Why is Misty underrated as a battler?

[DarkDreams]

That's virtually impossible bro....

To each their own.

It's a disgrace Misty was never given a water starter. Seriously, with the exception of Tracey and Max, every other main character had received a water starter.

...

It could be that she was never a 'main character'. Or that Ash already had the Kanto/Johto one, and Misty never got to travel with him after those two.

I believe it's very ironic, that the water pokemon trainer, did not get a water starter. However, Misty is well off without one anyway.

Many people have different starters to the traditional starters. Take Ash for example..

Someone wrote this on youtube, and I love this quote, so I'll think I'll just copy and paste this:
"I don't like how they always made Ash seem like the more knowledgeable pokemon trainer of the two...Misty already had a few pokemon and a history as a trainer before Ash came, and even being older, more skill. Only when she joined Ash, she didn't battle anymore..."
MistyCallsKingdra1

So true!

I thought she left the gym to become stronger? o.o Though, I wouldn't blame her: Her sisters were the 'real' gym leaders, so she couldn't have battled very much.

 

[CrackFox]

Well she's underrated by users on this forum (quite a few of them) who claim that Misty Is weaker than others. (Which Isn't true)

And to all those who are saying 'there's no overrated option' Duh! This whole thread Is about why you guy all think that Misty Is overrated, thus this thread Is asking we you all rate her so purely (underatted)...>.>

Misty was a strong battler, when she battled. She beat Ash a few times, she beat TR a lot as well as other trainers who randomly approached her.
She's now a Gym leader and since her cameo in the wake of that was seen to have gotten much stronger.
You could argue she wouldn't win against May or Dawn, but in reality the writers would give that win to whoever it fit the plot best too. At the moment (Dawn)

You guys are saying Brock was a Gym leader. Brock doesn't battle but when he does, he does it very well. You can't say he's a lame battler. If he was a trainer instead of a breeder he'd probably be just as good as Ash.

I really love that Misty's character Is still being explored, but these threads only lead to hatred from many people, and closure from a mod.

"isn't as bad (as the rest)".

I agree with that btw. 'Gliscor'd' Isn't as bad as the rest.

 

[Daren]

Misty was a strong battler, when she battled. She beat Ash a few times,

Er, I only remember the Whirl Cup (which used Psyduck)--the first match was interrupted (but Ash was winning) and he clearly won the others (especially the fight for Totodile, where her only win was taking advantage of Pikachu's psychological unwillingness to beat up Togepi). Am I missing something? I admit I skipped ALOT of Johto. Or maybe you mean she won some rounds against Ash?

Anyways, this'll sound odd but I think in the long run Psyduck made Misty look bad--as long as the writer's insisted on having him win major battles, it ended up making her look like a weak trainer (which she wasn't).

 

[The Power of Pika]

Er, I only remember the Whirl Cup (which used Psyduck)--the first match was interrupted (but Ash was winning) and he clearly won the others (especially the fight for Totodile, where her only win was taking advantage of Pikachu's psychological unwillingness to beat up Togepi). Am I missing something? I admit I skipped ALOT of Johto. Or maybe you mean she won some rounds against Ash?

Anyways, this'll sound odd but I think in the long run Psyduck made Misty look bad--as long as the writer's insisted on having him win major battles, it ended up making her look like a weak trainer (which she wasn't).

Yeah. As much as I liked Psyduck in the early seasons and it was funny I for many years was hoping Misty would buckle down and start training Psyduck properly and really work with it. You know like how Ash trained cyndaquil and even Charizard.

I was so happy when I thought it evolved into a golduck and actually used some awsome attacks until I found out it was a stupid Golduck who liked girls and wasn't Psyduck evolved at all.>_>
I appreciate the episode now due to the comedy elements but it's just that episode that makes me feel like this is what it could have been. You know.

The whirl pool cup would have been a perfect chance for Misty to get some character development in actually bonding and teaching her Psyduck. Really getting it to improve but in the long run Psyduck ended up being a missed opportunity.

The problem with Psyduck was it really at times made her seem like a beginner. It was okay in first season but by Johto I would have expected Psyduck would have learned how to use confusion properly very much like how Ash's Charizard started obeying and cyndaquil learned how to use fire attacks properly.

Though unfortunately Psyduck stayed the same right through to the very end.

I'm glad she used Poliwhirl and even brought a gyarados into the cameos in Hoenn because it really showed how good a battler she was even if it is the few times she did battle. Even staryu and starmie were okay.

Togepi was almost as screwed as Psyduck but got fixed in Hoenn when it gained so much character development in a matter of 2 episode.=/
Personally I wish all that power it had stored happened it Johto. It would have been very interesting in battle with those abilities and really would have made Misty look really good and less people would have hated togepi back then.

 

[Cybersai]

Anyways, this'll sound odd but I think in the long run Psyduck made Misty look bad--as long as the writer's insisted on having him win major battles, it ended up making her look like a weak trainer (which she wasn't).

Well to be fair Psyduck was toned down in Johto a lot. Psyduck didn't pop out of its ball that much in Johto at all. Shame that it was still used in the Whirl Cup though as a cheap victory.

I always thought Misty's best battler was Poliwhirl, as she got to have some standard battles with it at least.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

So many incorrect info.

51 out of 271 is 18.8%, rounded to the first decimal place. Rounded up to the nearest whole number, it's 19%. If we include the battle she has against Molly, that's 52/272 and it's still 19%.

So what if other girls battled more due to contests,does that play any difference?
Not at all.First of all Misty battled more in trainer battles than May ever did,same goes while comparing her with Dawn due to being gym leader.The only reason May and Dawn "battled more" is if we count contests which are a whole another style of battling.
Going by this we can say how May and Dawbn are better in coordinating,but in trainer battles Misty has advantage.

Not to mention it wasnt to expect that Misty will have status of being equal to Ash like Dawn did,since this show was back than mainly about Ash,and second while she could have been given more focus reason why this didnt happenbed was writers inexperience.

Misty did not train one bit, during her time on the main cast.

She rarely battled.[/QUOTE]

Wrong,there were references in main series clearly showing how she trained her pokemon off screen.,
Examples of top of my head:
-Marina complimented her Staryu stating how she did great job at training it
-In "Octillery the Outcast" Misty asked Ash to have her battle vs kid with remoraid since she still didnt had time to train her newly caught Corsola.
-Ash complimenbted Mistys pokemon several times saying how she trained them well.
Naturally going by logic pokemon cant become stronger without training or battling,and since Mistys team got stronger while travelling over time facts speak for themselves.

Yet, some of her fans have raised her to the level of the elite when she is clearly not up to standard.

No,they are just pointing out how Misty isnt weaker battler than May or Dawn are just because she received less screentime.

Brock was a better mentor to Ash than Misty btw.

In your opinion.

Why is she underrated? Because Misty was not often shown battling on the show, and thus it is very difficult to judge her strength accurately.

And is number of battles valid indicator to determine someones strenght?
Take for example TR,who battled in 90% of episodes but they are considered as rather weak trainers generally speaking,while some strong trainers like Paul or Gary were much less involved in battling but showed by themselves how they fall under category of skilled trainers.

Misty battled less than some characters,but when she did she showed how she posseses talent and can come up with impressive strategies with achievements speaking for themselves.

People often forgett how contest battles and trainer battles are two whole different worlds and when it comes to other part Misty clearly showed to hold bigger knowleadge and experience in that area.,

As i said its quality,not quantity which determines someones strenght.

The major ones were won by Psyduck. There's little we can draw to say she's a better battler than Ash.

There were only two of her "major battles" won by Psyduck out of more than 60.

OH! And the first time she did outright say her ambition? It was in Johto

Nope her ambitions began to be showed already in Kanto when she stated how she wants to become worlds best water trainer,term water master appeared in OI with Misty herself starting to show interest in high class trainers like Lorelai considering her being her idol,along with her goal starting being brought up more and more once when Joho started.

Her way of standing up to Team Rocket with a goldeen was a joke in the second episode and notice in the next episode?

Except she used one of pokemon center pokeballs and threw at Team Rocket not knowing content of pokeball.Your point?

She did nothing and told Ash to do all the work.

So?She didnt wanted to battle,vs someone in who shes not interested in.

Well, that's what you get for not working hard. I mean, for someone with experience as a trainer, she was sure content to let Ash battle team rocket every time they attacked while she lifted a finger once a bluemoon.

Like defeating TR would help her toward her goal.TR blasting offs were never a big deal.

Quite a lot of her victories were due to Psyduck.

Only 2 of her important battles were due to Psyducks headache,big majority was won on skill.

Psyduck and its headaches are some of the worst battles in terms of skill on the show. Its nothing but a deus ex machina. He comes out to battle on its own when the writers feel that there is no other way to give Misty a win.

Not at all.Putting Psyduck into battle was writers way of putting comedy into battles with Psyduck being treated only as comic relief.

This cant be Mistys fault from anime perspective since she never intended to use Psyduck in important matches,with him messing up her plans.
From real life perspective writers wanted to add comedy when battles were sometimes intense.

It could be that she was never a 'main character'.

She certainly was main character,Check bulbapedia and any other site if you have doubts.

I thought she left the gym to become stronger? o.o Though, I wouldn't blame her: Her sisters were the 'real' gym leaders, so she couldn't have battled very much.

Yes she did and if you compare her skills with early days from Kanto with situation in Johto,progress has been visibly made.

Things are obvious around here:
Some people are clearly biased here with those who like May and Dawn more overrating their skills,trying to dismiss Mistys ahievements.

Trying to claime how May and Dawn are better batlers putting it across as fact is what annoys some people around here.
Lets do small analyzis:
May and Dawn are coordinators,their profession arent trainer battles therefore its obvious how in area outside of coordinating they have much less experience,

Mistys proffesion is being battler(water trainer)trying to become best with said type,showing bigger knowleadge in that area while travelling,aswewll being gym leader.
Unlike May and Dawn,Misty didnt started as complete rookie,unlike them she didnt needed nearly as much encouragement and support from others everything doing on her own learning from mistakes improving with each batling experience having impressive collection of water types and showing impressive battling skills trying to overcom their weaknesses and strenghtening their strong points.She is talented as trainer as its been evidented.

Unlike some people here im not tring to ignore facts,i admit how May and Dawn are skilled coordinators and good trainers,but at same time im not putting down Mistys skills claiming how she is "weak second class trainer" when that clearly isnt true.

People just see what they want to see,not being objective at all.

 

[Semidos]

I really have no idea. For me she is good. And I don't see people thinking that she is weak either. I want to see her and Ash in battle. It should compare their skills.

 

[Muku.Bird]

I never said TR blastoffs were - however, even if she could help she didn't. It may have not have furthered her goal but it sure as could have given her pokemon some experience. When you have the power to help, you should help. My point was, that she didn't do anything against them that one time. Cascada claimed that she was great by pointing out that moment - I refuted it by pointing out that she failed miserably.

There were only two of her "major battles" won by Psyduck out of more than 60.

She didn't even have 60 battles, let alone 60 major ones. Stop pulling numbers out of thin air.

By the way - out of 164 episodes, Dawn has battled/trained in 94 of them, not including contests. That's 57% of her screen time. That's way more than Misty. Just looking at the number of times they battle against someone who isn't Ash or Team Rocket, Misty has 18 moments and Dawn was 31. To say that Dawn is weak because she's a coordinator is bullshit when it's shown that she does things equally and isn't just focusing on ~beauty~ like people try to claim. As for May? She goes for the knock out. All the time. And it's not like Drew(her rival) is a pushover either, considering the fact that he beat Ash using his Roselia.

People just see what they want to see,not being objective at all.

Well isn't this the pot calling kettle black.

And honestly, Brock was a better mentor - who was the one to give Ash advice in the Lt.Surge rematch? It certainly wasn't Misty.

 

[CrackFox]

The whirl pool cup would have been a perfect chance for Misty to get some character development in actually bonding and teaching her Psyduck. Really getting it to improve but in the long run Psyduck ended up being a missed opportunity.

Well Psyduck's gimmick Isn't that it's weak (quite the opposite) It's that it's generally for want of a better word 'dumb', and so training it wouldn't change Its personality, only evolving could do that, and since Psyduck provided so much comedy, even though it was toned down, they chose not to evolve it, because it would detract from its character.

The same can be said for Wobbuffet.

I never said TR blastoffs were - however, even if she could help she didn't. It may have not have furthered her goal but it sure as could have given her pokemon some experience. When you have the power to help, you should help. My point was, that she didn't do anything against them that one time. Cascada claimed that she was great by pointing out that moment - I refuted it by pointing out that she failed miserably.

The only reason she didn't was because TR were stealing Pikachu, and naturally Ash was the one to defend it. Every episode Togepi Is in danger or capture by TR, Misty fights for it every time.

 

[game3524]

The choices are a bit biased though, Misty was an average battler, she wasn't great but she wasn't terrible either.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

I never said TR blastoffs were - however, even if she could help she didn't.

Majority of them were about TR stealing Ash Pikachu as CrackFox already said.Why she would want to interfere in this in first way?
When her pokemon were in danger,she battled.

She didn't even have 60 battles, let alone 60 major ones. Stop pulling numbers out of thin air.

Im counting those after departure too.

By the way - out of 164 episodes, Dawn has battled/trained in 94 of them, not including contests. That's 57% of her screen time. That's way more than Misty.

Count number of battles she has as gym leader and numbers change.Unless your trying to deny how gym leaders battle?

To say that Dawn is weak because she's a coordinator is bullshit when it's shown that she does things equally and isn't just focusing on ~beauty~ like people try to claim.

I never said that,but due to Misty battling more in trainer battles having more experience she is in better position in that area.

Contests are different thing,since point is not only battling but trying to show attacks in elegant way with knocking down opponents pokemon not being needed,winning very often on time and points.
Real battles are much more about usage of pure strenght,clever tactics,with goal being knocking out opponents pokemon.

As for May? She goes for the knock out. All the time. And it's not like Drew(her rival) is a pushover either, considering the fact that he beat Ash using his Roselia.

It doesnt change the fact how Misty was involved in more trainer battles than she was,therefore having more experience,while in coordinating May had more.

And honestly, Brock was a better mentor - who was the one to give Ash advice in the Lt.Surge rematch? It certainly wasn't Misty.

And Misty raised his crushed spirit after lose at Indigo league,she gave him encouraging moral boost when he was losing against gym leader Rudy indirectly helping that Sqiuirtle learn new move,she gaved him tips about type advantages pointing out how bugs are weak vs flying types in second episode,recommended to use water types against Blaine,pointed out how Phanphy sholnt be used against Pryce since ground types are weak to ice types etc.

Your point?

 

[DarkDreams]

She certainly was main character,Check bulbapedia and any other site if you have doubts.

I'm not saying that she wasn't. I said "maybe" to the writers.

Yes she did and if you compare her skills with early days from Kanto with situation in Johto,progress has been visibly made.

...

What?

Things are obvious around here:
Some people are clearly biased here with those who like May and Dawn more overrating their skills,trying to dismiss Mistys ahievements.

Someone's being biased..

Trying to claime how May and Dawn are better batlers putting it across as fact is what annoys some people around here.

Maybe they are better battlers.

Lets do small analyzis:
May and Dawn are coordinators,their profession arent trainer battles therefore its obvious how in area outside of coordinating they have much less experience,

Coordinating battles are no walk in the park, mind you.

Mistys proffesion is being battler(water trainer)trying to become best with said type,showing bigger knowleadge in that area while travelling,aswewll being gym leader.

So, are you saying that she's useless with other Pokemon?

Unlike May and Dawn,Misty didnt started as complete rookie,unlike them she didnt needed nearly as much encouragement and support from others everything doing on her own learning from mistakes improving with each batling experience having impressive collection of water types and showing impressive battling skills trying to overcom their weaknesses and strenghtening their strong points.She is talented as trainer as its been evidented.

Proof.

Unlike some people here im not tring to ignore facts,i admit how May and Dawn are skilled coordinators and good trainers,but at same time im not putting down Mistys skills claiming how she is "weak second class trainer" when that clearly isnt true.

Now you're just trying to make yourself seem victimized. Misty didn't get much battling screen time. You can't make all those claims without a several SERIOUS BATTLES.

People just see what they want to see,not being objective at all.

The irony is delicious.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

Maybe they are better battlers.

From what has been showed May or Dawn arent any better as trainers,though when it comes to coordinating things go in their favor.

Coordinating battles are no walk in the park, mind you.

No,they arent but differences between them and trainer battles exists.

So, are you saying that she's useless with other Pokemon?

Im not sure in what way my statemnt hinted this kind of presumption.Besides going by Princess festival from Kanto it has been showned how Misty knows how to utilize properly non water types which she did with Bulbasaur,Vulpix and Pikachu.

Proof.

You mean about her not being rookie?Let see,when Ash met her she had already three pokemon with herself,having bigger knowleadge about pokemon than Ash did.One of examples was when she warned him about Caterpie being big type,being weak against flying types.

Now you're just trying to make yourself seem victimized. Misty didn't get much battling screen time. You can't make all those claims without a several SERIOUS BATTLES.

I already listed several serious battles Misty had(i dont feel need to repeat myself).Its not my fault if people ignored it.

 

[Yoshi-san]

Misty was a decent battler, but not the best. At least when she was on the show, she was never showcased to be a strong battler.

Sure now that she's off-screen she's likely gotten much stronger, but since we don't get to see it, nobody is going to know the difference.

This really. She WAS better than Ash in the beginning since she was a trainer longer than him but he got better in time.

But look at her team at the time. Her Staryu was the only competent battler while Stamie was made for the Worf Effect and Goldeen and Horsea were completely useless unless they were around a large body of water. Psyduck was just luck based and most of the episodes he battled in her opponent held the Idiot Ball and caused Psyduck's headaches.

In Johto However she got Politoed and Corsola which made her team get tons better. Later Gyarados and Dewgong joined her team.

So I assume she should be a good battler by now since she's a Gym Leader....eh...

 

[MisterUrban]

Why would Misty be a better battler than Ash? Maybe in the first saga, but after his first League he would have surpassed her.
I would give the advantage to Brock over Misty, because he seems to have deeper knowledge of pokemon.
May and Dawn are about even, maybe Dawn is slightly higher, but both of them probably better than Misty. I base this on what the writers have shown.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

Why would Misty be a better battler than Ash?

Well in water field she was shown to be better,as Whirl Cup showed.

I would give the advantage to Brock over Misty, because he seems to have deeper knowledge of pokemon.

True he has bigger knowleadge but due to being breeder he rarely battles,while Misty constantly does so his battling skills probably rusted abit.

May and Dawn are about even, maybe Dawn is slightly higher, but both of them probably better than Misty. I base this on what the writers have shown.

Maybe,maybe not.I base Misty being beter as trainer(not coordinator),by having more experience due to having more battles in that area aswell being gym leader,along with having some impressive achievemnts under her belt backed up with strong pokemon.

As for Dawn and May comparison,i would give bigger advantage to May due to her evolved pokemon,but thats just my opinion.

 

[MisterUrban]

Well in water field she was shown to be better,as Whirl Cup showed.

One time doesn't make a difference, and Ash had other experiences with water type gyms.

True he has bigger knowleadghe but due to being breeder he rarely battles,whle Misty constantly does so his battling skills probably rustied abit.

She is stuck battling rookies and not progressing, as Cerulean is one of the early gyms in Kanto. Nobody is going to her to be "challenged" like they would with a Frontier brain.

 

[pokemon fan 132]

One time doesn't make a difference, and Ash had other experiences with water type gyms.

It wasnt only than,Misty often showed to know more about water types than Ash did(afterall thats her proffesion),like its been case with underwater gym where she fared better than Ash did,claiming by herself how in water field she is bigger expert(actually Ash himself admitted several times how she is a great water trainer),and so on.

She is stuck battling rookies and not progressing, as Cerulean is one of the early gyms in Kanto. Nobody is going to her to be "challenged" like they would with a Frontier brain.

Gyms arent only challenged by rookies and mediocre trainers as its been showed.Unlike Brock she battles,which gives her more experience.
Her cameos showed her progression as trainer.

Of course at gym she wont be able to reach elite trainer level to become water master,unless she travells again but gym still serves as "stepping stone" providing some room for improvement.

 

[Lady MamMa]

uhm.
who cares?

it's not like the girl matters anymore anyways. c:

 

[LonelyTrainer]

Well in water field she was shown to be better,as Whirl Cup showed.

Ash was a multi-type trainer competing In a water type competition against a water type specialist. I'm sure If ash focused on training water types he would have easily overwhelmed Misty.

True he has bigger knowleadge but due to being breeder he rarely battles,while Misty constantly does so his battling skills probably rusted abit.

Being a breeder and a former gym leader would make Brock a perfect mentor for Ash. He can spread his battling techniques along with methods to raise Pokemon. On another note where Is this "constantly" coming from? During Misty's day she almost never battled, and I don't think battling new rookie trainers battling with a single type Is much practice compared to Brock who Is still traveling.

Maybe,maybe not.I base Misty being beter as trainer(not coordinator),by having more experience due to having more battles in that area aswell being gym leader,along with having some impressive achievemnts under her belt backed up with strong pokemon.

Out of curiosity besides the Whirl Cup what "impressive achievements" were you referring to?

uhm.
who cares?

it's not like the girl matters anymore anyways. c:

Agreed. Old trainer Is old.