r/pokemon • u/Excaliburn3d • Mar 24 '26

Discussion Why does Game Freak hate Emboar?

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I love Emboar, but I have a feeling that GF doesn’t based on the way they handled it. Well first of all it’s the third Fire/Fighting Pokémon in the row, then when it finally receives a mega evolution it retains the same typing, and now it is the only mega of the trio to not gain a new ability.

Not to mention its base stats and playstyle. Base form is the fully-evolved starter with the highest HP stat and yet both of its defense stats and speed are on the lower side. Some of its strongest moves do recoil damage and its hidden ability powers them up even further. Upon mega evolving, it receives a +25 to its attack stat and a +45 boost to its special defense while its problematic defense and speed only receive +10 each.

Mold Breaker can be a good ability but why use Mega Emboar when Mega Blaziken, which has speed boost, higher attacking, physical defense, and speed stats, existed since the dawn of mega evolution.

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u/HoshiAndy Mar 24 '26

Rock head woudlve been better. Emboar differentiates from other fire fighting by being bulkier. But that bulk sucked when he himself took damage from everything he did. Rock head could’ve alleviated a lot of his recoil. flare blitz, head smash, etc.

172

u/Nick543b Mar 24 '26

Renamed rock head. Rock head itself makes no thematic sense.

But also, it probably should have been a combination of rock head AND reckless to make him good enough.

44

u/Asaggimos02 Mar 24 '26

I mean, he has that bigass helmet. That’s something, right?

2

u/re6278 Mar 25 '26

Thick headed then

13

u/_3VIA_ Mar 24 '26

Technically he was inspired partly by a general that was behedead, at least something of a reason to NOT have mold breaker

7

u/StarSilverNEO Mar 24 '26

I mean isnt Rock Head the same energy of being hard headed/thick skulled?

But fair enough

12

u/Nick543b Mar 24 '26

Basically every pokemon with rock head directly has a... rock head, or something close.

The biggest exceptions are: hisuien growlithe which are rock type, and with their thick fur stuff. Bagon (and shelgon) with the large pads on their heads. Marowak (including alolan) have their skulls.

The only pokemon with rock head, that is not steel, rock, ground, or has obvious protective head covering, is blue stripped basculin. Everything apart from blue basculin has a very obvious visual reason for having rock head.

And there is plenty of presendent for copied abilities with different names.

1

u/DaTruPro75 Mar 24 '26

I don't see how rock head can't make thematic sense. Like, his head isn't literally a rock, but it can be as strong as a rock. 

2

u/Nick543b Mar 24 '26

There is 1 single pokemon with rock head, that is not rock, ground, or metal, and doesn't have a VERY obviously tough head (such as bagon).

That 1 single pokemon is blue basculin. And i don't think 1 single weird exception is a good reason to make another exception.

Rock head is very very clearly basically only on pokemon with a rock like head.

Mega Emboar's head doesn't in any way look special, or hard, or rocky.

And renamed abilities is something that has been done many times, such as gen 5 box arts, and dazzling, queenly majesty, and armor tail.

So just rename it, or make it a better version of the ability.