Why can´t Pokémon be captured once defeated?

[MatNX]

When you want to capture a Pokémon, you have to weaken it first. This is common knowledge among trainers. If not it can easily break free or the ball can even bounce off. Status changes may also help. In Sinnoh we learn that this is because the Pokéball abuses the Pokémons natural instinct to cower when weak. But then there is of course the question: Why can´t we capture it when it is defeated? It can´t be because it can´t "cower" anymore, since some unweakened or to a solid block of ice frozen Pokémon can still be captured. Defeated Pokémon also don´t dissapear, do they. Trainer-Pokémon at least don´t. so what is the reason for that? I would love to see your ideas and suggestions. Start the discussions!

 

[KaylaBaraonda]

Game mechanics. The game sees it as the Pokémon not existing anymore (unless it's like a pokémon of a npc with two or more pokémon) but the anime and Pokéspe have trainers catching fainted Pokémon (with many unusual exceptions where the Pokémon is befriended without a battle)

 

[Stratelier]

It's purely a reason of game mechanics ... and it's genius.

There are a wide variety of RPGs where befriending/capturing/recruiting a creature occurs after defeating them -- and whether you succeed at it is generally just as RNG-based as throwing Pokeballs. Except that when a Pokeball breaks you can just immediately throw another one, whereas in the other systems you functionally get only one chance per encounter. This is ultimately a more frustrating system, especially when you're hunting creatures that are rare encounters to begin with. In Pokemon, if I spent 30 minutes looking for e.g. a wild Riolu or Lapras (5% encounter rates), I at least have the satisfaction that once I do find one, I know I can catch it it so long as neither of us make any stupid moves in the process (hello, Final Gambit and/or Perish Song).

But back to the mechanics. Pokemon's system requires you to choose from two mutually exclusive options: do you defeat the Pokemon, or try to catch it in a Poke ball? (Note that prior to Gen VI catching a Pokemon yielded no EXP.) Catching takes more skill here -- you have to anticipate and moderate your team's damage output to weaken the Pokemon without actually KO'ing it. (Remember there are no mechanical differences in damage output vs. HP between a wild Pokemon and a opponent trainer's Pokemon; the only difference is that trainers usually have several Pokemon.) You have to gear up on supplies (healing items, etc.) to withstand all the free attacks you'll be letting the wild Pokemon take against you while you spend turns throwing Poke Balls. You have to actually use a different strategy when catching wild Pokemon than when trying to defeat an opposing Trainer.

And especially with low-catch-rate species (like optional legendaries), these battles are often MUCH longer, much more difficult, and thus much more rewarding when that ball finally locks shut and it's over.

 

[CynthiaLover]

@Stratelier pretty much nailed it. Unlike most other monster "recruitment" games, Pokemon forces you to be conservative with your firepower if you want to add a new teammate to your roster. In most other games that involve scouting and recruiting monsters, like certain Dragon Quest games, Yu-Gi-Oh The Falsebound Kingdom, and Digimon World 2, you need to beat the tar out of the monster you want to join you, whereas Pokemon you have to play strategically in order to achieve the same goal. While the anime plays it differently, it's because the games consider a wild fainted Mon lost forever, whereas the anime's case, as long as it's still alive (or at least still within range), it can be caught no matter the outcome of the battle (if a battle even took place at all). And like Stratelier said, it's quite brilliant as easily separates Pokemon from other games of the same nature/idea.

You really have to take a different approach when catching Pokemon than other games, like my aforementioned examples, as the key is not to outright defeat your target, but whittle it down slowly to the point you are within range of your goal. This is especially true with rarer and hard-to-find ones, as the reward of the hunt isn't in defeating your foe, it's successfully obtaining it. That's why Pokemon's "strategy" in that sense is quite brilliant, as it separates itself from other games with the same/similar mentality. So while other games require you to knock the stuffing out of your target to obtain it, Pokemon requires more thinking and clever planning if you want to obtain the Mon you're hunting down. It's actually quite the clever twist and requires you to plan ahead, which is what separates Pokemon from others of its kind. That's my 2 cents on the subject.

 

[Incinerawr]

Gameplay-wise, it's to add a notch of challenge and difficulty to the experience to the ordeal. Other than that, it may be a sign of the trainer's trust to the wild Pokemon, showing his/her desire to make them their friend without causing them serious harm. Paralysis isn't so friendly though

 

[MatNX]

So, I get that it is a mechanic, and the way you described it, it seems to be a brilliant one. But still, the catching mechanism from the in-game point of view is still a mystery. There have been a lot of mechanics that have been given a proper explaination. You can't escape from trainers, just because it would set a bad example for your Pokémon. (BW) You can only carry 6 Pokémon because it is a rule by the league. (Manga) Gym leaders are supposed to be the strongest trainers around, yet you can defeat them in order. This is explained by them choosing Pokémon based on your skill level. (Origins) So there should be a reasonable explaination.

Incinerawrs approach is an interesting one, and it can be true for most Pokémon, but there are extreme ones like Mewtwo, whose friendship at the beginning is 0. It literally can't hate you more. Still, a Master Ball should be able to catch it everytime.

Oh, and KaylaBataonda, you mentioned situations in Anime and Manga where they were caught after defeat. Can you give me specific examples, I'd like to know the factors playing into that and differentiate it to other captures, that might help figuring the reason out.

 

[DoctorWhy]

Balance and mechanics. It would just never work that way. It would be unbalanced and tedious.

 

[Stratelier]

There have been a lot of mechanics that have been given a proper explaination.

Not everything requires a narrative explanation. (Why can Pokemon only remember four moves at a time again?)