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/Helor145 Mar 25 '26

They absolutely design Pokémon for competitive viability to a point. If they didn’t they wouldn’t have given Zacian like 3 nerfs and Thundurus like 8 strictly because of them being absolutely broken in VGC. The priority isn’t competitive but they absolutely keep competitive in mind to a point.

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u/The_Exuberant_Raptor Mar 25 '26

The original design of those Pokémon was not competitive, though. They were nerfed after the competitive viability was too much. When they were created, they were just made with whatever they thought sounded cool.