Morphs [Oak Catalogue #]
Tympole [535] - Pipa tympus
Palpitoad [536] - P. vibris
Seismitoad [537] - P. seismis
Physical Description
The members of the Tympole line are a trio of Anuran Water-type Pokémon that seem to be related to the Poliwag line native to the Kanto and Johto regions.
Tympole the base form is a tadpole around 30-65cm in height and weighing between 3.5 and 6kg though members that are either larger or smaller exist. Tympole has a small ball like body covered in black skin with a large blue bump on either side which are actually Tympole’s air-sac like cheeks and a large blue tail at the back. Tympole’s face is cream coloured and possesses two large black eyes, a mouth and eyebrows that resemble musical crotchets or quarter notes though no visible nose. Unlike some other tadpole Pokémon Tympole lacks any limbs. Tympole possess small gills that due to their black colour are difficult to see with the naked eye also unlike most tadpoles Tympole possess rudimentary lungs that allow them to breathe for short periods of time out of the water.
During evolution Palpitoad has grown to between 75 and 95cm in height and between 16 and 19kg in weight. Palpitoad has also gained a pair of small three toed feet and Ground-type characteristics during evolution. Palpitoad’s body is largely blue in colouration with a cream stomach, chest and the centre of its face. There is a thin black band between cream area and the blue of the rest of its body. Palpitoad possesses an air-sac like bump on either side of its head as well as on its forehead there is also a smaller bump on either side of its body about half way down its body. The tail that was present as a Tympole is still present however it is much smaller. The scleras of Palpitoad’s eyes have changed from the black they were as a Tympole to a whitish colour. Palpitoad’s gills a much smaller and it lungs much more developed allowing them to move around on land for a much longer period of time without needing to re-enter a body of water in order to breathe.
During evolution Seismitoad has grown to between 1.4 and 1.7m in height and 50 to 70kg in weight. The most obvious change that has occurred during evolution into the fully mature toad is that Seismitoad now possesses two arms, lacks a tail and has distinct legs and a distinct head. The area of Seismitoad’s body which was cream as a Palpitoad is now the same light blue as its air sacs. The scleras of Seismitoad’s eyes are now red with a small black pupil. Seismitoad now possesses an air-sac bump on either side of its forehead, one on each shoulder and one on the back of each of its three fingered hands as well as possessing a small blue bump on each knee and four larger ones on its back. The gills that were present in the previous two stages are now completely gone with Seismitoad relying simply on its lungs to breathe.
Notable Biology
The most obvious feature of the Tympole line is the increasing number of air sacs they possess. These air-sacs can be vibrated causing a range of sounds and sound based attacks as well as a number of other effects. The sounds caused by these vibrations are generally too high pitched for humans to hear however Tympole will use these sound-waves and will use them to notify its friends of dangers. As a Palpitoad these vibrations can be used to cause waves and even earthquakes as well as for communication. As Seismitoad these vibrations can also be used to torment its opponents or to add extra power to its blows allowing it to use powerful Fighting-type moves such as Brick Break, Rock Smash and Drain Punch though Drain Punch is the only one of these that does not require training with the aid of a TM to learn.
As with any Water-type the members of this line possess an internal water sac allowing them to launch bubbles and high pressure jets of water at their opponents. The line also possess a poison-sac that allows them to fire an acidic liquid at their foes and with training other poisonous liquids and they also possess tubes that with training they can use to send liquid from the sac to their hands to inject it with their fingers or fire it as a wave or bomb like construct. Seismitoad is also able to shoot a paralysing liquid from their head bumps and can excrete a poisonous mucous-like substance from their skin as an act of self-defence. This line was also originally thought to be one of the few Water-type lines not to be able to learn a single Ice-type move though it has recently been discovered that with the right tutor they are capable of utilising a frigid punch and a frigid breath.
Due the amphibious nature of this line of Pokémon members will cover themselves with a slimy substance when out of water to prevent themselves from drying out. All three members also have relatively thin skin with blood vessels very close to the surface allowing all three members to absorb oxygen through their skin as well as their lungs and in the case of Tympole and Palpitoad their gills.
There are three distinct sub-groups of this line of Pokémon. The first sub-group possess what is known as the “Swift Swim” ability. Members with this ability possess larger muscles to move their tails as Tympole and Palpitoad and larger leg and arm muscles as a Seismitoad allowing them to move at higher speeds in aquatic environments and in heavy rain. The second sub-group as a Tympole and Palpitoad possess a unique chemical similar to that found in Full Heals in the slime they coat themselves in which when the slime is washed away by rain also removes any contagion or other substance whether internal or external that is causing a status problem for the Pokémon. As Seismitoad the poisonous substance members of this sub-group secrete from glands all over their body is far more potent, being one of the most effective poisons known, which allows them to poison opposing Pokémon when Seismitoad makes physical contact with it but not when the opponent strikes Seismitoad. It should be noted that Seismitoad is the only Pokémon capable of possessing this “Poison Touch” ability that is not a Poison-type and also where the sub-group possessing the ability is not rarer than normal. The third and final sub-group is also the rarest and possess the “Water Absorb” ability. The members with this ability possess the ability to absorb water into the slime they coat themselves with and use this water to heal themselves by up to a quarter of their full health when they are struck by a Water-type move even when launched by an ally. As with all Pokémon the Tympole line has members that possess a unique phenotype that alters their colouration. As a Tympole they possess goldish-yellow bumps and tail. As a Palpitoad the bumps are still yellow but the tail is the same greyish colour as those on normally coloured Palpitoad however their body is a cyan colour as opposed to the dark blue of normal members. As Seismitoad their body is a greenish cyan colour with orange bumps and chest.
Habitat
All three forms can be most commonly found around lakes and other large bodies of still water. They can also be found in fields and grasslands that surround large bodies of water or which have a significant number of smaller bodies of water. Due to possessing legs and the ability to breathe above water Palpitoad and Seismitoad can be found at much greater distances from the body of water they call home. Tympole are most commonly found in and around Pinwheel Forest due to the large bodies of still water within the forest and the almost permanent puddles in the areas surrounding the forest. As well as the area around Pinwheel forest Palpitoad can also be found deep in Wellspring Cave and the areas around the Moor of Icirrus and Icirrus city indicating that due to their new ground typing the second and third stages of this line are also happy to live in swampy areas. Seismitoad are very rare in the wild due to living deep in the forests they call home but will occasionally be encountered in the same areas as Palpitoad as they will sometimes wander out in search of food, to find a mate or to find another Seismitoad to fight. It should also be noted that Palpitoad and Seismitoad are completely absent from the areas around the Moor of Icirrus during winter due to the cold causing the members that live in these areas to retreat underground to hibernate.
Using the Dex Nav device common in the Hoenn region colonies of Tympole have been reported within Routes 102, 114 and 117 of the region.
There is also believed to be small numbers of this line in other regions living in similar habitats to their cousins in the Poliwag line however due to the limited numbers in these regions it is highly unlikely that a trainer will ever encounter a member of this line outside of the Unova region without the assistance of a Pokémon Professor or a Pokémon Ranger.
Diet
All three members of this line are largely carnivorous though all will happily eat any berries or Pokémon food they are offered by their trainer.
Tympole mostly feed off of aquatic insects and small fish though they will occasionally feed on flying or terrestrial insects that come close to the water edge and they are able to stun with their water or sound based attacks.
Palpitoad also feeds on aquatic insects and any fish smaller than itself though it is now much more likely to feed off of flying and terrestrial insects due to being able to use its long sticky tongue to ease the catching process.
Seismitoad will generally feed off of any animal smaller than itself including rats, small birds, fish and of course insects with one wild Seismitoad being reported as attempting to capture an insect as significantly larger than itself as a Yanmega.
All three members of the line will use their vibration abilities to incredible effectiveness in hunting down prey often using it to stun the prey before finishing it off with their water and earth based moves. Palpitoad and Seismitoad will also often use their vibrations to cause small tremors in the earth causing burrowing animals to the surface where they will quickly finish off any they deem small enough to attempt eating. It should also be noted that due to their Ground-type characteristics Palpitoad and Seismitoad are two of the only Pokémon that can effectively prey on the members of the Joltik line.
Hazards
All three members of the line are relatively docile and will only attack in order to defend themselves or their territory. The greatest danger the members of the Tympole line pose is their ability to create vibrations.
All three members can create vibrations that can cause annoyance, discomfort and sometimes pain in humans with the vibrations caused by Seismitoad being known to reach levels where they can cause internal damage to humans though it is uncommon for a Seismitoad to actively attempt this in normal circumstances. There are also risks posed by the earthquakes that Palpitoad and Seismitoad are able to trigger using their vibrations.
The poisonous substance that Seismitoad secrete is capable of causing paralysis and in the weak, young or elderly it is capable of killing. It should be noted that this substance is only dangerous when ingested and thus if contact is made with the substance washing ones hands before handling food or touching ones moth, eyes or other orifices is usually enough to prevent being poisoned. Should any of the poison be ingested medical assistance should be sought immediately. Despite their docile nature when travelling through areas known to be home to members of this line it is recommended that trainers be accompanied by a Grass-type Pokémon, Electric-type Pokémon are not recommended due to the Ground-type characteristics of the latter two stages of this line.
Social Structure
The members of the Tympole line tend to live in large groups numbering up to two dozen or more members when in the Tympole stage with the large group size allowing them to protect each other from predators. These groups are sometimes led by a single Palpitoad by are usually independent of their later stages.
Palpitoad and Seismitoad both live solitary lives only coming together in order to mate though as previously stated Palpitoad will sometimes lead a group of Tympole.
Courting
Though all three morphs are capable of breeding only Seismitoad will do so in the wild. During the rainy season the males will attract a female by producing a sharp clicking sound. Unlike other frogs and toads this sound isn’t made using a throat sac or similar construct but by snapping the hyoid bone in their throat. Once a mate has been found the male will mount the female in an amplexus, or breeding embrace, the pair will then flip through the water in arcs.
During these arcs the female will release eggs from her cloaca which are then fertilised by the male and then embedded into the back of the female where they adhere to her sponge-like skin. After about ten days each egg is embedded in its own chamber. The eggs remain here until they are ready to hatch at which time the young Tympole emerge fully developed though significantly smaller than their normal size though they will quickly grow to this size within a week or two.
After hatching the mother leaves the young Tympole to fend for themselves.
Due to the extra safety involved members that breed in captivity will lay a single less developed young within an egg.
In Human Society
The members of the Tympole line appear in numerous forms in media. A pair of Seismitoad’s star as the player characters in a 90’s video game notorious for its difficulty, one story saying the game has never been finished, and its humorous fighting gameplay. Another Seismitoad acts as a secondary character in a series of games about a bounty hunting team lead by a male Ninetails and is known as one of the most hated characters in video games. A Seismitoad was also a character in a well-loved story and a Palpitoad is the pet of a secondary character in a series of stories about a teenage wizard.
It was also popular in the past the either lick live Seismitoad’s or to ingest the poison they excrete from their skin in order to achieve a narcotic high. This practice is almost non-existent these days due to a combination of the toxicity of the poison and the practice becoming illegal, though there are still small numbers of the population who partake in this hazardous and illegal practice.
Written by Shadow6666
