"Pointless" Hidden Ablilies?

[TheCableGuy]

Taking a Look at a Minccino I found in a Hidden Grotto,
I notice it's Hidden ability is Skill Link.

Sounds good at first but then I remember that it only learns
one Multi-strike move (doubleslap) and it's not really that good of a move.

So, what good is it really? I mean, I can certainly get more out of either of it's other abilities more then this.


And that brings me to a thought.
Are there very many Hidden Abilities that are less useful then a Pokemon's normal ability?
Anyone else notice some Pokemon seam to have less then useful Hidden Abilities?

 

[Lightning Energy]

Sounds good at first but then I remember that it only learns
one Multi-strike move (doubleslap) and it's not really that good of a move.

Minccino also gets a multi-move called Tail Slap (25 power per hit plus STAB), and after it evolves, it can learn Rock Blast and Bullet Seed via the Move Relearner. So Skill Link is actually really, really good on Minccino; I used one in White 2 for a while.

Anyways, Delibird gets Insomnia when it already has Vital Spirit, Durant gets Truant, and Jellicent gets Damp when it's already immune to Self-Destruct/Explosion.

 

[UnovaCastaway]

Anyways, Delibird gets Insomnia when it already has Vital Spirit, Durant gets Truant, and Jellicent gets Damp when it's already immune to Self-Destruct/Explosion.

Ninja'd about Delibird. To be fair, it can also have Hustle normally.

Does your question include those with the same Hidden Ability as their normal one? For some Pokemon, it makes sense because it makes them what they inherently are.

 

[Almonds]

Snover/Abomasnow with Soundproof -.- I mean, it's other ability is Snow Warning, and it's perfect - almost a must for a Hail Team. Soundproof isn't really useless, but considering when you actually use them... Snow Warning is way better. I went through all the trouble to breed my Dream World Snover to get one with the original ability.


And Yanmega with Frisk. Wut - there's the common Speed Boost!! Even Tinted Lens would be better ;_; You could get a good start if you know what the opponent pokemon is holding, but Speed Boost is already a really good ability that there's really no need for Yanmega to have Frisk...

 

[Berrenta]

Aipom with Skill Link (very little use), Audino with Klutz, Galvantula with Swarm, Plus/Minus for Mareep line and Electrike line (unless if paired with a 'mon with a like Ability, like the Klink family), and Cottonee with Chlorophyll (Prankster is that much better!)

And I agree with Insomnia Delibird. Vital Spirit makes Insomnia redundant.

Edit: Forgot Pidove with Rivalry, which is only useful fighting against the like gender. Looks pointless to me otherwise.

 

[smalllady]

Mewtwo gets Unnerve. Poor thing.

 

[Anser]

Snover/Abomasnow with Soundproof -.- I mean, it's other ability is Snow Warning, and it's perfect - almost a must for a Hail Team. Soundproof isn't really useless, but considering when you actually use them... Snow Warning is way better. I went through all the trouble to breed my Dream World Snover to get one with the original ability.

It helps him with not being hit by Bug Buzz.......................... (?)

 

[Frenzy Plant]

Sounds good at first but then I remember that it only learns
one Multi-strike move (doubleslap) and it's not really that good of a move.

Minccino also gets a multi-move called Tail Slap (25 power per hit plus STAB), and after it evolves, it can learn Rock Blast and Bullet Seed via the Move Relearner. So Skill Link is actually really, really good on Minccino; I used one in White 2 for a while.

Anyways, Delibird gets Insomnia when it already has Vital Spirit, Durant gets Truant, and Jellicent gets Damp when it's already immune to Self-Destruct/Explosion.

Not to mention the absolute wonders it has done for Cloyster. Icicle Spear, Rock Blast and Shell Smash - so good to see some of the Kanto Pokémon getting a much needed power boost.

I think the point with these hidden abilities, that a few people seem to have missed, is that they're not really anything to do with the metagame. Mewtwo gets unnerve because it is an unnerving Pokémon, not because it's going to re-define the Uber tier with the ability to stop other Pokémon eating berries.

 

[TheCableGuy]

Sounds good at first but then I remember that it only learns
one Multi-strike move (doubleslap) and it's not really that good of a move.

Minccino also gets a multi-move called Tail Slap (25 power per hit plus STAB), and after it evolves, it can learn Rock Blast and Bullet Seed via the Move Relearner. So Skill Link is actually really, really good on Minccino; I used one in White 2 for a while.

Anyways, Delibird gets Insomnia when it already has Vital Spirit, Durant gets Truant, and Jellicent gets Damp when it's already immune to Self-Destruct/Explosion.

Thought I might of missed something.

Not to mention the absolute wonders it has done for Cloyster. Icicle Spear, Rock Blast and Shell Smash - so good to see some of the Kanto Pokémon getting a much needed power boost.

I think the point with these hidden abilities, that a few people seem to have missed, is that they're not really anything to do with the metagame. Mewtwo gets unnerve because it is an unnerving Pokémon, not because it's going to re-define the Uber tier with the ability to stop other Pokémon eating berries.

While I do technically agree with that, I can't help but to think that they could of put a little bit more effort into Pokemon abilities.

I'm all for having Pokemon exhibit different Abilities to further their Differences,
But I'd like to see more Tie-ins with Pokemon's Personalities, rather then "Powers".
Hidden Abilities could of been implemented as "secondary" and lesser Abilities on top of a Pokemon's Normal Ability.
That might of made it more interesting.

 

[smalllady]

The people trying to explain that certain Pokemon got certain abilities to match their character are missing the point of this topic. I don't care if Unnerve goes with Mewtwo's character. Unnerve is still a shitty ability that's far less useful than Pressure. Most of the other legendaries didn't even get hidden abilities. I don't see why they bothered giving Mewtwo Unnerve.

 

[Dralcax]

Metagross gets Light Metal. Problem is, Metagross is so heavy that Grass Knot and Low Kick would still do max damage anyways, and Clear Body is so much better anyways.

 

[Bouffalant Herdier]

Durant's Truant. Makes it move only every two turns, and unlike Slaking, it doesn't have legendary level stats to counter-balance it, and Entrainment doesn't actually pass on the ability to the enemy Pokemon. The only reason I could can think of as to why it has it as a secret ability is to troll players, or because the ability's name rhymes with Durant's.

 

[Mitchman]

Manectric's Minus. Only 3 other lines have plus to accommodate it, and even then the whole minus/plus thing is the ability version of helping hand.

 

[PDL]

Durant's Truant. Makes it move only every two turns, and unlike Slaking, it doesn't have legendary level stats to counter-balance it, and Entrainment doesn't actually pass on the ability to the enemy Pokemon. The only reason I could can think of as to why it has it as a secret ability is to troll players, or because the ability's name rhymes with Durant's.

Actually, the one use that Truant Durant has is that it works wonders against the AI in the battle subway and similar places. You see, the AI will only switch Pokémon when it sees no moves can be made. By making the AI's Pokémon get Truant through Entrainment, you've severely crippled them but they won't switch because it can technically still attack. It's a dull strategy, but it can almost guarantee victory in the battle subway.

 

[Garren]

Durant's Truant. Makes it move only every two turns, and unlike Slaking, it doesn't have legendary level stats to counter-balance it, and Entrainment doesn't actually pass on the ability to the enemy Pokemon. The only reason I could can think of as to why it has it as a secret ability is to troll players, or because the ability's name rhymes with Durant's.

And even then the pun "truant" is only applicable in the English version...in Japan the ability is called "namake", lazy, and sloths are called namakemono, so it's even more fitting to remain exclusive to Slakoth and Slaking.

 

[winstein]

While most abilities at least have use, some of the natural abilities are more preferable. One example is anything with Unnerve. Lots of them who get this will prefer their other abilities, such as Haxorus preferring to plow through potential Levitators with Earthquake, Arbok's status healing chance or potential free turn, and Wobbuffet preferring to trap opponents. In some ways, those with Doubles abilities are not of use in singles. Several things have Telepathy, but at least their immunity to partner attacks are great.

This reminded me of a blog I did roughly two-and-a-half years ago highlighting how beneficial the ability is to the Pokemon. It could be outdated, but I felt that most on that list is still accurate now.

Thanks for reading.

 

[TheCableGuy]

Hmm.. So Deerling/Sawsbuck can have Chlorophyll, Sap Sipper or Serene Grace....

Is it just me or is this a 3-way tie for situtationally useful abilities?

It learns Energy Ball but that alone doesn't seam like it's worth using Serene Grace.
Sap Sipper is amazing against less then 1% of moves used..
And Chlorophyll works great if you build a Team around it.

Or am I missing something again?

 

[PDL]

Hmm.. So Deerling/Sawsbuck can have Chlorophyll, Sap Sipper or Serene Grace....

Is it just me or is this a 3-way tie for situtationally useful abilities?

It learns Energy Ball but that alone doesn't seam like it's worth using Serene Grace.
Sap Sipper is amazing against less then 1% of moves used..
And Chlorophyll works great if you build a Team around it.

Or am I missing something again?

Serene Grace is mostly pointless because Sawsbuck doesn't learn enough moves that justify using it. Chlorophyll might be useful as you said, but Sap Sipper is probably the best choice since it actually grants an immunity.

 

[Winterdaze]

Serperior got the amazing Contrary, which single-handedly changes it from mediocre to devastating. Emboar got Reckless, which fits his playstyle like peanut butter and jelly.

And then they gave Samurott Shell Armor. Y'know, the exact same hidden ability as Torterra. Which does absolutely jack for it. I don't care if it's thematically fitting, so are Lightningrod and Intimidate, and they aren't double-ups or completely useless.

 

[Infinity Mk-II]

... So what is with Durant having Truant, of all things?

It's not an ability it simply doesn't find useful, it's in its entirety a hindering ability.

Can't be a pun because Namake (Lazy) and Aiant have nothing of that. And it only gets Endure and Thunder Fang from DW. It's definitely a joke.

Just one I don't get. Why Durant of all pokémon? Is it a developer in-joke of calling its designer or someone on the team lazy?



Oh, I guess it has Entrainment. I'm pretty sure that alone doesn't warrant having truant though, specially with other pokémon being better at the abilitiy-changing game.