Tag: asks

What’s the deal with that pikachu that can get different moves by changing costumes? Can they all do that?

No, just very specific pikachu.

Or, well, to be more accurate, it’s pikachu who have been specially trained for shows, and even then, you need to have a pikachu with a certain temperament. It’s acting, in a sense: pikachu assume roles associated with their costumes, and in the process of focusing so much on their roles, they manage to develop abilities that fit their characters. In a way, it’s further proof that the pikachu line is more adaptable than scientists initially thought … or that pokémon as a whole are.

(Personally, though, I’m a bit envious. Think of how much more effective my costumes would be if I could develop the abilities of the pokémon I’m studying, just by focusing on assuming its character!)

Considering the fact that you’re working on a mega aerodactyl costume, I think I speak for everyone when I say it’s a relief you can’t. —LH

How are crustle not *absolutely crushed* by their rocks???

To be fair, anonymous, small mammalian pokémon can withstand thousands of volts of electricity, tiny birds can generate hurricane force winds, and coming in physical contact with sentient blobs of magma or pokémon literally on fire only results in a slight chance of being burned. Pokémon are just more resilient than you’d imagine, for reasons that are simultaneously mysterious and probably eldritch in nature.

That having been said, though, crustle gets by with a combination of exceptional engineering (the weight of the shell is actually distributed across the entire bottom, including any part dragging on the ground, rather than focused only on crustle’s body) and a complete refusal to skip leg or arm day.

Hey bill, were you ever a Pokémon trainer? If so, what was your starter?

I was indeed! For about a year, anyway. I thought it would be a great way to get out of going to school at the time, but the longer I’d spent on that journey, the closer I grew to my pokémon until I realized they could be much more than just pets or things you caught for the sake of battling. In fact, when my ivysaur evolved into venusaur, it opened my eyes to the idea that pokémon are beautiful, mysterious creatures, and that is what inspired me to become a researcher. I don’t think I would have ended up where I am now had I not decided to try my hand at being a trainer (even if I was absolutely terrible at it).

As for my starter, it was that very same bulbasaur that eventually inspired me to become a researcher instead. You may be wondering how I’d managed to get a hold of a bulbasaur in the middle of the largest city in Johto, of all places, but that’s a very long and complicated story.

You took him from a street vendor. It’s not that complicated. —LH

I rescued him from a neglectful and highly unethical pokémon seller. Besides, is it really pokémon theft if the pokémon goes with you perfectly willingly? —Bill

Right, so, remember, readers: don’t be like Bill. He started off with playing hooky and “rescuing” pokémon, and now he completely ignores lab and field research safety protocols. Following either example will end with you either dead or arrested; how my partner has managed to evade both of these fates is a cosmic mystery. —LH

….

—Bill

Hey bill. My folks decided i needed to learn responsibility while living on my own, and got me an Absol cub from a Breeder. What can you tell me about absol care in general and if there’re any Shows i can enter her in in the American regions? are there any pokemon i should Avoid letting my absol interact with for her own safety?

Allow me to start with the easiest question here: There are quite a few that you could try, including ones for canine pokémon (which absol is considered to be), for dark-types, for pokémon in general … you would really have to be more specific about where in the United States you’d like to go and what sorts of shows you’re considering.

If you mean shows as in contests (that is, you’re considering becoming a coordinator), each region actually has its own circuit, but many of these are much smaller than the ones you would find here in Japan. The two biggest circuits, that of Unova in the northeast corner of the United States and Cielo in the southwest, tend to be difficult to get into and maintain a place in for three reasons. First, it’s extremely competitive, as Americans tend to be rather vicious when placed in competition with each other. Second, there is a preliminary audition for both regions before you enter the circuit proper. This is because of the third reason: contests in the United States are filmed and treated much like any other sort of reality television. For this reason, American organizers tend to be particular about who gets to be on stage in the first place.

Of the two, though, the Unovan contest circuit tends to be easier to get into because there’s a little less competition. While the Cielo contests have no real rivals (aside from the film industry itself), the Unova contests are often overshadowed by pokémon musicals.

On that note, the second easiest question to answer: your absol will likely get along with practically any pokémon. When putting together a team, it’s more important to pay attention to the pokémon as an individual, rather than its species. Occasionally, you may have to handle a pokémon with type biases or known rivalries (obviously, never stick a zangoose with a seviper or a red basculin with a blue), but these are rare occasions. Otherwise, you’d be surprised what can get along with what.

Finally, the third easiest: care.

To start things off, it’s a myth that all dark-types are nocturnal. Absol especially are active in the day or whenever their trainer is. This is because their danger sense compels them to be awake and alert whenever their “charges” are. (Sometimes, that charge is an entire village. Other times, it’s just their trainer.) With that in mind, absol can sleep pretty much anywhere, and they often prefer a hard floor to a bed. You’re welcome to provide one, as well as anything to make your absol more comfortable, but all it will really need is a safe place to sleep indoors.

Grooming is likely the most challenging aspect of owning an absol (other than, obviously, dealing with its precognitive abilities), as it not only has thick fur but also a horn that needs to be well-maintained. Brush your absol daily, and be sure to wash it at least once a month with shampoo designed for dog-like pokémon. (It’s okay to wash your absol between your regular session if it gets into something particularly unpleasant.) Be sure to dry your absol off thoroughly, especially around its mane; it can grow mold if you’re not careful. 

When it comes to horn care, your absol will often prefer to maintain its sharpness by grinding it on a rock, so be sure to provide one outside. Brick or a scratching post (normally designed for cat-like pokémon) work just as well. You may also wish to polish your absol’s horn if you’re considering entering it into shows, but be warned that not all absol will allow you to do this. If yours does, use horn polish (generic works just as well) and a soft cloth. Use firm but gentle movements. Don’t pull too roughly, or your absol will protest by bashing you with its horn.

Finally in terms of grooming, be sure to file your absol’s claws every couple of weeks, and clean its teeth daily. This will not only maintain its physical health but also its mental health. Also, some shows may judge your absol based on these traits especially, as claws and fangs are hallmarks of the dark type.

As for extremely basic care, absol are largely carnivorous, just like most canine pokémon. If you aren’t feeding yours specially designed kibble or wet food for its species, make sure that at least half of its diet consists of meat—the leaner, the better. Poultry is ideal, particularly dark meat if you can find enough of it, and eggs are great as your absol grows older. The rest of its diet can consist of a mixture of berries and starchy or colorful vegetables. Avoid fats and fatty foods whenever possible, as well as foods that are typically poisonous to dog-like pokémon (including chocolate, grapes, and so forth). Grains should also be avoided, less because it would kill your absol and more because not a lot of absol can tolerate grains.

In terms of enrichment, an absol doesn’t require much beyond attention, but many enjoy the same types of toys any other dog-like pokémon loves, including balls, ropes, and chew toys. Absol are especially fond of squeak toys, although researchers have yet to figure out why.

As for exercise, all absol should be let out at least once a day (because, well, many are house-trained, so this is how they’ll relieve themselves), so plan for a walk at the minimum. They should also be trained for at least an hour a day, as per usual for any pokémon. Targets are especially valuable when training your absol, as many of its abilities involve its horn, which is, strangely enough, not a thing most absol innately know how to aim with. On that note, always stand upwind from your absol when training it.

Speaking of abilities, the donphan in the room: its “disaster sense.” For the most part, if you treat your absol well, you won’t have to worry about its precognitive ability. Most trainers live their entire lives without their absol’s danger sense triggering because, well, most of us raise our pokémon in fairly safe environments. That said, this is an ability that absol innately know how to use, so very little training is required from it. However, if your absol stops in its tracks for several moments and then bursts into an unusual amount of activity and agitation for seemingly no reason, drop what you’re doing and follow it. That is what its disaster sense looks like, which means that whatever it foresaw, you very likely do not want to be in the vicinity any time thereafter.

It may be worth it to note that if you did want to train your absol to control these visions or to increase its reach into the future, you could pair it with a psychic (either of the human or pokémon variety) for further teaching. Oftentimes, though, it isn’t worth it unless you work with disasters (say, as an EMT, a firefighter, or an insurance salesman).

Best of luck, anonymous!

On a round-the-Pokémon-world cruise, my boat stopped off in Ryme city and I noticed a distinct lack of Pokéballs and a significant number of large Pokémon freely roaming around AND working jobs! In a decently-dense populated city! Is it normal for such symbiotic cities to exist? Does this have anything to do with the absence of Pokéballs? I’m just in awe of how naturally the locals take it and surprised there hasn’t been a major incident.

Well … yes. Most cities are symbiotic like this. In most places, though, this has nothing to do with a lack of poké balls, as most tamed pokémon (including working ones) might not have ones that are carried visibly. It has more to do with the fact that we humans have lived symbiotically with pokémon for thousands of years, and consequently, we’ve built our society around them.

Of course, it often catches people from smaller towns and cities off-guard, as it seems that the smaller the settlement, the more reliant on human labor a community tends to be. From what I understand, this is largely because smaller settlements don’t often host projects that require an extraordinary number of workers and an extraordinarily tight deadline.

Unfortunately, my girlfriend recently passed on unexpectedly. She left me her Sylveon to care for, but I’m not sure what to do at all as I am a dark type specialist. I already have an Umbreon, so I know some general things, but how do the two differ?

First and foremost, my sincerest condolences for your loss. This must be a difficult time for you, so I hope the following advice helps you grow the bond between you and your late girlfriend’s sylveon.

That said, care for a sylveon doesn’t differ from that for an umbreon, actually. A lot of the basics for umbreon care hold true for all eeveelutions with the exception of perhaps leafeon. You’ll just need to tweak a few things.

For starters, be aware that your sylveon is likely not nocturnal. However, unlike many eeveelutions (with the exception of umbreon, of course), you can gradually train it to be by simply shifting its sleep schedule up one hour every few days. (I wouldn’t recommend doing this immediately, as your sylveon will need a stable schedule to help it mourn and move on.)

Additionally, sylveon and umbreon both follow essentially the same diet (they are both carnivorous), but it’s a good idea to give sylveon live prey now and then. This is for their psychological health, so if you’re squeamish … don’t watch afterwards.

Then you have grooming, and here is where sylveon and umbreon differ the most. While sylveon engage in self-grooming (frequently), it’s also important to bathe them. As you know, it’s ill-advised to bathe an umbreon unless absolutely necessary because this strips their coats of their natural oils and leeches their toxins into the water. Sylveon, on the other hand, require baths to remove dirt from their ribbons and maintain their mental health as fairy-types. Use sweet-smelling soap, warm water, and a soft cloth to gently remove dirt from your sylveon’s coat, then let it soak and splash for about ten minutes. Dry it with a soft towel, then follow with a gentle but thorough brushing. Also, your sylveon may have a preferred shampoo; use it whenever possible.

Finally, both sylveon and umbreon are affectionate, but sylveon is more physical about it. Don’t be surprised if yours wraps your hand with its ribbons or begs for petting. It’s only when a sylveon is violent or overly possessive or demanding that it’s a cause for concern.

One last piece of advice: be sure to follow any instructions your late girlfriend left, including and especially any notes concerning preferences. This will help your sylveon to adjust.

Best of luck, anonymous.

Hey Bill, how does the Symposium rank its members? I’m sorry if I’m mistaken, but I thought you’ve mentioned something about this before. Are some champions ranked higher than others? What about professors? Thanks for reading!

Actually, only in the vaguest of terms. To be a little more accurate, the Symposium is merely an organization of the brightest minds of the pokémon research community. Think of it like a think tank meets a more casual forum. While we do indeed meet to address issues that the pokémon professional world faces, the main point is to gather together to discuss ideas, swap information, and network. And occasionally gain funding. The Symposium does that too.

So within the Symposium, when I say “highest ranking,” it’s probably more accurate to say “most respected.” Symposium members, on the most technical level, don’t have official ranks. Technically speaking, Professor Oak isn’t more important or powerful than I am within the organization. However, according to the Symposium’s culture, there are several researchers who are simply more respected than others or considered to be the foremost among us. Those include the regional professors (Oak, Elm, Birch, and so forth). Anyone else tends to be seen as increasingly less senior until you get to the newest members of the lot. I’m not quite at that level (because people know what I can do), but I don’t think I’ll be at Professor Oak’s or Elm’s level anytime soon (…because, ah, people know what I’ve already done).

On the other hand, it’s also true that some information is shared only within circles of these “high ranked” professors, often because widespread dissemination of such discoveries would cause widespread panic, which means there are ranks, but only out of necessity. (Meaning these ranks aren’t associated with power so much as the need for a particular skillset or expertise.) Take Mewtwo for example. Information about that pokémon is highly restricted for an overwhelming list of factors that may or may not involve more than one government, the global economy, and at least one amusement park, so only the topmost Kantonian researchers—those involved with plans for dealing with it or those involved with the cataloging of all known information regarding pokémon via the National Dex Project—know anything at all about it. Well, them and me, anyway, and the only reason why I know anything about it is because I am very good at what I do, not because of where I stand in the Symposium.

As for champions, that’s actually an entirely different organization. They’re with the Pokémon League (or, well, their particular pokémon league), which is a bit difficult to describe but can best be summarized as “regional recreational organization.” That is to say, while League members are often called upon to help protect and maintain their respective cities, it’s mostly because they’re the strongest trainers in the local area. Otherwise, they have about as much power within a city as a baseball player does, as the Pokémon League is essentially the Major League but with a lot more violence. League members generally don’t have ranks compared to one another because most leagues are pretty cleanly separate (so while Lance, the Johto champion, ranks higher than gym leader Clair, he’s equals with Unova’s champion Iris because those are two separate leagues). However, as you probably also know, different cultures might have very specific opinions about particular regions, which sometimes translates into … cultural bias, to put it as tactfully as possible. (So if you’ve ever heard the story about Unova’s champion Iris setting Kanto gym leader Blue on fire for a badly timed comment regarding their respective regions and the pokémon teams of Lance, her, and former champion Red … you now know why.)

There is, of course, a governing body (that is, an organization tied to the actual government) that oversees the League and outlines rules and regulations, inspects facilities to ensure everything is in line with government standards, sets pay, and a myriad of other things, and this is called the Pokémon Association. Champions (as well as gym leaders and Elite Four members) can all be members of the Association, but their rank within their league is irrelevant to the board. Furthermore, internal ranks within the Association are extremely complicated and can best be described with a heavy sigh and the word “politics.” I can say this knowing full well that I’m both high-ranked in the Association and almost completely irreplaceable thanks to my connection with the storage system.

The latter of which he is only because literally no one else in the storage system administrative circle hates ourselves nearly enough. —LH

Sorry I have a couple of questions. 4 days ago I lost my rockruff’s pokeball in a busy shopping center (fortunately she was out of her pokeball at the time) and I’ve checked a few times and it hasn’t been handed to lost & found yet. Now I was wondering if pokeballs have some kind of tracking system in them and if so, how/where do I go to track it? I’d like this particlar pokeball back but if not possible is there a way I can “release” her without having the physical pokeball?

No need to apologize! You’ve actually asked a very excellent set of questions that can be answered in one go.

First, rest assured you’re not the first person who has ever lost a poké ball, nor are you the last. Sending young trainers out into the wilderness means lost poké balls are inevitable, especially when the leagues allow such things as battling over the ocean, in the sky, next to a volcano…

[[If you think Hoenn doesn’t make sense, Bill, just remember your territory has literal maelstroms. In the plural. —LH]]

Anyway, first, yes, poké balls have built-in tracking devices. Normally, this enables the storage system to keep track of your new catches and the leagues to monitor your safety. (Specifically for the latter, if it looks like a team has stopped in a dangerous location for too long, the league will contact authorities to check on their trainer and see if they all need to be rescued.)

For lost balls, though, it is indeed handy for tracking where they went.

From this point onward, you have a few options, most of which require a bit of, shall we say, finagling of storage system settings: 

1. Obtain the general location of your lost ball via the PC or your pokédex. If it’s in a spot that’s easy to reach, this is likely your most straightforward option. Just be warned that in some cases, especially indoors and in crowded areas, the GPS may drift or lag, so move quickly and consider using a pokémon with abilities well-suited for finding objects (such as Pickup) to help you.

2. If your rockruff had been in her poké ball at the time, you could trip the transference component to deposit her, thus transferring her to a known location (i.e., the storage system) for retrieval later. Unfortunately, she’s not, but for those curious, this is in fact an option (and a better one for those of you who drop your poké balls into the ocean—literally Lanette why does Hoenn allow that).

[[Plural. Maelstroms. Bill. —LH]]

3. If the first or second options aren’t feasible for you, you can use the release function, even if you haven’t deposited your rockruff and even if she isn’t anywhere near her poké ball. This will unlink her from her assigned ball and allow her to be recaptured. Trainers often use this option as a means of transferring pokémon to a new (often fancier or designer) poké ball, but it’s also handy in an emergency when you literally drop your pokémon’s poké ball into a volcano, hopefully while the pokémon is busy fighting Team Magma. (Honestly, Lanette, it’s no wonder you redesigned the storage system with so many useful features, given where your league lets its trainers go.)

[[At least I don’t sit on the board of the governing body for a league that lets its ten-year-old trainers enter the multiple labyrinthine cave systems inhabited by extremely powerful and dangerous legendary pokémon, some of which are surrounded by the obscenely powerful whirlpools for which they’re named, sir. —LH]]