... O_o

That's impressive.

Personally, I would have made older Axew fertile as well, but that's just me. Oh, I would have also left the door open for the HAAAAAX dragon to consume plant matter, even if it's just in captivity or in a role similar to candy.

Also, are there any noticeable subversions or events that would subvert the line's apparently solitary nature and poor relations with other draconic 'mons?

That said, it looks really solid.

edited 6th Mar '11 1:35:51 PM by TracerBullet

Hard Boiled Detective Since 1985

Another superb article from the best Pokebiologist on the thread. I liked the shoutout to the Axew in the anime that rides around in that girl's hair.

Alright, I've been planning to write the evolutionary stone articles and have been discussing it in the chatroom.

But I have hit a speed bump that involves how they exactly work.

My pet theory is radiation, and Tangent prefers chemicals, I think both make sense but what it comes down to is a vote.

Which do you think works better, radiation, or chemicals?

TVTropes Nuzlocke Thread. - Arceus Help Us All.

↑ Relevant log section (immediately leads to about 22:40 UTC for the actual conversation).

edited 6th Mar '11 3:21:05 PM by SilentReverence

Fanfic Recs orwellianretcon'd: cutlocked for committee or for Google?

I say radiation.

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I say radiation as well, if for no other reason than that's the answer I've been giving thus far for such questions in this thread.

The Danse Macabre Codex

The problem with radiation is that there are not "specific" forms of radiation, just degrees. Radio waves and light are roughly the same thing, if my physics are correct, so chermicals and ingestion seem to be the best bet.

There are EM waves with different wavelengths, even within radiation of a general classification (hence why we have a color spectrum). Evolution could just be caused by exposure to EM waves of a very specific range of wavelengths.

edited 6th Mar '11 3:50:25 PM by TracerBullet

Hard Boiled Detective Since 1985

as I said in the chat, while i'm sure that radiation is responsible in some cases(most likely moonstones, maybe lightning stones too), the other stones probably have chemical causes.

XP granted for befriending a giant magical spider!

It is also possible that the stones merely store the results, chemically speaking, of a particular kind (degree?) of radiation not commonly available. May explain the rarity of their effect, in that, as mentioned in the chat, those Pokémon evolved via stone have evolved via stone and nothing else (Colloseum being the only exception that comes to mind, and I'm not even sure).

Fanfic Recs orwellianretcon'd: cutlocked for committee or for Google?

well, the exceptions that come to mind are the dawn stone mons....

But the main point I made was the rarity of fully-evolved stone mons in the wild.

TVTropes Nuzlocke Thread. - Arceus Help Us All.

No longer true as of Black and White, methinks.

Dawn stones may work as a hormon-binding chermical; the Ralts and Snorunt lines have deficits in androgen and strongen receptors, respectivelly, but said stone contains an oligopeptid that binds with the receptors of the hormones, and therefore the Pokemon can grow into a morph consistent with its sex, rather that an affeminated/masculinizated version of the opposite sex adult. Also explains why Kirlia is femenine-looking.

Safari Zones

"Safari Zone" is in fact the name for the public area of Pokemon Preservation Reserves. These sections of land have been designated for the purpose of allowing endangered species of Pokemon to repopulate. Preserving these important parts of our worlds heritage. The vast majority of the preserve is closed off to the public. For a small fee any person can observe rare Pokemon, for a larger fee they can play a "Safari game" in which they are given specially made Pokeballs, called Safari Balls, and attempt to capture these Pokemon. Captured Pokemon are returned afterwords, however a trainer can adopt one of what they caught by filling out the proper paperwork and paying for it.

The Pokemon in the Safari Zone are captive bred, unlike the rest of the preserve which are allowed to remain wild. They are trained not to attack humans, and will only fight back if they are attacked by another Pokemon. (Trainers Note: Trying to make the Safari Game easier by using your own Pokemon to fight the Pokemon within is a good way to get yourself banned from the preserve.)

Critics argue that Safari Zones take time and resources away from what the preserves are about, protecting endangered Pokemon. Others respond that by allowing people to see, interact with, and even adopt such species they are showing the importance of preservation.

^ That article seems a little, well... Sparse.

Also, I'm not certain how well the idea of Safari Zones being wildlife preserves gels with their "all-you-can-catch" price structure, and the fact that they introduce populations of non-native 'mons (which, if you've ever studied about invasive species, is a potential headache if not handled carefully).

Hard Boiled Detective Since 1985

↑They could be sectionized in order to test second-ordere introductions of foreign species via their interaction with already present ones. At least the HG&SS looks like it is sectionized or something. I assume that article is on for Rolling Updates.

Speaking of which. Thread-wide guidelines talk sometime soon?

Fanfic Recs orwellianretcon'd: cutlocked for committee or for Google?

I wrote it at 2 AM so yeah. Feel free to make suggestions/add to it.

so, has playing black and white given anybody else new insights into the workings of the pokeverse? For instance, I couldn't help but notice that going on a pokemon journey seems a much more common thing in Unova than overseas. Hell, I think this is the first time your mother was a former pokemon trainer herself. And I seem to recall her saying that "everyone goes on a pokemon journey!" or something like that.

XP granted for befriending a giant magical spider!

Castform Line

Morphs [Oak Catalog #]

• Castform [351]

Notable Biology

Castform are artificial Pokémon originally developed by the Hoenn Weather Institute. They were originally created in order to more carefully forecast weather patterns. By carefully studying the abilities of precognition found in several strains of psychic Pokémon, they were able to synthesize a stable nucleus using genetic material from such creatures. In order to gain a better understanding of weather, the researchers also conducted experiments to learn how many Pokémon species were capable of controlling the weather. After finding a specialized section of the brain which gave the specimens the ability to manipulate certain meteorological factors, they replicated such sections within Castform's nucleus, the end result being a creature that could not only predict the weather, but also control it. Their bodies are similar to cells, composing mostly of water, wrapped in a semi-permeable membrane. Castform's body structure was designed to take a certain appearance and shape during various forms of weather, in order to adapt to any sudden shifts in weather. Castform appear as small, gray, cloud shaped creatures during relatively normal weather conditions.

During strong sunlight, the water inside a Castform tends to heat up significantly, usually turning into water vapor. To compensate for the increased volume and pressure, Castform can expand their membranes to form pockets for extra space around the head. This expansion causes the membrane to stretch, and gives Castform’s head an orange hue.

During intense rainstorms, to prevent a buildup of excess water, Castform align the top of their membranes in a teardrop shape in order to promote water flow away from the body. The excess water gained despite this process causes the membrane to turn somewhat transparent, allowing one to see the water inside a Castform.

During intense hail, sleet, or snowstorms, Castform must constantly move the water molecules inside their membrane to prevent freezing solid. This motion causes an interesting phenomenon on Castform’s head, causing ice crystals to form in a spiral shape.

Habitat

Due to being man-made most Castform are found in laboratories and weather research stations. It is possible for ordinary trainers to purchase a Castform from the weather institute, but most trainers prefer to buy them from specialized Pokémon breeders. Certain wild strains of Castform have been reported in the Sinnoh region, mainly near lakes and other sources of fresh water.

Diet

Due to their simplicity, Castform can generally subsist off of pure sugar-water. Castform use the water to replace any that may have been lost, and the sugar is used for energy. Castform are capable of eating berries, but only gain nutritional benefit if they are particularly high in moisture or sugar. Castform may require other vitamins for membrane repair. Consult a specialist for details on what vitamins your Castform should consume to promote a healty membrane.

Hazards

Castform raised by humans are relatively docile creatures, due to spending much of their lives around humans. However, they are easily startled, and surprising a Castform tends to have two results, depending on the Castform. Either the Castform will fly away at high speed, causing rather sporadic weather conditions as it flees to a safe distance, or the Castform will simply turn and attack. Castform are quite dangerous to face in battle, if only because of their versatility. In addition to being able to learn several types of attacks, Castform also have complete control of the weather. In strong sunlight, Castform take on several traits normally seen with fire type Pokémon. However, it is not advised to use water Pokémon against a Sun Castform for two reasons. The first is that water Pokémon tend to become much weaker during strong sunlight, due to lack of moisture in the air. The second reason is that Castform are able to use their rather transparent heads to focus the sun’s rays into the devastating attack known as Solarbeam. For this reason, it is recommended you also not use rock or ground type Pokémon, as they are also vulnerable to this move. During the rain, Castform gains a greater mastery of water, and is also able to more accurately control electrical attacks. In cold weather, Castform gains some vulnerability against heat, but can still use some water based abilities. In this form, it can also cause highly destructive blizzards. Due to the fact that finding a pokemon with an advantage against all of Castform’s attacks is nearly impossible, trainers should prepare with a large variety of Pokémon, and switch when needed. If this is not an option, a strong normal type should be able to use some of its versatility against Castform.

Courting and Childrearing

Castform have not yet been witnessed mating in the wild, due to the fact they rarely come together to do so. When to Castform wish to mate, they engage in a dance together, and then land on the ground for an extended period of time. The two Castform then fuse their membranes together into a dome shaped structure. They can remain in this state for up to 5 days. After this period is over, they separate their membranes to reveal a baby Castform. Scientists hypothesize the Castform is generated using excess membrane and water. The parents then separate from the baby Castform which is generally left alone afterwards. It is unknown if this behavior is repeated in the wild, but it is widely speculated to be the same.

Social Structure

Castform generally have a carefree social structure, due to not needing much sustenance other than water and fruit. Castform in captivity have been observed to form large colonies, but seem relatively unaware of other Castform, except when they are looking to mate. Wild colonies of Castform have been observed to exhibit more complex social structures than those in captivity, and seem to interact more closely with other Castform. Most Castform easily relate to humans, and seem to prefer their company to that of their own kind.

I thought I'd try my hand at writing one. Thoughts?

EDIT: I fixed the italics and added more details on the creation. Anything else I could add? EDIT 2: Added some more details. Expanded Social Structure section.

edited 14th Jun '11 3:03:50 PM by Scarab112

Needs moar meat...

That said, it's nice to see new folks putting up articles.

Hard Boiled Detective Since 1985

It's a very good article, thought it could be a little bigger in some places. That said, it's an excellent piece of work for your first try.

The Danse Macabre Codex

Thanks for the positive feedback. Do you have any ideas on what else I could add?

@Blissy1: Lorrys. That's a big thing that my brother and sister has shown to me. Lorrys drive underneath you while on a bridge.

Plus they also have nutjob preachers that draw big crowds.

edited 9th Mar '11 8:56:45 AM by Haseri

^ Well, it is New York... but yeah, there seem to be more Pokemon trainers in Unova that come from all different walks of life.

Just discovered this project, and I have to say, I'm impressed. I was actually thinking of doing something just like this yesterday, but you guys have done a much better job of it than I would have. I may even have to contribute some time. Is Eevee free?

By the way, for the purposes of this project, are Pokemon considered part of the normal animal/plant/fungus kingdoms (i.e., Squirtle is an actual species of turtle) or are Pokemon being treated as a separate form of organism entirely? I go with the former, myself, but I wanted to know what the general consensus is.

https://www.facebook.com/emileunmedicatedanduncut

Eevee and all it's Eeveelutions are going to be a collaborative effort that we'll all get around to doing some day. As for the pokemon = types of animals thing, I'm pretty sure we've agreed that pokemon are their own separate kingdom.

and welcome to the project!

XP granted for befriending a giant magical spider!