A Pokemon Scarlet and Violet player with a creative flair has produced an alternate design for the franchise's latest pseudo-legendary, Baxcalibur. Much like the Pokemon Scarlet and Violet games, Baxcalibur has received a very mixed reaction from Pokemon fans for several reasons.
Every generation of Pokemon has introduced a new pseudo-legendary; an incredibly strong creature with a three-stage evolution line and a base stat total of 600. Examples of previous pseudos include Dragonite, Metagross, and Dragapult. Introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Baxcalibur is the latest critter to join these elite ranks, and some players feel it is too generic to be interesting. Not only is Baxcalibur the eighth pseudo out of ten to possess the generic Dragon-typing, but it also shares a lot in common with Tyranitar, another pseudo-legendary. Baxcalibur is clearly inspired by Godzilla, boasting a similar stature to the beast, a Pokedex entry alluding to it, and even evolving at level 54 - a reference to the year 1954 in which the first Godzilla movie was released. Tyranitar and Duraladon share similar Kaiju inspirations, which are visible in their designs.
Unable to contain their disappointment when faced with what is one of the strongest ice types in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, Reddit user PrettiestPlatypus decided to use their artistic skills to redesign Baxcalibur in a way that would better differentiate it from Tyranitar, posing the creature in a manner resembling a Spinosaurus. Baxcalibur leaning forwards draws more attention to the spikes lining its back, which now better lean into its Ice-typing than its previous design. While the rest of the Pokemon is definitely recognizable, small details, such as a red line on the tail, have also been added to make Baxcalibur's red claws look a little less out of place.
Fans giving their opinions in the comments expressed frustration over the lack of fossil Pokemon in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, with many having been tricked by Baxcalibur's early stages into thinking it would grow to become the franchise's first Spinosaur rather than another walking Godzilla reference. Some even argued that Baxcalibur would have better suited Pokemon Sword and Shield. However, the majority of those who had watched the 1954 Godzilla film were thankful for the numerous callbacks present throughout Baxcalibur's design, such as its signature Glaive Rush move.
With Baxcalibur's glaring similarities to Tyranitar having only been all the more obvious through the recent Pokemon Scarlet and Violet Tyranitar Tera Raid event, PrettiestPlatypus' redesign dares to take the latest pseudo in a new and exciting direction that many fans of the franchise would appreciate. Baxcalibur already carves out an impressive niche for itself within Pokemon Scarlet and Violet by boasting the highest attack and health stats of any pseudo, and many wish its design was similarly unique.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
