Balance or Imbalance mechanics?

[Sun]

This is a discussion about the mechanic alteration from Gen VI. Generation 6th has brought us changes and one these main changes are the introduction of the fabulous Fairy-type.

With the introduction of Fairy-type Pokémon, Steel and Poison-type moves, which are Fairies' weaknesses are nowadays common than before. Unfortunately, Poison-type happened to be Grass-type's weakness while Steel-types shatters the Ice-type Pokémon.

The Fairies didn't exactly dominated the tiers like how Dragon-types used to, instead the pixies improved the competitive area. However, types like Grass and Ice, are suffering more nowadays. The Grass and Ice-type moves aren't affected much and Ice-type moves are still common and popular. But most Pokémon who are directly affiliated under the Grass and/or Ice-types are directly affected.

Grass and Ice are commonly regarded as defensively weak, as their weaknesses are too common since Gen I/II. Grass-types are slightly luckier than the Ice-type, as they received a little present from Game Freak -- Powder and Spore move immunity (Cotton Spore, Poison Powder, Powder, Stun Spore, Spore, Sleep Powder and Rage Powder) but that kind of create more problems for those Grass-types with the Leaf Guard and Natural Cure Abilities.

[Note this isn't a dis against Fairy Pokémon, I just provided examples how introducing types can affect the whole typing chart; please do not throw your hate on the Fairies.]

Points to discuss:
- What's your opinions on introducing new types? (Steel and Dark were introduced in Generation II, for those who aren't aware)
- Is it a correct move to introduce new types to fix the imbalanced competitive scene? Should they simply altered the mechanics of the existing types instead of introducing something new? (Psychic and Ice-types dominating Gen I, Gen II to Gen V has mainly Dragons and pseudo-legends)
- How do you feel about certain Pokémon getting immunity from status moves like Grass' immunity to the spores and powder moves in Gen VI, Electric-type Pokémon's paralysis immunity, is it a good thing or not?

• The Budew line has the Natural Cure as one of their Abilities, while Budew and Roselia is appointed with Leaf Guard as their Hidden Ability.
• The Shinx line have Guts as their Hidden Ability.
• The Sewaddle line and Wormadam (including Grass cloak) have Overcoat as their Hidden Ability.
• The Tangela line, Hoppip line, Leafeon have Leaf Guard as one of their Hidden Ability
• The Petilil line have Leaf Guard as their Hidden Ability

I believe all or most of the listed Pokémon aren't common in the metagame nowadays, but the point of discussion is the mechanic updates and alterations.
Any related discussions, including the weather nerf are welcomed. :)

 

[Lycanthropy]

I don't battle enough competitively to be able to judge those abilities, so I'll keep it to the types.
Dark and steel were definitely appreciated additions to balance the heavily overpowered psychic Pokémon. Psychic was unstoppable because nothing could matter it, bug didn't even count as a weakness, because Twineedle was the only decent bug type move and that was signature to Beedrill, which is still weak to psychic.
I don't know about fairy. Dragons may have been overpowered thanks to the fact many of them are semi-legendary Pokémon with high base stats and access to many moves, but many had a ×4 weakness of ice. Ice wasn't one of the best types, due to a lack of defenses, but now they're not even needed to counter dragons. Then fairy resists bug too. Bug wasn't one of the best types either. So in the end, it certainly caused balance, but debalanced a bit too.

 

[Megan]

Grass and Ice are commonly regarded as defensively weak, as their weaknesses are too common since Gen I/II. Grass-types are slightly luckier than the Ice-type, as they received a little present from Game Freak -- Powder and Spore move immunity (Cotton Spore, Poison Powder, Powder, Stun Spore, Spore, Sleep Powder and Rage Powder) but that kind of create more problems for those Grass-types with the Leaf Guard and Natural Cure Abilities.

I think, you're underestimating the bulk of Grass type Pokemon. Granted, a lot of them are fortunate enough to have a second type as well, like Venusaur, Amoongus (which happens to be a hugh defensive threat in Doubles), Ferrothorn and to an extend Celebi (which also happens to have Natural Cure), which makes them better then a mono Grass type (although Serperior is a really good offensive threat).

Ice types are more or less meant to be offenive forces anyway and more importantly: it's not as much as common weaknesses being hugh threads to them (although, it's definitely part of the problem), but rather the existance a certain, semi-subjectively, broken entry hazard, that prevents defensive Ice types from being more efficient as walls.

Ultimately, the type is only one part of the equation, so as long as a Pokemon has other beficial traits, that can make up for a possibly terrible typing, it can turn out better, than you'd think by purely looking at its type. But that's stuff for another thread.