Strategy vs Style: Rating Monotype Cores Based on Synergy in Battle and Looks

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Monotype is a fairly unique metagame compared to most of the other existing metagames, restricting teams to require at least one shared type among all six Pokémon. Although this may seem like a challenge, it's actually interesting to see how effective teams can still be, despite the supposed shared weaknesses that come with the specific type. Certain matchups that may seem lopsided can even potentially be a fair game thanks to the unique counterplay players come up with. There are many cores in Monotype that really show how players effectively work a specific type, but how would those cores look on the runway? After all, if you're going to dominate in battle, you may as well look stylish while doing so. In this article, we will be taking a look at a few cores you may come across in Monotype and discussing their effectiveness competitively and aesthetically.

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The trope of anthropomorphic bulky rock with short legs doesn't seem like something that would be repeated, yet here we are. Rhyperior and Coalossal share many characteristics with each other, especially the shapes within their designs, making them quite the eye-pleasing pair. In fact, if you were to tell me that they were two different final evolutions of the same Pokémon, I'd probably believe you. Their color palettes, while not necessarily perfect matches for each other, still work well together thanks to their shared basic, hard as rock shades. Additionally, the small differences in their designs give this pairing character and make it so they don't look like the same Pokémon with different colors. For example, Rhyperior's arms are longer than Coalossal's, but Coalossal's broad shoulders help to complement them in a unique way. I suppose you can say that these Pokémon really "rock" together. Heh.

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I hope that it'll be no surprise to you for me to say that these Pokémon look good next to each other. Galarian Slowking and Slowbro have enough similarities to stay stylish while having their own unique characteristics that help them not look like simple carbon copies of each other. For example, both of them have the same body structure and similar design choices, but their different yet still complementing colors and very slightly deviating designs assist greatly in adding their own spice. In particular, the differences in how the shell (yes, it's canonically a Shellder, but you'll never catch me calling it that) is used in their designs make this pairing so perfect. Their contrasting shell placements, colors, and personalities alongside their similar atmospheres add so much to this pairing besides just them sharing an evolutionary family. To think that these came from the oldest and newest generations, too!

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Imagine seeing soldiers from the Roman Empire fighting alongside a military tank like the ones we have today. It would be a very weird clash of the times, right? This is how I feel about this core; the futuristic look of Celesteela is pretty funny to see next to the prehistoric Aerodactyl. Is it a bad look? Not necessarily, but I wouldn't call it a great look either. In my opinion, it depends on the perspective you have when looking at this pairing. If you look at them purely based on their design, it's not the best in the world; Aerodactyl's simple, dinosaur-like features aren't the perfect match for Celesteela's complex layers and small intricate design pieces scattered all around it. However, as a concept, it's really not that bad. Like I mentioned before, Celesteela and Aerodactyl look interesting together due to how their designs take influence from two completely different times (one of which has yet to come, I would like to believe). The design choices of the Pokémon aren't always the only factor in making a stylish core; sometimes, you may need to think outside the box, or rather, your own time period.

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Did I want to include this core simply for the reference it makes? Maybe, but regardless of that, this juxtaposition is a great example of how different Pokémon have become from generation to generation. Those differences, though, is why this pairing is not too pleasant to look at. In particular, Torkoal's design uses very soft and somewhat dull colors, whereas Cinderace's palette jumps out at you in an almost obnoxious way. Additionally, while Torkoal can probably pass as an actual turtle (disregarding the smoke pluming out of it), Cinderace's anatomy is not quite that of a rabbit. It's kind of like trying to put two puzzle pieces together from two different puzzles; the wildly different qualities Torkoal and Cinderace have, due to the design differences between their generations of origin as a whole, make it difficult to find anything worthwhile to say about how they look together. Funnily enough, though, their shiny forms are a lot better on the eye thanks to their similar colors, but even then, it's hard to justify putting this pair on the runway.

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It may take a while for you to notice, but after observing this core for a bit, you may realize that they do have a bit of synergy. While most cores look stylish thanks to the Pokémon's similarities, Amoonguss and Nidoking are able to earn style points primarily thanks to their contrasting features. Yes, their generation gap may seem to be a hinderance, but again, you have to really warm up to this core for it to look good. Amoonguss's roundness and lack of any corners is the complete opposite of Nidoking's sharp coat of thorns and rough edges, and their faces give off vastly different emotions. So, what's the special trick? Amoonguss and Nidoking have very subtle similarities that connect all of their contrasts together without it looking horrible. Their color palettes, for example, are very soft and are either very close to each other on the spectrum or pretty much the same. If you observe this core for even longer, you can even see that their movement synchs up for a bit! Pretty cute if you ask me. Sometimes, you have to really look deep into things like this in order to appreciate the aesthetic that doesn't seem there at first.

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Hopefully this article has made you realize that there's more to cores than just how good they do on the battlefield, especially in a metagame that requires your team to have a shared style in the same type. Keep this in mind, and you'll be able to climb up the ladder thanks to good strategy while looking stylish doing it.