Z-A Has Completely Ruined a Gen 1 Transfer

Pokemon Legends: Z-A has successfully made the longtime staple transfer Substitute all however utterly ineffective, because the real-time battle system permits trainers to bypass it by way of sturdy assaults and motion. Though Substitute remains to be obtainable as a Technical Machine transfer in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, it isn’t price slotting right into a transfer set as a result of sport’s fast-paced battles.

Within the conventional turn-based battle system utilized by most Pokemon mainline video games since Gen 1, Substitute creates a decoy of its consumer at the price of 25% of its most HP. This decoy then takes harm instead of the primary consumer, although the Substitute will break after taking sufficient harm. Having a Substitute on the sector permits a Pokemon to outlive an assault that will in any other case knock it out in a single hit, giving it time to counterattack or make a retreat. Utilizing Substitute effectively is a viable defensive strategy in competitive Pokemon battles, and it may be realized by virtually each Pokemon as of Pokemon Scarlet and Violet.

Substitute Is All However Ineffective in Pokemon Legends: Z-A

Though Substitute can nonetheless be used to keep away from taking debuffs in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, its sensible use in a battle is rendered moot as a result of sport’s battle system. Not like previous Pokemon video games, Pokemon Legends: Z-A makes use of a real-time motion fight system much like the Xenoblade Chronicles collection, the place strikes have quick cooldown timers and can be utilized freely in any other case. Nonetheless, Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s motion additionally permits trainers to arrange or keep away from assaults which have a particular vary. Whereas utilizing Substitute nonetheless locations a decoy on the sector that may be focused by an opposing coach, it doesn’t forestall its consumer from being focused by assaults anyway, making it extra of a distraction than a helpful transfer in Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s ranked battles.

Pokemon Legends Z-A Status Conditions explained feature image

Moreover, a Substitute’s function for taking harm instead of its consumer is rendered moot by sure area-of-effect (AOE) assaults. Strikes that deal harm in a straight line, like Ice Beam, Flamethrower, and Hydro Pump, can go proper via a Substitute and hit its consumer on the similar time. A few of the best Pokemon in Pokemon Legends: Z-A, comparable to Gyarados and Dragonite, can simply energy via a Substitute and hit its meant goal.

Whereas Substitute stays a viable selection in turn-based Pokemon battles for defensive functions, the quick tempo of Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s fight system has sadly made using Substitute a pointless endeavor. It stays to be seen if Pokemon‘s subsequent mainline technology will return to the standard turn-based battle format, or if Pokemon Legends: Z-A‘s real-time combat is here to remain.