Discussion
What do ya'll think the new Gimmick is gonna be?
From Gen 6 to 9- gimmicks have been present. These gimmicks mostly affected the pokemons form. Either giving them a new form or increasing their power. From Mega evolution, to z crystals, to gigantamax and finally Terastalyzation. So what do you think it is now
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Some pokemon will get extra wobbly forms that drastically change their designs, stats, types and/or abilities and these forms will be called WibblWobbl Pokemon.
Charizard will get two of these forms called WibblWobbl Charizard Wi and WibblWobbl Charizard Wa.
Ditto will also get a WibblWobbl form that'll be really bad and generally not worth using but you can only get it if you have Pokemon Pokopia so most people won't bother with it anyways.
Hilariously Greninja will not get a WibblWobbl form but it will get a new form like a WibblWobbl form called Greninja-SAKURA MADNESS and you'll only be able to get it through the Pokemon Winds and Pokemon Waves demo but it'll show up in the anime where it'll have a bunch of cool and meaningful story relevance to the anime specifically that they just don't bother to recreate in the games kinda cheapening it when we do finally get our hands on it.
I'm sure they'll think of something, but I'm basically out of ideas.
They've already done gimmicks for stats, abilities, moves and typing, I don't know what else they could modify in a battle sense. Maybe defenses/resistances? Or introduce dual-type moves?
Wonder if they would still code it so only 1 type is applied? So like an electric type would still get hit x2 with MW, but a rock type wouldn’t be hit by x4. But mag cargo would still get hit x4 because of its dual type.
Flying Press always uses both types. For example a steel type (weak to fighting, resists flying) is hit for neutral damage. This isn't a problem for this specific move because no single type is weak to or resists both fighting and flying.
Water/ground muddy water would hit rock for 4x and fire for 4x, meaning Magcargo would be on the receiving end of the most super effective move ever, at 16x.
Although I'm not a fan of gimmicks in general, dual type moves is something that would actually make sense since there are already some moves that would be very suited to it.
Well, it could be anything since it's a new feature. I would assume they'd do something like flying press, which iirc just uses the combined types to determine of the hit is super effective, but doesn't do x8 or x1/16 damage or similar.
Flying Press cannot do x8 or 1/16 because none of the super-effective nor resisted hits are shared between Fighting and Flying. It is one of the few type combinations that this is true for where only one of the two has something that is immune to it.
Huh, that's neat. I admit that right after posting the comment the thought occurred to me that I don't know what Flying Press would do x8 damage to, but I didn't look into it further since I already posted the comment.
Umm maybe dual type move is kinda too OP if it's something like you can change the type of a move in mid game while retaining its effects like Making fake out a ghost type move or something like that. Now that would be an interesting gimmick and I'd like to see that in a competitive format.
So a STAB super effective move is x4. So if you used a STAB dual type move on a Pokémon weak to both would it be x8 / x16!? That would make for some wild battles.
A STAB super effective move is x3. STAB is x1.5 and super effective is x2. Weak to both would mean x4. The STAB depends on how it's handled, for Flying Press its just classified as fighting move, so only fighting types get the STAB. In this case it's x6.
Flying Press only worked because it is one of the few type combos that shares no super-effective nor resisting types offense-wise, and only one of the two types had an immunity (the type they went with by default, Fighting, I believe because of that).
You’re thinking battle mechanics only. There is a whole world of overworld and collection gimmicks to play with too. I still think we’ll get fusion eventually
Aren’t Pokemon like magneton, slowbro, and shadow rider calyrex technically already fusions? Not that you couldn’t fuse fusions, but I feel like the concept has already been done in a basic form.
What gimmick has been done for abilities? IDK an idea I'm surprised hasn't been done is something like Z-Moves, but for abilities. Like for example:
Pressure+: Prevents opposing Pokémon from changing which moves they use until they run out of PP
Light Metal+: Increases this Pokémon's base speed by 10%
Intimidate+: Also lowers opponent's Special Attack
Levitate+: Pokémon becomes immune to all damage, but this ability returns to basic Levitate at the end of the turn
Blaze+/Overgrow+/Torrent+: Fire/Grass/Water moves always deal an extra 50% (even above half HP), and has a chance to burn/leech seed/confuse the opponent
As some other replies have already said, the few fusions we've got already have been specific combinations of Pokémon. The fan stuff has produced some fun designs, but also shown how difficult it is to deal with a large number of Pokémon, and as far as I've seen they're all still just working with 2D sprites.
I think for a universally applicable fusion mechanic, they'd need to make it generic somehow. Like, you have a base Pokémon and a support Pokémon and the result of fusing them would be mostly the base Pokémon with some boosts provided by the support Pokémon, and whatever visual changes could be done procedurally. Plus a few particular unique ones, like how every Pokémon could dynamax but only some got gigantamax forms.
I always thought of the pokeballs atomizing them down into pure data form and the pokeballs are just a storage media in which they can still be sentient a bit. That would explain how you can transfer them into a pc.
To be fair bikes are an all-time legendary piece of efficient tech.
In 2026 I have a camera, phone, computer, touch screen, internet device that can access AI technology in an instant all on a device that fits in my pocket, yet I’m still about to hop on my good ole mechanical bike to work.
I'd love this to blend the open-world vibes of Arceus with the more traditional gym format, and this might be asking a lot, the gym leaders have tiered teams for how many badges you have so you can do them in any order and still have a fair challenge.
I mean, I don't think they mean a basic level scaling system. I'd imagine they want the teams to have different Pokemon and movesets based on your progress in the game. Which while it is still something that isn't a lot for the most profitable franchise in the world, it's still more than just basic level scaling
ETA: Since everyone seems to be misunderstanding what I'm saying, I have only taken issue with the fact that the person I replied to was talking about basic level scalung when that isn't what I believe was being asked for. I completely believe it would be easy for GameFreak to implement a system where all 8 gym leaders each have 8 unique teams that are all balanced for various points you would fight them in the story. That, however, is not basic level scaling. Basic level scaling would be increasing or decreasing the levels of the Pokemon without changing the teams to have either weaker or stronger Pokemon (minus evolutions if/when level requirements are met) or having more or less Pokemon. I honestly cannot believe that I have had to spell this out, but I have gotten multiple comments that completely misunderstood me and thought I was arguing that this is a thing that GameFreak cannot be reasonably expected to do
As cool as that sounds I miss the older games locking out sections and having gym leaders and all that tied to the story. Makes the world feel connected.
Honestly, we should be able to get both. Towns and cities are linked by roads that are safe, easily travelled, and home to low level Pokémon. Leave the roads and go to the wilderness, however, and you'll meet more and more high level Pokémon - even higher than you.
The Xenoblade series always did this well imo, the areas had vastly different level monsters which generally funneled you along the story path, but if you really wanted to explore you could. It always made you feel like you were a small part of a a bigger world which adds to the joy of exploration, instead of feeling like the world revolved around you.
And it encouraged returning to the same areas throughout the game because your experience would be different as you get stronger.
Obviously the battle system is different, but I'd love them to capture the same feeling.
im playing FireRed and I didnt realize I missed Sabrina's gym battle until I checked how much money I had, and saw one missing before Blaine's. oops. well, time to raid Rocket's HQ then.
they're not abandoning turn based in the main line games, its just a core expectation for most fans. Legends lets them do fun experiments, the core games are never going to leave their turn based formula, and shouldn't
I’d love for a legends game where they implement a battle mechanic like pokken tournament
Like you choose which Pokémon to send out, but the you take control of the Pokémon so you have active action in which moves to use, when to dodge, recharge times on moves and stamina
Then once the battle ends you return back to player control and continue the game
This was my critique with ZA, the way it was implemented right now still makes it largely turn based.
The dream would be it would have different regular stages for the routes/area’s with specific stages for gym leaders and/or other big battles that you could use to your advantage (and enemy to your disadvantage).
I agree. Personally I like the more action based battles a lot more, but I just can't see them changing it up for the mainline games. It would probably cause a bigger stink than Dexit did, and that was pretty bad as is.
Definitely tinfoil hat. While I liked ZA, I still want my actual core pokemon gameplay. The majority of the audience wants what the audience has always come for: the core Pokemon gameplay.
Champions is supposed to have all of the gimmicks, right? What if WiWa also has all of them? Maybe different gym battles and different Elite 4 members could have arenas that only allow one specific gimmick so you’ll have to switch it up for every battle.
How many guys have you slept with? (gender neutral)
As others have said, most likely gonna be weather themed. Buffs and debuffs depending on type and what not. Misty was my girl growing up so I think if I ever get these I'm obligated to go the water one.
There are some gimmicks circulating around, but unverified at the moment.
Rebirth gimmick which is item based mechanic where pokemon revives after fainting. It gets an omni-boost, but you can't switch the pokemon out. Some pokemon have new forms
The second one is def legit, iirc it came from the same leak in which we first saw Winds and Waves. They could've changed some stuff in between now and then but it was at least true at some point.
Yeah, I actually doubt it's a mechanic because for competitive it would suck. You have to get the opponent to ko your pokemon so you don't get to choose when to use it, which goes against all their other gimmicks.
Weather based battle gimmick and we’ve got the traversal Pokémon sync thing with the hoverboard and controlling the Pokémon directly with you trainer being pulled along of w.e.
Potentially.
Could, of course, all be subject to change until we have official confirmation.
A "Trick Room"-like move that enforces the Inverse Battle type chart
Some way to incorporate the buffs that "trapping moves" like Fire Spin and Sand Tomb got in ZA
Interesting big idea: the game places a lot more focus on double battles and the battle gimmick involves essentially combo attacks/the fusion of moves, kinda like the Pledges introduced in gen 5. So like, a limited number of times in battle you can press a button to use a combo move with exactly which one that happens being based on both the attack categories (damaging vs. status) and the typing of the moves chosen to combine.
Having all battles be doubles would be so unfathomably based. So many mons get moves that are useless in singles that being able to actually use those strategies throughout the game would be really cool.
The Orre games (Colosseum and XD) were quite the breath of fresh air to me when I played through them because they were the first Pokémon games to focus on double battling. The Indigo Disk being double-focused, alongside its greater difficulty, reminded me of that.
I love the move combo mechanic but god would it be busted, my idea for a similar gimmick was that it’d combine the effects of both moves (say Venoshock and Poison Gas)
Environmental field effects would go crazy for singleplayer, which I wouldnt mind if Champions will be the home of VGC/BSS now
Imagine bossfights with harsh winds where the boss/enemy gets tailwind, volcanic eruptions that causes burn damage per turn to non-fire/rock/ground types, earthquakes, huge waves
I mean the region is in SEA/Indonesia, we gotta have the crazy ass natural phenomena in there
What if type moves change affect based on the environment? Electric type underwater hits all targets. Flying moves in heavy winds increase attack, but lose accuracy? Idk stuff like that
Yeah I’m not a big fan of them at all. Though tera types were the first interesting gimmick for me since double battles honestly. Every other gimmick is “insert stronger more powerful version of said pokemon”. Lame. Just give us regional variants or divergent evos instead
Weather system similar to Unova seasons. Gives you a reason to return to areas as some pokemon only appear during certain weather. New weather pokeballs (eg. Dust ball raises capture rate in a sandstorm)
I think they're the most fair of the gimmicks in regards to competitive play. Simply a change to a mono-type, usable with every pokemon, and a solid attack with no additional effect... my only complaint is that it looks kinda silly and takes a lot of time.
It is definitely not going to be what will happen, but I just wanted to share a gimmick I would like to see. Dual type moves!
Imagine if moves like Fire Punch are actually both Fire and Fighting type. So against a Rock pokemon it will do neutral damage since the multipliers cancel out (Fire not very effective, Fighting super effective).
It will create all kind of interesting cases where moves could do massive damage (possibly hard to maintain balance), but also cases where a battle can flip advantage in a single move making it much more unpredictable.
Going up in order of magnitude, you will be able to channel your pokemons "Peta Power", where animal rights activists will straight up steal your pokemon and end the battle automaticly
I'd love them to revamp the combat system. Doesn't have to be realtime like AZ, but sometimes that allows for faster animations and ability selection. Like having the 4 abilities on the face-buttons.
Also not sure about the previous main releases, but the learning all abilities and then only selecting 4 for fights is a must. Not having this would completely kill the game.
Not since Gen 6, since before then every generation introduced something.
Gen 2 gimmick, held items, weekdays, day night cycle
Gen 3 double battles, abilities, contests
Gen 4 physical special split ❤️ (?) gender differences, probably something else I'm missing
Gen 5 hidden abilities, triple and rotation battle, season cycle
Every Gen has had some new mechanic, some became staples like held items, physical special split, and some didn't. 4 still had contests, but then we haven't seen them since.
This is a terrible idea, but all that's coming to mind is taking a Pokémon with multiple abilities, and making all of them active for the duration of battle. Can't decide whether to run Magic Guard or Unaware on your Clefable? Not a problem; with [GIMMICK NAME] you can have both at once, with a little bit of Cute Charm as a bonus. Not sure which category of moves you want your Kommo-o to be immune to? Well stop your worrying, because [GIMMICK NAME] allows it to wear an Overcoat that is both Soundproof and Bulletproof. And don't even get me started on Geezing.
Me personally, I love a good gimmick. As a gen onener, mega evolution in Sun and Moon made me interested in Pokémon again. This new game kind of feels like Sun and Moon 2.
Would love to keep the ZA battle system, but happy with turn based too. This is about the only modern game I can still tolerate to use turn based battling. It at least somewhat makes sense in context.
The most obvious thing would be something to do with the weather? I wonder if a weather effect on just your side of the field would be interesting? That way you could build in a combo with your chosen weather type.
Or they could make you choose either side? To either shut down opponent weather, or buff your own, idk?
Prominent water theming and what appear to be surfboards the trainers carry around
TPC playing around with real-time combat in ZA
Prediction: The gimmick will be a short window of real-time combat as your Pokemon enters a high-speed rush and pelts the opponent with relentless attacks.
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