The latest info dump for Pokémon Scarlet and Violet will likely only add fuel to the fire for rumours and speculation about the upcoming games. That’s because it confirms Pokémon in the Gen 9 entry will be able to transform into more powerful crystallised versions of themselves. That detail was previously revealed in a recent mega leak that’s unprecedented in the series’ history, a fact that’s sure to fuel even more rampant fan speculation and leak analysis in the weeks and months ahead.
“Pokémon throughout the Paldea region are known to experience the Terastal Phenomenon, which makes them glisten like gems and gain special powers,” the Pokémon Company wrote in a press release describing the new mechanic. “Throughout the Paldea region, Trainers can join up to three other players for Tera Raid Battles to take on various Terastallized wild Pokémon.”
Wednesday’s Pokémon Presents went into even more detail, showcasing how when Pokémon Terastallize, their attacks matching their innate types become even stronger. A Charizard using flamethrower will deal more damage, for example, and so will a Persian using normal attacks like slash. But that’s not all. Some rare Pokémon have special hidden Tera types. These rare finds undergo more unique transformations. An Eevee with a a water Tera type will gain a water advantage when Terastallizing, while a Pikachu with a rare Tera type will temporarily also become a flying type.
It’s wild stuff, building off of but going beyond Sword and Shield’s Dynamax and raid mechanics. And the core of the new Terastal Phenomenon was leaked in mid-July by a random Twitter user believed to have played an unfinished build of the game. They were the one allegedly responsible for dumping blurry images from the game online that fans then immediately tried to decipher for clues.
All gym leaders + 3 new Pokemon + your rival 😲😱
Don’t forget to follow me 😉#ScarletViolet #PokemonScarletViolet #Pokemon @RuffledRowlit @aDrive_tK @HDvee @shistoplays @3clipse_tt pic.twitter.com/98iYhPncI0
— PokemonLEAKS (@PKMNleak) July 11, 2022
One thing that immediately caught their attention was a weird crystal effect that some of the Pokémon seemed to have. According to the leaker, this “crystal gimmick” involved giving Pokémon damage-type bonuses, and on some occasions would actually change the Pokémon’s underlying type. Precisely how it would work was disputed by fans, especially since the leaker’s remarks were going through a translation, but the broad outlines have now been confirmed.
Other new reveals add even more credence, including the ice-type gym leader Grusha who was one of the first images to begin circulating once the leaks began. One of Scarlet and Violet’s classmates, Penny, was leaked ahead of time too. And a controversial lack of level-scaling between gyms has been confirmed now as well. The images also contained references to stuff that hasn’t yet been confirmed or debunked, including evolutions for starters Sprigatito and Quaxly as well as other possible Pokémon exclusive to the Paldea Region that haven’t yet been shown.
While time will tell if those parts of the leaks, which also combine a lot of fan theorizing, will pan out, confirmation can also breed more misinformation. Some folks have already shared fake images amid the leaks to dunk on gullible fans, and now that players know at least some sources of information are legitimate, it’s certain to inspire even more phony sources to crop up on places like 4chan. Only three more months of fans digging into or trying to steer clear of spoilers before the games are officially out.
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