#179-181: Mareep, Flaaffy and Ampharos

Farmers' delight time, this is another farm animal in a hyper-state, this time a cute little sheep that operates the lighthouse.

Mareep is statistically a bit of a let-down: 65 special attack is the real standout, ahead of an ok 55HP, 45 special defence, 40 in each physical stat and a poor 35 speed (or great, if you want a trick room team, I guess). You get to be electric-type, which is generally ok, but the abilities of static for the regular and plus for the hidden are mediocre, I guess. Static can paralyse Pokemon that make contact with it, whilst plus can lead to a boost in special attack IF you have a teammate in a double/triple battle that has either plus or minus for an ability (look forward to Plusle and Minun). The 50% boost to special attack is nice, but the ally will most likely be electric-type or Klink and co., which means that ground will kill everything and your team will have minimal coverage, with Dedenne having fairy as a secondary typing.

So woolly!

Starting off strong with tackle and growl (seriously, this is a bit of a trend at the moment), we then move onto thunderwave to paralyse the foe, and then thundershock, a base 40 electric special move that can also paralyse the target. Cotton spore is a move that targets all adjacent foes and drops their speed by two stages, and charge comes in at level 15 (when you can evolve), boosting your special defence and the power of the next electric move. Purely because of evenness of distribution we shall continue this paragraph for a moment with take down, a base 90 normal physical move that causes recoil and really isn't worth it since, y'know, no physical prowess and the recoil. Electro ball is an odd choice here as an electric special move that hits harder the faster you are compared to the foe, between base 60 and 150.

We know that confuse ray will cause confusion on the opponent, whilst power gem is a base 80 rock special move which is then followed by the base 80 electric special move discharge which hits all adjacent Pokemon (not just foes) and has a 30% chance of paralysing those affected. Cotton guard is an interesting choice as it offers a three (yup 3) stage increase in defence, whilst signal beam is a base 75 bug special attack with a chance to confuse the foe. Last two moves now with light screen, which lasts 5 turns to double the special defence of the team, whilst thunder is a base 110 electric special move with only 70% accuracy, but will hit regularly in the rain.

The TM list looks a little predictable, with toxic being one that sticks out in the early numbers as a viable option, along with thunder/bolt and rain dance, whilst there is safeguard to prevent status afflictions. The TM list is rather short, but charge beam is a decent shout as it is a base 50 electric special move with a staggering 70% chance to grant a one stage boost to special attack on each use. There's also wild charge, which is basically an electric-type version of the previously visited take down.

Time to breed, and not for better wool or meat. After you causes a teammate to go next, which again only works in a trick room team, agility boosts speed, which is rather worthless, body slam offers a decent power for a normal physical move, eerie impulse can lower the foe's special attack by two stages, electric terrain can boost electric attacks as well as prevent anything from going to sleep and changing the wilderness into an electric haven, flatter boosts the target's special attack by a stage but leaves them confused (much like swagger), iron tail is a powerful steel physical move (base 100) but has very little accuracy with its decent 30% chance of lowering the target's defence. Tutor moves, you can then bag after you, signal beam and iron tail again, but you can get snore, shockwave and electroweb, heal bell and magnet rise, the latter lifting the user off the ground and making it immune to ground attacks.

Level 15 sees evolution from the little lamb into Flaaffy. In this situation you get a 15 point boost to all stats other than speed, which only goes up by 10, so 70HP, 55 in both physicals, 60 special defence and a decent 80 special attack. Same type, same abilities.

Sheering makes it stronger... Unlike Samson...

With an utter lack of change in the level list, thankfully the TM list comes good. Brick break allows you to break screens on the back end of a base 75 fighting physical move, rock smash and strength also allow other options, and volt switch is a great idea, hitting as a base 70 electric special that then allows you to swap out for another member of your party. Fire, focus and thunder punch all pop up on the tutor list.

With evolution into Ampharos comes more power (and less wool): 90 HP and special defence, 85 defence, 75 attack, still only 55 speed, but a nice 115 special attack. Same type and abilities, for now... (ominous fade)

The loss of wool and dignity has made it made and strong...

There are some additions to the level list, including zap cannon, a base 120, 50 accuracy electric special move that causes paralysis, ion deluge (all normal moves that turn become electric-type), dragon pulse (base 85 dragon special), thunder punch and fire punch. Hyper beam, giga impact and focus blast all jump into the TM list, and outrage appears in the tutor list. Outrage is a base 120 dragon physical move that hits for a few turns before leaving you confused.

The interesting thing with Ampharos is that it now has a mega evolution that adds on the dragon-type and the ability mold breaker, which negates the foe's ability. Weirdly, you lose 10 speed back down to 45, you keep the 90 HP, boost to a nearly useful 95 attack, a very nice 105 defence and 110 special defence, and then a rather frightening 165 special attack.

Since it lost its wool, it took the farmer's hair (and life) and became daftly majestic...

The sheer destructive potential of that special attack nearly makes this an instant wonder, but you do need to be careful with it due to the abysmal speed, so have it as part of a trick room team, or on the end of six speed boosts and you may be able to outspeed something slow. There are some good moves there, but not very much by way of coverage.

(All artwork presented by Ken Sugimori, taken from the Bulbapedia image archives)