Speculation What Pokemon Would You Like to See Get a Regional Variant?

[Bolt Strike]

With regional variants sticking around for multiple generations, it seems this mechanic is here to stay. So what Pokemon would you like to see get a regional variant in a future game? What type would they be? Could they evolve?

Here are some of my ideas:

Ekans line- Ekans could be really good for a Poison/Psychic line with a hypnosis theme, with Ekans using its rattle to hypnotize prey and Arbok using its face markings. I would also give this line an evolution called Thypno (an anagram of python) which curls up into a hypno wheel
Paras line- Parasect's dex entry indicates that its mushroom takes control of the host's body, so why not go all in on the possession theme and make a variant that's Bug/Ghost? We could use one that isn't a 1 HP gimmickmon.
Ponyta line- We're overdue for a pegasus Pokemon, and a Ponyta variant could fill that void easily. This should be a must when we get a Greek region.
Dratini line- There's several different ways they could go with this one, Water, Fairy, maybe even Electric? I'd also like to see an alternate evo of Dragonair that retains its more serpentine form
Ledbya line- Ledian just plain looks like a boxer. The glove like hands, the masked wrestler-esque face, and the wide array of punching moves lends itself well to this theme. Give it a Bug/Fighting variant
Sunkern line- They're Sunkern and Sunflora. I mean come on! Grass/Fire should be a no brainer here, and it should get an evolution along with it (Sunflara?)
Zigzagoon line- The Galarian variants are a nice addition and all, but I always pictured Zigzagoon would work best as an Electric line, considering it runs fast and seems to have a lot of fur. Maybe a Normal/Electric line where it supercharges itself using static electricity to run wild?
Trapinch line- We need a Bug/Dragon type and the Trapinch line feels somewhat insectoid, so maybe having one grow up in a lusher/damper environment could make this a thing?
Axew line- Haxorus feels like it could use something other than Dragon, and considering it uses its tusks like blades, how about Dragon/Steel?
Helioptile line- This Pokemon is pretty much a living solar panel and tends to live in very hot/dry environments, so Electric/Fire makes a lot of sense here.
Rolycoly line- Coalossal is... not how I expected this line to end. Rolycoly and Carkoal are based on wheeled devices that emphasize speed and mobility and then they evolve into this lumbering, oven looking thing? I was fully convinced the last evolution in this line would be a steam engine locomotive, that would complete the progression here. Let's call this alt evo Locoalmotive and have this line be Steel/Fire, that would make enough sense for this line.

What are your ideas?

 

[Johnny Boy]

I agree with making rapidash a Pegasus for a Greek region. Though I wouldn’t mind a water type variant that looks like a hippocampus.

And since we have yet to have a black bear Pokemon, I say make a dark type variant of Ursaring. There could also be a normal/poison variant of raticate since rats carry diseases.

 

[Puddle]

How about...

Venonat and Venomoth - Bug/Psychic
Psyduck and Golduck - Psychic
Drowzee - Poison (it learns Poison Gas, after all)
Hypno - Poison/Dark
Smoochum and Jynx - Psychic/Grass (they should have done this in Alola)
Hoothoot and Noctowl - Psychic/Flying, Ice/Flying or Ghost/Flying (or drop the Flying type and go for something like Psychic/Ghost)
Dunsparce - Dragon
Phanpy and Donphan - Water (shoots water out of the trunk)
Stantler - Psychic/Ice
Ralts and Kirlia - Ghost
Gardevoir - Ghost/Dark
Gallade - Ghost/Fighting
Absol - Ice

I'd also quite like to see a pure Normal-type regional form. I don't know how likely this is, because it might not be that great for marketing, but it would be a fun novelty. How about a Normal-type Purrloin that's less devious than its Dark-type cousin, or a Normal-type Arcanine that lacks its usual fiery powers but has a cool Ability instead?

Zigzagoon line- The Galarian variants are a nice addition and all, but I always pictured Zigzagoon would work best as an Electric line, considering it runs fast and seems to have a lot of fur. Maybe a Normal/Electric line where it supercharges itself using static electricity to run wild?

An Electric Zigzagoon would be great. Zigzags and electricity go hand in hand! Meowth has two regional forms, so Zigzagoon getting another isn't beyond the realms of possibility.

 

[Bolt Strike]

Hoothoot and Noctowl - Psychic/Flying, Ice/Flying or Ghost/Flying (or drop the Flying type and go for something like Psychic/Ghost)

I forgot about this one. Hoothoot and Noctowl just scream Psychic/Flying, I'd love a Psychic/Flying variant.

 

[Dieter]

Feel like this thread is a bit Gen I heavy (though I absolutely agree with most). So, I'll just make a quick list of highlights cause I got plenty of ideas.

• Sunkern - Sunflora (variant) - Sunflara; ok yes Bolt I love that name pun, so I'm stealing it. Sunkern stays as is, a little seedling that evolves under the right circumstances. The variant however evolves from a sunkern that feeds on some kind of pepper (or other fitting item). This leads Sunflora to develop chemical irritants, resulting in grass/fire type, capable of producing heat and with some poison type moves thrown in for fun. Its final evolution, sunflara, simply build on this, with sunflora being that semi-awkward middle stage
• Bronzor - Bronzong; a steel/ghost type. Anyone gazing into bronzor's reflective surface will experience a horrifying vision. The ringing of a bronzong is considered death omen. You could definitely do something with a signature move here
• Shuppet - Banette (variant); again I'd leave the base stage as is, but when carrying a porcelain mask will result in shuppete evolving into a ghost/fairy type banette that in ways resembles a porcelain doll. It would probably be geared more towards special attacks to not compete with mimikyu. Maybe you could give it an ability called 'Save Face' that gives it a stat boost when passes a certain damage treshold?
• Spinarak - Ariados; I swear these are the last variants that I'll make ghost type, I just want a bug/ghost version of these as a reference to skulltulas
• Vanillite - Vanillish - Vanilluxe; these would be either ice/grass or ice/fairy and be more sorbet or parfait like, rather than a soft serve ice cream

 

[nickdt]

A Normal/Steel Tauros and a Normal/Fairy Miltank would be cool with them getting a Normal type pre-evo, of which the male evolves into Tauros and the female into Miltank.

 

[Bolt Strike]

A Normal/Steel Tauros and a Normal/Fairy Miltank would be cool with them getting a Normal type pre-evo, of which the male evolves into Tauros and the female into Miltank.

I love the idea of a baby form for Tauros/Miltank, but any reason for the typings? I would think Tauros would be better as Ground and/or Fighting.

 

[Neyo]

The Floette/Flabebe/Florges line. Could get something akin to a thorny plant physical variant.
Dunsparce could get a Flying/Dragon evolution, just for a buff’s sake.
A feathered Aereodactyl that could be a flying-fighting.

 

[Bolt Strike]

I forgot another one, an Ice type variant of the Onix line as a reference to the Crystal Onix from the anime. Onix can be Ice/Rock and Steelix can be Ice/Steel.

 

[RK9]

Ninetales: This one already has an Ice/Fairy one, but I feel something using Ghost would have been a way better fit, considering what it's based off of. Ghost/Psychic perhaps, or even mono-Ghost would be fine.
Gyarados: Something like Dark/Dragon? Other than Guzzlord and the Hydreigon line nothing else has this typing and Gyarados has plenty enough physical tools to make use of it.
Dragonite: This one has been brought up before and I think this one has a lot of possibilities. Fairy, Water to go more with Dragonair's aesthetic but you could also go for a grounded variant of Dragonite that can't fly but is an absolute behemoth on land so something like Ground. If anything, I'd love to see one for the Dragonite line cause of the many possibilities that can be explored.
Furret: It's said to hunt Rattatta and it burrows mazes so perhaps something like Dark/Ground?
Noctowl: As a kid I always thought Noctowl was a Psychic-type so might as well make it happen! Mono Psychic would be fine, but Psychic/Flying, Psychic/Ghost or Psychic/Dark is something could also work out fine.
Ledian: Man, this thing is so weak. But I think a Fighting-type variant would be really cool. It already gets Iron Fist and a couple of Punch moves so why not double down? Especially considering the boxing appearance.
Tyranitar: The big lad. He's based after Kaijus so there's plenty to work with here. Fire? Water? Ground? Pick your choice and make it reality.
Torkoal: As a tortoise, there are plenty of other paths you can go with this.
Flygon: Hears someone shout something about Bug-type
Zangoose: Ground, Fighting or Dark is something I can see for this.
Seviper: Like Zangoose, I can definitely see Ground or Dark be on the table. Perhaps both could share one typing and then each has a different typing?
Milotic: As it is said to be able to calm angry feelings and such, Fairy-type would be great. Fairy/Flying has potential here. If you don't like floating as enough reason for becoming Flying, just do Fairy/Psychic or mono Fairy, I guess.
Glalie: Rock or Steel.
Lucario: I know people are sick and tired of Lucario (So am I) but I feel it's design inspiration allows for some playing around with regional stuff.
Drapion: Ground/Water
Toxicroak: It's said to be related to Seismitoad so what if it gets a typing that shows that more? Something like Ground/Fighting could be cool.
Porygon-Z: You could potentially play into the corrupted computer virus angle by making it Dark.
Seismitoad: Said to eb related to Toxicroak so perhaps the typings for a regional could show that too. Water/Poison.
Maractus: A cactus that pries away Flying-types. Perhaps something like Ground/Psychic?
Reuniclus: The liquid of its body is said to be toxic so I can definitely see a Poison-type variant here.
Sawsbuck: What if Deerling... could evolve into one of 4 regional Sawsbuck forms... with different typings each representing the seasons... T-that'd be silly, right?
Eelektross: It's an eel and is said to live and lure it's pray into the ocean. The Water-type is a given here. As it comes out to get pray you could maybe go with Ground or if you want to pray onto the sucking stuff into the ocean along with it, go with Dark I guess.
Haxorus: Surely those tusks aren't for show. With it, it could easily pass as a Steel-type. One Pokemon fangame made a variant of Haxorus Water/Steel by turning it into a Shark-like entity like Garchomp and it's something that I'd be fine with.
Accelgor: The Ninja. Potentially a ninja sea slug? By making it Water it can use Water Shuriken a bit more potently. Downside would be it stay Bug for a part but it worked for Runerigus so why not.
Druddigon: It always makes me sad to see this abdboy be left behind in favor for other Dragons. As it lives in caves and infiltrates in tunnels, I can definitely be Rock or Ground while it also bears aspects of Gargoyles, who are known to turn into rocks. Rock/Dragon or Rock/Ground, I suppose.
Goodra: Water is something that's a given when looking at it. COuld potentially include Poison as a secondary typing.
Lycanroc: A Regional Pokémon that actually works as an Ice-type for a change since it's a wolf.

Quite a long list with some popular Pokémon in there (I know people are sick of them but it's inevitable sometimes), but they are necessary to sell the product I suppose. Tried to make it mostly mons taht are a bit more obscure, forgotten or not people's go to because of different options.

 

[Nitro Indigo]

It seems like people are using this as a "change a Pokémon's type" thread.

Anyway, I was imagining what it would be like if there were regional variants of a previous trio of starters. I could imagine you being able to choose between them at the start of a postgame, and they could be another type triangle like the Galarian Legendary Birds.

 

[CynthiaLover]

I would love to see Tauros get a Fighting-type variant, especially since it now has some new toys to play with in the form of Close Combat and Throat Chop, both of which would be good moves for a Fighting-type Tauros. And I think getting an evolution would be grand for it, maybe make it a Fighting/Steel or Fighting/Ground.

As for others, I can see regional variants for Mons like Legendary Beasts, since GF didn't mind giving the Legendary Birds one, though I do know that the Legendary Birds have the least amount of lore out of all the legendary Mons, so it was relatively easy to give them variants. But maybe give the Legendary Beasts a new elemental triangle for regional variants would be cool, especially since Raikou and Entei kinda don't have a real elemental advantage between them. And considering that they're some of the most notorious roaming legends out there, along with the fact that they're known for traveling the world, it wouldn't be a stretch for them to gain a regional variant if they ventured to a very far away region and had to adapt to it. Maybe they'll even get an evolution if that were to happen, as evolving legendary Mons are no longer a taboo of sorts thanks to Cosmog, Type: Null, and, to a different degree, Meltan.

That's all I've got off the top of my head. Maybe later I'll add in a few more ideas.

 

[BigBadButterfree]

Marill and Azumarill, maybe? Best I can come up with is fighting/fairy, make it a little sumo wrestler. I just feel like they're a perfect candidate to get a variant.

I feel like Shiftry could somehow be turned into a native American dancer, with the headdress and leaf fans, but idk what type that would be or if that would be too risky of controversy.

I've always thought it would be kinda neat if the Eeveelutions all had variants. Personally, I would make it:
Flying Vaporeon, with wings instead of fins.
Fighting Jolteon, basically same logic as Zapdos.
Ground Flareon, kinda like lava vents and steam.
Ghost Espeon, more in-tune with the past rather than the future.
Poison Umbreon, just fits given its dex entries.
Rock Leafeon, this is the hardest one for me, can't really make an easy transition lol.
Steel Glaceon, its pointy fur becomes hard enough like needles.
Dragon Sylveon, I guess just being the other "mythical" type. The other option is bug with feelers and... I just don't like that.

I hate to choose something from gen 1, but Tentacool and Tentacruel could get a variant that is a polypoid instead of medusoid cnidarian. It could be like a sea anemone, and they could even give it a symbiotic relationship with a new clownfish Pokemon. I would think poison/electric would be most fitting. Keeping water just seems so boring.

I'm sure I can think of more lol.

 

[R1ke]

I have a few:
- Rock/Fighting Nidoking/Nidoqueen. So start as pure rock types that gain the fighting types after reaching their final stages. I can imagine these living in more mountainous areas and have a more armored appearance. They’ll maybe look dark brown/gray/black in colour.
- Kinda surprised nobody’s mentioned this yet, but Growlithe and Arcanine. Either the water/ice variant or a Fire/Fairy one. I think the 2nd one suits it better, given the lore behind Arcanine as is. It can look more majestic.
- Grass/Dragon Aggron. Although the typing’s probably not gonna be that good in competitive, I thought it’d be cool to make a ‘tropical’ version of it. It could be a more agile but frailer variation, and peacefully live in the forest (compared to how regular Aggrons wander the mountains and aggressively guard their territory). That being said, the typing does overlap with Alolan Exeguttor’s, which can be redundant.

Alternatively, a Fire/Dragon Aggron that lives in volcanic areas.

That’s all I can think of for now.

 

[RK9]

- Kinda surprised nobody’s mentioned this yet, but Growlithe and Arcanine. Either the water/ice variant or a Fire/Fairy one. I think the 2nd one suits it better, given the lore behind Arcanine as is. It can look more majestic.

Not really aimed at you in specific, but turning Fire-types into the complete opposite like Ice or Water stuff is something I severely dislike.

Not to mention the fact the bulk of the Regionals we have somehow incorporate the Ice-type.

That said, Starters are an easy one. This way you can give them some more 'outlandish' types that people want on them while also still retaining a type triangle. In a way, you ahve 'starters for veterans' like this. (It also lightens the load from people who want Starters to constantly want the gimmicks so you have Dyna, Giga and Mega slots free for other stuff)

 

[R1ke]

Not really aimed at you in specific, but turning Fire-types into the complete opposite like Ice or Water stuff is something I severely dislike.

Not to mention the fact the bulk of the Regionals we have somehow incorporate the Ice-type.

Yeah no worries I get you. I just brought that one up because I kept seeing it mentioned by people on the internet. Like in youtube videos and comments especially so I figured it be popular here too. I’d be more keen with the fire/fairy one anyways because it makes more sense imo.

 

[Emmy]

Just a few off the top of my head.

Shiftry - Flying/Dark in going full in with the Tengu motif by ditching the oak parts for avian features.
Nickit - Psychic type because it became the guardian of local shrines or somesuch. Obviously in reference to Inari Kami.
Arcanine - Either Ice or Rock Type to represent Tibet's Celestial Snow Lions or China's Imperial Stone Lions respectively.
Houndoom - Ghost type. Moving away from Asia to the British Isles for the spectral "Black Dog" that is commonly told to be roaming the various countrysides and whatnot.

 

[Kallyle]

If we ever get another American region that incorporates New England, then I’d like to see a Ghost/Water version of Sinistea referencing the Boston Tea Party. It could also have a regional evolution when given a coffee cup called Coffeegeist!

 

[Bolt Strike]

I hate to choose something from gen 1, but Tentacool and Tentacruel could get a variant that is a polypoid instead of medusoid cnidarian. It could be like a sea anemone, and they could even give it a symbiotic relationship with a new clownfish Pokemon. I would think poison/electric would be most fitting. Keeping water just seems so boring.

For some reason I keep thinking Grass for Tentacool/Tentacruel and having their tentacles become vines. IDK, my mind is weird sometimes.

If we ever get another American region that incorporates New England, then I’d like to see a Ghost/Water version of Sinistea referencing the Boston Tea Party. It could also have a regional evolution when given a coffee cup called Coffeegeist!

They could probably just do that for Unova remakes.

 

[Chevywolf30]

Lycanroc: A Regional Pokémon that actually works as an

Exactly this. Ice type Lycanrockruff would be AWESOME.