Moves that Pokemon should/should not be able to learn

[Enzo]

I get that this might be pointless rn because, unless BDSP brings it backs, but...

Blaziken has access to a lot of kicking/jumping/aerial moves. I mean, it's then signature move was Blaze Kick for crying out loud. It has access to HJK, Brave Bird, Bounce, Double Kick, Aerial Ace, Brave Bird, Acrobatics, Sky Uppercut.

And you're telling me it cannot learn Jump Kick?

 

[KirbyBulba737]

I get that this might be pointless rn because, unless BDSP brings it backs, but...

Blaziken has access to a lot of kicking/jumping/aerial moves. I mean, it's then signature move was Blaze Kick for crying out loud. It has access to HJK, Brave Bird, Bounce, Double Kick, Aerial Ace, Brave Bird, Acrobatics, Sky Uppercut.

And you're telling me it cannot learn Jump Kick?

Too much recoil.

 

[Enzo]

Too much recoil.

Just as much as High Jump Kick and it still has access to it regardless.

My point is not about the viability of the move but it's thematic sense.

Blaziken has a strong theme of fighting using it's legs. It's signature move was called Blaze Kick. It also has access to a bunch of leg-related moves like I listed. And the fact that it has such strong, long, and agile legs also justifies it being able to use a lot of aerial, high-agility moves such as Bounce, Brave Bird, Acrobatics, Aerial Ace, etc.

So my point is: If you can already jump so high you can make use of Flying moves, you can even go as far as being able to dish out devastating blows to your opponents by jumping really high in the air and crashing down on them knee-first, what's exactly stopping you from doing the same thing, but slightly lower?

 

[Zorchic]

I get that this might be pointless rn because, unless BDSP brings it backs, but...

Blaziken has access to a lot of kicking/jumping/aerial moves. I mean, it's then signature move was Blaze Kick for crying out loud. It has access to HJK, Brave Bird, Bounce, Double Kick, Aerial Ace, Brave Bird, Acrobatics, Sky Uppercut.

And you're telling me it cannot learn Jump Kick?

Jump Kick is removed from SwSh, but I agree with you anyhow. It's weird that Jump Kick is/was distributed less overall than High Jump Kick is, I must say.

 

[Enzo]

Honestly? Jump Kick has to be the move with the weirdest distribution Pokémon has ever introduced.

Like, it's pretty obvious that HJK is meant to be an upgrade for JK. The only difference is that the user jumps even higher, therefore dealing more damage and then also being slighty riskier.

So, at least in my personal opinion: I don't see any justification for any Pokémon to get HJK and not get JK. You telling me you can jump super high to hit a target, but you cannot jump moderately lower?

 

[Poke Dragon]

Not just one move, but a specific set of moves that have such a weird distribution are physical Ice-type moves. Sure, many non-Ice Pokemon can learn them, but for whatever weird reason, most of the Ice-type Pokemon themselves are locked out of most of the moves, even though they share the typing.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

Honestly? Jump Kick has to be the move with the weirdest distribution Pokémon has ever introduced.

Like, it's pretty obvious that HJK is meant to be an upgrade for JK. The only difference is that the user jumps even higher, therefore dealing more damage and then also being slighty riskier.

So, at least in my personal opinion: I don't see any justification for any Pokémon to get HJK and not get JK. You telling me you can jump super high to hit a target, but you cannot jump moderately lower?

Actually, since High Jump Kick is specifically called "Jumping Knee Kick" in Japanese, that implies that the move isn't just an upgrade for Jump Kick, but that it's specifically executed by striking the opponent with one's knee, wheras Jump Kick (called "Dropkick" in Japanese) is pretty much exactly what it sounds like in that the Pokemon just jumps and kicks the opponent. Needless to say, the former sounds much harder to execute than the latter, and also explains why certain Pokemon, specifically non-anthropomorphic ones such as the Deerling and Doduo lines, were able to learn Jump Kick but not High Jump Kick: they don't have the proper anatomy to hit something with their knees.

Oh, and speaking of Jump Kick and High Jump Kick, the Scorbunny line should get both of those moves in their level-up learnset. The former is assuming it ever gets brought back, but I feel that the latter should have been a level-up move for the rabbits regardless instead of one restricted to breeding.

 

[Enzo]

Actually, since High Jump Kick is specifically called "Jumping Knee Kick" in Japanese, that implies that the move isn't just an upgrade for Jump Kick, but that it's specifically executed by striking the opponent with one's knee, wheras Jump Kick (called "Dropkick" in Japanese) is pretty much exactly what it sounds like in that the Pokemon just jumps and kicks the opponent. Needless to say, the former sounds much harder to execute than the latter, and also explains why certain Pokemon, specifically non-anthropomorphic ones such as the Deerling and Doduo lines, were able to learn Jump Kick but not High Jump Kick: they don't have the proper anatomy to hit something with their knees.

Yeah, it does makes sense.

But my point is that there's not much of a reason for a Pokémon to have access to HJK and not have access to JK. Just as you said: that means that all those Pokémon can do the harder move but are unable to do the easier one?

It's something I won't ever wrap my head around.

 

[Ghost Diplocaulus]

Yeah, it does makes sense.

But my point is that there's not much of a reason for a Pokémon to have access to HJK and not have access to JK. Just as you said: that means that all those Pokémon can do the harder move but are unable to do the easier one?

It's something I won't ever wrap my head around.

Yeah, I know. I was agreeing with you XD

 

[KirbyBulba737]

Jump Kick is removed from SwSh, but I agree with you anyhow. It's weird that Jump Kick is/was distributed less overall than High Jump Kick is, I must say.

Probably because the move is better than Jump Kick.

 

[TechSkylander1518]

Probably because the move is better than Jump Kick.

Viability doesn't really seem to matter with move distribution, though- Growl's not a great move, either, but it gets spread all over the place.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

Golurk can’t learn Explosion, apparently. Given that it’s an automaton with a huge power source that gets unstable whenever tampered with, one would think blowing up would be an option?

 

[Enzo]

Golurk can’t learn Explosion, apparently. Given that it’s an automaton with a huge power source that gets unstable whenever tampered with, one would think blowing up would be an option?

Or at least Self-Destruct

 

[WyndonCalling]

First Impression for the two beetle boys (Pinsir and Heracross), given that it literally translates as Head-on Collision.

 

[colours]

• still kinda nuts how dragonite can learn ice beam. in fact, this goes for a lot of pokemon that can learn moves that they're weak to, but this is the one notable example that comes to mind.
• idk how salamence can learn hydro pump considering it's nowhere near aquatic in the slightest, although i guess it's not mandatory?
• following up on the above, i find it absolutely hilarious that miltank can learn things like tbolt/thunder and ice beam. not that it's exactly ideal to teach it either of these moves, but the fact that it can is funny

 

[Enzo]

• still kinda nuts how dragonite can learn ice beam. in fact, this goes for a lot of pokemon that can learn moves that they're weak to, but this is the one notable example that comes to mind.
• idk how salamence can learn hydro pump considering it's nowhere near aquatic in the slightest, although i guess it's not mandatory?

For the first two, the explanation (or at least my own interpretation I guess lol) is the same:

Dragons have tendencies of learning a lot of moves from a lot of different types simply because they are these powerful, mystical creatures that have this sort of... archaic magic within themselves. They are supossed to be very powerful, and this is shown (in one of the ways, that is) by them being able to learn powerful moves by being able to dip into typings that aren't their own.

It's like.. they are so powerful they have access to powerful moves of many typings, if that makes sense lol. Dk if I explained my thoughts well enough.

 

[prog rocker]

I thought the kinda awkward distribution of Flamethrower, Thunderbolt and Ice Beam was because those are the three most common elements in RPGs.

 

[Lightning Flame Blast]

Volcarona, whose flames are bright enough to look like the sun, can’t learn Dazzling Gleam. It can, however, learn Magnet Rise and Wild Charge for some reason.

 

[Isaac the Investigator]

Volcarona, whose flames are bright enough to look like the sun, can’t learn Dazzling Gleam. It can, however, learn Magnet Rise and Wild Charge for some reason.

Magnet Rise likely has to do with the sun's magnetic field

 

[CynthiaLover]

To this day I'm surprised that Infernape STILL can't learn Drain Punch. It learns various other punching moves (including the newly added Power-Up Punch), and it's HA is freakin' Iron Fist, which complements punching moves, and yet somehow is STILL can't learn Drain Punch. Come on, get with the program, GF. Give Infernape Drain Punch so it can further compliment its punch move arsenal and make its Iron Fist ability even more useful.