Moves-of-the-Week Discussion #54: Morning Sun & Moonlight

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, Morning Sun & Moonlight are chosen.

When weather was introduced in Generation 2, new moves that take advantage of the weather were eventually introduced as well. The next couple of moves are Morning Sun and Moonlight, moves that deal with healing. They may have the same effect, but flavour-wise, they are different because one move is for the day and the other is for the night. Despite that, both moves work the same way at anytime of the day. Normally, it will heal for half the user's HP when this move is used, but this move heals for two-thirds of HP when the sun is up, and will heal for only a quarter when it's another weather. Compared to other healing moves, the payoff is not as good, because this move has low PP, and the amount of weather conditions that hinder this move outnumber the amount of weather conditions that benefit it.

The users of one of the moves have an affinity to the day or night, depending of the user. So for example, Espeon (the first user) is a morning Pokémon because it evolves during the daytime, while Umbreon (NOT the first user) is a night Pokémon due to evolving during the night. Grass-types have their own version of this move, known as Synthesis, but that move will be focused on for another day.

Here's the in-game description for both moves (both have the same description):

Morning Sun & Moonlight (BW) said:
Type: Normal (Status)
Base Power: --
Accuracy: --%
PP: 5

The user restores its own HP. The amount of HP regained varies with the weather.
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):
  • How do the users heal better in the presence of the sun?
  • How are Venonat, Growlithe, Ponyta, Togepi and Pidove (and their respective evolutions) affiliated with the day?
  • How are Oddish and Exeggcute (and their respective evolutions) affiliated with the night?
  • Why is it that Moonlight still heals the user better in the presence of Sun?
  • How would this move be modified if it were to be as good as other recover moves such as Recover and Roost?

Here are the current users for Morning Sun (put in Spoiler tag due to the large list):
(Level-up)​
  • Espeon
  • Beautifly
  • Cherubi & Cherrim

    (Breeding)
  • Venonat & Venomoth
  • Growlithe & Arcanine
  • Ponyta & Rapidash
  • Togepi, Togetic & Togekiss
  • Sunkern & Sunflora
  • Pidove, Tranquill & Unfezant
  • Larvesta & Volcarona

    (Event only)
  • Nidoran♂, Nidorino & Nidoking (Gen 2)
  • Butterfree (Gen 3)
  • Weepinbell & Victreebel (Gen 3)
  • Tangela & Tangrowth (Gen 3, Gen 4 for Tangrowth)
  • Scyther & Scizor (Gen 3)
  • Moltres (Gen 3)
  • Solrock

Here are the current users for Moonlight:
(Level-up)​
  • Clefairy & Clefable
  • Oddish, Gloom, Vileplume & Bellossom
  • Umbreon
  • Dustox
  • Volbeat & Illumise
  • Cresselia
  • Munna & Musharna

    (Breeding)
  • Exeggcute & Exeggutor
  • Sableye

    (Event only)
  • Nidoran♀, Nidorina & Nidoqueen (Gen 2)
  • Sneasel (Gen 2)
  • Lunatone

Thanks for reading, and happy discussing!

~ The General Pokémon Forum Staff


Previous Move-of-the-Weeks:

Next Move-of-the-Week: Powerful ice attacks that may cast a non-freezing status.​
 
Re: Move(s)-of-the-Week Discussion #54: Morning Sun & Moonlight

The first thing I noticed when reading through the list of Pokemon is that Venomoth learns Morning Sun, despite being a moth which are generally nocturnal creatures. Dustox learns Moonlight, so it would make sense that Venomoth should learn it too instead of Morning Sun.

Another Pokemon I'm curious about is Exeggcute. Oddish makes sense to me because it's active at night according to the Pokedex. Exeggcute, however, doesn't seem to have any kind of affiliation with night time or the moon. If anything, it should be more closely linked to the sun since it learns Solarbeam by leveling up.

Perhaps Pidove can learn Morning sun because many birds become active when the sun rises. As the old saying goes, "The early bird catches the worm."

"Why is it that Moonlight still heals the user better in the presence of Sun?"

Probably because the moon's light is just reflected light from the sun. It still seems strange that they would create two different attacks with identical effects and similar concepts. It would be interesting if in newer games Moonlight's healing power was boosted at night or it gained some other effects.
 
winstein said:
  • Why is it that Moonlight still heals the user better in the presence of Sun?
Click to expand...
It's confusion with what the Japanese name is and what the animation is.

The name is Clear Sky, and it shows sunlight but they never changed the animation for when its night. They really should have to make it all clearer, and NoA really shouldn't have gone for Sunny Day.
 
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