When will Ash’s Unova Starters get a diverse move set?

[Paulisthebest]

Notice a similarity for Tepig, Miju and Snivy’s moves? Well all of them have 3 moves that match their type along with 1 normal type attack.

Snivy; Leaf Blade, Leaf Storm, Vine Whip and Attract
Tepig; Ember, Flame Charge, Flamethrower and Tackle
Miju; Water Gun, Shell Blade, Aqua Jet and Tackle

Honestly, I don’t see how these 3 can pull off any believable victories against opponents from various types. I’m not going to go into the whole argument about “just like his Kanto starters they beat up evolved Pokemon because Ash pulls some bulls**t win from out of nowhere” I’m just wishing that they would mix things up a little for these 3.

Snivy’s move set is good I will admit because my Snivy has a similar attack list in the game. So, what moves do you think they should learn?

 

[EmmySCx]

I do see a problem in the case of diversity. In my train of thoughts, the writers are if anything too busy with their attention on a couple Pokemon over the majority. Part of me does agree and feel that Snivy has a good move set. More so looking at the fact that there aren't really any other Snivy that Ash had ran into that knew attract. Perhaps in the near future there will be a better and new set of moves for Oshawott. Since the writers are just so devoted to his need to grab the attention, I could see a couple moves coming his way. Onto Tepig, I just don't have the right feeling or enough of showings of him to be able to say that there will be any diversity. Maybe if and when he evolves (we're not getting another Chimchar/Monferno/Infernape though). Part of me wonders if because Ash may have had changed his training style is why he isn't as diverse (or the writers are more focused on other parts of the anime that have a higher priority).

 

[Moe]

A post I made in the Evolution/Capture thread fits perfectly here, so:

I'd rather one of his Pokemon learn a really off type move. It would fit well with Ash's battle style of choosing the weakest possible Pokemon and hoping for an upset, by having Pokemon with moves that can really counter their weaknesses.

In the games my Emboar knows Scald - and Oshawott can learn X-Scissor or Grass Knot and if it evolved Serperior can do Dragon Tail. Scraggy learning ThunderPunch (sure it's an egg move, but why not) would be a good way to introduce a non-Pikachu electric attack without bringing in more Pokemon.

 

[Torterrius]

The thing is...it would be totally against Ash's style to have his Pokemon learn some perfectly off-type move as a surprise. This is the guy who took on Excadrill knowing full-well all of Pikachu's moves were NVE. While it would be nice to see Tepig pull off Scald or Wild Charge in a later evolution, I just don't see the writers giving Ash that type of advantage. In short, it would make TOO much sense to let Ash's Pokemon have perfectly-covered movepools.

And on a sidenote, I will lament for a moment how underdeveloped Tepig is. It's just like all of Ash's three previous Fire-type starters: likened to Chimchar and Charmander by it's previously neglectful Trainer. It's like Cyndaquil because of it's rather low ability (the Ember problem which Ash fixed for Lenora). But the thing is, it gets so little development. I WISH it would get more. The thing is, while I've explained in other topics exactly why the writers are developing other Pokemon instead, they certainly are choosing the wrong ones to high-light.

And finally, despite this already being disclaimed in the original post: this is exactly the case of Kanto. Charizard, anyone? Bulbasaur? Yeah, very rebooty of the writers honestly. I reference the poster on my wall (nerd, yes): Start from a new beginning. Well, the alternate meaning to that phrase means they wiped away any previous knowledge and precedence from their memory banks, and the old ideas have all seemed valid again. Sadly.

 

[Bandit Keith]

Oshawott:Ice Beam/Blizzard(lose Tackle)

Tepig(Evolve, Arm Thrust, Heat Crash(lose Tackle and Embe, If not lost already)

Snivy(Aerial Ace, Evolve 2x(Frenzy Plant)(lose Vine Whip, Evolve 2X, lose Leaf Storm)

 

[Moe]

The thing is...it would be totally against Ash's style to have his Pokemon learn some perfectly off-type move as a surprise. This is the guy who took on Excadrill knowing full-well all of Pikachu's moves were NVE. While it would be nice to see Tepig pull off Scald or Wild Charge in a later evolution, I just don't see the writers giving Ash that type of advantage. In short, it would make TOO much sense to let Ash's Pokemon have perfectly-covered movepools.

Pikachu is equally an example of the opposite with Iron Tail being used frequently, and introduced, as precisely that an off-type surprise to cover a flaw. Likewise, Buizel got Ice Punch, Chimchar had Dig, Gliscor got Fire Fang and Staraptor got Close Combat - all helping provide a different battle strategy option and surprise attacks. And though they were only for the recalls - Quilava had Aerial Ace and Heracross got Focus Punch.

Unless STAB is ever explained or established as an issue in the Anime (it doesn't really seem to be right now) - there's no real reason not to have a lot of off type moves; it's certainly something Ash has used before. And of course, there's always a counter strategy to the counter strategy, they can always knock Ash back down by having something ready in case of off type attacks. Because you know Ash has to lose all the time.

 

[AshK]

If Snivy can learn ariel ace that would be a great move for it. For extra variety since Snivy's movepool is blah, I think she should learn return as well, and replace both attract+vinewhip. Ice beam on oshowatt would be great and its always great to see water pokemon with ice type moves since it is a perfect coverage against grass. I hope tepig eventually ends up with wold charge and head smash- both moves would look great on it especailly if it ever gets fully evolved. Yes right now the movesets are terrible but the anime is no way the same as competitive battling.

 

[Paulisthebest]

Yeah, I've never been a fan when the writers introduce a Pokemon that has only moves that go along with its type like Bianca's dad had a Darmanitan that knew only Fire moves; Flame Charge, Flamethrower, Fire Punch and Flare Blitz. Anyway, to get back on track Ash really needs another way of learning moves. To me its like Cilan's Pokemon do a lot of off-screen training learning moves and such I mean Rock Slide from Dwebble and Pansage's Rock Tomb seemed to come out of nowhere.

Tepig as everyone has mentioned needs to evolve at some point to learn a good amount of various type moves. It can learn Head Smash which would prove interesting since like a Blaziken it can learn a lot of recoil dealing moves like Flare Blitz, Wild Charge, etc. Its sad that Volt Tackle has gone away because to me Ash's Pokemon that had recoil moves; Volt Tackle, Donphan's Take Down or Staraptor's Brave Bird for example. Really symbolized Ash's reckless style of battling using powerful moves but they come at a price.

Miju with Ice moves would go well like Buizel's Ice Punch, X-Scissor would be good too but it might not happen since Dwebble already knows it.

Snivy with Aerial Ace would be interesting since Tranquil has not been seen using it (or actually battle or learn a new move since capture that is...) I mean Quilava learned it so it would be a nice touch for the already agile and powerful Snivy.

 

[Winterdaze]

When their game counterparts get movepools that don't utterly blow.

 

[Paulisthebest]

When their game counterparts get movepools that don't utterly blow.

I will agree that Snivy's evolutionary line has a lackluster pool to choose from. I mean after its fully evolved like a Sceptile it has amazing speed, but not the best moves that will deal heavy damage to multiple Pokemon types. Sceptile can learn moves from various types for amazing offense.

Serperior on the other hand...its like a Meagnium being that its mainly one of those "Pokemon parasites" as I call them. A move set like Attract, Leech Seed, Giga Drain and Toxic or throw in moves to lower accuracy for the opponent like Double Team or Substitue to stay in the game longer.

I'm satisfied with Samorutt in the games I mean it can take a hit or two from a super-effective attack depending on the opponent's stats and can learn awesome moves like Grass Knot, Ice-moves, Megahorn, etc. I just wish its Speed was higher though.

Emboar on the other hand, yeah it can learn some great moves but its defense and speed are not impressive at all. One powerful hit from the wrong type of move like water or flying and its over...

I don't know what Ash is going to do league time, but the way things are looking since his rivals have Pokemon that are starters (which evolved like Trip's Servine, Burgandy's Dewott) I don't know when or if Ash's will evolve. Remember back in Kanto the only evolved starter was Charizard, he used Squirtle and Bulbasaur in the league and they did good but still against fully evolved Pokemon the battles tend to get ridiculous remember during the DP arc when Chimchar and Turtwig beat a Zangoose AND a Metagross in the Tag Battle Tournament?

I just find it interesting how the writers evolve the Pokemon Ash keeps at the lab when they appear and battle for like the first time and they learn new moves as opposed to the ones that he has on hand. Guessing they do unseen training at the lab with other Pokemon or the writers are just giving Ash an excuse to make it so far in the region with so many un-evolved Pokemon.

 

[Winterdaze]

Well if they evolve, their prospects for better moves will definitely improve. As they are though, they don't have much room to learn any interesting moves we haven't already seen repeatedly.

 

[Paulisthebest]

Well if they evolve, their prospects for better moves will definitely improve. As they are though, they don't have much room to learn any interesting moves we haven't already seen repeatedly.

Oh, I agree with you there completely. For one thing if Miju learned X-Scissor I'd be interested in seeing how the anime would animate that you know for Dewott it'd be easy to have it use the move since it has TWO shells to slash with.

Miju only has one so it would have to slash twice to make the "X" attack I guess, but that is just some free thoughts I had.

Tepig can learn Wild Charge and Head Smash without evolving, but I doubt it would get Wild Charge since Pikachu was once the king of the recoil electric move.

 

[BlazeMaster]

Personally I want snivy to lose attract because the opponents either defeat it by gender or moves or she just has them stumbling around the field and she defeats them. Maybe something like aerial ace or a rock type move.

Tepig should learn Brick Break upon evolution and Take Down.

Oshawott should learn MEGAHORN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!