Your controversial opinions

[Norzan]

I always thought that giving some characters Pokemon of the "wrong" type was kind of cool, though. It made their teams more balanced, and added an element of surprise to the battles.

Then why call Volkner the Electric type specialist? Same for Candice being the Ice type specialist. I'm all for dropping the single type Gym Leaders, but here it clearly wasn't the intent because it's extremely inconsistent.

The problem extends to the selection of pokemon for the player, where an handful of types have poor or next to no representation (fire type being the most egregious example).

 

[Poke Dragon]

My problem was the severe lack of Fire-types, if you didn't pick Chimchar, the line you're stuck with is the Ponyta line if you wanted a Fire-type in your team.

 

[UglyToast]

My problem was the severe lack of Fire-types, if you didn't pick Chimchar, the line you're stuck with is the Ponyta line if you wanted a Fire-type in your team.

But you don't need a fire type to finish your game?

 

[Norzan]

But you don't need a fire type to finish your game?

And? Doesn't change anything about the issue of fire types being nigh non-existant in the regional DP Dex. All types should have an healthy amount of representation, regardless of the size of the regional dex. Specially fire, one of the typings belonging to one of the starters.

 

[FinnishPokéFan92]

But you don't need a fire type to finish your game?

Many people want to use a Fire type. It's a useful type to have.

 

[UglyToast]

And? Doesn't change anything about the issue of fire types being nigh non-existant in the regional DP Dex. All types should have an healthy amount of representation, regardless of the size of the regional dex. Specially fire, one of the typings belonging to one of the starters.

Many people want to use a Fire type. It's a useful type to have.

Okay, I see your points, peoples wants to use Fire Type Pokemon and have more options to choose for it.

 

[Norzan]

Obviously this is what happened in Platinum, but how mind-blowing it would have been to see Volkner just send out Electivire in Diamond and Pearl? Flint and Magmortar, Bertha and Gliscor, and Candice and Froslass. If you didn't watched the anime to have Electivire spoiled for you, people would have gone crazy seeing these cross gen evolutions being sent out by Gym Leaders and Elite Four members. Instead some of them got random stuff like Ambipom and Medicham.

Of course they would have to put more than just these pokemon from some of the less represented types (ice, electric and specially fire) into the game to make the type distribution better, but Magby/Magmar and Elekid/Electabuzz would have helped considerably to have more representation for their respective types if they were available in the main story instead of just in the postgame (without needing the dual slot thing as well).

Again, Platinum fixed this, but i don't think we needed an extra game to just fix something that really could have been handled well in the original games.

 

[prog rocker]

Sincerely, this is why I feel having more behind-the-scenes info would be great.

 

[Norzan]

Yeah, i would really like to know how Gamefreak missed the fact that the DP regional Dex barely has any fire types, and really barely new fire types at all because there's six total. And that's counting three for the Chimchar line, the fire Rotom, Magmortar, and Heatran. Someone should have really suggested to design two or so more fire type lines that aren't legendaries or postgame evolutions.

Lots of Bug, Grass and Water though. The substantial amount of water representation is ironic because Sinnoh barely has any water.

 

[Phosphene]

i would really like to know how Gamefreak missed the fact that the DP regional Dex barely has any fire types

Perhaps they intentionally had few Fire types, or at the very least didn't think it was pressing to include them, to emphasize that Sinnoh is a colder region. I just don't see the developers not realizing that they 'dex had very few Fire types.

 

[Norzan]

I just don't see the developers not realizing that they 'dex had very few Fire types.

Being a beta tester for a game for nearly four years at this pont, several times it has happened that the devs missed or didn't think things all the way through about certain things. It happens, people make mistakes.

 

[Puddle]

Then why call Volkner the Electric type specialist? Same for Candice being the Ice type specialist. I'm all for dropping the single type Gym Leaders, but here it clearly wasn't the intent because it's extremely inconsistent.

The problem extends to the selection of pokemon for the player, where an handful of types have poor or next to no representation (fire type being the most egregious example).

All of Candice, Volkner, Aaron, Bertha and Flint's Pokemon knew at least one move of the trainer's speciality type, so the teams were still themed around those types. Perhaps they should have given more Gym Leaders and Elite Four Pokemon that don't match their types, so that it would have seemed more like a deliberate choice and less like an unfortunate consequence of the small Dex.

Interestingly, Aaron kept his Drapion in Platinum, despite it not matching his type.

Perhaps they intentionally had few Fire types, or at the very least didn't think it was pressing to include them, to emphasize that Sinnoh is a colder region. I just don't see the developers not realizing that they 'dex had very few Fire types.

I thought about this too, but the funny thing is, there were actually even less Ice types, with only four (the Snover and Sneasel lines).

Obviously this is what happened in Platinum, but how mind-blowing it would have been to see Volkner just send out Electivire in Diamond and Pearl? Flint and Magmortar, Bertha and Gliscor, and Candice and Froslass. If you didn't watched the anime to have Electivire spoiled for you, people would have gone crazy seeing these cross gen evolutions being sent out by Gym Leaders and Elite Four members. Instead some of them got random stuff like Ambipom and Medicham

Come to think of it, that would have been a really cool way to introduce those Pokemon to fans.

I can't deny the fact that the Platinum Dex is better overall. But I wouldn't mind if they used the DP Dex, because smaller Pokedexes have their advantages (less daunting to complete, quicker to scroll through) and I find that original roster quite nostalgic and charming in spite of its flaws.

 

[Norzan]

Interestingly, Aaron kept his Drapion in Platinum, despite it not matching his type.

Pre-evolution is Bug/Poison and Drapion still fits into a Bug team (even if it doesn't have Bug typing).

there were actually even less Ice types, with only four (the Snover and Sneasel lines).

Still more than fire types because Swinub line and Snorunt line. If counting just the ones introduced in Gen 4, that's six in total with Ice Rotom. Ironically the same as fire type.

 

[Puddle]

Still more than fire types because Swinub line and Snorunt line.

Those lines were actually only in the Platinum Dex, which had an equal amount of Fire and Ice types, with 11 of each. I was surprised when I realised how few Ice types the original DP Dex had.

 

[Norzan]

Those lines were actually only in the Platinum Dex

Lol Bulbapedia says Swinub appears in route 217, which is before Lake Acuity, but then it says it's from mass outbreaks. Which i forgot were basically postgame because you need the National Dex for it. And Snorunt needs the Pokeradar, which is another thing you need the National Dex as well. I haven't touched the original Diamond and Pearl in so long that i forgot about all this stuff.

And that means Ice type had it even worse than fire type in the Sinnoh regional dex all this time.

 

[swiftgallade46]

And that means Ice type had it even worse than fire type in the Sinnoh regional dex all this time.

In terms of availability they were equal. Both had two lines in the main story.

 

[Enzo]

In terms of availability they were equal. Both had two lines in the main story.

And there's the fact, that, well, let's be frank: Most people don't even bother with Ice types and just slap an Ice move on their Water types. Especially in the earliest generations where Surf and Waterfall were mandatory for the main story. So a Water type was most likely than not a staple on every team.

Besides, a lot of other non-Ice and non-Water types can learn these moves too. So it's not like an Ice Pokémon was a must have to many people compared to a Fire type.

 

[KJNanika]

Are you referring to FRLG or HGSS? HGSS were 2009-10 and FRLG were for GBA.

TBF FRLG can be played on older DS models, hence the Pal Park in Gen 4 postgames

OP may have never had a GBA console

 

[swiftgallade46]

TBF FRLG can be played on older DS models, hence the Pal Park in Gen 4 postgames

OP may have never had a GBA console

This is kind of splitting hairs, though. They were specifically made for the GBA. OP already admitted to an honest mix-up.

 

[Nicolas721]

I also think the "DP lacks on Fire-types" argument is a bit exaggerated:

• If you were a Fire-type enthusiast beforehand you chose Chimchar, don't lie to me.
• Ponyta is a very viable option, I used her on my playthrough and she was the star of many battles, even packing only Stomp and 3 Fire-type moves,
• Yeah, there are parts on the game about Steel and Ice-types, but there are other options for those, like the ever-common Fighting and Ground-types.
• Generation IV was when they start providing useful coverage and rounding it. Finding Pokemon who could learn Fire Punch or Pire Blast wasn't that hard.
• Fire-type HMs...don't exist lol.
• NO TYPES ARE MORE IMPORTANT THAN OTHERS. If you have an Ash Ketchum-like playstyle where you always have the Grass/Fire/Water combo, that's good for you, but don't force it in others nor assume everyone plays that way.
• The Hoenn and Kanto dexes had similar problems, it's just how early Pokemon was.
• However, I agree that they shouldn't have created Flint if there weren't enough options for him to use.

I'm all for diversity and I can see how it's important to make a make better. But what grinds my gears is people using that argument over and over like if it was DP's only flaw and the only reason why it should use Platinum's Dex.