That hippo evolution is hilarious in all forms. It looks absolutely bonkers. XD

Ooh, I want that hippo now! I want that thing to be one of, if not the, greatest Ground species ever. It'll be hard to top Groudon, though...

I'm going to use logic to see which starter I should pick:

Dodaitoise is Grass/Ground. This makes it weak to Flying. It also makes it double-weak to Ice. Being double-weak to anything isn't very appealing.

Goukazaru is Fire/Fighting. Such a combo makes it weak to Flying, Water, Ground, and Psychic. It may not be double-weak to anything, but it has more weaknesses than Dodaitoise.

Empelt is Water/Steel. It'll be weak to Ground, Fighting, and Electric. Like Goukazaru, it isn't double-weak to anything. However, it can't be hit by Poison attacks. It also has fewer weaknesses than Goukazaru.

Comparing them to each other, both Dodaitoise's Ground and Goukazaru's second types trump Empelt's. Gouzakaru gains an extra type before the other two. Dodaitoise has the fewest weaknesses, but has that one double-weakness.

Okay. I'm picking Poochama. As Empelt it may be weak to the other two, but it seems better overall. Plus, it looks the best.

Empelt is weak? Where are you guys getting the base stats for these guys?

I don't have base stats. I'm saying that Empelt is weak to his counterparts. Both have super-effective types against it.

I'll try again:

Empelt is Water/Steel. Dodaitoise is Grass/Ground. Goukazaru is Fire/Fighting. Dodaitoise isn't weak to both counterparts. Goukazaru may be the weakest, actually. It has more weaknesses than the other two and is weak to both of its counterparts (Water to Fire, Ground to Fire). Considering the types of the other two, though, I think Empelt might have a little trouble. That Steel type may be going to waste.

So, it's not so much that Empelt is weak. It's just that it may be weaker than Dodaitoise.

I'll wait to see the base stats along with the moves before deciding anything, as I wouldn't be surprised if the moveset is what makes the biggest difference (like seeing some Ice moves for Empelt). The Ice is damn near inevitable, seeing what kind of animal it's based on and he's already water, so that covers both Dodaitoise and Goukazaru.

It's going to get steel moves, too to take care of other types. While what you said is true, it'll have trouble, it's also the most balanced of the three just looking at the types and strengths/weaknesses and potential against others (Steel).

How does Water handle Dodaitoise? It's not weak to it.

You misread it. Because of what he is, he'll get an ice move (probably Ice Beam) that takes care of Dodaitoise and the water aspect deals with Goukazaru. Sure he's vulnerable against both, but his moveset pool has the greatest chance of making him the best of them. His steel type essentially grants him a very good defensive position without producing a double whammy situation like old 'toise.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6158967.html

Take a look at this:

Okay, I know about FF3 DS's November date, but the plural "games" implies a November release for Pokemon Diamond/Pearl.

Typo, most likely. That really isn't happening, especially with the Wii and even worse... the PS3 launching mid-November too.

09.30 [15:54:32] ShadowXOR: lol Pokemon Diamond/Pearl
09.30 [15:54:36] ShadowXOR: people call it pokemon d/p
09.30 [15:54:41] ShadowXOR: i ikeep thinking pokemon double penetration
09.30 [15:55:19] Kaleb Grace: should be
09.30 [15:55:26] ShadowXOR: lol

Also, when are AGNPH and ch.9 going to make goods on the new pokemon? I'm waiting.

AGNPH? Ch. 9? I'm waiting for Sugimori's artwork to start pouring online so I can get a better look at these things.

IGN lists as TBA 2006
Wikipedia lists as TBA 2006
GameSpy lists as TBA 2006
GameStats lists as 12/31/06 (Been correct with the other pokemon games and other games, though the date is unlikly but it says 06)

Here's an updated and comprehensive of pokemon in the game. The last one, #493 has a ridiculously high base stat of 720, easily making it a candidate for a secret event. Source for nearly all the sprites in the game, at least before you get the National Dex anyway.

http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/515...kmonta9rd3.png

Korinku [Electric]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...4c510ffea9.jpg

Rukushio [Electric]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...0fd9f9fda9.jpg

Rentoraa [Electic]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...2a6059f3a9.jpg

#493, Aruseus [Normal] (Base stat 720):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...IYISHEN910.jpg

Aruseus, attacking [Normal]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...YISHEN4910.jpg

I have a few questions/comments.

The Fukamaru evolution set shouldn't be compared to Salamence's. Shelgon evolves into Salamence at level 50, not level 55 like the other first-to-second evolutions included in the sets mentioned.

At what level will Rhydon evolve? Currently, Rhyhorn evolves at level 42.

How does the Minomucchi thing work? I assume each version of it can be caught as both male and female. The male only has one evolution. The female, after evolving, has a split path like Gloom. Is that close?

Agreed. I wouldn't be surprised if this guy follows the Tyrantitar/Dragonite/Metagross level path rather than Salamence's. It does look analogous to the positions those pokemon had in their games.

Rhydon evolves via trade holding the item "Protector". He becomes Rock/Ground instead of just Rock. I don't know why they'd do that since isn't that a quad weakness against water?


Male Minomucchi simply evolve into Garmeil. Female Minomucchi, depending on region, become Minomadamu of that region (with the corresponding type). I wouldn't be surprised if the male Minomucchi only come in one color, and that in the following game there are splits for him making Garmeil any number of types as well.

Don't confuse these with Mitsuhoney or Biikuin (literally, BeeQueen). You could say it's like Gloom's split evo. The only difference here is that the starting point just has different colors to denote what it'll become.

Aruseus [Normal]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...4e9358072c.jpg

Darkrai [Dark]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...09c83d6d2c.jpg

??? [Grass]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...a85fdf0e2c.jpg

Kureseria [Psychic] (According to reports, she runs as soon as you walk up to her on Full Moon island, so she's a runner):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...315d60082c.jpg

Diaruga [Steel/Dragon]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...381f3089b2.jpg

Okay. So they've taken the Seadra/Kingdra approach.

Rhydon is Ground/Rock, not just Rock. Its high defense does not help it with the quadruple damage it receives from Water and Grass attacks.

Yup. Gligar evolves into Glion if it's holding the Sharp Claw item at night when it levels. The same applies to Sneasel evolving into Weavile. Eevee evolves into Leafia by having it touch a giant, immovable mossy stone in the southwest while Glacia evolves by making it touch a giant frozen rock in the north.

Wow, looks like I need to brush up on my old pokemon types. Looks like he's in the same situation with the quad weakness as Dodaitoise against Empelt (which seems to be the popular choice for whatever reason).

Here are the fossil pokemon:

Zugaidosu [Rock]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...fa828b13aa.jpg

Ramparudo [Rock] (Some folks say this thing's abilty is Negate:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...8ba61e12aa.jpg

Tatetopsu [Rock/Steel]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...33c89559aa.jpg

Toridepusu [Rock/Steel]:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...43ad4b5faa.jpg

From Serebii.net<forum/site has daily updates on whats happening in the game as they play through it>:

Would it have been too hard to have us use the Leaf Stone? That was all I wanted...

Yeah, I don't particularly get why needed to force us to train near the rock just to get Leafia when the stones are readily available. Here's some more info:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...e/Togekiss.jpg


Togetic evolves into Togekiss via Light Stone (new) and becomes a Normal/Flying type.

I have to fix the info from before about the Sharp Claw, since it's actually the Sharp Fang item.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v3...orce/Glion.jpg

Give Female Snorunts an awakening stone and they become the Ice/Ghost type, Yukimenoko. I'm assuming all female Glalies will remain such. What's glaringly obvious is that this opens another split path for male Snorunts in the future. So we'll end up having a female exclusive evo, mixed gender exclusive and then male.

Give Male Kirlias an awakening stone and level them and they'll become the Psychic/Fighting type Erureido (sounds like Air Raid). The stats are the same as Gardevoir's except Att and Sp. Att values are switched.

RegiGigas can only be awakened and fought if you obtained and transferred all three Regis from the R/S/E games.

Giratina, the Ghost/Dragon is the 3rd counterpart to Diaruga and Parukia. Essentially, he's like the Rayquaza of D/P.

Hiidoran has a gender, so this looks like one of the first gendered legendaries.

Well, you'd have to account for why a Leaf Stone never worked throughout all the previous versions. So an entirely new method was necessary.

Damn, good point. Wouldn't this happen to apply to Espeon and Umbreon too, now that there are Light/Dark stones?

I was thinking about Erureido and the new attack system where they're based on where physical contact between the pokemon is made or not. Would this mean we'll get to see psychic punches, because his Sp. Att is going to be too low to pull off a respectable Confusion or Psychic.

Edit: Rumblings going around are saying that there's a duplication glitch in D/P too which can be taken advantage of by depositing a pokemon in the computer, saving and then changing the DS' clock. Items held and everything are duplicated too.

Out of morbid curiousity what does the pokedex say on Darkrai and Aruseus? I see the number 1000 on Aruseus's thing, and I'm interested...

If you could use a Leaf Stone to evolve Eevee then how come you can't in the past games? The point is they want a way to evolve pokemon in a way you can't in the older games to explain why they couldn't then.

It could easily be explained away:

This is a new region and, as such, the pokemon here differ due to different environmental conditions and pressures. It's also the same way to explain why there are different creatures in each area.

It wouldn't surprise me if Aruseus' data said something along the lines of it's 1,000 years old or imprisoned for that long. Darkrai is a complete mystery, and chances are he'll be an event pokemon along with #492 (hedgehog thing) and #493 (Aruseus).