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Weird moves certain Pokemon can or cannot learn

Luthor

Well-Known Member
Tell that to pikachu and makuhita.

With Makuhita in addition to surf it has been able to get chilling water, Whirlpool and rain dance and then upon evolving it can also get brine so Makuita has at least some more grounds to use water moves. I'd say it has good enough reason to use surf.
 

Palamon

Silence is Purple
In generation IV's HeartGold and SoulSilver battle frontier, Bulbasaur can be tutored the move String Shot. And so can Remoraid, Mantine, Lileep and Remoraid.

Why? Like, that's very weird?
Stringshot in Japanese is "Spit Thread" and is always depicted as some sort of silky bug string.
There's no way any of these Pokemon can spit out bug threads, they're not insects, in any way.
 

Xaby

SW-3553-0104-8530
In generation IV's HeartGold and SoulSilver battle frontier, Bulbasaur can be tutored the move String Shot. And so can Remoraid, Mantine, Lileep and Remoraid.

Why? Like, that's very weird?
Stringshot in Japanese is "Spit Thread" and is always depicted as some sort of silky bug string.
There's no way any of these Pokemon can spit out bug threads, they're not insects, in any way.
Most, if not all, plants have tough fibers that can be used for netting and similar. It wouldn't be hard to imagine that a plant-type like Bulbasaur and Lileep can use the move.

As for Remoraid and Mantine, they are based on the archerfish, a type of fish that snipes their land-based prey by, well, spitting water at them. String Shot/Spit Thread is just them shooting their target with a more viscous material (the method of producing said strings will be left to the reader's imagination).
 

Victreebong

Gives 'em the slip..
Scream Tail not getting Leech Life and Draining Kiss. Gets Drain Punch, and is clearly inspired by vampires. Just another Game Freak maneuver. I also feel like it should have received Screech and at least one of the tail moves, like Iron Tail.
 

Pokefan_1987

Avid Pokemon TCG Card collector.
Scream Tail not getting Leech Life and Draining Kiss. Gets Drain Punch, and is clearly inspired by vampires. Just another Game Freak maneuver. I also feel like it should have received Screech and at least one of the tail moves, like Iron Tail.
It can learn Metronome but pulling out leech life or Draining Kiss from hundreds of moves? That is unpredictable to get in the right circumstances.

Also 95% of Paradox pokemon don't have exclusive moves. Only Koraidon, Miraidon, Walking Wake and Iron Leaves have exclusives.
 

Palamon

Silence is Purple
Most, if not all, plants have tough fibers that can be used for netting and similar. It wouldn't be hard to imagine that a plant-type like Bulbasaur and Lileep can use the move.

As for Remoraid and Mantine, they are based on the archerfish, a type of fish that snipes their land-based prey by, well, spitting water at them. String Shot/Spit Thread is just them shooting their target with a more viscous material (the method of producing said strings will be left to the reader's imagination).
Then what about Shellos and Gastrodon? You have to admit, this one is a little weird. But, I suppose this makes a bibt more sense now.
 

Luthor

Well-Known Member
Then what about Shellos and Gastrodon? You have to admit, this one is a little weird. But, I suppose this makes a bibt more sense now.

It is a bit unusual but if you look at gastrodon's dex entry "it secretes a purple fluid to deter enemies. This fluid isn't poisonous—instead, it's super sticky, and once it sticks, it's very hard to unstick.". Which references a real life defence certain Sea Slugs have. Apparently its been known for certain real life sea slugs (e.g Aplysia) that when attacked, they can secrete two substances, a purple ink and something called opaline, a whitish liquid that seems to become highly viscous upon contact with water (according to a page I found). Its not exactly string but the effect is similar enough that it could be the closest move they have to reference that behavior that later became a dex entry.
 
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octoboy

I Crush Everything
It is a bit unusual but if you look at gastrodon's dex entry "it secretes a purple fluid to deter enemies. This fluid isn't poisonous—instead, it's super sticky, and once it sticks, it's very hard to unstick.". Which references a real life defence certain Sea Slugs have. Apparently its been known for certain real life sea slugs (e.g Aplysia) that when attacked, they can secrete two substances, a purple ink and something called opaline, a whitish liquid that seems to become highly viscous upon contact with water (according to a page I found). Its not exactly string but the effect is similar enough that it could be the closest move they have to reference that behavior that later became a dex entry.
Yes, not only that, but gastrodon also kind of looks a bit like a velvet worm, which is also famous for spewing sticky threads, so that dex entry may also come from that as well.
 

Captain Jigglypuff

Leader of Jigglypuff Army
Yes, not only that, but gastrodon also kind of looks a bit like a velvet worm, which is also famous for spewing sticky threads, so that dex entry may also come from that as well.
I was thinking the same thing. Gastrodon is sort of like a sea cucumber which does emit a string like substance when it feels threatened. It’s actually surprising that Pyukumuku doesn’t learn String Shot.
 

NovaBrunswick

Canada Connoisseur
One thing I always found weird was how Eelektross and Slowking can learn Flamethrower, and Hydreigon can learn Surf. Those definitely caught me off-guard when I was battling Ghetsis in Black, and whenever I battled Cress in B2. Rhydon can also learn Surf too, despite it usually being weak to Water.
 

Tsukuyomi56

Sky High Knight
One thing I always found weird was how Eelektross and Slowking can learn Flamethrower, and Hydreigon can learn Surf. Those definitely caught me off-guard when I was battling Ghetsis in Black, and whenever I battled Cress in B2. Rhydon can also learn Surf too, despite it usually being weak to Water.
Not sure what is up with Slowbro/Slowking able to use Flamethrower but from Gen 1-3 kaiju-like Pokemon able to use a wide variety of elemental attacks seem to be quite common, even if they can’t get good mileage out of them.
 

MidnightHo-Oh

Well-Known Member
Not sure what is up with Slowbro/Slowking able to use Flamethrower but from Gen 1-3 kaiju-like Pokemon able to use a wide variety of elemental attacks seem to be quite common, even if they can’t get good mileage out of them.
Think you answered your own question there, mate
 

Afieldofheathers

Style Points
One thing I always found weird was how Eelektross and Slowking can learn Flamethrower, and Hydreigon can learn Surf. Those definitely caught me off-guard when I was battling Ghetsis in Black, and whenever I battled Cress in B2. Rhydon can also learn Surf too, despite it usually being weak to Water.
Surf having such wide distribution prior to Gen 7 is 100% a product of trying to make the very prominent need for Surf in the games compatible with people who don't necessarily want to run a Water Type, be it for a challenge run, or just personal taste. This is also a big reason why it's an actually half decent move in comparison to other HM attacks, because it's prerequisite to encountering a fair amount of Pokémon in any given game it's an HM in. If using Cut was used more predominantly a means of finding Pokemon than it was used as a simple progression gate or means of opening shortcuts and side paths, I am 100% sure it would not have been an absolutely useless base 50/95 acc normal type move doomed to get effectively dummied out even before Sword and Shield formalized the practice.

What does confuse me is why the Venn Diagram of Solar Beam's learn set and Solar Blade's learn set isn't a circle. Functionally, those two attacks are doing the same thing, gathering sunlight and focusing it into an attack. The latter just swings it like Return to Dream Land's Ultra Sword.
 

Luthor

Well-Known Member
What does confuse me is why the Venn Diagram of Solar Beam's learn set and Solar Blade's learn set isn't a circle. Functionally, those two attacks are doing the same thing, gathering sunlight and focusing it into an attack. The latter just swings it like Return to Dream Land's Ultra Sword.

For me the obvious odd one of these is Groudon. It's got more attack than special attack yet only gets solar beam and not solar blade. Might be a balancing thing I suppose but logically it seems weird.
 

Pokefan_1987

Avid Pokemon TCG Card collector.
Why Marowak specifically?.
Marowak are Ground types. Thunder Punch is for water types and fire punch is great against most slow grass and steel types.
But Marowak aren't exactly fast relying on those moves with base speed of only 45.

Still both Kanto and Alolan Marowak can learn Icy Wind which is way more weird?
 

Pokefan_1987

Avid Pokemon TCG Card collector.
Marowak has no logic considering it's born with its mother's skull and is lonely.
Yeah Cubone and a few other pokedex entries don't seem to have logical sense and it's just written to sound creepy.
My personal theory is that every Cubone is naked at birth but the bone helmet quickly takes shape that is exactly like its parent. When it becomes Marowak the helmet becomes more smooth and provides stronger protection.
How it grows is probably of a pokemon version of bones like human which consists of collagen except it's way tougher.
-
But when the parent has deceased it will replace it's first club with it's parents like a heirloom. The Thick Club is probably a rare item that belonged to a very strong Cubone's or Marowak's from a boneyard.
 

Mr.Fiend

Everything stinks
Marowak are Ground types. Thunder Punch is for water types and fire punch is great against most slow grass and steel types.
But Marowak aren't exactly fast relying on those moves with base speed of only 45.

Still both Kanto and Alolan Marowak can learn Icy Wind which is way more weird?
I think my point wasn't quite clear there. I meant why single out Marowak specifically?.
 

Pokefan_1987

Avid Pokemon TCG Card collector.
I think my point wasn't quite clear there. I meant why single out Marowak specifically?.
I oops i forgot to mention that Cubone learn those moves except moves since Marowak is the stronger of the two.
 
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