Should the anime get rid of the 4-moveslots limit? Why and why not?

[SinnohEevee]

Should Pokémon be able to know more than 4 moves at once? If so, what should be the limit without breaking the meta?

 

[Shadao]

Hasn't that rule been broken before? I say this once before, and I'll say it again:

The anime should get rid of the move-limit set only for dramatic reasons. Like Drake's Dragonite for example. It makes the battle more intense. Personally, I prefer that the move limit be unofficially enforced, because it makes no sense to make that game mechanic literal in the anime. They didn't bother with HP or TMs, so a four set limit should be the same. But it does force the protagonist and the writers to come with creative ways of making a battle exciting.

 

[Playerking]

It's been broken before, but I'm sure those were just errors. And no, they shouldn't get rid of it, because otherwise some Pokemon could become too powerful and too clustered. For the most part, the anime should follow the games and how many moves Pokemon can know at once should be one of them.

 

[Harryghost]

I personally love it when the anime follows the mechanics just as they are from the games, without much straying, so, no, it shouldn't...

The maximum of four moves on the moveset of a Pokémon has been and always will be the thing in the games, and considering how the anime writers have been following this mechanic religiously in the recent years, it wouldn't make much sense (to me, at least), to get rid of it all of a sudden. Sure, there are examples such as Drake's Dragonite and Ash's Snorlax, but I reason that these were during the initial years of the anime, a time when the writers clearly did not care much about following the game mechanics along the same lines they do now. If anything, it actually pleases me that the writers decided to do what they do now with this mechanic, as it reduces the generation of Pokémon such as Drake's Dragonite, which were intended to be overpowered somewhat by virtue of their moveset alone.

Also, in a similar vein to the Move Reminder, the anime Pokémon tend to relearn previous moves as well *cough*Cilan's Pansage*cough* so, if a move is not among the four moves it knows, but is needed to carry the plot forward, that isn't much a problem as well...

 

[Gabo2oo]

I just want Volt Tackle back, to be honest...

 

[Nicolas721]

Yes, it makes strong Pokemon more intimidating, and as metagame players can say, it's hard to balance STABs, coverage and support (that doesn't mean I support more moves in the games). And in long battles in the anime some battles end up repetitive after a while. Pikachu specially needs a few more tactics so his battles get more unpredictable.

But it's not going to happen, first because they have followed the rule religiously for 10 years or so, and second because stock footage saves them a lot of money and less moves means more savings, which is likely the reason why half of the XY cast had 3 moves.

 

[Johtohfiller]

Anime battles aren't game battles. The anime never should have picked up the 4 move rule in the first place.

stock footage saves them a lot of money and less moves means more savings, which is likely the reason why half of the XY cast had 3 moves.

Probably true.

 

[Harryghost]

The anime never should have picked up the 4 move rule in the first place.

But the anime is meant to showcase the game mechanics (which it does well at times, and at the other times, it tends to throw the mechanics out of the window *cough*Island Trials*cough* ). If anything, I believe picking up the mechanic actually causes gamers to connect and engross better in the anime battles, than if the Pokémon could use, say, fifteen moves in a single one.

Well, that is just my opinion, buddy. To each their own, I'd say!

 

[Cresselia92]

I think Pokémon should get more than four moves, but have an unspoken rule of not being allowed to use more than four moves per battle, excluding in some rare circumstances.

I mean, it is ridiculous that something like a Serperior is forced to waste a "moveslot" just to be able to Wrap something, for example. Same thing goes for things like Odor Sleuth and even simple Tackle attacks.

I'm not saying that a Pokémon should be overloaded with moves and have like 15+ attacks in its arsenal. However, having a Pokémon with something like six moves and "swap" them during battles wouldn't be that bad. It would almost like using a TM or a relearner to teach moves to handle different battles without actually using TMs or asking to a relearner in the actual anime.

 

[SinnohEevee]

The anime adapts the games, but it also tries to be realistic. Does this limit conflict with the anime's realism?

 

[Harryghost]

The anime adapts the games, but it also tries to be realistic. Does this limit conflict with the anime's realism?

I don't think so. The games are as realistic in plot and story as the anime (even more for that matter *cough* Lysandre's death *cough*), so if Pokémon can forget old moves in favour of new ones in the games, I sure believe they can in the anime as well.

I say, forgetting moves in the anime does not have any literal meaning; it can be equated to how we tend to forget some techniques pertaining to such events like swimming or cycling, if we are long out-of-practice with them. Similar is the case with Pokémon and moves; they "forget" how to use a certain move, as they did not use it for quite some time.

Also, can I say that I like how you post little questions on this thread to keep the conversation going!

 

[Shadao]

The maximum of four moves on the moveset of a Pokémon has been and always will be the thing in the games, and considering how the anime writers have been following this mechanic religiously in the recent years, it wouldn't make much sense (to me, at least), to get rid of it all of a sudden. Sure, there are examples such as Drake's Dragonite and Ash's Snorlax, but I reason that these were during the initial years of the anime, a time when the writers clearly did not care much about following the game mechanics along the same lines they do now. If anything, it actually pleases me that the writers decided to do what they do now with this mechanic, as it reduces the generation of Pokémon such as Drake's Dragonite, which were intended to be overpowered somewhat by virtue of their moveset alone..

In regards to Drake's Dragonite, I would actually cite it as a good example of when that rule should be broken. After all, Atsuhiro Tomioka said it makes Dragonite seem more unbeatable and the victory that Ash earns all the more satisfying. Plus, Drake was the champion and the final test. So having him break the rule is something I can live.

Or if you don't want an official champion, then perhaps a villain would suffice. After all, villains don't play fair and Team Rocket demonstrate that with two vs one.

 

[SamurottMan]

Didn't the anime went over 4 moves a lot of times during OS, AG, DP.

I think they become fully faithful to the 4 moves limit starting BW.

As for the question, I wouldn't mind it, but 4 moves are also just enough. Besides, recently the anime has started to be very stingy on the topic of teaching new moves. Most Pokemon debut with 3 moves and go through an entire series with no change.

 

[Harryghost]

Most Pokemon debut with 3 moves and go through an entire series with no change.

This.

COME ON, WRITERS! Is it so hard to generate full movesets?

 

[Rath]

No, because without a limit, battles would devolve into "he used [X move]? Then I'll counter with [Y move]!"

Remember Drake's Dragonite who used ten different moves in a single episode? Every battle would be like that.

The limit makes it so that trainers (and the writers) have to make do with what they have.

 

[Cresselia92]

Didn't the anime went over 4 moves a lot of times during OS, AG, DP.

I think they become fully faithful to the 4 moves limit starting BW.

Actually, Cilan's Pansage broke somewhat the rule, since it swapped between Bite and Rock Tomb between episodes. The only constant moves were Bullet Seed, Dig and Solar Beam.

It was XY that became much stricter in that regard.

No, because without a limit, battles would devolve into "he used [X move]? Then I'll counter with [Y move]!"

Remember Drake's Dragonite who used ten different moves in a single episode? Every battle would be like that.

The limit makes it so that trainers (and the writers) have to make do with what they have.

I don't think anybody wants Pokémon to have unlimited movesets. Just that being stuck to only four moves and forgetting stuff that would make sense just to "free a moveslot" feels somewhat unrealistic.

To give an example, look at Pikachu learning Electro Ball. Isn't that odd the fact that Pikachu suddenly forgot how to coat himself with electricity and ram at the opponent just because he learned how to fire an electric ball? That would be almost like someone forgetting how to ride a bike once said person learns how to drive a car.

Hence why I prefer the "only four moves per battle" rule, so that Trainers would be forced to use only a limited set of moves and adapt to the circumstance, kind of like what Cilan did during his battles.

 

[Johtohfiller]

But the anime is meant to showcase the game mechanics (which it does well at times, and at the other times, it tends to throw the mechanics out of the window *cough*Island Trials*cough* ). If anything, I believe picking up the mechanic actually causes gamers to connect and engross better in the anime battles, than if the Pokémon could use, say, fifteen moves in a single one.

Well, that is just my opinion, buddy. To each their own, I'd say!

The anime has never been a strict adaptation of game mechanics, type advantage being the most obvious example - it's barely even a thing in the anime. Evolved Pokemon don't always outclass unevolved ones, to use another obvious one.

Anime battles also employ many tactics that aren't possible in the games - that's one of my favorite things about the show.

 

[Harryghost]

The anime has never been a strict adaptation of game mechanics, type advantage being the most obvious example - it's barely even a thing in the anime. Evolved Pokemon don't always outclass unevolved ones, to use another obvious one.

Eh... I was talking specifically about the "four moves" mechanic. But, I'll agree with you on this one; as I mentioned in my previous post, the anime does tend to ignore some mechanics at some random times, though this was more prominent during the initial days than now. Though, these deviations, I would account to the anime's realism more than anything else.

Anime battles also employ many tactics that aren't possible in the games - that's one of my favorite things about the show.

Yes, these are some of my favourite things in the anime as well.

 

[PkmnTrainerV]

Just replace Electro Ball with Volt Tackle and I'll be fine with a four-slot limit.

 

[Rockapheller]

The early episodes of the animé should not be pointed out as a reason that it is not accurate. Because it is very obvious that the animé was not settled in the beginning, and the Pokémon were not limited with moves for sure. I am not sure when it was decided to limit the moves for the first time, but either in Johto or Hoenn that is.

Some other times in the further series, Pokémon DID swap moves, or crossed the four-limit, but it is extremely exceptional, and means nothing much as a whole picture.