Lick

[Tyranee]

Why is it a ghost type move? Also why does it cause damage or even paralyze and why can some Pokemon do it while others with tongues can't? Discuss the reasoning behind this. I think Lick should be a normal type move that just paralyzes. It shouldn't really do damage at all.

 

[Charizard★]

I agree with you. I've always wondered why it was, I mean other Pokemon have tongues and they could lick, so why would it be a ghost thing? So if a another Pokemon licked you, that would make them part ghost or something? :x

 

[Dragoniteisliberal]

It does so little damage, 20, so what's the point of it inflicting damage at all? o_O

 

[Cataclysmic]

Maybe it's a reference to Boo from the Mario series.

 

[deoxys121]

What I think it was made Ghost-type for was to give the Ghost-type more meaning. In the first generation, there were only two damaging Ghost-type moves, Lick and Night Shade. Night Shade inflicting damage equal to the user's level, this made it impossible to take advantage of the fact that Ghost was strong against itself. However, they could have just made a couple more moves, in my opinion. Same with the Dragon-type, considering the only Dragon-type move was Dragon Rage, which does 40 damage regardless of anything.

 

[Tyranee]

What I think it was made Ghost-type for was to give the Ghost-type more meaning. In the first generation, there were only two damaging Ghost-type moves, Lick and Night Shade. Night Shade inflicting damage equal to the user's level, this made it impossible to take advantage of the fact that Ghost was strong against itself. However, they could have just made a couple more moves, in my opinion. Same with the Dragon-type, considering the only Dragon-type move was Dragon Rage, which does 40 damage regardless of anything.

So you're saying it was a first gen thing? makes sense. At least ghost types now have a much wider move pool.

 

[deoxys121]

So you're saying it was a first gen thing? makes sense. At least ghost types now have a much wider move pool.

Yep. They also should have given the Dragon-type a wider move pool in the first generation, or at least made Dragon Rage a move that actually does damage like any other move.

 

[Tyranee]

Yep. They also should have given the Dragon-type a wider move pool in the first generation, or at least made Dragon Rage a move that actually does damage like any other move.

Perhaps they were afraid of either type being overpowered.

 

[Alice]

Well, ghosts have superpowers... maybe they're transferring those ghostly powers through their tongue.

 

[Tyranee]

Well, ghosts have superpowers... maybe they're transferring those ghostly powers through their tongue.

That's...oddly sexual >.>

 

[miju-kun]

Actually, Lick paralyzes because the tongue is sticky xDD
(I think....)

 

[Tyranee]

Actually, Lick paralyzes because the tongue is sticky xDD
(I think....)

The paralysis probably comes from the Pokemon getting licked being so uncomfortable with what just happened that it can't move. Pretty sure I saw something like that is the show.

 

[PlatinumDude]

Agreeing with the above posters, Lick is a Ghost move because the tongue is covered in saliva sticky enough to cause paralysis.

 

[Tyranee]

Agreeing with the above posters, Lick is a Ghost move because the tongue is covered in saliva sticky enough to cause paralysis.

If it comes from a substance on the tongue, what makes it ghost? Shouldn't it be treated maybe as a grass type move like stun spore? Even possibly a poison type move.

 

[Hikamaru]

Yeah, Lick doesn't look Ghostly at all.

And some Pokemon with long tongues can't even Lick.

I get the paralysis thing, though.

 

[Niprop]

Lick is likely ghost-type for the same reason U-Turn is bug type: Move diversity for otherwise sparse types.

 

[Tyranee]

Lick is likely ghost-type for the same reason U-Turn is bug type: Move diversity for otherwise sparse types.

This is probably the best answer. Gotta have those filler moves.