Out of all the new Pokemon introduced in Pokemon Scarlet and Violet, few were as controversial as the Tandemaus line that stretched the idea that multiple "creatures" can be classed as "one" Pokemon. Though certainly not the first to challenge players with what can be seen as an individual, it was Tandemaus' evolution Maushold that truly raised eyebrows since the way it evolved was essentially just having kids. Throw into the mix an unusual new evolution method for Pokemon Scarlet and Violet which occurs at random and without informing the player, the Tandemaus line is walking a fine line between lackluster design and creative genius.
Going all the way back through Pokemon's history with the likes of Magneton all the way up to Sword and Shield's Falinks, it wasn't impossible for Pokemon to consist of multiple individual creatures operating as one. But even then, these kinds of Pokemon have always been met with skepticism and spurred questions about justifiable Pokemon designs. Pokemon Scarlet and Violet's Tandemaus and Maushold both push this concept further than ever before. This isn't just limited to their design, as Maushold has not one but two very useful and powerful signature moves, which only deepens the divide in fans' opinions.
Tandemaus and Maushold are just Single Mice
When it was accidentally revealed via the minimap in one of Scarlet and Violet's trailers, Tandemaus immediately drew attention due to the obvious fact it was two mice being presented as one single Pokemon. As mentioned, this isn't the first time the series has introduced Pokemon that were multiple creatures operating as one, but there were always canonical explanations for this. For example, Magneton's Pokedex entries consistently refer to how it evolves via multiple Magnemite becoming attracted together, or how the Beldum line similarly sees its evolutions as fusions of the stage before.
But unlike these examples, Tandemaus is the Couple Pokemon, meaning that it is literally two individual creatures that have come together and potentially somewhere there are Single Tandemaus Pokemon. They haven't been forcibly linked together, and much like Falinks or Kangaskhan's Mega evolution it seems they operate purely by cooperation, yet the in-game scientific community are all too willing to recognize the pairing as one Pokemon. It seems strange then that Tandemaus working together can be a single Pokemon, but others like Calyrex's multiple forms or the recent Dondozo and Tatsugiri can simultaneously be individuals or combine.
When Tandemaus finally evolves is where the design pushes these even further, as Maushold is comprised of up to four theoretical Single Tandemaus Pokemon with two "adults" and one or two "kids." In fact, it is the kids that add fuel to this fire, as Maushold has two forms: Family of Three and Family of Four. The Family of Three form implicitly confirms that there can actually be lone Tandemaus Pokemon that will need to eventually find their own partner. Moreover, if the children can and do grow up into adults, this means that Maushold could be the first Pokemon to officially devolve outside Mega evolutions.
Maushold's Two Signature Moves are Overpowered
Though many Pokemon in Scarlet and Violet received signature moves, Tandemaus and Maushold received two instead: Tidy Up and Population Bomb. The first is specifically learned by Maushold, and while it doesn't directly attack the opposing Pokemon, it has several effects and stat boosts for Maushold and the rest of the player's team. Not only does it increase Maushold's Attack and Speed stats akin to Dragon Dance, but it simultaneously removes field hazards ranging from Spikes and Toxic Spikes, Stealth Rock, Sticky Web and more. Likely introduced to emulate the "family" aesthetic of performing household chores, it's a non-damaging moves with a wealth of benefits.
However, its second signature move Population Bomb does damage by attacking as a group, and despite its Normal-type limiting its effectiveness, it is unusually strong. Known by both Tandemaus and Maushold, this new multi-strike move is similar to Fury Attack or Double Slap, but unlike previous moves limiting hits to five, Population Bomb increases this to ten. Combined with twenty attack power, at its maximum it reaches two hundred attack power putting it within touching distance of Explosion. Combined with Normal Tera type, certain items or abilities like Technician - which incidentally is Maushold's hidden ability - and it becomes a bizarrely formidable attack for such an ordinary Pokemon.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet are available now for Nintendo Switch.
