Tag: our world

Ive traveled to Alola reacently and ive noticed that the Hyper potions sold here seems to be less potent, is there some sort of change in the recipie?

In a way. The unfortunate thing is that a number of items need to be imported to Alola because unlike other regions, Alola has no industrial centers that can produce high-powered items themselves. Moreover, some medicine’s potency—especially the most ones such as hyper potions—break down over time and through heat exposure. Thus, while technically, the hyper potion uses the same formula as it always has, its effectiveness has degraded en route to Alola.

Incidentally, you may have noticed the same thing if you keep a hyper potion in your bag for a couple of years. Always check the expiration date of your potions before use; while potions and super potions can be used for a considerable amount of time, hyper potions generally only have a shelf life of a year at best. Less than that if exposed to direct sunlight or heat for an extended period of time (as they tend to be when sold in Alola), so also always be sure to keep your hyper potions at the bottom of your bag and out of the sun whenever possible.

In honor of pride month, are there any pokemon who are more prone to chosing same sex mates? Or do you know of any gym leaders/professors/champions/pc managers who are lgbt?

Regarding the latter, I must say quite a few of the figures you’ve mentioned are either closeted or straight, so I’m either not at liberty to out them or can’t include them here for obvious reasons.

At the very least, though, my colleagues on the storage system’s staff and I are quite happily open. Among the core developers (that is, the administrators of Kanto/Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, Kalos, and Alola), Lanette is the only one who’s both straight and cisgendered. Her sister and Molayne are aroace, Bebe is bisexual, Celio is gay, Cassius is pansexual and polyamorous at that, and I am an unfortunate cross between panromantic and asexual. Amanita is excluded here because she hasn’t really explored her sexuality or gender yet. Neither our circle nor her sister are putting any pressure on her to do so, though, but we’ll fully support her when she’s ready. In addition, Molayne is genderfluid (their pronouns are he/him and they/them, incidentally), but we also have a number of trans and nonbinary administrators among the non-core developers. Ingrid of London, for example, who seems to be a fan favorite,  is trans.

Among the gym leaders and Elite Four, as I’ve said, a number of them are either straight or closeted. When it comes to outed members, there is quite an extensive list. For the sake of ease, allow me to only give a few examples. For one, Valerie of Kalos is trans and also aroace, but Jasmine and Will, likewise trans, identify as bisexual and straight, respectively. Burgh, meanwhile, identifies as genderfluid (pronouns are also he/him and they/them). Erika and Sabrina both identify as wlw, although Sabrina is asexual as well. On the other hand, Morty is openly gay, as are Brawly, Wallace, and Grant.

As for Elite Four and Champions, I admit I can’t say for the vast majority of them (they keep their identities rather secret due to our unfortunately backwards media, as you may be aware). However, Steven Stone is openly asexual which … is perhaps because of some rather fascinating rumors about him. Quite honestly, he’s a man after my own heart—far more interested in science than more human pursuits. Of course, his main interests lie in geology rather than in pokémonology, but I don’t judge him for it. I just lament that it’s simply never meant to be.

(Bill, is that really necessary? The media has a field day with you on the daily as it is… —LH

It is 100% necessary. —Bill)

As for pokémon, few of them share our concepts of gender and sexuality, so mated pairs of all possible orientations are not at all unusual in the pokémon world. Wild jynx populations, for example, are known to form same-sex couples and use nearby pokémon (sometimes found well outside the jynx’s home cave systems) to fertilize their smoochum eggs. Even when healthy populations of compatible male pokémon are presented to jynx, they often prefer the company of their own species or female representatives of the male’s. The tyrogue family, sawk, throh, and the bounsweet line seem to be the same way, and froslass, upon evolution, also gravitate towards other froslass and female glalie, even if they displayed a preference towards either gender as snorunt. (Researchers aren’t entirely sure why froslass do that, unfortunately.)

In short, I suppose one can say that should you be LGBT, readers, rest assured you are far, far from alone.

I’ve read that when glalie mega evolves, its jaw breaks, and people think aerodactyl is vicious because mega evolution causes it pain. Many other pokemon also go into an unstoppable rage and only think about the battle and will sometimes turn even on their own trainer. What is the general concensus when it comes to mega evolution? What are your thoughts? Is mega evolution cruel?

As a note, anonymous, mega glalie’s jaw doesn’t break—otherwise, it would have a difficult time reforming after it comes out of its mega-evolved state!

I bring this up because for whatever reason (likely due to the work of Team Plasma or People for the Ethical Treatment of All Pokémon), it’s becoming popular opinion that mega evolution is physically traumatic. However, nothing can be further from the truth because mega evolution is simply another form of evolution. Thus, pokémon really don’t experience physical trauma; their bodies simply undergo a rapid metamorphosis just like most pokémon do when they ordinarily evolve.

However, it’s true that the surge in power can overwhelm a pokémon and drive them berserk—or at least this is true for pokémon experiencing mega evolution for the first time. The more a pokémon trains in and out of its mega evolved form, the easier it will be for them to retain their usual personality.

This is why—up until recently, I suppose—mega evolution was thought to be something only a highly skilled trainer can achieve. Only talented trainers, or at least humans with uniquely strong bonds with their pokémon, can handle the initial shock a novice to mega evolution experiences.

I suppose that would be my view as well. It’s not necessarily cruel, anonymous, but it can be initially dangerous. On the other hand, once a pokémon masters mega evolution, it can unlock a world of potential within itself.

They recently opened a water park in Mauville, Hoenn but they have banned all electric type Pokémon from being within the park (ironic conferring the gym leader, Watson is an electric type gym leader…) what’s your opinion on that?

On the one hand, I can understand why it would need to be done, given the fact that I doubt anyone would like to deal with the legal repercussions of allowing a mass electrocution to take place every time an electric-type got overly excited.

On the other, given that I’m not very fond of amusement parks in general, I also feel that having a water park in the first place, as opposed to finding a more practical use for the land, to be rather pointless.

Why can Pokemon learn only four moves at a time?

They don’t, anonymous. Not really. It’s just that sometimes, learning new tricks builds on concepts used for old tricks, so it’s easier both for the trainer and the pokémon to stick to newer techniques (or a certain set, at least) and build on those. The reason why is because … have you ever learned something advanced and then stumbled or had to think for a moment about something in the same field that’s far simpler? For example, have you ever gotten so used to solving complex algebraic equations or calculating tips on the go that when faced with a third-grader’s word problem, you had to stop and think for a second to recall old concepts? Pokémon do the same thing when trying to recall moves they haven’t used in a while, and those few seconds can be crucial to a match. On the other hand, attempting to reinforce new moves as well as old holds pokémon back and prevents them from mastering the new properly, so it’s either be a jack of all trades (and master of none) or rely on newer moves and avoid that moment of confusion when attempting to use old.

So in other words, it’s just easier for trainers and pokémon to recall a set of four specific techniques than it is to recall every technique they’ve ever learned. (Why four? Oddly enough, this seems to be the ideal number for a vast majority of pokémon. No one’s quite sure why.)

What do you consider good outfit choices for a starting trainer in each region?

Are they aware of what your fashion sense is like? —LH

Excuse you. I have an impeccable fashion sense. Also, you’ve clearly been speaking to my older sister, and I would appreciate it if you’d stop. Or at least tell her to give me back my jacket. How am I supposed to exude the aura of a steampunk mad scientist without it? —Bill

Is that what you were doing? —LH

Always dress for practicality, anonymous. Remember that you’ll be spending much of your time hiking outdoors, so you’ll need outfits that fit the typical climate and terrain of the region.

For example, Kanto and Johto are similar in terms of terrain and climate in that both are temperate areas with four seasons and plenty of mountainous terrain. (Johto is, incidentally, slightly more mountainous than Kanto.) What outfit you’ll need depends on the season, then, but always have a decent pair of walking shoes or hiking boots to navigate the more mountainous routes. Pants—regardless of what certain younger trainers will tell you—tend to be better choices than shorts shirts due to the prevalence of tall grasses in Kanto and ground-dwelling poison-, grass-, and bug-types in the forests of Johto.

Hoenn is far warmer and more tropical (despite being not that far from Kanto and Johto), and it’s far, far wetter. Shorts and short-sleeved shirts are best here to help keep one cool, and sneakers or waterproof shoes will help a new trainer navigate the sandier and muddier terrains. Keep in mind also that part of your journey through Hoenn will take you past volcanic areas and through an actual desert, so be sure to wear sunscreen and hydrate yourself.

Sinnoh, by contrast, is a far cooler region. Some areas are perpetually covered with snow, and the southernmost parts of Sinnoh rarely reach temperatures above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Jackets, long-sleeved shirts, and pants are highly recommended, and consider bringing a warm coat if you plan on fully exploring Mt. Coronet and other northerly points. Additionally, some parts of Sinnoh are wetter than others. While traversing these, keep in mind that denim retains moister far better than other materials, so jeans are ill-advised (as wearing wet jeans can cool your body temperature to dangerous degrees, especially as you sleep in the cooler Sinnohan wilderness).

Unova is similar to Kanto and Johto in that it also experiences four seasons, but it tends to be somewhat warmer and dryer (and dustier…) than the others. Part of this is due to the giant desert taking up a large portion of the region, and other parts are due to the fact that Castelia and Nimbasa have the very strange ability of leaving anyone who passes through them with the distinct feeling of being covered in film. Long sleeves, pants, and walking shoes that are suitable for a large amount of use on concrete are ideal. (Yes, even through the Unovan desert. There are sandstorms there, and as such, you will likely regret leaving any part of you unprotected. On that note, pack goggles if traveling to this part of the region.) Also, be aware that the outer edges of the region are swampier and full of more coastline than Central Unova, so bring an extra pair of socks.

Kalos likewise is a more temperate region, but it shares many similarities with Sinnoh. Parts of it (namely Snowbelle and the areas surrounding Dendemille) are perpetually covered with snow, but other than that, Kalos is full of coastline, marshland, and forests, while the average temperature may be comparable to a sunny autumn day. Long sleeves and pants are likewise advisable, and a coat is essential for the more wintry areas (especially Route 17).

Finally, Alola is a highly tropical region and famous for being such. Its key attractions for trainers include lush rainforests, volcanoes, seaside caves, and plenty of coastline, as well as the perpetually snowy Mount Lanakila. Additionally, while most days are sunny, it’s not unusual to be caught up in a heavy tropical downpour, especially during the monsoon season. Wear clothing that will keep you cool but always keep a poncho close at hand. A coat is advisable if scaling Mount Lanakila, but it’s better to keep this in storage until you absolutely need it, as the rest of the region tends to be blistering hot. (Well, if you’re used to Johtonian temperatures, anyway.)

Otherwise, be sure to do your research into the region you’re visiting. Many trainers keep travel blogs to help newer crowds decide things such as what to pack, so it may be worth it to run a search on the region you’re considering.

Best of luck, new trainers!

Hello Bill, I recently caught an Absol and raised him. We are trying to take on the Battle Tree but usually lost, so I tried to take him and my Goliosopod to Resolution Cave, but my Absol seems completely against going too deep within the cave, only seeming to accept the early foggy section with the hanging vines. Is there something deep within the cave that seems to continually concern my Absol? Both he and Goliosopod are more than capable of handling the wild Pokemon.

Hm. Resolution Cave is located on Poni Island, yes? If so, I must admit I’ve never been there myself, and Poni Island is notoriously rough and barely charted territory. There are rumors among Alola natives of dangerous pokémon deep within Resolution Cave, but other than common but rather ordinary pokémon of exceptional strength, many of these rumors are unsubstantiated. Likewise, according to the Alolan administrator Molayne (who himself has a team strong enough to protect him against the wild pokémon of Poni Island), the terrain of Resolution Cave itself is rough and dangerous, but he admits he’s never been much further than the area you’ve described. It could very well be that your absol is simply reacting to the risks presented by these pokémon, or perhaps risks presented by the terrain of Resolution Cave itself. Either way, I would trust your absol on the matter.

im going on a cruise to a tropical location so i was wondering what pokemon would be good to bring?

Steelix. I’m just curious to know what would happen.

Edit: As expected, my editor has requested very politely for me to edit this answer.

First and foremost, anonymous, consult your cruise(’s website) first. Each cruise line has their own set of rules concerning what you may or may not bring aboard. Some ships have weight limits, others may have bans on certain types, and so forth. Thus, you may actually find yourself placing many of your team members in the storage system by default, simply because your cruise line may bar them from coming aboard.

That aside, though, it depends on which of the remaining members of your team wish to accompany you. While it’s true that some ice-types may encounter difficulties with the weather and some rock-types may not be comfortable out at sea, it’s also true that luxury cruise liners take this into account and have special rooms aboard their ships to accommodate such pokémon. So while certain members of your team may not be able to go with you on island tours, they may be just fine if left aboard the ship.

However, I will say this: from what I understand, some cruises are best enjoyed with pokémon that can use Dive, Surf, or both. These pokémon may go with you to any port you visit and could very well add to your experience, especially if you plan on scuba diving or snorkeling. Some tourists also prefer taking telepathic pokémon with them to foreign ports in order to facilitate communication, so that’s certainly an option as well. But of course, if any of your pokémon seem particularly excited at the prospect of exploring new places with you, those are the ones you should consider taking above all others.

Bon voyage, anonymous!

Do any regions/cities have leash laws? What Pokémon cannot legally walk around naturally with their trainers in public?

No. The poké ball is typically sufficient enough to keep a pokémon in line. Often, it’s seen as more humane because while a leash restricts a pokémon’s range of movements, a poké ball allows them the freedom to go about as they please while still enabling their owners to pull them out of harm’s way or keep them from doing anything damaging. Of course, most pokémon paired with a poké ball are acclimated enough to human contact to behave well in public, and most trainers who own pokémon that are aggressive or otherwise not well-adjusted to human presence often know better than to force their pokémon to accompany them through high-traffic areas.

That having been said, all pokémon are legally able to walk around with their trainers in public; it’s just that there are some pokémon that are not socially acceptable to keep by one’s side. (Muk, for example.)