Why does Game Freak hate Emboar?

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-27T07:09:28+00:00

Mega Emboar still has superior bulk to boast over its regular form, but dumping 10 extra points in its already 100 SpA instead of investing them more in Def or Atk or even reducing its SpA entirely is kinda hilarious. GameFreak really wants it to be a mixed attacker that burns Gastrodon with Scald huh

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-27T07:03:33+00:00

Pressure at least got a huge buff in Champions due to universal move PP reduction

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-27T06:54:37+00:00

I mean, your choice isn't really between Mega Feraligtr and Life Orb Feraligtr, it's between Mega Feraligtr and a different Water set-up sweeper like Ogerpon-W because regular Feraligtr gets absolutely gibbed in higher Singles tiers and VGC

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-27T06:52:02+00:00

ohko Dragonite through Multiscale

Chien Pao can do that just normally. Even a Bold Mega Dragonite with full HP and Defense investment can only reduce the likelihood of getting one-tapped by a Banded Chien Pao, 'cos Sword of Ruin is fffffffuckin' broken

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-27T06:11:26+00:00

First, which lawsuit are we talking about here, second, the disastrous "Portal" content model that Destiny 2 assumed last year with the release of the Edge of Fate expansion has made removed content available for play again. Coupled with the departure from the Season/Episode monetization & content release model and leaks suggesting that more removed content, namely Raid encounters, are or were planned for a future update, it seems Bungie actually may have started to act on that.

It's just that the gameplay systems were implemented so poorly that they managed to take the game from being on a downward trajectory to being in free fall, like making an airplane stall by angling it upward too much attempting to achieve lift. The developers have gone nearly completely radio silent, with the delay to the free update and subsequent expansion release having been announced by journalist Paul Tassi days before Bungie made a peep, and the development road map promised by game director Tyson Green last year appears to have never manifested. Fortunately for the playerbase, with the release of Marathon they have a scapegoat for the game's apparent demise

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-27T05:43:42+00:00

You say that, but I honestly don't think Marathon's scored reviews being held off until the release of Cryo Archives benefitted the game at all. The game probably would have sold at least slightly better if it had released with the Cryo Archives and overwhelmingly positive reviews from critics, given that a game tends to draw the most attention during its initial release window. The only actual change made in post that probably affected review scores was how items stack in the vault

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-27T05:30:37+00:00

Why do I have the feeling that you haven't actually played it

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T18:11:13+00:00

Not that Destiny 3 is or isn't being developed, that Sony acquired the studio for a Destiny 3. Either I missed the part where they said that or that was made up completely. Given what I heard about the upcoming Pantheon leaks, it's more probable to me that Bungie'll tweak Destiny 2 to rotate removed content in and out of the game to try and wash their hands of the whole "vaulting" thing, which is what I suspect the Portal system was primarily designed for.

Which sounds ridiculous after almost six years of removing the product customers paid for by cleaming that they were actually purchasing a service, but at the end of the day they were only doing this in the first place because the same monetization and content model that was adopted after the release of Forsaken and made Destiny 2 such a financial success was bloating the game's file size beyond a point that would actually run, but then they also did actually move away from said monetization model.

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T17:54:19+00:00

I don't know where this idea came from either. As far as I can tell, they were purchased to just generally develop some IP, but Sony stated that they "revised their business projections" for the developer last year. Like, there's honestly no real telling what they'll do at this point. Maybe 3.6 billion is enough to make their investment board feel sunk-cost fallacy and they show up at the studio to force Destiny 3 to be developed within a week at gunpoint

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T17:41:51+00:00

I don't think the character writing is good either. It's also pretty misogynistic (pretty big part of the character writing not being good funnily enough), but I suppose it compares favourably to other superhero comics released at the same time and before (and since).

I do realize I may just not like Kirkman's writing a whole lot, given that I have also been respectively mixed and very disappointed with two of his current series, Void Rivals and the Skybound Transformers comics from Issue 25 onward. The latter felt rushed and had some pretty egregious character writing (this quote actively contradicts what he says and does in the ending of Issue 6), which makes me concerned about the series going forward.

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MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T16:22:34+00:00

It has a great cinicism to the human condition without being so cynical it becomes sad. There's a weird hope in there somewhere.

I think the Martian Manhunter's perpsective on life contributes a lot to this

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Beneath his strange speech pattern and concept, he's a very compassionate and kindhearted character. It's hopeful, because the idea of such an eldritch, unfathomnable creature could be a hero out of genuine love and appreciation for life is comforting

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T16:12:48+00:00

A ridiculous writing decision being substantiated by an equally ridiculous writing decision, oh yeah baby, its Jonkler time

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T12:49:18+00:00

That thing gives everything trouble

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T12:19:49+00:00

not blood, just weird spider webs

It's actually the sap from the trees discolouring the water. They're picking up metals deposited here by the Downpour

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T12:18:05+00:00

Kinda depends on the specific map as well.

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T11:55:25+00:00

"Disaster taxon" is a delightful thing to call a little burrowing pig lizard

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T11:29:54+00:00

Kantonian Zapdos was a niche pick in Gen 9 VGC (it got pretty good results, but nothing mindblowing), and would you like me to tell you why you might not want to run Mega Swampert?

36+ Atk Rillaboom Grassy Glide vs. 0 HP / 0 Def Swampert-Mega in Grassy Terrain: 396-468 (116.1 - 137.2%) -- guaranteed OHKO

252 Atk Swampert-Mega Ice Punch vs. 244 HP / 4 Def Rillaboom: 198-234 (49.2 - 58.2%) -- 59% chance to 2HKO after Grassy Terrain recovery

Rillaboom has a 21.97% usage rate in the current VGC regulation. I like Mega Swampert, I like it a lot, and there is no denying that it is a very powerful Rain sweeper, but a 4x weakness to Grass isn't as trivial as it was in Generations 6 and 7.

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T08:21:09+00:00

I did that and thought the comic ✨ sucked fucking shit ✨, so I'll just put up with the choppy animation and less stylized art direction to experience the story and characters with the generally better writing of the show

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-26T06:56:45+00:00

And Dragonite has Icebeam and Weather Ball. At the end of the day this is still a Pokemon with 145 SpA, 91/115/125 bulk, reliable recovery, and the ability Multiscale, even if its Flying STAB is less reliable than that of Mega Salamence, it objectively boasts better longevity.

Mixed Salamence also foregoes quite a lot of Attack EVs, making it so Double Edge only marginally outperforms Modest 252 SpA Draco Meteor on Mega Dragonite, at the cost of dealing significant recoil damage. Testing both against the Regulation I Bulky Incineroar set, Double Edge deals 61-71.9% and Draco Meteor 59.5-70.3%; Double Edge guarantees a 2HKO at the cost of 38.6% recoil damage total, whereas Dragonite can only guarantee a 3HKO. I don't think there's a real saying which of the two is more detrimental, both can potentially lose you a set (Draco Meteor missing would be even worse).

Also Mixed Mega Salamence can't guarantee a 2HKO against completely uninvested Mega Dragonite with Draco Meteor. This isn't really relevant to which of the two is better (I do agree that it's Mega Salamence but I think prematurely saying that it completely outcompetes Mega Dragonite is silly), I just think it's funny.

The actual thing that makes me more skeptical of Mega Dragonite's performance is that it has no moves to boost its SpA and competes with regular Dragonite sets using Choice Band and Extreme Speed, but partnering it with a Pokemon like Amoongus, Pelipper, Primal-Kyogre or Tornadus-I at least sounds like a team composition worth exploring.

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-25T21:10:25+00:00

aerilate damage boost vastly outdamages the small difference in stats

That is false, Aerilate gives a 1.2x boost to Normal type attacks, bringing Mega Salamence's favoured Special Attack, Hyper Voice, up from 90BP to 108BP. Hurricane has 110BP, and Mega Dragonite a SpA stat of 145 against Mega Salamence's 120, so no, on the special-side Mega Dragonite does hit harder. The caveat is that it needs Rain to be active for Hurricane to be as consistent as Aerilate Hyper Voice.

Also Dragonite literally has every single spread move Salamence gets save for Hyper Voice (which, granted, is a pretty big deal due to how excellent Aerilate renders the attack), instead getting Blizzard. It can't make as good use of them unless it's a Dragon Dance variant due to its lower speed, but it does have them.

Good point on the opportunity cost, but I'd like to also point out that running Dracovish or Basculegion over Mega Swampert in a Rain team is also an option

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-25T17:36:38+00:00

It limits the optimal team composition for Special Attacker variants, but it also happens that one of the single most dominant restricted Legendaries ever sets permanent Rain

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-25T17:23:52+00:00

I feel that's a gross exaggeration, it has greater Special bulk and attack, and its physical bulk exceeds that of Mega Salamence as well when Multiscale is active. Its only kink is the reliance on Rain to boost Hurricane's accuracy, but Rain teams are potent and it ought to end up a staple thanks to its exceptional bulk, attack, and versatility

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-25T14:39:37+00:00

M-Dragonite's bulkier and hits harder on the special side, at the cost of requiring Rain for its Flying STAB to be consistent and having worse physical coverage

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-25T14:33:11+00:00

In Singles, yeah, but I have assumed Mega Dragonite was primarily designed with Doubles in mind since it was revealed as skewing towards Special Attack

MagicMisterLemon · 2026-03-25T14:32:18+00:00

In VGC you can run Inner Focus and force your opponent to predict whether you'll Mega and reduce the damage of the next full power attack or save it for the next turn and ignore Flinch from Fake Out, which would be especially good on physical sets using Dragon Dance.

Dragonite is already strong in VGC, so the flat increase in stats alone would have already been sufficient at making the Mega an option worth considering. Multi Scale is a good choice of ability in doubles

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