Regigigas, one of many many Legendary Pokémon launched in Technology IV, doesn’t want me to really feel sorry for it. However the normal-type titan monster has been getting the brief finish of the stick because of its signature Potential Sluggish Begin because it debuted in 2006, and I can’t assist however pity the poor, big rock man sleeping within the historical ruins of Snowpoint Temple within the Sinnoh area.
Ever since Skills had been added to the mainline Pokémon video games in Technology III, they’ve made particular person monsters really feel distinct past their stats and movesets. These passive traits may give you an edge in a battle—like Raichu’s Static, which paralyzes an enemy in the event that they strike the electrical mouse with a bodily assault—or they’ll act as a built-in sabotage—like Slaking’s Truant, which prevents it from attacking each different flip. Nevertheless, given Legendary Pokémon’s energy inside the universe, the most important and baddest of those creatures often have one thing that makes them a powerhouse to cope with. Properly, apart from Regigigas, who can’t catch a break.
Regigigas was launched in Pokémon Diamond and Pearl because the chief of Technology III’s Legendary Titans (two extra had been launched in Technology VIII). As a god-like creator of those 5 already highly effective Pokémon, it’s no shock Regigigas is a powerhouse with a robust 160 base assault stat its strongest asset, however between its respectable pace and defensive stats, it’s not only a glass cannon throwing highly effective bodily assaults. It’s obtained a various moveset so there are alternatives to make the most of its bodily power with a definite elemental taste of a number of different typings within the collection. By all accounts, Regigigas ought to be a power to be reckoned with. Sadly for it, Sport Freak in-built an inherent flaw that retains it from reaching its full potential till a lot later in a battle.
Welcome to Exp. Share, Kotaku’s Pokémon column by which we dive deep to discover notable characters, city legends, communities, and simply plain bizarre quirks from all through the Pokémon franchise.
Sluggish Begin is Regigigas’ signature capacity. It’s the one Pokémon cursed with it and it doesn’t have a hidden capacity to switch it with. This affliction makes it so Regigigas’ assault and pace stats are halved for the primary 5 turns it’s on the sphere. The sport references the impact with textual content that reads “Regigigas can’t get it going!” throughout fights. For those who’re preventing this massive, sentient rock, that’s your cue to begin wailing on it earlier than it reaches full power. In most Pokémon battles, it’s fairly straightforward to one-shot even the most important, bulkiest foe in case you strike with their elemental weak point. So in case you’re well-prepared, you’ll be able to take Regigias out earlier than it could actually even hit again.
This state of affairs will get messier in case you’re making an attempt to catch it. Catching Legendary Pokémon is notoriously tough as a result of their catch charges are a lot greater than your common, run-of-the-mill wild Pokémon. So quite a lot of these encounters can change into lengthy, drawn-out fights, with you spamming Pokéballs till one lastly works. For those who’re making an attempt to catch the large rock man, it may very nicely take greater than 5 turns, so will probably be again at its full energy and may punch by your Pokémon, decimating them earlier than you’ll be able to snag it. It’s irritating when out within the wild, however so far as its aggressive viability, Regigigas will get such a sluggish begin that it could actually usually be laborious or inconceivable to catch up by the point you’ll be able to really reap the benefits of its uncooked energy.
The funniest factor is: Regigigas ought to have gotten a break from this delayed assault mechanic in Pokémon Legends: Arceus, as final yr’s single-player-focused RPG did away with Skills altogether. If you’re not balancing by a aggressive lens, it is sensible that some mechanics can be scrapped rather than new programs, however Regigigas obtained no such reprieve, as Sluggish Begin was repurposed into an unique standing impact. Positive, it’s constant by way of lore, but additionally this poor titan has been going by it for therefore lengthy, and now we all know by Legends: Arceus’ historic setting that Regigigas has been struggling for hundreds of years.
Truthfully, extra Legendary Pokémon should be taken down a peg. Positive, they’re forces of nature and even gods, however every of them have a weak point, and extra of them ought to be silly and hilarious like Regigigas not being a morning particular person. Give me a Legendary Pokémon who misses each different assault as a result of its eyes are nonetheless adjusting to the daylight after slumbering for hundreds of years.
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