Let’s See These Unusued Pokemon Types ASAP
Ice/Bug – Syclant
Art by CyzirVisheen, Image via Smogon CAP
Ice and Bug-type Pokemon are in a lot of competitive circles considered two of the weaker types in the game. There are exceptions, of course, but both of them have crippling weaknesses that they need to find a way to clear to succeed in a competitive environment.
So it’s quite a bold move indeed for this Smogon CAP Fakemon team for Syclant to combine the two into a glass cannon attacking type that takes advantage of the offensive advantages that an Ice/Bug Pokemon do have.
The Ice/Bug Pokemon Scylcant has a unique ability, Mountaineer, which is designed to help it survive against one of the bigger problems that these two types have to contend with. Mountaineer allows it to dodge all Rock attacks and entry hazards when switching in.
That ability, although sadly fake, is crucial since a crippling weakness to Rock attacks including the dreaded Stealth Rock is the main reason an Ice/Bug Pokemon would be so hard to put into Pokemon without having it completely suck.
Still, real or not, it’s clear from this concept that an Ice/Bug like Syclant would probably look pretty sweet and we’re digging the design that art designer CyzirVisheen came up with.
Let’s See These Unusued Pokemon Types ASAP
Poison/Electric – Plasmanta
Art by Magistrum, Image via Smogon CAP
It’s surprising that Poison/Electric hasn’t paired up yet. Both types are prolific at spreading around status effects, and having a Pokemon that could easily take advantage of both Paralysis or Poison would be a pretty neat concept.
That’s not exactly the idea behind Plasmanta, another Smogon CAP collaborative idea, but it’s another creative imagining of what a unique typing could look like with a competitive spin.
Plasmanta is designed to be an ideal doubles partner capable of countering an eclectic mix of Pokemon with its one of a kind typing. It also has the added benefit of being an aquatic Pokemon, and one of its proposed abilities, Storm Drain, allows it to absorb all water attacks and boost its special attack in the process.
Plasmanta is a great example of how you can be creative with typing even within a played out class of Pokemon like fish. Not everything aquatic has to have a Water-type (the most common type in all of Pokemon).
Let’s See These Unusued Pokemon Types ASAP
Fire/Grass – Pyroak
Art by Elagune, Image via Smogon CAP
Like the Fire/Ice typing, it’s a little understandable perhaps why Game Freak has avoided Fire/Grass. Fire just annihilates Grass and Ice so well that it’s hard to imagine something that wouldn’t be a walking oxymoron.
Pyroak tackles this challenge in a pretty badass way. A Lizard that’s on fire, but shielded from its own combustion with resistant wood armor that can also wield the flames kind of like Blastoise does with water.
It’s appropriately defensive and has two abilities that play up this concept in Rock Head (no recoil damage) and Battle Armor (prevents critical hits).
Once again the Smogon CAP project nails another typing that might seem logically impossible, and does so with great detail.
Let’s See These Unusued Pokemon Types ASAP
Bug/Dark – Thanantis Line
Image & Concept via Dragonith/Deviant Art
The Dark type is essentially supposed to be evil-appearing Pokemon, but not as many as you would think actually live up to that. The Thanantis Line of Pokemon created by Dragonith though rolls a number of really neat ideas into one badass package that I really wish was real.
This would be never before seen Bug/Dark combo takes the idea of a praying mantis, one of the most badass real-life bugs on the planet, and turns it into a grim reaper-like predator with an exoskeleton/chitin that resembles a scythe. Kind of a more aggressive and well, evil, version of Scyther if that was possible.
I can totally see Thanantis rocking high speed, high attack, and powerful Bug/Dark attacks that could put a hurting on any Pokemon but especially Psychic types which would need to evacuate the second Thanantis entered a battle.
Let’s See These Unusued Pokemon Types ASAP
Electric/Dark -Bandibat Line
Image & Concept via Phoenixdex
For whatever reason, both Dark Electric types have been a bit stagnant in terms of mixing up their typings. There’s another example of each of these types already in this article, but this final entry just straight up combines them.
Bandibat found via the Fakemon dex, The Phoenixdex, evolves via a Dusk Stone and turns a cute trickster Electric bat into fearsome thieving Electric/Dark mixed attacking Pokemon that can deliver both powerful special Electric attacks and physical Dark blows.
Although it looks intimidating, it has more of a mischievous personality according to its Phoenixdex entry:
“A Bandibat’s sticky tongue isn’t just for catching bugs—it’s useful for snatching food and trinkets away from enemies the Pokémon has stunned. Bandibat often walk away from scuffles with many berries and other stolen treats stuck to their tongues.
Bandibat can easily figure out how to open trainers’ closed bags and steal things from within. In some places, it is not uncommon to see Bandibat slinking around with Poké Balls in their mouths.”
I guess the “Dark” kicks in from literally stealing Pokemon away with Poke Balls. Hide yo’ kids, and hide yo’ Pokemon because Bandibat be stealing everything up in here…
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