Weird moves certain Pokemon can or cannot learn

[Luthor]

Both Onix and Steelix can learn Sandstorm though? Also boosting accuracy instead of losing speed would be a huge boon, it would make moves like Stone Edge, Head Smash, and Iron Tail a lot more viable for them.

Though that also leads to another peculiarity Onix and Steelix didn't get head smash until sword and shield as an egg move (at least as far as I can tell) and level up in legends z-a. Which considering it's had rock head as an ability for a while seems a bit late.

 

[PageEmperor]

Tauros has a mouth but can’t learn Crunch, yet it has no arms but can learn Throat chop.

 

[MinorMash31]

Tauros has a mouth but can’t learn Crunch, yet it has no arms but can learn Throat chop.

Probably cuz Tauros doesn't have sharp teeth. Agree with the weird Throat Chop thing.
Speaking of Crunch, whats with Mew learning Crunch? That's so... weird.

 

[Luthor]

Probably cuz Tauros doesn't have sharp teeth. Agree with the weird Throat Chop thing.
Speaking of Crunch, whats with Mew learning Crunch? That's so... weird.

There's two possible explanations that make sense to me. Either mew's a bit like Pikachu (it has teeth but they aren't that easy to see and we don't see mew enough to see them) or Mew can partially transform its body when it uses a move.

One move that I can't explain is how Alakazam can use Iron Tail. I assume it has the move because of its pre-evolution similar to primeape but at least with Primeape its a physical attacker that might get some use out of it.

 

[Yveltal91057]

Probably cuz Tauros doesn't have sharp teeth. Agree with the weird Throat Chop thing.
Speaking of Crunch, whats with Mew learning Crunch? That's so... weird.

Mew is widely believed to be the ancestor of all other pokemon which explains why it can learn Crunch.

 

[Sceptile Leaf Blade]

Mew can learn pretty much any move. It also gets stuff like Sky Attack and Steel Wing, Crunch is tame by comparison. It's part of Mew's lore that it can learn any move. Gamefreak should just go ahead and give Mew Sketch already.

 

[Luthor]

Sirfetch'd cannot learn Sacred sword but Oshawott can learn the move (via egg). To me the scalchop that Oshawott uses seems like less of a sword than Sirfetch'd's leek.

 

[Pokefan_1987]

Mew can learn pretty much any move. It also gets stuff like Sky Attack and Steel Wing, Crunch is tame by comparison. It's part of Mew's lore that it can learn any move. Gamefreak should just go ahead and give Mew Sketch already.

I think Sketch is bit of a hassle for setting up what moves you want to give a pokemon Mew.

Sirfetch'd cannot learn Sacred sword but Oshawott can learn the move (via egg). To me the scalchop that Oshawott uses seems like less of a sword than Sirfetch'd's leek.

The Oshawott line creates water into a steady water blade that cut's objects like a water jet in industrial work. Just like Lightsabers emit plasma in star wars. Giving it a fighting type effect per attack is not that strange.

https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/c/c4/Ash_Oshawott_Razor_Shell.png

 

[Luthor]

The Oshawott line creates water into a steady water blade that cut's objects like a water jet in industrial work. Just like Lightsabers emit plasma in star wars. Giving it a fighting type effect per attack is not that strange.

https://archives.bulbagarden.net/media/upload/c/c4/Ash_Oshawott_Razor_Shell.png

Maybe. My point is more that a Fighting type like Sirfetch'd which uses a large sword like leek should be able to do the same thing a bit easier than a small otter with shells. Samurott at least has a full weapon. Farfetch'd I get why it doesn't as their weapon isn't shaped like the relevant weapon.

 

[Pokefan_1987]

Maybe. My point is more that a Fighting type like Sirfetch'd which uses a large sword like leek should be able to do the same thing a bit easier than a small otter with shells. Samurott at least has a full weapon. Farfetch'd I get why it doesn't as their weapon isn't shaped like the relevant weapon.

They are trying to emphasize that Sirfetch'd uses a leak. It is the same 90 damage, (but Sacred Sword doesn't have increased chance of getting critical hits) But Leaf Blade which is a natural move that generates critical hits, like it needed critical moves to evolve.

It also gives Sirfetch'd a coverage move chance against Azumarill's Water type (unless Azumarill players use Sap Sipper)

 

[Captain Jigglypuff]

I think Sketch is bit of a hassle for setting up what moves you want to give a pokemon Mew.

I agree. It took me over an hour to get a wild Smeargle to Sketch Population Bomb because it kept KO them or Smeargle was faster and wasted Sketch on another move. It was even harder to get Smeargle to Sketch Drain Punch.

 

[Mizuiso]

At the top of my mind, I'd say Blaziken not learning Drain Punch and Aurorus not learning Power Gem.

 

[Luthor]

At the top of my mind, I'd say Blaziken not learning Drain Punch and Aurorus not learning Power Gem.

They did give Blaziken Drain Punch in legends z-a. But Aurorus getting power gem would makes sense (especially given how few special rock moves there are)

 

[Pokefan_1987]

The latest forms of Mew don't learn psychic related moves during leveling up until level 100 for psychic. Why do they keep nerfing the level movepool for Mew ? when it could learn that between 30 and 40 ?
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I know the gimmick is that it can learn any TM you find. But for early on the leveling up moves for it are atrocious
https://bulbapedia.bulbagarden.net/wiki/Mew_(Pokémon)#By_leveling_up and if you have a TM discs in limited supply in games where they break you might have tough luck.

 

[Victreebong]

Tauros has a mouth but can’t learn Crunch, yet it has no arms but can learn Throat chop.

Throat Chop is “Hell Thrust” in Japanese, and it’s named after an unscrupulous wrestling move attacking an opponent’s larynx. It’s really common in martial arts, otherwise known as a “spear hand” (Nukite). Not necessary with the side of the hand, but with any thrusting appendage, mainly fingers. It’s another lost in translation, like with Submission and Rolling Kick.

All of the Tauros’ have plenty of things to thrust opponents with.

 

[Pokefan_1987]

Throat Chop is “Hell Thrust” in Japanese, and it’s named after an unscrupulous wrestling move attacking an opponent’s larynx. It’s really common in martial arts, otherwise known as a “spear hand” (Nukite). Not necessary with the side of the hand, but with any thrusting appendage, mainly fingers. It’s another lost in translation, like with Submission and Rolling Kick.

All of the Tauros’ have plenty of things to thrust opponents with.

It also depends on translation for safety reasons.

 

[Luthor]

I find it a bit surprising that Silvally can learn steel wing. I guess it must use the thing on its head which still seems a bit odd to me given that several of the move descriptions state wings not wing.

 

[Pokefan_1987]

I find it a bit surprising that Silvally can learn steel wing. I guess it must use the thing on its head which still seems a bit odd to me given that several of the move descriptions state wings not wing.

Perhaps the entire neck region on Silvally are actually feathers hence they gave that move ? It is roughly based on a griffin. Iron Head has better 100% accuracy with 80 power and can flinch enemies and in Legends Z-A it lowers enemy action speed.
Steel Wing is lower damage and has 90% accuracy but it can provide a defense boost...less benefits

 

[Luthor]

Perhaps the entire neck region on Silvally are actually feathers hence they gave that move ? It is roughly based on a griffin. Iron Head has better 100% accuracy with 80 power and can flinch enemies and in Legends Z-A it lowers enemy action speed.
Steel Wing is lower damage and has 90% accuracy but it can provide a defense boost...less benefits

Probably but to me its still weird that it get it, like you say Iron Head is generally better and much easier to visualise. Then again I suppose it a chimera so perhaps it comes from wherever the bird like/griffin like parts of the genetic make up come from for Silvally.

 

[Victreebong]

I like the idea of its head thwacking an opponent, feathers spread wide. I could also see Silvally headbutting something, with a fierce overhead axe strike. Iron Head is almost tongue-in-cheek for Type: Null, as it literally is the Pokémon in the Iron Mask.

So Silvally getting Steel Wing after evolution is almost like a liberating celebration of shedding said metal mask.