly, reward that as you would any other sort of good behavior so they can begin to understand that being away from you isn’t a form of punishment (nor is it a sign of abandonment). And of course, always block out some time each day to play with your pokémon so they know you would never abandon them.

Q. Are poké balls ethical?
A. See this post: http://bills-pokedex.tumblr.com/post/169480712313/so-is-the-use-of-pok%C3%A9balls-ethical

The Aron Line

bills-pokedex:

Aron
The Iron Armor Pokémon
Type: Steel/Rock
Official Registration #: 304
Entry: A small but hefty tank-like pokémon originally discovered in the cave systems of Hoenn. Although these small but docile pokémon typically live deep underground, they thrive on iron and will thus rise to the surface in search of it if underground deposits run dry. In the process, they quickly become destructive forces of nature, capable of destroying anything within their paths easily until they consume the iron they need. They have been known to devour anything containing iron, including railroad tracks, cars, heavy equipment, sensitive research equipment, and more … yet the editor of this blog still considers them to be “cute” and “not at all dangerous” for some reason.

Lairon
The Iron Armor Pokémon
Type: Steel/Rock
Official Registration #: 305
Entry: The evolved form of aron, by battle experience. Aron, a pokémon that typically lives in herds, will congregate into similar herd structures after evolution. These herds typically congregate near mineral-rich underground springs, where they often engage in vicious battles with one another by slamming into each other’s armor, all in preparation for fights against invading pokémon or humans. Unfortunately, because their spring-side habitats tend to be closer to the surface than their nests as aron, they are known to lay waste to even more human-built structures, including mines, tunnels, or mountainside villages. For whatever reason, the editor of this blog thinks lairon is cute too.

Aggron
The Iron Armor Pokémon
Type: Steel/Rock
Official Registration #: 306
Entry: The evolved form of lairon, by battle experience. Upon evolution, aggron will break away from its former herd and roam vast, mountainous territory by itself. A single aggron will claim an entire mountain as its personal territory, and as such, aggron are known to aggressively repel other aggron—even those from its former herd—with incredible feats of violence. Lone aggron are therefore much easier to capture and train, and in fact, aggron are among the strongest pokémon available in the Hoenn region. Their popularity is only helped by the fact that the Hoennian champion, Steven Stone, includes one among his signature team … which, actually, might explain the editor’s predilection towards them.

What are you implying?! —LH

Mega Aggron
The Iron Armor Pokémon
Type: Steel
Official Registration #: 306+
Entry: The advanced form of aggron, via aggronite. Upon mega evolution, aggron loses its affinity for the rock type but gains a considerable boost in defensive and physically offensive capabilities. Some believe that, in conjunction with its own territorial nature and the existence of mega tyranitar, mega aggron is itself proof that there is no higher power in the universe, as clearly, monsters with world-ending abilities and devastating tempers are allowed to exist and be placed in the hands of a species with notoriously questionable levels of judgment. Others believe that this is actually proof that there is a higher power out there and that this higher power is both a pokémon and extremely puzzled that humans have managed to survive for as long as we have.

The editor of this blog, meanwhile, simply believes that a 400-pound armored behemoth with spikes quite literally everywhere and a strong tendency to protect the pristine state of its territory through the most violent means possible is cute.

Edit: Really? Nothing, Lanette? —Bill

Why would I have a comeback? It’s cute, and to be fair, the world could use more sentient tanks to protect the environment. —LH

Sometimes I forget how terrifying you are… —Bill

The Larvitar Line

bills-pokedex:

Larvitar
The Rock Skin Pokémon
Type: Rock/Ground
Official Registration #: 246
Entry: A two-foot-tall, dinosaur-like pokémon native to mountainous regions. Although it’s true that larvitar are born underground and eat soil and rocks until they tunnel to the surface, the idea that they eat entire mountains before evolution is entirely false. It just feels as if they do, as larvitar are, on average, almost 160 pounds, and they have a tendency to leap at their unsuspecting trainers when overwhelmed with the need to shower them with affection via a tackling hug.

Pupitar
The Hard Shell Pokémon
Type: Rock/Ground
Official Registration #: 247
Entry: The evolved form of larvitar, by battle experience. During evolution, larvitar encase themselves in a cocoon of rock. This stone shell is as hard and solid as bedrock, so while it fully protects the larvitar inside from any damage, it also constricts its limb movements. However, this doesn’t mean it’s entirely immobile, as pupitar possesses vents all over its body, which allow the highly compressed gases it creates within itself to escape in the form of powerful jets. In fact, these jets can be so powerful that they can propel pupitar wherever it needs to be faster than a number of other pokémon. This is, of course, doubly unfortunate for its trainer, as not only can pupitar launch itself like a rocket in any direction, but it’s also a 335-pound tank of pure destruction … that still enjoys showering its trainers with affection by throwing itself at them.

Tyranitar
The Armor Pokémon
Type: Rock/Dark
Official Registration #: 248
Entry: The evolved form of pupitar, by battle experience. On the positive side, tyranitar do not shower their trainers with affection by throwing themselves at them. On the negative side, tyranitar are highly destructive and aggressive pokémon who possess the ability to flatten miles of forest in seconds and who are constantly on the lookout for new opponents to fight, and tamed tyranitar consider doing both of these things (committing incredible amounts of property damage and fighting literally anything it can find) to be perfectly acceptable methods of showing affection towards their trainers.

Mega Tyranitar
The Armor Pokémon
Type: Rock/Dark
Official Registration #: 248+
Entry: The advanced form of tyranitar, via tyranitarite. On the positive side, achieving mega evolution with a tyranitar is proof that it and its trainer have formed an unbreakable, everlasting bond of friendship between each other. On the negative side, mega tyranitar are significantly faster, bulkier, and more powerful than their un-mega evolved forms, and the point about their generally highly aggressive nature still stands. Best of luck, trainers!

The Mareep Line

bills-pokedex:

Mareep
The Wool Pokémon
Type: Electric
Official Registration #: 179
Entry: A two-foot-tall, sheep-like pokémon native to the fields of Johto. This shy and docile pokémon stores electricity in its fluffy wool. The more electricity it stores, the more its wool puffs out. Eventually, the wool falls off naturally, and at that point, it can be collected and spun. If used immediately, mareep yarn can serve as a handy natural battery for small devices. However, if allowed to discharge its electricity through a grounder over a period of two days, it can be used as an adequate (albeit slightly glowing) substitute for yarn made of sheep wool. It is thus favored by crafters for its brilliant properties, as mareep wool can add shine and glitter to most knitting projects. Such as, for example, a … rather charming autumn sweater a grandmother sends to her grandson who doesn’t have the heart to tell her he hasn’t worn sweaters in years.

Flaaffy
The Wool Pokémon
Type: Electric
Official Registration #: 180
Entry: The evolved form of mareep, by battle experience. A two-and-a-half-foot-tall sheep-like pokémon native to the fields of northern Johto. Also: a sheep half-covered in coarse, electrified wool and half-covered in rubbery, non-conductive skin. Also: apparently what androids dream of, the author has been told.

Ampharos
The Light Pokémon
Type: Electric
Official Registration #: 181
Entry: The evolved form of flaaffy, by battle experience. Although ampharos loses its evolutionary line’s signature wool (except in its mega-evolved form, in which it gains long, flowing locks), it gains a tail tipped with a jewel capable of emitting brilliant light. This light is so bright it can be seen from space if wielded by a healthy (and perhaps angry) ampharos. Knowing this, the people of ancient, seafaring civilizations often used ampharos, both to communicate over long distances and to guide ships around rocky shores. It is therefore one of the few pokémon that has ever guided entire naval fleets using the power of its rear end.

Mega Ampharos
The Light Pokémon
Type: Electric/Dragon
Official Registration #: 181+
Entry: The advanced form of ampharos, via ampharosite. Upon mega evolution, ampharos gains not only an affinity for the dragon element and a boost in power but also a long, luxurious mane of wool. Additionally, it gains the ability Mold Breaker, which some believe is actually the result of the sheer power of the glory of its godly locks.

That is most definitely not true … although yes, ampharos’s mane is rather impressive. —LH

My chimchar, Hestia, has a bad habit of forgetting the fire on her back is lit and climbing on things and setting them on fire. How can I help her remember to be more mindful? She’s only a baby right now

Baby fire-types are always a bit of a challenge, anonymous, but in the case of chimchar, it may be manageable. You see, chimchar, as a primate pokémon, possesses a decent level of intelligence, so if you try to teach Hestia something simple, she may have an easier time grasping it than, say, a cyndaquil.

Or in other words, when she lights something on fire, turn her around and show her. Have her help you put out the fire and explain to her that the fire came from her. Train her a bit as well so she understands how to consciously use her flames, and teach her why she can’t simply set everything on fire in the same way you might teach a small child why they can’t do something dangerous.

Sometimes, trainers also find it helpful to give their chimchar a pokémon doll to carry around when they’re young. If their chimchar succeed in carrying it around without setting it on fire, they’re given a small treat during meals. If not, they have to put it out (and if they do this on their own, they might get a treat, although this might also encourage some chimchar to set it on fire in the first place). But by giving a chimchar something tangible and theirs to care for throughout the day, they gain a better grasp on their abilities and learn a bit quicker to control their back fires.

Most of all, though, be patient. As a baby, she’s prone to get into mischief, but by always guiding her with a gentle but firm tone, she’ll learn, little by little, as she grows.

Best of luck, anonymous!

The Slowpoke Line

bills-pokedex:

Slowpoke
The Dopey Pokémon
Type: Water/Psychic
Official Registration #: 79
Entry: A sweet sap leaks from the tip of this strange pokémon’s tail. Although mysterious in its production, this sap tastes exactly like a sweeter form of honey and thus is effective in attracting pokémon. Slowpoke frequently use this to their advantage, as the core of their behavior centers around their fishing rituals, in which they flock to the banks of a slow-moving body of water, dip their tails in, and wait for a bite. However, as slowpoke are not the brightest pokémon nor pokémon with the fastest reflexes, they often fail to notice when they get a bite—or, for that matter, much about their environment at all. Which leads into the second fact: that some humans have found that slowpoke tails are not particularly nutritious but are quite frankly fun to chew on. How we as a species discovered this about a creature who is completely incapable of noticing when anything—human or otherwise—is chewing on its tail is probably best left up to one’s imagination.

Slowbro
The Hermit Crab Pokémon
Type: Water/Psychic
Official Registration #: 80
Entry: The evolved form of slowpoke, by battle experience. Or, rather, to be more accurate, slowpoke evolves into slowbro after it gains enough strength to fish in waters where shellder naturally live. This is relevant because it is the shellder that enables a slowpoke to evolve by clamping down on the tip of its tail. However, curiously enough, a slowbro will always revert to a slowpoke when the shellder is removed, which raises several questions about the nature of slowpoke’s evolution. One possible hint to the existence of slowbro as its own pokémon lies in the fact that due to shellder’s hold on slowbro’s tail, the slowbro host can no longer fish and is, therefore, forced to hunt literally by hand. Thus, slowbro is quite possibly not a true evolution but instead what happens when a slowpoke is forced to give up its sheer laziness.

Slowking
The Royal Pokémon
Type: Water/Psychic
Official Registration #: 199
Entry: The evolved form of slowpoke, when given a king’s rock and traded. It is said that a king’s rock is actually a piece of fossilized shellder that, when traded, reverts back to being a shellder and subsequently bites its companion slowpoke’s head. Upon dual evolution, this shellder then leaks toxins into its host, which breaks down slowking’s literal mental barriers and gives it a drastic boost in intelligence. Given that this means slowking’s intelligence is chemically enhanced, the writer would like to take the time to note to younger readers that drugs do not, in fact, result in intelligence boosts in humans. Just say no, children, and stay in school. Unless you go on a trainer’s journey, at which point never eat mushrooms you can’t identify.

Bill, in case you were still wondering why Fennel won’t leave Amanita with you unless another adult is present to supervise, this. This is why. —LH

Mega Slowbro
The Hermit Crab Pokémon
Type: Water/Psychic
Official Registration #: 80+
Entry: The advanced form of slowbro, via slowbronite. Despite the expression on its face; its erratic, spinning battle style; and the fact that it has somehow been nearly completely consumed by its symbiotic shell, mega slowbro does not need assistance. It is trying its best, dear readers. Just … just let it.

Does Keckleon’s ability to change type rapidly make it more valuable for scientists researching how certain types of Pokémon react to stimuli?

You would think so, but kecleon’s often capricious nature makes them rather difficult subjects. Furthermore, triggering its special ability requires constant bombardment with attacks of the target element, as this is the best way to expose kecleon to an element thoroughly enough for it to change its alignment. It’s simply more reliable to use a pokémon whose type is verified to be the target on a consistent basis. 

That and constantly attacking a pokémon repeatedly before subjecting it to further testing tends to be frowned upon by most ethics committees.

Magikarp and Gyarados

bills-pokedex:

bills-pokedex:

Magikarp
The Fish Pokémon
Type: Water
Official Registration #: 129
Entry: Harmless.

Update:
Entry: Mostly harmless.

Gyarados
The Atrocious Pokémon
Type: Water/Flying
Official Registration #: 130
Entry: The evolved form of magikarp, by battle experience. Twenty-one-foot-long sea serpent that consists of about 95% teeth and rage. Exercise extreme caution when engaging with this pokémon. Chances are incredibly good that it either hates you or, worse, likes you and would like to show affection with its three rows of foot-long teeth.

Mega Gyarados
The Atrocious Pokémon
Type: Water/Dark
Official Registration #: 130+
Entry: The advanced form of gyarados, via gyaradosite. Twenty-one-foot-long, 675+-pound sea serpent that consists of about 99% teeth and rage, plus a new affinity for the dark type and a power boost that together blind it to everything but its insatiable need to burn everything around it to the ground.

In other words, somewhat harmless.

Magikarp and Gyarados

bills-pokedex:

Magikarp
The Fish Pokémon
Type: Water
Official Registration #: 129
Entry: Harmless.

Update:
Entry: Mostly harmless.

Gyarados
The Atrocious Pokémon
Type: Water/Flying
Official Registration #: 130
Entry: The evolved form of magikarp, by battle experience. Twenty-one-foot-long sea serpent that consists of about 95% teeth and rage. Exercise extreme caution when engaging with this pokémon. Chances are incredibly good that it either hates you or, worse, likes you and would like to show affection with its three rows of foot-long teeth.

Mega Gyarados
The Atrocious Pokémon
Type: Water/Dark
Official Registration #: 130+
Entry: The advanced form of gyarados, via gyaradosite. Twenty-one-foot-long, 675+-pound sea serpent that consists of about 99% teeth and rage, plus a new affinity for the dark type and a power boost that together blind it to everything but its insatiable need to burn everything around it to the ground.

In other words, somewhat harmless.