Contest Contest-of-the-Week: Torkoal vs Magcargo

Winterdaze

Winterdaze

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Welcome to Contest-of-the-Week! With the release of Pokémon Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire on the horizon, the attention of Pokémon fans everywhere turns to Hoenn, and all the cool and interesting Pokemon that live there.

Every week, we'll be looking at a few of the many Pokémon you'll meet along your journey through the Hoenn region, and asking for your opinions on them and how they stack up next to their counterparts or rival Pokemon looking to fill the same spot on your team.

250px-324Torkoal.png
vs
250px-219Magcargo.png

Mt Chimney looms over the way to Fallarbor Town, as a consequence the habitats along the road there are heavily influenced by volcanic activity. The steaming vents of Fiery Pass are home to many Fire type Pokemon, and Route 113 is constantly subject to ash-fall from the active volcano. The fire tortoise Torkoal can be found inside the Fiery Pass, as well as Slugma, which also makes itself at home under the ash of Route 113 in Emerald.

Magcargo and Torkoal are similar in a lot of ways, other than possessing a tough outer shell both are unusual Fire types in that they are slow and specialise in tanking physical hits. Torkoal has the advantage of being a single stage Pokemon, and is rather powerful at the point in the game where you get it. Slugma takes a while to evolve and while Magcargo's typing gives it a lot of weaknesses, it's also a rather useful one offensively.

Which hard-shelled Fire type you prefer, and why?

-Which has the better design?
-Which one is easier to train?
-Which is more useful throughout the game?
-Which do you think will be better in ORAS?
-Which is more useful in the competitive environment?
-Which do you think would be more heat resistant?

Let the contest begin!


Next week: Zangoose vs Seviper
 
-Which has the better design?

I think Magcargo has a slightly better design. While a furnace turtle that spews smoke is a neat idea, I really like how Magcargo combines the soft body and hard shell of a slug with molten lava and hardened pumice.

-Which one is easier to train?

Easily Torkoal. Not only does it have better stats, Magcargo doesn't evolve until level 38, meaning you're stuck with a pretty weak Pokemon for a long time for little payoff. Not to mention in RSE there are Water and Ground types everywhere, which Magcargo is twice as weak against as Torkoal is.

-Which is more useful throughout the game?

Probably still Torkoal. With its superior defensive typing, HP, and defense, it's going to survive more hits and can therefore get more moves off, which also will pay off more because of its slightly higher offensive stats. Although I will give Magcargo credit for being able to pull off STAB Rock type attacks, but its abysmal Attack stat makes it difficult to use most of them.

-Which do you think will be better in ORAS?

Torkoal, for reasons previously stated.

-Which is more useful in the competitive environment?

Torkoal. While both can set up with Shell Smash, Torkoal has Clear Smog and a useable Attack stat, and better defenses in general as I said earlier.

-Which do you think would be more heat resistant?

Interesting question. I'd venture to guess Magcargo since it's actually made of lava and can apparently sear your skin off by just getting close to you. That Rock type helps it resist Fire type moves too.

So overall I like Magcargo for its design and concept, but I would use Torkoal in battle over Magcargo any day.
 
Which has the better design?

Magcargo. It may terrible in battle but it has an awesome design. It's a Lava Snail. You can't get much cooler than that.

Which one is easier to train?

Torkoal. It get some great moves and doesn't start off as absolute crap.

-Which is more useful throughout the game?[/B]

Torkoal can at least take some hits. Magcargo on the other hand is the Abomasnow of Fire types. Countless weaknesses and stats that don't help it.

Which do you think will be better in ORAS?

Torkoal. It probably will get a Mega. Magcargo on the other hand has long been ignored by Game Freak and will probably remain the cool but utterly useless Pokemon it is.

Which is more useful in the competitive environment?

Torkoal. While it still doesn't have Scald and has terrible speed, it is one of the few Pokemon to have Shell Smash and can make use of it. Even if Magcargo were to get it, it couldn't really make use of it. With two 4X weaknesses, terrible hp and speed, and a BST of only 410, Magcargo just flounders in battle. It requires more support than its worth.

Which do you think would be more heat resistant?

Magcargo. Torkoal lives around Volcanoes but Magcargo lives in Volcanoes.
 
Man, this is a tough one. Two fire Pokémon that I love. Now I've always liked Slugma, and Magcargo was a logical and creative way to take the idea further into a dual-typing. Design's cool too, I love the single flame coming out of its rock shell. But I like Torkoal's design a lot too. The smoke billowing out of its shell and nostrils, and the plain yet nice-looking colour scheme. I also love its voice in the anime. Truly a tough one, but I think overall Torkoal appeals to me more. While Magcargo is a creatively thought-out Pokémon and a worthy successor of Slugma, its typing is just too detrimental to its defensive stats and its attack is too low to make much use of its Rock STAB. Torkoal's only really bad stat is its Speed, which is only slightly lower than Magcargo's. Both great Pokémon, but Torkoal has more worth in battle and is a slightly cooler (er, hotter) Pokémon overall.
 
-Which has the better design?

This sounds really odd, but I think Magcargo has the better design. Reason I say it's odd is because I like Torkoal more, and I like Pokemon depending on their designs. So, I think that Magcargo has the better design but I like Torkoal's design more. >_>

-Which one is easier to train?

Never trained a Magcargo, so I can't answer this one.

-Which is more useful throughout the game?

Again, I haven't trained a Magcargo, but I'm going to say Torkoal anyways, due to it's stats and typing.

-Which do you think will be better in ORAS?

Unless Magcargo gets a mega, Torkoal.

-Which is more useful in the competitive environment?

Torkoal, for reasons in the third question. Though I will say, I tried to use a Torkoal once in my OU team, and it didn't do so great.

-Which do you think would be more heat resistant?

Magcargo. It's body is lava, whereas Torkoal's body is just hot.
 
Which has the better design?
Torkoal, it's kind of cute in a way. Magcargo is okay, but I actually prefer Slugma appearance wise.

Which one is easier to train?
I've only ever used Torkoal in a rom I never finished, but I'll still say it's easier to train since it does't have double weaknesses and is already in its final stage.

Which is more useful throughout the game?
Not sure. Torkoal has less weaknesses, but Magcargo has more type coverage. It depends on the rest of your team imo.

Which do you think will be better in ORAS?
Same as above.

Which do you think would be more heat resistant?
Magcargo, cuz it's kinda made of magma.

Torkoal is my overall pick.
 
Well, this here's a weird Contest. Magcargo isn't even a Generation III Pokemon. No matter, I suppose. For design, I'd say Torkoal is better. Not really sure why, he just has a cuter feel to him, while Magcargo looks so...frozen with his eyes all wide as hell all the time. I've never used either, so I can't say which is easier to train, but I'd guess Torkoal is since its overall stats are better than Magcargo's and it also lacks all of the weaknesses that Magcargo has. As for which is more useful, not sure again. Both are primarily Defensive, though Torkoal can also be an attacker in either side, while Magcargo only has Sp. Attack and it's actually 5 points less than Torkoal's. So I'm guessing Torkoal. I'm also assuming this means it'll also be better in ORAS. I also just feel people would be more likely to use it in general because it's a Hoenn Pokemon.


I have no idea which is better in competitive, but despite what everyone is saying, I've only ever seen Magcargo used out of the two. It has much more weaknesses and it has the lesser of the stats, but...IDK, I guess he's more useful for some reason.

Clearly Magcargo is the more heat resistant. It's...made of lava. What the hell does Torkoal have?
 
-Which has the better design?
I go for Magcargo. A lava snail with molten rock at the back, I think it is unique as we don't usually have snail type Pokemon.

-Which one is easier to train?
Again, Magcargo. Though Torkoal has much higher def than Magcargo, I think, the Sp. Def what makes MAgcargo much better staller that Torkoal.

-Which is more useful throughout the game?
I go for Magcargo again. Ignore the HA, I go for Magma Armor and/or Flame Body.

-Which do you think will be better in ORAS?
Neither. Sorry but I still go for Camerupt. Lol.

-Which is more useful in the competitive environment?
I go for Torkoal. Less weakness and high Def.

-Which do you think would be more heat resistant?
Magcargo. Because of Magma Armor and Flame Body.
 
-Which has the better design?
Probably Magcargo. Torkoal was just on the way to finishing the elemental turtles. (Blastoise, Torkoal, Torterra)
-Which one is easier to train?
I've never used a Magcargo, sorry, and my Torkoal has never really gotten much use.
-Which is more useful throughout the game?
Well, Torkoal can learn Strength and Rock Smash, two HMs that no one wants on their team. It also doesn;t have that annoyingly common double weakness to Water. furret used surf!
-Which do you think will be better in ORAS?
To me, Magcargo. To anyone else? Torkoal. Of course, that's my opnion.
-Which is more useful in the competitive environment?
Torkoal. Period.
-Which do you think would be more heat resistant?
Torkoal, actually, in real life. Magcargo's shell would melt, then it will devolve back to Slugma, I assume. Not in the games. In the games though, we'd get Magcargo with Flame Body and Magma Armor. typhlosion with flash fire is still better
 
-Which has the better design?
Click to expand...

Torkoal's a cute little furnace tortoise, so Torkoal. Snail is cool, but not as much.

-Which one is easier to train?
Click to expand...

Torkoal, easily. Magcargo is basically the same except even worse weaknesses. Having to go through the Slugma phase is horrific, as I did in my mono-Fire run in X.

-Which is more useful throughout the game?
Click to expand...

Probably both as bad as each other. Slow Fire-types aren't too useful.

-Which is more useful in the competitive environment?
Click to expand...

Torkoal. Less weaknesses + Rapid Spin makes it more useful, but that's not saying much. I hope Torkoal gets a cool Mega

Voting Torkoal, it's one of my favourite Pokemon.
 
Although I don't use either in battle, I always thought that Torkoal was adorable while Magcago was this weird magma slug.
 
Had to go with Torkoal, I Like Macargo too but I think Torkoal is Better tho IMO. Torkoal as an Old Tortoise Cool. And I have semi Used him in the Past.
 
why the fuck is torkoal beating my favorite fire-type by so much

-Which has the better design? magcargo, definitely
-Which one is easier to train? torkoal
-Which is more useful throughout the game? torkoal
-Which do you think will be better in ORAS? torkoal....
-Which is more useful in the competitive environment? much to everyone's shock, torkoal
-Which do you think would be more heat resistant? ...what? Magcargo.
 
Torkoal, especially with Drought. Magcargo has an awful typing and looks unappealing to me.
 
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