Gimmick Pokemon

[XeroGraviti]

A Gimmick is a marketing term used to describe a unique special feature that makes something "stand out" from it's contemporaries. However the special feature is thought to be of little relevance or use, usually just there for the sake of having a special feature. In Pokemon, a gimmick Pokemon could refer to any Pokemon that...

-has a "unique" movepool, or a movepool limited to only a few attacks.
-has a unique ability.
-has to be used in a specific way to be effective.
-has any other special feature(not necessarily physical features)that make it different from other Pokemon.

Here are some of the gimmick Pokemon I can think of.

Unown - You could say that it's the king of all gimmick Pokemon. With 28 different forms, 26 of them being letters of the alphabet and 2 of them being punctuation marks. You can already see the gimmick. They are useless in battle(although less useless then a magicarp)and only serve as novelty items.

Ditto - Ditto can only use the attack transform, which lets it copy the appearance, type, moves, and stats(not including HP) of the opponent. Although it's an interesting ability, it's pretty useless in battle. However it also has the ability to breed with any other Pokemon making it invaluable in breeding.

Abra - Remember that Pokemon in first generation that always teleported away everytime you tried to catch it? Abra can only learn the move Teleport by level up. Which made it very hard to catch. It's also pretty useless in battle. Once it's evolved it's pretty much your average psychic Pokemon.

Any one want to share there ideas/thoughts?

 

[Kirbychu]

Ditto - Ditto can only use the attack transform, which lets it copy the appearance, type, moves, and stats(not including HP) of the opponent. Although it's an interesting ability, it's pretty useless in battle. However it also has the ability to breed with any other Pokemon making it invaluable in breeding.

This is no longer true. In Black and White Ditto now has the the ability Eccentric. Eccentric will allow Ditto to transform into the opposing Pokemon upon switching in and copy all stats of the opponent's Pokemon as of the turn Ditto switches in. Ditto will finally get his revenge. >:)

Plusle and Minun are major gimmicks, they were created for double battles. Castform's another one of my favorite gimmicks too.

 

[XeroGraviti]

This is no longer true. In Black and White Ditto now has the the ability Eccentric. Eccentric will allow Ditto to transform into the opposing Pokemon upon switching in and copy all stats of the opponent's Pokemon as of the turn Ditto switches in. Ditto will finally get his revenge. >:)

Plusle and Minun are major gimmicks, they were created for double battles. Castform's another one of my favorite gimmicks too.

Hmm...I didn't know about this. I can already picture some of the possible strategies that could be made, and I can't believe I forgot about Plusle and Minun xD. They slipped my mind.

 

[Sydian]

Plusle and Minun come to mind here. v_v Like Kirbychu said, they were made for double battles, but honestly, who wants both of them on the team? At least their abilities got an upgrade...but it doesn't seem like it's going to help those two.

Emonga also comes to mind. It's another electric squirrel, but with Flying as a second type. And it's a shaking grass Pokemon. And...not much else to it. Dunno. lol Not a gimmick per se, but it's like they were saying "Sorry, we screwed up with Pachirisu. Here, have this guy instead!"

 

[Perriechu]

Delibird U.U What's it meant to do D;? Very Poor mans Articuno, <;

 

[donavannj]

Abra - Remember that Pokemon in first generation that always teleported away everytime you tried to catch it? Abra can only learn the move Teleport by level up. Which made it very hard to catch. It's also pretty useless in battle. Once it's evolved it's pretty much your average psychic Pokemon.

Any one want to share there ideas/thoughts?

I dispute the claim that Kadabra and Alakazam are "average" Psychic-type Pokemon, simply because they have ridiculously high Special Attack and Speed stats. And, in Gen I, Psychic-types were essentially uber-tier because their weaknesses didn't have any powerful attacks or powerful Pokemon to take advantage of the STAB for those attacks. So having an Alakazam was essentially the equivalent of having a Gyarados on your team.

 

[XeroGraviti]

I dispute the claim that Kadabra and Alakazam are "average" Psychic-type Pokemon, simply because they have ridiculously high Special Attack and Speed stats. And, in Gen I, Psychic-types were essentially uber-tier because their weaknesses didn't have any powerful attacks or powerful Pokemon to take advantage of the STAB for those attacks. So having an Alakazam was essentially the equivalent of having a Gyarados on your team.

Oh sorry, I must of used my wording wrong. When I said "average" I meant that they no longer had a gimmick behind them. Not that they were actually, "average" Pokemon. Kadabra and Alakazam are exceptionally strong Pokemon. I guess I should be more clear next time :P? Also Shedinja could also be called a gimmick pokemon. It's wonder guard ability allows it to never take any damage unless it gets hit with a type that it's weak to.

 

[Haberdasher]

Smeargle's definitely a gimmick Pokemon, but a good one, IMO. With its only move, it can learn ANY move (well, except Struggle and Chatter, but there are better ones to learn anyway). If only it had better stats, its gimmick would be used for more than just breeding.

 

[vaporeon7]

Cherrim: With its Flower Gift ability.
Pansage, Pansear and Panpour: Tripple Battles.
Chatot: Chatter using DS microphone.
Feebas: Its rarity and that it needed contests to evolve.
Wobbuffet: Can only reflect attacks not attack.
Shuckle: Super high defences and baby attack.
Tyrouge: First split evolution Pokemon.
Spinda: Millions of forms, bad stats.
Kecleon: Ability that changes its types.
Luvdisc: Heart Scale holder.
Burmy and Wormadam: Appearance changes upon location.
Shellos and Gastrodon: Appearance depends on where it is caught.
Spiritomb: The underground.
Phione and Manaphy: Only event and legendary Pokemon able to breed.
Arceus: Unbeatable Pokemon!
Basslao: A different form is more common in Black and White.
Darmanitan: Changes form completely when it gets weak.
Pikachu, Pichu or Marill, Plusle, Minun, Pachirisu and Emogna: What would a Pokemon Generation be without a weak rodent Pokemon.
Meloetta: Only Pokemon that changes form with a move.
Farfetch'd: So weak it got its own item, Stick.
Lickitung and Mr. Mime: Pokemon only available through trade in Gen I.
Jynx: Only Pokemon to go through a major design change and the same reason as previous.
Eevee: Evolves into 7 different Pokemon.
Togepi: Used to showcase eggs in Gen II.
Sableye: Original no weaknesses Pokemon.
Hippopotas and Hippowdon: Used to show the new gender differences.

 

[MysticFlames]

Whaaat, Ditto was given the opportunity to be better in 5th gen? (Why couldn't that have happened 3rd gen? *grumble*)

Anyway, I'm not sure if I like gimmick-y Pokemon or not. They're definitely interesting to see, but they usually leave you with a rather terrible Pokemon that's pretty useless in battle (Unown, Spinda, Delibird, etc). I'd invite gimmicks more if their resulting Pokemon had better stats because they otherwise become a Pokemon you glance at once and then keep in your PC forever.