Alola Variant Pokemon: Thoughts and Predictions

[Mitchman]

Well, this is something I didn't expect. Don't know whether these will replace Mega Evolutions, but I'm always up for something new. Hope to see Pokemon from other Gens getting Alola versions.

Good luck ever finishing the 721 thread, each gen is gonna have you go back.

So, I've been having some ideas!
Water Type Diglett/Dugtrio. Cause of all the reefs and ocean surrounding the islands, poor diglett can't dig between islands. To solve this it learned how to swim. We get to see its feet.
Bug/Dragon Flygon. With no desert to hide itself, Flygon lost its ability to command sandstorms and ground type moves in general.
Ground Type tropius. With an abundance of llw hanging fruits, mofo got lazy and has no need to fly around to high trees. Also gets fatter.

 

[Dizzard]

I'll be more on board if we get Alola variations for Pokemon from other generations too.

As it stands I like the idea but I don't like the idea of it being exclusive to just one generation.

This would be a great opportunity to have a Grass/Fire Sunflora.

 

[Gard81]

Good luck ever finishing the 721 thread, each gen is gonna have you go back.

Thank goodness then that I have access to Pokebank and just about 1 of every available Pokemon so far in my Y and AS games. But then again, I did start from scratch with those games, and I did enjoy it somewhat.

 

[Psalmist]

One thing I don't like is that this may mean that we don't get a "proper" Ice/Steel- or Ice/Fairy-type in SM. Oh well.
On another note, what if Kanto has Kanto Variant Alola Pokémon?!

 

[Gengarzilla]

If this is their attempt to get me into Gen I VC by touting it as the way to get the normal vanilla forms then I'm totally not on board with this.

 

[NinjutsuSen]

On another note, what if Kanto has Kanto Variant Alola Pokémon?!

Which could be a hint to be Alola exclusive like Megas to Kalos with the only differebce that it's specifically Alola.

That could be also a hint for generation 7 only having Alola (and also only SM as games) in it since I doubt older regions also having them if this mechanic is named Alola Pokemon.

 

[Zeta]

it's a shame that they are not megas or new pokemon forms activated somehow... how will they react in other regions? how to they work?
if we send a Vulpix from past games will it change forms or are these only to catch and evolve in this region? will be there a option to send them into future games?
why? megas made sense and form changes through activation, this is totally weird for me...
So much snow cloak and frisk ? Frisk and Exeggutor grass/dragon, they could have given them better abilities atleast?

- what will hapen with Parasect???

Cured Alola Parasect (Bug or Bug/Ground) would be a pretty awesome conclusion to its lore. "The mushroom died in the heat and I'm FREEE!"

 

[Jyo]

Vulpix and Ninetales look so beautiful
Shiny Ninetales always looked ice type to me it resembled an arctic fox, now that it's icy fairy makes it more appropriate to me, can't wait to use it

 

[JAMEZV.1]

Even if it is restricted to Kanto Pokémon, I'm still optimistic about a Dragon-type Sylveon. Sylveon was the only cross-generational evolution in X&Y, it could be the exception to the rule again by being the only non-Kanto native regional variant in Alola (and even then it has the loophole of evolving from a Gen I Pokémon).

We all know Eevee is the go-to Pokémon to showcase new evolution methods/gimmicks. This wouldn't contradict the 8 slots shown on Eevee's PokéDex entry either as it would hypothetically come under a different form for Sylveon.

 

[Dizzard]

Cured Alola Parasect (Bug or Bug/Ground) would be a pretty awesome conclusion to its lore. "The mushroom died in the heat and I'm FREEE!"

I didn't realize I needed this...but I need this.

Poor Parasect has suffered for too long.

 

[Matleo]

what will be with the normal forms? will they also be aviable? we had something like this with other pokemon in the past?
did we had 2 diffrentforms in the same region? could they switch between them?

 

[Peachy]

it's a shame that they are not megas or new pokemon forms activated somehow... how will they react in other regions? how to they work?

I believe that they'll work like the Wormadam and Shello/Gastrodon forms work.

if we send a Vulpix from past games will it change forms or are these only to catch and evolve in this region?

It specifically states that these Pokemon are from the Alola region. So most likely that if you transfer a Vulpix from Gen 6 it will be the normal Fire version. And the normal versions of all the pokémon were shown in the Japanese trailer so they still exist.

why? megas made sense and form changes through activation, this is totally weird for me...

I think this is based on convergent evolution (or something similar, I'm not a scientist) so it pulls from real world examples.

 

[Mitchman]

Yeah its biodiversity on steroids. Pokemon change type and look because of were they live is an amazing idea, so cool they implemented it. Another idea floating around is a Fire type Grimer Line, think sentient mass of lava.

 

[DoctorWhy]

So I just got a bit disappointed. Flygon will likely not get an Alola form.

If you check the confirmed info thread, Flygon has already been seen in a trailer, no different than usual. No matter to me, I'd rather it get a Mega.

 

[Morru]

I think this is based on convergent evolution (or something similar, I'm not a scientist) so it pulls from real world examples.

I'll put my #sciencehat on for a sec (I studied evolutionary biology):
Judging from the Alola-variant Pokémon's descriptions, these seem more akin to phenotypic variations resulting from environmental change. Convergent evolution would be two different species found in different regions evolving similar traits, and that's not the case here. I wouldn't think too much about it, though, since that would mean having to apply real-world definitions to Pokémon.

Anyway, I was apprehensive about this when I saw the trailer, but after looking at them more closely I appreciate them now. I wanna catch a Sanic -- er, Sandslash asap.

 

[Peppermint Phoenix]

If they have completely different types and abilities and probably movesets... what's the point in making them the same pokemon at that point?

Also it's called Sandslash not Mineralslash.

 

[8BitPoipole]

I'm really into it. It's something I've wanted for like 8 years, one of my ideas was slightly different colouring/fur texture based on terrain (like a mountain Meowth being scruffy and a bit grey, field Meowth being a bit feral etc)
Also, predictions for more Alolan variants are as follows

Butterfree, Gloom, Vileplume, Electabuzz, Magmar, Magcargo, Forretress, Skarmory, Milotic, Tropius, Glalie, Burmy, Wormadam, Shellos, Gastrodon, Deerling, Sawsbuck, Druddigon

 

[Mitchman]

So I just got a bit disappointed. Flygon will likely not get an Alola form.

If you check the confirmed info thread, Flygon has already been seen in a trailer, no different than usual. No matter to me, I'd rather it get a Mega.

I am pretty sure we saw a Non Alola Abra that was a mention mon in the leak.

 

[Dizzard]

So I just got a bit disappointed. Flygon will likely not get an Alola form.

If you check the confirmed info thread, Flygon has already been seen in a trailer, no different than usual. No matter to me, I'd rather it get a Mega.

Wasn't Arcanine shown off fighting Rockruff in a clip during some Korean event? In that footage Arcanine looked no different and yet the leak is saying it'll be a water type.

Either that leak contains some fake misleading information (totally possible) or the older Pokemon shown off in trailers are just being included for the trailers and have no connection to whether they'll be obtainable in Alola or not.

 

[Garren]

I remember hearing that the reason the Asian mongoose failed when imported into Hawaii to deal with the local rats were the two didn't come out at the same time...

I'm guessing the intent of the possible Dark Rattata is that Rattata were almost hunted to extinction by Yungoos, and then evolved into a Dark-type nocturnal variant to avoid Yungoos. That's probably why Gumshoos' entry mentions it basically waiting around all day for nothing because Rattata only comes out at night.