#advantages

[mrkmciver]

GOD Saves

[girlzoot]

“He is a boy, just as boys are. A little dull, maybe, but he hasn’t had the advantages we’ve had.” “Which are?” prompted Glinda. “Even for a short time,” said Elphaba, “we had a mother. Giddy, alcoholic, imaginative, uncertain, desperate, brave, stubborn, supportive woman. We had her. Melena. Shell had no mother but Nanny, who did her best.” —Gregory Maguire/Wicked

[365coffeethoughts]

84/366

[the-ephemeral-ethereal]

There is no situation in life but has its advantages and pleasures, provided we will but take a joke as we find it.

from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving (1820)

[nerdy-sessions]

Pokémon of the Week!

#706-A: Hisuian Goodra!

Welcome, nerds, to Pokémon of the Week!

Where I, Sesh, generate a random Pokemon to highlight each week!

With last week's inaugural post being about our slimy dragon friend, Goodra, I figured this week could be about Goodra's regional variant from Pokémon: Legends Arceus.

If you'd like to view that post, you can find it below!

Pokémon of the Week!

#706: Goodra! Hello, nerds! Welcome to the very first Pokémon of the Week post! This is something I plan on doing every week (as I am able)

I figure I can do this whenever I do a Pokémon of the Week post about a Pokémon that have regional forms. To me, they aren't the same as their "vanilla" counterparts and are different Pokémon all together that deserve their own posts. So here we are!

Hisuian Goodra is a fairly new Pokémon, only appearing in the latest installment, Legends Arceus. As such, there is a pretty limited amount of information on it. But I will try my best to give it the attention it deserves!

...because, like...out of all the Pokémon a feudal Sinnoh region would have in it, it'd be a jacked-up version of the slime dragon from Kalos...it shocked me when I first ran into it. It really did.

But it was a pleasant surprise.

Mostly.

#alphagoodra #takesnoprisoners

So, as before, let's dive right in!

~ORIGINS~

As stated above, Hisuian Goodra debuted and has only appeared this year in Pokémon: Legends Arceus, a game that takes the player back in time to an ancient Sinnoh region (the region from the Diamond & Pearl games) that was then called the Hisui region.

Unlike vanilla Goodra, which is a pure Dragon-type, Hisuian Goodra adds the Steel-type into the mix, making it a wall to try and take down.

Right off the bat from the introduction image up top, you can tell that Hisuian Goodra is a big boi. Bigger than it's Kalosian counterpart, that's for sure. It's gotta be that big to support that MASSIVE snail-like shell that now adorns it's back.

As I stated in last week's post, Goodra could possibly be inspired by an eldritch horror from French folklore called Lou Carcolh (don't ask me how to pronounce that...), a giant, man-eating snail that supposedly lived in caves along the shores of France.

Again...oi...

This depiction of the beast has a shell on it's back, and this tracks with Hisuian Goodra's addition of a shell.

Hisuian Goodra could also be based on a deep-sea snail called a scaly-foot gastropod, which would make sense considering (according to Bulbapedia) this particular snail's shell consists of iron-sulfide compounds. That would explain the Steel-typing it has gained.

So, essentially, we have ourselves a bigger eldritch snail monster made of metal...

But, like normal Goodra...

At least it's f r i e n d l y ...

Maybe too friendly.

According to the only Pokedex entry it has from Legends Arceus, it "loathes solitude" and is "extremely clingy".

That checks as a Goodra...

BUT

It also says it will "fume and run riot if those dearest to it ever leave its side."

...

Ok...so the "jealous girlfriend" version of Goodra. Got it.

I'm seriously having PTSD flashbacks to the Alpha Hisuian Goodra boss fight in the game...and now it makes too much sense.

The dex also says it is able to control the hardness of it's shell. That's pretty neat! And useful defensively.

~DESIGN~

Here's the official Hisuian Goodra artwork:

Quoted from Hisuian Goodra's biology section on Bulbapedia:

"Hisuian Goodra has droopy, gray eyes and horns that are longer and thinner than Kalosian Goodra's horns. It sports a large, spiral-shaped metallic shell on its back, which it can tuck its body into to protect itself, leaving only its head outside of the shell to observe its surroundings. It can control the hardness of its shell at will. It has fewer gray spots than Kalosian Goodra, with one on each side of its cheek and two on each side of its shell. From its chin and arms drips a metallic gray slime. Hisuian Goodra has a clingy disposition and hates being alone; it will become angry and run riot if its closest companions leave its side."

~ADVANTAGES~

With it's dual-typing of Dragon and Steel, normal Goodra's Ice and Fairy-type woes are are gone, instead doing normal damage. It is also, as I said, A WALL of defense. It's Steel-typing makes it completely immune to Poison-type attacks, and is resistant to twice the amount of types as normal Goodra.

According to Bulbapedia, Hisuian Goodra and Hisuian Sliggoo are the only known Pokémon that can learn the move "Shelter", which increases Goodra's defense and evasiveness at the same time. Dang.

With it's added Steel-typing, Hisuian Goodra can now be a more effective dragon slayer; meaning, Dragon-type moves are no longer Super Effective against it.

Unlike regular Goodra (which is very squishy), Hisuian Goodra's Defense is higher. It's Special Defense remains that same highest state, so field Hisuian Goodra against heavy special attack users.

~DISADVANTAGES~

It's a BEEG BOI. Meaning it's slooooooow. Slower than slow. Slower than normal Goodra. It's lowest base stat is speed, so don't field Hisuian Goodra against speedy bois.

Though it's Steel-typing is mainly an advantage, Hisuian Goodra is now weak to Fighting and Ground-type moves.

~HOW TO OBTAIN~

As I've said already, Hisuian Goodra is brand new and is only obtainable in Pokémon: Legends Arceus. You can obtain this massive steel death snail for yourself in 2 ways:

Catch yourself a Goomy or Hisuian Sliggoo in the wild of either the Crimson Mirelands (at the Holm of Trials or during mass outbreaks in Ursa's Ring) or at the Ancient Quarry in the Coronet Highlands. Like normal Goomy, is will evolve into Hisuian Sliggoo at level 40 and finally into Hisuian Goodra at level 50 when it is raining. NOTE: It is possible to catch a Hisuian Sliggoo in Alpha form, so be on the lookout for those red eyes of death.

If you don't want to trouble yourself with evolving it's pre-evolved forms and go straight for the prize of a massive murder snail, there are 2 places you catch them directly (but ONLY in Alpha form...so, you know...good luck...) As part of the story, you encounter an Alpha Hisuian Goodra in the cavern of Lake Verity (PTSD for me...first one I encountered). That is the only time you can try to catch that one. If you knock it out, too bad. It's gone. You can catch that one if you're lucky. But don't worry! If you're very lucky, fate may smile on you and generate an Alpha Hisuian Goodra for you to battle and (maybe) catch with it's Goomy and Sliggoo brethren at the Ancient Quarry in the Coronet Highlands.

~COOL HISUIAN GOODRA FANART~

The freakos on the Internet aren't as weird about Hisuian Goodra as they are about vanilla Goodra, so this delve into fanart wasn't as mentally-scarring as last week. Here are some cool pics of our steel murder snail!

D'aww...with a li'l Goomy on his shell.

A cartoony version enjoying splashing in the mud (I assume)...

Ah yes. Wouldn't be a Goodra without the trademark slimy hug. :)

Here they all are! The Hisuian Goodra crew!

Guh...this is adorable. I can't even.

IT CAN GO INTO IT'S SHELL. #myheart

~CONCLUSION~

Hisuian Goodra was a welcome regional variant for me to discover as I traversed the game of Legends Arceus. I know a lot of people out there aren't fans of the regional variants (and I can agree somewhat with some of them... *coughAlolanPersiancough* But THIS? It's a good aesthetic change and a good typing and play-type change for our slimy dragon friend while maintaining it's friendly demeanor. I was pleasantly surprised by it.

...but also terrified. Alpha Hisuian Goodra still haunts my dreams.

Let me know your thoughts on Hisuian Goodra!

Until next time! See you next week for an OG water pupper!

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

Wisdom is Profitable

If your ax is blunt and you don't sharpen it, you have to use a lot more force. Conclusion: being wise brings good results. — Ecclesiastes 10:10 | Free Bible Version (FBV) The Free Bible Version is a project of Free Bible Ministry; Copyright © 2018, Free Bible Ministry. All rights reserved. Cross References: Deuteronomy 32:41; Ecclesiastes 2:13; Ecclesiastes 10:9; Ecclesiastes 10:11

[fieriframes]

[Good stuff. Nice job, chef. Should appreciate a pig’s advantages. Mmm.]