Are Pokédex entries exaggerated?

[Leonhart]

Many of them certainly appear to be exaggerations since they have little to no bearing on the habits of the Pokemon in the games, and would be better suited for the anime. And quite a few of them even contradict Pokemon world physics.

 

[TwilightBlade]

I always wondered why they bother with the exaggerated flavor text? If it's not relevant to the game mechanics then why make stuff up that will never be present during the plot of said games?

 

[Tsukuyomi56]

A few Dex entries are downright silly (Magcargo being a prime example) but some have some facts such as the Seviper/Zangoose rivalry and Sableye preying on Carbink (Sableye attacks their Carbink “partner” in SOS Battles and in New Pokemon Snap are seen chasing them). Mega Evolution entries in the Alola games are quite dubious though the only experience with Mega Evolution for the player would be the Battle Tree and Dexio. We did see Korrina’s Mega Lucario go berserk before it fully mastered its new form however.

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I always wondered why they bother with the exaggerated flavor text? If it's not relevant to the game mechanics then why make stuff up that will never be present during the plot of said games?

I’m not sure about the pre-Gen VII Dex entries but as I’ve said before, I’m convinced that the Rotom in the Gen VII and VIII Dexes have tampered with the entries just to mess with the player. I mean what better way for a Rotom to prank humans than making up creepy stuff about other Pokémon just to see their reactions upon reading these entries?

 

[NovaBrunswick]

A few Dex entries are downright silly (Magcargo being a prime example) but some have some facts such as the Seviper/Zangoose rivalry and Sableye preying on Carbink (Sableye attacks their Carbink “partner” in SOS Battles and in New Pokemon Snap are seen chasing them).

And also with Zangoose and Seviper, in wild Double Battles and SOS Battles, they attack each other instead of the player's Pokémon, again referencing their perpetual rivalry.

Mega Evolution entries in the Alola games are quite dubious though the only experience with Mega Evolution for the player would be the Battle Tree and Dexio.

A similar kind of thing happens with the Gigantamax entries, the most prominent ones being:

• Gigantamax Inteleon - it can apparently pull off a perfect sniper shot from nine miles away;
• Gigantamax Orbeetle - it can detect things around it up to six miles away;
• Gigantamax Hatterene - its detection radius is even better than Orbeetle's, reaching up to 30 miles away;
• Gigantamax Copperajah - its trunk can demolish an entire mountain and even change the landscape of Galar itself;
• Gigantamax Gengar - if you stand in front of its massive mouth, you can apparently hear the voices of your dead relatives and family members, which I think someone here already mentioned (and made a funny joke about).

 

[Luthor]

There's also contradictions which make me speculate at least one is wrong.....

Platinum- A Magikarp living for many years can leap a mountain using Splash. The move remains useless, though.

Heartgold- An underpowered, pathetic Pokémon. It may jump high on rare occasions, but never more than seven feet.

Unless this is talking about a 7ft mountain it feels like the claim to be able to leap a mountain is either a legend or an exaggeration.

 

[Akashin]

There's also contradictions which make me speculate at least one is wrong.....

Platinum- A Magikarp living for many years can leap a mountain using Splash. The move remains useless, though.

Heartgold- An underpowered, pathetic Pokémon. It may jump high on rare occasions, but never more than seven feet.

Unless this is talking about a 7ft mountain it feels like the claim to be able to leap a mountain is either a legend or an exaggeration.

I've always been inclined to think that there isn't one universal database that all Pokedexes draw from. Sinnoh's researchers documented one thing (note that Platinum is the first game in which Magikarp could learn Bounce, which could play a part in its entry claiming a higher Splash height), Johto's another. This also fits with Alola, where I agree with the prevailing theory that Rotom is the one writing the entries. In this case Platinum's entry is straight up exaggerated hyperbole, but I wouldn't call it a contradiction, per se.

As far as entries being exaggerated, yes, of course some of them are. That's not to say there's no truth to be taken from them either, though.

 

[RedJirachi]

it can apparently pull off a perfect sniper shot from nine miles away

It's almost like it's admitting this is exaggeration

 

[NovaBrunswick]

It's almost like it's admitting this is exaggeration

Frogadier and Blastoise can also apparently hit empty cans from 160 feet away with perfect accuracy.