The next year ofPokemon ScarletandVioletcontent has been revealed. Integration withPokemon GOandPokemon HOMEare rolling in, and new legendary Paradox Pokemon have been added as Tera Raid Battles. Many fans are glad to see continual updates forPokemon ScarletandViolet, especially as they slowly polish the games into a more acceptable state. On top of everything else, Pokemon trainers can look forward to a two-part DLC expansion called “The Hidden Treasure of Area Zero” late in 2023, with The Teal Mask due out in fall and The Indigo Disk in winter. These are sure to be exciting additions, especially going by rumors and leaks.
While the DLC’s first trailer was slickly produced, the accompanying key artwork only serves to reveal a few new characters and Pokemon. Beyond a fewold Pokemon returning inScarletandViolet’s DLCand the promise of a couple areas, no one knows what these DLC episodes will actually contain. However, a trusted leaker has put forth a potential new mechanic that one or both of these expansion parts will iterate upon. While leaks should always be taken with a grain of salt, it looks like the ever-popular Generation 1 starter Charizard could receive another iteration if unique Tera Forms come to be.
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Pokemon’s History of Charizard Getting Form Gimmicks
Pokemon’s use of form-changing battle mechanics officially began inPokemon XandY. Mega Evolution took the world by storm, providing certain fully-evolved Pokemon with temporary evolutions limited by Mega Stones that corresponded to certain species. Of thePokemon with Mega Evolutions in Generation 6, Charizard and Mewtwo were the only pair with two evolutions each. That special attention for Generation 1 was far from over.
Despite the potential left in Mega Evolution, Z-Moves took priority inPokemon SunandMoon. Both gimmicks were then abandined inPokemon SwordandShieldin favor of Dynamaxing, which combined aspects of Mega Evolution and Z-Moves while adding a strict three-turn limit. Some popular old Pokemon continued to get unique versions of these mechanics, and Generation 8 introduced a limited set of Gigantamax Pokemon, similar to Dynamax but with monsters assuming brand-new forms reminiscent of Mega Evolutions. Charizard was once again among this group, and it’s even more notable thanks to being Champion Leon’s ace Pokemon.
Tera Forms Would Fit Charizard’s Special Treatment
If the rumor regarding special Tera Forms being added toPokemon ScarletandVioletis true, this cycle could repeat all over again. Terastallization distinguished itself by being a mechanic every Pokemon can use, just in different ways depending on what an individual’s Tera Type is. Tera Forms, on the other hand, have thepotential to act like Mega Evolutionsor Gigantamax forms again, just with different rules. While certain Pokemon lines could receive much-needed buffs, it’s more likely that an exclusive group of popular Pokemon will once again hog the mechanic.
Charizard has a strong chance of doing this thanks to its role in the upcoming anime. Judging by promotional materials, it seems that the new Pokemon Professor Friede will ride a Charizard mount. The Fire/Flying-type Pokemon has already been featured in a prominent Tera Raid battle event, soScarletandVioletcould see another Charizardwith a special form as a raid boss in the future. Popular as they are, seeing the same old Pokemon repeatedly given the spotlight in new titles can get tiring. If Tera Forms do turn out to be real, hopefully there will be a diverse roster of Pokemon using them in addition to the likely candidate Charizard.
Pokemon ScarletandVioletare available now on Nintendo Switch.
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