Without traditional Pokémon training, it’s inevitable that Pokémon Champions would be a different battling experience than other games in the series. One of the biggest draws of Pokémon Champions is that it cuts out the tedious grind of training Pokémon to the right level to meet certain challenges, such as Gym Leaders or the Elite Four. That being said, this sacrifices some features that have been in the franchise for a long time, simplifying its battles in some ways.
Individual Values (IVs) Will Be Removed In Pokemon Champions In Favor Of Universal Stats
Courtesy of The Pokemon Company
In Pokémon games, a Pokémon’s stats were determined by a number of random factors once it was encountered in the wild, affecting how strong it would become after training. One of those factors was Individual Values, or IVs, a modifier that impacted a Pokémon’s basic ability scores like Attack, Defense, or Speed. Introduced in earlier Generations of the series, IVs are responsible for Pokémon of the same species to have a wide range of variation in their stats.
Pokémon IVs are usually fixed when generated, with their potential combining with other mechanics like Effort Values (EVs) to help guide trainers to create the strongest Pokémon possible. Through number crunching and the right training, Pokémon with strong IVs in the right places could become truly powerful, leading to unique builds for optimal battling pocket monsters. Although not a mechanic casual players pay much attention to, this system has been a staple of past Pokémon games and their competitive environments.
In a contrast to previous games, Pokémon Champions made the difficult decision to cut IVs from Pokémon within the game. Although interviews with Pokémon designer Shigeki Morimoto have revealed that this decision caused “heated discussions” from the internal development team, this change was made to expand accessibility of Pokémon‘s battle systems. Since IVs are a feature that require a lot of time investment and grinding to optimize, it makes sense why they are being excluded in a game like Pokémon Champions.
Variations In Pokémon Generation Takes Away Some Fun Niche Builds For Competitive Play
Image courtesy of The Pokemon Company
The removal of IVs makes building Pokémon teams easier in Pokémon Champions, without the need to grind specific training tactics to subtly improve the stats of different Pokémon. That being said, this inevitably leads Pokémon battles to include fewer build varieties, with singular points in specific stat values being non-existent. In the past, some battles between Pokémon would come down to which one was better trained, leading to tense stand-offs between two of the exact same creatures who were raised differently.
While time-consuming, IVs were a fun way of seeing how Trainers prioritized particular stats on a Pokémon. For example, a trainer who made sure the IVs and EVs of a Pokémon were geared toward Speed might be able to attack first in a crucial situation. At the same time, another trainer who wants to ensure their Pokémon scores a one-hit K.O. might gear their IVs or EVs toward Attack or Special Attack stats. By equalizing IVs and maxing them out automatically in Pokémon Champions, there is slightly less variety in Pokémon teams.
IV Combinations With Base Stats, Natures, & EVs Are Also Likely To Be Removed
IVs being axed from Pokémon Champions already means that EVs are likely to be removed too, but it implies that other stat-changing systems might also be excluded. Anything that subtly moves stats one way or another might be discarded in favor of scores players don’t have to deal with, encouraging the use of stat-altering moves or abilities more. Abilities like Intimidate or moves like Screech could be more dominant to give players the upper hand in battles.
One of the biggest systems that could also meet the fate of IVs is a Pokémon’s Nature, such as Jolly, Adamant, or Relaxed. These arbitrary terms have been in Pokémon games for as long as IVs, and refer to a Pokémon’s temperament. Much like IVs, a Pokemon’s Nature is determined randomly during an encounter, such as a wild battle, when it hatches from an egg, or if you receive it as a gift. Every Pokémon, including starters, have a random Nature that boosts the potency of one stat while lowering another.
Similar to IVs, Natures can impact a Pokémon’s build, with some Pokémon wanting specific Natures based on their strengths. For example, a Pokémon like Magnezone prefers a Nature that boosts its Special Attack, while bulky Pokémon like Aggron couldn’t go wrong with a Nature that amplifies its Defense. The intricate idea of Natures bolstering one score while sacrificing another led to interesting builds for individual Pokémon, but this has a high chance of not being the case in the future.
Some players might prefer stat-altering systems being removed, as it minimizes unpredictable Pokémon builds in favor of straightforward strategies in battle. However, as Pokémon Champions implements these changes, long-time fans of the competitive battling systems in the series may have preferred these smaller features to remain.
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