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Should Earthquake affect Pokemon that float?

DasManiac

The Charming Fool
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So Earthquake is a pretty powerful move and even more powerful with STAB. The big problem I have with this move is not that everybody loves it or uses it (I use it) but the fact that it affects Pokemon that so clearly do not touch the ground. Pokemon like Glalie clearly do not touch the ground. But if they're not touching the ground then how can Earthquake hit them? Should this be rectified in future games?
 
If they're close to the ground it could hit them, earthquakes aren't just sideways motions but can also raise the ground too
 
Does it actually have levitate? No?
Then it should affect it.

Besides, one could put forth the argument that Ghosts should be immune to EVERY attack in the physical category rather than just fighting and normal.
Sometimes logic is better put aside for balance.
 
^ Just as posted. If they are close enough to the ground, they'd probably get damage from the Earthquake. My guess is that pokemons with the Levitate ability may be floating higher than we expect, while pokemons like Glalie or Froslass would probably just hover a few feet at the most from the ground.
 
Does it actually have levitate? No?
Then it should affect it.

Besides, one could put forth the argument that Ghosts should be immune to EVERY attack in the physical category rather than just fighting and normal.
Sometimes logic is better put aside for balance.

you know what, i think they should remove ghosts resistance to special fighting moves and make them immune to moves that make contact

and they should give levitate as a hidden ability to pokemon who are off the ground and dont already have one
 
Well, I agree that if it's close enough to the ground, it should affect it, but let's face it, a Beedrill can fly higher than that and it's still affected, lol.
 
Does it actually have levitate? No?
Then it should affect it.

Besides, one could put forth the argument that Ghosts should be immune to EVERY attack in the physical category rather than just fighting and normal.
Sometimes logic is better put aside for balance.

You're right, I've wondered a lot 'bout it too, if we are to apply strict logic the game will have a totally different system.
Think about it, if ghosts can't be hit with psychical moves.. It'll give an incredible field of inmunity to them (even avoiding psychical supereffective moves) and that'd be unfair (no matter if it's logical or not).
 
As demonstrated by Sky Battles, levitators don't rise a few centimetres. They basically fly, but without wings. Pokémon that float, on the other hand, are barely above the ground.
 
Perhaps it would make more logical sense to grant them immunity but for the sake of the game and balance it's better the way it is, in my opinion.
 
It would just make things a bit more complicated and confusing if Pokémon, such as Beedrill and Glalie, that naturally float (or fly) can't get struck by Earthquake simply because they're not touching the ground. Best to just put such detailed logic aside.
 
However, there are a lot of top tier pokemon that have abilities that make up for their lack of floating, and pokemon that could be well served by having an ability other than levitate:

And then there's Rotom.

Let's take a look at Gengar. Ghost/Poison with levitate give him an immunity that replaces what should be a weakness. Is this more valuable to him than another ghost like ability such as Shadow Tag (Which is what Mega gengar gets)? I think so. I suppose some people might want to have that choice, like having them as alternate non-hidden abilities, but there's little we can do about that. It might be nice to have a little bit more tactical flexibility, but then again, that's what you have 700+ pokemon for. In this example, shadow tag isn't even that great as it can't prevent Baton Pass, which I understand people use to set up large amounts of modifiers and them pass them onto other pokemon. Really it's only good for cornering that one pokemon with few (if any) effective moves. To get back on target, levitate is more useful to me than shadow tag, regardless of the fact that Gengar has legs and is seen on the ground.

The Beedrill example above: if you could get a hidden ability (Sniper) Beedrill, that may be more valuable than having an immunity to ground if you kit it out right.

Both of Froslass' abilities (Snow Cloak and Cursed Body) can be used to considerably more effect than a simple immunity.

As was said before, it become an issue of fluff versus balance. If anyone here plays Warhammer 40k, they know that in the fluff, Space Marines are 9 foot tall monstrosities that are Mary-Sues on literally steroids. In the fluff they can lift cars, spit acid, and can rest half their brain at a time so they don't need to 'sleep' for months at a time. This is before they put on their armor and carry their guns that shoot soda can sized 1.00Cal sized exploding projectiles. THIS DOES NOT TRANSLATE WELL INTO BALANCE.
 
It is just one of the many "it doesn't make sense, but we just have to roll with it" instances in the Pokemon universe. If every Pokemon who floated, flew, glided, fluttered or hovered were part Flying type or had the ability Levitate, Ground types would just have to stand around and twiddle their thumbs for lack of targets. We just have to roll with the punches.
 
Though... the Magneton family could use Levitate. It has 4X weakness to Ground when it's shown to fly around places, and I'd say Levitate would be highly useful than both Magnet Pull and Sturdy.

Why they didn't do that idk.
 
What i really want to know is why does Gengar and Eelektross have Levitate. Both have their feet on the ground but because of Levitate they can't be hit by Ground type moves wich makes it weird.
 
What i really want to know is why does Gengar and Eelektross have Levitate. Both have their feet on the ground but because of Levitate they can't be hit by Ground type moves wich makes it weird.

Simple: They feel more comfortable on the ground due to their size, but can Levitate into the air if needed. Keep in mind, previous evolutions (Gastly and Haunter for Gengar, Tynamo for Eelektross) are shown as levitating all the time.
 
What i really want to know is why does Gengar and Eelektross have Levitate. Both have their feet on the ground but because of Levitate they can't be hit by Ground type moves wich makes it weird.

Simple: They feel more comfortable on the ground due to their size, but can Levitate into the air if needed. Keep in mind, previous evolutions (Gastly and Haunter for Gengar, Tynamo for Eelektross) are shown as levitating all the time.
Eelektross having Levitate doesn't make sense since eels don't float around and in the games Gengar always have his feet on the ground and all other pokemon that have Levitate except Eelektross are floating because of Levitate.
 
you know what, i think they should remove ghosts resistance to special fighting moves and make them immune to moves that make contact

and they should give levitate as a hidden ability to pokemon who are off the ground and dont already have one

That would make them horribly overpowered.

HA is okay, though. Some of them would need to give up a necessary ability for one.
 
you know what, i think they should remove ghosts resistance to special fighting moves and make them immune to moves that make contact and they should give levitate as a hidden ability to pokemon who are off the ground and dont already have one

Yes. Glalie and Froslass as is have crummy hidden abilities so Levitate would be nice. Glalie's hidden ability would be more useful if it actually lasted for more than one turn. Both are Pokemon I quite like but their Defenses make them quite vulnerable. Frosslass especially since it's Ghost typing adds more weaknesses and only removes one.
 
What i really want to know is why does Gengar and Eelektross have Levitate. Both have their feet on the ground but because of Levitate they can't be hit by Ground type moves wich makes it weird.

Gengar probably leaps up when it senses a ground move is coming. However, it's not shown in the games and you just receive a message saying "Gengar's Levitate made it ineffective." Now "It doesn't affect Gengar" depending on which game after the third generation you are playing.

I really think it'd make sense to teach Earthquake to a Pokemon with Mold Breaker as of fourth gen. Then it'd really hit them, and we have other ways of making Earthquake hit a Pokemon who originally has Levitate for an ability.
 
Does it actually have levitate? No?
Then it should affect it.

Besides, one could put forth the argument that Ghosts should be immune to EVERY attack in the physical category rather than just fighting and normal.
Sometimes logic is better put aside for balance.

you know what, i think they should remove ghosts resistance to special fighting moves and make them immune to moves that make contact

and they should give levitate as a hidden ability to pokemon who are off the ground and dont already have one

Nice idea, but then Yamask and its Mummy ability....

It is already levitating so sure, wynaut
 
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