The Weird Implications of Poltchageist

[@CroneoRegion]

the type rule I think was too strict in the community. Wouldn't an alligator Buizel also have a case for being Water type?

[@TamValleyProductions]

Exactly! I like that the floodgates have now opened for shared typings and a lot more creativity.

[@creature6715]

Making a rule based on 2 examples is silly anyway.

[@LitoSunflower]

I really dislike the term “regional fake”…

[@killertails1244]

regional replicas?

[@LitoSunflower]

@@killertails1244 Convergent Pokémon works just fine.

[@Syiepherze]

Tell that to Riddler Khu, he coined the term RFake, and is policing everyone about it to not call them "convergent evolution". Even to Serebii

[@LitoSunflower]

@@Syiepherze RFAKE sound goofy af… sorry.

[@Shinntoku]

Regional fake is the worst term, it sounds like something someone who hates new Pokémon would call them

[@geekecology]

I LOVE that they are playing with and really embracing ecology in their new designs. Like, why not have a spooky-drink-ghost diverge into different forms in different regions?

[@Dusxio]

I find it interesting that they are now leaving the possibility open to properly be able to just redo old concepts in different ways. It's very interesting that this comes out just around the same time that the news come out about Pokemon Company having internal talks about the future of designing new pokemon.

[@TamValleyProductions]

Agreed. So many future possibilities to remix and reimagine flawed older concepts.

[@Zistheone2]

Personally, I think "convergent pokémon" is a better term than "convergent evolution" or "regional fake"since it follows the same concept while making them feel like their own species. Plus, I feel like the paradox pokémon are also meant to be seen as convergent pokémon since they follow the same concept but with a past/future gimmick. Poltchageist even fits with the paradox pokémon since it shares a similar typing with Sinistea and feels like a sort of reskin like Scream Tail, Great Tusk, Iron Hands, or Iron Treads

[@treven8742]

The type rule was a bit stretch since we only got 2 species as examples, although what I think is important for these rfake/convergent is changing (or adding) the pokemon EGG GROUP, that is a strong way to say that they are not that related. However, Poltchageist could be something different from toeds and wig, perhaps something more like a new specie in polteageist genus/family/class

[@tgh1466]

I’m paraphrasing a quote from SciShow (I think) when I say, “evolution tends to stick with what works”, which I believe was related to an episode of how everything wants to evolve into crabs

[@TamValleyProductions]

Crabs are the superior life form. It’s time we accept that

[@borismuller86]

Reject humanity; become C R A B

[@nazeersadek6705]

I won’t make an opinion on this line until we see the evolution of Poltchageist because as things stand I don’t understand why this wasn’t just a regional variant

[@Syiepherze]

Same

[@VictoryReviews]

Poltchageist really feels like a regional variant

[@TamValleyProductions]

Agreed.

[@giboit.]

I don´t think the pikachu clones count as examples of convergent evolutions because they´re indeed related. I think it´s even mentioned in some of the info you can get in gen 9. Which I think it was done on purpose precisely to differenciate their case to the one of convergent evolutions. And realistically, pokemon like alomomola and buffalant are only similar to gen 1 pokemon for being a soft reboot. So I don´t think they could be counted either.

[@Syiepherze]

I kinda wish it doesn't turn into a "variant" of Spiritomb cuz that just muddles things. I'd rather each Pokémon be unique, but if they have to call back to a previous-gen Pokémon, there should be a good reason for it imo. Like I just don't see why a Pokémon needs to be Sinistea + Spiritomb, they're completely different. But if they can execute this well, color me impressed!

[@amaro4090]

You can also see it being related to their spiritual basis. While pokemon that have more of an animal basis, can have the similarities due to similar adaptations or environments, spirits and other paranormal entities can have similarities in their myths and legends due to serving similar roles in their stories, but despite that, they aren't really related at all. To give an example with another paranormal creature, the vampire and the many vampire-like creatures from different places around the world. Such as the moroi from romania that have a more ghostly aspect. Or the manananggal from the philippines, that have a way more monstrous appearance, but still have a similar aspect of drinking blood and some bat aspects mixed in too.

[@TamValleyProductions]

These are fantastic examples!

[@amaro4090]

@@TamValleyProductions glad you like them. And yeah, to summarize this a bit, think of it as more on the lines of "convergent folklore", rather than convergent evolution.

[@treven8742]

​@@amaro4090uuhh I like that

[@giboit.]

I like this explanation, it fits with the idea of convergent evolutions pretty well.

[@catbatrat1760]

Yooo, there are other types of vampires?! That's so cool!

[@Jayakrishnantr5217]

Great video! Game freak really messed this whole thing up. Coz it seems like they themselves have no idea how this works. It made no sense to me that poltchageist is considered a convergent evolution while Alolan sandslash and sandshrew which by definition are animals that have nothing to do with sand and instead live in snow are regional variants. I mean by definition wouldn't they be Snowshrew and Snowslash? This is the major problem with introducing new concepts very late and then further experimenting with them without thinking what you did in the past would have to be corrected.

[@AdeptCharon]

Poltchageist is clearly presented as a Sinistea counterpart. NOT a Polteageist counterpart. It seems so obvious to me that the NAMES of the STAGES are swapping (and that's literally part of why it couldn't work as a regional form), because the CONCEPTS are also swapping. The Parallel Pokemon to Sinistea is Poltchageist, but the Parallel to Polteageist is gonna be (speculating, but like, cmon lol) Sinistcha, to keep up with the naming scheme. They both start in a smaller container (Sinistea in a teacup) and move into a bigger one (Polteageist into a teapot). Just google matcha tea set and you'll get a page of images featuring a bigger cup/bowl as part of the set; there's no way Poltchageist isn't evolving into something with that. Toedscool and Wiglett exchanged the habitat theme of land and sea from the lines they're parallels of, but Poltchageist is going to be swapping stage concepts within the line it's a parallel of. Also, both of the terms fans are using currently are frustratingly dumb. Convergent is already kind of inaccurate and generally already was before this new one, and rfake... first of all, it's like someone having a stroke while typing, secondly, it's just terrible and even more inacurrate at describing the concept, a worst of all,, as far as I know it was made up by a leaker. There's nothing "regional" about these Pokemon, and they're not fake in any way, a word which also just has a bunch of unnecessary negative connotations on top of that. I call them parallel Pokemon. It's simple, it's fitting, it's a single clear word with a mathematical meaning with the only undisputable interpretation of it referring to things not intersecting. Rfakes? Christ. Might as well call them rcovfefes in that case.

[@Luigicat11]

I've never heard anyone shorten "regional fake" to "rfake", but even if that is a common thing, who cares? Aside from people like you, I mean. Both names get the idea across, and as much as you hate them, are more accurate than you pretend. They're similar to regional variants, but they're not really even the same Pokémon, so they're "fake" regional variants. There's no more negativity in the word "fake" there than "false" in several species' common names like "false killer whale" or "false morel". They've acquired similar traits despite being unrelated, which is how convergent evolution works in real life, hence "convergent". Neither is inaccurate or dumb, you're just the "I am very smart" sort who simply can't go on without the feeling of superiority that being needlessly pedantic and putting down common terms brings. Touch grass.

[@talenstout8324]

That was before convergent forms existed. Some might be related, for example pachirisu’s legends ARCEUS dex entry proves that pika-clones are related to PIKACHU. Convergent forms is for formal and straight forward.

[@EspyJuju]

Even though it's kind of odd that this is a convergent form, Poltchageist is way more likeable than Sinistea to me. Huge fan so far of this new Pokemon!

[@TamValleyProductions]

I agree! Helps that I am a huge matcha tea fan and a sucker for Ghost/Grass types.

[@SweetTaleTeller]

I may want a convergent or regional Emolga... there is a possibility I would enjoy that.

[@Dastreus]

idk I think the connection is more supposed to be the swirl in it's design when it opens up, looking similar to the swirl on Sinestea. So, given it's similar naming to Polteagiest on top of that, maybe it doesn't have an evolution because it's kind of both in one?

[@Rcampo42]

That’s a Pokémon for iroh

[@tanyipan3554]

As long as its not hot leaf juice 🤣

[@Rcampo42]

@@tanyipan3554 iroh loves tea, and moncha is traditional teal made with wooden sticks and moncha Even Buddhists monks regarded as tea of balance, so iroh could tame it as his respect for the craft can out match poltchageists

[@tanyipan3554]

Delectable Tea or Deadly Poison

[@Rcampo42]

@@tanyipan3554 delectable and plus it knocks out opponents and heals So yeah it helps some air nomads escape, and day of black sun help iroh escaped

[@CreativitySkys]

Convergent pokemon are pokemon that developed similar features. Not that difficult...

[@enmadaniaisabel1552]

I LOVE THIS POKEMON AND IM STILL CONFUSED WITH THE NAMES XD AND I GOT THE IDEA THAT THE MATCHA IS THE KITAKAMIAN TEA WOOPER AND PALDEAN WOOPER MORE LIKE ZOROARK AND HISUIAN ZOROARK SLOWPOKE AND GALARIAN SLOWPOKE RAICHU AND ALOLAN RAICHU IF I REMEMBER WELL THE NAMES GALARIAN ARE TEA KITAKAMIAN ARE TCHA THE TEA POD ARE POL XXX GEIST AND THE CUPS ARE SINIS SINIS-TEA -> POL-TEA-GEIST SINIS-TCHA

[@JDPrado]

I thought it was a mate Pokémon 😢

[@TheRealThetABG]

#BringBackWuhuIslandInNewOpenWorldGameRightNowNintendo

[@tatu9805]

I have had diarrhea every day for eight years.

[@lightningstriker8884]

Did you just say eels are fish

[@Syiepherze]

Yes ???