As players explore Paldea, they will encounter a host of new creatures. Some of them are powerful, and it will take clever strategies to catch them. Some Pokemon are simply adorable, although they may not be the best competitively. There are also a few new critters in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet that don't look like Pokemon at all. This is the case for Bramblin and Brambleghast, two creatures that look better suited for deserts than Pokemon battles.
Both Bramblin and Brambleghast have interesting backstories, and they showcase Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's new evolutionary mechanic. Players may encounter Bramblin in the wild as they go on their journey which could lead in multiple directions, depending on what players decide. This time around, players can choose to take on Team Star, defeat the gym leaders, or discover more about Herba Mystica with Arven.
Bramblin and Brambleghast the Grassy Ghosts
There are plenty of Ghost-Type Pokemon with designs featuring inanimate objects. Pokemon fans are familiar with Chandelure the haunted chandelier and Palossand the ghostly sandcastle. Scarlet and Violet introduce Bramblin, a Ghost/Grass Dual-Type creature that looks like a tumbleweed. According to its Pokedex entries, it hates getting wet, and it was born when a soul unable to move on to the afterlife was blown by the wind until it got tangled in some dried grass. Bramblin's name may be a reference to bramble, which is a term used to refer to shrubs, usually those that grow berries.
Bramblin's tumbleweed design is put on show thanks to its evolutionary mechanic which is made possible by Scarlet and Violet's Let's Go feature. If players want their Bramblin to evolve, they have to walk with it out of its Pokeball, which really makes it look like a ball of tumbleweeds blowing in the wind instead of a Pokemon. After a thousand steps, it evolves into Brambleghast. This critter also looks like nothing more than a ball of grass, but the Pokedex reveals that it is actually quite dangerous. In large groups, they can engulf an entire town.
The Weird and Wonderful Pokemon of Scarlet and Violet
Gamers interested in Bramblin will find it in the Asado Desert and East Province. With its slow speed and shallow move pool, Brambleghast isn't the easiest Pokemon to turn into a competitive teammate. However, the evolutionary line does have exclusive access to the Wind Rider Ability. When they are hit by a wind move or when Tailwind takes effect, their Attack stat rises. As one would expect, the wind is helpful to tumbleweeds.
Bramblin's evolutionary line doesn't contain the only weird designs from this generation. Nacli's evolutionary line is also quite strange. Nacli, Naclstack, and Garganacl are all so blocky that they look like they are straight out of Minecraft. There is also Varoom and Revavroom that look like car engines. Despite this, they are quite slow Pokemon. The regional variants have also caught the attention of gamers. This has been the case for Wiglett, a long, white Pokemon that looks like a Diglett, as well as Toedscool, a Grass/Grass creature that is a variant of Tentacool.
Gamers are still exploring Paldea and discovering its many secrets. This includes uncovering the mysteries of Tandemaus' evolution and learning to master Terastallization. Players can also team up with friends in Tera Raids to take down powerful Terastallized Pokemon. While Brambleghast may not be the strongest Pokemon on its own or look like one at all, it may be able to shine as part of a team.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet is available on Nintendo Switch.
