Lunatone & Solrock

To be honest, I doubt they'll be the new mascots. I definitely think there's going to be new legends, but I think solrock and lunatone will be a part of the story somehow, though. Version exclusives definitely, though. And maybe a mega evolution.

(er...why is Lunatone's National Pokedex number before Solrock's National Pokedex number..? Odd; I hardly ever hear people use the order of "moon, sun"..)

:t338::t337: Ah, these two rockheads with the weird typing coupled with a weird Ability.. {XD} I feel that Solrock and Lunatone should get some sort of reference in Pokemon Sun and Moon, but knowing Game Freak, they'll probably avoid such an implementation just to be like they "defied expectations".. -_-

I'm not really sure what Mega Evolutions would do for them in terms of redemption (and I think other Pokemon are currently in need of it more, but that's an aside thought); Solrock's and Lunatone's stats and movesets look kind of wonky... Solrock is physically oriented (but is pretty much a floating rock blob that can't punch, kick, or scratch anything {XD}), so it can't make much use of its thematic Fire-type moves, thematic Solar Beam, and its specially-associated Psychic type, and is arguably deficient in decent physical moves... And while Lunatone is specially oriented, it can't make too much use of its physically-associated Rock type (although I guess there's Ancient Power).. Both of them need Levitate to avoid a Ground-type weakness (not to mention that Levitate is sort of a thematic Ability).. Their base stats could benefit from the buffing, though..

I'm hoping that Solrock and Lunatone are at least implemented as version-exclusive Pokemon (more of the "more common than the other, like Plusle and Minun in Pokemon Ruby/Sapphire" kind, not the "one is obtainable, one is completely unobtainable unless you trade" kind of version exclusivity); it would be even better if they factored even a little bit into the plot, like being required for "activation" of the hypothetical legendary version-mascot Pokemon..
And also, maintain the thing where wild Solrock hold Sun Stones and wild Lunatone hold Moon Stones! {:3} Other "Easter Egg"-ish/secret references would be nice, too..

Maybe, if Pokemon customization returns, we could get Solrock-themed and Lunatone-themed masks and/or hats..? ^^

I think they'll have a significant role. At the very least, they'll be featured prominently. Looking at the design for them and the logos, it's the same sun and moon design. Solrock is an orange circle with four long "rays" protruding from the cardinal directions and four smaller ones between them, same as the Sun logo. Lunatone's is a bit different as its color isn't the same as Moon's logo and Moon uses negative space, but the moon in Moon is the crescent moon with its missing part shown and Lunatone has the same design.

I think it'd be nice to have Version Mascots that aren't Legendaries like GenI. So far, all of the ideas I've seen (two villainous teams, Mega Evolution/Primal Reversion, a related Legendary, a space theme, a pre-evolution) seem completely plausible.
What if -and I can't imagine them doing this- Lunatone and Solrock are the starters? The player isn't given a choice and you get Solrock for Sun and Lunatone for Moon. It'd be different, but since they're pre-GenVII, I don't see that happening. What's more likely, I think, is the usual choice of three starters, but you also get Solrock or Lunatone (depending on the version). I always found it strange how the youngest kids in the games can have a full team of Pokemon, but the player doesn't have one until a Professor gives them a choice even when their parents have Pokemon or are Gym Leaders.

I think we'll be getting a Mega for them, version-exclusives most probably. However, I don't think they'll be playing a more central role in the games, not even as the evil team's mascot Pokemons. Who knows.

The least they could do to them is being version exclusives. There's no way they're going to be part of a villainous team, because they are Tate and Liza's ace Pokémon, and it would only make the twins less unique if everyone else but you, the player, use them.

BettyNewbie said:

I'd like to at least see these Pokémon get Megas or anything else special to go with the Sun/Moon theme. I'd also like to see something special done with Espeon/Umbreon and even Vileplume/Bellossom, as they are both supposed to be sun/moon, day/night duos.

In fact, in general, it would be pretty neat for SM to introduce Megas for all evolutions that are obtained with either the Sun or Moon Stones:

Sun Stone: Bellossom, Sunflora, Whimsicott, Lilligant, Heliolisk

Moon Stone: Nidoqueen, Nidoking, Clefable, Wigglytuff, Delcatty, Musharna

The Sun Stone Megas could be exclusive to Sun, while the Moon Stone Megas could be exclusive to Moon. ^^

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That would be cool however I think maybe only Lilligant and Clefable will probably get a mega. The rest just don't really fit as 'megas' they look like ultimate formes already.

Either way, Lunatone and Solrock will probably be essential to the story if they're megas. If they're not, they will be common because why waste perfectly good Pokemon???

I hope they get regular evolutions instead of just mega evolutions.
Solrock is a favorite of mine from the Hoenn region.

Sopheria said:

That's actually what I was thinking! I doubt they'll play a significant enough role to be the game's mascots, but maybe in these games they'll have some sort of hidden power that's necessary to unlock at some point in the game. Or maybe they'll even have some relationship to the mascot legendaries, like perhaps they're the key to unlocking the legendaries' power, or something like that? Solrock and Lunatone's Dex entries say they're from space, so that leaves the door wide open for new possibilities with these Pokémon!

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^ This, mainly. The two Pokémon don't look strong and interesting enough for an entire story to revolve around them. Since Gen II (not counting FRLG), Game Freak has never had a non-legendary Pokémon as a game mascot.
I expect them to give Lunatone and Solrock Unown-ish roles: not really having much to do with them directly, but roaming around the legendary's locations as guards or something.

I'm actually kind of hoping that they play a big role as it would be nice to seem the become ore powerful.

fenyx4 said:

I'm not really sure what Mega Evolutions would do for them in terms of redemption (and I think other Pokemon are currently in need of it more, but that's an aside thought); Solrock's and Lunatone's stats and movesets look kind of wonky... Solrock is physically oriented (but is pretty much a floating rock blob that can't punch, kick, or scratch anything {XD}), so it can't make much use of its thematic Fire-type moves, thematic Solar Beam, and its specially-associated Psychic type, and is arguably deficient in decent physical moves... And while Lunatone is specially oriented, it can't make too much use of its physically-associated Rock type (although I guess there's Ancient Power).. Both of them need Levitate to avoid a Ground-type weakness (not to mention that Levitate is sort of a thematic Ability).. Their base stats could benefit from the buffing, though..

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You never know, they might even get fancy new signature moves in these games! There's a huge shortage of special Rock-type moves, so who knows, maybe they could fill that niche with a special Rock-type move as their signature ^^ It's not unheard of for a Pokémon to gain a new signature move when it has a significant role in the story, such as Kyogre/Origin Pulse and Groudon/Precipice Blades.

I'd find it weird if they centered a main series game on two Pokemon that were released over ten years ago. But then at the same time it would also be weird if they created the legendarys based off the sun and moon because of the existence of Lunatone and Solrock. It certainly leaves an interesting question and I guess we'll find out in the coming months.

It seems fitting that every S&M have its own 'Lulu.'

ScoSap said:

I'd find it weird if they centered a main series game on two Pokemon that were released over ten years ago.

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I agree with this, I doubt they'll be featured very prominently. I can see them getting Megas and being version exclusives but apart from that I don't think they'll be involved in other ways.

Though I guess thinking about Magearna and stuff, maybe they'll be involved in a fusion-type of way to the legendaries. Or maybe there'll be a relationship similar to Carbink/Diancie between Solrock/Sun Legendary and Lunatone/Moon Legendary. But overall I doubt they'll play a big role, and I feel SM will focus more on new Pokemon.

I think I agree with most people here that they won't be that significant. But I can see them getting Megas at least. I don't think they'd be the mascots though, as someone said before they were released a long time ago so recycling them now, especially since they have never been significant before, would be kind of weird to me? But I'll let Nintendo/GameFreak surprise me, lol.