Steel-type Angharad

Former Steel-type Gym Leader in the Galar League Major Division, patron of the Wedgehurst Pokémon Sanctuary, and field researcher. she/her

[galarsteel]

What is this?

Hi :) this is a roleplaying blog, from the point of view of a former-professional-pokémon-trainer-turned-researcher called Angharad.

This blog attempts to view the pokémon franchise from a more realistic approach, rather than grounding itself in the games or anime. It assumes that events described in existing media may well have happened, but are typically heavily fictionalised representations. Interaction is welcomed!

This is a SFW blog but might include colourful language, mentions of violence or death. I am not a minor.

IC below the cut!

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Hi, my name is Angharad and I'm a researcher from Galar! My current field of research is the study of pokémon refugium; that is, the study of small populations of pokémon (sometimes elsewhere extinct!) that are isolated from the larger world.

I started my 'career' as a trainer, and after working my way up through the Galar Minor Division, I became a gym leader specialising in steel-types in the Major Division for two seasons. I have also battled competitively in leagues around the world to varying degrees of success.

After retiring from battling I became a patron of Wedgehurst Pokémon Sanctuary, and was lucky enough to study under Professor Magnolia for a time. Nowadays I spend most of my time in the Crown Tundra, in the field.

Check out my frequently asked questions. :)

[prof-oleander]

What do you think of Pokérus? It's such a weird thing that I can't wrap my head around.

I think Pokérus is a problem.

It's a virus highly contagious that is currently researched, but its high mutagenic level makes it difficult to develop a vaccine against it. This post by @prof-peach explains how the virus works and gets spread.

I know that thanks to uninformed trainers, has been diffused the belief that this virus will make your Pokémon stronger… when, instead, it's not the case. It'll appear that the Pokémon is stronger only because the side effects caused by this virus are increased aggressivity, often caused by aches and pains that unsettle the Pokémon to the point of worsening the temper even in more docile Pokémons. As already said by Prof. Peach, the Pokérus also takes a big toll on the Pokémon's body, debilitating their immune system and causing them to be more prone to illnesses whether they be "mild" like colds to something worse, causing negative effects on the quality of life of the Pokémon… and risking to also shorten their lifespan.

I wish that more trainers see the negative sides of this virus, both in the short and long term, but especially in long term. But many only see the temporary "fast growth" in power… or only want to see that, ignoring that this will cause long-term issues for their Pokémon for the rest of their lifespans.

[poketcg-art]

Heracross – aoki

[galarsteel]

unovans be like "ahaha, it's chewsday innit?" ✌️ and like yeah i'll chew yer arms off ya daft cunt

fr 😬

In the part of Galar that I’m from its more like “it’s choosdy, int it?” 🤷‍♀️

[galarsteel]

Currently late for a meeting because a Yamper startled my Corviknight this morning and she refuses to fly

i’ve had to run from Wedgehurst to Turffield. this is the second time this has happened why are they like this

[galarsteel]

Hi! What do you do? Thanks for the follow - Jun @goldenmareep

Hi there, Jun!

My primary activity at the moment is forgetting to update on here 🤦‍♀️

I guess I would describe myself as trainer-turned-researcher, or maybe a steel-type specialist. I’m currently based in Wedgehurst, Galar, out of Professor Magnolia’s research laboratory.

I’ve recently finished a two-year field expedition in the Crown Tundra, studying how modern-day pokémon populations there differ from those elsewhere (it’s mostly, but not always, due to climate) - for example, the Aggron-line is widely extinct in Galar, but there are some very successful surviving populations in the CT.

Prior to that, I was a fairly successful professional trainer and spent some time as a gym leader in the Galar Major Division. I still battle occasionally, but haven’t participated in any tournaments since retiring.

I also volunteer at the Wedgehurst pokémon sanctuary, and have recently become involved with a non-profit de-extinction programme in Sinnoh focussing on the extinct Hisuian Goodra-line.

I have also applied for a research fellowship in Paldea that is taking place this winter, which I’m hoping to get. 🤞 😬

My interests are pretty varied, and I like to get involved wherever I can!

Feel free to contact me for a chat or with any questions (about me, my research/experiences, battling, steel-types, etc.) :)

-A

[galarsteel]

😳 ¡Armarouge and Ceruledge! 😳

[zmpl]

reddit but in the pokemon universe

[japhers]

No chance! No way! I won’t say it, no, no!

[poke-entomology]

I assume a Hisuian pokemon would be hard to raise

No doubt. Some of the conditions surrounding them and their many needs would be very difficult or impossible to fulfill!

Which is exactly why I said we could get "close" to the og Hisuian forms. A responsible breeder might take a Sneasel, for example, and breed the poison type back into it while still allowing it to live comfortably in modern snowy environments. That includes available diet, habitats, and ecological niches that it can inhabit.

A difficult process no doubt.

[oleanderslab]

Hope I’m not intruding! 

If your looking for a Hisuian Pokemon (theoretically) the easiest one is Growlithe. Unfortunately no rock secondary typing has appeared since the original Hisuian form, however since Growlithe has always been a well loved Pokemon it’s genes have been rigorously preserved in modern breeds, most curly coat Growlithes share assumed genes with Hisuian Growlithe. So buy a curly Growlithe buddy and don’t practice necromancy!  As for the others, Qwilfish however has completely lost whatever it was that made Overqwil possible. I always thought it was an environmental factor myself. Though perhaps for the best. Overqwils size and shape likely prevented it from swift movements. I would assume sadly, qwilfish would die soon after evolution from more capable competition and being preyed on. So not evolving became so common it was rendered useless. 

Lots of studies have gone into Sneasal evolution, one theory is Sneasel lost it’s fighting typing first, to trade for Ice-typing. We see this in a few pokemon species that are now extinct and have yet to properly revive. We think it’s due to the below freezing temps they live in. However, this doesn’t follow the pattern of other typing. Plenty of pokemon are semi-aquatic but not water types. Plenty live in blistering hot climates but aren’t fire or rock types. So that’s a hole in that theory.  Another was they lost one typing due to beginning to live in complex cave systems, where it’s ice-dark typing make it an expert hunter where it could prey on ground, dragon, and ghost types. While it’s dark typing protected it from steel and other dark types.  interestingly I’ve seen some proto-genes in a few Scyther specimens at the lab! perhaps remnant genes of a Kleavor evolution but no such pokemon have been produced and I doubt they will. they just make very nice variant Scizor.

[galarsteel]

Hi folks,

If I may also make an addition…!

I’ve recently become involved with a de-extinction programme for the Hisuian Goodra-line. The main thrust of the project is academic enquiry, as we can learn a lot not only about the Hisuian Goodra-line, but also speciation, ecological adaptations, type variances, and the underlying principles around de-extinction and conservation efforts. It is emphatically not a fossil revival experiment, but instead a hybrid between genome editing and a carefully managed breeding programme.

The wellbeing of the pokémon is imperative, which is why I was brought on-board (along with two dragon-type specialists).

There are a couple of key aspects to the success of this programme:

The wide spread, extant Goodra-line still possesses most, if not all, of the ancestral physiological adaptations that precipitated the development of the Hisuian form; such as similar metabolic capabilities, permeable membranes, body chemistry.

The specific environmental factors that contributed to the evolution of the Hisuian form no longer exist, but we do believe that they can be recreated (based on historical accounts, chemical analysis, archaeological finds, etc.) and maintained through supplementation and habitat control.

Previous attempts have almost entirely failed due to the fact that the Hisuian line has some very specific biological and behavioural requirements. Our team has the benefit of hind-sight and far better preparation, and hopes to remedy some of the problems that plagued the historical Hisuian line.

Really exciting progress has been made so far, and I can’t wait to share more in the future.

-A

[silphwave]

Shiny Surfin’ Steelix 

[galarsteel]

What, um, do nosepass do all day besides face north and amble away from any threats? I don't have any locally so I only know them from videos. Are they just passively synthesizing energy somehow until they evolve into the more active hunter probopass?

Is that not the perfect life…? 😉

It’s a commonly repeated factoid that “Nosepass only move 3/8 of an inch a year,” and whilst Nosepass *are* just super slow, they’re capable of locomotion like most other pokémon (it’s just very inelegant).

What makes them exciting, though, is ✨magnetism✨ Nosepass are able to manipulate magnetic fields; this is used primarily for predation but to a lesser degree for movement.

A Nosepass is able to draw prey towards it, at which point it can physically interact with it or incapacitate it magnetically. Nosepass’ typical prey items include smaller steel-types, and rock & ground types with mineral content high enough to be susceptible to magnetism. Off of the top of my head, I’ve read of Nosepass preying on Durant, Roggenrola, and Rolycoly. Nosepass relies heavily on its magnetic abilities, and should they diminish due to sickness or injury they’re unlikely to be able to sustain themselves.

Although their lack of speed has led to people thinking that they never move, Nosepass are capable of spinning or “lunging” with surprising speed. This is almost exclusively used as a defensive measure. If distressed, they are capable of spinning on an axis, and can quite literally drill into the ground to escape.

I’ve heard reports of Nosepass passively “charging” when in the presence of very powerful magnetic fields (this undoubtedly does affect them as it can cause them to evolve!) but such phenomenon are rare, so in most instances if you see a Nosepass chilling it’s probably just waiting for something small and shiny to wander past so it can snack.

A fun fact about Probopass: there is a theory held by some scientists that their Mini-Noses are actually a distinct species or Nosepass form. They claim that should they be separated from the Probopass, that the Mini-Nose will evolve into a Nosepass. To the best of my knowledge, there is no evidence at all supporting this. 🤷‍♀️

-A

[galarsteel]

i would die for Grusha

[ranger-rai]

Hey Ranger! My Scizor keeps destroying my things with its bullet punch instead of the enrichment toys I got for him? What should I do? I love him but I can only rebuy so much 😂

Battle.

Like I would recommend a healthy routine of battles, do you have other Pokémon?

If you do then let them spar a bit, because it sounds like your Scizor wants to master its Bullet Punch and it doesn't feel its being pushed enough.

They have a lot of energy and resting speed so they need to let it out a good bit.

Maybe go to a park or Pokémon center and have a few friendly battles there on the weekends.

[galarsteel]

If you’re in Galar, let’s battle! We could always use the exercise. 😅

-A

[totennko]

[ganymedesclock]

Sometimes I like to think biology and taxonomy as a field is, if anything, even more complicated in the pokemon universe than it is in ours? Like it’d be really funny if the seemingly straightforward, reliable, and intuitive systems that are explained to us in the game is just the simple version given to young people who tend to be just starting out in their relationships with pokemon while across the country you have like. Professor Sycamore giving speeches about how much oversight was required to formally accept Fairy as a valid typing and getting derailed by a pundit talking about the Flying type and he’s like “Don’t talk to me about the flying type if you so much as look at the Flying type you’ll get into about eight taxonomical arguments that have been going on longer than you’ve been alive”

next door you have people arguing for the billionth time whether or not Cleffa should be recognized as a True pre-evolution of Clefairy or if the differences in its anatomy aren’t significant enough to classify and there’s at least one school of thought that Evolution doesn’t exist and the only real pokemon are final evolutions, so neither pikachu nor pichu are their own creatures they’re just immature and/or neotenous raichu.

Somewhere else in the world you have a paleontology conference discussing the latest fossils found of the ancient pokemon basculegion and reconstruction implications only for a time traveler to slam the rear doors open like “I SAW GOD, WAS THROWN BACK IN TIME, AND BASCULEGION DID NOT LOOK LIKE THAT,”

[galarsteel]

My take on this is that Typing is a descriptive label, and it and Actual Phylogenetics(tm) are essentially untethered.

Describing a pokémon as Electric carries the same taxonomic weight as describing a specimen as a herbivore; its just a loose descriptor that doesn’t necessarily imply any genetic relationships, and if you were going to try and infer a relationship you certainly wouldn’t start on the basis of “something being herbivorous”.

Typing varies dramatically and frequently among individuals of the same species depending on where they live/what rock you rub on them/how happy they are on any given day, so I can’t see pokémon scientists viewing it as some fundamental basis for grouping. Egg-groups, however, are a bit more useful in terms of biologically separating species as to successfully breed its super useful to share at least a reasonable amount of DNA, and they conform more closely with what I’d expect phylogenetic classes to resemble. But then ditto 🤷‍♀️

Also wrt the Evolution thing - pokémon “evolution” is very clearly some kind of energetic reaction where the pokémon emits energy and literally changes biology in an instant which to me reads as an easily demarcated event. Pokémon evolution and biological evolution (change in heritable traits in populations over generations) are two very different phenomenon, with the latter presumably still occurring in the pokémon universe (I think it’s occasionally mentioned) - but it seems to me that the difference in a Cleffa maturing and a Cleffa “evolving” into a Clefairy are two empirically different things.

I may be a little jaded as taxonomy IRL is an overwrought mess rife with weird agendas - I specifically know of a prolific “zoologist” who manufactured new species and subspecies just so he could name them after family members, pet dogs, and friends, and because of international guidelines taxonomic vandalism can actually set precedent and can be very difficult to undo. Not to mention the fact that in general species delimitation can be tricky and imprecise. I hope that the pokémon universe avoids these problems. 😅

[nerdpokemonheadcanons]

I have a preference for Bug types. Does this make me a Bug Catcher trainer or just someone who prefers to use Bugs? What does it take to be a Bug Catcher? I prefer not to use nets for catching my Pokemon.

Bug Catcher is a specific subculture!

Not every Bug Type specialist is a Bug Catcher, you don't have to call yourself one if you don't want to!

[galarsteel]

Everyone has a Bug Catcher phase as a kid, right?

-A