By now, the Pokemon series has developed a consistent pattern of Pokemon that players can expect to see introduced in new generations. From the initial 3-stage evolution starters of Water, Fire, and Grass types to legendary mascots that take pride of place on the box art, this tried and tested formula that most if not all Pokemon games follow has proven integral to the series' ongoing success. It brings a level of familiarity between games yet still remains distinct enough on its own merit, all the while creating an initial level of hype in the lead-up to new games like Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.
With Pokemon Scarlet and Violet edging ever closer to their release and anticipation building for which new Pokemon, forms, or evolutions, it's time attention is brought to the current Achilles' heel of the series: the Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon. Each generation brings with it at least one line of Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon, and to date, not a single generation hasn't gone without, but with the advent of Gen 9 on the horizon, it's time to see the flaw with the current trend of Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon.
Current Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon
The basic premise of Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon is that they are typically a 3-stage evolution Pokemon with a base stat total of 600. It was a fan-made term for lines of Pokemon that were usually stronger than most standard Pokemon but weren't classified alongside other legendaries, hence the name 'Pseudo-Legendary'. While there are additional factors such as experience when at maximum level, the general rule is that they are stronger than average Pokemon with 3 stages of evolution and more often than not evolve at unusually high levels compared to other Pokemon. At present, 10 Pseudo-Legendary Pokemon lines exist, with at least 1 introduced in each new generation, with exceptions being that Gen 3 introduced 2 at once, and in Pokemon Legends: Arceus a Hisuian form for the Goodra line created an atypical tenth Pseudo-Legendary.
However, out of all 10 of these lines, 8 of them consist of the Dragon-type, often evolving to incorporate a second typing such as Flying, Ground, or Ghost. In the early days of Pokemon, this probably made much more sense; the Dragon-type was revered as a 'rare' typing, both Pokemon and moves with this typing were generally stronger, and most legendary Pokemon themselves were Dragon types too. But as the games have progressed and the Dragon-type proliferated, it became more commonplace and seen as 'overused' among fans who pushed back against it, ultimately resulting in Game Freak introducing the Fairy-type to redress the balance. So as Pokemon Scarlet and Violet approach, and with similar overuse of Dragon-types with Pseudo-Legendaries, it's time Game Freak takes a step back and rethink its next Pseudo-Legendary.
Limiting Dragons In Pokemon
This all begs the question as to what types Pseudo-Legendaries could use for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. Previous Pokemon who've ditched the Dragon-type have been the Tyranitar and Metagross lines, consisting of Rock/Ground to Rock/Dark and Steel/Psychic types respectively. The inspiration behind these Pokemon could indicate why Game Freak relies so much on the Dragon-type, as the Tyranitar line appears to be based on larval cocoons while the Metagross line is something akin to a magnetic robot. These aren't easy distinctions to make, so creating a new design could prove challenging. With Scarlet and Violet seemingly poised to explore the relationships of past and future, perhaps a Pseudo-Legendary could explore the relationship between both, whether it's inspired by prehistoric or extinct organisms like Tyranitar or if it will draw from more modern, futuristic ingenuity like Metagross.
Arguably then, if Game Freak could settle on which types it would use for a Pseudo-Legendary in advance, this could inform the final design. While previous types such as Dark, Steel, and Psychic are perfectly capable contenders, this would be a prime opportunity for the developers to really think outside the Pokemon Storage Box and get creative with some new, never-before-seen Pokemon typings. One obvious choice could be the Fairy-type; given its existence is to help counter the prominence of Dragon-types, it would be a good foil to Dragon-type Pseudo-Legendaries. Other types that have yet to be featured on the Pseudo-Legendary list include Poison, Bug, or even Ice, and they're especially worthwhile since they aren't usually seen at the Legendary or Mythical level of Pokemon.
High Likelihood Of Another Dragon-Type Pseudo-Legendary
While speculation may be fun and fan demand could maybe help sway Game Freak's mind, it is more than likely that by this point, with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet already announced and confirmed for a release later this year, the new Gen 9 Pokedex has already been designed and completed. In all likelihood, the new Pseudo-Legendary that is expected to be introduced will be another Dragon-type, though fans can hope that it will be paired with a new type never seen before among Pseudo-Legendaries, such as a new Fairy/Dragon-type. Expectations are high as more information is announced nearing Scarlet and Violet's release date in mid-November.
Even with this in mind, however, there is nothing to stop Game Freak from again breaking with tradition and introducing a second Pseudo-Legendary as it did for Pokemon Sapphire and Ruby. Perhaps this second Pokemon could be without the Dragon-type, or should Game Freak decide to get creative in a different direction, it could take inspiration from Pokemon Legends: Arceus and introduce a regional form of a previous Pseudo-Legendary. Given Game Freak's proclivity for revisiting Gen 1 Pokemon to breathe new life into their design, one possible contender for this could be the Dragonite line, especially given that its Dragon/Flying typing is shared with the Salamence line. However, though it may seem unlikely, the current atmosphere around Pokemon is that Game Freak appears more prepared to get inventive and ambitious with Pokemon's direction, and so it truly does feel as if anything could be possible with Pokemon Scarlet and Violet. For now, fans can only wait in anticipation for further news about what the new game might bring.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet will release on November 18 for the Nintendo Switch.
