Pokemon Design vs. Stats

[Blob55]

Anyone been bugged by a Pokémon's design when it doesn't match its stats? Or sometimes GF just contradict themselves when making a Pokémon and they don't apply the same rules to another one with a similar design.

Here are some examples of this:

• Mega Gengar and Mega Abomasnow are both big, round Pokémon, however, Mega Gengar gets an increase in speed, while Mega Abomasnow gets a decrease!
• Mega Ampharos gets a decrease in speed because of its fur, but Absol gets a huge increase despite the wings sticking out of its back.
• Samurott looks very defensive with the shields on its limbs and the shell horn it wears on its head, but somehow instead of being defense orientated (like it looks) it's attack orientated. I also don't like how it has such short reach when it's attacking with its swords, as it can't walk/move because it's trying to balance its whole weight on two short back legs.
• Mega Tyranitar actually gets a slight INCREASE in speed, despite its obvious aerodynamic problem.

Mega Evolutions by speed vs. design:

Fat(ter) but fast(er) - Gengar, Gardevoir (The dress is fat), Banette
Fat(ter) but slow(er) - Heracross, Abomasnow
Aerodynamically incorrect but fast(er) - Pinsir, Aerodactyl, Mewtwo (Y), Tyranitar, Blaziken (Eyebrows), Manectric, Absol, Lucario (Tail and collar)
Aerodynamically incorrect but slow(er) - Ampharos
A part of it looks too heavy for it to be fast(er) - Scizor, Houndoom
Not enough change in the design for it to really matter - Kangaskhan (Faster), Medicham (Faster. I can't tell if the ribbons are supposed to be unattached or if they're ghost ribbons)
No change in speed - Venusaur, Charizard (XY), Blastoise, Alakazam, Gyarados, Mewtwo (X), Mawile, Aggron
Looks like it could be faster but is instead slower: Garchomp

Are there any I haven't mentioned that you have problems with?

 

[Scattered mind]

Umbreon- Big defenses stats and low speed while its design always looked to me like a faster yet fragile Pokemon.

 

[Their Goominess]

Anyone been bugged by a Pokémon's design when it doesn't match its stats? Or sometimes GF just contradict themselves when making a Pokémon and they don't apply the same rules to another one with a similar design.

Here are some examples of this:

• Mega Gengar and Mega Abomasnow are both big, round Pokémon, however, Mega Gengar gets an increase in speed, while Mega Abomasnow gets a decrease!
  You can't really compare the two just because of their body size.... Gengar has always been fast (and small?) and it's Mega evo looks more streamlined and able to go at faster speeds. Abomasnow has always been on the bulkier side, and it's not surprising it gets a decrease considering it has a huge body and is on all fours.
• Mega Ampharos gets a decrease in speed because of its fur, but Absol gets a huge increase despite the wings sticking out of its back.
  The only thing I can imagine for this is that Mega Ampharos' fabulous weave is more denser than Absol's wings; Absol's body design has always looked more capable of reaching high speeds than Ampharos.
• Samurott looks very defensive with the shields on its limbs and the shell horn it wears on its head, but somehow instead of being defense orientated (like it looks) it's attack orientated. I also don't like how it has such short reach when it's attacking with its swords, as it can't walk/move because it's trying to balance its whole weight on two short back legs.
  You have it all wrong hon... Samurott's shells have nothing to do with being shields at all. They're sheaths for its swords so I don't really think they'd be too good at blocking hits. Shell horn is obvious.
• Mega Tyranitar actually gets a slight INCREASE in speed, despite its obvious aerodynamic problem.
  Not actually sure about this, especially considering Tyranitar M is both taller and heavier than regular Tyranitar.

Are there any I haven't mentioned that you have problems with?

replies in bold

The only one I have problems with, is Wailord.
Considering it is massive and looks like it could easily take hits all day, it's lowest stats are in its defenses - a measly 45 in each!
(but then again Wailord does have the density of polyester so it could have like next to nothing inside it lol)

 

[Sparklyevee]

I know this is moves not stats but its all battling, poor Umbreon doesnt hav a PROPER attack. Its stats arent attack or sp atk focused, so that doesnt help. And with its best attack being, what? Faint attack? I always TM teach mine dark pulse but all the other eveelutions leaen 90 to 120 damage, dont they? Thunder, blizzard, psychic. What happened? And its only moon based attack is moonlight, no moonlight fang (from the TCG) or moon blast...

 

[FoxFire]

Absol getting faster doesn't bother me because of the wings; while Absol doesn't become a flying-type, flying-types tend to be fast.

 

[Leaf_Ranger]

Anyone been bugged by a Pokémon's design when it doesn't match its stats? Or sometimes GF just contradict themselves when making a Pokémon and they don't apply the same rules to another one with a similar design.

Here are some examples of this:

• Mega Gengar and Mega Abomasnow are both big, round Pokémon, however, Mega Gengar gets an increase in speed, while Mega Abomasnow gets a decrease!
• Mega Ampharos gets a decrease in speed because of its fur, but Absol gets a huge increase despite the wings sticking out of its back.
• Samurott looks very defensive with the shields on its limbs and the shell horn it wears on its head, but somehow instead of being defense orientated (like it looks) it's attack orientated. I also don't like how it has such short reach when it's attacking with its swords, as it can't walk/move because it's trying to balance its whole weight on two short back legs.
• Mega Tyranitar actually gets a slight INCREASE in speed, despite its obvious aerodynamic problem.

Mega Evolutions by speed vs. design:

Fat(ter) but fast(er) - Gengar, Gardevoir (The dress is fat), Banette
Fat(ter) but slow(er) - Heracross, Abomasnow
Aerodynamically incorrect but fast(er) - Pinsir, Aerodactyl, Mewtwo (Y), Tyranitar, Blaziken (Eyebrows), Manectric, Absol, Lucario (Tail and collar)
Aerodynamically incorrect but slow(er) - Ampharos
A part of it looks too heavy for it to be fast(er) - Scizor, Houndoom
Not enough change in the design for it to really matter - Kangaskhan (Faster), Medicham (Faster. I can't tell if the ribbons are supposed to be unattached or if they're ghost ribbons)
No change in speed - Venusaur, Charizard (XY), Blastoise, Alakazam, Gyarados, Mewtwo (X), Mawile, Aggron
Looks like it could be faster but is instead slower: Garchomp

Are there any I haven't mentioned that you have problems with?

Well, Gengar is still a ghost as so it should always be faster. It must also be made of gas like Ghastly, hence lighter.

Like P.DelSlayer said above, Absol's speed must be related to its body. Absol is more graceful and I suppose the wings give it some speed and not just weight.

About Samurott, what I can't understand is why the sheats are on its forelegs instead of the hind legs. I mean, it has the ability to stand up but after grabbing one sword it's difficult to reach for the other...it's like it has some trick up its sleeve! If the swords were in its hind legs it could draw both at the same time. About what you said, once again, I agree with Slayer, Samurott despite having those shell "props" is made to be an attacker, hence the swords (Omastar is the other way around: most of its body is protected by a shell).
Now, Mega Tyrannitar is an odd one and I agree with you...unless more holes means more ventilation and so a more aerodynamic body.

Gardevoir's dress doen't mean much I think...The Pokémon has some connection to ghosts or guardian angels and so are supposed to be graceful so in the end you could have an overweighted angel that it would probably still be fast. Oh, more importantly, don't forget the relation with dancers and these are expectd to be graceful.

Banette is a ragged doll so it may have spilled some content and it got faster; Heracross is truly an odd one since its belly has some "ventilation" like a car and so it led me to think that it would be faster but then again its arms are just two big balls so...beats me. I agree with all those examples that you've put under the aerodinamically incorrect but faster and seems like nonsense. Also, Scizor and Houndoom are two weird cases.

 

[Their Goominess]

Gardevoir's dress doen't mean much I think...The Pokémon has some connection to ghosts or guardian angels and so are supposed to be graceful so in the end you could have an overweighted angel that it would probably still be fast. Oh, more importantly, don't forget the relation with dancers and these are expectd to be graceful.

If you look at Megardevoir's Sugimori artwork you can see that the dress is very light and thin; the 3D models of it weren't that good at showing that.

It's also worthy noting that Megardevoir's actual body is smaller + thinner than Regulardevoir's so the higher speed doesn't actually look too out of place.

link to a comparison of their clear artworks

Mega Heracross' decreased speed also makes sense; the body seems slightly stockier than regular Heracross' and the horn is bigger = ie weighs more = can't run as fast.
It also does have those large balls on its arms as well so they could provide more weight.

on the topic of Mega evos;
I really think Mega Charizard Y should have more speed.
Considering it has larger wings (ie can reach speeds faster) and has a sleeker body that looks much more adapted to flying than regular Charizard (and Mega ChariXard for that matter) and a higher speed stat isn't too out of the question.

 

[Blob55]

• 
  You have it all wrong hon... Samurott's shells have nothing to do with being shields at all. They're sheaths for its swords so I don't really think they'd be too good at blocking hits. Shell horn is obvious.
• Mega Tyranitar actually gets a slight INCREASE in speed, despite its obvious aerodynamic problem.
  Not actually sure about this, especially considering Tyranitar M is both taller and heavier than regular Tyranitar.

Are there any I haven't mentioned that you have problems with?

replies in bold

I know Samurotts front shells are sheaths, but what about the back ones?
Mega T-Tar is 10 BS higher in speed than regular Tyranitar.

As for the Absol thing... I'm not saying the wings make it heavier, I'm saying they just sorta stick out of its back, which would cause drag.

 

[iceblaz]

but see the absol thing could probly get faster thanks to said wings cause the wings could help it fly even though it cant use the move fly. example of this is garchomp garchomp can fly but cant use the move fly

 

[Blob55]

on the topic of Mega evos;
I really think Mega Charizard Y should have more speed.
Considering it has larger wings (ie can reach speeds faster) and has a sleeker body that looks much more adapted to flying than regular Charizard (and Mega ChariXard for that matter) and a higher speed stat isn't too out of the question.

Charizard Y weighs more than normal Zard anyway, so it evens out.
Then again, Mega Tyranitar weighs more than normal T-Tar and yet somehow it's faster...

---

but see the absol thing could probly get faster thanks to said wings cause the wings could help it fly even though it cant use the move fly. example of this is garchomp garchomp can fly but cant use the move fly

I doubt it, as it doesn't even get the flying typing and all other Pokémon (bar Golurk) that have been seen flying are either part Flying type, or have a secondary type like Poison, wich defines them more than the Flying type.
I'm not counting Pokémon that float or Levitate, as that technically isn't flying.

 

[Their Goominess]

• 
  You have it all wrong hon... Samurott's shells have nothing to do with being shields at all. They're sheaths for its swords so I don't really think they'd be too good at blocking hits. Shell horn is obvious.
• Mega Tyranitar actually gets a slight INCREASE in speed, despite its obvious aerodynamic problem.
  Not actually sure about this, especially considering Tyranitar M is both taller and heavier than regular Tyranitar.

Are there any I haven't mentioned that you have problems with?

replies in bold

I know Samurotts front shells are sheaths, but what about the back ones?
Mega T-Tar is 10 BS higher in speed than regular Tyranitar.

Those shells aren't anything defensive... They seem to have 0 purpose in terms of Samurott's fighting style, and I can only imagine that they were on there because of design cohesiveness.
Its not like they'd be ideal defensively... It would mean that Samurott would have to awkwardly swivel its body around to take a hit.

Samurott's shells are all offensively-attributed, as opposed to say Omastar who's entire body is covered in a shell.

 

[FoxFire]

I doubt it, as it doesn't even get the flying typing and all other Pokémon (bar Golurk) that have been seen flying are either part Flying type, or have a secondary type like Poison, wich defines them more than the Flying type.

Think of it like the spoiler on the back of a race car.

 

[Atadiusti]

on the topic of Mega evos;
I really think Mega Charizard Y should have more speed.
Considering it has larger wings (ie can reach speeds faster) and has a sleeker body that looks much more adapted to flying than regular Charizard (and Mega ChariXard for that matter) and a higher speed stat isn't too out of the question.

Charizard Y weighs more than normal Zard anyway, so it evens out.
Then again, Mega Tyranitar weighs more than normal T-Tar and yet somehow it's faster...

---

but see the absol thing could probly get faster thanks to said wings cause the wings could help it fly even though it cant use the move fly. example of this is garchomp garchomp can fly but cant use the move fly

I doubt it, as it doesn't even get the flying typing and all other Pokémon (bar Golurk) that have been seen flying are either part Flying type, or have a secondary type like Poison, wich defines them more than the Flying type.
I'm not counting Pokémon that float or Levitate, as that technically isn't flying.

---

Actually, the Ability Levitate IS like flying: that's what separates a pokemon that hovers a couple feet above ground from a pokemon that can zoom through the air without wind or wings. Also, just because the model and artwork shows Absol's wings splayed out, doesn't mean they're stuck like that. They can be tucked in, flapped, folded back, whatever.
There are quite a few non Flying-types that fly. Flygon. Mew, Mewtwo, Celebii, Volbeat, Illumise, Carnivine (sorta; and it's been a thing even before Sky Battles this Gen) Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Darkrai, MegaCharizard X... Garchomp's dex entry says it can fly, and I'll suspend disbelief, since it kind of looks like a plane, but it doesn't quite look like it could to me. Out of those, that's 3 confirmed single typed Pokemon without the Flying type that fly, making Absol not too far of a stretch by your argument - not that Absol needs to fly, wings can merely boost running speed.

 

[Blob55]

Charizard Y weighs more than normal Zard anyway, so it evens out.
Then again, Mega Tyranitar weighs more than normal T-Tar and yet somehow it's faster...

---

I doubt it, as it doesn't even get the flying typing and all other Pokémon (bar Golurk) that have been seen flying are either part Flying type, or have a secondary type like Poison, wich defines them more than the Flying type.
I'm not counting Pokémon that float or Levitate, as that technically isn't flying.

---

Actually, the Ability Levitate IS like flying: that's what separates a pokemon that hovers a couple feet above ground from a pokemon that can zoom through the air without wind or wings. Also, just because the model and artwork shows Absol's wings splayed out, doesn't mean they're stuck like that. They can be tucked in, flapped, folded back, whatever.
There are quite a few non Flying-types that fly. Flygon. Mew, Mewtwo, Celebii, Volbeat, Illumise, Carnivine (sorta; and it's been a thing even before Sky Battles this Gen) Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Darkrai, MegaCharizard X... Garchomp's dex entry says it can fly, and I'll suspend disbelief, since it kind of looks like a plane, but it doesn't quite look like it could to me. Out of those, that's 3 confirmed single typed Pokemon without the Flying type that fly, making Absol not too far of a stretch by your argument - not that Absol needs to fly, wings can merely boost running speed.

---

Flygon has the Dragon typing an it's pretty obvious that Dragons are known to fly. They can't ALL be part Flying type.
The legendary Psychics are Psychics, so they use their psychic powers to levitate.

I thought Giratina could only fly in its Origin form.

BTW, levitating isn't flying, as Pokémon that fly use Wings that they constantly need to flap to stay airborne. Levitating Pokémon on the other hand probably have some kind of mechanism inside them that repels them from the ground.

 

[Atadiusti]

Actually, the Ability Levitate IS like flying: that's what separates a pokemon that hovers a couple feet above ground from a pokemon that can zoom through the air without wind or wings. Also, just because the model and artwork shows Absol's wings splayed out, doesn't mean they're stuck like that. They can be tucked in, flapped, folded back, whatever.
There are quite a few non Flying-types that fly. Flygon. Mew, Mewtwo, Celebii, Volbeat, Illumise, Carnivine (sorta; and it's been a thing even before Sky Battles this Gen) Dialga, Palkia, Giratina, Darkrai, MegaCharizard X... Garchomp's dex entry says it can fly, and I'll suspend disbelief, since it kind of looks like a plane, but it doesn't quite look like it could to me. Out of those, that's 3 confirmed single typed Pokemon without the Flying type that fly, making Absol not too far of a stretch by your argument - not that Absol needs to fly, wings can merely boost running speed.

Flygon has the Dragon typing an it's pretty obvious that Dragons are known to fly. They can't ALL be part Flying type.
The legendary Psychics are Psychics, so they use their psychic powers to levitate.

I thought Giratina could only fly in its Origin form.

BTW, levitating isn't flying, as Pokémon that fly use Wings that they constantly need to flap to stay airborne. Levitating Pokémon on the other hand probably have some kind of mechanism inside them that repels them from the ground.

Not all dragons fly. I present to you Kingdra, Druddigon, Haxorus and Goodra as fully evolved examples. Also, you missed the point. Flying types don't have a monopoly on flight, and it isn't just Golurk as an exception. There are three Pokemon I listed without any secondary typing that were still known to fly around. Five, actually, if I count Mew and Mewtwo.

Giratina flies in both forms.

The method and cause of flight doesn't matter: ballistics, buoyancy, lift... flight is defined by movement through atmosphere "or beyond." Volbeat and Illumise have fully capable wings and they fly. But they remain a mono-bug type. Carnivine apparently uses aerostatics or buoyancy to fly and remains mono-grass. The Hoppip line uses buoyancy to fly. No flapping involved. I assume the Kami trio uses a combination of aerostatics, or buoyancy, and windpower since they're hanging out on their clouds. Levitate, a misnomer due to language barriers and translation errors, is just another way to designate the Pokemon can fly. Flygon uses it's wings to fly just as an insect would, but it has the Levitate ability; I'm going to go on a limb and say Hydreigon's tendrilly excuses for wings grants him the same favor. The Gastly line uses aerostatics for flight. The Bronzor line uses psychic power to hold up and move the body. If Garchomp can fly as the Pokedex says, I'm going to guess ballistics. Expanding beyond the realm of Pokemon, who knows how Superman does it On the other hand, Pokemon that can't seem to get enough vertical movement and just hover around, like Probopass, the Magnemite line, and the Porygon line, don't get Levitate, the alternate power of flight. But they're the ones actually levitating by definition, as they are suspended by a physical force, rather than granted a means to propel themselves throughout the atmosphere.

 

[Blob55]

I didn't say all dragons could fly, just most of the ones with wings. (Never did understand Druddigon).

 

[FoxFire]

Druddigon's wings look all but vestigial to me. They're pretty small compared to his body size, and I don't even think they have joints in them. Add to that his total lack of aerodynamism, and I can see it.

 

[Atadiusti]

Druddigon is a creature that spends its life running through caverns and tunnels according to the Dex. It's wings would be vestigial. It also kind of reminds me of a Galapagos marine iguana.

 

[Their Goominess]

I didn't say all dragons could fly, just most of the ones with wings. (Never did understand Druddigon).

Druddie's wings seem to have very little potential in flying.
All the 'dex entries that mention its wings only really talk about how it soaks up sunlight with them and it learns 0 wing related moves - Aerial Ace is the only Flying move it learns, and even then AA is more about using sharp appendages (ie claws) to attack.

Its much different, than say Garchomp who supposedly can fly with those blade-wing-fin-things

 

[Blob55]

Does Druddigon even learn Solarbeam?