HELP: Com 'mons Survey [Finished, OU Posted]

[Persephone]

I'm doing a survey to figure out what the most overused 'mons in fan fiction really are. It would be appreciated if you could fill it out.

Fan fiction survey

 

[diamondpearl876]

I submitted mine for all 3 of my long running fics. If it matters, I put Elekid and Rufflet/Braviary twice but they're the same characters across two stories. Dunno if that changes results for those evolution lines or not. xD

 

[Persephone]

If you're going to submit literally the same team, don't. But the reusing of two between fics is fine.

For the record, you can repeat a species in the same entry if there are multiple significant members.

 

[CrystaI]

Just may I ask, is this survey used to submit the pokemons used in our own fics? Or submitting an answer about the most overused pokemon species we notice in places like ff.net deviantart pixiv?

 

[Persephone]

Please submit your own. I want to test whether or not common perceptions actually hold up.

 

[CrystaI]

The fics I ever wrote were total three, but I submit only two for this survey because one is a crossover, where I think it is a bit inappropriate.

One fic was my very first virgin work I wrote 8 years ago but abandoned, which was the most cliche journey fic that was supposed to expand through several different regions, but I submitted only the pokemon in the first region.
The second fic is my current project I'm still working on, which is a character-centered unconventional journey fic having two protagonists. I submitted twice for this fic for each of the two protagonists.

 

[Persephone]

I got 134 responses and closed the poll. Here's your OU (six ocurrances or higher):

Spoiler: OU

Absol
Alakazam
Ampharos
Arcanine
Banette
Blastoise
Blaziken
Charizard
Crobat
Delphox
Dragonite
Eevee
Espeon
Flygon
Garchomp
Gardevoir
Gengar
Gyarados
Honchkrow
Lucario
Luxray
Lycanroc
Meganium
Mewtwo
Milotic
Mimikyu
Nidoking
Ninetales
Primarina
Raichu
Roserade
Sceptile
Scizor
Serperior
Typhlosion
Umbreon
Venusaur

Numbers one and two had 23 and 21 ocurrances, respectively. Number three was eleven. This does not include the combined eevee lines, which I decided not to merge since all of them have vastly different frequencies and uses. Point is, two stood way above the rest in usage.

So your number one and two are...

Spoiler: Top Two

1) Lucario
2) Charizard

What does all this mean?

I'm not saying you can't or shouldn't use those 37 'mons. Just that a lot of other people do as well, and it might make the story more interesting if you considered whether or not that was just the first 'mon for the role that came to mind or it's genuinely the only thing that can fill that spot. Otherwise, I think there are usually alternatives.

Mienshao or Zoroark over Lucario. Pidgeot, Rapidash or Hydreigon over Charizard. Liepard, Persian or Delcatty over the Eevees. Froslass over Gengar. Bellossom over Roserade. Gorebyss over Milotic. Yanmega over Flygon.

I might share more results from this later, when I'm less pressed for time. In the meantime, feel free to discuss the results. Anything you're surprised isn't used more? Anything you're surprised is used as much as it is?

 

[CrystaI]

It is no surprise that Lucario and Charizard was the most overused pokemon, as they were the most popular pokemon throughout the fandom. When we the pokemon fanfic writers are also pokemon fans, statistically speaking the trend of common pokemons within fanfic shall align with the poll result of one's favorite pokemon.

BTW, I felt quite guilty of this result, because both most overused pokemons were handheld of the protagonist of my current working fic...... But I won't change it now for the mere sake of changing. Despite the clicheness of these species, the two are essential characters for my fic, especially Lucario's aura ability is a very useful tool for many purpose, I can't imagine a different species to replace its role.

 

[AceTrainer14]

While I am slightly shook that a large number of those Pokemon would appear as prominent Pokemon in stories I have either written or planned, I don't think I would make many changes. Since most of my stories revolve around Dex journeys, having a lot of starters is rather unavoidable, and I don't think some of their roles can be easily replaced. Generally speaking, the starters are usually the best Fire/Water/Grass type in their region, and have the most story potential at the same time: why have a Pidgeot and a Rapidash when you can have both in Charizard?

I do, however, agree that whatever Pokemon you use there should be some benefit to the plot/story, not just having it there because you like it. I tend to base ideas for Pokemon off of the Dex Entries and the general feel of a Pokemon. I guess one thing this list brings up is whether you choose Pokemon because they are interesting or choose them because you like them and therefore choose to write about them? I also think that this speaks to the fact that a lot of the Pokemon aren't actually great to write about. I wrote about Castform in one story and it was actually quite a struggle to make it a realistic Pokemon someone would use - same goes for Shellder in 8ES.

 

[Beth Pavell]

I think the lesson to take away from this is really to just think more creatively about what pokémon to use, and why. As a reader, what makes me sigh at an overused pokémon is the feeling that I've seen this pokémon a hundred times before - "Oh look, another honourable warrior lucario". In the case of that example, this is why the riolu from A Sine of Things to Come, whose name I've forgotten, was at least refreshing for being a little jerk.

 

[lucarioknight56]

I'll admit that I haven't read too many pieces of fan fiction, as, at least on FanFiction.net, they tend to be of lower quality in terms of spelling/grammar. I definitely get the sense that Lucario is overused, considering the general attitude towards them. But I don't really worry about that in my writing. Sure, it's my favorite Pokemon, but its less about its aesthetics and abilities and more about...personal experiences. Still, I would like to shake things up every so often with my Lucario, such as throwing in a possibly malicious one in some future story. I doubt many readers have seen that.

 

[Persephone]

Some raw data

View: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15cLYsuu9z91wDrTDTtM_COj-vuQjXWaS70TF8bTZ12s/edit?usp=sharing

 

[Nitro Indigo]

Over on Fimfiction, Zoroark is just as popular as Lucario in one crossover setting. A couple of years ago, people complained about seeing them a lot. There are also at least 5 members of Ralts' evolutionary line in that setting, spread across three stories. Surprisingly, the only appearances of Ponyta and Rapidash have been cameos.

Anyway, are you going to do another survey? I wanted to fill it in, but it's too late now.

 

[Persephone]

@Nitro Indigo

Probably eventually. Just a matter of me having free time to make the questions. I anticipate this one to get a wider reach so I'm making all the options multiple choice from a very long pull list if possible. That takes time to write.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

Here's a point I want to make: it's not the Pokémon you use, it's what you do with them. One of the best fanfictions I've ever read is about Eeveelutions. I think the reason why Eeveelutions specifically are frowned upon is because they're popular, therefore there are more stories about them, therefore there are more badly-written stories about them.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

There's also the matter of "screen time." It's all very well to tally characters by species, but the first pokémon to feature and those that feature most often and significantly are much more prominently burnt into the memories of readers. Eeveelutions, as much as I love them, are seemingly always standout forefront protagonists, and very special ones at that.

Spoiler: Different Eyes teaser! SPOILER

Gonna have an eevee who ain't shit

 

[Nitro Indigo]

The Eeveelution protagonists of Chaos in Kludgetown won't be particularly special, it's just that the natural-born Espeon is an experienced battler, while the human-turned-Espeon's aura powers come from my headcanon about her canon counterpart. And I have no idea what to do with either of the Umbreon.

Way back in 2012, I wrote a fanfiction about an Eevee who evolved into an Umbreon-coloured-Espeon during sunset (accidentally foreshadowing Dusk Lycanroc), and she had siblings who were the other Eeveelutions, and she got her name (I can't remember what it was) because she was "destined to become an Espeon", and it was a ripoff of another fanfic I'd read, and it was just so bad...

 

[Persephone]

I think this survey gives more interesting results on eevee and its evolutions.

Eevee, espeon and umbreon were all very common. Jolteon, glaceon and sulveon had some use. Vaporeon, flareon and leafeon were down there with claydol and gastrodon, no one's idea of an overused cliche.

 

[unrepentantAuthor]

Umbreon is certainly the most popular eevee, I'm sure of it. In contrast, I barely ever see Leafeon in fanworks.

 

[canisaries]

Flareon being rare really shocks me as a TPP fan, as our folk go crazy for the floofers. We have had several and they get a lot of the art.