Hisuian Forms and Evolutions Discussion

[SpinyShell]

​

I know there's a thread specifically for speculating about Hisuian Arcanine, but I think a general discussion thread on both Hisuian forms and new evolutions would be nice (and also different enough to warrant a standalone thread).

Some food for thought: will we see Hisuian forms of Stantler, Basculin, and any other Pokémon with new evolutions, and/or will they be present in their original forms. Considering the fact that Basculegion looks strikingly similar to red-stripe Basculin, I think at least some Pokémon will not get new regional forms but still have new evolutions like in the original DPPt.

 

[Tood]

I can't believe this game is making me want a Basculin.

Basculegion looks really cool and is most definitely my favorite out of the bunch.

 

[Mr. MoonStone]

I've always been kind of meh about regional forms (I know, unpopular opinion lol) BUT for some reason, I don't mind the concept for this game. Maybe it's because of the setting taking place in the past, maybe it's because that Growlithe is so cute, but I'm looking forward to them this time around.

The evolutions though?

That Stantler evo is SO CUTE and something I've wanted for YEARS lol. So happy to see it get one!

 

[Emmy]

Loving the Regional forms and Basculegion. Wyrdeer on the other hand I'm half and half on, it looks fine if it were a Regional Form but as an Evolution I'm a little frosty on it.

I said this in a different thread but after today I definitely think the Starters having Hisuian Final Forms is definitely back on the table.

 

[Johnny Boy]

Glad that these games are following in the original DPPt’s footsteps and giving new evolutions to older Pokemon. I’m really hoping Dunsparce and Luvdisc get the evos they desperately need.

Also since these games take place in the distant past and the hisuian forms are nowhere to be seen in present day Sinnoh, does anyone think we’ll get an explanation to how these new forms possibly went extinct?

 

[Aulos]

I said this in a different thread but after today I definitely think the Starters having Hisuian Final Forms is definitely back on the table.

I don't know. They have explicitly stated both in the first reveal and today that the starters are Pokemon that the professor found in other regions. Them having a form for this region doesn't make much sense, because they are not species that have existed in the wild of this region for any time, they're just Pokemon that this professor brought over.

I mean, there's always the chance that they didn't come from the regions we know them to have originated from, but I doubt we'll see any alternate forms for them, as neat as it would have been.

 

[Alola]

I did not see this coming, so it is certainly a pleasant surprise! I doubt we will see regional variants for Stantler, Basculin, or Rufflet, however. In the past, Game Freak has made one off variants (such as Alolan Marowak and Galarian Weezing) while keeping the original base forms, presumably to save time and effort. So, that is most likely happening here.

That being said, there is at least one new regional variant line, as we can reasonably guess with Hisuian Growlithe. Here's hoping Hisuian Arcanine looks like a Chinese guardian lion statue. It's funny too, because the Growlithe line was one of the most popularly theorized Pokémon for getting a regional form when the Alolan versions were introduced, and here we are.

 

[Emmy]

I don't know. They have explicitly stated both in the first reveal and today that the starters are Pokemon that the professor found in other regions. Them having a form for this region doesn't make much sense, because they are not species that have existed in the wild of this region for any time, they're just Pokemon that this professor brought over.

I mean, there's always the chance that they didn't come from the regions we know them to have originated from, but I doubt we'll see any alternate forms for them, as neat as it would have been.

When I said that I was thinking about more in terms of Story, like say being in the presence of Arceus or whatever lets them achieve a new form better suited to the Region.

Like I said, it's just a possibility I hypothesised since they have liked to give Starters special stuff in the past. I don't expect anything too major but it's nice to speculate.

 

[TheCapsFan]

I have one thing to say in response to this thread.

ABSOL.

It's time.

That is all.

 

[SpinyShell]

There's been some discussion on whether or not Basculegion has one form (just the red form) or two forms in the main thread but I thought I'd post here.

Now, while I do think the red has a tinge of blue in it, I disagree with it being magenta considering that color has significantly more blue in it than the red on the fish. If Basculegion only had one form, I think from a design standpoint it would make the most sense to have there be a purple stripe considering purple is more of an even split between red and blue. Why create one form that both evolve into but make it overwhelming more red-leaning? For this reason, I think we will see another, blue version of Basculegion.

 

[Esserise]

There's been some discussion on whether or not Basculegion has one form (just the red form) or two forms in the main thread but I thought I'd post here.

Now, while I do think the red has a tinge of blue in it, I disagree with it being magenta considering that color has significantly more blue in it than the red on the fish. If Basculegion only had one form, I think from a design standpoint it would make the most sense to have there be a purple stripe considering purple is more of an even split between red and blue. Why create one form that both evolve into but make it overwhelming more red-leaning? For this reason, I think we will see another, blue version of Basculegion.

True true, but at the same time...

The name of this big bad wolf really makes me question GF's understanding of "magenta" as a whole. They got it right with the Shiny, but this is just distinctly separate sections of crimson and navy!

 

[SpinyShell]

True true, but at the same time...

The name of this big bad wolf really makes me question GF's understanding of "magenta" as a whole. They got it right with the Shiny, but this is just distinctly separate sections of crimson and navy!

Could this possibly chalked up to magenta being too stereotypically feminine and/or magenta is too “artificial” of a color, and so they went with the more neutral and natural blue and red? Regular Zacian isn’t cyan either come to think of it.

 

[TheElderKing]

I'm quite happy they implemented the regional form concept into Legends. I do wonder if we'd get some new forms for the starters, which I'd like...but I don't think it fits well with this concept, given that they'd be more 'ancient' version, then Hisuian, since those three Pokèmon aren't from this region.

 

[Pyrax]

Love that shiisa/lion dog Growlithe. Can't wait to see Hisuian Arcanine or whatever it evolves into.

Also since these games take place in the distant past and the hisuian forms are nowhere to be seen in present day Sinnoh, does anyone think we’ll get an explanation to how these new forms possibly went extinct?

And not just in Hisui/Sinnoh, but possibly in Johto and Unova as well - assuming they evolve from regular Stantler/Basculin. If not, well the whole thing reminds me a bit of extinct dog/cat breeds. Inb4 Wyrdeer and Basculin end up in Gen IX's dex

 

[TheElderKing]

Love that shiisa/lion dog Growlithe. Can't wait to see Hisuian Arcanine or whatever it evolves into.

And not just in Hisui/Sinnoh, but possibly in Johto and Unova as well - assuming they evolve from regular Stantler/Basculin. If not, well the whole thing reminds me a bit of extinct dog/cat breeds. Inb4 Wyrdeer and Basculin end up in Gen IX's dex

Based on what they say on the site, it seems to me that they evolve like that in Hisui, and not in their original regions.

 

[Pyrax]

Based on what they say on the site, it seems to me that they evolve like that in Hisui, and not in their original regions.

Ah, so a case where the evolved form (at least in Stantler's case) isn't necessary for survival.

 

[Jimothy]

I did not see this coming, so it is certainly a pleasant surprise! I doubt we will see regional variants for Stantler, Basculin, or Rufflet, however. In the past, Game Freak has made one off variants (such as Alolan Marowak and Galarian Weezing) while keeping the original base forms, presumably to save time and effort. So, that is most likely happening here.

That being said, there is at least one new regional variant line, as we can reasonably guess with Hisuian Growlithe. Here's hoping Hisuian Arcanine looks like a Chinese guardian lion statue. It's funny too, because the Growlithe line was one of the most popularly theorized Pokémon for getting a regional form when the Alolan versions were introduced, and here we are.

Marowak/Weezing is a different thing from a Sirfetch'd/Basculegion.

When they make regional variants, sometimes it's the entire line (Muk), sometimes it starts from a common form but the later forms are the variants (Raichu, Marowak, Weezing).

But the regional evolutions never come directly from a common form. Sirfetch'd doesn't come from Kantonian Farfetch'd.

So is there a Hisuian Rufflet, or does Hisuian Braviary evolve from Unovan Rufflet? It's a tossup at this point.

But I'd bet actual money that Johtonian Stantler and Unovan Basculin won't evolve, they'll have Hisuian variants that do.

 

[Esserise]

Marowak/Weezing is a different thing from a Sirfetch'd/Basculegion.

When they make regional variants, sometimes it's the entire line (Muk), sometimes it starts from a common form but the later forms are the variants (Raichu, Marowak, Weezing).

But the regional evolutions never come directly from a common form. Sirfetch'd doesn't come from Kantonian Farfetch'd.

So is there a Hisuian Rufflet, or does Hisuian Braviary evolve from Unovan Rufflet? It's a tossup at this point.

But I'd bet actual money that Johtonian Stantler and Unovan Basculin won't evolve, they'll have Hisuian variants that do.

I’m inclined to agree with you on this, but there’s still a doubt in my mind.

Wyrdeer is Normal/Psychic, and Basculegion is Water/Ghost. The former seems like a logical extension of the pure-Normal-but-has-some-psychic-powers Stantler that we all know, and Basculegion’s backstory appears to explain that it picks up the Ghost type upon evolution. So what would Hisuian Stantler and Basculin be like?

I know, it’s Game Freak, so they can break whatever “rule” they want, but still - they’ve been utterly consistent about giving every regional variant a new type arrangement (even if it was as simple as subtracting Water from Slowpoke). I suppose they could have Hisuian Stantler be Normal/Psychic as well, while Basculin could be Water/something-that-gets-replaced-by-Ghost. But right now, I still think it’s possible that they could extend from the regular forms.

 

[Kallyle]

There's been some discussion on whether or not Basculegion has one form (just the red form) or two forms in the main thread but I thought I'd post here.

Now, while I do think the red has a tinge of blue in it, I disagree with it being magenta considering that color has significantly more blue in it than the red on the fish. If Basculegion only had one form, I think from a design standpoint it would make the most sense to have there be a purple stripe considering purple is more of an even split between red and blue. Why create one form that both evolve into but make it overwhelming more red-leaning? For this reason, I think we will see another, blue version of Basculegion.

Assuming that don't just make it evolve from a Hisuian Basculin, I could see Game Freak only having Red Stripe Basculin evolve into Basculegion while Blue Striped Basculin become something else.

True true, but at the same time...

The name of this big bad wolf really makes me question GF's understanding of "magenta" as a whole. They got it right with the Shiny, but this is just distinctly separate sections of crimson and navy!

…That's a good point. Maybe it's a cultural thing?

 

[blitzle stan]

Marowak/Weezing is a different thing from a Sirfetch'd/Basculegion.

When they make regional variants, sometimes it's the entire line (Muk), sometimes it starts from a common form but the later forms are the variants (Raichu, Marowak, Weezing).

But the regional evolutions never come directly from a common form. Sirfetch'd doesn't come from Kantonian Farfetch'd.

So is there a Hisuian Rufflet, or does Hisuian Braviary evolve from Unovan Rufflet? It's a tossup at this point.

But I'd bet actual money that Johtonian Stantler and Unovan Basculin won't evolve, they'll have Hisuian variants that do.

Came here to post exactly that! There will definitely be a Hisuian Stantler that is Normal/something (since Johtoan Stantler is already Normal, Hisuian must have a second type and it makes sense to be Psychic) and Hisuian Basculin (one version, no red/blue variants) is Water/something (the lore makes me question if it is ghost).

They would not have made a different colored Farfetch'd if they wanted regional evolutions to come from the versions of Pokemon we already know.