Move-of-the-Week Discussion #77: Leech Life

winstein

winstein

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In Pokémon, there are lots of different moves used by different Pokémon. Every week, we shall focus the discussion on a different move, and there will be some base questions that would help you start this off. This week, Leech Life is chosen.

This Generation 1 move is one example of attacks with extra beneficial effects. The basic gist is that the user gets to increase their HP while hurting the opponent, providing a twofold benefit of increasing your survivability and reducing theirs. It is typically a move learned early, which is why it is a weak attack, but it is suitable for any rookie Pokémon before they learn future moves. Unlike the HP recovery attacks of the Grass-type, Leech Life is the only Bug-type healing attack (though most users could learn the more powerful Giga Drain).

Here's the in-game description for this move:

In-game Description (XY) said:
Type: Bug (Physical)
Base Power: 20
Accuracy: 100%
PP: 15

The user drains the target's blood. The user's HP is restored by half the damage taken by the target.
Click to expand...

Here are the usual possible questions about this move:
  • How does certain Pokémon (who knows it) use this move? What kind of purpose would this move have for them (in the Pokémon World)?
  • How could this move be used to aid a profession in the Pokémon World?
  • Could this move realistically be used by any Pokémon who doesn't learn it normally? If yes, please explain your choices.
  • How would this move be used in battling, realistically or video game-wise?

Other questions (You could ask other critical questions beyond the listed):
  • What makes Leech Life a uniquely Bug-type move?
  • How is Leech Life different from Absorb, its Grass-type counterpart?

Here are the current users of this move:
(Level-up)​
  • Zubat, Golbat & Crobat
  • Paras & Parasect
  • Venonat & Venomoth
  • Spinarak & Ariados
  • Nincada, Ninjask & Shedinja
  • Kricketune
  • Joltik & Galvantula
  • Shelmet & Accelgor
  • Larvesta & Volcarona
  • Noibat & Noivern

    (Breeding)
  • Bellsprout, Weepinbell & Victreebel
  • Yanma & Yanmega

Thanks for reading, and happy discussing!

~ The General Pokémon Forum Staff


Previous Move-of-the-Weeks:

Next Move-of-the-Week: Multi-ranged absorption attack.​
 
I think Leech Life should be modified - it's too weak to use even in the early part of the games.

1. Let Leech Life continue on for turns. Like Leech Seed, once you plant your 'fangs' in the opponent, you can continuously sap the health out of them.

2. Give Leech Life bigger power for large pokemons. Leeches in real life suck blood as much as they can, and the bigger the leech, the more blood they'd suck.

3. Or maybe Leech Life can have different power bases depending on how much health is left. The more hungry you are, the more you'd eat, so this is best utilized at HP1. Of course... then there will be people getting KO'd by False Swipe'd Zubats...



If all the bats are supposed to learn Leech Life, why is Woobat/Swoobat not on the list :/
 
Dark Chocolate said:
I think Leech Life should be modified - it's too weak to use even in the early part of the games.

1. Let Leech Life continue on for turns. Like Leech Seed, once you plant your 'fangs' in the opponent, you can continuously sap the health out of them.

2. Give Leech Life bigger power for large pokemons. Leeches in real life suck blood as much as they can, and the bigger the leech, the more blood they'd suck.

3. Or maybe Leech Life can have different power bases depending on how much health is left. The more hungry you are, the more you'd eat, so this is best utilized at HP1. Of course... then there will be people getting KO'd by False Swipe'd Zubats...
Click to expand...

The first idea is interesting. Perhaps it could function as a trapping move at the same time, leeching for a few turns before stopping. That would be good for something like Crobat. The third idea could work as well, as long as max power isn't too overwhelming. Maybe caps at 100. The second idea is somewhat arbritrary, so I am not sure. If you look at height, I can see Joltik becoming too weak to use this move, while Yanmega would be quite powerful with it (though Giga Drain is better since it's Special).

Dark Chocolate said:
If all the bats are supposed to learn Leech Life, why is Woobat/Swoobat not on the list :/
Click to expand...

It should be noted that Woobat/Swoobat learns Giga Drain, which is more useful than Leech Life anyway. Still, you have a point. I was surprised they didn't learn this move when I found that Noibat/Noivern got it.

Thanks for reading.
 
Leech Life requires physical close contact which differs from Absorb, Mega Drain or Giga Drain in which the Pokemon could extend or shoot beams.
I agree that Leech Life needs to be modified to be more effective and not just a weak clone of other HP absorbing skills.
I don't think it would realistically used by other Pokemons that don't naturally learn the move. Bug-types or bugs have a natural ability to suck other's energy for their own.
Something that others don't have or wouldn't realistically have.
 
Please note: The thread is from 12 years ago.
Please take the age of this thread into consideration in writing your reply. Depending on what exactly you wanted to say, you may want to consider if it would be better to post a new thread instead.
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