POTW Pokémon of the Week #63: Feebas & Milotic

CherubCookie · Oct 1, 2017

lol sup pokéfans, I’m CherubCookie the super special awesome newbie mod of Outside the Box :3 STRAP YO’SELVES IN FOR A RIDE

In the Wide World of Pokémon there are many varied and exciting creatures with which to behold, collect and generally mess around with. Each week we focus on an evolutionary line, or just a single Pokémon and take a look was what makes it special. This week we take a look at the Wonderful World of Feebas and Milotic!

Feebas, (often autocorrected to Feels) starts out its life as but a lowly fish, but it is also one of the most difficult creatures in the Pokémon world to find; appearing in just six randomly generated squares in the Hoenn region it debuted in. This decreased to only *four* when found at Mt. Coronet inthe Sinnoh region. The story of Feebas is almost an ugly duckling - a fish different from the rest, fairly uninspiring and in tatters but later evolving into something much more beautiful. This shares particular parallels to the plight of Magikarp as a weak fish wanting to be strong and mighty, then evolving into a totes awesome water dragon snake thing of FIERCENESS. But for those lucky enough to come across a Feebas and take it to that next level, either from maxing its beauty condition or trading while holding a prism scale, one will have something much more majestic - Milotic!

Milotic is your typical poster child for beauty pageantry. It’s like your Miss Universe Pokémon Model 2017 and every other year. It’s said to be the most beautiful of all Pokémon for these reasons. It’s also said to calm angry feelings and end arguments with its energy, which could make TV shows like Judge Judy and Divorce Court a lot less interesting. Movement however is a breeze, as it floats through the air with ease.

Both Pokémon have had appearances in the anime series in various ways, including an encounter with Haley’s Feebas, nicknamed “The Loveliest Feebas of All” and proved to be strong without evolving. True beauty lies within :’)

But clearly a thread involving Milotic would not be complete without mention of its significance as Wallace's signature Pokémon of course! This cool dude pictured below (conveniently with his Milotic) will also occasionally enter Pokémon Contest Spectaculars in Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire. Players can even compete against him in the Master Rank after being entered into the Hall of Fame.

this guy, not Wallace from Wallace & Gromit

BUT LET’S TALK ABOUT TYPING AND ABILITIES YEW~
With both being water types, this makes them weak against both grass and electric attacks! However the fully evolved Milotic form can learn Ice Beam, and for some reason Bulldoze as well. It has the ability "Marvel Scale" which doubles the Defense stat if it's inflicted with a status position, so when combined with a Toxic Orb or Flame Orb means that even though it takes a little extra damage per turn it's able to tank a lot more hits with a variable defense stat between 150 (300) & 287 (574).

SO with that all said, here are some questions to consider to get conversation going! You don't have to answer all or any of them in your post as long as you're on topic and within the Fab Forum Rules.

Do you like or dislike this Pokémon? Why?
How is this Pokémon in-game?
How is this Pokémon in competitive play? Are there any interesting strategies you like to use for them?
Do you like this Pokémon's representation in the anime? Are there any moments or qualities in particular you enjoy/dislike?
How do you think this Pokémon would interact with our world?
If given the power to, would you change anything about this Pokémon and if so, what would you change?
How do you feel about Pokémon with this kind of almost-background story? Can you identify with this ambition?
Do you actually think Feebas is as ugly as it's painted out to be, or do you find some charm to it?
Does the difficulty of finding it raise its appeal to you in a similar way to hunting shinies?
How does this compare to its counterpart Gyarados or its other Water-type competitors?

If you have any suggestions for Pokémon you'd like to discuss in the future leave your ideas at the bottom of your post. Make sure you give your thoughts about the current Pokémon first though!

Previous Pokémon of the Week:

Gengarzilla · Oct 1, 2017

-Do you like or dislike this Pokémon? Why?
Milotic is a Pokémon I've had some nice experiences with. Yes, I like it.

-How is this Pokémon in-game?
Said experiences come from my use of one in Platinum, where I held onto a burn received from Flint's Flareon to tank and defeat Cynthia's feared Garchomp in the days before getting the Flame Orb. Milotic is my team's sturdy wall with this plus Aqua Ring and Recover.

-How is this Pokémon in competitive play? Are there any interesting strategies you like to use for them?
While I've never used Milotic in this field, I do know that it can be surprisingly strong with its other natural ability Competitive (very fitting), which the OP hasn't mentioned. The +2 stages to Special Attack when foes lower any of its stats enables it to act as Defog deterrence when their opponents want to clear away entry hazards.
Back on the Marvel Scale route, I could imagine it lending well to RestTalk strategies.

-Do you like this Pokémon's representation in the anime? Are there any moments or qualities in particular you enjoy/dislike?
My favourite Milotic in the anime is actually the only trained one so far that isn't used by a Coordinator. Lucy's Milotic really gave Ash a much rougher time than Juan's one.

-How do you think this Pokémon would interact with our world?
Much the same way as in the Pokémon world, it would be a muse for many works of art.

-If given the power to, would you change anything about this Pokémon and if so, what would you change?
Water/Fairy Mega Milotic plz, at least to compliment the Water/Dark Mega Gyarados.

-How do you feel about Pokémon with this kind of almost-background story? Can you identify with this ambition?
Not really, but I appreciate it anyway.

-Do you actually think Feebas is as ugly as it's painted out to be, or do you find some charm to it?
It is as ugly as its painted out to be. I don't judge on visual appeal though.

-Does the difficulty of finding it raise its appeal to you in a similar way to hunting shinies?
Ehh... Not really, as I'm usually not interested in shinies anyway. They're just sprite/model recolours at the bottom of it all.

Can we talk about the Clefairy line sometime?

Fluttershy of Light · Oct 1, 2017

Despite its first appearance in the games which was too difficult for any Pokémon.. Milotic was a nice Pokémon that is rather elegant to look at. It's pretty decent when used in battles especially in the competitive scene. It does get overshadowed by other water types because typing, mediocre abilities, move pool, and somewhat in stats but it's got things going for it like access to recover, rest talk with marvel scale, and in this generation adrenaline orb with competitive as it's ability.. +1 speed with +2 Sp attack at a Base 100 can do quite a bit of damage if intimidate is around.

A few things that I'd like to change with Milotic is to give it a secondary typing.. Maybe Water/Fairy or Water/Dragon are typings I would have liked to seen it gain.. It could also use a better hidden ability than Cute charm which is very situational in competitive. Maybe something like Swift swim or Adaptability.. Both of which are what Feebas originally had before it evolves into milotic..

Considering I already have a shiny milotic which I got unintentionally.. it's availability doesn't really effect me. Granted it got a lot easier than it's RSE days so it's a lot more manageable

Haven't really watched the anime as much so /shrug

ocelotlrama jaguar · Oct 1, 2017

Feebas, like Magikarp, is meh. Like its Pokedex entry, there's just not much to it. Milotic, on the other hand, is awesome. I wouldn't go as far as to call it the "most beautiful" Pokemon in existence, but it's pleasing to the eyes and great in battle. It is a great Pokemon to use in-game. Very reliable and not something anyone can go wrong in using. Competitively, I find it very versatile. I use it in competitive battles to this day since Gen III and it is awesome. Great bulk, good Sp. Attack power, adequate Speed... it's just a great Pokemon to use. I have it as part of my Sandstorm team with Safety Goggles as a held item. It's an immense help that has helped my butt when I find myself in a pickle. Not too many people expect it and it can creates lots of havoc with its bulk, healing moves, and high powered Water and Ice attacks.

I don't remember Milotic from the anime, sadly. I never paid too much attention to the AG series.

Despite Feebas being noted as a Pokemon that people ignore, I would imagine this Pokemon would be popular to catch only for people to get a Milotic of their own in the real world. It would be a thing of stunning beauty and power. Definitely something people would want to have to show off.

Seems like all the changes I wanted done with this Pokemon have already been done (easier access to Feebass, easier way to evolve it). Maybe give Milotic a better Hidden Ability. Cute Charm is bleh. I'd rather it have something much more useful. Despite that, Competitive is good enough. I love that ability.

Feebas has a neat backstory in regards to becoming the majestic Milotic. I can't really identify with that because, well, I really never cared about becoming beautiful or majestic myself (I am far from either). Still, props to Feebas when it evolves.

Despite its reputation, Feebas is actually not the ugliest Pokemon that I can think of. It's kind of cute in a homely kind of way. There are many other Pokemon that I can think of at the top of my head that are way uglier.

In regards to its appeal in how difficult it is to find it, not really. Maybe the first time in RSE, sure. It was a pain in the keister looking for it and then evolving it, but when it did evolve, I thought it was worth it. Unlike shinies, Milotic is actually super useful. Nowadays I just transfer a Milotic to my current game and breed it so that way I don't have to go through the trouble of finding Feebas. Nothing like shiny hunting.

Gyarados is superior to Milotic in that it can Mega Evolve, has the useful Intimidate ability, and has access to moves that boost its attack and speed with Dragon Dance. While its Special Attack stat is nothing special, it also has access to a variety of Special Attacks. It does go down in one hit over a Thunderbolt so it has that negative going for it. If Milotic could Mega Evolve, that would put it on equal footing with Gyarados to a higher degree. I'd love to see that happen.

noworry · Oct 1, 2017

Do you like or dislike this Pokémon? Why?
I like it. It's prettyy.

How is this Pokémon in-game?
I've never had one on my team during a playthrough, but it seems strong enough when I'm up against one.

How is this Pokémon in competitive play? Are there any interesting strategies you like to use for them?
I have one with Marvel Scale and Rest/Sleep Talk. It works well as it already has high Special Defences, and then get a boost in Defence while asleep. It can still attack with Sleep Talk.

How do you think this Pokémon would interact with our world?
You could probably keep it in a pool or a really big bathtub, lol.

How do you feel about Pokémon with this kind of almost-background story? Can you identify with this ambition?
The ugly duckling deal? I like that story, but I can realy relate to it, as I look pretty much the same as did as a child.

Do you actually think Feebas is as ugly as it's painted out to be, or do you find some charm to it?
There are way uglier Pokémon out there, for sure. I don't think Feebas is that ugly, it's actually kind of cute..?

Does the difficulty of finding it raise its appeal to you in a similar way to hunting shinies?
Nope. It annoys me. Finding this fish is hopeless, and while shinies is something you'd look for because you really want it, Feebas is usally something I'd look for to fill up my dex.

How does this compare to its counterpart Gyarados or its other Water-type competitors?
I like Feebas more than Gyarados, to be honest. It's also one of the more memorable Water-types, to me at least. Not my favourite, but it's not too far down on the list.

CrystaI · Oct 1, 2017

Originally in my first play of RSE, I didn't know the random 6 block limited fishing spot, told by some unofficial walkthrough guide that "Feebas can be fished at Route 119's waterfall but at super low encounter rate, so catching a Feebas is a race of endurance", I wasted a real 30+ hours right under the waterfall and catch nothing, going to the internet for help, found Bulbapedia and finally learned the correct fishing method, there then I finally succeeded in catching my first Feebas (And throw away that useless walkthrough guide where comparing to Bulbapedia's info 30% were bullshits). That was also my first encountering of (a subdivision of) this community. As I become more and more dependent on the information of Bulbapedia, I decided to also join the forum for all the interesting Pokemon discussion.

Feebas was the cupid between me and Bulbagarden.

It is one of my most favorite water-type pokemon. Not only its evolution Milotic was aesthetically magnificent, it was so strong that it helped me a lot during Emerald's Battle Frontier challenges. I appreciate it very much for being one of my member of main-6-team to complete the Pokemon League and gold symbols collections of BF.

Comparing it to finding shinies is...... incomparable. Simply because finding a Feebas is much more easier than finding a shiny pokemon. If you want a shiny Feebas...... I'm sorry but I don't have that much endurance for such low return output.

Now the only improvement I want for Milotic is: GIVE IT A MEGA EVOLUTION!!!!! Gyarados which was always deemed as its counterpart received one, I want to see how much more beautiful and elegant a Mega Milotic may become

Alolan Coconut · Oct 5, 2017

Feebas as a Pokemon is rather bland. But seeing one in the wild in RSE.. the amount of happiness is beyond compare. I have to admit: In the past I wasn't really fond of Milotic. Mostly because Wallace' one gave me a lot of trouble back in the day and its sprite didn't really put its beauty to good use. But since Gen V I started loving it from top to bottom and I am ashamed that I forgot to use one during my ORAS playthrough.. Hopefully soon!

Nicolas721 · Oct 7, 2017

Quite good Pokemon designs, in my opinion. Feebas really looks ugly, but more importantly, Milotic really looks beautiful. They are two of those Pokemon where less is more.
My brother loves mermaids, so we wanted to have a Milotic in our Emerald team. We didn't have success in catching a Feebas, and we didn't got one until B2W2, so it is a memorable Pokemon for us in that aspect.
In the anime Milotic was owned by a ton of strong trainers, just like in the game, that makes it very respectable.

Zexy · Oct 7, 2017

Do you like or dislike this Pokémon? Why?
Like. Nice design and concept, the way to get it and evolve it is great.
How is this Pokémon in-game?
Never used it because it's too much effort, but it should be good.
How is this Pokémon in competitive play? Are there any interesting strategies you like to use for them?
Marvel Scale + Flame/Toxic Orb or Rest/Sleep Talk
Do you like this Pokémon's representation in the anime? Are there any moments or qualities in particular you enjoy/dislike?
Yes, Wallace had some cool moments with it
How do you think this Pokémon would interact with our world?
People would find it very beautiful and rare
If given the power to, would you change anything about this Pokémon and if so, what would you change?
Give it a Mega and a second type (that may probably change after the Mega) to make it better while keeping the parallel to Gyarados. Ice, Dragon, Fairy can all fit, I believe.
How do you feel about Pokémon with this kind of almost-background story? Can you identify with this ambition?
It's nice for an evolutionary line to have this kind of story. But I don't identify with the ambition of becoming beautiful
Do you actually think Feebas is as ugly as it's painted out to be, or do you find some charm to it?
I don't think it's ugly, it's just exaggerated to draw the comparison with Milotic.
Does the difficulty of finding it raise its appeal to you in a similar way to hunting shinies?
Definitely, but it also means I'd not feel like using it regularly either; it's more of a collectible.
How does this compare to its counterpart Gyarados or its other Water-type competitors?
It would do better compared to Gyarados if it had a Mega and a second type, but it still is a very good Water-type.

Zeb · Oct 16, 2017

Great line. It's a nice throwback to Magikarp-Gyarados while still doing its own thing well. It also pulls off the ugly duckling to beauty far better than other Pokemon that try it, like Ducklett to Swanna. Milotic has a great design - simple but demonstrates everything it wants to, it has an elegance to it but also feels mysterious, powerful and like a very rare creature. I can understand why it's a pretty popular Pokemon.

I know there's people that disagree with this, but it feels like it could have been Water/Fairy to me. But Water/Fairy with Milotic's stats and Recover is maybe not the best idea for the game. Pure Water just doesn't feel quite fitting enough for it, it feels like it should be something more.

Camille · Nov 18, 2017

Although Feebas is certainly unappealing, I don't find it nearly as ugly as several other Pokemon. Milotic is an awesome Pokemon, and both of its standard abilities are quite useful. Its movepool, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired, and it is a shame it, unlike its counterpart Gyarados, didn' t get a Mega Evolution. I remember my Feebas in Emerald evolving after eating enough Pokeblocks despite having an useless (for Milotic) natture, Jolly. Hopefully they simplify the Poffin minigame in the Sinnoh reemakes, too, since it irked me much more than the Pokeblock one.

POTW Pokémon of the Week #63: Feebas & Milotic

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CherubCookie

Cookie Monster

Gengarzilla

"What do you mean, my Gengarite is contraband?!"

Fluttershy of Light

Star Guardian Ahri

ocelotlrama jaguar

Fluffy with 80% more spots!

noworry

⋆⋅☆SᴛᴀR☆⋅⋆

CrystaI

The Pokemon Observer

Alolan Coconut

Member

Nicolas721

Well-Known Member

Zexy

Quaxly Boy

Zeb

what is your spaghetti policy here?

Camille

Call of Fate

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