Does Blastoise now contend against Blaziken for best starter?

[hepengild]

You can now relearn Shell Smash for use on Blastoise due to his Gen 8 moveset. Paired with Mega Blastoise, he becomes an absolute monster.

[Arthesia]

I figured the same and went with Squirtle for a new playthough. Results were... mixed. In the mid-game I had to stop using it entirely, but late-game it works.

 

In theory it's great. 252 HP/SpAtk EVs, then sweep with Hydro Pump and Aura Sphere.

Problem is that it's too fragile with a Shell Smash but not powerful enough without a Shell Smash.

So it basically requires White Herb or Blastoisinite, and it needs the move tutor for Aura Sphere. All of which come much later.

The middle of the game is absolutely brutal for Blastoise.

 

Consider this. Blastoise is useless against Valarie's water types. In the next two gym battles it can't reliably setup against Crawley or Angie. Then its STAB moves are halved on the field against Geara/Zetta and again against Amber. Then against Erick it is completely useless against electric types. Then it is almost useless again versus Florin/Flora's grass types (you can try to use Signal Beam). Then when you get to the desert sections your STAB moves are halved again.

 

I heard Blastoisinite was also removed from the game? So until GDC where you can buy more White Herbs it's pretty rough. 

 

Buuuut.... Mega Blastoise? Absolutely the best starter now.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Arthesia

[hepengild]

43 minutes ago, Arthesia said:

I figured the same and went with Squirtle for a new playthough. Results were... mixed. In the mid-game I had to stop using it entirely, but late-game it works.

 

In theory it's great. 252 HP/SpAtk EVs, then sweep with Hydro Pump and Aura Sphere.

Problem is that it's too fragile with a Shell Smash but not powerful enough without a Shell Smash.

So it basically requires White Herb or Blastoisinite, and it needs the move tutor for Aura Sphere. All of which come much later.

The middle of the game is absolutely brutal for Blastoise.

 

Consider this. Blastoise is useless against Valarie's water types. In the next two gym battles it can't reliably setup against Crawley or Angie. Then its STAB moves are halved on the field against Geara/Zetta and again against Amber. Then against Erick it is completely useless against electric types. Then it is almost useless again versus Florin/Flora's grass types (you can try to use Signal Beam). Then when you get to the desert sections your STAB moves are halved again.

 

I heard Blastoisinite was also removed from the game? So until GDC where you can buy more White Herbs it's pretty rough. 

 

Buuuut.... Mega Blastoise? Absolutely the best starter now.

Ahh, Blastoisinite being removed makes a lot of sense, considering how strong it would be with shell smash. I wasn't sure if it was or not.

[MhicKy]

Best starters are still Greninja and Cinderace to me..
Their abilities are OP as heck which makes them rogue variants, the AI gets absolutely confused when facing them and it's hilarious!

- Cindarace changes to Fighting Type to use High Jump Kick and KO the enemy Steel Type
- AI sends a Psychic Type to deal with the "Fighting" Type Cinderace
- Cindarace changes to Dark Type to use Sucker Punch and KO the enemy Psychic Type
- AI sends a Bug Type to deal with the "Dark" Type Cinderace
- Cinderace changes to Fire Type to use Pyro Ball and KO the enemy Bug Type

And it just keeps getting funnier! Also, Pyro Ball is absolutely OP.. Basically a physical type Fire Blast with 90 accuracy instead of 75

[fellowry]

6 hours ago, hepengild said:

Ahh, Blastoisinite being removed makes a lot of sense, considering how strong it would be with shell smash. I wasn't sure if it was or not.

If you want to, you can just go back to ver 12 and get blastoisnite it shouldn't be too much of a problem