Is it just me, or is Gen IV looking... broken?

[danburite]

Let's have a look at a few features of Diamond and Pearl, shall we?

1. Special/physical attacks possibly to be changed to contact/non-contact
Firstly, the whole "contact" system isn't confirmed as of yet, but if this is how the new battle system is programmed, then as many people fear, several good Pokemon will fade into obscurity, and "the big 4" will become INCREDIBLY overused, possibly prompting a new metagame tier: IOU, or just IO (standing for "incredibly overused", duh). This isn't necessarily a bad thing, and as there's several threads on the subject, I won't dwell on it.

2. New attacks
Several of the new attack are likely to be abused to no end, namely Anticipate, Cross Poison and to a lesser extent, Trouble Seed and Nature Spurt.
Anticipate is one of my major fears, as since sweeper Pokemon are so popular (especially the big 4), this will become a staple of many teams. Being able to not only attack first, but at ONE AND A HALF TIMES THE ENEMY'S ATTACK'S STRENGTH!? That's just insane. Imagine fighting a Pokemon you know is using a Choice Band? Just send out Lucario, Anticipate, and wipe the floor with your opponent.
EVs? IVs? Natures? BAH, they're for chumps! Why bother when you can attack BEFORE your enemy AND you're guaranteed to be stronger?

Then there's Cross Poison. Critical Hits are painful enough, but with a high chance of poison? Why don't I just KO my OWN Pokemon right now? Dorapion with Snipe and Cross Poison, you're dead in the water. Especially with the oh-so-popular Choice Band.

3. Unnecessary evolutions
Munchlax: Snorlax is strong enough as it is, the new moves Munchy learns, while useful, contribute nothing to Snorlax.
Weavile: I like this Pokemon, but with the Non/Contact change, Sneasel already has a much better moveset at its disposal, with or without an evolution.
Possible Electabuzz evo: IF this does evolve from Electabuzz (and that's pretty bloody likely), it really makes me think. WHY? What's so bad about Electabuzz as it is? It has a nice movepool, decent stats and a gimicky pre-evolution. What else does a Pokemon need?
Rozureido: As not much is known, there's not much to say about this one. Rosie could benefit from the stat boost evolution often brings, but its movepool is still nice. What's there to gain?

All of these changes would have been bearable in Gen I, II or III, as most people only had a limited supply of opponents. But in a generation where WORLDWIDE battling is a reality, how will Gamefreak be able to balance this? Nerfed old attacks (and thus Pokemon), overpowered new attacks, and new Pokemon just overpowered enough to be ROCKETED into everyone's team?

This is the kind of thing a lot of MMO's suffer from in the early days of a new update. The difference? Those companies can actually correct their changes as soon as possible!
Game Freak's going to have to wait another 3 years until Gen V before they can remedy these mistakes.

Discuss!

*A disclaimer: I would have posted this in one of the existing threads, but I feel that it's in-depth enough to warrant it's own discussion.

 

[Mystic Power]

i don't think there mistakes, all pokemon are going to become stronger so it is going to be very challangeing indeed.

 

[danburite]

i don't think there mistakes, all pokemon are going to become stronger so it is going to be very challangeing indeed.

Care to elaborate? As i've stated, the old Pokemon are likely to be nerfed, whilst the newbies have nigh-unstoppable attacks and abilities. That's not challenging, that's an unfair advantage.

 

[the_fifth_horseman]

dont buy the game then, leave this unfair problem to those who have purchased the game

 

[Chris]

Might I remind you that the gameplay has changed in just about every game generation.

GS introduced not only a Special stat split, but also two new types and items as well as new attacks for older Pokemon. This made some of the older ones weaker compared to the first gen. and some stronger in the second.

RuSa introduced Abilities, Natures, new items and attacks, and EVs. This shifted the GSC game completely.

This will be no different.

 

[Espeon POWER!]

I reckon this is the challenge I've been waiting for, not a mistake.

 

[Koubagia]

Anticipate would also very nicely deal with the Dragonite, Tyranitar, Metagross and Salamence problem everyone has been complaining about. Mind you, it would very nicely deal with everything else as well.

 

[danburite]

dont buy the game then, leave this unfair problem to those who have purchased the game

If people didn't point out mistakes, there'd be no such thing as progress. Like every other Pokemon fan, I WANT Diamond/Pearl.
However, what I don't want is a game where it's so incredibly imbalanced it's impossible to enjoy it.

Mind you, it would very nicely deal with everything else as well.

Exactly.

Might I remind you that the gameplay has changed in just about every game generation.

GS introduced not only a Special stat split, but also two new types and items as well as new attacks for older Pokemon. This made some of the older ones weaker compared to the first gen. and some stronger in the second.

RuSa introduced Abilities, Natures, new items and attacks, and EVs. This shifted the GSC game completely.

This will be no different.

Ah! The difference there is that they were changes for the better. D/P involves changes that makes the gameplay VERY one-sided. Why bother with strategy when you have Pokemon that can defeat everything with no effort?
Look at Anticipate. It attacks FIRST, and with 1.5 times the power of the opponent's incoming attack. That just eliminated the need for offensive attacks AND IV's, EV's and Natures.
If people were doubting Lucario was uber before, now it's guaranteed. The trouble is, it's theoretically stronger than every single other uber Pokemon, EVER.

 

[Mystic Power]

Care to elaborate? As i've stated, the old Pokemon are likely to be nerfed, whilst the newbies have nigh-unstoppable attacks and abilities. That's not challenging, that's an unfair advantage.

in every new generation so far older pokemon have been given new attacks, how do you know older pokemon aren't going to have new abilities or whatever.

heaps of the older pokemon have allready been given something to imrove themselves with.

you can't make assuptions based on something you really have no idea about.

 

[the_fifth_horseman]

If people didn't point out mistakes, there'd be no such thing as progress. Like every other Pokemon fan, I WANT Diamond/Pearl.
However, what I don't want is a game where it's so incredibly imbalanced it's impossible to enjoy it.

if you're not going to enjoy it do you really want to spend your money on it?

 

[Chris]

Imbalanced? How so? You're basing a whole lot on so very little information. The game hasn't even been completely revealed and already you're complaining on barely much.

If anything, the contact battles will do some favors for a large amount of Pokemon. Out of over 386, a rather HUGE chunk of it is practically useless with the current battling system. It's simply to tone down on those who are currently overused and give the more obscure ones a chance and also mixes it up a notch.

Seriously, why would one consider something like an elemental punch a Sp. Attack? It's a punch that has an elemental power to it. Nothing more. The punch's damage isn't just influenced by the element, but by the physical force of the punch.

Hyper Beam? Not necessary to be an "attack" when it's made of energy.

I still believe you're going off on a tangent over so little information.

 

[Bulbatordile]

I still think it is too early to make such assumptions. We do not have enough information. The games are constantly changing as Edward Elric said.

 

[danburite]

if you're not going to enjoy it do you really want to spend your money on it?

Exactly why I WANT to enjoy it. Hence my fears about the game being broken.

 

[APPS]

I'm not sure of the problem. Like the change from soul calibur 2 to soul calibur 3 this change in game mechanics will simply encourage people to think about their choices alittle more. instead of sweepers, how about promoting annoyers and tanks? Use your head and youl go far.

On the anticipation note, have you considered that this is probably an over hyped move? It's easily possible that its only for lucario and it could only have something like 5pp...

 

[Mystic Power]

if you're not going to enjoy it do you really want to spend your money on it?

exactly accept it and stop whinging or don't buy the game.
*simple*

I am sick of people going on about how bad the new changes are.

 

[danburite]

Imbalanced? How so? You're basing a whole lot on so very little information. The game hasn't even been completely revealed and already you're complaining on barely much.

If anything, the contact battles will do some favors for a large amount of Pokemon. Out of over 386, a rather HUGE chunk of it is practically useless with the current battling system. It's simply to tone down on those who are currently overused and give the more obscure ones a chance and also mixes it up a notch.

Seriously, why would one consider something like an elemental punch a Sp. Attack? It's a punch that has an elemental power to it. Nothing more. The punch's damage isn't just influenced by the element, but by the physical force of the punch.

Hyper Beam? Not necessary to be an "attack" when it's made of energy.

I still believe you're going off on a tangent over so little information.

The contact system is unconfirmed, hence why I didn't talk about it much, though I did express fears over it.
I'm more concerned about the NEW Pokemon being broken, as I stated. I think it's safe to say that either there'll be a Lucario on every sucessful wi-fi team, or a Pokemon that can use Anticipate. As i've stated, a Pokemon with Anticipate, by the definition given on Serebii.net, has no need for any of the recommended training methods. Heck, it has no need for LEVEL, either! Think about THAT.

On the anticipation note, have you considered that this is probably an over hyped move? It's easily possible that its only for lucario and it could only have something like 5pp...

That's all it needs to take out most members of a team.

 

[APPS]

exactly accept it and stop whinging or don't buy the game.
*simple*

I am sick of people going on about how bad the new changes are.

Hang on i think he's entitled to his opinion... he raises a very good point and you shouldnt shoot him down as you have.

Come up with an actual argument to his point instead.

 

[danburite]

Hang on i think he's entitled to his opinion... he raises a very good point and you shouldnt shoot him down as you have.

Come up with an actual argument to his point instead.

I think i'll have a heart attack the day someone actually debates with me on these forums. It's usually either "get over it", "you're wrong, i'm right!" or "you're making assumptions over something you took the time to research!"

 

[Mystic Power]

in every new generation so far older pokemon have been given new attacks, how do you know older pokemon aren't going to have new abilities or whatever.

heaps of the older pokemon have allready been given something to imrove themselves with.

you can't make assuptions based on something you really have no idea about.

That is part of my argument, but how can somone complain about changes when they don't have a clue of the full extent.

 

[APPS]

I think i'll have a heart attack the day someone actually debates with me on these forums. It's usually either "get over it", "you're wrong, i'm right!" or "you're making assumptions over something you took the time to research!"

lol i know what you mean