So, just curious, how does everyone still stand around the idea/speculation/theory that the Gen 7 Starters may have split forms? Do you think its still possible for this to happen, or are you more in the camp for the speculated idea that the Gen 7 Starters have so-called Z-Forms? I myself am neutral at this, but if there was a camp I preferred more, it would be the Split Evo/Forms speculation for me personally.
I myself don't think Z-Forms exist, at least not if its supposed to be like Ash-Greninja, seeing common speculation around them is that you need to use a move to trigger this said transformation. However, Greninja, if its redubbed as a Z-Form in question, doesn't need to perform a move to transform into its Ash-mode. Of course, I know, anime and the games are different in their ways how certain things are portrayed.
That said, if they do exist, I could see them work similar to Mega Evolution, where the move's effect only triggers a Z-Form transformation, but that is it, instead of a all-powerful attack that causes the transformation during the attack phase or after it. After all, Z-Moves, no matter what, at least from what we know, can only be used once. So the Z-Moves would have to either cause a Transformation, or allow a Pokémon to perform a powerful attack, but not both. I just don't see both powers/effects included into a Z-Move.
In all, from what I can gather on Z-Moves, they could be included into three variants:
1. Transformation Effect similar to Mega Evolution (Zenith Forms)
2. All-Powerful Attack Move (Special or Physical)
3. Stat-Boost/Non-Attack Move