6th Gen Diantha - How would you improve her?

When I made the Champions topic on PGC a few days ago, I asked, y'know, what Champions did you like the most, which ones you feel that were the easiest, and anything else we'd think of, and so on, and so, the common answer in that thread was that Diantha was actually one of the easiest Champions to beat and she didn't really get too much appearances within the game, which imo, was a pretty disappointment because she had much potential!



Still though, assuming that we're going to get a 'third game' that represents the Kalos region & Pokemon X/Y, what would you say that Diantha needs to be "better" or at least, what can she do to represent herself as the Champion in the Kalos region in the games better?

In a nutshell.. if you were in gamefreak's position and you didn't much care for Diantha's lack of a role in the games or how easy she is in the pokemon league, how would you improve on her? Or would you improve on anything at all? Do you think she's perfect as is? Feel free to share any thoughts~!

More story involvement and character development. For me Diantha's main problem was that she appears all of like once in the main story before you battle her at the league. The best Champions imo are the ones that actively get involved in the story. It turns them from being some random NPC you couldn't care less about into, well, an actual character. Having characters that aren't just "there" gives the story a little substance, and the fact that X/Y's plot failed to develop its characters and story was one of its biggest shortcomings.

Just throwing her or any of the other characters into the plot more often won't automatically make it better though. But I'd like to think that Game Freak wouldn't muck it up.

As for why Diantha seems so much easier compared to other champions, I think that it partly has to do with the things X/Y had that other regions didn't exactly have: the massive Pokemon diversity, the better Exp.Share, Mega Evolution, the fact that X/Y had the 2nd best range of moves available to our Pokemon, etc.

Zekrom said:

More story involvement and character development. For me Diantha's main problem was that she appears all of like once in the main story before you battle her at the league. The best Champions imo are the ones that actively get involved in the story. It turns them from being some random NPC you couldn't care less about into, well, an actual character. Having characters that aren't just "there" gives the story a little substance, and the fact that X/Y's plot failed to develop its characters and story was one of its biggest shortcomings.

Just throwing her or any of the other characters into the plot more often won't automatically make it better though. But I'd like to think that Game Freak wouldn't muck it up.

As for why Diantha seems so much easier compared to other champions, I think that it partly has to do with the things X/Y had that other regions didn't exactly have: the massive Pokemon diversity, the better Exp.Share, Mega Evolution, the fact that X/Y had the 2nd best range of moves available to our Pokemon, etc.

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Considering Diantha seems to know Lysander and is distrust for of him she could've provided us insight into him that the blind Sycamore couldn't have.

Also I must say I'm actually surprised that they increased Steven's role in ORAS considering how little of a role in the plot Iris and Diantha had (Wallace was as bad as Diantha in Emerald but at least he helped stop the chaos).

Funny that you mention the best champions are the ones involved in the story seeing how popular Cynthia is and she has among the most, if not the most, involvement in the story of her games.

I would replace her Hawlucha and Tyrantrum with Furfrou and another graceful Pokémon like Meinshao that suits her appearance better, since the rest of her team are alright, though I do wish her ace Pokémon wasn't a Gardevoir due to not being a Kalos mon (debut wise).

Pinkie-Dawn said:

I would replace her Hawlucha and Tyrantrum with Furfrou and another graceful Pokémon like Meinshao that suits her appearance better, since the rest of her team are alright, though I do wish her ace Pokémon wasn't a Gardevoir due to not being a Kalos mon (debut wise).

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I think her entire team is supposed to be Kalos pokemon and its mega is strict to Kalos so i think thats why GF put that in ;)

I actually wish she was like more involved as a strong trainer shes known as a movie star but she did nothing to stop team flare, she didnt really go out there and say im the champion which is generally a good thing. And why does she have to be like the perfect person alder was clumsy but had a good heart shes beautiful has a good heart pretty wise, a good job, many candidates for boyfriends i mean shes the full package lol shes tooo perfect!

I think shes easier than other champions is 1 because she had a bad team Gardevoir was good dont get me wrong but GF wanted her to use both fossils (big mistake) and she couldn't just use 1 because that would lead characters to a different fossil, she had to use all Kalos pokemon, only her Gardevoir could mega so it makes sense that none of her other pokemon should be able to mega and really the fossils ruined her team with 2 dragons and 2 rock types and the fossils had a big amount of weaknesses. Other factors are generally xy being easy and the character has higher leveled pokemon plus the new exp share, and you could use a mega against her which probably should have been restricted to post game.

Dedenne1 said:

I think her entire team is supposed to be Kalos pokemon and its mega is strict to Kalos so i think thats why GF put that in ;)

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Steven had a Skarmory, Cynthia had a Milotic, and Iris had a Lapras and an Aggron. It isn't new.

I actually wish she was like more involved as a strong trainer shes known as a movie star but she did nothing to stop team flare, she didnt really go out there and say im the champion which is generally a good thing. And why does she have to be like the perfect person alder was clumsy but had a good heart shes beautiful has a good heart pretty wise, a good job, many candidates for boyfriends i mean shes the full package lol shes tooo perfect!

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At least she's a better champion than Iris, who was the new Unova champion without any subtle hints in the main camepaign.

Other factors are generally xy being easy and the character has higher leveled pokemon plus the new exp share, and you could use a mega against her which probably should have been restricted to post game.

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Fans would complain about not using Mega Evolutions until postgame and accuse it as "false advertisement."

Pinkie-Dawn said:

Steven had a Skarmory, Cynthia had a Milotic, and Iris had a Lapras and an Aggron. It isn't new.

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Well i meant by saying that it was meant as a mega not to be used in its normal form which Megas are used as new pokemon.

At least she's a better champion than Iris, who was the new Unova champion without any subtle hints in the main camepaign.

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True iris wasnt all that good a champion although in my opinion Wallace wasnt great either.

Fans would complain about not using Mega Evolutions until postgame and accuse it as "false advertisement."

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True but the fans arent always right haha. Thats why they should enable difficulty modes as soon as u begin the game so it can be more challenging

Well considering she only really showed up here and there on the odd occasion with no real back story, I'd improve on that. I felt like Cynthia helped out much more and we got to know her background prior to actually battling her.

I'd have her more involved and even helping you fight Lysandre and his cronies. She's the strongest trainer in the region and she only appears once or twice and is so detached from the storyline it's pitiful. She knows something's off with Lysandre, yet doesn't help you fight him even after he broadcasts to the entire world he's gonna murder everybody. It would just have been better if she were more involved, and at least tried to help in some way.

The fans would probably be pleased with Diantha having a few more useless appearances during the main story like Cynthia did. Cynthia appeared more, but didn't have any involvement in the story at all since it was you who did all the hard work, unlike other Champions like Steven and Lance.

She just needs to be involved more in the story and maybe beef up her team a little or switch some Pokemon around. I think her design is Champion material and overall I see so much potential for her. I really loved her theme too tehe. I feel like the lack of character they gave her in x and y among other things they failed to really touch upon is a big indicator that a third game is coming with major story improvements. (I hope anyway)

As others have stated before me, one thing I would consider making changes to in regards to her would be story-line involvement.

She does make appearances here and there, if I'm not mistaken, but other champions we have had in the past had contributed a lot more to plot of their respective games (Lance aiding to take Team Rocket down in Johto, Wallace and Steven helping player out with awakening Rayquaza, Cynthia hanging around here and there to elaborate mythology of Sinnoh, and so forth), and if she had done the same, I'm sure it would have been more advantageous for Diantha.

Aside from that, I would also make touches to her appearance, probably. Her design is slightly heavy, in a way, and it does make sense considering that she is a fashionista and whatnot, but I believe she could still be one while leaning more on side of simplicity.

As others mentioned, Diantha should've been more involved in the story. She should've showed up in Team Flare's final showdown, confronting Lysandre after he revealed his true colors (either in Lysandre Labs and/or in the Team Flare HQ).

Just like everyone else, I too want Diantha to be involved in the story more. Maybe like how Cynthia was placed in the plot in Platinum. Cynthia helped the player on their journey by doing things like giving you HMs and helping you out with direction. Diantha, on the other hand...well, to be honest I don't know what she's meant to be doing. To me, it feels like she's in the story for nothing.

For me, I feel like I would've gave her more Pokémon that you're not used to seeing throughout the story. All six of her Pokémon are ones used by other trainers, so I think they could've done better than that. (Well, not counting the Mega Evolution...)

I would have liked to have seen her on posters and stuff round Kalos, you know with her being a famous actress and all.

Diantha was really disappointing to me. I found her ridiculously easy to beat, in fact, my Jolteon all-but soloed her. It wasn't even that much of a higher level than her Pokémon. The entire E4 in X/Y I found easy. I would much prefer her to be stronger. The hardest E4 for me was in Black and White, but the best was in Diamond/Pearl which was challenging, but didn't require me to spend ages grinding to actually face the E4.

Diantha's character needs more involvement in the plot. As you chase the bad guys around, she needs to follow you, help you and become someone you really look up to, rather than just a face. Diantha also needs to be involved in the Mega Evolution studies. She HAS a Mega Stone, so why does she never talk to you about it. You learn more from the 4th gym leader and her Lucario. That should be Diantha's job. In my opinion anyway. I'm sure Game Freak will improve her story line engagement for the third game... Z. I mean, this one is clear as day is it not? XD

She was quite easy and she was barely in the plot at all. Atleast Steven and Cynthia showed up quite a lot

NinjaAiden said:

I found her ridiculously easy to beat, in fact, my Jolteon all-but soloed her. It wasn't even that much of a higher level than her Pokémon.

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How was Tyrantrum with Earthquake, Aurorus with Light Screen, and Goodra with Electric resistances and super high Special Defense? :P

Pendraflare said:

How was Tyrantrum with Earthquake, Aurorus with Light Screen, and Goodra with Electric resistances and super high Special Defense? :P

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Jolteon didn't fight Tyrantrum. I said "all but soloed her" Jolteon didn't do it completely alone. Normally all of my Pokémon are present in a battle. In this one it was only Jolteon and I think it was Greninja, but I might be mistaken. Was a while ago now ;) The Goodra And Aurorus weren't an issue. Aurorus never got a chance to use a move and Goodra took two hits, one Thunder, one Discharge, I remember that because I was expecting Goodra to be a huge problem for a lot of my team, it was funny. Diantha was too easy with the easy-to-access EV trainer and the updated exp share.