Will the starters get Hisuian forms?

[blitzle stan]

This, to me, is the most interesting topic about these games so far, because I'm seeing really strong opinions that are very different from own really strong opinions. So what are your opinions?

 

[Emmy]

I keep going back and forth on this. On the one hand, I feel like there’s no way they won’t give something to the Legends Starters since ORAS gave them Megas and SWSH gave them Gigantamax (eventually) so the Legends Starters gotta have something special to make them stand out since they’re not new ‘mons themselves.

But the other half of my brain says it’s GameFreak so I should temper my expectations.

 

[Phosphene]

I don't see the Sinnoh starters getting Hisuian forms because they and their evolutions are sort of the face, so to speak, of Sinnoh. I feel like giving their evolutions would sort of diminish that. If they do get anything, I imagine it would be Megas, and mostly likely from BDSP. And, while I wish and hope they get new forms, I'm starting to think the Legends starters won't get any either. Two out of the three evolutions I think match up rather well with the theme (archer and samurai), while to my understanding Typlosion is some sort of reference/nod to something also lines up with it. I don't think GameFreak would pick Pokémon with evolutions that match the tone of the game and then give them redesigned forms.

 

[Emmy]

Two out of the three evolutions I think match up rather well with the theme (archer and samurai), while to my understanding Typlosion is some sort of reference/nod to something also lines up with it.

See, people went with that theory initially but I was never completely sold as the Starters are from foreign lands so why would they be representing Japanese samurai? (Who are also anachronistic to this time period also). Instead a theory that I am enamoured with is that they’re instead analogous to the Owl, the Sea Otter and the Volcano in Ainu culture which all are connected with deities of some kind - so what if being blessed by PokéGod Arceus causes their final Evolutions to change to a Hisuian form or something?

 

[blitzle stan]

See, people went with that theory initially but I was never completely sold as the Starters are from foreign lands so why would they be representing Japanese samurai? (Who are also anachronistic to this time period also). Instead a theory that I am enamoured with is that they’re instead analogous to the Owl, the Sea Otter and the Volcano in Ainu culture which all are connected with deities of some kind - so what if being blessed by PokéGod Arceus causes their final Evolutions to change to a Hisuian form or something?

I lean more toward that thinking for how they chose the starters... they clearly did not want to go with the Sinnoh ones in order to make these games unique, and they just chose starters that best fit the region (and they do seem to be leaning into the Ainu, at least some). I doubt you'll interact with Arceus before they evolve though, and I don't see temporary forms like Megas appearing with this new battle system (if only because it is brand new), and I also don't see them getting Hisuian forms because they are not from Hisui, unless they really set a surprising precedent of how immediate a regional variant can be 'created' in a region.

Personally, I voted for the Sinnoh starters getting them. They are already the face of BDSP, so it would be nice for them to give them new forms for this game after players literally just played with them 3 months before this releases. And Hisuian forms for their final evolutions makes perfect sense to me with this being a new region technically. In Sinnoh, the starters are very domesticated (you can't even find them in the wild), so the forms we know are their domesticated/Sinnoh forms. But here they are in the wild, which can easily affect how they evolve (and create a lot of marketing buzz while making perfect logic).

 

[Neyo]

I don’t think that either of the starters sets will get new forms. I want them to, but I don’t think they will.
They don’t have any visual differences from their standard forms, at least that we’ve seen so far.
So, while a new form for them is possible, there isn’t really much evidence that they will get anything novel.

 

[Hidden Mew]

I don't know if I can see any fourth generation Pokemon getting Hisuian forms, let alone the Sinnoh starters themselves. I think that giving the Legends starters new forms is a bit more plausible by comparison, but not by much. I love the idea of Hisuian evolutions for the Legends starters, especially for Typhlosion. I love Charizard as much as the next person, but I have wanted a new form for Typhlosion since Mega Evolution was introduction. I'd pay good money to get a Mega Typhlosion or a Gigantamax Typhlosion. New forms for Samurott and Decidueye would be really great too, but considering that Cyndaquil was my first starter Pokemon, Typhlosion getting some much needed love does make me more excited.

I don't think it's too likely to actually happen though. Giving new forms for these starters and not to the other ones from their respective generation would be a bit odd. They may have something else to make these starters stand out marketing wise, but I wouldn't be upset if I turned out to be wrong about this.

 

[Esserise]

Can’t vote ‘cause I’m not committed to any possibility.

I haven’t ruled anything out - I certainly think it’s feasible for the new Starter trio to get new evolutions, but at the same time, like SpinyShell says, the set of Decidueye, Typhlosion, and Samurott as they are wouldn’t feel out of place here.

I’m less receptive to the idea that the traditional Sinnoh Starters could receive Hisuian evolutions, but hey, Game Freak have surprised me before.

See, people went with that theory initially but I was never completely sold as the Starters are from foreign lands so why would they be representing Japanese samurai?

Well, tbf the Oshawott line was originally designed as the Japanese part of the European / Chinese / Japanese thematic that they wanted for Gen 5’s Starters. So it is meant to be Japanese, in spirit, even if it’s from another region.

 

[Esiouqrut]

I'm slightly more inclined to believe that the PLA starters could have a Hisuian form/evo. Not by much though, maybe like 51/49.
As for Sinnoh starters, I doubt they'll get any new form. But, hey, anything could happen.

See, people went with that theory initially but I was never completely sold as the Starters are from foreign lands so why would they be representing Japanese samurai? (Who are also anachronistic to this time period also). Instead a theory that I am enamoured with is that they’re instead analogous to the Owl, the Sea Otter and the Volcano in Ainu culture which all are connected with deities of some kind - so what if being blessed by PokéGod Arceus causes their final Evolutions to change to a Hisuian form or something?

While I'm not the supporter of one theory or another, the problem I have with this theory is exactly what you've said. Why would they be representing Hisuian indigenous people's culture if they are brought from some foreign lands?

 

[nickdt]

Giving the Legends starters (So not the Sinnoh ones), goes against the already established lore that it takes time for a regional evolution to happen.

 

[Kallyle]

I'm a little conflicted. While I do think a set of starters could get Hisuian variants, I don't think the it will be the two sets of starters we know for sure will be in these games, partially because I think Game Freak would find that too predictable. Rather, I'm going to go out of left field and say that the starters that could get new forms would be the Hoenn trio instead (at least their 2nd and 3rd stages since the 1st stages are too iconic). Now, why do I think that? I largely blame the SwSh Expansion Pass including them in Dynamax Adventures, but I also think it would make good thematic sense as well as a fun meta commentary throwback.

In addition to the previously mentioned starter trio, Dynamax Adventures contains Galar native Pokémon, Legendaries not in any of Galar's Pokédexes, and even non-native regional forms. All of them have explanations (even the Galar natives since it is in their home region) and are even acknowledged to be found in the Max Lair: with the sole exception being the Hoenn starters. There isn't even a meta excuse like giving Kabu a Blaziken for the Galarian All-Star Tournament and Game Freak not wanting to split up a trio of starters for too long of a time period. However, if they were added to get our minds thinking about them in preparation of giving them something new (just not in SwSh), then it makes perfect sense as they'd be in the "non Gen 8 variations" category!

Not only that, but this could also make both good thematic sense and for a cool meta commentary! We could have the Hoenn trio native to a tropical region being forced to change their ways through the harsh environments of the Hisui region, symbolizing how the players had to adapt from changes in mechanics from Gen 3 to the ones present within Gen 4 (mainly the physical/special split). It also symbolizes how Gen 4 started development as a GBA game (same as Gen 3) and then moved over to being developed on the DS instead.

It's unlikely, but I can only really see the Hoenn starters getting Hisuian variants rather than the ones we know to be present simply on the basis of Game Freak wanting to be unpredictable. For this reason, I voted that neither the imported nor the native starters will be getting Hisuian variants.

 

[blitzle stan]

I thought about including a fifth poll option that was like "a different set of starters" but then forgot to include it. Dang it, sorry! I think it would be cool if that happened, and extremely unexpected.

 

[Esserise]

Giving the Legends starters (So not the Sinnoh ones), goes against the already established lore that it takes time for a regional evolution to happen.

But exactly how much time has never actually been established. Like I said in another thread, just because we tend to assume it works over many generations like Darwinian evolution doesn’t mean it actually does. There’s one NPC in Sun & Moon tries comparing regional forms to getting a tan, and that certainly bears out when it comes to the game mechanics - you can take a Koffing from anywhere into the Galar region, and it will evolve into a Galarian Weezing.

 

[multiingbe]

Yes, one wonders if it is going to be this way, it seems like an important concept that would make all of the Legends games exciting!!

 

[blitzle stan]

Well, the newest trailer showed Empoleon so my theory/wish is dead. I guess Scyther can evolve differently in Hisui but not the DPP starters.

Oh well, now I’m hoping the Legends starters get new forms just so that there’s something new and exciting about starters in this game. We’ll see!

 

[Joker901]

On the other hand. They keep showing the Hisui Starters in their base form. Actually a level before evolution. Even if I was totally not convinced before, I'm starting to believe Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott may actually be getting new evolutions.

 

[blitzle stan]

On the other hand. They keep showing the Hisui Starters in their base form. Actually a level before evolution. Even if I was totally not convinced before, I'm starting to believe Rowlet, Cyndaquil and Oshawott may actually be getting new evolutions.

Yeah honestly, same. I still think it would be a better decision to have given new forms to the DPP starters because everyone will literally just have used them in BDSP, but the marketing is leaning toward new forms for the Legends starters.

Having Oshawott face off against Kleavor was certainly an... interesting choice. Not Dewott... Oshawott.

 

[Esiouqrut]

The more they release trailers, the more I'm convinced that there might be something to the starters after all. They're very obviously deliberately not showing even the first evos, and that really suspicious.

 

[Esserise]

Yeah, mark me down as now being in the "it's happening" camp

 

[Eeeveee87]

I think that'd be nice but there has yet to be a starter regional form and so while possible of course, I'd say it's unlikely.