Forretress

I could never put my finger on why I thought Forretress was so great.  A part of me just likes the thought of attacks bouncing off of this juggernaut as he spins like a top shooting out spikes at opponents.  And while I despair at the number of Steel/Bug types out there now, Forretress has remained my favorite no matter how many new examples we get.

With access to Spikes, Toxic Spikes AND Stealth Rock, Forretress makes a great battlefield control Pokemon, especially if the trainer is a Trickster.  Add on its great defensive typing and monstrous defense stat, and you’re good to go.  For extra fun, it can use Rock Head to throw around Take Downs and Double Edge with impunity, allowing it to hit hard on top of that.  While it can fill many roles, in any iteration it will always be one of the bulkiest Pokemon on your team.  And of course, there’s always Explosion as a backup plan.

While Forretress are known for being nigh-indestructible in battle, Bugsy has paired hers with a Vivillon for extra effect.  Now with flame-sensitive powder flying everywhere, her opponents can’t even use Fire Type moves to target her Forretress’ biggest weakness while it litters the field with spikes.  Who will be the first to break this dynamic duo’s unbreakable streak in her gym?

Farronaught is considered the strongest bandit lord in the world.  And it isn’t because of his skill with a spear or his massive armor, it’s because his hideout isn’t hidden at all.  Instead, it’s a massive Forretress the size of a city.  In fact, there is a small city built inside and on top of it.  Nobody knows how he feeds the thing, but everyone knows that when it arrives at a city, they must pay the tax or lose their city walls to the massive balista shots fired from its cannons.  

Thankfully, upon evolution Forretress become less susceptible to spontaneous explosions than its previous evolution.  However, that hasn’t stopped homeowners from banning the Pokemon from their neighborhoods in fear of losing everything.  When the PCs are arrested for releasing one in a public space, how will they respond?

Image Source:  キイロ

Fomantis

I’ve been waiting for a Pokemon like this for a while, and I can’t believe it took them so long to do the praying mantis motif.  It’s done relatively well, and while I wish it had been a three stager instead of two, the Fomantis Line boasts great designs that take go from cute to terrifying in an instant.  

Fomantis doesn’t do poorly as a physical attacker.  You’ll need access to TMs to get some movepool variability on it, but Tinted Lense makes a lackluster movepool a lot more viable.  Contrary is one of those interesting abilities that can be really nice.  Pair it with a Dancer or Roughneck trainer and enemies will be in for a nasty combo surprise.  

While they’re cute, Fomantis have a habit of eating through crops, which makes them quite the pest to most farmers.  The PCs have been hired on as consultants to solve the problem, but there are too many farms to go and battle each pokemon individually, so they’ll need to start getting creative!

The arms of a Fomantis are sharp, sharp enough to cause some serious damage.  Sadly this can make certain games with them a problem for trainers who like to play with their pokemon.  One young trainer feels like she’s not bonding with her starter and doesn’t know what to do!  Can the PCs help a new trainer on the path to greatness?  Her artificer mother will probably give you some nice items if you can help out!

The Black Fomantis are the secret police of Uzugani.  Skilled swordsman and sneak-thieves alike, they can slip in and out without anyone noticing.  Their leader, the Black Fomantis herself, has a pokemon of that exact description.  While most Fomantis get their color from the sun, this one drinks starlight, making her an ideal Pokemon for stealth assassination missions.

Image Source: Chikuseren

Foongus

I’ve always been a big fan of the Voltorb line’s use as ‘traps’ for players to stumble upon after having played for hours seeing pokeballs on the ground as free goodies.  While Foongus was a welcome return to this motif, I can’t help but feel like the developers copped out when they didn’t try to explain why Foongus is like this, instead just saying ‘nobody knows’.  While it ruined a bit of the magic for me, the novelty of the ‘Pokeball Trap’ somewhere other than a power plant or Team Rocket lair was welcome.

Foongus is a defensive juggernaut.  With access to healing in Root Down boosted Ingrain by level 20 and the absorb line, Foongus serves as a great stall mon at early levels.  It’s most scared of Psychic/Flying/Fire enemies, which make Special Defense a good focus stat, and Spinning Dance will probably give you more mileage than Effect Spore over the long run.  

One anthropologist is hypothesizing that instead of Foongus developing an appearance that looks like Pokeballs, some of the first Apricorn Balls were painted in the image of Foongus.  He’s being ridiculed by the academic community and is looking for some help exploring the Darken Woods, where he theorizes that primitive human settlements crafted the first apricorn balls.  

In a world where nuclear warfare has left the Pokeverse something of a mess, Foongus were actually formed when radioactive Morelull merged with Pokeball technology to form a new Electric/Grass species.  These half tech, half plant monstrosities can capture Pokemon and oftentimes keep powerful monsters as their ‘guardians’ as they seek more radiation and technology to increase their power.

When a powerful Turtonator terrorizes a kingdom and steals the princess - as the sentient Dragon Type Pokmeon are wont do do - the players must travel through kingdoms searching for her.  A talkative Foongus travels with them, helpfully telling them at each dead end that ‘Our Princess is in another castle!’

Image Source: FictionalSeviper

Flygon

I’m pretty sure that I’m with the majority here that Flygon is the Dragon/Bug that we always wished we had.  Perhaps the sting of this typing would have been less had Garchomp and Zygard not meandered along in later generations, but Flygon has remained one of the forgotten dragons despite its spectacular design.   That doesn’t stop it from being literally the eye of the storm, constantly surrounded by sandstorms in the deserts of Hoenn.  I also happen to think it makes one of the cooler pokemon to fly around on as a rider, but that’s just me.

Thankfully, PTU specializes in taking mons that see little use in competitive play and makes it more useful.  Flygon’s relatively even spread of stats means that, with the right nature, it can play any role you like in a party.  The great news is that it gets great coverage on both the physical and special sides, making it extremely customizable to your needs.   Unless you’re a Ground Ace, I’d recommend picking up Flutter and Tinted Lens for your abilities, as Sandstorm is a great way to earn your allies’ enmity. 

Devonn Corps is developing additional Mega Stones regularly, but they tend to focus on Pokemon native to Hoenn.  When they announce a Flygonite, many scientists speculate that the latent insect DNA inside its gene pool will activate, but until they get a test subject, it will remain a mystery.

The Sandstream Races are iconic in Espa Town, which is tucked away in the desert.  Flygon trainers from around the world flock to prove their Pokemon is the strongest of its species.  The Pokemon and their riders look like sandstorms flying through the desert, desperately trying to avoid the spires of rock and attacks from wild Pokemon in order to claim the title of fastest team in the world.  There’s also a pretty large betting racket associated with the event.

The songs that emanate from a Flygon’s wings can be quite haunting at times, which makes Echo Cavern a downright creepy place.  Flygon swarm here from around the region to mate before travelling to the sandier northern regions to lay their eggs.  Unfortunately there’s a powerful relic that Team Magma wants from the canyon, and someone will have to brave the disorienting soundscape of rock walls and buzzing wings to reach it before the Magma Admins come down after the Flygon leave in a few days.  

Floette

So not a lot of Pokemon like Floette (not legendary, not hyped like Lucario, etc) have such a phenomenal plot hook built into the main series games as Floette in X and Y.  Brought back to eternal life by the former King & trainer, then leaving him for creating such a horrible weapon, Floette is the subject to one of the most majestic plots in the Pokeverse.  However, it doesn’t always have to serve a purpose as grand as being a catalyst for apocalyptic weaponry.

Much like the rest of its line, Floette functions best as a cleric/buffer, especially when teamed up with Grass Types.  Grassy Terrain is a fun move, though it also heals up your opponents, and Helping Hand is a much underutilized move that helps especially against high defense pokemon, where stacking as much damage on one attack is more efficient than many small hits.

Florists love Floette unsurprisingly, as the Pokemon has a habit of sniffing out flowers that are about to die and also flowers with particularly potent aromas.  In fact, one Floette is so good at this that the flowers she picks out have effects much like a Chef’s dishes.  The Floette and her trainer travel around in a floral ‘food cart,’ selling bouquets that help trainers and Pokemon succeed in battle.

Legend has it that a very special Floette exists that grants itself and its partner immortality.  Known as Rose, so long it is cared for and loved it will live forever.  However, when a beastly man named Levearne steals the Floette and keeps her in a glass cage in his decrepit castle, the petals begin to fall off and Rose has finally started the process of dying.

Floette have a long memory when it comes to people who step on flowers, or who pick them without the intention of caring for them properly.  So when one trainer battle ends up trashing a flower patch, the PCs have earned the enmity of the local Floette population.  They need to travel through the forest to get to their next destination, but they’ll have to sort out this situation first in order to travel safely through the fragrant woods!

Image Source: Cloudedart

Floatzel

Floatzel is one of the most kind hearted Pokemon you’re likely to meet.  Even aside from its absolutely adorable appearance, it also uses its sac as a raft to help save drowning people!  Everybody loves otters, right?

Floatzel is all about Speed, which is a crying shame because optimizing speed isn’t the most useful thing in the world.  However, Vanguard gives Floatzel a nifty +5 damage bonus it’ll be able to use in most situations.  It’s got a decent physical movepool, and its an especially apt pursuit user, allowing it to chase down foes that would rather switch out against it.

When one beach decides to hire trained Floatzel as their lifeguards, their previous human employees quickly go on strike.  Not only are they worried about their jobs, but also that the Pokemon will be less reliable than them.  In any case, the beach that the players were going to have their gym battle on is closed until further notice, so it’s up to them to mediate a compromise.

Harl Divera is one of the most skilled Spelunkers in the world.  He also happens to be a gym leader.  In this challenge, the players and their pokemon are given breathing gear and instructed to find the hidden temple to Kyogre in the cave networks he’s built under his gym while staving off the attacks of Harl’s aquatic team.  Thankfully, his Floatzel is on hand to quickly rescue any fainted or drowning Pokemon to safety.

Most Floatzel fill their sac with air, allowing it to float in the water when carrying a heavy load.  However, one interesting subspecies living in Cloudy Vale has learned to filter out every atom except for Helium and Hydrogen, allowing it to float not only in the water, but in the air.  With its two tails serving as propellers, it can zoom around as quickly as any flying type pokemon!  In fact, most speculate that it actually is a Flying Type Pokemon now.

Image Source:  浮潛鼬

Staraptor

As far as birds go, Staraptor doesn’t stand out for anything in particular.  The Pokedex entries mention savage nature, caring about its comb, and have really strong legs.  So you may have to exercise your creative muscles a little harder if you want encounters with Staraptor to be memorable and interesting for veteran players.

Mechanically, Staraptor has everything it needs to be a good sweeper that takes down enemies with no regard for personal safety.  Close Combat and Brave Bird are both level up moves, and Final Gambit isn’t a bad ‘nova’ if you’ve got a troublesome mon that needs to be taken down ASAP.  Slap on Reckless for even more damage if you really want to live on the edge.

Raptorers are trainers who specialize in training the Hunting Staraptor famous throughout the realm of Kielvale.  The Pokemon not only bring in food for the palace’s feasts, but they also are experts at spotting anyone travelling through the countryside, making the group double as a secret intelligence gathering agency.

Winona’s Staraptor has gone missing, and she’s worried about it.  She knows that her bird was a reckless one and thinks that he might have overheard her talking with the police about a possible Team Magma hideout.  Did he go try to handle the situation on his own?  Winowna is offering a badge to anyone who can track the bird down and ensure it returns safely.

The Golden Staraptor has always been associated with Slateport as a symbol of the merchant’s guild that rules the city with an iron fist.  Their prized bird is an automoton made of metal and gears who protects the guildhouse from thieves, spies, or intruders, and its never been bested.

Image Source:  アシム

Fletchling

I was enamored with Fletchling as soon as I saw it.  Despite the fact that I had hoped it would go in a road runner direction upon evolution, it served as a lovely variation on the starter birds, and I’d happily nab one any time I’m playing through the Kalos region.

Normal/Flying is a pretty standard typing, but not a bad one.  If you’re looking to get the moves and abilities of this line without a double weakness to Rock, Fletchling is the way to go.  You can pick up 17 bonus stat points to distribute via Underdog Edges, which, when distributed intelligently, turns this little birdie from innocent to terrifying in no time flat.  

Because they’re so small, Fletchling were sometimes brought down into mines as warnings for when things got dangerous.  Inevitably, some got lost down there and over the years they have adapted.  Their bodies are now made of finely sculpted coal, and these fire/rock birds light up the tunnels with their glowing bodies.

Berries are valuable things to trainers and many choose to gather their own instead of paying the high prices of local shops.  However, if they aren’t careful the PCs will face the wrath of a swarm of Fletchlings guarding their food supply.

Princess Snow has an uncanny ability to connect with Pokemon, leading to almost any Pokemon she encounters immediately coming to her aid.  However, she’s best known for her songbird friends.  So when the PCs stumble across a frantic Fletchling, they have no idea that its been trying to get the attention of travellers for hours to show them evidence the princess has been captured.  

Image Credit: ssarobyl

Alakazam

As possibly the most intelligent species in the Pokeverse, Alakazam has the possibility of raising a host of questions about the ethics of Pokemon training (well ... moreso than usual).  Having an Alakazam on a team should feel a lot like having an NPC to be honest, as I image they’d want to express their opinions and have their own way.  Hell, Alakazam would make a great supervillain for your campaign, especially if you let it also act as a trainer.

Mechanically, Alakazam can go a few different ways. With access to Ally Switch and Teleport it can function decently well without investing in Defense, and it has stellar battlefield control options including Telekinetic shenanigans, the Telekinesis move, Gravity, and Magic Room.  With access to Miracle Eye and a massive special attack stat, it doesn’t need much more than Psychic for offensive options, leaving you 4 other moves to make this Pokemon a true mastermind of the battlefield.  

It is said that eventually, when its brain has grown large enough, Alakazam return to their habits as an Abra.  However, instead of sleeping they meditate, having achieved a bliss of perfect intelligence.  An entire religion of monks has developed out of respect for these creatures, as the humans attempt to reach a similar nirvana.  They are a space of scholarly learning and academia far removed from the warring kingdoms of the foothills.  When the PCs need to visit, will they receive a warm welcome or be treated as meddlesome adventurers who will disturb the careful balance cultivated here?  And how will the temple’s Alakazam react when it knew years ago that these individuals would likely arrive on its steps on a mission of great importance?

Zero is a shadowy figure leading the Pokemon liberation movement.  As a combination of coordinated cyber-attacks, guerrilla warfare on well traveled routes, and heavy use of snagging machines, Zero has crafted the largest threat to the Pokemon League since the ancient wars that overthrew the Emperor.  Few know that Zero is actually an Alakazam who has been planning the rebellion for years, seeking to free Pokemon from the yoke of humanity.  Even fewer know that he actually wants to rule the world, enslaving humanity with new ‘human balls’ that he’s developing.

In games of strategy, humans can’t hope to defeat Alakazam, whose mastery of probability and logic vastly outperform their own.  So when the players find themselves playing Poker against an Alakazam for incredibly high stakes, they’ll need to rely on some good old fashioned cheating if they have any hope of winning.

Image Source:  mmn2

Fletchinder

Bird Pokemon are a tradition in Pokeon games, and I was glad to see some Fire/Flying types fill the spot, especially since they handily avoided the pheonix trope that would have been so easy to play up.  Instead, Fletchinder is something of an arsonist, setting fire to grass and eating the fleeing bugs for a meal.  

While Fletchinder certainly looks like a better Physical Sweeper, it really can go either way.  It’s got special and physical fire and flying moves, with at least a little bit of type coverage on each side of the spectrum to round things out.  However, I think there’s a lot to be said for aerial ranged attackers, making Fletchinder a real threat.

A Fletchinder’s speed in the air comes from the strength of the fire in its belly. So when one just can’t get the fire started, he’s abandoned by his family.  However, he’s determined to find his inner flame no matter what it takes.  Can the PCs help him, or will he remain forever grounded?

Cool Contests are always a joy to watch, but the new challenger in Slateport City is a foreigner who has brought his Fletchinder.  The pokemon burns fiery words and designs into the air as part of its performance, leaving crowds awed.   He’s taking challengers, and claims to be pretty good in a traditional battle too.

Fletchinder mark their territory by burning trails into grass, but their flames are strong enough to leave marks on pavement too.  Officer Jenny may have gotten taken down by Team Rocket thugs, but that didn’t stop her from having her Fletchinder leave a trail straight toward their layer for you as it followed them back home.

Image Source: friedsnipe

Flabebe

Tied with Cosmog as both the smallest and lightest Pokemon in the world, Floette also gets the crown of first original Fairy Pokemon in the Pokedex.  Their powers come directly from the flowers they make their homes, and they even make ‘flower crowns’ out of the pollen they collect.  In short: Flabebe are the hippies of the Pokemon world.

Unsurprisingly, Flabebe serves as a wonderful partner to a Grass Type Ace.  With several abilities boosting and protecting Grass Typed allies, they’re powerful clerics for the right team.  Throw on Lucky Chant, Wish, Grassy Terrain, and Aromatherapy and you’re set up for a great supportive pokemon that’ll help your whole team succeed.

The colorful fields of Floraroma Meadow are legendary for the quality of their flowers, making it a breeding ground for Flabebe.  In fact, lucky visitors may even accidentally take a Pokemon home with them, though unless they do their best to keep the flower alive, they’ll face a furious, if tiny, fairy.

When a Flabebe settles on a home, it refuses to leave, making it one of the more stubborn Pokemon in the world.  This makes things complicated when one decides that a PC’s Ivysaur is a perfect nesting spot.  For now they’re two seperate Pokemon, but will the PC try to seperate the two before it evolves, or will they end up with a unique Fairy/Grass pokemon as the two grow together?

In a post-apocalyptic world, flowers no longer exist, which has forced Flabebe to adapt in order to survive.  Now they make their homes on mushrooms, turning their powers towards manipulation of spores and poisons instead of healing and pollen.  

Image Credit: Bluekomadori

Flaaffy

As the intermediary between Mareep and Ampharos, Flaaffy’s wool has started to recede dure to the high amount of electrical energy coursing through its body.  I’m a big fan of middle stage Pokemon, which can oftentimes be awkward, and I have fond memories of training Flaaffy in Gold and Silver when they first came out!

With access to Fluffy Charge, Ampharos serves as something of a ranged tank, alternating between using Charge to boost its defenses and electric moves like Discharge and Thunder boosted to ridiculous damage levels.  It’s a good compromise if you want the unique strategies Ampharos misses out on with the stat and skill upgrades that come from evolution.

Most farmers don’t like their Mareep to evolve because they produce significantly less wool.  They’ll pay good money for trainers that can offer them Everstones, and they’ll even trade a Flaaffy for them, giving players a good opportunity to adopt a Pokemon for their team.

When a town continues to have bad thunderstorms that refuse to relent, they seek out trainers to help them solve the mystery.  As it turns out, a herd of Flaaffy escaped from its pen and got lost.  They summon the storms to protect against predators and are growing more and more panicked as they’re running out of static electricity to power their storms!

Steel wool is a popular cleaning tool, but when one Mareep evolves with a Metal Coat nearby, it gives the phase a whole new meaning.  Nobody is quite sure what to make of the Pokemon, but they’re frantic to find a pair of shears strong enough to give it a haircut!  Without regular trimmings it’ll be too weighted down to move!

Image Credit: Volmise

Ho-Oh

As one of the original two box art legendaries, Ho-Oh has a lot going for it.  In addition to being the first Generation Two Pokemon shown - in the very first anime episode no less - it has a multitude of interesting angles which it can be viewed by: bringer of rainbows, a sign of eternal happiness, god of the Johto towers, a phoenix with the ability to bring the dead back to life.  While many of the newer legends are pidgeonholed into on box, Ho-Oh’s freedom has allowed it to spread its wings - quite literally.  And with all this lore embedded into its design, there’s almost always a way to incorporate Ho-Oh into your campaign!

With Regenerator, Life Force, Recover, and the potential for massive defensive stats, Ho-Oh is a tank of a Pokmeon even without all the fun combat shenanigans that legendary Pokemon would normally get on top of a standard statblock.  If you’re looking for fun effects during a battle with Ho-Oh, play up the rainbow angle, allowing it to summon multicolored coats that have 7 different effects (one for each color), especially if it can also use them as ‘walls’ to split up the PCs.  

Team Prism has been a thorn in the side of the Johto Police Department for years.  Their trainers use moves like Flash and Mirror Coat to handily defeat other trainers. Their leader, Aurora, has an Ampharos that can blind anyone on the field with its tail.  Few know that each has lost a loved one and believe that only by controlling Ho-Oh will they be able to revive their families.  Unfortunately they’ve chosen to use force as their Modus Operandi, and they attack anyone who might have clues that would help them find and capture the bird of the tower.

The First Nations of Johto knew better than anyone the powers that the shed feathers of Ho-Oh have.  The ability to bring a happy life is something that all desire, and so they would use these feathers to make intricate headdresses, fans, and jewelry.  Now these valuable artifacts are being stolen from museums around the world.  The Pewter Museum is hiring competent trainers to protect their collection from the thieves.

Goldenrod Pride is one of the biggest in the world, in large part due to the unique rainbow that Ho-Oh leaves  after it flies over the parade.  The Pokemon has made an appearance for years, but when the event is nearly spoiled when it fails to show, rumors start spreading that something terrible has happened to this Legendary Pokemon that has so long stood for the virtues of love and equality.

Image Source:  金銀

Finneon

Much like Lanturn, Finneon harnesses the power of light to make it stand out in the crowded aquatic pokemon market.  And while I still have trouble figuring out what the role of fish pokemon in PTU is outside of aquatic battles (how do they not drown during battle?) maybe its good to ignore the verisimilitude piece so that the oft-ignored category of Pokemon can see some playtime.

I’m not exactly sure why Finneon doesn’t get the Sunglow Ability, as it’s such a brilliant fit for the Pokmeon.  However, even without that perk, Finneon does alright.  Played tanky, Finneon has enough natural coverage, healing, and utility to make it worth a look.  

There’s something special about the sight of thousands of Finneon in the ocean.  A photographer wants to do a shoot of the pokemon but is worried that Sharpedo will threaten not only the peaceful glow of the school, but also her own personal safety.  She’s looking for some help for her project.

After the cataclysm, light is scarce.  The sky is inky black aside from ‘dawn’ and ‘dusk’ and the oceans have turned into something like a thick black ink.  However, in the town of Devonshael is known for the Finneon who somehow generate pricks of light that look like stars in the ocean.  They’re worth a small fortune to those who can catch them as light sources in the darkened city.  (credit to Blades in the Dark for their phenomenal setting which this is a direct rip off of.  It’s a great game!)

The Hayle Navy is one of the best in the world, and they have a secret means to communicate: Finneon.  The Pokemon are trained in a variation of morse code and swim between ships passing messages that the enemy isn’t even looking for.  If someone could learn the secret though, it would greatly help to assault the ships and lead to a new hero in the war against the invading nation.

Image Credit: Hydroflorix

Stantler

This Gen 2 Pokemon never made a huge impact in the games: without either a competitive presence or highlighted story importance, meaning that many people forget about it.  However, it’s antlers live up to the expectations that Stantler’s name places on them, carrying powers ranging from hypnotism to reality bending.  Overlooking Stantler would be a huge missed opportunities, especially since PCs are likely to underestimate their importance.

Stantler serves as an offensive powerhouse with a few key statuses thrown into the mix to make it truly terrifying.  Hypnotic is an incredible ability that allows Stantler to remove a single enemy from combat, usually for at least a few turns, and Probability Control allows it to use high risk moves like Jump Kick with more confidence.  

The Yora tribe worships Dialga fiercely, and oftentimes goes to war with neighboring clans who worship the other, impure gods.  Their shaman has devised a plan to summon her people’s god to the world, but it requires a rare ingredient: the pearls on a Stantler’s antlers.  Should she obtain these rare ingredients, the whole world may soon feel the terror of Dialga’s roar.

One rather sadistic Gym Leader holds court in a rather unusual place.  The Lost Woods are famous for the heavy mist that wends through the trees, the complex paths that must be followed, and the strange reality warp should they step off the path.  The PCs must reach the shrine in the center of the woods, but will they be able to realize that the gym leader’s Stantler are causing the strange disturbances, or will they fall for the Pokemon’s strange powers?

Stantler are hunted primarily for their antlers, which are prized as works of art.  So when locals start removing antlers from the local Stantler to avoid the eventual extinction of a local species, the hunters are furious.  The PCs arrive in town just as conflict between the two groups has reached explosive levels.  How will they handle themselves?

Image Source: Shiny Primarina

Ferrothorn

Much like its base form, Ferrothorn uses its spines both as a food consumption method and as a weapon.  But while Ferroseed evokes pictures of awkward rolling, Ferrothorn's three ... legs? bring forth images of wrecking ball strikes of a modern tank of a Pokemon.  And the reality isn't too far off.

With six different typed physical attacks in its level-up repetoir plus great defensive moves like Ingrain and Iron Defense, Ferrothorn is a natural tank even without TM or Tutor support, making it a valuable member of any party.  And with Power 7, it has the strength to prove useful out of battle as well, moving heavy obstacles that humans might not be able to.

In the island empire of Yucca, the art of Ferronsai - a homage to the art of Bonsai - has developed, where Ferroseed and Ferrothorn are trained to eat valuable metals instead of iron.  Gold, Silver, and Platinum Ferrothorn are all prized, but the Emperor's own Mithral Ferrothorn is a symbol of royal power and a national treasure.  It's also just been stolen.

The destruction a well-trained Ferrothorn can inflict on accident is rather large, making them a Pokemon not to be released in crowded places.  In fact, it's illegal to release them in many cities outside of specific areas.  A growing 'Ferrothorn Liberation Movement' is seeking to change the laws and public opinion about how dangerous these Pokemon are.

Ferrothorn can be tracked by their distinctive footprints by those with the right knowledge.  So when the spiny imprints of their kind are found in the Pewter City Museum, nobody is quite sure what to make of it.  Is it wild or captured?  Why is it in the museum?  And where on earth could it be hiding????

Image Credit: autobottesla

Ferroseed

Hey everyone!  So because I'm a teacher and have an abudance of summer free time and was feeling nostalgic, I decided to pay this blog a visit again.  It won't be a premanant resurgance, but I miss writing these.  So let's get started!

Ferroseed has always been a bit strange to me.  I was never quite sure what to make of a spiky metal seed.  I liked to imagine it just rolling around but never quite working properly because it wasn't spherical.  In any case, as the first Grass/Steel in the games, Ferroseed set the stage for an interesting and powerful line that somewhow eats through its spikes.

Double Weaknesses are less of a death sentance in PTU as in the video games, making Grass/Steel a phenomenal Defensive typing.  And with Spike Shot to allow Ferrossed to fight at a distance with moves that are normally Melee only, its Overland 3 movement isn’t even a hindrance.  Sans Shuckle, Ferroseed is one of the best defensive tanks you’ll find in the early game.

Because food is both plentiful and easy to reach in iron mines, Ferroseed tend to congregate there en masse as soon as one is discovered.  While for the Pokemon its a source of food and survival, the miners see the Pokemon as nothing more than a pest.  The CEO has hired the PCs to clear out the mine, with promises of more work in the future if this job is done well.  The PCs can earn a valuable patron to fund their adventures while simultaneously capturing a rare and valuable pokmeon for their team.  Are they up to the challenge?

While spaceships haven't been made with iron for quite some time, Ferrossed that live in asteroid belts have learned that the new metals are even tastier.  These Psychic/Steel pokemon can spell the death of an unprepared ship as its leeched of all its shielding and structural support.  Not only do the PCs need to navigate the asteroid field safely while avoiding the imperial scouting ships, but they also will need to figure out a way to deal with these dangerous Pokemon!

A little girl keeps planting her family's Ferroseed in the garden, thinking it will grow into a tree made entirely of metal.  Despite everyone telling her over and over that Pokemon don't work like that, she's stayed true to her convictions.  And strangely enough, a metal sprout is starting to form from where she planted it!  What kind of plant or pokemon will come from this miracle of nature?  And what kind of people are gonig to want to research - or steal - it from the Pokemon's beloved friend?

Image Credit: Hector Mexia