Lord_Brand Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) A while back, I typed out this type chart on Google Spreadsheets with the intent of adding my own types (highlighted in blue) and figuring out how they should stack up against other types, as well as tweaking the existing type interactions. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1FJ7l-rJHZIHQiLNbf4kzXhWcu9dsyzWNu8t4-sXdRvM/edit#gid=0 I currently have three types that I'd be interested in adding to the game: Beast The Beast Type represents Pokemon that fight using claws, fangs, or horns, the weapons of beasts. Animalistic sounds like howling and roaring are also included. Many moves of this type were previously Normal-type, and a few were Dark-type. Strong against Normal, Ground, Beast Resisted by Poison, Rock, Ghost, Steel Resists Ground, Ice Weak to Poison, Rock, Steel, Beast Pure-Type Pokemon: Rattata, Raticate, Meowth, Persian, Tauros, Sentret, Furret, Teddiursa, Ursaring, Stantler, Miltank, Zigzagoon, Linoone, Skitty, Delcatty, Zangoose, Bidoof, Glameow, Purugly, Patrat, Watchog, Lillipup, Herdier, Stoutland, Bouffalant, Furfrou, Yungoos, Gumshoos, Skwovet, Greedent, Wooloo, Dubwool Dual-Type Pokemon Fighting/Beast: Stufful, Bewear Rock/Beast: Rockruff, Lycanroc Ground/Beast: Phanpy, Donphan, Hippopotas, Hippowdon, Mudbray, Mudsdale Steel/Beast: Perrserker, Cufant, Copperajah Fire/Beast: Growlithe, Arcanine, Ponyta, Rapidash, Entei, Litleo, Pyroar, Litten, Torracat Grass/Beast: Deerling, Sawsbuck, Skiddo, Gogoat Water/Beast: Suicune, Bibarel, Buizel, Floatzel Electric/Beast: Raikou, Electrike, Manectric, Blitzle, Zebstrika, Yamper, Boltund Ice/Beast: Cubchoo, Beartic Dark/Beast: Alolan Meowth, Alolan Persian, Poochyena, Mightyena, Galarian Zigzagoon, Galarian Linoone, Obstagoon, Purrloin, Liepard, Nickit, Thievul Fairy/Beast: Snubbul, Granbull Moves: Bite, Crunch, Crush Claw, Fury Attack, Fury Swipes, Growl, Head Charge, Hone Claws, Horn Attack, Horn Drill, Howl, Hyper Fang, Jaw Lock, Noble Roar, Odor Sleuth, Roar, Scratch, Snarl, Super Fang, Tail Slap, Tail Whip Light The Light type mostly represents Pokemon who heal, purify, and protect, along with a few thematically connected to light as a phenomenon. Many moves of this type were previously Steel, Psychic, or Fairy-type. Strong against Poison, Ghost, Dark Resisted by Steel, Fire, Grass, Electric Resists Poison, Ghost, Dark Weak to Grass Pure-Type Pokemon: Audino, Necrozma Dual-Type Pokemon Bug/Light: Volbeat, Illumise Ghost/Light: Necrozma (Dawn Wings Form) Steel/Light: Necrozma (Dusk Mane Form) Water/Light: Staryu, Starmie Psychic/Light: Cresselia Dragon/Light: Latias, Latios, Ultra Necrozma Fairy/Light: Clefairy, Clefable, Xerneas Moves: Aurora Beam, Dazzling Gleam, Flash, Flash Cannon, Healing Wave, Healing Wish, Light Screen, Lunar Dance, Luster Purge, Mist Ball, Moonblast, Moonlight, Photon Geyser, Reflect, Spotlight, Tail Glow Mage The Mage type represents Pokemon with mage-like appearances and abilities, including those that warp physics as well as users of "pure" magical energy. Many moves of this type were previously Psychic or Fairy-type. Mage-type Pokemon often carry items that function as wands or staves and bear features resembling a wizard or witch. Strong against Normal, Ghost, Beast, Dragon Resisted by Psychic, Fairy, and Mage Resists Fire, Grass, Water, Electric, Ice, Mage Weak to Fighting, Rock, Steel, Psychic Pure-type Pokemon: None so far, though of course there could be new Pokemon to fix that Dual-type Pokemon Ghost/Mage: Mismagius Fire/Mage: Braixen, Delphox Psychic/Mage: Abra, Kadabra, Alakazam, Hatterene Ice/Mage: Smoochum, Jynx Moves: Cosmic Power, Guard Swap, Heal Block, Imprison, Lucky Chant, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Power Swap, Power Trick, Skill Swap, Tri Attack, Trick, Trick Room, Wish, Wonder Room Edited November 26, 2021 by Lord_Brand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanty Pete's 1st Mate Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 I feel like "Beast Type" is a bit too general. Why aren't the Nidoran lines at least part Beast-type? The Rhyhorn line, too, fights with its horn. How about the Totodile family, with its fangs? Or Sneasel/Weavile, known for their claws? My point is, "Beast" is already a motif for a ton of Pokemon across varying types. I don't believe codifying it into an elemental "typing", thus rendering some beasts beast-lier than others, would do much good. As for Mage, as you said, it overlaps with Fairy and Psychic. Nearly all the moves you mentioned are status-moves, so type matchups wouldn't apply. And why do we need a type that does magic when... we already have a type (Fairy) that basically does magic? Light is honestly the most interesting one here. We have a Dark-type, so why not a proper counterpart? That said, I don't think it should resist Poison (too many types already do) or be resisted by Steel (again, it already resists too many). As for more "Light" Pokemon, maybe the Porygon line, since they're virtual constructs (i.e. holograms)? Cryogonal could become Ice/Light (owing to its weird luminous mustache), while the Mareep line could go Electric/Light (Amphy manned the Olivine Lighthouse, after all). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vanguard333 Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) 28 minutes ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said: Light is honestly the most interesting one here. We have a Dark-type, so why not a proper counterpart? That said, I don't think it should resist Poison (too many types already do) or be resisted by Steel (again, it already resists too many). As for more "Light" Pokemon, maybe the Porygon line, since they're virtual constructs (i.e. holograms)? Cryogonal could become Ice/Light (owing to its weird luminous mustache), while the Mareep line could go Electric/Light (Amphy manned the Olivine Lighthouse, after all). Dark Type isn't actually referring to darkness and shadows; it's referring to stuff like underhanded tactics. The Japanese name for the type directly translates as "evil". That said, I think a light type would be cool. It could still be good against dark as light can be seen as exposing the underhanded tactics and such. EDIT: I think it does make that steel would resist light, since steel can be reflective. Edited November 16, 2021 by vanguard333 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Brand Posted November 16, 2021 Author Share Posted November 16, 2021 (edited) 7 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said: I feel like "Beast Type" is a bit too general. Why aren't the Nidoran lines at least part Beast-type? The Rhyhorn line, too, fights with its horn. How about the Totodile family, with its fangs? Or Sneasel/Weavile, known for their claws? My point is, "Beast" is already a motif for a ton of Pokemon across varying types. I don't believe codifying it into an elemental "typing", thus rendering some beasts beast-lier than others, would do much good. I did consider altering those lines to be Beast-type. I'm not sure why Nidoking and Nidoqueen are part-Ground, to tell the truth. It's kind of an informed attribute. I can go ahead and make them Poison/Beast if that feels better. As for Rhyhorn and its kin, the Rock/Ground typing takes precedence there. Sometimes you run into Pokemon who really feel like they should be three types, such as Beedrill (Bug/Poison/Flying) or even the famous Charizard (Fire/Flying/Dragon). Taking Beast-type into account, Rhyhorn and its kin are in the same boat. Rock/Beast and Ground/Beast just don't feel as good for them as Rock/Ground. Same goes for Houndour and Dark/Fire, or Sneasel and Dark/Ice. In those cases, Beast is simply beaten out by other types more relevant to the concept. Way I see it, Beast is to wild animals - mammals in particular - what Fighting is to trained humanoid warriors, Flying is to birds, and Bug is to, well, bugs. If Bug gets to be its own type, why not Beast? Also, I love the idea of the Legendary Beasts getting a type to unite them the way the Legendary Birds do. 7 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said: As for Mage, as you said, it overlaps with Fairy and Psychic. Nearly all the moves you mentioned are status-moves, so type matchups wouldn't apply. And why do we need a type that does magic when... we already have a type (Fairy) that basically does magic? So if I wanted to make a Pokemon that looks like a wizard, would I make it Psychic-type or Fairy-type? What if it had multiple evolutions associated with particular types a la Eevee, like Fire, Ice, and Electric? Does Psychic take precedence there, or does Fairy? Besides, Mage has very different type matchups than Psychic and Fairy, and in fact fares poorly against them (fairies are magical and thus resistant to magic, while a psychic could hinder a mage by attacking their most valuable asset, their mind). And we have more than one type that uses earth (Rock and Ground), more than one that uses water (Water and Ice), more than one that uses wind (Flying and Normal, to name the most common examples), more than one that uses darkness or shadows (Dark and Ghost), more than one that uses fire (Fire and Dragon), and more than one that uses punching and kicking (Normal, Fighting, Steel, take your pick). Not to mention, I don't like Psychic-type being the catch-all generic special type the way Normal is for physical. To me, Psychic conveys very specific phenomena tied to the mind, such as hypnosis, telepathy, mind control, and telekinesis/psychokinesis. Psychic is the "mind" to Fighting's "body". But a mage? Mages are well known for using a variety of elements, especially fire, ice, and lightning, and they're known to possess a wide variety of other powers besides, so it feels much better as the "middle ground" for the other special types. Not to mention the concept of a mage is just so resonant, especially for RPGs. Want a Pokemon based on druids? It's Grass/Mage. Necromancer? Ghost/Mage. Witch? Poison/Mage. Cleric? Light/Mage. And so forth. I mean, I get that Fairy already conveys a sense of magic, but does a Fire/Fairy typing really sound appropriate for a fox Pokemon based on a witch? Does Mismagius really seem like a Ghost/Fairy Type? If Fairy's going to cover all forms of magical entities and phenomena (wizards, genies, kami, etc.), then why not just call that the Magic-type and be done with it? As for the lack of direct damage moves, like I said in the OP that could be fixed by adding new moves to give Mage some direct damage. Magic Blast, Arcane Orb, Star Beam, stuff like that. I did consider calling the type "Magic" instead, but felt that was a tad generic next to Fairy, so I opted for something more specific: wizards, witches, and their kin. 7 hours ago, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said: Light is honestly the most interesting one here. We have a Dark-type, so why not a proper counterpart? That said, I don't think it should resist Poison (too many types already do) or be resisted by Steel (again, it already resists too many). As for more "Light" Pokemon, maybe the Porygon line, since they're virtual constructs (i.e. holograms)? Cryogonal could become Ice/Light (owing to its weird luminous mustache), while the Mareep line could go Electric/Light (Amphy manned the Olivine Lighthouse, after all). As Vanguard333 pointed out, it's a little-known fact in the West that the Dark type does not in fact refer to darkness or shadows (most of the time) but to the concept of "dark" as in "evil" or "sneaky". Actual "darkness" tends to fall under the Ghost-type (Shadow Ball, Shadow Claw, Shadow Force, etc.). Dark-type moves are flavored as dirty, underhanded tactics in contrast to the Fighting-type's more honorable moves. So yes, in that sense the Fighting-type is supposed to be the "good" counterpart to the Dark-type...but the thing is, it just doesn't feel that way to me. To me, the Fighting-type feels neutral, the application of martial discipline for good or for ill. A Fighting-type beating up a Dark-type could just as easily be a musclebound brute beating up a wimp who likes to cheat as a noble hero subduing a dastardly villain. Fighting doesn't feel "pure" enough to me. And before anyone brings up Fairy, the Fair Folk traditionally were most definitely not paragons of holiness and purity. More a neutral force prone to chaos, and certainly capable of malice. That said, Pokemon seems to be aiming more for the "cute, pretty, helpful" fairy archetype we've seen in fantasy for the past century or so, so I understand where people are coming from, saying that Fairy is the "Light" type of Pokemon. But any type weak to Poison doesn't really say "purity" to me. (For much the same reason, I don't buy Psychic as the "good" counterpart to Dark or Ghost, since it's weak to them.) Though the concept of angels may be relatively new to Japan, that doesn't mean they didn't still have a sense of "holiness" or something being sacred. And they adapted to the concept of angels and light-based holiness well enough as Angemon of Digimon fame and the Zelda series in general demonstrate. Final Fantasy has had a Holy element for a long time, and the Holy spell itself goes back to the original game. So, it's about time Pokemon had its own "holy" or "light" type. This all said, your suggestions are good. As Necrozma demonstrates, the Light-type doesn't always have to convey a sense of holiness in and of itself. The issue with Porygon and its line's type being changed is that they're supposed to be "neutral" by default, which is what Normal-type is for. Mareep being Electric/Light is a cute idea. Though I'm not sure what to do about Chinchou and Lanturn. Water/Light? Edited November 16, 2021 by Lord_Brand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yexin Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 9 hours ago, Lord_Brand said: Beast The Beast Type represents Pokemon that fight using claws, fangs, or horns, the weapons of beasts. Animalistic sounds like howling and roaring are also included. Many moves of this type were previously Normal-type, and a few were Dark-type. Strong against Normal, Ground, Beast Resisted by Poison, Rock, Ghost, Steel Resists Ground, Ice Weak to Poison, Rock, Steel, Beast Pure-Type Pokemon: Rattata, Raticate, Meowth, Persian, Tauros, Sentret, Furret, Teddiursa, Ursaring, Stantler, Miltank, Zigzagoon, Linoone, Skitty, Delcatty, Zangoose, Bidoof, Glameow, Purugly, Patrat, Watchog, Lillipup, Herdier, Stoutland, Bouffalant, Furfrou, Yungoos, Gumshoos, Skwovet, Greedent, Wooloo, Dubwool Dual-Type Pokemon Fighting/Beast: Stufful, Bewear Rock/Beast: Rockruff, Lycanroc Ground/Beast: Phanpy, Donphan, Hippopotas, Hippowdon, Mudbray, Mudsdale Steel/Beast: Perrserker, Cufant, Copperajah Fire/Beast: Growlithe, Arcanine, Ponyta, Rapidash, Entei, Litleo, Pyroar, Litten, Torracat Grass/Beast: Deerling, Sawsbuck, Skiddo, Gogoat Water/Beast: Suicune, Bibarel, Buizel, Floatzel Electric/Beast: Raikou, Electrike, Manectric, Blitzle, Zebstrika, Yamper, Boltund Ice/Beast: Cubchoo, Beartic Dark/Beast: Alolan Meowth, Alolan Persian, Poochyena, Mightyena, Galarian Zigzagoon, Galarian Linoone, Obstagoon, Purrloin, Liepard, Nickit, Thievul Fairy/Beast: Snubbul, Granbull Moves: Bite, Crunch, Crush Claw, Fury Attack, Fury Swipes, Growl, Head Charge, Hone Claws, Horn Attack, Horn Drill, Howl, Hyper Fang, Jaw Lock, Noble Roar, Odor Sleuth, Roar, Scratch, Snarl, Super Fang, Tail Slap, Tail Whip Light The Light type mostly represents Pokemon who heal, purify, and protect, along with a few thematically connected to light as a phenomenon. Many moves of this type were previously Steel, Psychic, or Fairy-type. Strong against Poison, Ghost, Dark Resisted by Steel, Fire, Grass, Electric Resists Poison, Ghost, Dark Weak to Grass Pure-Type Pokemon: Audino, Necrozma Dual-Type Pokemon Bug/Light: Volbeat, Illumise Ghost/Light: Necrozma (Dawn Wings Form) Steel/Light: Necrozma (Dusk Mane Form) Water/Light: Staryu, Starmie Psychic/Light: Cresselia Dragon/Light: Latias, Latios, Ultra Necrozma Fairy/Light: Clefairy, Clefable, Xerneas Moves: Aurora Beam, Dazzling Gleam, Flash, Flash Cannon, Healing Wave, Healing Wish, Light Screen, Lunar Dance, Luster Purge, Mist Ball, Moonblast, Moonlight, Photon Geyser, Reflect, Spotlight, Tail Glow Mage The Mage type represents Pokemon with mage-like appearances and abilities, including those that warp physics as well as users of "pure" magical energy. Many moves of this type were previously Psychic or Fairy-type. Mage-type Pokemon often carry items that function as wands or staves and bear features resembling a wizard or witch. Strong against Normal, Ghost, Beast, Dragon Resisted by Psychic, Fairy, and Mage Resists Fire, Grass, Water, Electric, Ice, Mage Weak to Fighting, Rock, Steel, Psychic Pure-type Pokemon: None so far, though of course there could be new Pokemon to fix that Dual-type Pokemon Ghost/Mage: Mismagius Fire/Mage: Braixen, Delphox Psychic/Mage: Abra, Kadabra, Alakazam, Hatterene Ice/Mage: Smoochum, Jynx Moves: Cosmic Power, Guard Swap, Heal Block, Imprison, Lucky Chant, Magic Coat, Magic Room, Power Swap, Power Trick, Skill Swap, Tri Attack, Trick, Trick Room, Wish, Wonder Room imho, the balance between pokémon typings is already fine the way it is also, i don't see why adding Beast, Light and Mage typings when we already have Normal, Psychic and Fairy but hey, don't get me wrong, these concepts of yours are pretty neat: it's just that i don't see them ever happening Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shanty Pete's 1st Mate Posted November 16, 2021 Share Posted November 16, 2021 12 hours ago, vanguard333 said: Dark Type isn't actually referring to darkness and shadows; it's referring to stuff like underhanded tactics. The Japanese name for the type directly translates as "evil". That is a fair point. On the flip side, "Light" can also metaphorically refer to "goodness". 13 hours ago, vanguard333 said: EDIT: I think it does make that steel would resist light, since steel can be reflective. Well I get that, but in terms of balancing, it definitely doesn't need any more resistances. Maybe if they made Steel weak to Psychic, then a Light resistance would feel balanced. 6 hours ago, Lord_Brand said: Sometimes you run into Pokemon who really feel like they should be three types, such as Beedrill (Bug/Poison/Flying) or even the famous Charizard (Fire/Flying/Dragon). I can sympathize with this. Gligar and Gliscor, for instance, feel like they could be Bug OR Poison, on top of Ground/Flying. 6 hours ago, Lord_Brand said: Way I see it, Beast is to wild animals - mammals in particular - what Fighting is to trained humanoid warriors, Flying is to birds, and Bug is to, well, bugs. If Bug gets to be its own type, why not Beast? Also, I love the idea of the Legendary Beasts getting a type to unite them the way the Legendary Birds do. I get that, but my point is, there are so many Pokemon based on mammals that a "Beast" type would be confounding. Suppose, instead, that 50% of Pokemon were based on Arthropods. In that context, a "Bug" type would either be an overwhelming presence, or an inconsistent one. Part of the reason for "Water-type glut" is that a lot of Pokemon are based on aquatic creatures, and automatically given Water-typing as a result (thankfully, counter-examples like Stunfisk and Dhelmise have begun to pop up). Right now, we're in a situation where many Mammals get the Normal type (including the Rattata expys, and interesting Dual-types like Litleo and Deerling). TBH they could probably cut the Normal typing from most of the birds, and little of value would be lost. Anyway, I don't personally see a need for the legendary Beasts to get a shared typing - but if you wanted one, I think Normal or Ground would work alright. 6 hours ago, Lord_Brand said: mean, I get that Fairy already conveys a sense of magic, but does a Fire/Fairy typing really sound appropriate for a fox Pokemon based on a witch? Does Mismagius really seem like a Ghost/Fairy Type? If Fairy's going to cover all forms of magical entities and phenomena (wizards, genies, kami, etc.), then why not just call that the Magic-type and be done with it? Fire/Psychic was fine for Delphox (its "magic" deriving from Psychic abilities), and as for Mismagius, honestly making it Ghost/Fairy would be lit. Also, we get plenty of "mythical creatures" who aren't part-Fairy (and don't need a "Mage" typing IMO), such as Celebi, Hoopa, and Gen V's kami trio. 6 hours ago, Lord_Brand said: This all said, your suggestions are good. As Necrozma demonstrates, the Light-type doesn't always have to convey a sense of holiness in and of itself. The issue with Porygon and its line's type being changed is that they're supposed to be "neutral" by default, which is what Normal-type is for. Mareep being Electric/Light is a cute idea. Though I'm not sure what to do about Chinchou and Lanturn. Water/Light? IMO if anything, Porygon is extremely "abnormal". It's the furthest thing imaginable from your neighborhood Rattata or Meowth. As for Chinchou/Lanturn, I did consider giving them Light-type, but it's another "three-type struggle" situation. Thanks for hearing me out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord_Brand Posted November 18, 2021 Author Share Posted November 18, 2021 (edited) On 11/16/2021 at 3:36 AM, Yexin said: imho, the balance between pokémon typings is already fine the way it is also, i don't see why adding Beast, Light and Mage typings when we already have Normal, Psychic and Fairy but hey, don't get me wrong, these concepts of yours are pretty neat: it's just that i don't see them ever happening Spoiler I would argue otherwise, but that's for a different topic. Why do we have Rock when we already have Ground? Why have Dragon when it's just a mishmash of Fire, Flying, and Normal? Why are Ghost and Dark separate types when they could have just been lumped together to get a Dark-type more in line with how darkness is typically portrayed in other RPGs? Why is Ice its own type when it could in theory have been part of the Water type? What makes Fighting distinct from Normal? Heck, you can argue Bug could have just been split between Grass and Flying, or lumped in with Poison, or some mix of the two. There was probably a time when suggesting the Fairy Type would have likewise caught comments like "But Psychic and Ghost already cover most of the fae archetypes". Except that Fairy interacts with a different range of types than Psychic and Ghost, therefore it doesn't fill the same niche. Same deal with the examples I gave above. Dragon may overlap with Fire a lot thematically, but it's weak to Ice, not resistant to it. On the other hand, Dragon is resistant to Water, while Fire is weak to Water. What makes a type distinct is how its phenomena are represented in both moves (offense) and Pokemon (defense). Dragon-types may often have fiery breath, but their bodies are susceptible to cold in contrast to Fire-Types. Rock and Ground are perhaps the two most similar types in the chart, yet Ground is immune to Electricity while Rock is neutral to it, and Ground is ineffective against Flying while Rock is highly effective against it. Ground also happens to be effective against Rock itself. Both seem to represent different aspects of what would normally be a singular "Earth" element. Fighting and Steel in any other series would just be lumped in with Normal as "non-elemental", as physical attacks tend to be. By the same token, Beast, Light, and Mage can represent concepts that aren't already adequately represented in the games proper, especially with the type interactions they could have. Like, how can Cresselia seriously counteract Darkrai when its type is both ineffective against and weak to Darkrai's? Now if Cresselia were part Light and thus had a type advantage against Darkrai, then it'd make sense that its powers could overcome Darkrai's own. The Psychic type serves as a tie to the realm of dreams, while the Light type is evident in its role as a guardian. The Mage-type likewise can be made very evident in how Mage-type Pokemon are designed. You ever notice that the vast majority of Fighting-types are humanoid in build, with bipedal stances and humanlike arms with hands and fingers? Mage-type Pokemon could be the same way, many of them bearing features evocative of mages like cloaks, pointy hats, robes, and some manner of object such as a wand, staff, or crystal ball that serves as a conduit for their magical powers. On 11/16/2021 at 8:26 AM, Shanty Pete's 1st Mate said: That is a fair point. On the flip side, "Light" can also metaphorically refer to "goodness". Well I get that, but in terms of balancing, it definitely doesn't need any more resistances. Maybe if they made Steel weak to Psychic, then a Light resistance would feel balanced. I can sympathize with this. Gligar and Gliscor, for instance, feel like they could be Bug OR Poison, on top of Ground/Flying. I get that, but my point is, there are so many Pokemon based on mammals that a "Beast" type would be confounding. Suppose, instead, that 50% of Pokemon were based on Arthropods. In that context, a "Bug" type would either be an overwhelming presence, or an inconsistent one. Part of the reason for "Water-type glut" is that a lot of Pokemon are based on aquatic creatures, and automatically given Water-typing as a result (thankfully, counter-examples like Stunfisk and Dhelmise have begun to pop up). Right now, we're in a situation where many Mammals get the Normal type (including the Rattata expys, and interesting Dual-types like Litleo and Deerling). TBH they could probably cut the Normal typing from most of the birds, and little of value would be lost. Anyway, I don't personally see a need for the legendary Beasts to get a shared typing - but if you wanted one, I think Normal or Ground would work alright. Fire/Psychic was fine for Delphox (its "magic" deriving from Psychic abilities), and as for Mismagius, honestly making it Ghost/Fairy would be lit. Also, we get plenty of "mythical creatures" who aren't part-Fairy (and don't need a "Mage" typing IMO), such as Celebi, Hoopa, and Gen V's kami trio. IMO if anything, Porygon is extremely "abnormal". It's the furthest thing imaginable from your neighborhood Rattata or Meowth. As for Chinchou/Lanturn, I did consider giving them Light-type, but it's another "three-type struggle" situation. Thanks for hearing me out! Spoiler Indeed, hence the "guardian" angle of proposed Light-types like Latias, Latios, and Cresselia. Plus it's not like types only ever have one singular counterpart. Ground can be a counterpart to Water as evidenced by Groudon and Kyogre, but Fire can also be a counterpart to Water as we see all the time with Starters and some Legendary trios (and a few nonlegendary trios). Fire can also be a counterpart to Ice (Vulpix vs. Alolan Vulpix). Ice can be a counterpart to Rock (Regice and Regirock). And so on. Light would oppose Dark on a different metric than Fighting does. Where Fighting is more about honorable tactics vs. dishonorable tactics, Light is more about moral behavior vs. amoral or immoral behavior. It's more about what makes sense. Metal usually reflects light, therefore Steel should be weak to Light. I'd argue that Steel should in fact be weak to Psychic or at least neutral to it. Who knows, maybe someday the game will explore "Triple-type Pokemon" as a concept. Though I expect "Dual-type moves" to come first, as those have precedent as well (see: Flying Press) and would be simpler development-wise. Or they might go really cerebral and introduce "complex" or "composite" types that combine two "basic" types together, like Rock + Fire = Lava or Ground + Water = Mud. Actually, that might be a good alternative to "triple-type Pokemon": a second list of types that function as "Type A + Type B", effectively turning the current type pairs into their own types, even allowing for effective four-type combos in the form of dual complex/composite types (but they only show up in dual-type combinations; a Ground/Water type won't be listed as "Mud-type" unless it has a third type as well, be that basic or composite). It's interesting stuff to keep in mind for future generations, and might make a compelling topic on its own. I'd also argue that crustaceans such as Krabby should be part Bug for the same reason insects, arachnids, and centipedes are: all are part of the arthropoda phylum, which is often collectively referred to as "bugs" (and yet, crustaceans are rarely ever thought of as such). The Legendary Beasts would be one of the perfect places for the Beast type - they're the Legendary Beasts, after all! That'd be like having a trio of Legendary Dragons that aren't Dragon-type. They perfectly exemplify what the Beast-type is all about. That said, I would consider leaving rodents out of the Beast type as they aren't typically thought of as beasts per se, but then moves like Hyper Fang and Super Fang want to be Beast-type. Way I see it, Beast represents a resonant concept just like Bug, Dragon, Ghost, Fairy, and (in my proposed chart) Mage do. Just as Fighting takes an aspect of Normal and expands upon it, so too could Beast, representing the wild, often nonhumanoid animal concept as much as Fighting represents the trained, often humanoid warrior concept. My issue with treating Psychic as the go-to mage type is that Psychic, to me, conveys a connection to the mind specifically, powers coming from the mind (telekinesis, levitation) and/or interacting with the mind (telepathy, mind reading, hypnosis, dream eating, etc.). The Psychic-type is effectively the Mind-type. But magic powers aren't necessarily focused on the mind; they can come from elsewhere in the body, the spirit, or from using arcane rites and artifacts to channel energies outside one's own body. The mind may be used to control magic powers, but the mind is also used to control our bodies during martial arts (aka Fighting-type) moves. That's why I list Psychic as being strong against Mage; if the Psychic can control the Mage's mind or attack it, then the Mage's magic powers can be manipulated or counteracted accordingly, much like with the Fighting-type's strength and agility. And since magic is often able to warp the laws of physics, I'd shift a lot of the "reality-warping" effects from Psychic to Mage accordingly. If Fairy is supposed to be a catch-all for magic and magical beings, then why not just call it the Magic type? Why specify a particular type of magical creature? (Though if complex or composite types are implemented, then Magic could be the composite of Fairy + Mage) Ah, but if it was "Magic" and not "Fairy", then the type most likely wouldn't have the specific weaknesses to Poison and Steel that it does, as those were chosen with fairies in mind (though I did make Mage weak to Steel as well since mages are often vulnerable to physical attacks, hence also the weaknesses to Fighting and Rock). That said, yes, Mismagius could work as a Ghost/Fairy type along with Misdreavus, but I'd argue Ghost/Mage is even more resonant, if Mage is added. It's a ghost that looks like a witch, therefore Ghost/Mage would be the most appropriate combination. Chinchou and Lanturn's situation could be another good opportunity to explore "composite types". The question being: which two types to combine? My instinct says Electric + Light, as they're the types with the most overlap here. You're welcome. Edited November 18, 2021 by Lord_Brand Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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