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Pokémon Movepool Oddities & Explanations

When the fossils were first leaked, I predicted that their movepools would consist of two half-movepools smashed together. I was not entirely correct.

These are the traits that are shared regardless of body parts.

Level up moves:
Ancient Power (21)

TMs/TRs:
Hyper Beam
Giga Impact
Rest
Rock Slide
Snore
Protect
Rain Dance
Facade
Rock Tomb
Rock Blast
Round
Body Slam
Substitute
Endure
Sleep Talk
Stone Edge
These are the traits shared only by the zolt fossils.

Ability:
Volt Absorb

Level up moves:
Thunder Shock (1)
Charge (7)
Pluck (28)
Slam (49)
Discharge (56)
Bolt Beak (63)

TMs/TRs:
Mega Punch
Thunder Punch
Thunder Wave
Thunder Fang
Thunderbolt
Thunder
Iron Tail
Taunt
Electro Ball
Wild Charge
These are the traits shared only by the vish fossils.

Ability:
Water Absorb

Level up moves:
Water Gun (1)
Protect (7)
Bite (28)
Super Fang (49)
Crunch (56)
Fishious Rend (63)

TMs/TRs:
Whirlpool
Dive
Brine
Waterfall
Crunch
Zen Headbutt
Iron Head
Psychic Fangs
Liquidation
Ability:
Sand Rush

Level up moves:
Tackle (1)
Stomp (42)
Dragon Pulse (70)
Dragon Rush (77)

TMs/TRs:
Brutal Swing
Earthquake
Outrage
Dragon Pulse
Earth Power
Ability:
Slush Rush

Level up moves:
Powder Snow (1)
Freeze-Dry (42)
Icicle Crash (70)
Blizzard (77)

TMs/TRs:
Icy Wind
Hail
Icicle Spear
Avalanche
Ice Beam
Blizzard
Something strange I noticed is that some TM/TR moves seem to be shared by two different body parts.

Mega Kick
Bulldoze
Stomping Tantrum
Low Kick
Ice Fang
Hydro Pump
Surf
Finally, there are some traits that are unique to a specific fossil combination.

Ability:
Hustle

Level up moves:
Aerial Ace (14)
Dragon Tail (35)

TMs/TRs:
Fire Spin
Sunny Day
Fire Fang
Breaking Swipe
Flamethrower
Fire Blast
Dragon Claw
High Horsepower
Ability:
Static

Level up moves:
Echoed Voice (14)
Avalanche (35)

TMs/TRs:
Payback
Hyper Voice
Ability:
Strong Jaw

Level up moves:
Brutal Swing (14)
Dragon Breath (35)

TMs/TRs:
Leech Life
Scald
Ability:
Ice Body

Level up moves:
Icy Wind (14)
Aurora Veil (35)

TMs/TRs:
Iron Defense
 
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Stonjourner learns Mega Kick at Level 66.

1574185386570.png

This guy. He learns Mega Kick. Via level-up.

I mean... I guess you could say those big rocks are legs. But it's just...
 
Yung Dramps said:
Stonjourner learns Mega Kick at Level 66.

View attachment 207309
This guy. He learns Mega Kick. Via level-up.

I mean... I guess you could say those big rocks are legs. But it's just...
Click to expand...

Sword dex entry confirms it can.

It stands in grasslands, watching the sun's descent from zenith to horizon. This Pokémon has a talent for delivering dynamic kicks.
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The Timburr line now gets Defog by breeding. Do I want to know how they would blow rocks and screens away? Maybe by swinging their wood plank/I-bar/concrete pillars, but it doesn't quite fit the move.
 
michaeloche said:
The Timburr line now gets Defog by breeding. Do I want to know how they would blow rocks and screens away? Maybe by swinging their wood plank/I-bar/concrete pillars, but it doesn't quite fit the move.
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Waving them around (especially Conkeldurr's huge pillars) would line up with Shiftry's fans, Empoleon's fins and Lurantis' blades so it's not that outlandish.
Or maybe picture them twilring like a propeller
 
R_N said:
Waving them around (especially Conkeldurr's huge pillars) would line up with Shiftry's fans, Empoleon's fins and Lurantis' blades so it's not that outlandish.
Or maybe picture them twilring like a propeller
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For specifically Conkeldurr, it's even supported by the Pokedex:

Rather than rely on force, they master moves that utilize the centrifugal force of spinning concrete.
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For the new pass-egg-move-to-other-pokemon-in-daycare thing, I haven't been able to find much info on it beyond being exactly the same species. Does it have to be opposite gender? And is there any more info on how long it takes, other than 'a little while'?
 
Kurona said:
For the new pass-egg-move-to-other-pokemon-in-daycare thing, I haven't been able to find much info on it beyond being exactly the same species. Does it have to be opposite gender? And is there any more info on how long it takes, other than 'a little while'?
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According to Serebii, the gender doesn't matter so long as they're the same species and the one you want to pass an egg move to has an open move slot.
 
TheMantyke said:
Alright folks, are you ready for the most complicated and strange piece of movepool trivia I've ever run across? Get ready for...

The Moveset Lost to Time!

So, as is, The Gen II -> Gen III gap meant several previously possible movesets were impossible for the longest time. Fissure Machamp, Pay Day Mewtwo, Stomp Tauros... the list goes on. With the release of RBYGS on VC, a large majority of movesets that were previously possible back in Gen II are available now. The only exceptions being...

  • Crystal Exclusive Attacks - We'll regain these as soon as crystal is released on VC. Water Gun Phanpy is among the most interesting.
  • Gen 1 & 2 Event Exclusive Moves - A majority of these are lost forever, though it's cool to see a minority of them were eventually annexed onto the Pokemon's permanent movepool

Now, these are pretty expected given we completely lack a third version and those old events are just never getting distributed again. However, there's a third source of unavailable attacks that's actually waaay more complicated.

Gen II Level Up exclusive attack that can only be retaught by move relearner + Gen 1 exclusive attack - This is complicated and a bit hard to explain. There is not a move relearner in GSC, but there is a move relearner in Gen II. In Pokemon Stadium II, if you defeated Gym Leader Castle, you got the opportunity to reteach one of your Pokemon a level up attack. This move relearner is unaccessable for the virtual console releases as they have no release of Pokemon Stadium II to interface with. This generates a possibility for a lost moveset, but it has very strict criteria.

Initially it seems like all we need is a gen II level up attack only accessible by move relearner the Pokemon cannot learn in Gen 7. Sounds simple, right? Well, that's actually a really small list. Very few Pokemon have lost moves over the generations that use to be in their level up movepool. The only things I could remember losing moves immediately when I started looking for some were things like Stomp Tauros and Harden Snorlax. Neither of those attacks are move relearner exclusive either. They do, however, give an idea for a second sort of criteria.

If, say, Tauros learned Beat Up at level 9 in Gen II, then Stomp + Beat Up would be a now impossible combo that was previously possible in Gen II. To get a Tauros with both attacks, you'd need to transfer a Gen I Tauros with Stomp to Gen II, then use the move relearner to teach Beat Up. You obviously couldn't transfer a Beat Up Tauros to Gen I, as the move didn't exist back then.

So is there an actual Pokemon out there with a similar situation? As it turns out, yes! I searched for a while and I found one single Pokemon that had an instance of this. One single Pokemon that was previously 100% possible in Gen II back in 2002 that is impossible in Gen II now.

And that Pokemon is...

arcanine.png

Arcanine
- Flame Wheel
- Teleport

How is this impossible now? Growlithe can learn Flame Wheel in any generation starting at Gen II. Arcanine only gets it as a level up attack in Gen II. Now, of course, you can just evolve a Growlithe with Flame Wheel into an Arcanine, but what if you want a Gen I exclusive attack too?

Teleport is a Gen I exclusive attack (TM 30 in that gen) and the only one that Arcanine can learn, but not Growlithe. This means that if you wanted a Teleport + Flame Wheel Arcanine back in 2002, you'd have to evolve your Growlithe, teach it Teleport in Gen I, transfer it to Gen II, and then defeat Gym Leader Castle with Arcanine in your party to reteach it Flame Wheel. That was possible now, but it isn't any more. It's a move set lost to time we won't get back unless we get Pokemon Stadium 2 back in some capacity!

There are probably a few other ways you could theoretically get a lost moveset with the lack of a move relearner. Not only are all the possibilities a little difficult to word in a non-confusing way, but they don't actually exist. Pokemon losing moves from their level up movepool is extremely rare. Of course, this is all barring glitches.

And that's it, the once possible but now impossible moveset not routed in an event or an unreleased game! Hopefully this was more entertaining than mind numbingly boring. I love ridiculous movepool trivia like this and finding something so strange just really made me want to share this.
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I am sad to report that with the recent movepool revamps of sword and shield, the moveset lost to time is no longer lost to time. Provided nothing funky happens and things like Pokemon with old TMs don't lose their attacks or something transferring through home, an Arcanine with Teleport can relearn Flame Wheel easy from the move relearner. Good move though, ultimately! This funny tidbit of trivia was absolutely worth sacrificing for evolving stone evos at certain levels to get pre evo attacks. Always felt bad deleting baton pass on an eevee evolution knowing I could never get it back in the older gens.
 
So how exactly does Barraskewda use Close Combat?

I've been thinking that it might be slapping with its tail... but it doesn't learn Tail Slap.
 
Siggu said:
So how exactly does Barraskewda use Close Combat?

I've been thinking that it might be slapping with its tail... but it doesn't learn Tail Slap.
Click to expand...
It's practically a self-propelled RPG round. Nothing says Close Combat like ramming speed.

It spins its tail fins to propel itself, surging forward at speeds of over 100 knots before ramming prey and spearing into them.
Click to expand...
 
Siggu said:
So how exactly does Barraskewda use Close Combat?

I've been thinking that it might be slapping with its tail... but it doesn't learn Tail Slap.
Click to expand...
Fish fighting can get pretty rough. My dad has a big tank of fish and they would often slam against the glass and jabbing each others mouths and so on.
Fish are pretty mean! I am a bit shocked they hadn't given Close Combat to one before, but I guess a barracuda is a good a time as any
 
Since Staraptor was my introduction to the move, I've always associated Close Combat more with an in-your-face, ferocious style of fighting than any specific form of attack (even if the original animation consisted of fists).

Between birds, fish, and sentient swords, you can always engage in close combat provided you're violent enough. Although, I'll admit I don't quite get Mudsdale, but that's just because it seems like a more sluggish Pokemon.
 
Le-Hydra said:
Since Staraptor was my introduction to the move, I've always associated Close Combat more with an in-your-face, ferocious style of fighting than any specific form of attack (even if the original animation consisted of fists).

Between birds, fish, and sentient swords, you can always engage in close combat provided you're violent enough. Although, I'll admit I don't quite get Mudsdale, but that's just because it seems like a more sluggish Pokemon.
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It may not be as fast as Rapidash, but I figure Mudsdale can still move quick enough to engage in Close Combat when it wants. And those mud-caked hooves will be leaving a dent in something when it does.
 
R_N said:
Fish fighting can get pretty rough. My dad has a big tank of fish and they would often slam against the glass and jabbing each others mouths and so on.
Fish are pretty mean! I am a bit shocked they hadn't given Close Combat to one before, but I guess a barracuda is a good a time as any
Click to expand...

Guessing your dad has Betta/Siamese Fighting Fish (they're known to occasionally attack their own reflections, the aggressive behavior is them protecting their territory from other fish). Which I'm surprised of all the fish Pokemon we've gotten they haven't done yet as Water/Fighting is a pretty good Typing and the way Betta fight there would be no problem giving them moves like Close Combat, Superpower, Brick Break, Revenge, & Reversal. But I'm edging toward wishlisting so moving on.

Actually, also just want to mention Close Combat's Japanese name is Infight and the description just says the Pokemon gets close to the opponent with guarding. So a Pokemon doesn't need any limbs or get into a combat, they just need to be willing to charge toward their opponent and giving all they got.

michaeloche said:
The Timburr line now gets Defog by breeding. Do I want to know how they would blow rocks and screens away? Maybe by swinging their wood plank/I-bar/concrete pillars, but it doesn't quite fit the move.
Click to expand...

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gurdurr-gif.15183

tumblr_mbmx44B8t91qczibyo1_400.gifv

CTNC said:
Of all the mistakes Game Freak made with SwSh, they had to mess up with one of the best new Pokemon. Four new evolution chains learn Rollout and Wooloo isn't one of them. A squirrel? Sure. The Pokemon that literally rolls into its opponent when using Tackle? No.
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Maybe it's too soft?

Ooh, wait, I got a better explanation. It's assumed Rollout gains power because the Pokemon spinning around is gathering up rocks increasing its mass (same logic with Ice Ball but with ice instead of rocks). However Wooloo and Dubwool's wool is said to be super strong so, though it rolls around, it doesn't actually pick up any stones or dirt. And without it being able to pick up additional mass, it can't use Rollout.

Panic Station said:
Hariyama with Brine is a reference to sumo wrestlers ritualistically throwing salt at the start of matches. Brine is the closest equivalent, since it's a spray of salt water.
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DrPumpkinz said:
That would also explain Smelling Salts.
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Nah, Smelling Salt's Japanese name is "Resuscitation". Pretty much the Pokemon is pushing hard against the target which, while works out the tension in the muscle causing Paralysis, also does damage as they're pushing harder then they need to. The reason it does double damage could be because the Pokemon isn't fast enough to get out of the way of being pinned down.

かたわれ時 said:
1. Phanpy gets Ice Shard as an egg move even though it's a pure Ground type and can only learn Thunder Fang and Fire Fang out of the elemental fangs. In the anime, the Fang moves are often depicted to be made out of energy of their respective type (see Incineroar from the 20th movie) but Ice Shard? That’s simply weird.

2. While we’re at it, why is Fire Fang and Thunder Fang Physical then, if even Physical mons like Incineroar use the elemental energy? And why do Pokemon like Phanpy get it then? (Or does the anime also depict Pokemon using their jaws as well?)

3. And while we’re at it, how does Keldeo use Icy Wind as well?

4. Kyurem can't learn Frost Breath even though the Pokedex says it captures prey by freezing them with its breath. Then again, Kyurem also can’t learn Ice Punch so... (and don’t tell me it was for balancing purposes, because Frost Breath is hardly usable).
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1. With the Phanpy family some moves are implied to being fired from the Pokemon's trunk. Not it can also learn Seed Bomb, Gunk Shot, and only in Crystal it got Water Gun.

2. It is implied they're actually biting with their teeth, in-game animation just makes it an elemental version of teeth so they wouldn't have to animate biting animations for every Pokemon.

3. Not sure why they don't get Ice Beam, though as for Keldeo getting Icy Wind maybe it swipes its sword fast enough to cause a sharp cold wind (like an anime swordsman).

4. Well Frost Breath doesn't freeze, it only does a guaranteed Critical Hit.
 
Pikachu315111 said:
Guessing your dad has Betta/Siamese Fighting Fish (they're known to occasionally attack their own reflections, the aggressive behavior is them protecting their territory from other fish). Which I'm surprised of all the fish Pokemon we've gotten they haven't done yet as Water/Fighting is a pretty good Typing and the way Betta fight there would be no problem giving them moves like Close Combat, Superpower, Brick Break, Revenge, & Reversal. But I'm edging toward wishlisting so moving on.

Actually, also just want to mention Close Combat's Japanese name is Infight and the description just says the Pokemon gets close to the opponent with guarding. So a Pokemon doesn't need any limbs or get into a combat, they just need to be willing to charge toward their opponent and giving all they got.
Click to expand...
No, these are river fish from like Africa or something; Cichlids like johnny blues and a couple of larger fish I think in the same family.
When you have a bunch they tend to chill out a little more but that's just because it spreads the aggression; they're just natural fighters rather than known "fighting fish" like bettas
 
Minazuki said:
So why doesn't Ferrothorn get Spiky Shield? Even Simisage that only has a thorny tail learns it but Pokemon that is literally covered in thorns does not? Some other Grass types that should also have access to it are Abomasnow and Roserade in my opinion.
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Sometimes they don't give pokemon moves for balance reasons. Which, yes, it's gamefreak so we know that can be laughable. But it's literally protect but better on a pokemon with a lot of usage that is very good at its job.

Frankly I'm still shocked they gave Blastoise Shell Smash.
 
TIL Coalossal does not learn Drill Run. At this point I think GF deliberately set out to make it a compelte disappointment like the rest of this Gen

R_N said:
Sometimes they don't give pokemon moves for balance reasons. Which, yes, it's gamefreak so we know that can be laughable. But it's literally protect but better on a pokemon with a lot of usage that is very good at its job.

Frankly I'm still shocked they gave Blastoise Shell Smash.
Click to expand...

The absence of Earth Power in Xerneas' movepool is very conspicuous, and the reason for its absence is very obvious.
 
Siggu said:
I just noticed neither Galarian Farfetch'd nor Sirfetch'd can learn Aerial Ace, even though they learn many slashing moves, that Kantonian Farfetch'd can learn it, and that it's based on a sword technique, considering they wield weapons.
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... have you seen the size of their leeks? I don't think they're going to be making the quick upward then downward slash the move requires anytime soon.
 
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