Pokémon Receiving the Wrong Moves

[@TwiliPaladin]

Great Tusk is right next to Scream Tail in the Pokédex, so it was likely someone just fatfingered the key.

[@superspider64]

That honest to god might be what happened, that's actually hilarious

[@Yomasi]

No because scream tail learns it as well so it's not like they forgot

[@JuMiKu]

@@Yomasi Possible explanation: Someone noticed the missing move in its learnset, but didn't know that it was accidentally put elsewhere, so now both have it.

[@mrhalfsaid1389]

​@@Yomasiyes, but they could have looked at scream tail after making said mistake and then adding it to scream tail, but didn't notice it was on tusk or they just didn't care (game development under crunch causes things like this to happen)

[@Shikiai12]

Not trying to ruin the fun, but as someone who makes fan games and has seen decompiles of Og Pokémon games, the way Pokémon are handled in the system works like this Name Stats Ability Moves TM moves Tutor moves etc And can easily changed by just typing in a new move or ability, which likely means they just wanted to give great tusk random coverage moves like how 90% of gen 1-3 Pokémon have.

[@jaydee5312]

It's even funnier when u realize that psyshock hits the physical defense. So it isn't even special coverage. It just uses its 53 special attack stat instead of its 131 physical while also having zen headbutt as an option.

[@ctrlkerdel]

Yes but consider that Zen Headbutt never hits

[@byzantine5761]

@@ctrlkerdelI’d rather use the softest, weakest psyshock in the game than ever try t hit Zen Headbutt more than once

[@Diablocera]

Wait wdym Zen Headbutt doesn’t hit?

[@roachdoggjr7020]

@@Diabloceranot 100%

[@WonderThighs]

@@Diabloceraif it’s not 100%, it’s 30%

[@gorky6053]

Staraptor is struggling with taxes

[@TheStickCollector]

Feeling the pain of the us tax system against it.

[@Jw87563]

Sounds likes it _bugs_ Staraptor

[@GyroCannon]

@@TheStickCollector Thank H&R Block for their endless lobbying to keep taxes complicated so that they can justify their existence as a company...

[@thevalkyriemercenary9463]

Its struggling with the fact that it lost roost

[@midnightlanterns]

Is that why it's Larry's ace?

[@Glace-gone]

jolteon has one like this, it can learn false swipe in SV only. False swipe is TH57, which before SV always used to be charge beam. i would bet money they accidentally screwed up and meant to give it charge beam.

[@angelredvivar]

Ah Charge Beam good times

[@HeraldOfOpera]

Jolteon has also always had access to multiple tail-based moves while basically not having a tail, but that's the result of inheriting them from Eevee which did.

[@05stapj]

That's a real good theory

[@RazzleDazzle106]

@HeraldOfOpera Jolteon only has full access to tail whip, this is ultimately because eevee knows it. Iron tail is only introduced as a tm or tr in like three generations. So unless you’re going out of your way to get the move put on your jolteon I doubt most people will see it being used. That being said it does have a tail. It’s the main spike in the middle.

[@doomsdayrabbit4398]

Sounds like the Elgyem/Beheeyem Steel Wing situation.

[@ThatOneInkIing]

Staraptor: “How do you do fellow bugs?”

[@Hyuduro]

Also Staraptor: "Don't mind me. I'm you guys.....but stronger."

[@midnight-fox7456]

It's his way of sneaking in for dinner

[@Chaos_Vergil]

*Proceeds to eat the bugs afterward since it's a bird*

[@No0b_S41b0t4]

Flygon & Gliscor: Repeat that.

[@arkthompson9869]

Spinarak: Wait, where's Weedle? Staraptor with a big belly: Where's who now?

[@MyTummyHurtsfrfr]

The answer is shocking Elephants never forget

[@TyrannostarusRex]

I genuinely think this is the reason.

[@-libertyprimev1-902]

Wait what about Copperajah? Cause that genuinely sounds like a good answer

[@joshuabergman3292]

@@-libertyprimev1-902 Copperajah is A) artifical, and/or B) [which is more likely] only knows work

[@-libertyprimev1-902]

@@joshuabergman3292 uhh... Idk where you got the idea Copperajah was an Artificial Pokemon (Steel Type does Not automatically mean Artificial btw), I could not find a single thing pointing towards that, lists by people who care more about Artificial Pokemon do not mention it whatsoever, and the Pokedex Entries for it nor Cufant imply that instead actually going against it. "They came over from another region long ago and worked together with humans." "These Pokémon live in herds." Also states they apparently "know more than work" based off their personality mentions below... "Copperajah are prideful, cantankerous Pokémon. Specimens with vibrant green skin command the respect of others of their kind." The Green Skin being important to them also disproves the Artificial bit more as otherwise they'd just ask for a new can of spray paint every once in a while. (That mental image is actually pretty adorable 🤣) I don't mean to keep dragging this on but also, even if they were artificial, why would that stop them from being considered smart or at least capable? Every other Artificial Pokemon has appeared to have at least the same intelligence as any other Pokemon if not more in some cases such as the computer interfacing/dimension traveling Porygon line or the Psychic Type hyper intelligent Mewtwo... 🤷

[@monroerobbins7551]

Honestly, if that’s why, that’s bloody great. I just thought “it hits with its head literally and metaphorically”

[@jaxpool155]

wouldn't be surprised, it's happened before thanks to tm numbers changing between gens

[@theelemental3096]

ahhh good ol beeheeyem learning STEEL WING

[@hux0rd]

​@@theelemental3096This makes more sense due to it being tm51, i think in B/W. Tm51? Area 51?

[@yosh9192]

@@hux0rd That being said, is Area 51 alien stuff that prevalent in Japanese culture? I know things like the Hopkinsville aliens are (hence Sableye), but I’ve always felt like Area 51 being associated with aliens was an American thing for the most part.

[@johnthoppil7308]

Unova was set in New York city​@@yosh9192

[@mrhalfsaid1389]

​@@hux0rdit was originally a reference but it made sense in its moveset before, they likely forgot to remove it from their moveset and then thought hehe 51 and didn't remove it because they forgot it was steel wing under it because they didn't check

[@4nevar]

Don't forget that wooper has ice punch, game freak never makes mistakes.

[@Sandstheskeleton]

it punches the pokemon psychologically

[@Blackpeel]

Its whole body is the fist

[@tommywang948]

He just throws a cool punchline, which is mega effective against those with big ego like flying dragons

[@corcortinez5361]

I like the idea of it freezing a fist shape on itself and then ramming the target

[@metaemperor]

Uses its feet as fist 😂

[@phillippeandpheather5379]

And tinkaton can't learn rock throw, despite it's Pokédex entry mentioning that it launches rocks into the air with it's hammer.

[@Jw87563]

Or Smack Down, which is what I feel like is the move being reference in its entry. Smack Down makes flyers and Levitaters touch the ground, which is theoretically how Tink finishes off Corviknight.

[@Prince_Eva_Huepow]

​@@Jw87563Yeah. it might as well hammer throw Paper Mario-style instead.

[@Jw87563]

@Prince_Eva_Huepow or Thor for that matter.

[@SoraQuill]

This is bad, but Alolan Sandslash not being able to roll into a ball yet learning rollout and defence curl by level up will always piss me off more. That and Oddish having chlorophyll as an ability when it _gets sick in direct sunlight_

[@wolfekupo5651]

@@Jw87563 Smack Down was added to Tinkaton's learn set with Indigo Disk

[@kandyeggs]

Spidops only learns Block because Spiderweb isn't in this game

[@dougmelis611]

I’m honestly still baffled they just took a bunch of moves out of the game so they wouldn’t have to program or animate them.

[@mrziiz6893]

@@dougmelis611dexit was the worst thing to happen to this franchise and I will die on this hill

[@gundispaberzs2281]

​@mrziiz6893 No, the worst thing to happen to this franchise is buffing Incineroar in gens 8 and 9.

[@liliana665]

But electroweb is tho and that’s got a more crazy version of Spiderweb’s animation.

[@ChikuTenebresRattus]

This just reminds me of that accidental Raid event in Galar that had a Drillbur with like Water Gun or something.

[@yonkodude]

It was hydro pump that it learned but yh funny

[@Ezecool-3105]

Female indeedee with trick room

[@Fig_Bender]

And the Gmax hattena

[@Ezecool-3105]

@@Fig_Bender what?

[@Fig_Bender]

@Ezecool-3105 there were raids in SwSh for a couple of days that had Hattenna with the Gmax mark. It doesn't do anything but it's pretty funny.

[@juniorvalerio5070]

Talking about Gligar, it learns Dream Eater in past gens. Heatran learns Bug Bite that made me wonder if it is a cockroach on fire

[@kaiseremotion854]

I mean, volcano beasts need to eat too!

[@MortenLongbottom]

Heatran is like a bug on fire, so Bug Bite makes sense, even it's one of it's signature moves in Pokémon Go

[@THGMR-ox7sd]

Heatran’s a bug? I thought it was a frog or something.

[@MrZahsome]

Past gens movesets sometimes were pretty random lol. Every gen 1 and 2 pokemon can learn sunny day, Charizard couldn't learn fly in R/B but I think they fixed it in Yellow. I don't remember but some pokemon also learned moves like Leer when reaching the 50s in levels 😂

[@G2000_the_viewer]

​@@MrZahsome When i hear somone say "they rushed the combat system" i laugh: "alright, we got the map, dex, items... Oh crap, the gameplay!" Yet you can find proof in Rhydon the snats' learnset...

[@drayko_jd]

There's a chance that defog conkeldurr was also a mistake, but I like to think it's intentional

[@Crow0567]

Sure would make construction easier! Would love if they made it canon that they're strong enough to blow away kicked-up dust and bad weather lmfao

[@tomsmithok]

it uses the concrete slabs to blow the fog away

[@jorgetrevino8040]

Bro legit just snorts the fog into up his fat schnoze.

[@buttsaggington6379]

@@tomsmithok do the helicopter

[@reesewhittington6778]

@@Crow0567 ^Precisely the reasoning I was going to present

[@MaskinaHat07]

"Hulk is smart. Hulk is nuclear physicist in free time." -SolidJJ

[@hoodedman6579]

Gen 1 had several examples where they very literally gave the Pokemon the wrong move. One famous one is how Lance’s Dragonite knows Barrier when it should almost certainly know Reflect instead; it’s a move that replaces a level-up move, which are otherwise only TM moves in Red and Blue, and Dragonite has never ever been able to learn Barrier outside of an event Dragonite that references this one. Another, much more tragic example is Moltres, the worst of the legendary birds both in-game and competitively in Gen 1. One of the many reasons for this is because its level 51 level up move is terrible; Articuno gets Blizzard, Zapdos gets Thunder, and Moltres gets Leer. Leer happens to be exactly ten indices off from Flamethrower, a move that would have made vastly more sense (note that Fire Blast is a gym leader TM, and Pokémon did not naturally learn gym leader TM moves in Red and Blue). This leaves Moltres completely unable to learn the move because it’s not a TM in Gen 1. If you didn’t save the Fire Blast TM, Moltres is probably not accomplishing much offensively, though it using Fly is still all right in-game at least.

[@robertlupa8273]

Fun fact: there's actually a Japanese-exclusive downloadable PWT tournament ("The Legendary Rotation Battle!") that has a trainer with a Moltres that knows Leer.

[@Prince_Eva_Huepow]

​@@robertlupa8273And a DLC Giratina Origin without its Orb. The noodle managed to fix the gravitational issues it once had.

[@demi-femme4821]

Moltres can totally learn Fire Blast by TM.

[@ackselpacksel]

Gen1 Hypno also learns Poison Gas which is one off from Dream Eater. Several Pokedex entries even mention it eating dreams.

[@ThatOneWeirdFlex]

​@@demi-femme4821he meant that it doesn't learn it via level up

[@mint3465]

Also it's baffling that Skeledirge can't learn Perish Song

[@zxb995511]

this is likely for balance reasons, might make the strat too strong. Dangerous moves like that can easily break the game. Zamazenta didint get body press last gen, and now its the best restricted in the game even after a stat nerf.

[@Marvlouso]

@@zxb995511perish song isn’t a good move tho

[@DembaiVT]

​@@Marvlousoin what universe is perish song bad? You use it to force a switch or to nuke their final mon. Max Revives exist (weird to think, we all been playing nuzlockes too much). Not to mention, you can firespin (keeping them trapped) perish song and then arena trap with a switch. Now your skeledirge is safe and they are trapped.

[@middayeclipse1492]

The big mammoth is so angry, it went to college so it could learn how to shank people with it's mind.

[@byzantine5761]

For a more infuriating example of misplaced moves, Indeedee-F is bugged in raids where it can have Trick Room which isn’t in its natural moveset. This one bug is what managed to make Armarouge and Indeedee so damn annoying for early Gen 9 competitive (aka just before Flutter Mane was legal in Reg B)

[@regulargoat7259]

Iirc they made it possible to teach in one of the later updates

[@aspiringwayfarer]

@@regulargoat7259yea, now all female Indeedees can learn Trick Room via TM.

[@ItsDaNewGuy]

​@@regulargoat7259Yea, the new updates fixed the whole Trick Room thing

[@wolfekupo5651]

@@regulargoat7259 it also wasn't the only raid exclusive move that was later just made able to teach, Magnemite raids could have Electro Web which Magnemite originally couldn't learn either

[@GiovanniBoss]

Raid Kilowattrel uses Rain Dance. Though as an extra move. It doesn't learn Rain Dance.

[@klentastic87]

that bird is struggling in life, be nice to him

[@waxwinged_hound]

Staraptor: Day 398. Things are going well, they still think I'm a bug.

[@ninjapotatolorf6237]

This ain't the first time this has happened (Steel Wing Beeheeyem my beloved) but it's always funny to build around moves that Pokémon probably shouldn't get

[@Jw87563]

Tbh, that's because of tm 51. Cuz they're aliens. Obviously a joke. Psyshock Great Tusk is most likely a mistake.

[@Fanimati0n]

Steel wing beeheeyem was a pun. At the time, Steel Wing was TM **51**. A reference to area 51. They sorta just lost the joke later b/c they couldn't commit to the bit enough

[@GOATexp]

@@Fanimati0nAlso an accidental reference to Area 51 being an air force base 😂

[@dustindean4618]

Pelipper gets Shockwave lol

[@hyoroemongaming569]

​@@Fanimati0n"a ref" Narcist

[@zachpro5475]

They probably confused great tusks with scream tail because there next to each other and scream tail is Psychic type

[@adoramay9410]

Scream Tail also can learn Psyshock though.

[@samba1one531]

Struggle Bug? Staraptor is the one making them struggle, dammit! Edit: thx for 1k likes!!

[@jarrodn.1279]

Staraptor does make bugs struggle 🤷‍♂️

[@churchofeg]

That wasnt an action it was a command

[@ispeakcockney5387]

It's a nice support move for Intimidate Staraptor tho

[@Penguinmanereikel]

So it's more like "Struggle, bug!"

[@balrogdahomie]

I went to check the Japanese move name to see if it makes more sense, but it really doesn’t “Insect Opposition” Maybe it’s a pun? “Oh, you thought it was opposition from the insect, but it’s actually opposition TO the insect!”

[@sparkedfires]

Elgym/Beheyem could learn steel wing through TM in I think X/Y and ORAS because in the previous gen that TM number wasn't Steel Wing, but a move they're actually supposed to be able to learn. It happens sometimes.

[@emperortoho]

nope, it learns steel wing because it’s tm 51

[@gameyfirebro9645]

Tyrantrum also. Just in X and Y too.

[@PointsofData]

​@emperortoehoe ? In the generation they were introduced TM51 was Ally Switch, a Psychic move. Generation six it was changed to Steel Wing.

[@emperortoho]

@@PointsofData yeah and it learns steel wing because it is tm 51, like area 51

[@jarrodn.1279]

@@emperortohobut it doesn’t learn icicle spear in SwSh 😞

[@TheGhostgodzilla]

I always remember how Pyroar recieves a great physical movepool.....when they are a special attacker.

[@pilot_aki]

And they have Moxie as their hidden ability for some reason.

[@flinnparrygrowney2714]

Meanwhile, the exact opposite issue occurs for Klinklang. I'm beginning to think we shouldn't be trusting these devs to make actual useful movesets.

[@iantaakalla8180]

Honestly, at this point Pokémon belongs to the fans, and the official Pokemon series is just there to see what we play with.

[@crankysourbill4689]

TM 15 was Hyperbeam for the longest time until S/V when it changed to Struggle Bug so maybe devs forgot to remove TM 15 from Staraptor's learn list.

[@eddasilva1]

This is probably the correct answer

[@rifttogo7108]

Initially, Gallade was unable to learn Metronome by TM, even though Ralts and Kirlia could. This was fixed in a later update.

[@SoraQuill]

Alolan Sandslash is stated to be unable to roll into a ball. But it can learn rollout and defence curl. In every gen in it’s in. BY LEVELUP.

[@kellytibbs3815]

I think you’re thinking of Alolan Sandshrew, and they are shown in the anime instead curling laterally to spin. Alolan Sandslash doesn’t mention anything about not being able to curl

[@D_YellowMadness]

@@kellytibbs3815 The cartoon isn't canon, isn't made by people who know anything about the games, & doesn't tend to make sense even in comparison to the games. There's a part in that show where a rock pokemon is said to be at a disadvantage because it's being hit by a water pokemon who's using *scratch.*

[@kellytibbs3815]

@@D_YellowMadness that has nothing to do with anything. The point is the flagship artists are quite literally Illustrating* how a move is possible given its anatomy. And in doing so, they have addressed the concerns of the original post. Whether you still choose to believe it is your own personal choice. It’s all fabricated & so they reserve the right to change their mind, no matter the medium. -Are tires a ball ? No, can they roll, yes ? -Can you curl your arms ? Yes ? Ball? no

[@lilharm]

it’s the psySHOCK because it shocks you that it could learn it

[@DanielPereira-ey9nt]

Remember when they accidentally gave female Indeedee Trick Room but it got so popular they just gave up and let her keep it ?,

[@michaellane5381]

This reminds me of some infamous Pokedex entries where pokemon with extreme claims in the entry like "appears/heralded by tornados" can't use anything to actually create one like gust/twister/hurricane/whirlpool/etc.

[@MaxWeb2599]

Imagine a stoneage Mammoth getting a Harvard degree, something not even a regular human has and still getting orders from a 10 year old.

[@X9Z17]

Yeah? Well my Kangaskhan knows Water Gun, Sky Attack, and Water Gun again!

[@Zmeeed01]

I recognise that selection of moves.

[@gamefan1353]

Nowerdays Beeheeyem knowing Iron Wing is a weird holdover. (It used to learn it because it was TM51 (Area 51) but then TM numbers changed and so now it still knows Iron Wing. For no real reason)

[@Prince_Eva_Huepow]

It sends out a Skarmory to wing its target.

[@LoinkLoink]

It summons a UFO to graze the opponent.

[@AutumnWoodham]

Honestly, that one feels like an intentional reference.

[@gamefan1353]

@@AutumnWoodham Well, it originally getting Steel Wing when it was TM51 absolutely was a reference. I think it still got the new TM51 in Sw/Sh but I'm not sure. But I think it keeping Steel Wing was an oversight

[@grunkleg.29691]

​@@gamefan1353It didn't. No Icicle Spear, no Dragon Dance, but they could still learn Steel Wing via TM30

[@Xifihas]

It’s almost like they have no Quality Assurance.

[@fubuki5hiro764]

Staraptor be like: "Struggle, Bug!"

[@lenlimbo]

Staraptor learned to learn Strugle bug so they can mimetize with their prey. And now I'm picturing Staraptor disguised as a Caterpie, getting ready for murder xD

[@dustindean4618]

Funny you say that, Caterpie can't learn Struggle Bug.....

[@lenlimbo]

@@dustindean4618 the image is still funny, and I just mentioned the first bug that came to mind, to be honest.

[@chester1882]

The song is Forecast from the game Transistor by Supergiant Game, composed by Darren Korb.

[@Dremag_Gaming]

Great Tusk playing head games now. (Physical and mental)

[@ryandimalanta2884]

I think we need more videos going over this same topic because it’s honestly really unique

[@Degenerate5909]

A personal favourite is Cryogonal a genderless pokemon, could learn attract (up until Gen 8). A move that literally doesn't work for that Mon. 😆👍

[@davidstratton696]

Or Shedinja learning Rest, Final Gambit, and Substitute. Or Umbreon learning synchronoise even tho it’s a dark type. So many 😂. Idk if they still learn these moves but the fact they ever did is crazy 😂.

[@Degenerate5909]

@@davidstratton696 There's always the classic, growlithe not being able to learn Growl 😆

[@davidstratton696]

@@Degenerate5909 True or another one some of the starting birds unable to learn the move peck. How can a bird not peck 😂.

[@Degenerate5909]

@davidstratton696 lmao it does make you wonder what they was thinking over at game freak sometimes. Don't even get us started on some of the stats, obviously they try to balance it for competitive reasons but like Onix done so badly poor thing has less base attack than god damn Ditto 🤣🤣🤣

[@davidstratton696]

@@Degenerate5909 Poor thing has base attack then many things (including baby and unevolved Pokémon). Like it has less base attack then Oddish and Oddish is a special attacker. And sure it’s got decent speed and amazing physical defense but that defense doesn’t mean much when your 4 times weak to both water and grass and not only are those quite common but most of the time they are special attacks. And especially in the first 3 generations before the split where all water and grass moves were special. Like a water gun would take it out. Honestly wish they would’ve redone his stats. Not only to make it actually usable but it doesn’t make sense that a giant Rock Snake that looks super intimidating to have less attack then something like Oddish.

[@beefoon9517]

Staraptor is going in as a secret agent for the flying types at the bug type family meeting

[@chonky6055]

Starapator got it because of one simple saying You are what you eat

[@castform7]

Gamefreak messed up giving Indeedee F Trick Room when it's supposed to be a move exclusive to the male. This isn't intentional either because pre DLC you could only get an Indeedee F with Trick Room through Tera Raids and it and Electroweb Magnemite are the only Pokemon to get this treatment. And then Gamefreak doubled down and made it a TM move.

[@roccomancini4773]

It reminds me Metagross can learn SLUDGE BOMB.

[@goGothitaLOL]

Excadrill too IIRC

[@LiquidPr1d3]

CB Sludge Bomb in Gen 3 OU is my favorite secret tech

[@Zmeeed01]

I just imagine it spits oil or its residue at the enemy as a form of Sludge Bomb

[@Tochkannn]

When staraptor uses it, its a command

[@sharkEnabler]

cause staraptor looks like a mosquito if you close your eyes and imagine a mosquito

[@sethmorvant6627]

I believe this is because Psyshock is TM54 is S/V. In Sw/Sh, TM54 is Rock Blast; a move that makes a lot more sense for Great Tusk to learn. However, this logic doesn't line up with Staraptor. Struggle Bug is TM015 in S/V. In Sw/Sh, TM15 is Dig, and TR15 is Fire Blast.

[@MixMasterJ1221]

Both of these I’m fairly sure come from the TMs in BDSP, as the moves with the TM numbers present in SV make a lot more sense using the numbers that match up with their BDSP versions (I believe it’s rock blast and roost respectively but don’t quote me on that)

[@BlackFeatheredBird]

The bugs struggle to get away from Staraptor.

[@LitFuse230]

Struggle Bug could be a play on the fact that Staraptor is making them struggle

[@shen_valor]

Great Tusk gives its smooth brain a temporary wrinkle for it to use Psyshock

[@anthonyoliver418]

I wonder if this is an case where the Japanese names for moves make this decision make more sense?

[@robertlupa8273]

But why would they only do it in Gen 9 and not Gen 5 when Struggle Bug was added?

[@woahitsthunder]

Transistor OST, My Beloved

[@christophergann9197]

had to scroll way too far for this

[@LoopDeLuuke]

It's okay, let's just pretend that it learns struggle bug because it >makes< the bugs struggle /j

[@adamnakamura8003]

“Insect Opposition” literally leaves a lot to the imagination, so I can see it!

[@eeveeblazelol]

indeedee female getting trick room was the biggest oversight in gen9

[@rinrinstrikes3745]

I looked up what the psyshock TM used to be and it used to be false swipe which tusk cant even learn anyway Pre emptively editing for smart alecs: yeah it used to be flash cannon in specifically LGPE but please think for 2 seconds before saying that

[@chaoscasserole5990]

Yeah LGPE was wack with its TMs, having the elemental punches there for the first time since I think gen 2? Also Pay day and Metronome TMs like in OG gen 1, why not

[@Dinkoberton]

The bugs struggle when they get eaten by the bird

[@Juli_is_Online]

This has always been a funny thing in Pokemon Incineroar can't learn Incinerate. Yanmega, Gyarados and Gliscor can't learn Fly. Neither can Garchomp or Druddigon despite the fact that they are shown to and referenced to be able to fly many times. Sandaconda can learn Hurricane...huh?? Entei and Zekrom can't learn Earthquake, but Spheal, Dunsparce and Politoed can. Gastly can't learn Poison Gas. Malamar can learn Thunderbolt, but not Thunder. Reuniclus can learn Thunder Wave, Thunder Punch, and Thunder...but not Thunderbolt??? Rhydon, Rhyperior and Golem are all Rock Types with abilities that benefit recoil moves, yet they can't learn Head Smash. Even though Sudowoodo, Corsola, and somehow Aegislash and Hydreigon can. Also Marowak and Aerodactyl, who also have Rock Head also can't learn Head Smash. Weird how they gave it to Steelix recently but noone else. But hey, it's the Rhydon line, who needs Head Smash when you have Tbolt, Blizzard, Fire Blast, Surf and Dragon Pulse? Garbodor can learn Drain Punch...but not Poison Jab. It also gets Psychic somehow. Cryogonal gets Attract, everyone has heard that one...but it also gets Solar Beam and Poison Jab...as a Snowflake Pokemon. Eelektross randomly gets Dragon Pulse, even though it has nothing to do with reptiles or Dragons. Same thing with Arcanine. Skarmory gets Dark Pulse. Insanely random. Skuntank gets Explosion. I'm sorry, how does a Skunk blow itself up to the point that it faints? Ferrothorn can't learn Spiky Shield. Swanna can learn Ice Beam, but not Blizzard. Keldeo gets Icy Wind, but not Ice Beam or Blizzard. It is one of the only Water types period to do this. Also Toxicroak gets Icy Wind, so that means absolutely nothing. Buzzswole can't learn Megahorn....but somehow Celesteela can?? Blaziken gets Brave Bird...it has no wings!! Amoonguss can't learn Leech Seed, even though every other Mushroom Pokemon does. Xerneas, the Life Pokemon...can't learn Recover. Conkeldurr once got Defog...how?? How does it create enough wind to blow away hazards and screens?? Golem can learn Fire Blast...why Lanturn and Ampharos can't learn Tail Glow..when Manaphy does? Scrafty can't learn Sucker Punch. Dugtrio gets Aerial Ace...and so do Slowbro and Maractus...how? Tauros and Slaking get Solar Beam. Gosh I hate it when my Bull and Sloth suddenly start harnessing the power of the Sun. Bronzong, the Bell Pokemon, can't learn Hell Bell. And finally, despite beings birds, as well as flying types for the first two stages of the evolutionary line, AND learning both Roost and Brave Bird...the Decidueye line can't learn Fly...bruh. So yeah. Pokemon Move distributions are absolutely fucked.

[@Prince_Eva_Huepow]

And some odd moves make sense from a design perspective, such as Dugtrio claws them from underneath for Ariel Ace but somehow does the same to those high in the air. Blaziken leaps at speeds relative to flight. Apparently Palmer's Rhyperior is so unbeatable as he claims that it can afford just Rock Wrecker as its sole physical. Grimmsnarl is just it's english name. It's original name makes no Snarl reference whatsoever. Perhaps Incineroar is the same? Them mosquito antennae attached to what seem to be eyes are probably too sensitive to use Megahorn compared to solid steel and bamboo. Gorebyss shell smash breaks its bra? What does Huntail Break? Others, probably balancing power. A megampharos with Tail Glow is just a buffed Tail Glowing Xurkitree minus the beast boost. Xerneas Power Herbed/Z Move Recovering Geomancy is just "kill everything in your way in 1 move...without help." Yet more may make no sense whatsoever. If Scizor has trouble flying, give it to Scytherand remove it on evolution. As a blade user, Kartana gets Air Cutter as a Useless Useful spell. Very good against terribly high physically defensive targets who'd laugh off a physical move.

[@Nobrabra16]

I think Skuntank gets explosion cuz.... fart pokemon that blow up is funny. Explosive deadly farts

[@Prince_Eva_Huepow]

@@Nobrabra16 So, Sludge Wave/Bomb and Gunk Shot are explosive diarrhea?

[@chimp163]

Iirc dugtrio getting Arial Ace is due to wordplay that doesn't translate to English. I imagine some other moves and the reason for their distribution also get lost in translation.

[@Prince_Eva_Huepow]

@@chimp163 Dugtrio slices with its claws for Swallow Return. Slices in a shape similar to Swellow's tail.

[@Sukaki_Izamu]

its almost like Pokemon don't know how to code their own game.

[@kuribro443]

It's so Great Tusk can style on Blissy and Clodsire

[@GemmaBee14]

but it’s regular physical moves would be much better at that…

[@VoidLegendAura]

Not to mention cobalion somehow knows volt switch

[@stiggy8692]

Next staraptor will be named dooshcanoe(character limit) challenge accepted lol

[@axeltheking4157]

the way there’s no character limit anymore 😭

[@Mimikyu130]

He ate too many bugs, sir. They have finally gotten through the fire wall. They went straight to the brain. He is now corrupted. He is now… a bug.

[@omegacanon]

I think it's because Fluttermane's dex # is right after Great Tusk so I bet someone just fat fingered the move object in the code for which pokemon IDs could learn it.

[@adoramay9410]

Uh, no it isn't. Flutter Mane is #987, Great Tusk is #984. You mean Scream Tail, right? Cause Flutter Mane is a Ghost/Fairy type. Also Scream Tail can also learn Psyshock, so that doesn't make sense. Pokemon is just weird sometimes. For instance, Happiny can learn Seismic Toss, which makes no sense whatsoever. And they could starting in Kalos and up until it was removed in Paldea. So it wasn't some mistake.

[@omegacanon]

@@adoramay9410 Gotcha, thanks for clarifying! I always like the quirks that pop up and wondering why they are the way they are. Cheers!

[@Prince_Eva_Huepow]

This is worse than Banette's Snatch. At least Struggle Insect is a free Assault Vest without the vest.

[@Labyrinth6000]

Well, the Primeape line can learn Iron Tail despite having no tail and the Wooper can learn Ice Punch despite having no arms

[@alexskocy9948]

Mankey does in fact have a tail which is why primate and anhilape get it while Cooper gets punches due to quagsire having arms similar to lastly getting all the elemental punches dispite being an orb

[@roguecloud5674]

​@@alexskocy9948doesn't make primeape annihilape, wooper, or ghastly learning those moves any less funny/stupid. Especially wooper and ghastly, just save the moves for quagmire and haunter.

[@alexskocy9948]

@@roguecloud5674 actually hunter and gengar can't learn the elemental punches because they aren't TM or Tutor moves they are egg moves which means if you want the punches on your gengar you have to get them as a gastly

[@roguecloud5674]

@@alexskocy9948 makes even less sense lol. Gastly doesn't have arms.

[@alexskocy9948]

@roguecloud5674 it's a genetic skill because it an egg move

[@Engineer664]

It’s head is so empty it shocks the opponents

[@ela-811]

Who we gotta fire that was in charge of Gen 9 movesets?

[@Decubitus]

I looked it up and apparently, Struggle Bug is called "Insect Opposition" in Japanese, which does kinda describe Staraptor. I think this is just an "Aerial Ace" situation where the Japanese meaning of the move ("Swallow Return", which is a reference to a famous Japanese sword technique) makes more sense when considering why certain Pokémon can learn it.

[@comyuse9103]

This is the second thing I've read today that has me thinking the English team at Pokemon just doesn't care as much as other teams

[@ave-taka]

Struggle Bug might be intentional because they've done this before with Bug Bite (Carnivine and Heatran being very clearly not bugs that learn it - they're the ones biting the bugs). Psyshock is weird for sure though

[@robertlupa8273]

Heatran is like a weird, four-legged lava spider thing (it walks on celings and walls), so I guess it makes a tiny bit of sense if you stretch it. Still weird.

[@nicholascompton2115]

Seeing Pokemon have different moves in different generations made me think of the headcanon that they evolved different movesets in different regions - like very minor regional variance.

[@deemullins22]

Can we also talk about Heatran getting moves like Lunge, Pounce and Bug Bite?

[@irviensyahpratama]

Well that thing look like four legged spider, so i guess the bug type moves make sense

[@CEO-Zo]

“Eh, why not? Just leave it be.” - Whole Staff

[@DBSMoonMaster]

Harvard Degree moves use your head too

[@Bolt-sc9uw]

“Pokémon scoorwet and violet” got me dead💀

[@Bean._.]

Slurpuff line having sticky web as an egg move is an absolute mystery to me. Most people still think its a bug exclussive move but nope, the fucking whipped cream gets it

[@edgargaebolg9307]

Ever got your hands dirty with cotton candy as a kid? (Swirlix is cotton candy)

[@shadenox8164]

I mean it can make a sticky web.

[@AdamantSteele]

Every Pokémon that learns U-turn without being a bug type has the wrong move.

[@radboyrandom1976]

Struggle bug in Japanese translates to "Insect Opposition" so it relates to Flying being strong to Bug atleast Also Psyshock is "Psycho Shock" which is read as "Saikō Shokkū" and Saiko could mean "Psycho" or "Awesome"

[@gamertbutitsotherstuff5110]

Its probably because Elephants are very very smart animals, able to understand things like a human can

[@lolinontot7642]

I've come to realise that the "out of place" moves, have alot to do with the pokemon's tera types. They have a small chance of learning or even ALREADY KNOWING moves that work with their tera type. Like, I have a flareon who knows a water move that isn't rain dance, lost somewhere in one of my boxes, cause its tera type is water. The move was there when I caught it. Another example is my pikachu who knows the move "fly", cause she's a flying tera type. I've also noticed that some have those moves in the "remember moves" lineup.

[@DoninNewmanja]

wasn't expecting to randomly hear Transistor music in a YT short, a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one

[@buddyy9558]

Why was that person's head spinning like he was POSSESSED IS HE OK

[@Ziggaton]

Just good old reliable Game Freak programming doing its job. Nothing to see here.

[@superN1ntendoman]

Staraptor knows struggle bug because it probably eats bug types

[@squirtleturtle6256]

Psyshock does physical damage but based from the special attack stat right?

[@muhammetemiraydin1459]

It checks opponents defense stat instead of special defense so yes

[@daniela4738]

No. It is a special move that targets physical defense stats, just like psystrike and secret sword. If it was physical then it would proc counter (which it does not)

[@davidstratton696]

@@daniela4738That’s what they said.

[@DemonRaticate]

@@davidstratton696No, cause there is a distinct difference. It is still categorized as Special Damage, just targeting Physical Defense. This distinction is important for things like Burn, which only halves Physical Damage (even if it uses another stat like Body Press).

[@davidstratton696]

@@DemonRaticate Bruh it’s still saying the same thing. They legit said it’s based on the special attack. When they said it uses special attack that means it’s not affected by things like burn and anything like that so brining that up makes no sense. Just because they said it does physical damage doesn’t mean they said it’s a physical move. They legit said it’s a special move. It is a special attack that deals physical damage to the enemy. Like I don’t get what your problem is.

[@CRBN_8]

Staraptor have Close Combat bro, I swear this emo bird have hands I promise

[@BigHatLoganGaming]

Trapinch and gligar get struggle bug because they ARE bugs. Before someone with 0 reading comprehension comments: I didn't say bug type.

[@stiggy8692]

What bug is gligar? I thought it was a bat? No hate, I learned something new lol

[@BigHatLoganGaming]

@@stiggy8692 it's also a scorpion

[@bulbaa2241]

​@@BigHatLoganGamingdoes drapion learn struggle bug as well or only skorupi as drapion is obviously a scorpion as well as not being a bug type

[@BigHatLoganGaming]

@@bulbaa2241 skorupi, a bug type, does not learn struggle bug. Neither does drapion.

[@jakeplaysyt8000]

Staraptor is just bugged about dropping to PU. It’s a struggle for our favorite early bird. But in all seriousness, somebody 100% screwed up. Psyshock on NotDonphan was probably supposed to go to FlutterMane or ScreamTail, but I can’t even begin to fathom how Struggle Bug ended up on Staraptor.

[@rainydaysyes]

why was that kyurem level 6

[@FennecFoxyOfficial]

Its also strange that Incineroar can learn 2 bug type moves (those being U-turn and Leech Life)

[@skippy9273]

Bombirdier cant learn fling

[@Jw87563]

🤦‍♂️

[@BingusIsDead]

Tusk shocks the enemy with his sheer stupidity

[@2_many_alts]

Gamefreak managing to mess up and put in the minimum effort for their big AAA games

[@pxm2337]

There were 400 Pokémon at launch and 100s of moves. Are you really complaining about a small handful of inconsequential mistakes?

[@Cinnamon_bytch]

I'm gonna guess it's to provide moves pokemon can use in combination with terrastilization

[@hotpockethumorDL]

everyone is complaining about it being terribly coded, meanwhile you all are the ones that rushed Nintendo. 😑

[@cupie2255]

This is actually the first generation where Sylveon has been able to learn Psychic, but it has always had Psyshock available since gen 6.

[@bsg-jay7093]

Rhyperior gets Payday now. Imagine him shooting coins like bullets from his palms

[@jetstreamjackie3437]

I maintain that Great Tusk getting Psyshock is a stealth reference to the Ancient Psychic Tandem War Elephant from adventure time

[@drjayson]

Oh my god someone said it. ANCIENT PSYCHIC TANDEM WAR ELEPHANT MENTION 🔥💯💯🔊🔉🔊🔊

[@jamesrushton319]

Staraptor has never been the same since the fight with that shuckle. Staraptor came out victorious but due to hours of being hit with infestation after infestation...

[@CynthiaKyun]

My favourite is that Iron Valiant can learn Skill Swap, despite having an ability that can’t be swapped causing the move to do nothing