Pokémon Violet and Scarlet, let's analyze the Teracrystallization, the new mechanics of the game

Pokémon Violet and Scarlet

Curated by Francesco Pardini.

The Teracrystallization, the new ninth generation mechanic of Pokémon Violet and Pokémon Scarlet is already on everyone's lips. There are those who appreciate it, those who hate it, those who say that the competitive is dead, it will become random.

But is it really so? In this article we will leave aside the opinions resulting from emotionality, disappointment or excitement for the moment and we will analyze and evaluate the new mechanics on the basis of the elements we have available and above all using a tool that I hope can not be questioned, namely mathematics.

We will not dwell on aesthetic considerations, on candlesticks or Swarovski fountains, but we will give life to a deductive and scientific focus on mechanics, comparing it to its recent colleagues of previous generations.

What is Teracrystallization?

A Teracrystallized Pikachu Teracrystallization was officially shown during the last Pokémon Presents on August 3, 2022. The mechanics of this new ninth generation Pokémon, focused on enhancing the basic type of Pokémon and the possibility to be able to even change its topological connotation. Opening up to a world of offensive and defensive combinations to be discovered.

Let's make a decalogue of what we know for sure, since in my opinion one of the faults of this Presents is that it was not very clear about the mechanics, which can only be brought into focus by crossing the information present on the site and making a precise analysis of the text of the subtitles of the launch video. function ready (fn) {if (document.readyState! = 'loading') {fn ()} else {document.addEventListener ('DOMContentLoaded', fn)}} ready (function () {window.addEventListener ('message', function (event) {let target_origin = 'https://aff.netaddiction.it'; if (event.origin! == target_origin) return; if (typeof event.data == "object" && event.data.hasOwnProperty ( "type") && event.data.type == "embaff") {let embed_id = event.data.embed_id; if (embed_id == '1070') {document.querySelector ('#_ aff_embed_1070'). setAttribute ('height ', event.data.embed_size);}}}, false);}) In the video sequence dedicated to the focus on Teracrystallization we are revealed the possibility for each Pokémon in the Paldea region to be able to shine like gems, thus being able to increase the power of their moves thanks to their Teratipe, answering the first question that arises at all introduction of a new mechanic, ie who can have it?

In the wake of Dynamax, a mechanic characteristic of the Galar region, the eighth and current generation of Pokémon, we discover that all Pokémon can do it, but let's move on. Then we have the first specification, not as well explained on the official website, that is the possibility of "some" Pokémon to also be able to change their type while using it by opening two levels of use of the Teracrystallization, similarly to what happened with the Dynamax and Gigantamax, with a mechanic that takes on an additional nuance for some Pokémon.

Pokémon Violet and Scarlet On the official website this nuance is not very clear since we find the following explanation: "All Pokémon in the Paldea region can teracrystallize to obtain special powers. Each Pokémon has a teratipe. The teratipe. it does not activate until the Pokémon teracrystallizes, only then does the Pokémon's type change to a teratype. For example, some Eevee will have a Normal teratype, while others will have a Water teratype. Since there are 18 types, combinations of Pokémon and teratipo are innumerable. "

The interpretation we can give it is halfway between what was said in the video and what was written on the site, in line with what happened with Dynamax and Gigantamax. By virtue of the maintenance and evolution of one of the winning elements of Pokémon Sword & Shield, namely the Raid Dynamax, in the Teracristal Raids we believe you can normally use the basic Teracrystallization of one of the two types of Pokémon. Or, by capturing "particular" specimens, in the latter mode you can also Teracrystallize a Pokémon by making it assume a different type.

A Teracristal Raid of Pokémon Violet and Scarlet It will be reasonable to expect a gradual release of more and more species of Pokémon in the Teracristal lairs, as happened for the Gigantamax in Sword and Shield, so that you can dilute over time and exploit for the purposes of the quarterly competitive format change. We can therefore reasonably expect that more and more Pokémon species from the Paldea region will change their type at the time of Teracrystallization.

Teracrystallization and competitive play

Purple and Scarlet Pokémon In order to continue our analysis of the mechanics as precisely as possible, we will assume that all Pokémon, at some point in the natural life of the title, can change type by taking advantage of the Teracrystallization. How will this affect the competitive? Will it be a random mechanic? Will it even make us regret the much-maligned Dynamax?

At the moment, 3 fundamental elements are still missing, 4 in reality, if we do not want to rely on recent leaks that we, however, want to take for real, namely that of how much is the multiplier of increased power of the post Teracrystallization move. According to a credible leak from the STAB, the Same Type Attack Bonus, which is the bonus that each Pokémon normally receives from the mists of the time of Red and Blue to increase the power of the moves of the same type of its species would go from 1.5x to 2x.

STAB bonuses in Pokémon Violet and Scarlet Let's keep this element in mind as we will return to it later to think together. The other 3 elements that we are missing to evaluate the real and practical impact of the mechanics on the future metagame are the following:

1) You will need a particular object that the Pokémon will have to keep in order to Teracrystallize, effectively preventing it from being able to 'usufruct also of an instrument? So will it be like the Mega Evolutions or the Dynamax, which does not require any tools?

2) Will the enhanced Teramoves be able to go beyond the Protections of the defending Pokémon like the Dynamax moves?

3) Will the Point-blank move, often essential in any self-respecting competitive team, will have an effect on the Teracrystallized Pokémon or will it lack its hesitation task like on Dynamax colleagues?

They seem trivial elements, but they are not, indeed, they could be the real and really important points to think about, since as I will show you shortly the possibility of being able to shoot moves from the 2x enhanced STAB similarly to Pokémon that have the Adaptation ability (already existing in nature for some generation) , which guarantees to the owner of it a STAB at 2x and not 1.5x!) is in my opinion only smoke in the eyes, which must not betray the expert player.

As witnessed by the Tweet d which we used above to take for granted a 2x STAB for those who want to take advantage of the Teracrystallization on one of its natural Types, you can immediately notice how much the leaker himself immediately asked himself the question of how a Kyogre with such a mechanics could break the metagame, launching a water move with an even double STAB and moreover under the strong Rain he evoked for skill.

Calculator in hand, Kyogre Dynamax's Dynaflux is the same power (indeed even higher than a possible Kyogre Gush Teracrystallized with double STAB under the same atmospheric conditions.



252+ SpA Magic Water Adaptability Kyogre Gush (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey in Rain: 214-254 (59.1 - 70.1%) * 252+ SpA Kyogre Dynaflux Magic Water (150 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey in Rain: 217-256 (59.9 - 70.7%) *

* Damage calculated on damage calculator using the official damage calculator equation for Pokémon games

The more attentive could argue that the moves such as Double Gush, a game mode of the VGC competitive format, being moved to area, must be subjected to the filter of a reduction of their power of 25%. Legitimate and right consideration, but carrying on the parallelism with the Dynamax, it must also in my opinion however consider that often many very powerful moves inserted in the Pokémon move sets with the explicit intention of using them as a base of superior power to originate a move Very powerful Dynamax actually have contraindications and that therefore if we wanted to repeat the previous example using a single target move as a Hydropump, we would have more power for the Teralisation (albeit slightly!) But with all the risks of an additional adverse effect. or poor accuracy.



252+ SpA Mystic Water Adaptability Kyogre Hydropump vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey in Rain: 214-252 (59.1 - 69.6%) * 252+ SpA Kyogre Dynaflux Magic Water (140 BP) vs. 252 HP / 4 SpD Blissey in Rain: 204-240 (56.3 - 66.2%) *

* Damage calculated on damage calculator using the official damage calculator equation for Pokémon games

In short, we would have a + 3% average damage, but with the risk of a 20% miss dictated by the 80% accuracy of the Hydropump.

The cost / benefit ratio also in this case seems to hang towards Dynamax.

Teracristal moves do not even seem to raise or lower a stat or to enact a change in the weather depending on the type, like Dynamax moves.

Pokémon Violet and Scarlet Going back to Kyogre's example, what chance he wants seems to be perfectly fitting, defending us from Teramossa Kyogre Water by taking over with a Groudon, his arch enemy and summoning the strong Sun, we would not go to meet again, once cashed the move, with a Groudon in heavy rain contrary to what happens with a Dynaflux.

The empirical reality of the competitive is sometimes very different from the judgment of the gut, going to outline an increasingly clear consideration, that is a gradual reduction of the incisiveness of the mechanics compared to the mechanics of the previous generation.

Until now we have focused on the offensive power of Teracrystallization, but we also talk about how it can be used defensively to overturn a super effective opponent move that can KO us, perhaps going to resist it or collect it in a neutral way. A Ferrothorn that goes from Grass / Steel type to Water type doesn't have to scare us and I'll explain why. Beyond that although it is not a universal general rule, the vast majority of Pokémon that have 4x weakness to a type, wanting to change type to even resist this type, often do not have one in the narrative arc of their set moves making themselves de facto therefore unable to exploit it at least offensively.

But beyond this, should Pokémon come up with particular sets that go beyond this general consideration, able to exploit this mechanic particularly well from this point of view, the principle of self-regulation that every competitive format of every game has, could only benefit from it, creating a usage of the most used Pokémon and which therefore paradoxically would go against the trend with the fear of randomness.

Pokémon Violet and Scarlet If Water-type Ferrothorn became viable and therefore very widespread, the competitive player would know he could expect such a Ferrothorn already in Team Preview, ie those 90 seconds that dictate the choices at the beginning of the game.

But let's go beyond the assumptions and regulation principles worthy of the best anthropologist, let's use mathematics also in this circumstance.

Double the Health Points (main characteristic of Dyna-evolution!), in this game means to take half the percentage damage that you would normally suffer. Going to change the type with one that should normally undergo an "effective" is a principle similar to what we can expect from Teracrystallization.

Either go and turn a 4x weakness into just 2x, or a normally effective one into a resistance. This is to clarify the concept and the parallelism that we have been carrying out for a few paragraphs, on how at most the surprise change, totally random and unexpected, can in the worst case compare to the most vulgar and unexpected Dynamax we know today. empirical mathematics that we cannot do without.

Doubling the Health Points makes us resilient on the pitch against both opposing Pokémon, across the typology, something that the Teracrystallization could not do at all, crossing the attack with two moves, even if only one with an area just to cover the case of an opponent's type change that could therefore even turn into a penalty for the user.

Let's sum it up

Pokémon Violet and Scarlet Summing up our reasoning, I think that the Externalization can actually introduce a factor of randomness, but that it is light years more manageable than the Dynamax, even in the extreme case that an object is not needed to use it, such as the Dynamax, which holes the opposing protections such as the Dynamax and which makes them immune from the hesitation from point blank, such as the Dynamax.

Since even if only 1 of these elements should fail, combined with the mathematical deductions that a We did above, we would find ourselves in front of a very particular mechanic, but, as mentioned, it would weaken its influence within the competitive mechanism of the game.

The whole thing, we must never forget it, but it is fair to mention it, in a habitat of Best of 3 tournaments where information management will be very important.

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