Of course. But public hiking routes are usually constructed through parkland...

Do you highlight everything looking for secret messages?

well, if route are official parkland then that would mean that about, what, 80% of the landmass in any given region is parkland?

now I know the pokeverse is a very eco-friendly verse, but that's just a bit too much.

edited 9th Apr '11 10:13:35 PM by Blissey1

XP granted for befriending a giant magical spider!

The in-game map can't be to scale; Pallet Town has a whole lot more than three buildings. We see things that the main character notices, and not things they don't really worry about.

The Routes are probably a lot longer (and relatively narrow), but with wild encounters and trainer meetups dispersed more. Roads run parallel to them, possibly crossing at some points, but usually out of the way.

Routes aside, the majority of rural land we don't ever see.

edited 9th Apr '11 10:32:07 PM by Tangent128

Do you highlight everything looking for secret messages?

We see roads and freeways in Unova.

There probably are routes, they just aren't noticed because the player doesn't want to go along a road; they want to find Pokemon.

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

Going back into this. Any suggestions for stuff I can work on?

"Wait, it's IV. Of course they are. They'd make IV for Dreamcast." - Enlong, on yet another FFIV remake

Pick something that hasn't been done or have Dibs called on it and write the article. What are you interested in?

Eating a Vanilluxe will give you frostbite.

Rough Draft of the Pawniard line.

Pawniard Line

Morphs (Oak Catalog #)

• Pawniard (#624)

• Bisharp (#625)

Physical Description

Pawniard is a Steel-Dark Pokémon. It is half a meter tall, and weighs 10.2 kilograms. It has a humanoid figure; however, its body is almost entirely covered by a tough, metallic exoskeleton, with only a pair of large, yellow eyes uncovered. Pawniard’s torso is gray and egg-shaped, with four curved blades forming a shape resembling a ribcage. Its arms and legs are red and highly flexible. Its feet are rounded white hooves. Its arms both end in six-inch blades made from a material that greatly resembles bone. This suggests that Pawniard may have an internal skeleton in addition to its outer shell (See Notable Biology). Pawniard’s head is small and round, with a white patch over its mouth. The head is covered by a large, thick, gray and red helmet with a sharp crest emerging from the top. This gives Pawniard the appearance of a chess piece when inactive (Thus its name).

Bisharp is now 1.6 meters tall, weighing 70 kilograms. Its torso has thinned into a cylinder, and the rib-blades have lengthened and thickened. It now has thicker armor around its shoulders (including a new yellow ring between shoulder and arm) and thighs, giving it far more endurance than its pre-evolved form. Its hooves have lengthened greatly, and are now a pair of foot-long toes (giving Bisharp surprising speed). Bisharp’s arms are now uncovered, revealing a gray interior, and the arm-blades have transformed into white bladed gauntlets. Its eyes are smaller, and the white patch has become yellow. Its helmet now extends over its brow, with a huge yellow blade reaching from the front of the helmet to the back.

There are rare accounts of Pawniard being found with blue replacing the red parts of its body. These mutants evolve into Bisharp with similar changes, in addition to a much lighter shade of yellow replacing the original. Although these variations do not seem to have any difference from normal members of the Pawniard line (outside of aesthetics) they are highly prized by collectors.

Notable Biology

The only noticeable aspect of Pawniard and Bisharp’s anatomy is its exoskeleton, which appears to be a combination of bone and metal. (See Diet for information on the metal composition of Pawniard’s exoskeleton)

This exoskeleton is Pawniard’s only natural defense. As such, Pawniard will, when not hunting, sleeping (Pawniard do not sleep often, due to their Steel typing), or eating, constantly sharpen their blades, polish their armor, and generally keep themselves in good condition. Bisharp are no less picky about this, and are, if anything, more so.

Pawniard grow this exoskeleton over time, and do not have it from birth. As such, scientists have studied what Pawniard look like under their shell. They have found that Pawniard is, in fact, a vertebrate with an internal skeletal structure (several people have noted a vague resemblance to a shell-less Shuckle, but very little is made of this, and most people believe the resemblance to be coincidental). One scientist in particular (Dr. Jenkins Hark, a mostly unknown Pokémon Researcher) made a career out of studying shell-less Pawniard, creating conditions in which the Pawniard is unable to grow a shell. He has found that a Pawniard unable to produce its trademark pseudo-exoskeleton will become anxious and depressed, and refuse to do almost anything under its own volition. Dr. Hark recently announced his intention to attempt to evolve a Pawniard without its shell to observe the result. Few people believe it to be possible, and Professor Juniper awaits his findings.

In addition to its anatomy, there is an aspect of the Pawniard line’s behavior that bears mentioning. A group of four to six Pawniard and a single Bisharp (usually all siblings, although not always) form groups. Interestingly, Bisharp appears to have a sort of mental control over the Pawniard in its group, although it may simply be an extremely strong example of pack instinct. Either way, a Pawniard has never been seen to disobey a Bisharp, even when a given order is borderline suicidal. (See Social Structure for more information on this.)

Habitat

Pawniard and Bisharp are found near Opeleucid City, and nowhere else. Pawniard are usually found on Route 9 (With their leader Bisharp almost always hiding in wait for food), while Bisharp are found primarily on Route 11. These Bisharp, however, are mostly rogues who have been exiled from their pack, and they often do not have a long life expectancy, as most Pokémon will kill them on sight to prevent the Bisharp from eating them or their young.

Diet

Pawniard and Bisharp are both primarily carnivorous, preying on almost any non-Poison-type Pokémon they can find (Bouffalant is a favorite, with Minccino and Cinccino a close second). Strangely, they will also leave Solosis and its evolutions alone, despite their type advantage over the Cell Pokémon. Scientists have provided many reasons for this behavior, but most people believe that Solosis simply does not taste good.

Pawniard and Bisharp have a unique method of hunting for prey. First, a pack will prowl around, searching for prey. When prey is found, the Pawniard will attack, leaping onto their chosen target, latching to them with the rib-blades, and slashing until shaken off. They will continue doing this for as long as necessary, following prey incessantly. When their prey finally stops running (either from exhaustion or from deciding to fight back), Bisharp will step in, delivering a finishing blow. Bisharp will then apportion the meat.

However, a large part of the Pawniard line’s diet is metal. Bisharp will use the Pawniard at its command (see Social Structure) to mine veins of metal out of the walls of mountains, eat them, and absorb the metals into its exoskeleton. While Pawniard and Bisharp do not need the metal for nutrients, it is essential to keeping their exoskeleton in good condition.

Hazards

Members of the Pawniard line are, of course, extremely dangerous. Their blades are sharp enough to slice through rock, and flesh is much softer. Strikes from a Pawniard will cause deep wounds, although not usually fatal. Bisharp, on the other hand, has been known to cut off limbs with its slashes.

Both Pawniard and Bisharp are capable of adding energy of various sorts (usually Dark or Ghost, although some people have reported Psychic energy being involved). In addition, well-trained Pawniard and Bisharp are capable of using their blades to quickly and systematically kill an enemy in a single strike, no matter how well-armored the foe. This technique has been dubbed Guillotine by Trainers, for obvious reasons. This attack has been illegalized in almost all leagues (Even the Big Five), unless you have been given a permit by special Move Tutors, indicating that your Pokémon is able to simply knock out a foe with Guillotine.

If you are attacked by a Bisharp pack, do not run, as they are most likely much faster than you. Do not remain still, as Bisharp will then kill you. The proper response is to release all your Pokémon. Bisharp and Pawniard will rarely attack if outnumbered or outpowered by their foe, and, as such, they will (hopefully) leave you alone. If they persist (indicating that they are extremely hungry, or that you have very weak, edible-looking Pokémon), prepare yourself for a tough battle. Bisharp are intelligent, and teach Pawniard under their command surprisingly complex tactical maneuvers.

Courting and Childrearing

Pawniard do not mate in the wild, although they will do so in captivity.

When packs led by two Bisharp of the opposite gender meet, the two Bisharp will fight. The winner will, if impressed by the battle, initiate mating with the other Bisharp. The female will lay 5-10 eggs, burying them in a secluded spot. Eggs take approximately 5 months to hatch.

Bisharp do not care for their young, and if they are encountered in the wild, they will be treated the same way as any other pack (fight to the death if same gender, mating fight if opposite gender).

Social Structure

As mentioned, Pawniard and Bisharp travel in groups. From the first day of having a full exoskeleton, one Pawniard from a clutch will establish dominance over the others through battle. This Pawniard will get the lion’s share of any food found or killed by the group, and will evolve into Bisharp more quickly. At this point, the Bisharp will gain full control over its pack.

If a non-dominant Pawniard evolves into a Bisharp (an unusual event, as Bisharp usually do their best to prevent Pawniard from getting sufficient food to evolve), the two Bisharp will battle each other for dominance. The winner will become (or remain) leader of the pack, while the loser will be exiled. If an exiled Bisharp is found by its old pack, it will be attacked on sight and eaten. Similar behavior will result if two Bisharp packs meet. Fortunately, this rarely happens.

[[Trainer Note: Never under any circumstances capture a Bisharp. It will see you as an opposing Bisharp, and will attack you at its first opportunity, a fight which you are unlikely to win. If you catch a Pawniard, keep it mind that it will take some discipline for it to acknowledge you as pack leader. As such, upon introducing a Pawniard to your party, expect disobedience at first, and be prepared to quell it.]]

In Human Society

The Pawniard line has a bad reputation in human society for its aggressive tendencies. In media, they are almost always portrayed as villains. Despite this, many Dark or Steel type enthusiasts are very fond of the Sharp Blade Pokémon, both for its power and its elegant appearance.

Recently, a trade has sprung up in Pawniard exoskeletons (They are extremely hard and shiny, and can be made into both jewelry and weapons). Local government does not mind, as the hunting keeps Pawniard populations from overrunning Opeleucid City. However, Drayden has imposed several restrictions on hunting of Pawniard, as if the Sharp Blade Pokémon went extinct, other species of Pokémon (Bouffalant especially) would themselves overrun Opeleucid.

Finally, a member of the Unovan Elite Four, Grimsley, recently acquired a Bisharp. This has led to the popularity of the Pokémon increasing greatly.

edited 10th Apr '11 12:55:22 PM by memyselfandI2

Dunsparce didn't stop being a thing or anything.

We have a guest from the Serebii forums in the chat, if anyone wishes to say hi.

Do you highlight everything looking for secret messages?

Ah, so it looks like the Lillipup line is still available. Might as well call dibs on it.

"Wait, it's IV. Of course they are. They'd make IV for Dreamcast." - Enlong, on yet another FFIV remake

Coolness. Just make a note here, if you don't mind.

Do you highlight everything looking for secret messages?

Got it. Gonna start brainstorming about sand-loving dogs.

"Wait, it's IV. Of course they are. They'd make IV for Dreamcast." - Enlong, on yet another FFIV remake

Perhaps I'm being overly negative, but I couldn't help but notice that the overwhelming majority of our starter articles are in dire need of buffs. Out of 15 articles (16 if we include the rat), 4 exceed 6000 characters (individual letters and numbers) in length with markup and only two of those break 10000 characters...

Just thought that I'd throw that out there...

edited 11th Apr '11 7:36:06 AM by TracerBullet

Hard Boiled Detective Since 1985

Most of the articles that are being introduced now seem to be more filled with stuff than some of the previous articles that I've read. Maybe it would be a good idea to flesh them out.

The Pawniard article looks good

Here's an attempt at Hippopotas.

Hippopotas Line

Morphs [Oak Catalog #]

• Hippopotas [449]
• Hippowdon [450]

These quadrupedal ground-type Pokemon are known for their toughness, large heads and ability to create sandstorms on a whim. Hippopotas is small and rotund, less than a metre tall, but quite dense for its size. It has a large head and snout almost as big as its body again. This does not unbalance the creature, as its body is much heavier in comparison to its head. It has a pair of large eyes on the top of its head, used for seeing in poor visibility conditions. There is a large pore on its back filled with sand. Hippowdon is almost three times larger and at least six times heavier on average. Its eyes are smaller in comparison to Hippopotas and are now on the side of its head, and its teeth are much more developed. Its body is now pockmarked with sand-filled craters, compared to Hippopotas's single crater. Hippopotas vary in colour, and are usually a mix of yellow and brown splotches, with females being darker. Hippowdon are all black along the top of their body, with males being brownish along the sides and females being black. There have been occasional cases of these Pokemon being significantly paler in colour than what is expected

Notable Biology

Hippopotas and Hippowdon share several features well suited to life in the desert. Their eyes are covered by several lenses, protecting the eyes even in fierce sandstorm conditions. A Hippopotas' eyes are more vulnerable, due to their position on the top of the head - to compensate for this, a Hippopotas can retract their eyes partially inside their large heads, sheltering them from the worst threats in the environment. Hippowdon has no need for this, as their eye position makes them far better protected.

Both Pokemon also have enormous nostrils. They have fantastic nasal control, allowing them to close their nostrils completely when they wish to. Hippopotas can use this feature to easily burrow through the sand almost as if it was walking through it. While one might think that this would be a problem in the desert environment, especially since these Pokemon are almost always in the presence of sandstorms, a series of filters within the nose trap sand grains and move them to storage areas within the main part of the body. Hippopotas and Hippowdon rely on all their senses equally to navigate their environment, as typically none are very effective.

Their most noteworthy trait is their storage of sand. Hippopotas has a single large "sac" organ on its back, leading to the large crater. The sac has a well-developed musculature and dozens of tiny air sacs, allowing it can expel sand from this crater at high force, leading to the sandstorms the line is famous for (see "Abilities" below). The large blood supply to the muscles in the sack also allow the Pokemon to use the sand to regulate its own temperature, allowing it to conserve water by expelling hot sand instead of sweat. The line also rarely gets sick, due to coating themselves in a protective shell of sand, which serves to further augment their toughness. Hippowdon is similar, but has several pores instead of one, and so has a much larger reservoir of sand. The sand is densely-packed and very heavy, so these Pokemon have perhaps surprisingly large reserves of sand. They typically acquire sand by simply burying themselves in the desert to fill up the reservoirs, but they can extract sand from eaten rock.

Abilities

The signature ability of this line, dubbed "Sand Stream" by scientists, is known only to occur commonly in one single Pokemon besides this species, Tyranitar. When sufficiently roused, Hippopotas and Hippowdon expel small clumps of sand from the craters on their back at high speed. The air sacs provide an initial burst of pressure to release the sand, with internal muscles angling the spray of sand. The resulting spiral-like bursts of sand can rapidly cover an area of up to thirty metres in diameter for some Hippowdon. Blasts of air from their nose and other craters (in the case of Hippowdon) help keep the sand in the air and moving at speed. There is enough initial speed in the sand present for a sandstorm to last well after the Pokemon leaves, with durations of up to ten minutes recorded. It is still currently unknown how the Pokemon expels the sand with enough force to create such long-lasting conditions, with some scientists speculating that both Pokemon secrete compounds that contribute to the sandstorm into the sand mixture. The force of the sand is capable of rapidly abrade almost everything, and can inflict severe injury if a person or a Pokemon is left in the sandstorm for too long.

Unconfirmed reports suggest that there are a handful of rare Hippopotas and Hippowdon subspecies that cannot do this, instead taking in sand from a sandstorm to add additional bulk and force to their attacks. An interesting change, if true.

Habitat

These Pokemon are only found naturally in deserts and caves, and are most obviously noticed by the fact that the places these Pokemon live are usually perpetually covered in sandstorms, even more so than many deserts in the world. Hippopotas have been observed in a tunnel connecting Route 214 and Solaceon Town in Sinnoh, and there are occasional sightings in the deserts of Unova. Stable Hippowdon populations have so far only been found in the desert in Route 228, on the small island northeast of Sinnoh. In order to combat the risks of death caused by trainers going after these Pokemon, a colony of Hippopotas was established in the Johto Safari Zone, which has proved moderately successful.

Diet

Hippopotas and Hippowdon can and do eat anything they come across. Their powerful jaws, especially in the case of Hippowdon, allow them to easily crush bones and trees when they come across oasis. Both species are typically content to graze when they can graze, however grasses are usually scarce in their environments. Both Pokemon have been known to consume rocks, though this is predominantly observed in captivity if the Pokemon's sand supply is low.

When hunting other Pokemon, Hippopotas and Hippowdon tend to use ambush tactics, as they are both very slow, though capable of short bursts of speed and can camouflage themselves well in their natural environment (especially Hippopotas). Their endurance is phenomenal, and if they come across something that cannot withstand their sandstorms, they will doggedly pursue their prey over a very long distance until they collapse if it is big enough to warrant the effort.

Hazards

The most dangerous thing about Hippopotas and Hippowdon is the sandstorm they can create when threatened. As this sandstorm can last for a while even if knocked out or driven off, adequate protection is a must when travelling in desert regions. Goggles and clothing made from the hide of a rock or ground-type Pokemon are recommended. This should extend to the Pokemon that you use. Rock, ground and steel-types are all noted to be resillient enough to weather a sandstorm without taking sufficient damage. Due to this Pokemon's typing, however, rock and steel-types are not recommended, as they fare poorly against ground-type attacks. If you do not plan on staying long, water, grass and ice-types are also a good choice

Hippopotas are not amazingly dangerous. Though strong and tough for an unevolved Pokemon, they are not staggeringly aggressive. If you see one open its mouth, it is a sign that the Hippopotas feels threatened by you. Unless you wish to pre-emptively swamp them with strong water or grass attacks, you should leave quickly and smoothly - Hippopotas are usually found in groups and will come to each others aid if attacked.

Hippowdon are much worse due to their sheer aggression. While they tolerate their own kind, almost anything else that enters their territory is not wanted there. A Hippowdon's mouth is open at all times when it is not eating, used to show their immense strength as a threat. They attack without warning, and in addition to their powerful bite attacks and their sandstorm, Hippowdon can create localised tremors and crush with their immense bulk. They are very robust and their hide can repel all kinds of physical blows. Unless you are a supremely confident Trainer, walking into Hippowdon territory is an extremely dangerous thing to do - of all desert-dwelling Pokemon, wild Hippowdon are responsible for the most human deaths each year in this environment. Special water, grass and ice attacks are the only thing that can reliably keep a Hippowdon at bay. And if you find one, there will probably be several nearby.

Trainers with a Hippopotas or especially a Hippowdon are encouraged to get it used to other people. They may interpret others interactions with you as threats to your safety, and they WILL react with aggression. This can be extremely dangerous, and very expensive and time consuming to clean up the mess created by a sandstorm. Apart from this, they can be quite affectionate and adapt quickly to a trainer and their Pokemon, considering them a part of their "family", and generally like nothing more than to laze about with them.

Courting and Childrearing

Hippopotas do not mate in the wild. Hippowdon bulls claim an area of desert, and all Hippowdon cows within are a part of his territory. He will tolerate other males so long as they are submissive to him. Mating occurs during winter, and Hippowdon typically have gestation periods of around 15 months. Hippowdon look after their young, and their aggression is partially linked to this fact. After spending a year or so in the environment where they were born, the young Hippopotas leave as a group, and continue to separate as they grow and evolve.

Social Structure

Despite being territorial, Hippopotas and Hippowdon are quite friendly amongst their own kind. When not eating or chasing people and Pokemon, they often lie in the desert together. It is unknown why exactly this is, though the most common theory is that the Pokemon like being with each other. Hippopotas live in groups of around ten or so until they are close to evolving. Hippowdon typically are found in groups of one male and three to six females. Solitary Hippowdon move from desert to desert until they find a place to settle down, typically with good food availability. Male Hippowdon may fight over territory, if they cannot resolve who is stronger by way of holding their mouth open. These battles usually consist of pushing and shoving and are very rarely lethal.

Their territorial nature makes them very aggressive to almost everything else. Because they tend to attack en masse, only another group of Pokemon that strolls into their territory can hope to fare well. It has been observed in Unova that members of the Sandile line regularly come into contact with the Hippopotas that live there, and the struggles that occur between these two aggressive lines are known to be especially brutal, usually of the form of a lone Krookodile engaging a group of as many as fifteen Hippopotas. Hippopotas and Hippowdon do not demonstrate tactics beyond "Hit them until they fall down" in the wild, though Hippowdon will endeavour to keep Hippopotas out of the fight.

In Popular Culture

Hippowdon are legendary for being the true terror of the desert. Many ancient desert tribesmen in Sinnoh said that true bravery was like that of a Hippowdon, compared to other fearsome desert Pokemon, or even other Pokemon in general. Evidence does show that Hippowdon hunts did happen in the past, and judging by some of the artefact recovered from sites in desert areas there show a great deal of ritual was attached to the hunts. Hippowdon ivory and hide are still popular commodities, but the great risks that are required with getting them, and the fact that Hippowdon aren't actually common in the wild, mean that supplies are limited and very expensive, even on the black market. In stories and games, Hippowdon are usually neither heroes or villains, but threats that must be overcome regardless - in many action-oriented series, should the plot ever enter a desert, there is a good chance that a Hippowdon will emerge and proceed to create immense havoc in a rampage.

In the present day, Hippopotas and Hippowdon are very popular amongst trainers who use ground, rock and steel Pokemon. Licensed and black-market breeders have been making large profits with the breed, as well as providing slightly more reliable access to hide and ivory. This has also come with an increase in con artists selling supplements that "increase the power of the sand" (Trainer's Note: There are no such things that exist, and if they did, they would be illegal. Report any such salesmen to the authorities.) Keeping these Pokemon is very expensive, due to their dietary requirements and the fact that they tend to fill dwellings with sand. Trainers are advised to not use these Pokemon within city limits, as heavy fines may apply if anything gets accidentally damaged.

edited 13th Apr '11 5:30:22 AM by Smiggins

Captain, our collaborative Druddigon article only has 3,200 words...

Hey, what about adding some antagonism between Hippopotas and Sandile? Hippos are known for tearing Nile crocs into pieces, and those 2 live OCASSIONALLY together...

By the way, I'm raising a Deino (together with the rest of reptilian pseudo-legends), to get some ideas for the article; I need to expand it, but the guy will remain as highly aggresive; it is natural behaviour for them.

Zubat and Woobat... Raising one of each as well. I had already raised some Zubat (well, I ALWAYS raise a Zubat), but this is to get more insight. Gimme some time, I am kinda BUSY thanks to incompetent teachers...

I enjoyed the article. Only one part bugged me, the bit about covering themselves in sand to ward of germs. I know the RL analogue you're trying to make to real hippos, but just plain sand ain't gonna cut it.

Maybe Hippowdon secrete a substance that solidifies sand on their skin into a barrier? It would explain a number of things, including germ resistance, their insane defenses, and why they expel hot sand instead of sweating(really liked that bit, btw).

XP granted for befriending a giant magical spider!

He said characters, not words. Though I'm kind of worried that we get to a point where 6000 words is just considered passable. High standards are great and all, but there are limits...

Sorry, I can't hear you from my FLYING METAL BOX!

Oh... right. I suppose it should be okay then.

@Erioguez: That's a good idea

@Blissey: The thing about the sand-warding-off-germs comes from a Pokedex entry. Turning the sand into a barrier makes more sense though, so I'll probably incoporate that.

And as for words, 3,200 is huge. As for characters, 6,000 is pretty small.

it does? huh, looks like nintendo did their research then.

edited 11th Apr '11 4:35:04 PM by Blissey1

XP granted for befriending a giant magical spider!

Umm, are there any pokemon that haven't been done yet? (preferably not one from Black/White but I'll do them if necessary).

Feminist in the streets, sex slave in the sheets

Poochyena's up for grabs.

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I would like to do Crescelia or Darkrai if I can. I've read enough other ones that I think I can do an adequate job.

Feminist in the streets, sex slave in the sheets

I think Darkrai's been called, check the Dibs page to make sure. If there isn't an article on either of them called or currently existing then go for it.

Please consider supporting my artwork on Patreon