Part of the fun of every new Pokemon generation is the chance to catch new pocket monsters and build new teams with the different abilities and moves and type combos that have been introduced. Not all Pokemon are created equally, and this remains true in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, where there are adorable but weak critters and terrifyingly strong beasts. Baxcalibur latter group, though as a pseudo-Legendary, it is outshone by some of its predecessors.
By no means is Baxcalibur a weak Pokemon. Nevertheless, there are a few issues with it that prevent it from being an indomitable powerhouse like pseudo-Legendaries before Pokemon Scarlet and Violet have been. This is largely due to its weak dual-typing and its lackluster signature Ability.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Pseudo-Legendary
With each Pokemon generation, gamers get a new pseudo-Legendary or two. Put simply, pseudo-Legendary Pokemon aren't canonically regarded as legendary Pokemon. However, fans consider them special because they have a three-stage evolution and a base stat total of 600. Some stricter definitions require pseudo-Legendaries to have 1,250,000 Exp at level 100. In Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, the new pseudo-Legendary is Baxcalibur.
The Pokemon is a blue and white Dragon/Ice dual-type beast that looks like a bipedal dinosaur. It is the final evolution of the Frigibax line, which has Arctibax as the middle stage. Baxcalibur has a scale on its back that looks like the hilt of a sword, suggesting that the creature's name is a nod to King Arthur's mythical sword, Excalibur. Many gamers are likely tempted to use the critter competitively, but in many situations, they may be better off using other pseudo-Legendaries.
The Weaknesses of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Baxcalibur
One of Baxcalibur's problems is that it is held back by its typing. Dragon-type Pokemon are notoriously powerful, largely thanks to how few weaknesses they have. However, when those weaknesses are exploited, it can suddenly become very easy to slay a mighty dragon. This became a bigger issue in Pokemon X and Y when the Fairy-type was introduced. Not only are Dragon-types weak to Fairy-type Pokemon, but Fairy-types are also immune to Dragon-type moves.
Consequently, if a Dragon-type creature is going to be dual-type, it should ideally have a secondary type that helps it deal with its weaknesses. Another dragon is Pokemon Legends: Arceus' Hisuian Goodra, which gets things right by being a Dragon/Steel pseudo-Legendary, as Fairy-types are weak to Steel-type moves. This complementary typing is why Hisuian Goodra has two weaknesses (Fighting, Ground), while Baxcalibur has five (Fighting, Rock, Steel, Dragon, Fairy), which are all commonly used types. Baxcalibur's typing leaves it neutral against other Ice-types and fortunately makes it strong against other dragons.
It is also worth considering the Pokemon's signature Ability. The Frigibax line is the only evolutionary line to gain access to Thermal Exchange. When the critter is struck by a Fire-type Pokemon move, it will gain a single-stage boost to its Attack stat, and it also cannot be burned. Although this seems useful, it is worth remembering that Baxcalibur is not weak against Fire-types, so it may not be an opponent's first instinct to go for a Fire-type move, especially if they know what Ability Baxcalibur gets. Other pseudo-Legendaries have superior signature Abilities.
Once again, it is useful to turn to Goodra, a Pokemon capable of learning Gooey. It was its signature Ability until Gen9, which allows Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Wiglett and its evolution to also possess the Ability. With Gooey, any opposing move that makes contact causes the opposing Pokemon to lose a single stage of its Speed stat. In competitive games, controlling the Speed of each turn is important, and the Pokemon that can strike first can end up making the deciding moves, so the ability to slow down one's opponents is a big deal. Unlike Baxcalibur's Ability, the opponent's move does not have to be a specific type for the Ability to activate.
None of this means that Baxcalibur is not viable competitively. However, gamers should be careful to not be too taken in by its creative design and carefully consider how to piece it into a strong strategy. Having Pokemon with high base stats isn't enough to gain a competitive edge. It also requires considering a myriad of other factors, including Abilities and type weaknesses.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available on Nintendo Switch.
