More than four

[SeriousJupiter]

And there's nothing like a good task, eh?

[daveshn]

Mar 3, 2010 12:42:37 GMT -6 Jafar said:

The four-move system still requires strategy; for example, a physically fragile special wall could use Iron Defense, Acid Armour, Defense Curl, etc. along with a recovery move to better take physical attacks, more important now than before now that physical attacks can be of any seventeen types.

If you're leaving a special wall in to take physical attacks, you've either got a hell of a plan, don't know the game, or have no other good pokemon.

Mar 3, 2010 12:42:37 GMT -6 Jafar said:

Skarmory, for example, is no longer invincible to physical attacks thanks to Fire and Electric physical attacks, making Roost a staple on Skarmory sets, which leaves room for only three other moves. That is why I like the four-move system. Working around the restriction is itself a strategy-requiring task.

But that's the problem, Before, a physical sweeper would have to either pack overheat or just try to stall-war through skarmory. Ex: If I had my metagross out and the steel bird showed up, I'd have to switch out fast so he didn't lay down his spikes and whirl-wind my team away. Now, thanks to thunder/fire punch, skarmory doesn't dare show his shiny beak in the presence of my metal tank.

Heck, thanks to the split, Blissey has to double-check a few things before switching into any gengar. GENGAR! That used to only happen if you were playing some crazy choice-banded-surprise moveset, Now you're hard-pressed to find one without focus blast.

[Jafar]

Well, I like the split. It makes Pokemon more realistic.

I still think the four-move system requires strategy with the split, but the thoroughness of your argument has convinced me to keep quiet until I come up with some rational reason for my belief.

[SeriousJupiter]

I hate Gengar with Focus Blast...

Even though Gengar is my favorite Ghost-type and Focus Blast is one of my favorite attacks.

[daveshn]

Like I said, it makes gengars ridiculously overpowered. We all knew as soon as we heard about the spit, we knew that the black ghosts would be on just about everyone's winning team. And from what I've seen, they are.

[Gooman]

Just get a Scizor with Night Slash. Gengar go bye-bye.

Though the sheer amount of pokemon that can learn Fire Fang and Punch is really annoying when using Scizor...

[wolfgang]

Another mechanic note since I don't feel like making a different thread- Curse seems a lot more powerful in this comic as the Speed stat is completely ignored. Since combat in the comic is back and forth rather than two simultaneous attacks as it is in the games it makes speed meaningless unless it goes with the other rpg option and the other pokemon starts getting two attacks in a row. However, since the trainers are actually taking turns calling out attacks it's not likely.

[SeriousJupiter]

Good point. Curse is indeed much more handy in the comic than in the games.