Summary
Pokemon Scarlet and Violetintroduced multiple new cross-gen evolution for some popular critters from the franchise’s past, turning them into powerful creatures capable of disrupting the competitive meta in many ways - and that’s somethingPokemonGen 10 might do as well.Cross-gen evolutions inPokemongameshave always been a thing, dating as far back as the first Johto games and becoming all the rage inPokemon Diamond and Pearl, and it’s likely they will remain a big part of the franchise’s identity for a long time. Although it may be too soon to determine exactly what Gen 10 and future games might bring to the table, a cross-gen evolution for onePokemon Gold and Silvercreature might break the game - and not with the evolution itself.
There have been other times when a given critter would end up being more powerful or at least more useful than its evolution, with a great and recent example being Murkrow inPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s early meta, where a Prankster Tailwind user was much more valuable than anything Honchkrow could offer. Another example comes fromPokemon Sword and Shield’s Galarian Corsola, which ended up being stronger than Cursola thanks to its high defensive stats and its ability to use the Eviolite to further boost them, making it a hard wall to tear down.
RELATED:Pokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Unfinished Rainbow Pattern Could Point to a Third DLC
Why a Cross-Gen Evolution for Shuckle Would Make it Problematic
First added in Gen 5 games, to the point that it wasn’t part of the more recent Gen 4 remakes for the Switch, the Eviolite has often been a
polarizing or straight-up controversial held item inPokemontitles due to how broken some critters can become when wielding it. Recently, it was discovered thatPokemon Scarlet and Violet’s Dipplin will evolve in The Indigo Diskbecause it can use the Eviolite as of The Teal Mask, something that was later mentioned by leakers as well.
While Dipplin’s use of the Eviolite doesn’t make it broken, a cross-gen evolution for Gen 2’s Shuckle could not only prove to be quite strong on its own, but it could make the critter’s base form a massively overpowered wall inPokemonVGC tournaments. Broken Pokemon are not something new either, to the point thatGliscor was banned fromPokemon Scarlet and Violetfor being too strong when used in conjunction with a Toxic Orb and its Poison Heal Hidden Ability. Shuckle, if given the option to use Eviolite as a held item, could easily become a problem - so much so that it could be banned from tournaments.
How Pokemon’s Dusclops Beats Shuckle at its Own Game
As it stands, Shuckle has very odd base stats, with 20 points in HP, 10 in Attack and Special Attack, and 5 Speed, then boasting a ridiculous 230 points in both Defense and Special Defense. This brings its base stat total to a respectable 505, although what makes Shuckle currently not very viable in teams is that there are better options to achieve what it does while using Eviolite, such as Dusclops. Shuckle’s typing and movepool don’t exactly make it thestrongest Pokemon in the series, and with other options out there, its viability is cut short.
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Why Pokemon’s Shuckle Would be OP With The Eviolite
What follows is that an Eviolite-holding Dusclops would end up with similar defensive values as Shuckle while having more HP and offensive stats, all while retaining access to useful moves like Trick Room. However, if Shuckle ended up getting a cross-gen evolution inPokemonGen 10 games or further down the line, its base form could gain access to the Eviolite, boosting its defensive stats to a whopping 345 each, essentially making it capable of enduring multiple hits - even from supereffective sources.
Pokemon Scarlet and Violet
WHERE TO PLAY
The school that you’ve enrolled in as you playPokémon ScarletandPokémon Violethosts a special independent study project. The theme of this assignment is “A Treasure Hunt.” Explore the world and seek out your very own treasure!Three stories will be woven into your adventure while traversing the sprawling Paldea region. Along Victory Road, you will go to Gyms in different locations in order to to achieve Champion Rank. On the Path of Legends, you can join Arven in search of rare ingredients. And in ★ Starfall Street ★, you’ll challenge Team Star, a group of delinquents causing trouble for the school.These stories are set in an open world, so where you go is all up to you. A world teeming with Pokémon and people to meet is waiting for you—traverse the Paldea region wherever you heart desires.
